begotten by a man thou also art a man but in that respect that man which begat thee was corrupted thou also art corrupted Admit a leaper beget another leaper Simile the sonne is not a leaper in respect his father was a mā but because he was a leaprous man So mankind is not defiled with sinne in that respect we proceede from common nature or because we are begotten by man in that hee is a man but because all from Adam to thy selfe are defiled with sinne hence it is that thou thy self art polluted with iniquitie So that since the corruption of our first parent Adam we may now crie out with the Psalmist Psalm 14.3 There is none that doth good no not one Thus you see how man may be said to doe naturallie that which is good and naturallie that which is euill and therefore that our actions in diuers respects may be both good and euill good in that respect God common nature and the will not disturbed doth worke in and vpon them bad in that respect they proceed from a nature corrupted and from wils not directed by the good Spirit of God euer since the fall of Adam wonderfully disturbed which corruption and disturbing since it proceeds not from the three former causes but from a defect of puritie and a priuation of good crept into Adam by his disobedience and from him deriued to his whole posteritie for though it is a defect yet it is properly said to bee in vs Simile as blindnesse is said to be in the eies which is no more but a defect and want of the sight hence it is that God working in and by these causes is yet notwithstanding free from all sinne and we our selues the Authors of the euils going with our actions I say going with them for we must conceiue a difference betweene our actions and the sin which is nothing but a priuation and want of the good The actions are effected by God but the euill going with them wrought by our selues God giues strength to worke and a facultie to wil but in that the action is euil it is because we worke indirectly and will preposterouslie As for an instance Iudas betraied his Master In this action God gaue strength and a facultie of willing to Iudas as his creature yea wrought in and by that power and those faculties which hee had giuen him in his creation but when Iudas thus maintained and mooued by the hand of Gods power came to the adding of his owne couetous desire and malitious mind to this worke of God therein hee made the action euill and himselfe the Author of it Simile As for example the heauens giue moouing to the Planets by a direct motion but the Planets though thus mooued take an indirect and ouerthwart course Whence is it not frō the motion of the heauens which is euer direct but from the naturall inclination of the Planets to bee cartied indirectlie from a direct motion Simile A man spurres forward a lame horse if in his going he halteth the cause is not in the man which put him forward but in the horse which wanted soundnesse Simile The soule in a lame man mooues a halting bodie if this partie halt the fault is not in the soule for it only mooues such a bodie as it is but in the partie halting because he was lame and therefore being mooued could not but halt God is this soule of the world hee giues life and motion to all if they halt in their motion that is if man mooued by his Creator doth sinne against his Maker it is because hee doth as it were spurre a lame horse and mooue an halting bodie wherein there can bee no fault in the Moouer but in the parties mooued When the Sunne sendeth his beames vpon a dead corps Simile the stinch will come the sooner and bee the stronger the fault is not in the Sunne for then it would yeeld the like effect in al whereas shining vpon flowers it causeth them smell sweeter but in the corruption of the corpes enclined vpon the shining of the Sunne Simile to yeeld such a sauour The Earth giues life and nourishment vnto all plants alike yet some trees yeeld sower fruits as well as others pleasant the fault then is not in the earth but in the stock which bore them Good wine put into a tainted vessell looseth quicklie his naturall sweetnesse so good faculties put by God into a corrupted soule and good motions into a bad disposed mind alas how soone they are peruerted and become euill within them Simile A barren and drie soile makes seede which is good when it is sowed to bee often pinkt when it is reaped other ground againe is often so barren that it will yeed no fruit at all Christ is the good Sower his word the seede our hearts the ground which are either so extreme hard that they will yeeld no fruit as the hearts of the vnregenerate or if watered by the sweete continued dewes of Gods holy spirit the seede takes roote and yeelds forth some fruit as in the harts of the godly yet alas the kirnels are pinkt that is their best actions mingled with many imperfections The fault is neither in the sower nor in the seede but in the ground that is the hearts of such as should receiue it For Vunum quodque recipitur secundum modum recipientis Euerie thing is receiued according to the measure qualitie and disposition of the thing receiuing Good meate conueied into a bad stomack Simile turnes rather into choler then to wholesome nourishment but