they should hate his people The Lord hardned the heart of Eglon Iudg. 3. with many such phrases in his holy word Ans For the answering of this demaund wee must obserue that hardening is sometimes attributed to God sometimes to Satan sometimes to man To God in that respect hee purposing to permit the sin doth withhold his grace by which the heart of man is mollified And therefore Augustine saith Augustine God doth harden Non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo not by causing vs to sinne but by not granting vs his grace to preuent our sinnes To Satan in that he is primitiuus peccator the first offender Iohn 6. laies the deceiueable baite of sinne and is euermore entising and perswading to take it To man in that hee doth vilely put that in execution which the Prince of the ayre and the corruption of his owne nature doth lead him vnto and so he is the Author of the sinne and iustly liable to the punishment thereof because euery action hath his qualitie from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the next Author Thus it is said Exod. 7.3 That the Lord hardned the hart of Pharaoh yet in the 22. verse of the same chapter and chap. 8.16 that Pharaoh hardened his owne heart But Paul saith 2. Cor. 4. that the God of this world that is Satan doth blindfold the eyes of Infidels And therefore it is said of him that he filled the heart of Ananias though the Lord had as great a stroke in that as in hardening the hart of Pharaoh Againe 2. Sam. 24. I it is said The Lord moued Dauid to number Israel but 1. Chron. 21.1 that Satan mooued Dauid to number the people yet it is euident in the same chapter that Dauid himselfe was the offender because hee sustained punishment and vpon repentance confessed his sin to the Lord saying in his owne person 1. Chron. 21.8 I haue done very foolishly but I beseech thee O Lord remoue the iniquitie of thy seruant Which places must needs bee vnderstood in maner and forme aforesaid And thus much touching the former position and the answering of this demaund arising from the same The next point followeth A rule to know when our actions are good and when euill and what causeth either TO the performance of an action in a direct and beseeming order Jn euery vvell disposed action the knovvledge and the will must go together two things must concurre The knowledge and the will knowledge worketh nothing without the will nor the will any thing aright without knowledge Therfore in euery good action a direct will and a good vnderstanding whereunto is adioyned a conscionable practise must goe together the will working VVhat is the propertie of the vvill What of knowledge knowledge ordering the will causing knowledge disposing the will mouing vs to worke but knowledge directing vs to worke so as the Lord commandeth Therefore aboue all wee must labour and seeke to God for spirituall wisdome and heauenly vnderstanding for although thy will which sets thee a worke is naturall in thee yet this knowledge which is the directer of thy will is supernatural and comes from aboue As the Mariner hoisting vp the sailes in a gale of winde Simile shall soone dash the ship against the rocks runne her on the sands or fall vpō an vnhoped for shore vnlesse knowledge by the rules of the Carde and Compasse directs the Rudder Euen so whē the sailes of our head-strong willes are hoist and that there wants a knowledge in the Carde and Compasse of Gods holy word which is a lanthorne at the sterne in the stromie nights and the fole directer thorough the seas of this troublesome world to the hauen of eternall rest alas how soone doe wee spoile our selues against the rockes of offences runne with the multitude into the sands of sinnes and so falling vpon the crosse shore of an vnlooked for euent Act. 8.3 1. Cor. 15.9 Philip. 3.6 Galath 1.13 1. Tim. 1.13 lose the hope of our best actions Thus was Paui led by a violent will and a blinde zeale and so in that wherein he thought he did God greatest seruice he most of all wronged his heauenly Maiestie Prou. 1. Therefore wee must aboue all follow the aduice of Salomon in seeking for knowledge the chiefest meanes of attaining thereto being to pray continually with Dauid from the ground of the heart Psalm 119. O Lord teach me thy statutes And O Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things contained in thy law Two things required to make the actiō good 1. That the meanes 2. That the end be lawfull and expedient Now this vnderstanding teacheth that in the performance of euery good action there must be this double assurance first that the end be good lawfull expedient Secondly that the meanes of accomplishing be squared by the same rule If thy purpose be good and the meanes euill thou sinnest in the manner of effecting