is cast into the lap but the euent proceedes from the Lord. Ionas by casting of lots was found out to be the partie for whose sake God sent the storme vpon the Seas which could not be done by chance nor yet vndone because being thereby cast into the Sea swallowed of a Whale and remained in his bellie three daies three nights but afterward cast vpon the land again he was therein a figure of Christs lying in the earth and of the time it should containe him In the election of a new Apostle the Lot fell vnto Matthias but not as hauing a libertie of falling vpon the other for it was to shew that hee which knew al things as the text saith had chosen him Act. 1.24 Therefore if these things seeming meere contingent fall out necessarilie in respect of GOD though vnto vs to whom future euents are vnknowne farre otherwise how can wee denie the same necessitie in all other things to which the like libertie is not granted Further it is to be obserued that although causes in their own natures not definite may encline vnto either part as the will to chuse or refuse yet these by Gods decree encline to one part only According to that of Salomon Man 's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the riuers of waters and whither he pleaseth hee turneth the same yet so as that which we doe that wee thinke for that instant best to bee done But you must vnderstand me of things propounded to our choice whereof there is in vs a libertie of chusing or refusing either In which case euery of vs may say by experience that we are moued to incline rather to the one then to the other Otherwise wee cannot be said to make a choice of any Now this inclining of the will comes from God Psalm 105. Prou. 16.1 20.24 hee worketh in vs both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure Philipp 2.13 The Lord August de Gratia Arbitrio Tom. 7. cap. 21. saith Augustine doth incline the willes of men whither it pleaseth him but yet so as that he doth not disturbe their natures neither violently worke vpon them but doth it by a pleasing inclining and gentle mouing them forward According as Boaethius in his Topicks Vid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken by him for destinie or Prouidence indifferently very well noteth Thus wee see that men will freely yet necessarily freely because they are only inclined and moued neuer forced nor compelled necessarily because GOD doth moue them to one part only according to his act of decreeing which cannot be altered Obiect If such things as are of their own natures appointed to no certaine ends but may fall out this way or that way in regard of themselues are so gouerned by God as that they can fall out no otherwise and therefore are necessarie then we cannot call this cause definite that indefinite this effect necessarie that contingent but must needs agree with the Stoicks that there is no libertie of working granted vnto them Euery thing doth take his name from his owne nature Solution the matter whereof it consists and the manner of subsisting and not from the externall cause of the same Adam was not called God from the externall cause of his being from whom hee receiued the breath of life but hee was called Adam of the earth being the matter whereof hee was framed Wee doe not call such things as we doe against Gods law good works from the externall cause farthest remoued from their working but wee call them transgressions of Gods law sins and such like from a defect within our selues and from our own corrupted natures Euen so when wee consider the natures of causes within themselues we call some definite some indefinite some effects necessarie some contingent Yea in this sense we say that our willes haue some freedome But if wee looke vnto Gods certaine foreknowledge his immutable will and act of gouerning then hath his infallible knowledge taken away chance his heauenly will limited our willes and his act of gouerning imposed a necessitie that cannot be eschewed And thus much touching the immutability of Gods Prouidence and the necessitie it imposeth on all things THE FOVRTH PART wherein is especially contained That although God doth gouern all things and that so as his gouernment can neither be altered nor hindered yet that he cannot be the author of sin although he is the principall cause of euery action with the which the sinne concurreth SVndry are the opinions cōcerning this point Diuers opinions thouching the author of sinne The Libertines affirme that God so willeth sinne as that he is the cause thereof The opinion of the Libertines And therefore that sinnes should not be reprooued because they are the workes of God For say they it is not mā which sinneth but the Lord by man If you contradict them their answere is You are not regenerate by Gods Spirit and therefore cannot iudge aright of his workes But this opinion tendeth wholly to the libertie of the flesh and therefore is diuellish and damnable The Manichees haue thought The opinion of the Manichees that God cannot so suffer sinne as that he should any way wil it and therefore concluded that there are two onely Authors of all things the one the chiefest Good the principall Efficient of all goodnes the other the chiefest Euill the sole Effecter of all wickednes as well the sinne as the punishment for the same And so they will haue sinnes to be committed whether the Author of all goodnes will or not Others there are which neither consenting to these nor agreeing with the former would haue God to will sin and that he is the cause thereof yet that no fault can be imputed vnto him but vnto men who commit it Their reason is Gods will is a rule of equitie and therefore whatsoeuer hee willeth the same is iust and right Thus you see the diuersitie of iudgements whence ariseth the necessitie of handling this doctrine In the entreating whereof it is necessarie to touch these three points How farre foorth God doth will sinne That he can in no respect be Author of any thing as it is simplie sinne That the diuell is the setter and wee the effecters of it For the vnderdanding How God doth will sinne how far forth God doth will sinne we must obserue that there is a double euill The one the euil of the offēce 1. Malum culpae which is the sinne the other the euill of the punishment which is the reward of sin 2. Malum poenae called euill in respect it is hurtfull to him which suffers it The Euill of the offence Sinne is to be considered three waies which is the sinne is to be considered three waies The first as it is simplie contrarie to Gods law in which respect onely it is