as the cause is not in the meate but in the stomacke that is euill affected so in that life and motion are abused the cause is not in God which giueth both but in such as from Gods blessing enioying them doe wickedlie vse them Simile The word of God of the one nature is the sauour of life vnto life and therefore is truelie called the glad tidings of saluation but when it is not receiued by faith in those that heare it as it was not by the Scribes and Pharisies in the daies of Christ nor as yet is by wicked liuers in the happie continued time of his holy Ministers then it prooues the sauour of death vnto condemnation Surely so the case stands betweene God and vs Actions in that respect they are maintained disposed and receiue a power of being effected frō God they are good but in that they become euill and witnesse with other his good blessings against vs in the day of his great visitation this is from our owne corrupted natures for in that men turne from God as Augustine saith it is of themselues De peccatorum meritis lib. 2. cap. 5. Quest. But it may be demanded since God is free and our selues culpable how thē doth the holy writ sometimes attribute sinne vnto God Psalm 105. as the Lord turned the hearts of the Egyptians that
called a sinne The second as it is a punishment of sins before committed for God doth vsually punish one sinne with another Rom. 1.21 Because when the Gentiles knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were full of darknesse therefore the Lord gaue them vp vnto their hearts lusts and vnto vncleannesse Thirdly as it is a cause of sinnes afterward committed Such was the ignorance of the Gentiles Ephes 4.18 Such the blindnesse and hardnesse of hearts in the Iewes whereof Isai chap. 6. and Paul Rom. 12. For these sinnes of theirs were punishments of their former sins secondly sinnes of the mselues thirdly causes of their infinite other sinnes as Augustine in his Treatise against Iulian teacheth excellently well Lib. 5. cap. 3. Thus we see that God may will a sin as it is a punishment and yet not be the Author of sinne as it is simplie sinne Note further Three things concurring in sinne that three things concorre in sins The first the deed or action and that is either inward or outward inward are those which are either of the mind Actions inward or outward as euill thoughts or of the heart as wicked affections or of the will as an euill choice and an agreement to that which is wicked Outward are those which are actions of the senses wrought by the externall instrumēts of the bodie Secondly the breach of Gods law going with this action which is an absence of the purity commāded and a presence of a defect and corruption forbidden noted by the Heathen man Tull. in his Parad when he saith Peccare est transilire lineas praefixas à scopo aberrare to sin is to passe the boūds prescribed and to wander from the marke expressed by the Grecians when they call it What sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and defined by the holy Ghost to be the Transgression of the law 1 Ioh. 3.4 Thirdly there is in euery sin a guilt and an obligatiō wherin we stand most firmely bound vnto God to vndergo the punishment which our breach of his law hath deserued This guilt hath his ground in sinne Rom. 6.23 Death is the reward of sinne this death is from Gods Iustice which willes that euery one shall haue his due this death is our due because the soule that sinnes by Gods law shall die the death this law is giuen in equitie for he hath the right of commanding we of obeying he our Creator we his creatures and therefore by the law of equitie and right of creation haue entred a statute both of soules and bodies to be obedient vnto him Now all are guiltie in as much s all haue sinned and this guilt is the bond whereby in iustice we are tied through the committing of our sinnes to vndergo the punishment they haue deserued And so is the third things considered in sinne Concerning the first of these three God is the Author of the first thing considered in sinne viz. the Actiō which is the Action It is true that God is the principall Efficient and Author thereof for in him we liue we mooue and haue our being Touching the third thing confidered in sinne namelie the guilt God is author of the third namely the Guilt whereby we stand bound to vndergoe the punishment our sinnes haue deserued there is no question but that God doth in like manner will the same But the second namelie the transgressing of Gods Law which expelles the puritie in the action and makes it wicked breedes a doubt whether God doth wil it or not For the satisfying whereof I will first shew what it is to wil. Secondlie how farre forth God doth will the same To will is taken two waies To will taken two waies 1. Properly properlie or improperly properly when wee will a thing in respect of it selfe because we iudge it good indeede or at least in appearance seemes to be so Improperly when we will a thing 2. improperly in respect of another thing that is because of some good that will ensue the same and not in respect the thing we desire is of the one nature good In which sense men doe often wish a naturall euill A man often desireth