If the meanes bee good but yet thy intent euill thou sinnest in the end of hauing it effected It is a good end to purpose the hearing of Gods word to be therby taught our dutie but to steale a horse to ride to heare it makes the action euill because thou sinnest in the meanes The fasting giuing almes and long supplications of the Scribes and Pharisies seemed to bee good actions for such duties are both strictly commanded and largely commended but because they were done of vaine ostentation and to be seene of men they failed in the end and so made the whole action euill Therefore if thou wouldest haue thy actions good both the means of effecting and the end of accomplishing must be good lawfull and expedient euer remembring Modus finis constituunt actionem modum finem constituere actionē that from the means and end of effecting the action is well or ill disposed well if both be lawful and expedient euill if there bee but a failing in either For whereas all circumstances must concurre to make the action good the failing but in one doth make it euill Hag. 2.12 13 14. Thus saith the Lord of hosts Hag. 2.12 13 14 Aske now the Priests concerning the law and say If any one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his coate and with the skirt do touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or any meate shall it bee holy And the Priests answered said no. Then said Haggai if a polluted person touch any of these things shal it be vncleane And the Priest answered and said it shall be vncleane Thus you see the truth of that before deliuered It tests thē as a good vse of this doctrine that we carrie a narrow examination ouer all our thoughts words and waies the want wherof causeth as Iames saith that not only in many Iames 2.3 but in most things we sin all Note lastly that thou mayest sin when
euill in regard of the priuation and absence of the good good in regard of the subiect wherein it is Therefore since euery euill is in some subiect and euery subiect hath his being and is vpholden by God therefore the opinion of the Manachies proued by meere reason is fond and foolish The third point followeth That God willeth sin as it is a punishment of sinnes before committed Position 3 IT is vsuall with God and this is a most grieuous kinde of punishment to punish one sinne with another Such was the hardning of the heart of Pharaoh and the blinding of the eyes of the Iewes which were not effected by God as they were simply sinnes but as Tertullian saith against Marcion as they were punishments of their former iniquities Lib. 2. pag. 180. God sent the diuell to deceiue Achab with a lie put the spirit of error into the lying Prophets their lying was a sinne but God willed it as punishment and not as it was meerely a sinne of it selfe The like appeares 2. Thess 2.10.11 Rom. 1. Isai 19. Isai 29. Because the Thessalonians receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therfore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies Tim. 7. lib. 5. cap. 3. Augustine against Iulian sheweth that a desire to sinne is a sinne a punishment and a cause of sin but yet in respect of God a punishment onely This shall suffice touching this point If any one list to heare more I referre him to that of Tertullian before alleaged Contra Marcion lib. 2. p. 180. That God doth will sinne as it is an action in ward or outward Position 4 ALthough sin cannot in very deede be separated from the action with the which it goeth because euery priuation is in some subiect yet in minde there may bee a distinction and in the vnderstanding a separation of the one from the other Wherein wee conceiue the one to be good the other euill the euill proceeding from our owne corruption How sinne is distinguished from the action with the which it goeth the good from God alone whether it be substance or action Rom. 11.36 Of him and in him and for him are all things when hee saith all things hee comprehendeth substances and actions ioyntly together For since in God wee liue we moue and haue our being Act. 17.28 there is no question but by the vertue of the same power all substances are maintained and actions effected Tyrants persecuted the children of Israel their malice proceeded frō themselues but their strength to effect came of the Lord Tom. 7. de Gratia libero Arbit c. 20. Isai 7.17 For as Augustine saith God doth worke in the heart of man and doth moue the motions of the will that by them hee may bring to passe whatsoeuer he hath decreed according to that of Salomon Prou. 21.1 The kings heart is in the Lords hand as the riuers of waters hee turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him all Gods creatures are his instruments of glorie wee cannot properly say that an instrument worketh but