decree can haue no other force of reason to presse the conclusion but a cause Secondly they answer that the antecedent beeing granted and from thence the consequent concluded is causall when there comes no middle cause betwixt them but God decrees that man should fall by his free-will comming betwixt the fall and Gods decree thereof But this is no answer for so mans free-will came betwixt the Deuils temptation and the yeilding thereunto and so the Deuill should be no cause of mans fall this then is but a shift Thirdly they answer that God may will that man should fall and yet man might fall by his owne free will The answer is ouerturned because a man might haue fallen infallibly and freely but necessarily and freely can neuer stand together Infallibilitie is in respect of Gods infinite diuine prescience but necessitie is of the thing done Infallibilitas est â—ognitionis imnustibilitas rei which is immutable and immutabilitie takes away all contingencie in the thing and consequently libertie so then necessitie contingencie and libertie can neuer stand together Fourthly they answer per desertionem nempe ipsius non collationem necessary ad cauendum peccata auxilij vnde sequitur hominem necessariò peccare that is by desertion of him and not collation of necessary helps to beware of sinne man fell necessarily But this will not salue vp the matter because God gaue the lawe therefore it was necessarie that he should affoard man all necessaries to obey him otherwise the transgression might be giuen vnto God but they will say that Gods desertion had mans free will to come betwixt it and the fall but to that it may be replyed then man deserued that desertion But the question is whether man could wil such a thing or no if it be said he could then hee sinned freely but againe how could he will this if it be answered he could not then surely God made him will it if he could then what was the cause of it surely they defend that God did forsake him before he willed to bee forsaken in that he forsooke to giue him that grace which should haue kept him from sinne Lastly there commeth nothing betwixt Gods desertion and mans willing of it if so then either God or man must be the cause not man because he suffers it therefore God and indeede they confesse that peccatum est merum consequens decreti a meere consequent of Gods decree nothing interceding must necessarily be a cause But they answer this cause is deficient for desertion is but the taking away not concurring but this deficient cause was a necessarie cause why Adam should fall because he could not otherwise escape it And thus much from the Decree now I come to mans will impelled to sinne Obiect 3. That man is compelled to sinne Neceâ—â—â—â—e of Gods decree it is first prooued from the decree graunt the decree and then man could not abstaine from the act of sinne if he could then might he haue frustrated Gods decree Deâ—◠〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 but that is impietie once to thinke consilium enim deistat Secondly that which makes the wil to loose his libertie must needes compel the will the libertie is gone because it is not free ad opposita but must needes incline it selfe to one thing and that necessarily Neither are we here to conceiue coaction or violence for the will hath two motions one of nature another of libertie libertie is taken away when the will is carried with his naturall motion this is spontaneus assensus a natural willing which is alwaies of one thing To be happie is willed of all but neither by violence or freedome but natural inclination for no man wills miscrie Therefore Gods decree takes away his libertie but not his assent to mooue naturally which way God would haue it And though it be not constrained yet can it not resist neither indeede would it resist for this determination Necessitie and libertie cannot stand together Thirdly and lastly necessitie takes away all libertie because all libertie is in contingent things What libertie hath a man ouer the fire or any immutable thing Againe libertie is alwaies with consultation now consultation is in things contingent What man will consult whether the fire burne and surely God and man vnderstands one truth how then should I conceiue that necessarie to God which must be contingent to me Contingencie and necessitie can neuer stand together And to say Adam fell contingently and yet necessarily is an impossibilitie The principle of necessitie is immutabilitie not infallibilitie Certitude makes infallibilitie that which is certen is infallible Time changeth not nature and so may a contingent thing be certen Neither must we measure the thing by time for time is not of the essence of any thing but a thing adioyned to all created beeings Now then time past present or to come change not the nature of any beeing but diuersly qualifie him Was the thing contingent before it fell out then why should it be of the nature of necessitie when it is come to passe hath the time present made it otherwise then it was in time past Define me Adams fall was it not an apostacie from God his Creator this is one thing and is neuer changed now necessitie followes the nature of things and not of time in things You graunt it contingent vntill it came was not this a truth and truth I am sure pronunciat vti res est pronounceth as the thing is will you then make truth pronounce one thing before the thing was and another thing when it is is the nature changed because the time is varied then farwell all truths and that common axiome which is no more common then true That definitions of things are not onely to be conceiued in the present time but also past and to come Let vs examine the definition of contingencie and necessitie â—â—e definition of contingency Contingencie is that which is so true that it may be false is this onely for future no but thus may be false or might haue bin false I am sure you will say that mans fall might haue bin false for God might haue decreed otherwise and therefore marke what you doe affirme to wit that God might change necessarie truths then may he make contradictions true He may make a man and not reasonable fire but not hote Let it then be what it will be if once it might haue bin changed it can neuer be made an vnchangeable nature by time Achilles might haue killed Hector Saul might haue fallen on his owne sword Adam might haue runne into the finne of auersion from God These before they were done you confesse were contingent but Achilles hath slaine Hector Saul is fallen on his owne sword Adam is become an Apostata from God now the case is altered and they are become necessarie But do you not vnderstand reason tell me I pray you Achilles to kill Hector Saul to fall
third of such things as would bee if such and such things went before If Caine doe well he shall be accepted Gen. 4. if Dauid stay in Keilah the lords of the citie will deliuer him if I continue in beleeuing then I shall be saued if I continue in sinne I shall bee damned And on this knowledge for any thing that I can perceiue doe the Papists and Lutherans hang all predestination and so make Gods will the consequent in decreeing and mans will the antecedent in giuing God the occasion The deceit is this that from the connexion of things they iudge of Gods will about things which is most indirect and a knowledge that agrees not to God but at the second hand It is true that the first knowledge beeing iudged according to logicall inuention is of things possible for arguments or reasons afore they come to bee disposed are onely in potentia ad arguendum haue an affection to argue and so many things that might be haue this potentiall kind of reason and so we say they are knowne of God because we so conceiue of them The second knowledge which is more actuall is properly science the laying together of those things which before were onely in affection to argue The third is of these things which beeing laid together can no otherwise haue force of reason but vpon connexion and supposition and in this head would they tie Gods decree and knowledge when indeed God followes no such suppositions but absolutely knowes and wills what he pleaseth yet seeing his decree is as large as all reason it cannot otherwise be imagined but that in the manifestation of it all