the cutting offan infected member Simile he doth not properly will the want of that member for euery creature aimes at his perfection but the good he hopes will follow the same namelie the health of his bodie So that there is an improper willling of the one because we whollie desire the other So that the cutting away of that member may rather be called a voluntarie permission then an effectuall willing because the will according to the owne nature willeth that which is good either in truth or at least in appearance and if at any time it is carried to the contrarie this commeth from a certaine disturbing of the mind whereunto none can say that God is subiect Further those things which we properlie will those we like loue and take pleasure in but a knowne euill is neuer thus affected and therefore at no time we properly desire the same Since this then is thus with men much more is it so with God Whence it necessarily followes that hee doth willinglie suffer sinne and that he doth will that which followes the same namelie his owne glorie but is no cause of sinne as it is simplie a transgression of his law as shal be more at large declared But care is to be had lest in going about to set downe the meane we fall into the extreame or labouring to eschew some danger wee slip into a greater He that shall say God doth will sinne as it is a transgression of his law shall not goe vnpunished neither may he which affirmeth that sinne is committed against his will or without his knowledge goe vnreprooued the former is to rob God of his goodnes the latter of his infinite power and knowledge In shewing how far forth God doth will sinne seuen things to be obserued Therefore that we may escape the danger keepe the meane and obtaine our desires these things are to be obserued That God doth will his owne glorie principally as the sole end wherefore all other things are effected Secondly that he willeth the euill of the punishment and that so as he is the sole effecter and inflicter thereof Thirdly that hee willeth sinne as it is a punishment of sinnes before committed Fourthly that he doth will sinne as it is an action either inward or outward Fiftlie that he doth will sinne as it is a guilt or obligation wherein we stand bound vnto God to vndergoe the punishments which our sinnes haue deserued Sixtly that God doth not will sinne as it is a transgression of his Law but doth onelie willinglie permit it Lastly that there is a difference between his willing of that which is good and that which is euill
end therfore is the Sonne of man made manifest that hee might dissolue the workes of the diuell Secondly man is the cause of sinne for after that it was conucied from Satan into Adam Maxey in his golden chaine in him it ariseth as out of a spring from this spring it is reserued in nature as in a conduit Rom. 5.12 from nature conueied to concupiscence as by a pipe which working in our corrupted natures causeth sinne and iniquitie to bee effected so that now because euery action hath his qualitie from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the next author therefore is sinne properly attributed vnto our selues as the causes thereof And therefore the Lord for the disobedience of his people Israel in not hearkening vnto him saith that hee gaue them vp vnto their owne hearts lusts Psalm 81. Genes 6.5 and they walked in their own waies And what are these waies of men Surely to haue all the thoughts of their hearts set vpon wickednes at all times Genes 8.21 To be inclined to cuil from our youth Iob 15.16 To drink in iniquitie as it were water To loue darknesse more then light Tit. 3.3 To bee vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures 1. Cor. 6.11 liuing in malitiousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another Rom. 3.4 Rom. 8.7 So that the wisedome of our flesh is emnitie to God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Hence it is that euerie man is tempted to euill of his own concupiscence Iam. 1.14 that Pharaoh hardens his owne heart Genes 8.16 that Israel and not the Lord Ierem. 5.3 Hos 13.9 make their faces harder theÌ„ brasse that what helpe they haue is from the Lord but their destruction from themselues for Deus est prior in amore God first offers grace Matth. 23.37 Luk. 13.34 he would gather them vnder the wings of his mercie but in that they are not gathered it is because themselues would not Therfore I conclude this truth with Paul In that men are the children of wrath it is from their corrupted natures for in that they transgresse Gods lawes they are moued and ruled therein by the Prince of the aire Ephes 2.2.3.4 yet so as that they follow the course of the world and are led by the lusts of their owne flesh which carrie them as directly in the paths of sinne as it is naturall to the birds to flie in the aire and to the fishes to swimme in the seas And thus it is manifest that sinne is iustly attributed wholly to Satan our selues to him as the originall and mouer to vs as naturally and desirously effecting what we are moued vnto for hee propounds a deceiueable price posteáque currentibus velocitatem addit and afterward helpes vs forward in the race of sinne wherein we are