the vser of the same The axe is not the squarer of the timber but the Carpenter with the axe so man doth not worke of himselfe but God by man Thus much wee acknowledge in the Confession of our faith saying I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth When we call him Almightie wee acknowledge an effectuall power working all in all according to the good pleasure of his will and when we confesse him Greator of heauen and earth we likewise acknowledge that he is the Maintainer Mouer and Effecter of all things And thus is God the effecter of actions though not of the sinnes which vsually goe with them The fifth point followeth That God doth will sinne as it is a guilt Position 5 or obligation wherin we stand bound vnto him to vndergoe the punishment our sinnes haue deserued AVgustine against Iulian Tom. 7. lib. 6. cap. 8. disputing of the guilt of original sin saith that it is an obligatiō wherin euery one that is in the flesh borne carnally of the flesh is bound vnto God to vndergo the reward of sin namely eternall destruction This obligatiō hath his seat in the lawes of God made in his iust iudgment his will setting downe the matter and his iustice ruling the forme and therefore must needs be good and being good that the Lord doth will the same For since it is proper vnto God to soue iustice and hate iniquitie as the Psalmist saith it must needs bee that God willeth our being tied to vndergo the punishment our sinnes haue deserued because therein is his Iustice exalted Gods promises conditionall namely if we by true faith take hold vpon them Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 and our iniquities beaten downe Now this bond is cancelled by our gratious Redeemer the benefit whereof redoundeth only to such as by a sledfast faith exercised in the workes of true godlines take hold vpon him I meane such as are growne to the yeares of discretion and therefore capable of instruction of whom a holy life is necessarily required not infants who by Gods order of creation cannot performe the same yet by reason of the promise are within the Couenant by a powerfull and admirable worke of his Spirit as Peter Martyr saith are conuerted vnto him Obiect If any obiect the conuersion of a sinner at the last gaspe as the thiefe on the crosse I answere Ans the instāce is of one that none should dispaire but of one that none should presume Late repentance is better then none yet remember a good lesson Vix benè moritur qui malè vixit That mā doth seldome die well that euer liued ill Thus much by the way Prou. 1 though it seemes from the purpose And thus much of this guilt because I haue spoken before of the same The sixth point followeth Position 6 That God doth not will sin as it is simplie a transgression of his law but doth only willingly permit it FOr the vnderstāding of this A permission is taken three waies we must know that to permit or to suffer is taken three waies The first when of two good things wee must against our willes yeeld vnto the worst As for example A man rather desireth his sonne should applie his studies and so proue learned then that hee should be a souldier delight in warrefare or that baser Arts should be effected by him yet because he is not fit for that thou desirest when he entreateth thee that he may be a souldier or to follow some occupation thou dost yeeld vnto him which kind of yeelding is called a suffering against our willes According to that old saying When we cannot that which we would then wee must that which wee can But God willeth not after this maner for he is omnipotent and by consequence his will can neither be forced nor restrained Secondly to permit
vnderstandings enlightned Ioh. 3.19 this way not walked the truth not receiued nor our soules cured Luk. 14.24 It is because wee reiect the truth Ioh. 6.35 refuse this way winke with our eies will not taste this foode Apoc. 3.20 but shut the dores of our hearts lest hee should enter and heale vs. Obiection The actions of the diuell and wicked men are sinnes But these are maintained by God And therefore some sinnes are maintained by him Whatsoeuer the wicked doth Solution it is euill in Gods sight because it proceeds from a person not sanctified by his spirit yet we must make a difference between the actions and motions of euill mē and the disorder and sin which goeth with them God is the cause of the one but not of the other A good Musitiō may giue a good tuch vpon a string Simile yet the soūd may be bad because the string is bad or the instrumēt naught so God may moue the actions of the diuell and wicked men yet their actions good in respect of God though euill in regard of them Obiect Hee which maintaineth nature sinning maintaineth also the sinne it selfe But God doth thus And