reason should appeare And so we grant a connexion supposition condition and occasion in all Gods works that is in the effects of his will but none of all these in the will it selfe Therefore they doe amisse to put that vpon his will which is the cause which ought to be in the effect of his will and thereupon no antecedent of Gods will but meere consequents That creation should go before the fall the fall before redemption redemption before saluation and sinne before damnation are all of them most necessarie suppositions connexions conditions and if you please occasions And thus much for that occasion which is to Arminius delphicus gladius but it cuts asunder such knots as God hath tied together whose will in all things drawes the first linke and cannot be drawne of any M. Per. 3. Principle in sense is this that God does all by counsell therefore he hath his scope which he knowes wills and disposeth vnto most prudently and therefore decrees euery thing therevnto I. Ar. The most wise God doth all things for some ende and purpose euen that which he doth not yet hee permits it for some ende and purpose therefore first it is a fault to say that God must either agere be doing or otiose spectare become an idle beholder which is no good distribution for agere and permittere to doe and permit are really distinguished and both these are for good purpose and therefore God must either be doing or an idle beholder are too scant for he may permit Secondly prudence is too short a word to inlarge it selfe to all Gods wisedome Thirdly adhibito certo fine the ende applied finis gratia and for the ende are not all one for no man workes for the ende applied but for the good therein implied Fourthly Deus non vult aut non decernit quod non potest God neither wills nor decrees that which he cannot here no sense except it be further added which he cannot do or permit and therefore the conclusion is most imperfect so God decreed to doe except this be added or permitted Collat. Agere prudenter to doe wisely will beare the sense of permission for permission comming from Gods wil is considered of vs as an effect this effect is produded by counsell therefore for a good ende and purpose so then that which God doth permittere he doth prudenter agere grant then that Gods permission comes from his counsell and aimes at his glorie and then it must bee more then a negatiue act But to speake the truth permission as it is expounded of Arminius maintaines nothing but absurdities First in regard of the cause for saies he permission is voluntatis remissae now such a will as this cannot be in God whose will is meere act and therefore cannot admit of degrees all remissiuenesse of Gods will is in regard of the subiect which is quantum and may be lesse and more but in regard of himselfe it is impossible Secondly a remisse will doth either will or not will or suspend to suspend is neither to hinder nor further the act and so the Lord should haue no stroke in sinne which is the deniall of his prouidence in the apostacie of man if his prouidence did not suspend nor his power then his wil was not to suspend in that action if he did more then suspend then it was either to will or not to will if not to will then sinne should not haue beene therefore God did will it per modum actionis That this may appeare Gods manner of working in sinne we are to consider what manner of efficient causes true reason laies downe vnto vs And the first manner of causes efficient are either to beget or preserue the second to worke alone or with others the third by himselfe or by accident and agere is giuen to euery one of these Let vs then see where Gods action in sinne comes in and because it is most apparent in the third I answer God is the cause of sin by accident And this will appeare if we consider how many causes wrought by an internal principle these were foure the deuill and Adam principally the serpent and the woman instrumentally and all these were blameable causes The externall cause was the lawe and will of God which in mans transgression did all they did by an externall facultie for the lawe is made the sauour of death vnto death not by his own facultie but by the deuills and mans free will and this work of the law was most holy and iust And this is a working cause iustified by the true rule of reason and not a bare permission If a man take a knife and thrust it into his bowels it is the cause of murder and no permission if man therfore was thrust thorow and wounded to the death by the law of God it was no bare permission but a working cause yet in all things vnblameable And therefore to denie Gods will all causation is impossible If a man would faine kill himselfe and could finde no instrument to effect it withall he would be kept from the fact for want thereof so if the Law had not bin man could not haue died Therefore it is most true when our Diuines speake of permission that they doe not in the generall latitude of action exclude it
God seeing man this way to determine his will Mansâ— determination made the determination thereof a iust way for his owne glorie God decreed mans fall and he also decreed that he himselfe would not be the cause but that man himselfe should onely cause his own ruine Thus then God did absolutely decree but not absolutely determine mans wil for that was left vnto man himselfe Determination no impulsion yet the determination of that determination was absolute and that without impulsion or coaction of mans will for determination is alwaies of things vnto their ends therefore is called absolute in regard of the end but coaction is onely of an efficient which is not necessarie for an absolute ende All Gods ends are absolute and necessarie yet the meanes that God vseth are of all kinds contingent necessarie dependent independent Suppose God had decreed to haue giuen man actuall grace as alreadie the angels haue it in heauen had it therefore been necessarie that man could not haue fallen or that God should haue constrained his wil to haue imbraced this grace no assuredly therefore on the contratie God decreed not to giue man this actuall grace of standing is therefore his auersion necessarie and constrained no but God by this meanes gaue way vnto the sinne of auersion and permissiuely yet willingly did suffer it for to enter for otherwise it could not haue entred and by a positiue decree resolued that auerting himselfe from the fountaine of all goodnesse and the rule of all righteousnesse he should runne into innumerable dangerous euills and grieuous sinnes both of commission and omission Omission is alwaies the first sinne Omission a priuation for a man falleth first from the loue of God before he can loue or desire any other thing now this sin beeing a neglect hath no positiue cause it selfe being a priuatioÌ„ neither need we seek any higher spring of it Non 〈…〉 then the will of such a creature as is defectiue and therefore doth not alwaies necessarily attend to the rule it should conforme it selfe vnto and thus of the first sinne we can find no cause in God because hee is no wayes defectiue The second sinne is commission which is a positiue act and therefore hath a positiue cause now God that neuer ceaseth to doe his worke of moouing but alwaies carrieth forward all things with restlesse motions cannot but cause the verie substance of a sinne of commission 〈…〉 of the Schâ—olman neither here am I of the opinion of the School-men that defend the very deformitie of this sinne to be nothing but the act and very substance of it for an act is a generall tearme and hath speciall limitations added vnto it therefore it is said to be well done when it keeps his rule euill when it misseth his rule now the Lord in no action goeth against the rule of his wisdome therefore he can work no deformed act only man that is defectiue may goe against the rule and so causeth the deformitie A cunning artificer makes a clocke but he suffers his apprentice to helpe to ioyne it together the deformitie of the motion is none of the artificers but onely from the vnskilfull apprentice yet will the skilfull artificer haue his praise in correcting of that aberration and turne the motion to his owne ende The causes then why sinne entred as efficient are properly the deuill and man as determined to an