doth suffer the same Simile Admit there is a gappe open into my neighbours Orchyard I see it yet not bound to stop it leaue it open if afterward another mans cartell go in and spoile the fruits shall I bee liable to the trespasse surely noe The Lord sees there is a gap broken into his vineyard by our fall in Adam The heresie of the Secentians Aug. de hares and of Florinus and Blastus Euseb lib. 5. cap. 13. 28. teaching the contrarie is verie damnable he sees wee will play the wilde bores breake downe his vines spoile his Church persecute his holy ones and so both injury him and his If therefore he makes not a stay by his holy Spirit changeth not our minds alters not our affections nor preuents our purposes and thereupon we worke all this villany against his Diuine Maiestie is he therefore a trespasser in his owne wrong It cannot be for hee doth not the hurt in his owne person nor is any way tied to preuent it in others which being granted hee can no waies bee blamed for what we commit Quest 1 But some not contented with this demaund why God doth suffer the sin which he could so easily hinder Ans Paul answeres In that he suffers with long patiēce the vessels of wrath prepared to destructiō Rom. 9.22.23 it is to shew his wrath De pradest l. 1. and make his power knowne ouer the wicked and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie In which as Augustine saith the Lord doth well for he doth not suffer sinne but by his iust iudgement and whatsoeuer is iust is good For although sinnes are not good in that respect that they are simplie sinnes yet it is good that there should be sinnes otherwise God to whom it is as easie to hinder euill from being done as when it is done to cause good to arise from the same would neuer haue suffered it to be committed Fulgentius for how can we imagine that he who is goodnesse it selfe and also Al-omnipotent Ierem. 23. wuld suffer any euill to be done vnlesse by that euill hee effected some good Clemens Alexandrinus the sins of the reprobate declare his iust iustice and iudgement vpon the vessels of reprobation the fallings of the godly his exceeding riches of grace vpon the vessels of mercie Rom. 9.17.32.33 And thus in the depth of his wisdome hee hath shut vp all vnder sinne Gal. 3.22 Rom. 11.31 that his iustice and mercie might appeare vnto all men Secondly note that before this suffering of sinne there doth euer go an offering of mercie to preuent the sinne so that if we are not staid frō our iniquities the cause is not the want of Gods mercy in not offering grace but in the hardnes of our hearts in not receiuing it when it is offered And therefore saith Augustine Augustine Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit Men want the grace of God to keepe them from sinne not because God doth not offer it but because when it is offered they haue not harts to receiue it Christ is the way to the wanderer but he seeketh by-pathes will not follow him A light to them in darknesse but they winke with their eyes and will not behold him An inuiter to his blessed Supper Luk. 14.24 Ioh. 6.35 but men wil not taste it He knocks at the doores of our hearts but we will not let him enter He brings the bread of life but we will needs starue in our sinnes Prou. 1. He makes proclamation that all may freely haue it yet men must bee drawne or none will receiue it Per totum vbique iacet agrotus Aug. in Matth. 9.11 Euery soule is sicke of sinne ideoque magnus de coelo venit Medicus and therefore that great and gratious Physition is come from heauen to cure vs hee seekes vnto vs knockes at our doores and offers his heauenly potions imò pharmaca benedicta immensique valoris yea blessed potions and of an exceeding great value Simile but such are our waiward natures such our affections meere repugnant to that which is good that we will not be healed So that meritò perit aegrotus qui medicum vlerò venientem respuit the sicke patient doth deseruedly perish which peruersly refuseth the good Physition when hee willingly offers his helpe vnto him Musculus The lame in the ditch doth wilfully perish whilest hee reiects his neighbours hand when it is offered vnto him so if men darkened in their vnderstandings and hauing the vaile of ignorance as yet before their eyes doe tread the paths of sinne till they stumble at the threshold of hell and so fall into the pit of eternall destruction the cause is not the want of Gods gracy that would not enlighten them but their wilfull blindnes that would not be enlightned Ioh. 3.19 For herein is their condemnation in that as S. Iohn saith that light is come into the world but men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are