therefore maintaineth some sinnes Aliud est innatum Solution aliud agnatum It is one thing to vphold common nature as a creature of God another thing to vphold the corruption of our nature the one is naturall as proceeding from common nature and is good in vs the other is naturall as proceeding from the corruption of our nature that is our sinne in Adam and is euill in vs the former is vpholden and maintained by God and it shewes his goodnesse because it is his creature the latter came first from our selues and is still continued by our owne wicked lusts and so is euill in vs. Isai 30. In this sense Isaiah saith vnto vs Woe be to you declining sonnes Obiect The second cause cannot work without the first cause But the second cause namely mans will is a cause of sinne And therefore the first cause namely God hath a stroke in it Solution 1 Truth it is that the first cause doth preserue maintaine and moue the second cause but in that being moued it runs into an euill this proceeds from a defect and corruption in the second cause only as in the handling that Satan and our selues are the sole causes of sinne it plainly appeares Secondly the faculties of willing and nilling are not simply the causes of sinnes but the corruption of our faculties and the diflurbance of our willes by reason of the contagion of sin which raigneth in vs. Obiect The hardning of the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon of Pharaoh King of Egypt of the Iewes and many other proceeded from God Dent. 2. Exod. 3. But these are simply sinnes And therefore God is the cause of sinne God doth harden Solution Augustine non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo not by effecting sinne in vs but by not exhibiting of his grace whereby it is preuented For touching sinne God hath no positiue will In cludere est clausis non aperire but onely a priuation of his grace in respect of former sinnes committed In this sense God is said then to shut vp vnder sinne when hee doth not open his doore of mercie Gregor Destruit cum deserit and then to destroy when he doth forsake And thus much the Hebrew Dialect signifying as the learned haue obserued a permission and not an action doth teach vnto vs. This shall suffice for the answering of the obiections The vses follow THE SIXTH PART Containing the vses of the Doctrines deliuered The vse THe euident proofe that all things are gouerned by Gods prouidence doth teach vs a voluntary yeelding to this certain truth not suffering our mindes foolishlie to thinke on chaunce nor our mouthes fondly to attribute any thing to fortune For since it is the propertie of wisedome to dispose of all things and the wiser any one is the more he ordereth particulars it is strange that with one consent wee acknowledge God to be wisedome it selfe and yet abridge him of the properties thereof which is to gouerne all things Then it necessarilie followes that euery one that acknowledgeth God should abandon fortune and that deseruedly for whēce doth she come surely from ignorance the mother of superstition VVhat fortune is her first inuenters by likelihood her best acquaintance paint her blinde standing on a bowle and turning with euery winde Reason teacheth the blinde cannot guide the wauering cannot stablish that which is tost it selfe cannot settle others For how can he steare certainly which floteth himselfe on the waters how should fortune then gouerne any thing being more vncertaine then vncertaintie it selfe But what is she a word without substance begotten by a fond conceit brought foorth with fading breath no sooner come but gone no sooner heard but forgot againe That which is fortune to the seruant VVhence foreune ariseth is none to the master that which is fortune to the childe is none to the father that which is fortune to the foole is none to the wise that which is fortune to those which are darknesse is none to those which are light in Christ So that take away ignorance and her daughter chance will be quite banished The master lets a thing fall to see whether the seruant will giue it againe or steale it the seruant thinkes it fell by chance but his master did it to trie him So many things fall out amongst vs Gods ignorant seruants the causes and ends whereof lie hid to vs yet in all God hath his proper purpose and working Away then with fortune wherewith the mindes of the godly ought not to bee corrupted Vse 2 Secondly whereas Gods prouidence extendeth to all things but especially to his Church blessing and preseruing those that feare him in a speciall and particular manner it teacheth that aboue all things we should labour to be of the number of these priuiledged persons to be one of these sheepe whereof Christ is the shepheard that carefull shepheard that alwaies