ende properly Gods who might well so determine of man seeing he created him mutable But to come more neerly How Gods lawe works sinne we may expresse this most familiarly in a comparison taken from an earthen pitcher dashed by the hand of a man against a stone wall that the wall breaketh it that is no fault of the walls but rather the coÌ„mendation of it working according to his owne nature but the fault is in the partie that dashed it against the wall so man being dashed by the deuill and himselfe and the serpent and the woman vpon the law of God too hard to bee ouerwrastled of man was broken in peices yet the lawe was without all fault onely the fault was in the deuill Adam and the woman the law therefore a most iust and holy cause of mans fall as the law caused mans sinne so I dare boldly say that God cansed it yet most holily and iustly Hence it followeth most plainely that God was no bare permitting cause or a forsaking cause but a working cause euen in the fall of man now as God did it so he was able to doe it and so to decree it to his owne glorie according as it seemed best vnto his own wisdome and so might it be willed as absolutely good and iust and therefore no sinne God made them the beginners of their owne actions beeing indued with free will by well doing they might deserue both praise and prize and by ill doing might deserue both dispraise and punishment But you will obiect then God might both will it and not will it Very true as God willed it it had respect of good and was iust and therefore to be willed but as they willed it it was euill and so God hated it and his law forbad it The sonne may desire the death of his father and so may God too but in so doing the sonne sinnes against God yet God is free from sinne the Iudge desires that a malefactor should die so doth the hangman yet may be the hang-man is guilty of murther when the Iudge is a true executioner of iustice Obserue then for the entrance of sinne these positions Positions for sinnes entrance First that to sinne is directly beside the scope intent and purpose of the law and therefore if the law cause sinne it is by acccident as to the law so to Gods wil which can neither intend purpose or will any impietie and therefore sinne is accidental and externall in regard of God now an accidentall principle is either in regard of necessitie or fortune How a cause by accident may be giuen vnto God now for necessitie to sinne that cannot be giuen vnto God for he can suffer of no causing principle and fortune is too strange a tearme to stand with Gods prouidence where then is this externall principle I answer if wee soberly conceiue of the nature of a cause by fortune we shal not much swarue if we say sinne was chance in regard of Gods will for chance and fortune according to true reason is nothing but the accident or euent of any thing beside his end and scope now only good is the end and scope of Gods will and therfore sinne which is not good is beside Gods scope and ende therefore it is accidentall in Gods scope and end But you wil say then God was ignorant of mans sinne I answer no because sinne is not onely accidentall to a good ende but also an aberration from the true rule of wisdome and must stand to the iudgement and sentence thereof
members become sinnefull It is not simply a sinne to looke on a woman for so much as to see is done by the concurrence of a rule of Gods wisdome but in that it is to lust after a woman and so here the eye looking vpon this tree is made sinnefull because inwardly she lusts after it and that is expressed in the next words when shee saies a tree to be desired and the ende of that is to get knowledge This ende is good but will not iustifie the action because the very eating for this end was expressely forbidden The 3. act is taking of the fruit thereof neither can this simply be condemned for it might be they might haue gathered the fruit and I am thereunto perswaded because this tree as well as the rest was for man and some good vse might haue beene made thereof 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 conâ—â—â—ing the first sinne The 4. act And did eate neither here am I of Arminius minde that meant subtilly to crosse an argument in M. Perkins by affirming that the very act was forbidden The natural act was good but onely the morall act which was respectiue and in reference to Gods law that onely was sinnefull The 5. act And gaue also vnto her husband this was likewise a sinne seeing God had made her a helper vnto him to become his ruine this was the breach of charitie The last act and he did eate To this some might reply but how could this bee a sinne seeing he was ignorant of it to which I answer 〈◊〉 present 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 First I doubt not but by that excellent knowledge he had he was able vpon the very sight thereof to know that it was the fruit of the forbidden tree God brought him the beasts of the field and he named them according to their natures he knewe his wife when shee was brought vnto him these were farre more difficult then to know euery seuerall fruit in the garden seeing they are so easily distinguished by many outward appearances therefore questionlesse he knew the fruit But then you will obiect man was more foolish then the woman for shee did it by strong perswasions and he without any more adoe vpon his very wiues giuing it did eate thereof alas neuer thinke so But how then was he tempted surely I thinke it was not a new disputation betwixt his wife and himselfe that as the deuil had dealt with her so she might deale with her husband for if Adam had been absent all the while of that communication and then the serpent and the deuill in the serpent had been departed that Adam would so soone haue yeelded vnto her motion Secondly it is said that as soone as shee desired it she tooke it and did eate if this was done in the place where shee stood then assuredly her eyes would haue been open to haue seene the offence before she could haue brought Adam vnto it Thirdly if she must first haue plucked the fruit and then haue carried it to Adam and lastly haue disputed with Adam for the eating of it it had been too long a time for a woman with child in sinning and longing for an apple or a figge or what else the fruit was to haue staied her appetite so long and therefore as I doubt not but she presently are it so presently her husband yeelded too and so both their eyes were opened together But you will say did Adam stand by all the time of their disputation I know no other meaning of the text but that it should be so and therefore Adam was exceedingly too blame to suffer his wife to haue such communication with the serpent hee should haue shut him out at the first entrance for God set him to keepe the garden that no beasts should come in it Now tell me I beseech you what concourse Gods law had in mans fall and the selfe-same is my iudgement that God had in it Now the lawe stood at hand to haue ioyned with man to haue brought forth his obedience vnto God and haue kept him from all sinnes of omission but man would not heare the voice of the lawe but of the deuill against the law therefore no maruell if he fell So then the Lord concurred by his law I will vse the word of Arminius quantum decuit yea and quantum oportuit as much as was seemely and as much as was expedient and this none of our Diuines denie if I may speake it bona venia with the good liking of all Arminians so that God withheld none of this grace from him but as I said before the deede of his will or that velle quod potuit which was not of such absolute necessitie neither wanted man any concourse if he had been as good as his meanes were But you say further Gods will no irresistable motion to mans â—ill the motion was irresistable and so man was no faultie cause seeing he could doe no better Alas had they all those free actions in sinne and yet did nothing proprijs voluntatibus I see nothing at all done by them but was done most freely But then you say the will of God might haue beene frustrated Alas senslesse creatures when the Apostle saies who hath resisted the will of God at any time is most certaine in very reason it selfe for the superiour cause can neuer suffer of the inferiour cause therefore if mans will should