enill Quest 2 Others demaund why God gaue m a nature mutable and subiect to sinning Ans To these lunius answers that it may as well be demanded why hee made him not God because immutabilitie is proper to the Deitie onely neither is it in the iudgement of the learned as praise worthie to haue a nature not subiect to temptation as hauing a nature subiect vnto it to resist the same when we are tempted Thus it is euident that God can by no meanes be the Author of sinne Delapsu Adami neither because hee foreknowes it Si diabolus seductionis potestatem non accepisset home probationis mercedem non accepisset Chrysost Oper. impers homil 55. decrees it willingly suffers it or made man by nature subiect to commit it It rests in the next place to shew first that Satan and our selues are the causes of the sins we commit Secondly that although in euery of our actiōs there are three caudes and that euery of these worke that which is good yet notwithstanding the action may bee euill and that this euill proceedes from our selues Thirdly that two things must be obserued to make our actions pleasing to God and that a failing in either makes them abominable That Satan and our selues are the sole causes of the sinnes we commit FIrst touching Satan that he is primitiuus peccator Ioh. 6. the first and originall offender from whom sinne flowing as out of a maine sea conueieth it selfe into the whole posteritie of all mankind the Scriptures are very copious in prouing the same Ioh. 8.44 When the diuell speaketh a lie saith Iohn then speaketh he of his own for he is a lier and the father thereof 1. Ioh. 3.8 So that hee which committeth sinne is of the diuell because the diuell sinneth from the beginning To this
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
vses of Gods speciall prouidence teach patience in aduersitie minister comfort in affliction encourage the godly in their weldoing and be at least a corrosiue vnto the coÌ„sciences of the wicked if not a meanes to stay their malice and euill against Gods chosen the trueth of this his great goodnes shall be prooued vnto vs. Before the foundations of the world were laid The impulsiue cause of God speciall care ouer his Church Ephes 1. Rom. 8.2 it pleased God mooued through the riches of his grace and mercie alone to elect vnto himselfe and select from others the whole number of his Church vnto eternall glorie and felicitie Secondly from this worke of Election within himselfe he proceeded vnto the meanes of accomplishing Hee created them by his power yea holy righteous Our captiuitie by nature threefold but by our own inuentions we fell into a threefold captiuitie The first of error blindnes and ignorance of heauen and heauenly things Ephes 4.18 Tit. 3.3 The second vnto sinne and by consequence vnto Satan death and destruction eternall Rom. 6.20 2. Pet. 2.19 Ioh. 8.34 The third vnto corruption and dissolution of the soule from the bodie Rom. 8.19.20.21 But God that of grace elected Rom. 5.6 Ephes 1.10 Ephes 1.7 1. Pet 1.19 in mercie followes vs He sent his Sonne in an accptable time who by his most precious blood and offering himselfe once vpon the crosse effected our deliuerance and reconciled vs to God the father againe First from error and ignorance The manner and order of our redemption when hee calles by his Gospell and enlighteneth the eies of our vnderstandings by his holy Spirit Secondly from our seruitude to sinne Note in this redemptions two things 1. that is by a price so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and so Paul teacheth 1. Tim. 2. when by the same worke of his word and Spirit hee worketh faith within vs to take hold on Christ â—nd on his sauing promise the sole meanes of our deliuerance from eternall destruction whereunto our sinnes had made vs subiect Thirdly from our seruitude to corruption by the vertue and power of his resurrection working this assurance 2. a price of wonderfull value first because our Redeemer is the Sonne of God secondly most righteous 1. Pet. 1.18 1. Cor 6.20 Heb. 9.12.13.14 that as our head Christ Iesus could not be kept vnder the graue nor detained by death but is certainely risen to eternall glorie so wee his members vnseparablie vnited shall rise to felicitie with him Thus the Church being elected by God of his free grace and mercie a worke without repentance redeemed by the blood of his Sonne when it was vtterly lost reuiued by his word and Spirit wheÌ„ it was dead in trespasses and sinnes gathered when it was dispersed and so brought again vnto Christ the Shepheard Bishop of our soules and now by the bond of his Spirit vnseparablie vnited vnto him how can it bee denied that being thus