watcheth ouer them that louing shepheard that giues his life for them that mightie shepheard that alwaies deliuers them And indeed since all blessednesse doth consist in this namely to heare his voyce for those are of Gods Church and these are his sheepe and ouer them is he that carefull shepheard I will by the way and though vnfitly yet I hope profitably lay downe some reasons to moue the contemners to heare those which doe heare to bee more attentiue in hearing and forward in obeying And knowing there is no other meanes then poena praemium the Law and the Gospell for though this only works repentance yet that other is a schoolemaster and leades vs to Christ these two shall bee the heads from which my arguments of perswasion shall be taken The rewards concerne this life or a better The benefits of
cannot abide in contented manner to looke vpon sinne or behold iniquitie in another much lesse doth he will it himselfe But we will reduce the Arguments after this manner This is impossible that there should proceede any euill from a cause which is simplie and absolutely good But God is a cause in all respects simplie and absolutely good And therefore no euill can proceede from him That it is impossible that there should proceed euill from a cause which is simplie The proposition proued and absolutelie good who so wilfull that will not conceiue it who so blind that cannot see it How can that be absolutelie good from whence proceedes some euill Wherein should an absolute good cause differ from an euill cause if euill did proceede as well from the one as the other Whence is it called absolutely good if it be mixed with euill Is it because there is more goodnesse in it then euill then is it no more absolutely good but partly good and partlie euill Can a compound be a simple or a colour obscured with darke perfectlie white No more can a cause partlie euill bee said to bee absolutely good Therefore being prooued that GOD is a cause absolutely good it must needes bee that no euill can proceede from him Therefore in the next place to the proouing of this truth vnto vs. We call that sincere friendship The assumption proued which is neither mixed with the gall of harred nor coloured with the glosse of dissimulation We hold that true faith which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere and without diffimulation and therfore shall neuer faile These though neuer so perfect yet haue their imperfections and what goodnes is in them or in vs from them proceeds from another but God is goodnesse absolutely perfect his perfection is of himselfe his goodnesse his essence and his essence goodnesse it self frō whence the goodnesse of all other things proceedes he of himselfe euery thing from him he infinite without time or measure we in part for the time appointed by him Thus is God such a goodnesse as is perfectly absolute and absolutely perfect in all things Therefore when Moses desired of the Lord to shew him his glorie Exod. 33.18.19 the answere was I will make all my goodnesse goe before thee that is I will shew vnto thee a certaine semblance of that my goodnesse which is infinite I will manifest my selfe gratious and good so that so farre foorth as the shallownes of thy vnderstanding will attaine vnto thou shalt perceiue the same Gods goodnesse and himselfe are all one It is no idle qualitie whereby hee is good onely vnto himselfe but his goodnesse is such as doth continually by sundrie and infinite meanes communicate it selfe vnto others Vpon this ground Dauid excites vnto thankfulnes Psal 117.22 saying Praise ye the Lord all ye nations All yee people praise him for his louing kindnes is great toward vs the truth of the Lord endureth for euer that is the restimonies of his fatherly grace and goodnesse neuer haue end Where the heauēly Prophet describeth no idle goodnesse but such a one as is euer taking pitie euer working for the best euer doing good and therefore hauing his minde busied with this consideration and his heart full fraught with the sense of what his minde did meditate he breakes foorth into a most thankfull admiration The earth O Lord is full of thy goodnesse So that God is not such a goodnesse as sometimes ceaseth but euer worketh that which is good and is neuer wearied in his weldoing But what needes long proose since God and his goodnesse are all one it must needes be that himselfe being infinite his goodnesse is infinite and therefore extends vnto all and so impossible is it that himselfe should not be himselfe as it is possible for euil to proceed from his goodnesse which is himselfe for such as is the fountaine such are the streames that flow from it God hath left a certaine impression of this his goodnesse in his workes of creation And therefore Moses saith that