running as fast as we may The second point followeth That although in euery of our actions there are three causes and that euerie of these worke that which is good yet that it is from our selues that our actions are euill THat it may appeare how farre forth God worketh in euery of our actions and wherein the committing of sin doth consist I hold the handling of this point very needfull Touching the first part Three causes of euery Action which may bee propounded by way of obiection against the truth of the former position we acknowledge it a certaine truth that of euery of our actions there are three causes the first God the second common nature the third our will The first cause is of himselfe the second and the third proceed from the first God working by them â—nd they by a certain vertue strength â—eceiued from him The first being an â—bsolute good cause must needs worke only the which is good both in heaueÌ„ and earth The second considered as it proceeds froÌ„ the first namely God working by it it by a vertue receiued froÌ„ God is also good and so worketh naturallie in it selfe and in the parties vnder the same contained The third cause namelie our will considered as the second workes of the one nature as I haue alreadie prooued that which is good for Paul saith Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law So that it is truth that these are the causes of euery action Obiect and that these causes worke that which is good Ephes 2.3 Rom. 3.4 and yet notwithstanding that we are by nature the children of wrath the wisdome of the flesh being enmitie to God Solution Mans estate to be considered tvvo vvaies Natural is twofold For the vnderstanding of this we must know that mans estate is to be considered two waies First as it was in Paradise pure and holie Secondlie as it is since our fall wicked and sinfull so that naturall is now twofold vel innatum vel agnatum either borne in vs as naturally proceeding from common nature Common nature good or else borne with vs ouer and aboue nature the first is good being that which God created The second euill because it is a corruption and wicked inclination added vnto nature by the fall of Adam The corruption of nature euill How corruption is become naturall Hovv our actions are good Hovv euill which by reason of the generall infection of euery part and impossibilitie to haue it remooued is now become in vs as naturall as the former Yet those things which are naturally in vs as proceeding from common nature are good but as our actions are considered to come from this corrupted nature they are euill Common nature considered in it selfe as it proceeds from God doth only cause that from a man should proceede a man from a sheepe a sheepe from a Lion a Lion and so in particular But if you shall consider nature according to the next meanes it worketh by and as it is by that meanes stained and corrupted then doth it cause that from a leaper should proceede a leaper from one troubled with the palsie one subiect to the palsie from a nature corrupted with sinne a creature defiled with iniquitie Genes 2.3 Adam at first was free from this corruption of sinne and had he not tasted on the forbidden fruit no doubt his posteritie had remained in the same condition but after his disobedience he was infected with this corruption and so in that respect that he was the next meanes of him which succeeded him and his son the next meanes of him which came from his loines and so all considered as they come from their next parents euen from Adam vnto themselues by an ordinarie succession as Adam begat Sheth Sheth begat Enoch Enoch begat Kenan Kenan begat Mahalaleel and so in particular til thou commest to the next cause of thy selfe namely thine owne parents hence it is thou art corrupted for in that respect thou wast
Vbicunque caro inuenit refectionem inuenit defectionem wheresoeuer the flesh findes a refreshing it shall also finde a want and wearing In this the godly are often poore in regard of the quantitie but in the other which are true and tried riches very abundant Are not they rich which haue the most precious graces of Gods holy spirit within them which haue Christ himselfe who as Bernard saith hath all riches in his left hand Bern. in serm and all honour in his right yea who are heires of a kingdome in qualitie rich pure shining cleare gorgeous most glorious and fuller of all ioy and happines then tongue can declare or heart conceiue In quantitie exceeding spatious in substance not subiect to alteration corruption or malice of traitors Reuel 21. To this of the riches of Gods grace and mercie they are freely chosen and of this the whole world combining themselues together can neuer depriue them These are treasures not subiect to the blasts of the aire to the malice of Tyrants to the furie of the enemie to the deceit of the flatterer or to the plots of the robber Nec fraude surripiuntur nec vi eripiuntur they are neither gotten by craft nor taken away by force and therefore permanent and enduring And thus Christ for our sakes became poore 2. Cor. 8.9 that we through his pouertie might bee made rich And thus are the godlie euer rich when in the sight of the wicked they are