blessed with all heauenly blessings Ephel 1.3 in heaueÌ„ly places in Christ Iesus it should not be in a most special manner guided and preserued by him Hath he done the greater and will he not doe the lesse Rom. 5.9 Hath hee when we were sinners iustified vs by his blood and now being iustified shall he not much more looke vnto vs If when we were enemies then much more being friends If when wee were wicked seruants then much more being blessed sonnes If when we were abiects then much more being his best beloued The natural head prouides especially for the members of the bodie the husband for his wife the deliuerer for his deliuered and shall not Christ our head the husband to his Church the Redeemer of his people especiall maintaine blesse and preserue his Church his members his Spouse his redeemed Our vertues are mixed with imperfections our loue with some dislike our care with want of prouiding yet what we haue we receiue from God who is loue it selfe Doth not hee then loue his Church abundantly and from this loue especiallie blesse and keepe it Cast backe thine eies to the time past behold the present and conclude of the future For the first looke vnto Noah when the wicked should perish hee being a figure of Christs Church must haue his Arke of deliuerance How miraculouslie did the Lord preserue his people in the land of Egypt euen foure hundred and thirtie yeeres from the promise made vnto Abraham A figure of our deliucrance from Satan How wonderfully by the hand of his seruant Moses did hee deliuer them from the bondage of Pharaoh first without munition secoÌ„dly with a mightie ouerthrow to the Enemie and hauing freed them from that slauerie how strangely did the Lord restore them safe into their promised Countrie The Arke to assure them of Gods continuall presence the heauens contrarie to nature to yeeld them foode the rocke to bee enforced to send forth her streames the pillar of a cloud to protect them from heate the shining fire to giue them light from heauen the nations to be cast forth before them and what not for the good of his children Esay 43.1 c. Therefore Esay 43.1 Feare not saith the Lord that created thee O Iacob and hee that framed thee O Israel feare not I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee because thou wast precious in my sight wast honourable and I loued thee therefore will I giue man for thee and people for thy sake feare not for I am with thee I will bring thy seede from the East and gather thee from the West I will say vnto the North giue and vnto the South keepe not backe bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the Earth Esay 54.16.17 Esay 54.16.17 All the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise in iudgement against thee thou shalt destroy and condemne For this is the heritage of the Lords seruants and their righteousnesse is of mee saith the Lord. Neither hath the Church of God had experience of the performance of this Gods speciall Prouidence in former ages onlie but euen wee also in a most gratious manner haue been especially blessed and delinered by the same How could this little Iland Applie in quantitie a handfull in number few enioy so manie so great such wonderfull deliuerances from the hands of Infidels Tyrants Hereticks bloodie Papists in number infinit some by open force abroad some by secret conspiracies at home did not our mercifull God most carefully
no doubt to be made of them The question is about the third namely Gods voluntary suffering of sin which although I haue prooued that it cannot be a cause of the thing so suffered yet because the aduersaries of this truth doe draw most of their arguments from hence Satan cunningly raising many doubts of his goodnes who indeed is an infinit goodnesse in and of himselfe and is also infinitelie good and gratious vnto others I will by way of confirming the latter part of this Argument stand somewhat more vpon opening this truth vnto vs. What Gods permissiue will is I haue shewed immediatelie before The fountaine from which it proceeds is his foreknowledge as that from which all his actions quoad extra as Diuines call them which are effected without him haue their beginning and is thus distinguished either it is absolute and simple Permission is either simple or respectiue as the suffering of Adam to eate the forbidden fruit or it is respectiue and hath regard and consideration to the parties suffered God determining thereby to keepe his law of iustice vnspotted and yet to giue a generall rule to all Magistrates how to vse a wise moderation As when God permitted the Israelites to sell their children into bondage and Moses for the hardnesse of the peoples hearts granted a bill of diuorcement Matth. 