transgressions yea redeemes it being vtterly lost 1. Pet. 1. not with corruptible things as filuer gold and such like but with the most pure and precious blood of his deare and onely begotten Sonne And now thus called home keepes it to the Shepheard of the flocke and Bishop of their soules thus gathered preserues it louingly vnder the wings of his mercie thus a wakened still sounds by the trumpet of his word that it should not be lulled asleep in the cradle of security Rom. 10. thus reuiued giues still life vnto it by the power of his Spirit and thus of the exceeding riches of his grace and mercie hath deliuered vs from the captiuitie of error sinne Satan corruption and eternall destruction and so by the same word and Spirit Rom. 8. conducts vs thorough the boisterous seas of this troublesome world vntill hee hath brought vs to his hauen of euerlasting rest and blessednesse O the wonderfull and incomprehensible goodnes of this our most gratious God and mercifull Father The Arguments drawne from reason Arguments drawne from reason to proue God such an absolute Goodnes from whom proceeds no euil whereby those which are vnreasonable may be farther conuinced are very many The Philosophers defining that which we call Good say Bonum est quod omnia expetunt That is good which all doe desire But all desire God Reas 1 and are by a certain affection carried vnto him as vnto one in whom all perfection doth consist and from whom all goodnesse proceedes for euery one desires his perfection and longeth in a certain manner after the chiefe good which all conclude to bee in God though some hauing their vnderstandings darkened and the vaile of ignorance as yet before their eyes framed vnto themselues an vnknowne God and so could not attain the goodnes they hoped for frō him therfore God is an absolute goodns Reas 2 Their second reason is taken from the nature of that which is good after this manner The propertie of that which is good is to extend and communicate it selfe And by how much the better it is so much the more doth it participate vnto others for thereby do men know and say that it is good The Sunne is therefore more excellent then the rest of the starres because it is more beneficiall in extending his light and vertue The like wee may see in other Gods creatures and especially in man the more hee loueth the more he exerciseth the duties which loue requireth the more righteous hee is the more hee executeth iustice and iudgement the wiser hee is the better hee disposeth of seuerall matters the more mercifull he is the more he visits the sicke feeds the hungrie cloathes the naked relieues the oppressed and shewes compassion with cheerfulnes and so in other things particularly to which tendeth that heauenly saying of Christ It is a better thing to giue then to receiue Now if the goodnesse of creatures is so much the better by how much the more they communicate vnto others then the Creator himselfe who communicates all vnto all must needs be goodnesse it selfe that is one from whom proceedeth no iniquitie Reas 3 Their third reason is taken from Gods absolute perfection There is nothing wanting in him nothing to bee more desired therefore hee is perfect goodnesse Wee say that vertue makes the owner good and his works good for the vertue of euery thing is the perfection of that thing Therefore since God is absolutelie perfect it must needs follow that hee is also perfectlie good Neither is hee so fitly said to bee good as he is properly said to be goodnesse it selfe that is of himselfe good and of his owne essence perfect goodnes for he receiues not his perfection from anie other neither is it added to his diuine essence as an accident for then it should follow that hee should be good by the participation of another goodnesse which is impossible First because if Gods essence and goodnesse bee two distinct things then he should not bee simple but subiect to composition Secondlie if he was not of himselfe perfectlie and essentiallie good then hee should be good by the participation of another goodnesse which is good of it selfe and therefore should not be eternall because hee should haue another goodnesse before him For that thing which is good of it selfe is in nature and order before that which it doth participate his goodnesse vnto But God is a most simple and eternall goodnesse absolutelie perfect and therefore of himselfe essentially good so that this absolute perfection is proper to the Deitie only in regard of which al other things are meerely imperfect The water made warme by the fire is imperfectly warme because it receiues heate from another so the goodnesse of all other creatures is imperfect because whatsoeuer sparke of goodnes they haue they receiue it from God So that the most righteous is imperfectlie iust the most prudent imperfectly wise because both the righteousnesse of the one and wisdome of the other are iointlie receiued from God who is wisdome and holinesse it selfe Yea what is the righteousnesse of the most holie and wisedome of the most wise being compared with God Surelie filthie pollution