counted poore Lastlie 5. The godlie euer haue true honor and happinesse howsoeuer the godly are accounted wretched yet they are most blessed howsoeuer base and vile yet most excellent and honourable Prou. 22.4 The truth of this appeares in that the God of Gods and King of Kings doth both largelie reward them highly esteeme them For passing by many mightie Princes 1. Thessal 1. of the exceeding riches of his grace hee elected them being defiled with that vglie leprosie of sinne he hath clensed them with the most precious blood of his onely begotten Sonne being by nature the children of wrath as well as others he hath iustified them of his free mercie sanctified them by his Spirit and called them by his word thus though once they were dead wandred and were dispersed yet now they are reuiued called home and in the superabundance of Gods mercie gathered to Christ Iesus the Sheepheard of the flocke and Bishop of our soules In which estate they weare now no more the filthie ragges of the old man but by the hand of a liuely faith haue the glorious robe of righteousnesse that is of the new man Christ Iesus put vpon them This was our estate in regard of our selues Ephes 2.3 1. Pet. 2.9 Ioh. 1.12 Galath 3.26 Hebr. 2.11.12 So that whereas once they were enemies to God now they are made friends vnto him whereas once cursed now blessed whereas once slaues to Satan now sonnes to God whereas companions and brethren of iniquitie now brethrē to Christ wheras once wedded to our lusts now espoused to him wheras once vassals of wrath now vessels of glorie whereas once captiues to Satan now free denizens of a glorious citie whereas once led by the spirit that ruleth in the aire now guided and gouerned by the good spirit of God whereas once bondslaues to Satan now heires of the kingdome of heauen Is not this true blessednes is not this exceeding honour and dignitie A faithfull man saith Salomon abounds in blessings Prou. 28.20 Prou. 28.6 Prou. 19.1 Psalm 1.1.2.3 c. and better is the poore Christian that walketh in his vprightnesse then he that peruerteth his waies though he be worldly rich Hunc habe beatum saith Seneca non quem vulgus vocat Sencca sed cui omne bonum in animo est Account that man blessed who hath all his riches in his mind not him whom the blind worldlings esteem blessed Macrob. because solae virtutes faciunt beatum the vertues of the mind make a man happie The world hauing their iudgements corrupted and eies blindfolded are misled in censuring and deceiued in beholding the state of Christs Church and no meruaile Omne decus filiae Sion ad intus The beautie of the daughter of Sion is within her which in as much as they want the spirituall eie it is impossible by thē to be discerned They prie into the imperfections and outward blacknesse of the Church but they behold her not in Christ and so see not her perfection and glory Being for her prittie trimnenesse compared to a Roe for her louelines to a doue for her fruitfulnesse to a vine for her holinesse to a Priesthood for her royaltie to a Queene for her safetie to mount Sion for her brightnesse to the morning for her glorie to the Sunne for her beautie to the fairest of women for her glittering to an Iuorie tower for qualities called by Christ himselfe sweete comelie perfect and most blessed Now the Church of God consisting of the number of the righteous Lord what do they count blessednesse if these whom thou hast thus blessed are not truelie blessed If these whom thou thus honourest are not right honourable whose soules are inricht with thy graces whose bodies are kept by thy Prouidence and guarded by thy Angels whose death is life Hebr. 6.7.8 1. Cor. 3.22 Hebr. 1.13 whose end is glory and ioy without end whose authority is to rule all Gods creatures and this rule ended to haue a greater giuen them euen to be Iudges with Christ of the most mightie tyrants and wicked Princes vpon earth Loe this is the portion of the righteous this the inheritance of the God of Iacob and therefore they are truly blessed therefore right honorable therefore most excellent But on the contrarie the wicked want true comfort euen when prosperitie smiles The tontrarie to the fiue former observed in the wicked much more when aduersitie frownes vpon them And how can it be otherwise since they want the Spirit of God which is the sole fountaine of all comfort Secondly they are swallowed vp of the miseries that doe befall them Hence it is that Dauid saith though their seate be vpon an high hill yet it is slipperie therfore they fall in their falling come to a perpetuall destructiō As Pharaoh and his hoste were swallowed vp of the seas so they are detained of death kept vnder of the graue and hell hath dominion ouer them Thirdly they lose by all view their exchange for laughing they haue mourning Luk. 6. Prou. 14. for a little ioy endlesse sorrow for the loue of the world the hatred of God for the sauing of this life Triplex vox creaturae 1. Possideto 2. Gratias habeto 3. Rationem reddito the losing of their soules for earthly pleasures they lose heauenly ioyes to liue at ease in this life brings endlesse torments in the life to come Yea in the enioying of what they most desire they frame an