19.8 though from the beginning it was not so Touching this permission thus considered Jn God permitting of sin foure things to be obserued these things are to be obserued First that Gods suffering of sinne is voluntarie for being almightie he cannot be constrained to any thing Secondly that this suffering is for a set purpose and end agreeing with his iustice and glorie as that the exceeding riches of his grace and mercie might more appeare in sauing the elect and his iustice and power be more euidēt in condemning the wicked Thirdly that this permission is not idle proceeding either of negligence inabilitie or ignorance common causes of mans permitting but is from the determinate counsell of God knowing and decreeing a voluntarie suffering Lastly that this permission is with a limitation of the natures of sins of their number with the times places and persons committing them So that men are often restrained in their wicked purposes neither can the diuell preuaile alwaies in what he most desireth no not with the most wicked much lesse with the vnregenerate in the secret counsell of God elected to eternall glorie though not as yet called home to Christ Iesus the Shepheard of the flocke and Bishop of our soules For if Gods diuine power and rich grace should not concurre in this then alas men should neuer cease sinning yea then their least transgressions should be peccata clamantia crying sinnes sinnes of presumption blasphemies sins against the holy Ghost that so the committers might perish finally Whereto then should serue the gratious promises of God in Christ Iesus vpon true repentance by a liuely faith apprehended Alas to no end Ephes 2.2.3 for without the barres of Gods grace and mightie power wee inclining the world alluring and Satan continually tempting how should we eschew that great seareful sinne for which the grace of repentance is neuer granted If this was not true euen in the wicked most lamentable miserie should befall all true hearted Christians We haue experience of the truth of this doctrine in the most grieuous persecutions of the Church of Christ and especially in that most fearfull conspiracie and infernall treason deuised plotted and prosecuted by that Antichristian sect and diuell incarriate Papists against the Church of Christ his chiese Anointed and all other the most religious wise and honourable Peeres of this Common-wealth whom had not the hand of the Lord of his especiall grace to the Nursefathers of his Church miraculously deliuered they cursed be the soules that shall once intend it as innocent lambes had been deliuered to the bloodie slaughter-house of diuellish Tyrants the walles of our Hierusalem had been broken downe the honour of our Sion laid in the dust yea the many Pillars and sole Maintainers of our welfare being taken away farre be it from vs O Lord for this is most fearefull to thinke of how fearfull then O Lord to endure it we thewhole bodies of his Highnes dominions had come to a most lamentable subuersion and ouerthrow A comfortable instance of Gods reslrayuing the sinnes of the wicked But to the euerlasting praise of our most gratious God bee it spoken they haue digged a pit and haue fallen into the middest of it themselues the Lord of the riches of his mercie hath broken their nets our soules are deliuered from the bloodie hands of these infernall insatiate fowlers O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse Psalm 107. and declare the wonders hee hath wrought for the children of men Surely the policie of man preuented it not they stood affected to vs and holding the grounds of their profession will alwaies so stand euen as Satan vnto Iob Iob 1. desiring if the Lord would permit to plague both soules and bodies yet as the Lord said he would not suffer Abimelech to sinne against him Genes 10.6 by comming neere vertuous Sarah so let vs al with one hart voice confesse that our mercifull God would not suffer these diuellish Papists to proceed to the height of their hortible sinnes by comming neerer his Anointed and honorable chosen ones to extinguish the blessed light of Christs Gospel and that admired happines which by their most religious iust wise and careful gouernment we haue enioyed amongst vs. Further In euery permission two Agents it is to bee obserued that in euery permission there are two Agents the person permitting and the person permitted The former hath power to hinder whē he pleaseth doth vse the same The latter hath an abilitie of working and when hee is permitted doth put the same in execution In both of these there is a voluntarie action as wel in the suffered as in the