and palpable follie in his sight As impossible therefore as it is for God not to be God or being God to lose the properties belōging to the Godhead so impossible is it for God being of himselfe an essentiall absolute and perfect Goodnes to doe any thing which should not bee good that is simplie a sinne and transgression of his law Hony in that respect that it is honie hath neither sowernesse nor bitternesse in it The Sunne of the owne nature is light and therefore cannot admit of darkenesse The good tree by his natural vertue yeelds forth good fruits and the bad those which are euill If these creatures by the ordinance of God cannot in their natures admit of contraries how much lesse can the Creator that most perfect sweetenesse most glorious light most blessed tree of life admit of the gall of sinne effect the works of darkenesse or yeeld the bitter fruits of lust and concupiscence Therefore as Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 1.4 God is light and in him is no darkenesse so wee conclude God is a perfect goodnesse and in him is no iniquitie Reas 4 Fourthly euery Agent worketh an effect like vnto himselfe much lesse contrarie to himselfe Psalm 1. The godly man sits not in the chaire of the scorners nor walkes in the waies of the wicked but his delight in the law of the Lord and therein doth exercise himselfe day and night The wicked on the contrarie reiect Gods lawes and effect the works of darknesse and herein they take pleasure and delight as the fish to bathe in the sea If these are carried this way or that way according to their seuerall conditions how can God bee mooued to any other then to good being a most perfect essentiall goodnesse Reas 5 Fiftlie he which
Thus a good Iudge giues his charge to preuent stealing at one Sessions Simile and punisheth those which haue broke it at the next Sessions Secondly if you respect Gods reuealed will that is the meanes he vseth for our cōuersion keeping of his lawes in this sense he willeth the death of none but if you respect his secret will that is his decree of reprobation Esay 1.24 Matth. 11. Luke 10. then God may be said to will the death of infinite many and that therein he reioyceth and taketh pleasure in as much as his power and iustice is thereby exalted His iustice in that hee punisheth sinne his mercie in that of his grace through his sonne hee saueth some his power in that he can ordaine for his owne seruice both vessels of wrath and vessels of glorie Thirdlie 1. Tim. 4.2 whereas God is said to will the saluation of all we must vnderstand by All some of euerie nation and degree whatsoeuer Thus Paul noteth when he saith Pray for kings and all in Authoritie because it pleaseth God that some of euerie countrie nation and degree should be saued Thus the generall vsed by Esay 43.9 is expounded in the sixt verse to be ment of the sons and daughters of God But some replie Replie 1. Tim. 4.10 that this cannot bee thus because it is said that although God is especially a Sauiour of the faithfull yet that he is a Sauiour of all as wel as of them Ans Sauiour hath relation to this life not to the life to come so that the meaning is that although God especiallie preserueth and deliuereth the godly yet that he giueth food raiment and other things necessarie for this life euen vnto the wicked also In this sense speaketh Dauid Psalm 33.6 Thou Lord sauest both man and beast Where saue must needs be vnderstood for preserue and maintaine and so in the place before alleaged Obiection The will of man agreeing with Gods will is good But whensoeuer one man doth kill another False conclusions inserred there is mans will agreeing with Gods will because it was his pleasure that such a thing should fall out In regard of the right of punishing And therefore man for killing man is not to be punished though it lies in God to punish him for it Where mans will agreeth with Gods will in all respects Solution the argument doth hold but in this and all other there is infinit contrarietie God wils a voluntarie permission man a wilfull effecting God often willes the death of a man if hee bee holie as a blessing to giue him the life of the soule for the death of the bodie and for momentarie troubles eternall ioies if he be wicked as a punishment for his sinne and to cut him off from infecting his Church but the murtherer in killing of a man respects none of these ends but the satissying of his malitious mind the occasion being as often vniustly taken as of weaknesse giuen So that in this and al other such like God willes his owne glorie in the execution of iustice and in shewing mercie to his children Rom. 12.9 but the manslaier regards neither but whollie the satisfying of his bloudie desire whereby he multiplies his sinnes in approching to the seate of iudgement 1. Thes 4.6 for vengeance is the Lords and to him only it belongs to repay Obiection Our vnrighteousnes commends the righteousnesse of God therfore though God hath the right of punishing yet he cannot in iustice punish vs because our sinne sets forth his glorie Our vnrighteousnesse doth not commend Gods righteousnesse Solution as it is simplie sinne but by accident namely because when we doe sinne God doth punish vs for the same which punishment being the execution of iustice his righteousnesse is thereby commended therfore let vs not sinne nor sinning without repentance thinke to goe vnpunished for it is for the honor of the Iudge of the world to execute iudgement Gen. 25. Obiections alleaged to prooue God the Author of sinne with the Answers vnto them Obiect IF God created the wicked man against the euill day or day of wrath Thus taught the Seleutians Aug. de haeres Thus taught Floring and Blastus at Rome Euscb lib. 5. cap 13. 