goe about to resist or frustrate the will of God it were euen against reason it selfe for then should Gods wil suffer of mans will And againe with Arminius God forbid it should be otherwise but that consilium Deistaret that Gods counsell should stand and therefore God hath an irresistable will and if that then the motion of his will is also irresistable if this then man cannot resist it and if he cannot resist then is hee mooued irresistably to sinne Fiue propositions to explaine how Gods will cannot be resisted stay there the consequence is false I know you will graunt me these fiue propositions and I know no more that our Diuines defend first that Gods will is the supreame cause secondly that Gods will cannot suffer thirdly that none can resist it fourthly that his motion is likewise irresistable fiftly that neither men nor angels can resist it But tell mee how you can prooue your consequence therefore man in sinning followes Gods irresistable motion I know no such consequence either in the Scriptures or our men for euery motion of Adam and the woman were most free and they followed most willingly their owne motion But you will say God decreed this motion true yet no cause thereof for he decreed man should be the cause of it himselfe But could this be done and yet God be no cause thereof yes assuredly for you are deceiued of Gods decree by putting it into the thing when it is in himselfe And here I will cleare vnto you another way that God takes in his decree then you imagine First Gods decree ariseth from
therefore be our wisdome to follow Gods footsteps sobrietie to stay our selues where he hath left no impressioÌ„ else shall we loose the sweete inspiration that issueth out of the flowers of Gods wisedome neither must we breath vpon it any of our vnsauourie notions for then the sweet influence wil retire into the flower the smell that we haue breathed out of our selues will returne not to recreate the spirits of grace and goodnesse but to puffe vp in vs a spirit of pride and selfe-conceit which is nothing but like a blowne bladder euacuated with the least pricke of sound knowledge For as extreame windie stomacks do not onely hinder digestion by interposition with the wholesome meate and relaxation of the mouth of the stomacke which ought to shut it selfe so close about the meate that not so much as the least vacuitie may bee left but also either by ill digestion fils the bodies with crudities obstructions and consequently putrifactions or else because winde is so stirring makes eiaculation and a sudden regurgitation of all that is receiued so in like manner windie knowledge aboue wholesome sobrietie makes such an interposition and relaxation of the minde that it can digest no wholesome doctrine but fils it selfe with all manner of rawe humors and vnstable opinions which breed such obstructions in the minde that presently it falls into diuers sickenesses and can keep nothing that is good but presently beeing receiued by the pride and selfe-conceit it hath in it selfe casts it vp againe and so by a continuall casting breeds that weaknes that so much leauen of evill doctrine is soked into the verie filmes as I may say of the mind that it breeds that disease which is tearmed of Physitians corruptio ad aciditatem corcorruption into sowernesse which sets such an eager and sharpe appetite in the mind that it hungers continually to be fed with newe opinions and so at the length rottennesse and putrifaction is bredde therein and then consequently death and destruction therefore if we meane to preuent these sicknesses we must looke to God our patterne But alas you will say how can that be done seeing hee dwells in a light vnapproachable 1. Tim. 1.16 and therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incomprehensible by our Logicke or reason and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnnamable by our graÌ„mar speech but here let vs wonder that God beeing one most simple beeing and therefore to be apprehended as one which he himselfe alone is able to doe hath made himselfe many in his attributes that so by many attributes wee might come to apprehend this one God Now these attributes are according to our measure and manner the measure of our reason and manner of our speech a vessel can hold no more then his measure neither is there any wayes how it may be filled but by the mouth so our soules hold the wisdome of God according to their measure and are to be filled with it according to their manner Now the Lord is said to speake mouth to mouth both in himselfe and by his ministers so then the wisedome of God teacheth vs that the words of euerie text are to be explaned for the manner of our apprehension and then the arguments and reasons for the measure of our knowledge Therefore in the feare of his maiesty and the loue of his wisedome let vs eie his worke before vs and write vpon it nil vltra here is my stay I wil range no further if this flower doe inspire wisedome then God giue me the taste of it and keepe my appetite and desire from that imbecillitie and strange weakenes that nothing will content it but newe inventions and vnaccustomed deuises of men my desire is to handle nothing but that which hath logicall ground in it But first let vs cleere the words for they are the ingrauen characters of the mind and therefore must we know them that we receiue no false reports by them the one serues for communication the other for information therefore the rules of speech and reason beeing obserued we doubt not but to communicate our text to the information of the weakest II. Part. Of the clearing of Gods euidence These things hast thou done These This word points out their speciall sinnes and is to limit a more generall to his specialls which are these theeuery adultery euill speaking deceit false witnesse slaunder profanation Things This is an ambiguous word first it signifies the beeing of any thing secondly it signifies any qualitie in that being thirdly any action proceeding either from the beeing or qualitie of any creature fourthly it signifies any sinne either in the qualities as vitious habits or actions as transgressions in thought word or deed fiftly miserie it is here taken in the fourth signification for sinnes because as actions proceed froÌ„ the being and qualities of euery creature so the being or quality beeing infected the action prooues bad and sinfull But here ariseth a great difficultie whether the action be the subiect of sinne or the effect It seemes to bee the subiect for a sinfull action is expounded sinne in the action so the subiect an action which is a thing should bee put for sinne his adiunct which properly is nothing But vnder the correction of the learned I iudge no action to be the subiect of sinne properly â—â—tions no subiect of sinne my reasons are these which I bring most willingly because in my apprehension it notably cleares God in working in sinfull actions Reason 1. from punishment in … d. That which is properly the subiect of sinne may bee punished but actions cannot bee punished for sinfull actions a man is punished therefore it is the man that is the subiect and his sinful action is the meritorious cause therefore when God is said to punish sinne with sinne it is to bee vnderstood sinfull action with sinfull action therfore to conclude that God is the author of sinne is a fallacian of composition and diuision for it is one thing to bee the cause of sinne and an other the cause of a sinnefull action for the sinne is not in the action but in the agent and therefore in man alone but the action is common to both as for example I cast a glasse against the stone wall the stone wall breakes the glasse so doth the hand that sast it but the one is a blameable cause the other vnblameable so man sinning casts himselfe by his owne free will against the law of God which beeing stronger then man breaks him in peices Here the lawe and will of God wrought in this sinfull action God and his law most iustly man by his own free will most vniustly the action therefore from both but the sin onely did sticke in the nature of man and so made him for his part in the action culpable and guilty of Gods wrath therfore the action hauing no sinne inherent in it properly may be handled of God without sinne Reason 2.