all things which God had made were very good If the goodnesse of the creatures was such how great is the goodnesse of the Creator The blasphemy of Marcion confuted Most blasphemously therefore did Marcion affirme that God which created heauen and earth was not a good God If he is not good how should he create so many good things Nay if his goodnesse was not infinite how could the earth which our sinnes had caused to bring foorth nothing but brambles yeeld so many diuers and excellent fruites This wonderfull goodnesse of God is most euidently seene in his worke of maintaining gouerning and blessing all things which we call his diuine Prouidence Is not he good which maintaineth gouerneth and blesseth the world with euery particular therein contained Is not hee good which giues life motion and being Hee which beautifies the heauens with the starres the day with the Sunne the night with the Moone he whose Spirit by the vertue of the Sun the operation of the Moone the influence of the starres the motions of the heauens giues life vnto al things Who made Marcion of such corruptible matter to be an excellent creature who gaue him a diuine minde an vnderstāding soule with other admirable gifts of nature O blind and vnnaturall man that could not see or durst denie him to be good of whom hee himselfe had receiued so many good things this goodnes of God is so much more manifest in that he neuer ceaseth to do good vnto his enemies of which sort was Marcion and others as yet I feare mee innumerable who resisting this goodnesse of God by their open wickednesse recompence his long suffering with carnall securitie turne his blessings into wantonnes and harden their hearts at his deferring of iudgements which men neuer thinke that his mercies are to worke a louing obedience his iudgements to cause a godly feare and that his long patience expects a repentant reformation God could destroy these men in a moment Deferendo non auferendo modò non poeniteant yet he doth not he could inflict present punishment for their sinnes yet he deferres it hee could shew the tokens of his furie and wrath as vpon Sodome and Gomorrha but his mercie breeds delaies Why so because it reioyceth against iudgement testifying his goodnesse exceeds our iniquities This is that goodnesse which Christ perswades to imitate as neere as wee may saying Be ye perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect who suffers the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall both on the good and the bad But this goodnesse of God is seene in nothing so much Ephes 2.4.5 as in the manifestation thereof to his Church Therein consists infinite and perfect goodnesse hence it is that hee calles it home when it wandred gathers it when it was dispersed awakes it when it was in the slumber of sinne Rom. 5. reuiues it being dead in
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
place of all ioy 2. By our practise The palme of victorie is not due without fighting the price without running nor the wages without labouring This is reason and therefore thus wee practise an instance of one for all Julius sextus lib. 1. cap. 11. Cyrus King of Persir encouraging his souldiers against the Medes brought them to a great wood where hee set them to labour al the day long in cutting down the same but the second day prepared a daintie banquet for them at their eating whereof hee passed thorow the seuerall bands demaunding which of those two daies were best the souldiers answered the second because then was the banquet but how came you by this daies pleasures saith Cyrus they answered by yesterdaies labours So saith he by your paines in fighting against the Medes you shall obtaine the victorie and after enioy the banquet of the spoile So first we must conquer afflictions and after bee crowned with glorie 3. By the commodities But the excellencie of the crosse is seene in nothing more then in the wonderfull commoditie it brings to those which are exercised therein The bodie is a stinking house and infects the soule a bad seruant and deceiues the master an vntamed horse and hurts the rider a false friend and often preuailes a bad counseller and is sometimes heard Hence it is that Christians haue their spirituall maladies some troubled with the burning feuer of malice hating where they should loue some with a dead palsie not feeling Gods mercies some with a spirituall phrensie reioycing when they should weepe some with an insatiate thirst euer seeking after pleasures some crookt-shoulders that they cannot looke vp vnto heauen some stark mad counting godlinesse losse and earthlie treasures of greatest value for these whether crept into the godly and so must be remoued or incident vnto thē and so must be preuented God hath his seuerall