28. Solution then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God hath done so Prou. 16. And therefore seemes to be cause of sinne God created not the euill man to sin and therefore cannot be a cause of it but sinning to punish him for the same In which case none can complaine Psalm 6. because God will giue to euery one according to his worke Obiect If there be no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God is the cause of all euill in the citie Amos 3.6 Esay 4. and therefore of sinne There is a double cuill Solution the morall and the naturall the morall euill is the sinne the naturall euill is the punishment for the sinne God is the Author of this but not of the other And therfore the Prophet Amos theacheth in this place that afflictions come from God and not by chance and fortune as some were perswaded Obiect God commanded Abraham to kill his innocent son Shemeus to curse Dauid Gen. 32.2 Sam. 15. But these are sinnes Therefore God seemes to be a cause of sinnes God commanded not Abraham to sacrifice his sonne of superstition Solution as they that offered their sons and daughters to the idoll Moloch nor yet to satisfie any malice or wicked thought in Abraham toward his sonne for this was farre from so holie a father but onlie as it was a point of Gods deuine seruice to trie the faith of Abraham who therby was to be made a father of al beleeuers And therefore God did well in commanding and Abraham well in obeying Secondly though the commandement was giuen to trie Abraham yet the secret purpose of God was to deliuer Isaac as the sequeale did manifest But on the contrarie Shemeus his railing on Dauid was from a malitious minde and to satisfie his furie against him the which was not commanded by God but only willingly permitted and in the permission so ordered as that it turned vnto Dauid to be a correction for his sinne in which sense Dauid saith the Lord bad him doe it And therefore by neither of these can God seeme to be the author of sinne Obiection God caused the Israelites to spoyle the Aegyptians of their iewels Exod. 12.25 chap. 3.22 contrarie to his owne Law Exod. 20. and therefore seemes a cause of sinne What God commaunds to be done Solution the performance of that can be no sin because sinne is a transgression of Gods lawe Secondly the Israelites being Gods people and hauing liued in great seruitude in Egypt and by their labours encreased the treasures of Pharaoh very exceedingly there was good reason why they
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
is often taken for a suffering of the one of two euils that a greater euill should not ensue After this manner do Princes oftentimes in wisdome suffer a traitour to rest in his conspiracy that it may be the more euidently proued against him and that other his complices may more apparently be knowne As also when they suffer the wickednesse of some to goe vnpunished lest by cutting them off the land should bee weakened or by some sinister meanes the countrey brought to ruine In which cases Princes do not approue of the wickednes of their subiects but in great wisdome do suffer them a while that by apparēt iustice they might suppresse them or by vertuous lenitie at length conforme them The third way of suffering is when we do not preuent the euill which we could hinder but do at our pleasure suffer the same As when by our skill in aduising we could free a ship from being swallowed vp of the seas by our strength we could pluck our neighbour or his cattell forth of the ditch by our abundance we could relieue the distressed cloath the naked feed the hungrie and such like yet in these cases it is our purpose to yeeld no helpe at all and therefore do willingly suffer them to perish After this manner doth God permit sinne and is excellent good in him because he is aboue the law yet doth it to an excellent end mixed with no maner of ataxie or disorder at al but is euill in vs in regard we are vnder a law which commāds we should do vnto others as we would others should do vnto vs. God seeth that man being naturally euill cannot but sinne vnlesse he be preuented with the special assistance of his holy Spirit he cannot but fall Psalm 23 vnlesse the staffe of his Spirit doth hold him vp God knoweth this and can by his al-sufficient grace stay him vp yet it pleaseth him sometimes to suffer him to sinne and to permit him being of himselfe not able to stand sometimes to fall but this is vpō great cōsideration and in wonderfull wisdome namely A threefold cause of Gods suffering of sin 1. The declaration of his iust iudgement either for the declaration of his iust iudgement by punishing his sinnes or for the manifestation of the riches of his grace 2. The manifestation of his exceeding mercie by pardoning his iniquities Rom. 9.22 Neither doth God permit sinnes as certaine men imagine vnwillingly or at least no way willing them for this doth not agree with his omnipotencie 3. That we might know our ovvne weaknesse and wholly relie on his grace but he doth so suffer them as that he doth will the suffering of them the which is added lest men should thinke that God suffered any thing the which he did not will which is impossible because omnipotent Neither doth God willingly permit sinne in such sort as that he doth like of it in that respect that it is simplie sinne for his lawes are to preuent it and his iustice takes hold vpon it much lesse then doth he put it into their minds or is in the least measure Author of the same so that it followes that his permission is voluntarie and we sole effecters of our owne miserie Psalm 81.13 I gaue them ouer saith the Lord vnto the lusts of their hearts and they walked in their owne waies Act. 14.16 God suffered the Gentiles saith the text to walke in their owne waies That this permission was in al respects voluntary Matth. 