That this may the better appeare consider three kind of thoughts the first is a direct thought and thinkes it selfe the second an indirect thought that thinkes first the thing and then it selfe the third is a corrupt thought that thinks it selfe out of it selfe the first is onely proper vnto God that knows himselfe first and in himselfe all things God lookes not out of himselfe to know any thing for all things are in him and therefore he knows himselfe directly the creatures indirectly this thought is aboue the thoughts of men and Angels Esay 55 9. as far as heauen is higher then the earth The second belongs to men and Angels in their best estate for they must first thinke the thing and then out of the thing themselues and this we call a reflexed thought as for example a man lookes his naturall face in a glasse he sees first the image of his face and then by that he knows the complexion of his reall face so a man sees Gods wisdome in his creation which beeing as a glasse 〈…〉 scit sâ— sâ—â—â—e casts vpon man the knowledge of himselfe So that man must looke himselfe out of himselfe and to know himselfe in himselfe is to labour to be like God The third thought is of corruption when a man will needs looke through his owne medium now be that lookes through his owne corruption can see nothing but corruption as a man that lookes through a red glasse sees nothing but rednes so he that will see himselfe through himselfe can see nothing but himselfe And herein we see that corruption would become a God desires to know nothing but it selfe and loue nothing better then it selfe And this is that thought which is to be conceiued in this place Gods silence must be tempered according to his appetite and their tast is so daintie that they can tast nothing but that which they themselues haue prepared nothing is sauorie which comes out of Gods kitchin dressed by his owne cookes but they will haue their own prouision and so like vnskilfull dames they put death into the pot and when they are sicke they will physick themselues vntill they haue brought themselues past all cure and then it shall be too late to crie father Abraham haue mercie vpon vs we are grieuously tormented And suppose God should then yeild them a cuppe of cold water it should not refresh them for as vpon earth they counted the kingdome of grace and goodnes a hell vnto them so questionlesse if God should let them feele the least ioy in heauen it would be a torment vnto them Their tast is alwaies an aguish tast iustice and mercie can not rellish with them and therefore they swallowe downe all things vnsauourily And this is the meaning thou thoughtest that is turned all to thine owne conceit Yet one thing more is to be added to wit that this is not the expresse thought of hypocrites for they will soone reply Lord when thought we so of thee Oh be content Iob 9 4. Amos. 4.13 God is wise in heart and able to declare vnto man what is his thought the Lord is no false expositour he iudgeth thy thoughts by thy practise in tantum scimus in quantum operamur for if thou didst not thinke thus much thou wouldst neuer haue practised it Psal 139.17 if thou hadst alwaies with Dauid cryed Lord how deere are thy thoughts vnto mee how great is the summe of them indeede I cannot count them but when I awake I am still with thee then assuredly God would neuer haue censured thee so deepely but alas thou art asleepe and thou dreamest all is well but when the Lord shall awake thy conscience and set thy sinnes before it then shalt thou cry Iust and righteous art thou O Lord but I am sinfull therefore thine own mouth shall condemne thee and thy life shall testifie sufficiently what thou thinkest Like thee A strange wonder when all the nations of the world in respect of God are nothing say they were counted as a drop of a bucket which is but a small thing to all the water contained therin yet let theÌ„ come with God vpon the balance this drop of water shall be turned into the dust of the earth and if he take away the very Isles as a little dust what shall become of this droppe of water when it is spilt vpon the earth shall it not be counted lesse then nothing euen vanitie it selfe how then should we heare this voice of an hypocrite God is like me If reason will excuse him we will plead for him Beeing in any creature is liâ—er God which iâ— the first beeing then that which is no beeing First therefore euery creature of God may say he is like God because he hath beeing therefore liker God that is beeing then that which is no beeing For God that is the first beeing will acknowledge the rest as from himselfe for the first beeing must needes giue all beeings therfore the grasse in the field prooues his creator and his creator approoues of him for the cause and the effect doe well agree but alas God neuer made an hypocrit for he is the worke of his owne hands therefore we dare not do so much for him as for the least spire of grasse that groweth out of the earth Againe 2 Man Gods image by creation man is the image of God and therefore very like God not for beeing but holines and righteousnes of beeing but alas when I looke vpon man and aske whose image and superscription doth he beare and finde that it is Adams then needes must I say giue vnto Adam that which is Adams but vnto God that which is Gods Now I find no stampe in an hypocrite but the stampe of Adam and though he hath couered himselfe with figge leaues yet God hath found him out therefore I dare not in charitie couer him Wherfore I enter a third consideration 3. of redemption for loue would couer a multitude of sinnes and find the Lord saying in the Scriptures be ye holy as I am holy If any thing will serue the turne here is matter to iustifie him for who is able with the hypocrite to thanke God that he is not as other men an extortioner vniust an adulterer but a faster twice a weeke a giuer of almes euen the tythe of all he possesseth Who dare now speake against him if the Lord had bin silent I should haue bin amazed once to haue opened my mouth in dislike of him but he is no Saint for all this glistering shew he is not purged from his sinne still is he in the gall of bitternes and the bond of iniquitie and yet the thought of his heart is not forgiuen him therefore his prayer of thanksgiuing is an abomination vnto the Lord for as yet he hath made no petition for the remission of his sinne as yet he hath not learned the first steppe to Christianitie therefore now I will
mercie if that then either I must be saued or damned but alas that is a harsh conclusion both in regard of God and in regard of my selfe well consider that it is one thing to determine of thy sinne and another thing to punish thee assure thy selfe that this is good reason that euery law of God must determine before thou doe any thing els were the rule no wisdome of God but also take this with thee that thou shalt neuer take any hurt by the law vntill thou thy selfe haue done some hurt vnto it the Law will not sting vntill thou haue stung thy selfe and then take heede of poison vnto death And therefore seeing Gods wisdome runnes along in this order to determine all matters not casually but certenly long before they come to passe we should yeild it and not denie it because of the execution which followes after which hath other iust causes then Gods decree but none to exclude it Argum. 