potions of heauenly physicke which according to our natures and grieuousnes of our diseases for daies moneths or yeeres Gods potions to cure our spirituall maladies are 1. Diseases imprisanment b Inishment c. Profitable hee doth minister hee doth minister vnto vs. The first and principall of these which by the instance seemes most bitter and hardest to bee digested are the diseases of the bodie imprisonment banishment losse of life and such like touching which though we hold them being naturall euils to bee gall in the mouth yet being receiued we shal find them honey in the bellie They keepe a man in the paths of Gods commandements Hebr. 12.11 Exod. 1.22 2. Chro. 32.20 Greg. in moral It is good for mee saith Dauid that I haue been in trouble that I might learne to keepe thy commandements Mala quae nos hic premunt ad Deum ire compellunt The afflictions which God laies on his children compell them to goe vnto him They shew vs our sinnes Matth. 7.13 Ioh. 12.25 Before I was corrected I went wrong saith the Psalmist but now I haue learned to keepe thy commandements So that Cum non potest disciplina verborum percommodè vititur disciplina verberum Gregor in Moral Philip. 28. Hebr. 2.9.10 When words will not preuaile then is the rod very profitably vsed By fanning the wheate is separated from the chaffe by threshing the corne is reserued that the beast doth not eate the straw and it together Chrysost opere imperf hom 4. whereas otherwise both would be deuoured So in that satan that rauenous beast 2. Cor. 11.22 swallowes not vp the godly with the wicked it is because God reseruing them for his garner of glorie wils that they should be separated from the wicked by the flaile of affliction They humble the high minde moue to repentance for our sinnes Luke 24.19 and stirre vs vp to faithfull and earnest prayer to God for forgiuenes of them and thus prepare vs for Christs comming Act. 14.19 and reserue vs till his comming To this end saith Moses God sent the fortie yeres troubles to the Israelites 2. Thess 1.5 Prou. 17.3 1. Pet. 1 7 9. Deut. 8.2 so that the hardned heart by affictions is oftentimes driuen to God whether it will or no as it appeares by the stiffenecked Israclites Exod 8. Pharaoh and diuers others And therefore the tenour of Salmons prayer at the dedicating of the Temple is after this manner if thy people in their captiuitie and distresse shall remember their sinnes humble themselues and by feruent prayer foorth of this place call to thee O Lord for mercie then be thou mercifull vnto their sinnes and hearken vnto their prayers Apopyni auis Some birds are taught to speake as some haue obserued by beating them on the head with an iron rod some Mariners will not bee wakened till the water come into the shippe so some men lie so sound asleepe in the cradle of securitie Iud. 10.13 that the coole water of affliction must be powred vpō them before they will waken Some men will neither praise God for his blessings receiued nor pray for moe vnto him so that the iron rodde must teach them to praise him for what they haue and neuer to cease praying for what they wāt Oculos quos culpa claudit poena aperit Gregor in Moral The eyes which before through corruption of nature were bent to the earth are now by correction fixt on the Lord as the eyes of a handmaid vpon her mistresse Afflictions quicken vp Gods graces within vs Hieren Adiutrix virtutum tribulatio saith Hierome Vertue is vpholden holden by afflictions Simile The fire flameth most when the winde blowes hardest vpon it Siluer is best discerned in a dark vessell when it is full of water so the siluer graces of God are most apparent when the water of affliction is distilled from heauen into our earthen vessels so the sparks of graces within vs are neuer so neere the flaming as when aduersitie blowes strong vpon vs. Dauid was neuer carried away with so feruent a zeale of Gods glorie with such diuine meditations with such heauenly praises with such feruent prayers as when the tempestuous blasts of Saul and his Counsellors blew strong and sharpe vpon him Lastly asslictions shew vs to be high in Gods fauour they conforme vs to Christ they frame that golden ladder whereby we climbe to heauen they assure vs sillie men and women that although we lament Prou. 3.12 weepe and mourne the teares distill from our eyes suffer imprisonment hebr 11.40 beare the markes of Christ liue in the vale of many miseries Hebr. 12.6 and are continually tost in the troublesome seas of this world by the tempestuous blasts of furious Tyrants yet we shall laugh reioyce and sing the teares shall be wipt from our eies Apoc. 3.19 our feete shall bee set in a large and ample roome the hill of Sion shall be our rest yea because we haue borne parte of the storme with