suffer but herein is the difference the action of his will which suffereth is only inward and worketh nothing in him whom it suffereth the partie suffered worketh of his owne proper will his end of working being not preuented nor his meanes of accomplishing hindred by the other so that although in both of these there is a voluntarie action yet one of them onely is author of the fact And by consequence God onely suffering and we wholly executing hee is most pure and holy and we only guiltie of our sinnes committed For although as Augustine saith Nothing is done in the world which the Lord would not to be done Enchir. cap. 95. Vel ipse faciendo vel voluntariè sinendo either by doing it himselfe or by a willing suffering of it to be done yet he is altogether free from the guilt of the transgression though for the manifestation of his iuflice and glorie he
should reape some commoditie from the Egyptians at their departure As vsurie permitted to Gods enemies but not among his people Lastly many things may be done to the professed enemies of God very lawfully the which to enterprise toward any that professe his name is a grieuous sinne the which in no wise can be imputed to the Israelites and that so much the lesse because they tooke nothing away of malice or desire of gaine but onely to obey the will of God Obiection If God punish one sinne with another sinne then he is the author of sinne because hee is the author of all punishment But God often doth thus Solution and therefore he is often a cause of sinne Sinne is to be considered either as it is simplie a sinne or as it is a punishment of former sinnes by reason it is a begetter of moe sinnes and makes the committer more miserable as it is euident in the ignorant Gentiles Ephes 4.18 and in the hard hearted Iewes Rom. 1.21 22 23 c. God onely willing lie permits the former and in his iustice inflicts the latter Lib. 5. cap. 3. as Augustine in his Treatise against Iulian plainly teacheth Obiection Whatsoeuer is committed the Lord doth will the same But sins are committed And therefore God doth will them Gods will is efficient commanding Solution or permissiue the two former make God an absolute cause the latter doth not So that we confesse that God doth will all both good and bad the bad by a willing permission the good by his command and by a powerfull effecting Obiect God commanded or at least willed the selling of Ioseph into Egypt by his brethren which fact of theirs was a sin and therfore God willeth some sinnes God willed the selling of Ioseph into Egypt Solution as it did make for the declaration of his exceeding power and mercie to his Church Gen. 48. for thereby Iosephs deliuerance was seene his honour aduanced the future good of the faithfull procured as it appeares by his supplie of the want in the time of famine in which respect Ioseph was sent aforehand by the Lord into Egypt as himselfe declareth but none of these were respected by Iosephs brethren but only an intent to make him away for the satisfying of their malitious mindes toward him therfore it was good in God as proceeding from his infinite loue to his children but euill in Iosephs brethren as proceeding of an euill minde in them Obiect God willeth the actions of the diuell and of wicked men but these actions are sinnes Therefore willeth some sins God doth not command them Solution nor effect them himselfe as they are simply sinnes but doth only willingly permit them which permission as I haue proued cannot make him a cause of the sin committed Secondly though God giue strength to the actions of the diuel and wicked men and that to a purpose making for his owne glorie and good of his children hee doth will the same yet hee is farre from the intents of the diuell and wicked men in their actions being that which makes them to bee sinnes 1. Pet. 4.19 God willed the redemption of mankinde and therefore the crucifying of his sonne whereby it was to be effected but the malice and hatred of the Iewes toward him for which cause they did it came of themselues God willes the chastisement of his children for the trial of their faith and patience but that Tyrants should imprison them or put them to death vniustly this proceedes from a hatred in them toward Gods children and therefore God wils only the good but the euill that is effected comes from themselues Obiection He which willeth the end willeth also the meanes whereby it is to bee accomplished but God willeth the end of sinning namely his glorie And therefore the meanes whereby it is manifested that is sinne it selfe Solution 1 God doth will a willing permission of the meanes but not an effecting of them for he only intendeth