3 God is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the ende therefore nothing before him neither any thing after him therfore he closeth all things in these two tearmes therefore euery thing must haue something to doe with this first and last as from him and to him therefore must they be decreed els should they not be from him and to him Hence sinne comming within the limits of this circle that incloseth all things must needes some way come from God and be for God and therefore decreed How sinne may be from God and to God is hard to explaine yet in my poore iudgement vnder the correction of my betters I iudge this the most true and safest that the good the Lord will haue out of euil is from God and to God all the rest that remaines is nothing at all for Gods purpose and therefore he hath no hand in it he will haue the gold by his owne fining but the drosse he will leaue to the first inuentors that digged vnto themselues such kinde of pits that would hold no water for the Lord of hosts but such as he drew out by his prerogatiue royall ouer all his creatures and their actions Therefore thus is sinne decreed and the Lord had his hand in it For the other consideration of sinne as sinne it is a by-respect in it selfe nothing tending to Gods purpose but onely as the Lord drew his owne goodnes out of him And this makes vs speake so of sinne that he is decreed meaning the goodnesse out of sinne which the Lord hath appointed for himselfe II. Part in the ordering of sinne concerning his entrance and progresse This point would a little more be insisted vpon for the slanders that Bellarmine hath laid vpon Calvin Luther Martyr and sundrie other of the greatest Diuines of the Reformed Churches making them to defend That God by reason of his decree is made the cause of sinne Of this sinnefull wicked and lying report we are sure God is not the author but the deuill For the clearing of this point two things offer themselues to our consideration the first entrance of sinne Entrance prâ—gresse causeâ— of sinnes entrance principall instrumentall accidentall and secondly his progresse For his first entrance sinne had two causes one blameable the other holy and good The blameable cause is either principall or instrumentall principall the deuill and man The deuills beeing Apostates and rebells through their pride against God and malice against man became lyars and murtherers of man by bringing him into his fall man by his free receiuing of the tentation and hearkning thereunto contrary to the commandement of God when he might haue resisted the same The instrumentall causes were the serpent and the woman the serpent abused by the deuill was vsed as an instrument of seducing Evah the woman deceiued by the deuill and the serpent became an instrument to deceiue man The vnblameable cause was God and his lawe for as his law did it so he himselfe did it and if there had been no law there had been no transgression yet the law of it selfe sauoured nothing but life vnto life which thorough mans default became the sauour of death vnto death But how could this bee seeing mans will was created good How mans will beeing good could produce euill I answer First it was created mutably good secondly though there was no imperfection for kind of beeing yet his beeing was defectiue and imperfect in regard of absolute beeing therefore man compared to God was defectiue and imperfect and so might come short of his created perfection and fall away from that wherein he was created Hence man might fall but how should this power come into act here diuines lay downe a substraction of grace which they affirme to bee double first of that without which man could not but fall and without which he could not continue in his integritie if God had denied man this grace it could not bee imagined but that God should haue beene the author of sinne 〈…〉 this was debitum naturae due to his nature this God gaue him and would haue continued with the supply of actual grace to haue liued for euer if he had once pleased God A second substraction or rather withholding of grace was that without which God saw hee would not continue though both in dutie he ought 〈◊〉 posse si veâ—â—â—t sed non veile 〈…〉 and in respect of abilitie he might if he would God gaue him not a would to his might yet a might if he would neither was God bound vnto this by law of creation for it was expedient giuing him freedome of will to trie him how he would exercise it yet most certain hee would abuse it no man denies but that God might haue giuen grace to Adam in such degree measure and kind as might haue preserued him from all possibilitie of falling and haue holden him inseparably to himselfe for euer which while he denied he gaue way vnto the fall of man Thus then we conceiue of the entrance of sinne First God purposed eternally to make man a rationall and intellectuall creature indued with knowledge of all things Vnderstanding and facultie and power to make choice of what he would Secondly man could not be thus made and be naturally free Election from possibilitie and danger of making an euill choice disposing himselfe amisse and offending against the lawes of his righteous Creator Thirdly Meanes God wanted not gratious meanes whereby to hold him inseparably to himselfe and to preserue him infallibly from falling away though he were not nor could be Fall contingent naturally free from possibilitie of falling Fourthly God knew man beeing so left would sinâ—efully depart from him not necessarily but contingently yet most certenly not by any constraint but by his owne created free will Fiftly God saw this to be the best for the manifestation of his glorie and of that good which otherwise the world could neuer haue knowne Sixtly
or dishonour Seuenthly contraries 7. Position though they can neuer agree to the same thing according to the same part or in the same respect or in one and the selfe same time yet they must both of them be about the same thing or els the opposition ceaseth If I should say a man is blind and not blind it were no contradiction if I vnderstand his blindnesse of two diuers subiects to wit he is not blind in his body but blind in his soule therfore the law and mans sinne Gods wil and mans wil are not opposed except we conceiue it to be about one the selfe same thing therefore though sin be against Gods decree wil and law yet may both sinne mans wil Gods decree will and law all be about one thing and that is Gods glorie and so for Gods glory sinne may be decreed willed and approoued by the lawe yet for all this haue no agreement at all with sinne and thus much for the entrance of sinne The progresse of sinne is to be considered in the effects Sinnes progresse and consequents of the first sinne for out of that did spring the whole miserie of man The effects are three blame or guilt or punishment blame is the next effect of the fault committed guilt is the tying of vs to vndergoe punishment punishment is the iust anger of God vpon Adam and all his posteritie The subiect of this punishment is the deuill his instruments and man to passe by the two former and come to man His punishment is either sinne or death sinne originall and actuall originall the exorbitation of the whole man both inward and outward inward in himselfe outward in the gouernment of the creatures actuall the iarring of man vpon outward obiects by reason of naturall or originall exorbitation euery thing he meetes withall either in thought word or deede is either a sinne of commission or omission death is the depriuation and losse of life and thereby subiection vnto miserie The progresse beeing cleare let vs see how God workes in it For the blame God is altogether to be freed for the guilt that likewise is a thing that nothing concernes God let man looke to both these Punishment But the third which is punishment beeing an act of his iustice and respecting his holy law is a thing that onely he acknowledgeth For death we neede make no question but the whole controuersie is about sinne as a punishment Matter contratâ—etieâ—â—onseâ—â—â—â—â— In the punishment we may note three things the matter with which a man is punished the contrarietie betweene the partie and the punishment and the order of consequence that where such an offence went before such an euill shall follow to make the partie offending feele the smart of it In those punishments which be punishments onely and not sinnes God is the author of all these things implied in the nature of punishment in those which be punishments and sinnes God is the author onely of the order of consequence and the contrarietie betweene them and the partie punished not of the matter wherewith they are afflicted and punished As for example pride is punished by enuie enuie is not of God but the contrarietie betweene it and the soule of man which maketh it bitter and afflictiue is and the order of consequence that where pride went before enuie must follow The reason that iustifies this is fetched from the rule of reason all contrarietie is a wisdome of God for it is a logicall argument and therefore if Logicke be Gods wisdome then euery rule in Logicke The other is iustified by method which can not be without him that is the God of all order the order of sinne is that originall should follow the first actuall sinne and then all actuall sinne originall this order is a wisdome oâ— God for sinne in his owne nature is meere confusion and his order must needs be Gods and so God professeth that he will doe in this place set mens sinnes in order Furthermore God doth not onely punish one sinne with another where there is such a dependance of one vpon the other that where one goeth before the