10.29 it is plaine in that a sparrow shall not fall on the top of the house without the will of our heauenly father much lesse then shall greater matters be effected without his voluntarie permission as that Tyrants should persecute his chosen of which kind offsinnes Christ in that place speaketh Therefore since no one hath resisted the will of God at any time Rom. 9.19 Tom. 3. de Trinit lib. 3. cap. 4. wee may safelie conclude with Augustine that the same is the principall cause of euery thing as well of the substance as of the seuerall motions nothing being done which hath not either his commandement or permission forth of the court of the great Emperour of heauen and earth from the riches of his grace and mercie in bestowing of rewards or from the rule of his iustice in inflicting punishment to which opinion of Saint Augustines the learned of this age doe easilie agree That there is a difference betweene Gods willing of that which is good Position 7 and that which is euill GOd is properlie said to will those things which are good because he doth both approoue and also loue them in that respect that they are good and so doth effect them immediatelie himselfe or mediatelie by others But he doth condemne hate those which are euill much lesse doth hee approoue nad loue them yet he doth willinglie suffer them and that in wonderfull wisdome and for excellent ends So that the difference betweene the one and the other is in that the good is powerfully effected the euill willinglie permitted The first thus wrought because of it selfe it tends to the end or dained and secondly is the sole things whereunto Gods will is carried The second thus permitted because the exceeding riches of his grace may the more redound to some and the strictnesse of his iust iudgement more declared vpon others both iointlie tending to his owne glory and good of his Church Note three wonderfull things in Gods effecting of this 1. His infinite vvisdome 2. Povver 3. Goodnesse in that his power knowledge and will concurre to make sinnne being simplie euil to tend vnto another end then the nature therof will admit or was in the purposes of such as did commit it once imagined And thus much briefely for the difference betweene Gods willing of that which is good and that which is euill Thus hauing touched these seuerall positions wherein is especially shewed first the proper obiect of Gods wil and secondly in what sense hee willeth sin now it remaines to prooue the consequence of all namelie that God is principall Efficient of all goodnesse but neuer Author of sinne as it is simplie considered That God can by no meanes be the Author of sinne as it is simplie a transgression of his law THe truth of this position appeares Two waies of prouing that God cannot be Author of sin 1. By his Word 2. By meere reason first from Gods word secondlie from meere reason From his word afthis manner Psalm 5.4 Thou art not a God saith Dauid that louest wickednesse neither shall any euill dwell with thee As though he should say Thou God shall free mee from Saul and his conspirators because thou art a God which neither willest nor any way approuest of wicked dealing Habac. 1.15 Thou art of pure eies and canst not see euill Thou canst not behold wickednesse In which place the Prophet doth teach that the nature of God is such that hee
Before we enter the seuerall handling of these it is to be marked that to will and to doe with God are all one Hee doth not any thing which hee willeth not neither willeth any thing which by the vertue of his willing it is not presētly effected Therfore in shewing how farre forth God willeth these things is also declared how farre forth hee is the Author and Effecter of them To which in order That God willeth his owne glory principally Position 1 as the sole end wherefore hee willeth all other things IF a knowne good thing as reason teacheth is properly the obiect of the will then doth God will his owne glorie especially because it is most excellent in his sight This end was propounded in his admirable frame of the world and especially in the creation of his Angels in heauen and men vpon earth 1. Cor. 10.22 Deut. 6.5 Exod. 2.3 Isai 48.11 Prou. 16.4 To this tended his precepts his mightie power and charge of sanctifying his name to this end is the execution of his iustice vpon the wicked both in this life and in the life to come to this tendeth the shutting vp of all vnder sinne the sending of his Sonne the redemption of his Church their saluation in heauen with all other mercies forth of the exceeding riches of his grace for the accomplishing thereof bestowed vpon them Yea in a word for this is a knowne and confessed truth to this tended the Law and the Prophets Christ and his Gospell the Apostles and Ministers of our Lord and Sauiour with all Gods works of wisdome power iustice and mercie Therefote I conclude this with Paul 1. Cor. 10.22 Do all things to his glory Rom. 11.33 To him bee glorie for euer Amen That God so willeth the euill of the punishment Position 2 as that he is the principall cause and inflicter thereof THere is no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done The error of the Coluthiani teaching the contrary Aug. de haeres is here condemned Amos 3.6 Punishment is a good thing because it is the execution of iustice which sets forth Gods glorie and therefore befitting him who is goodnes it selfe Hence it is that Adams high presuming hand was punished by God himselfe Hence it is that he prouided a Law for his Successors and promised punishment by his owne person vpon the violaters thereof 1. Sam. 2.31.32 And therefore the man of God denounced Elies punishment in the name of his master Therefore the Lord taketh this authoritie to himselfe with an abridgement of the like vnto others not onelie saying I but I and none others forming the light and creating darkenes making peace and creating euill Surely hee is the inflicter