that by the suffering of such a meanes his iustice should take place and so his glorie bee manifested But this is cleane contrarie to the expectation of him which sinneth because he doth sinne only to satisfie his owne lusts and not to bee punished or to haue Gods glorie manifested by the same Secondlie sinne is not of it selfe a meanes of Gods glorie but in that respect Gods iustice is declared in punishing it or his mercie shewed in pardoning it So that Gods permission of the sinne is the meanes of his glorie and not the sinne it selfe because God respects not the purpose of man in sinning but his owne purpose in permitting Obiection Whosoeuer can hinder sin and will not that partie doth offend But God can hinder sinne and yet often doth not And therefore seemes often to offend The Proposition is true Solution being vnderstood of those that are bound to hinder sinne or of those that doe approue of sinnes in that respect they are simplie sinnes but God is aboue his law and therefore not tied to it Secondly in suffering sinne he no way approues of it for he punisheth him that commits it yea rather then it should goe vnpunished doth punish it in his only begotten Sonne so that the argument holds in vs that are his creatures but not in God the Creator Obiection He which doth euill that good may come thereof doth sinne Rom. 3. But God by permitting euill doth euill that good may come thereof And therefore God seemes sometimes to sinne The Assumption is false Solution because it is not Gods permission which is euill but the sinne it selfe Obiect The want of Gods grace is the cause of sinne both in the godly and in the wicked And therefore since hee doth not bestow it vpon them it seemes he is the cause of the sinnes both of the one and the other I confesse as Augustine saith that men doe sinne Deo gratiam non concedente Solution in that God doth not giue them his grace yet God being not tied to giue it and secondly his detaining it making for his iustice and glorie how can he be blamed for not bestowing it Yet further note Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit Man is destitute of Gods grace Rom. 6.12 not because God doth not giue it but because men haue not hearts to receiue it when it is offered Aug. in Matth. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Magnus de caelo venit Medicus quia per vbique terrarum iacet aegrotus That great and wise Physition is come from heauen because the whole world lay sicke of sinne if men are not cured this only is the cause Muscujus Medicum vltrò venientem respuunt they wilfullie refuse him that would willingly helpe them Thus is Christ the bread of life the light the way the truth in that our soules are not nourished our
him and the sorrowes of the graue caught hold vpon him he cannot but breake forth vnto the acknowledgment of this dutie I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice my prayers That is compassed him about as he saith elsewhere with songs of deliuerances Exod 21. Deut. 6.5 When the Lord would excite his people to the keeping of the first and great commandement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which as Christ expounds it in his answere to the demand of the Pharisaicall Lawyer is no other thing but to loue the Lord with all our heart Matth. 22.37 with al our soule and withal our mind His arguments of perswasion are taken from his fatherlie care and mercie vnto them saying that hee was their God which brought them out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage So that this is a speciall vse to bee made of Gods benefits and great care ouer vs that when as hee doth superabound in blessings wee should abound in loue the onely sacrifice which God accepts and that onlie dutie which we may best performe Hoc praeceptum breue leue vtile est This lesson to loue God for his benefits is short light and profitable Short that all may learne it none can complaine of length or hardnesse light that the sick man in his bed the poore man in his want the captiue in his bondage the prisoner in his chaines and that which is hardest the rich man in his wealth without selling his substāce may learne to performe it Profitable none can complaine of losing thereby nay who euer loued the Lord which hath not thereby gained his owne soule which is more then the world and God himselfe more then a thousand soules Nor doe those benefits onely whereof wee haue an euident sense and feeling moue vs to loue the Lord but euen those also whereof wee are made partakers by their more remote operatiō which being lesse sensiblie felt as causes farther remoued Prouocations to make vs loue God are not so easilie