other must follow but oftentimes when there is no such necessarie dependance yet he withdraweth his grace and for the punishment of one sinne letteth men runne into another In this sense there are three things attributed to God in the punishment of wicked and godlesse men 1. the blinding of their vnderstanding 2. the hardening of their hearts 3. the giuing of them vp vnto a reprohate sense Esa 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat their cares heauie and shut their eyes c. These things God is said to doe three waies 1. in denying grace which should lighten the vnderstanding and soften and mollifie the hearts of men 2. permitting Sathan to worke vpon them and no way either strengthening them against him or weakning his force 3. occasionally and by accident when God doth that which is good which yet he knoweth through the euill disposition that is in men will increase their wickednes and make it greater then it was before Efficienter 〈◊〉 effecta moraliter vt iudiâ—ia permissiue vt peccata non concedendo sed non unpediendo To this agree other Diuines that say God works in the progresse of sinne 1. positiuely as it is a physicall act 2. morally as he makes it a iust punishment of sinne 3. permissiuely as it is a sinne not by giuing his consent vnto the doing but in not hindering of them from the execution Lastly for both entrance and progresse a double action is giuen vnto God 1. limitation 2. direction For the first that God setteth bounds to wicked men in their wickednes not onely in respect of the effect and euent but also in the very inward purpose affections and designes and at his pleasure stoppeth them when he will is a thing denied of none that confesse a God Iob. 1.12 The deuill was limited how farre he should proceede in afflicting Iob neither Matth. 8.31 could he enter so much as into a heard of swine without leaue obtained of Christ the proudest sea must stay her waues where Gods laies his command Secondly for direction that is most necessarie he puts no sinne into men yet he directs it for the kind that it should be rather this sinne then another rather against these persons then others and the time when it shall breake forth and for what end and purpose it shall be committed For often men are wicked in that sort which had rather shew it in another kind it breakes forth at such a time when they would faine haue kept it close and it falls vpon such men which they had rather should haue beene done to others whome they more maligne and desire to despite if they were left to themselues God may stoppe all waies of sinning and open onely one yet without all fault As for example suppose a man were in an high tower
on his sword Adam to sinne what arguments are they in reason surely causes and effects Now to kil and may kill fall and may fall sinne and may sinne what new inuention haue they brought into reason are they not still cause aâ—d effect A man may laugh therfore if he bring his facultie into exercise it is become necessarie Surely betwixt a reason in potentia in power to argue and actu there is no substantiall change The Coryphaeus of Logitians defines an argument quod est ad arguendum affectum that is which is affected to argue All men know that the power of a thing is more neere the beeing then the act and therfore a thing can part with his act but neuer with his power or facultie A man doth not alwaies laugh nay he may alwaies be a mourning Heraclitus yet he cannot part with the facultie And if it was contingent for Adam to fall surely beeing fallen the cause is not altered onely that which might be is come to passe That which I feared saies Iob is come vpon me when he feared it it was contingent but now it is necessarie strange reason that for bringing a thing into act that was in power to the act or for a little change of time nature should be altered fire will be fire wheresoeuer it is and nature will be nature whensoeuer it is Let any answer me this one thing did God intend to create all things necessarie or some things necessarie and some things contingent If all things necessarie then let vs become Stoickes if some things contingent then I aske when those contingent things were made did they then become necessarie where is then any contingent thing made of God Euery thing you say is necessarie when it is therefore when God had made all things all things were necessarie This kinde of discourse will hold no water and for my part away with this necessitie But doe you desire to know what a necessarie thing is then in a word it is this The definition of necessitie That which is alwaies true and neither can nor could be otherwise To be alwaies true is common to contingencie and necessitie for God with whome all things are present knew them alwaies to be true yet not necessarie but here lies the difference that neither can nor could be otherwise Dare any affirme this of Adam surely then farwell all libertie and make God the true cause of sinne for beloued immutabilitie and necessitie are most principally in God and therefore from him and where you finde them acknowledge God the author If then Adams fall was of this kind it must needes be from God This argument shall be cleared when I come to the answers 4. Obiect Is drawne from the end or if you like not that because may be you will say reprobation is not mans end but Gods glorie in reprobation therefore thus I frame the argument Reprobation is a punishment now our Diuines hold that God reprobated man without consideration of his sinne therefore he punisheth man and yet not for sinne which must needs be iniustice That it is a punishment I prooue it thus Punishments according to the Schooles are either poena sensus or poena damni the punishment of sense lies in sensible torments the punishment of the damned by an Emphasis is a separation from God now reprobation is a separation from God because it is Gods desertion of man thus then if they make Gods will euill the decree of his will an effectuall cause of sinne mans will necessarily thereunto compelled and reprobation mans ende or if you please a meanes vnto the same then will it follow that they make God the author of sinne but all this you see prooued and therefore our diuines make God the author of sinne The accusation is heauie in loue therefore vnto Gods Saints and the defence of his faithfull ministers I will labour to resolue euerie one of these arguments The resolution of the former arguments To the first argument from Gods will that he wills the being existing and euent of sinne I answer by this distinction that there is a double being Gods willing of sinne to be is not the beeing of sinne existing or euent of sinne in regard of a double cause First that which man giues vnto it proceeding from his free-will and this is none of Gods the second is from God and that is an existing beeing and euent which God will draw out of sinne and this is not sinnes beeing existing or euent but Gods therefore when they say God wills that sinne should be that is he wills a beeing out of sinne first his owne glorie secondly a better good then otherwise man could haue knowne and this fiat sit eueniat existat which be the words of our Diuines is good and that this is their meaning it is cleare for say they God wills sinne to be for his glorie now sinne in his owne nature is against his glorie therefore he cannot will the being of sinne for then should he will against his glorie but he wills some euent beeing or existing which he knowes will make for his glorie Secondly God wills sinne to bee exist happen from man onely but that is the first beeing of sinne as the sinnefull action lookes at the sinnefull man whereof you heard before that a sinnefull action was onely in sense an action done by a sinnefull person But you will say how should this be done without sinne I answer here God is first said to permiâ—it to be done secondly to worke it by accident but you will say comes any thing to passe because God permits yes therefore it comes to passe because God will permit for that which God will not permit cannot come to passe and this hee doth most willingly Now when God permits in this sort he is said not to concurre with the worker of the thing but leaues him freely to himselfe this is that desertion which our Diuines speake of for if God should haue concurred to haue produced in man the act of not willing sinne and haue confirmed him in the contrarie then man should not haue fallen and this is that which Caluin affirmes that God gaue Adam posse quod voluit sed non velle quod potuit that is to be able to doe what he would but not to will that which he had power to will therefore that not impedition permission or desertion was a cause why he did not will but none why he did will that which he did will But you will obiect that not to will was a sinne and God was the cause of that I answer it is both a sinne and no sinne a sinne when it flowes from a will that is immediately bound vnto it therefore the very not willing was in Adam a sinne of omission but that not to will which Adam might haue willed did not bind God at all for God was not bound to make Adam to will God might with-drawe himselfe from that