of punishment in whom is the right and power of punishing but these two belong both vnto God And therefore he alone the inflicter of the same That the right belongs vnto God it is plaine because he alone giues the law and takes an account of the breach thereof that this power is proper vnto him it is in like manner euident because experience teacheth that man by strength or policie doth often escape from man But if hee be neuer so strong he cannot resist the Al-omnipotent If hee goe downe into the sea or flie to the vttermost parts of the earth euen there will the Al-seeing God finde him out and his power sease vpon him If hauing this right and power he should not punish accordinglie there should be a disorder and continuall neglect of his glorie because of an vsurpation and challenging of that by the creature which so wonderfullie sets forth the glorie and iustice of the Creator Therefore without doubt God is sole inflicter of punishment But it is obiected Obiect The Magistrates of the earth doe punish and to this end God hath put the sword of authoritie into their hands and therefore not God alone God doth punish somtimes by himselfe Solution sometimes by others yet alwaies it is he which punisheth He exalts men to that honour giues knowledge to iudge wisedome to distribute power to execute The chaire of Authoritie is his the sword is his and hee giues strength to vse them And therefore we cannot properly say that Magistrates doe punish but God by the. In this respect they are called his Vicegerents Kings yea Gods vpon earth to this end that wee might know that hee which is the King of all Kings and God of all Gods hath giuen them this honour and that he will both rule and punish the world by them also giue them some names of exceeding dignitie and honor wherby wee might see it and acknowledge his Maiestie in them Yet all this while the names the authority the power and wisedome being giuen and vpholden by God and that so as that we cannot say that they execute punishment but God by them without question men are but second meanes and the Angels ordained ministers God only is principall efficient in executing iustice and iudgement And therefore both the good and bad Angel is still at his command the one must into the King of Ashurs armie when he is commanded the other may not touch his seruant till leaue be granted Iob 1 And thus much to the obiection It is further to be obserued in the execution of punishment that God doth not will it as it is simply a destruction of his creatures but as it is an execution of iustice and declaration of his glorie for being a perfect goodnesse he would neuer inflict a naturall euill vnlesse it had respect to a morall good And thus it appeares that God is the author of all punishment and wherefore hee inflicteth the same Hence is confuted the vaine imaginations of such as would haue two Gods The opinion of the Manichees confuted the one sole efficient of al goodnesse the other of all euill as well the sinne as the punishment and the punishment as the sinne it selfe But sinne is no other thing then a priuation and absence of the good neither being considered only in it selfe hath any being in the nature of things For what is a disease want of health What is hunger a want of being satisfied What is barrennesse an absence of fruitfulnes So what is sinne An absence of that vprightnes and equitie which ought to be in euery action Now this priuation or absence cannot arise whēce they would haue it for it must needes bee in some subiect the disease hangs not in the ayre but in the bodie of a liuing creature capable of health Blindnes which is an absence of sight must needs be in eyes capable of seeing Now the subiect of any priuatiō is good because it hath his being and is vpholden by God neither indeed as Philosophers teach can euill be in any other as his subiect then that which is good And therefore nothing so euill be it substance or action which is not good One and the same thing good and euill in of 〈◊〉 spects
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
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
gouernment hath effected whence we conclude that hee is not so tied to second causes as that when they faile his Prouidence ceaseth vnto vs for sometimes he worketh without meanes and sometimes contrarie to their nature for the declaration of his mightie power and wonderfull goodnesse But it is to be obserued that when God worketh either of these two waies hee vseth an incomprehensible and innisible vertue of working proper to his Deitie only thereby teaching vs not to put any confidence in second meanes but euen thē when they wholly faile assuredly to hope for deliuerance from God who at the very time of greatest distresse is alwaies neerest vnto his children The third and vsuall way of Gods gouerning 3. Vsually by meanes is by second means appointed in his heauenly wisedome for that purpose As by the heate of the Sunne and dropping of the clouds the earth to yeeld her fruite the grasse of the mountaines to nourish the beasts man to bee maintained by the sweat of his browes to bee fed by bread to be warmed by the fire to bee kept from cold by his cloathes by studie to get learning Foolish conclusions from the immutabilitie of Gods decree are here condemned by learning to come to prefermēt by foresight to eschew dangers and so vsually in all other things So that the neglect of ordinarie meanes is a contempt of Gods ordinance and a sin of presumption This the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand when hee saith Hosea 2.21 I will heare the heauens the heauens shall heare the earth the earth shall heare the corne wine and oyle and the corne wine and oyle they shall heare Israel And thus much for these two first what Gods Prouidence is secondly the order hee vseth in gouerning by the same Now to the answering of certaine questions which offer themselues after this manner Quest. 