perceiued by vs and yet continuallie admonish vs to loue the Lord. Caelum terra omniae quae in ijs sunt eccè vndique mihi clamant vt te amem domine Heauen and Earth saith Augustine and all things therein contained Clamant dupliciter 1. Ostendunt dignitatem 2. Ostendunt bonitatem doe make a continuall cry round about me that I should loue thee O Lord. They shew thy worthinesse and declare thy bountie such a world such heauens such an ocean such an earth such spirituall such earthlie creatures insensible sensible reasonable all wonderfully framed Quocunque te vertis veritas vesti◠ijs quibusdam quae operibus suis impressit loquitur tibi te in exteriora relabentem ipsis exteriorum sormis intus reuocat Aug. de Arb. lib. Lord how mightie how wonderfull how wise art thou that made them and therefore worthie our loue and being thus made thus to blesse to continue to increase to multiplie them yea more to fill vs with them for thou hast said Wherin haue I grieued or failed you and we could not tell thou hast said What could I haue done more to my vine then I haue done but wee could not iustlie complaine and therefore thy bountie thy superabundāt bounty must needs make vs to loue thee Vnto this loue meere nature excites vs the horse loues his keeper the dogge his master the hawke the faulkner the seruant the Lord the sonne the father Pudeat ab exiguis enimalibus nos trahere mores Seueca shall these follow the course of nature and shall wee degenerate doe these loue that they might liue here and shall not wee loue our Lord our Master our Father that wee might liue eternally Nor doth nature onely teach this but reason also Bern. Quod nisi per ipsum valuit esse sine ipso non potest sustineri Quisque ita conditus est vt ipsum necessariò habeat protectorem quem habuit conditorem Euery one is so framed that hee must necessarily haue him to be his protector whom he had to be his maker because that which could not haue his beeing but from him cannot be sustained but by him Now God being this sole protector there is good reason why we should loue him A protector that is wise and can dispose for our good omnipotent therefore able to effect it mercifull and therefore will doe it iust and therefore will not decerue faithfull and therefore will not forsake if man wil euer chuse an absolute friend why should not man in reason chuse such a friend Foure things mouing to loue others what can hee desire that this blessed friend affoords not vnto him if delight there is pleasure at his right hand for euermore if alliance in Christ he is thy gratious father if present gaine thou art fild with his benefits and compast with his deliuerances if future glorie thou art not onely attended with a guard of Angels in this life Ama vnum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona satis erit August but shalt further be crowned with euerlasting glorie in the life to come And therefore reason teacheth that wee should loue God such a father so delightfull so gainefull so profitable to those that place their affections vpon him And though these doe continuallie craue our loue yet the riches of his grace and mercie do challenge it much more they doe mooue but this compels vs to loue him The consideration of this being the fountaine of all Christian duties yea giuing life and taste vnto them and yet alas slenderly regarded and lesse performed it will not be vnprofitablie though perhaps vnfitly annexed to this my purpose to shew Gods loue to vs thereby to excite ours to him againe Wherein consider the state we were in vessels of wrath bondslaues to sinne to our owne lusts to Satan of our selues castawaies for euer the state we now are in vessels of glory free denizens of heauen children of God heires of eternall happinesse how this is accomplished Iohn 3.16 in that God sent his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme vs from that fearefull miserie and to bring vs to this exceeding glorie but how by deposing his crowne of dignitie his glorious estate his absolute honour his perfect ioyes and so to become man in the flesh to vndergo hunger nakednesse want with other infirmities whereunto mankind is subiect sinne onely excepted This is wonderfull loue but behold greater hee became Asham as Isaiah saith a sacrifice for sinne hee drew vs as Hosea saith Hosea 11.4 with the coards of man that is as the Septuagint expounds it was willinglie bound with coards himselfe that hee might vnloose the coards wherewith wee were tied Ephes 2.18 Hee redeemed vs as Paul saith with his bloud shed on the crosse an ignominious death a fearefull death in which hee vnderwent the furie of his father and the torments of hell both