1 The first Why God doth somtimes worke without meanes and sometimes against means that is contrarie to their naturall working Ans By one godly meditation the minde is led vnto another and by a diuine contemplation of Gods wonderfull working the soule is moued to take ioy and comfort and to stay it selfe on the Creator alone Therefore although Gods children are not curiously to fearch into the reasons of their heauenly Fathers gouernment yet the rules of godly humilitie being obserued we will enquire somewhat into them Reasons of Gods working sometimes without sometimes against meanes The first whereof may seeme to be this that wee should learne and know that hee doth not alwaies gouerne by meanes because hee cannot rule without them but that hee will at his pleasure manifest his infinite power ouer his creatures and his exceeding great mercie to those which loue and feare his name Secondly whereas it is the nature of men where they see no ordinarie meanes of effecting there to attribute the euents vnto chance and fortune the Lord therefore declareth this his wonderfull power to shew himselfe the sole effecter of all things Lastly God sheweth this his power in gouerning to the end wee should put no confidence in second causes but wholly relie vpon his power and goodnesse begetting in vs this double assurance the first that he is able the second euer readie to helpe in our greatest miseries Quest. 2 The second question is why God doth gouerne the world vsually by meanes whereas he is able to gouerne it without them Ans The answere is first Reasons of Gods gouerning vsually by meanes wheras be is able to gouerne without them to shew his wonderfull loue and goodnesse to his creatures in that by the vse of them he approues of what he hath created and further giues this honour vnto them to bee if I may so say coworkers with him in his wonderfull gouernment Secondly whereas we are naturally subiect to blindnes error and ignorance God vseth means in his gouernment to be as certaine steps to bring vs to the knowledge and acknowledgement of him A third reason is to manifest that he is the Creator of all things appearing in this in that hee hath the commaund and vse of all things for the accomplishing of that which in his heauenly wisedome he had decreed A fourth reason is to excite vs to heartie thanksgiuing If they prooue othervvise it is because of our bad vsing them in that all creatures are meanes of our good and ordained by God to bee helpes and furtherances both of soules and bodies vnto eternall glorie Indeede they often turne to our greater condemnation but this is by accident in respect of vs not of the creatures Simile As wholesome meate in a good stomacke is well digested but in a bad stomacke and a diseased bodie turnes into cruditie The cause is not in the meate for then it would worke the like effect in all but in the stomacke of the bodie that is euill affected Fiftly whereas God vseth all his creatures as meanes in his gouernment it is to teach vs that none of them are in their kinde to be contemned or despised because they are the creatures of God and instruments of his glorie Lastly God doth commonlie vse meanes in his gouernment because we should not presume of his power or Prouidence either by neglecting the meanes appointed by himselfe for the sauing of our soules or by reiecting the helpes ordained for the preseruation of the body For in all things we must haue respect vnto Gods will reuealed in his word and not vnto his secret wil wherof wee are ignorant Now the reuealed will of God teaching by his owne ordinance at first in the person of Adam Gen. 3. as also euer since both by precept and practise that wee must vse the meanes appointed 1. Tim. 4. Not the vvant but the contempt of meanes doth abridge vs of helpe from God being sanctified vnto vs by his word and prayer wee shall not only tempt God in the neglect of them but also become vnnaturall vnto our selues in that we regard not the meanes whereby our safetie is procured Lest therefore we should be guiltie of the one or faultie in the other it hath pleased God for our example commonly to vse them who otherwise because his power is infinite could as easily gouerne without them Quest 3 The 3. question is what these meanes are which God vseth in his gouernmēt Ans As Gods power is infinite and his creatures not to bee numbred so because GOD rules by all the meanes are not to bee counted They may bee reduced into two sorts heauenly or earthly concerning this life or concerning a better yet none can in very deede be so properlie said to concerne this life as that they doe not after a certaine maner concerne a better also But I will onely recite a few and those especially which concerne Gods children As the Law the Gospell the Administration of Sacraments the ministerie of men prosperitie aduersitie good Angels and the heauenly hoast as the Sunne the Moone the starres
and such like The Law to be a schoolemaster to leade vs to Christ The Gospell to worke a liuely faith and true repentance The Sacraments to strengthen our faith that we should not backslide The ministrie of men because man by man may be mooued but the voyce of God is terrible and who may abide it Prosperitie that feeling how gratious the Lord is we may be allured to serue him who otherwise being alwaies fed with the bread of affliction would easily thinke that God had forgotten to bee gratious Aduersitie that we should not being fed vnto the full forget God and our selues also but tasting now and then on the cup of affliction may see our owne miserie seeke his mercie feele his loue and learne to keepe his statutes Therefore sometimes God wil let loose Satan to trie thy faith sometimes set vp a tyrant to prooue thy patience sometimes depriue thee of his word in natiue countrie to see whether thy loue vnto it bee so great as that thou wilt sell lands and liuing to buy it in another Yet all these are meanes of thy good according to that of Paul Rom. 8.28 Wee know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen vnto them that are called of his purpose Other meanes wherby God exerciseth his wonderfull gouernment and those especiall are his heauenly Angels By these as the ouerthrow of Saneherib doth testifie armies are discomfited 2 King 19.35 Exod. 14.19 hoasts deliuered kingdomes preserued Prouinces defended cities enuironed as Gods word at large doth manifest vnto vs. But their especiall charge is to attend Gods children Luk. 2.10 Matth. 18.10 Act. 12.15 Matth. 4.11 Luk. 22.43 as Zacharie and the Author to the Hebrewes plainely declareth Heb. 1.14 They are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes who are heires vnto saluation The fathers of the Church haue not onely acknowledged this truth Gods mercie in bestowing a double benefit 1. bonour 2. a speciall meanes of deliuerance but the Philosophers also and especially the Platonists Vnicuique homini simul ac natus est adest suus Angelus inquit Menander Menander saith Quest 4 that euery man as soone as he is borne hath his Angell appointed to attend vpon him the same affirmes Seneca Epist. 3. To these may be added the heauenly hoast with all things in the world contained For as Gods power is infinite and his works innumerable so the meanes by which he doth effect and gouerne all things are not to be numbred Quest 4 Whether doe the Angels and other superior bodies worke by an instinct giuen them from God vpon such things as are inferiour or not Ans It is certaine that they haue a vertue and power of working vpō thē not only in causing their motiō As the ebbing and flowing of the sea is ruled by the Moone which is most apparant but also by the concurrences and diuers operations of the heauens the Sunne the Moone and such like they cause sundrie qualities as by that of Hos chap. 2. vers 21. doth easily appeare Augustine saith De Trin. lib. 3. Witnesse 1. The diuers seasons 2. The increase and decrease of marrow blood c. 3. The ebbing and flowing of the sea 4. The effects of the Sunne vpon plants that the weaker and inferiour bodies are gouerned after a certaine manner by those which are stronger and superiour Dionisius affirmeth that the sunbeames haue a great working in the generation of things visible According to that old saying Sol homo generāt hominē the Sun a man do beget another man Yet these cannot properly be said to worke of their own power and vertue but God in and by them Quest 5 Whether are mens actions gouerned by heauenly and superiour bodies or not Ans Mans actions being considered in generall that is as he is a liuing creature and no farther thē as they are actions pertaining to the facultie of a vegetiue and sensitiue soule are in like manner subiect to the working of spirituall and heauenly substances as other earthly and inferiour bodies are Tamen hae potius sunt vegetatiuae facultates quam humanae yet these actions saith Zanchius may more properly bee said to bee the actions of a liuing creature hauing no reason then of a man that hath life and reason From the heat of the Sunne commeth the inflamation of blood by the mouing and shining of the Moone the abundance of fleame so in other things But for those which are proper vnto man of which sort are his vnderstanding and his wil we must thus conceiue of them Angels do enlighten the minds of men for they are Gods messengers and haue the office of reuealing the wil of God vnto vs. Angels enlighten the minds mooue to deliberatiō but encline not the willes But as touching the will which followes the examination of the vnderstanding they cannot be said properly to moue it but by accident Indeede they moue somewhat vnto deliberation but that our willes should be enclined to chuse any thing this proceedeth immediatly from God And therefore Salomon saith that the heart of man is in the Lords hand and as he pleaseth he will incline the same To this agreeth Augustine and sundrie other Wherfore I take it a certain truth De Ciuit. Tom. 5. lib. 5. and in his booke De Gen. ad literam about the end of it that mens actions generally cōsidered as they are the actions of a liuing creature are in some measure disposed and wrought vpon by the heauenly Angels and celestiall bodies but yet so as that their gouernment is wholly at Gods wil. Also that those Actions which concerne the vnderstanding The error of Priscillianus that mans actions are gouerned by the Starres is very foolish Aug. de haeres are in some measure ordered by the Angels but the Actions of the will are wholly moued and gouerned by God not by compelling the will but only by mouing it forward as best seemeth good to his heauenly wisdome which mouing is not an enforcing but a gentle inclining And therefore Augustine saith that when God doth moue the wils of men hee doth but onely incline them from an vnwillingnesse to obey him vnto a willingnesse to doe that which doth please him Whence is confuted the vaine opinions of the Astrologians with the fond dreames of destinie Setters concerning the vertue of Starres and the force of the heauens ouer the willes and the minds of men And thus much shall suffice for the shewing what Gods Prouidence is and the order which hee vseth in gouerning by the same THE THIRD PART wherein is especially contained Whether Gods Prouidence is immutable or not and if it be whether it imposeth a necessitie vpon all things gouerned by it That Gods Prouidence is immutable THe greatest difference between God and his creatures First that Gods Prouidence is immutable consisteth in this Ipse quòd immutabilis est