may wil euil for to be and so in the second member he puts the effectuall willing of sinne for both effectuall and permissiue which is a meere collusion of his reader Here can I vrge him againe with blasphemie A second appaâ—â—â—â— blasphemy if words must be pressed in stead of sense hee that defends whatsoeuer God wills for to be that he wills it effectually then God wills sinne for on whatsoeuer his will is carried that he wills but his will is carried on sinne for I aske him on what obiect is his permissiue will carried if he say on euill then he wills euill but he will answer that is done permissiuely wee grant it and so thinke charitably of him why then can he not in like manner conceiue of ours For the third to will to permit is to will not to hinder wee graunt it him but that may be in either of the former for first that which God wills not to approue he may will not to hinder and secondly that which he wils for to be he wills not to hinder yet we also here conceiue his meaning to wit that not to hinder is a middle betwixt an absolute hindering of a thing and an absolute willing of a thing but to will sinne absolutely was neuer imagined of our Diuines neither with all his Logicke and Grammar can he draw it out of them and therfore as you haue found his faithfulnesse in this so beleeue him in the rest A like place to this you haue Pag. 120. Efficaciter 〈◊〉 efficaciter impedere permitterâ— creaturae Quod Deus vult vt fiat hoc efficaciter efficit adde vel permittit quod vult vt non fiat hoc efficaciter impedit adde iterum vel non approbat quod neque vult vt fiat adde tertio simpliciter neque vult vt non fiat iterum simpliciter deinde conclude hoc permittit creaturae That which God would haue to be he effectually brings to passe or adde I pray you permits that which God would not haue to come to passe he effectually hinders stay a little and adde or approoues not for the third that which God neither wills to be you must meane simply nor wills not to be that also simply and then you may conclude he permits vnto the creature A second collusion is out of these words proinde sic facere decreuit that is God decreed so to doe Arminius comes in with a tayle as though he would sweepe all to the ground adde vel permittere or so to permit If you please to see a Sophister turne to the 145. Pag. de permissione in genere Permissionem ad genus actionis pertinere ex ipsa vocis flexione est notum c. Permission saies he belongs to the predicament of action and hath no neerer cause or immediate then the will not science power or abilitie though these be required in him that must permit No man permits any thing but he knowes what to whom againe he must haue power authoritie and will to doe it It is very strange if all these be true and yet God should doe nothing in his permission and therefore to doe and permit may well agree If he meane to doe iniquitie then the obiect hath limited the act and so we denie it God and that most iustly Againe to follow this Sophister a little and I would some would doe it throughly but saies Arminius to permit is nothing but not to hinder and therefore a negatiue act but where is the negation not in the will but in the deniall of the obiect and therefore we denie not but God hath such a hatred against sinne that he denies it his good pleasure yet wills it A good confession of Arminius that to permit is nothing but that God is welpleased to let man haue his freewill to try him and of his fall take occasion of doing the best good and likewise by his owne confession in the same place saies God is willingly content to put the matter of sinne to mans free will yet thereby to prooue him and vpon his euill doing to doe an infinite good hold thee there Arminius and that which thou called for at the hands of M. Perkins we will graunt thee all loue and respect for the acutenesse of thy learning But further the argument is vrged no euill is to be done nay not so much as willed that good might come thereof To will euill or to doe euill and bring the end as an excuse is impious therefore who speakes in this sort Our Sauiour Christ saith Doe good to them that curse you that you may be the children of your heauenly father If God doe good for euill must he therefore will euill that he may doe that good It is true God wils good out of euill that is not to turne euill into a better nature for heauen and earth will as soone meet but only make it the obiect of his permissiue will Now God can haue his will neither permissiue nor effectuall about any obiect but he will raise his glorie out of it and therefore out of the ruines of sinne and vngodlinesse is he able to build vp his glorie and this is to will euill the obiect of his permissiue will for his owne names sake I am sure euery slender Logitian knows there is great difference betwixt an obiect and an effect If Adam had made euill but his obiect and neuer haue effected it it would haue prooued but a temptation iniected of the deuill and no sinne of his Why then should it follow if God doe decernere de peccato exercise both iudgement and will about sinne iudgement to know it will to limit it discretion to direct it and iustice to punish it And therefore as the argument from the ende is nothing so from the obiect that sinne is alwaies considered as sinne Let it be graunted can therefore the excellent wisdome of God extract nothing out of it yes for euill will be in good and God will so separate it from the good that it can not otherwise be but some thing should be fined and refined by it yet so that sinne shall alwaies be nothing but drosse and dung stubble and straw for hell fire For the contradiction in Gods will it is none at all for in contradiction the affirmation and negation must be of one thing A man is blind and not blind are no contradiction because the one may be vnderstood of the eies of the bodie and the other of the eies of the soule Apius est caecus Apius non est caecus is no contradiction Therefore God to will sinne by his permissiue will and not by his effectuall will make no contradictions For the last branch of this argument God inclines impells constraines as they are naturall acts adde also hardnes commands wicked instruments and doth effectually procure them to execute his iust iudgements the motion is Gods act ordinarie the iudgement is Gods act morall and the sinne his
permissiue act He that strikes against God shall be so stricken againe that he shall suffer and therefore as the smiths hammar striking against his hands hardeneth them by opposition so God the hearts of men by his iust iudgements opposing them Solution of the second Argument drawne from Gods decree The first part of the Argument resting vpon that Sophisme of Arminius is alreadie cleared To the second Gods decree not the workes of sinne but conuersant in it in ordering and disposing concerning the necessary copulation of Gods decree and sinne First I answer they are not cause and effect because Gods decree is an act vpon sinne and therefore subiect and adiunct But you will inquire what necessitie is there of the connexion of these two parts I answer Gods decree and mans fall doe not make a necessarie sentence but contingent yet most infallible and true because it was the act of an infinite wisdome that could not be deceiued and hereupon his iudgement was most infallibly true of mans fall If an expert Physitian should foretell the death of his patient and were most certen of it must it therefore be necessarie when it comes to passe Determination no cause of necessitie because he foretold it no for the truth is the same that it was before onely it is now more euident to others that knew it not so God most certenly knew the fall of man and determined of it euen as the Physitian determines of the fit in an ague wherein his patient shall die and farre more certenly he will not misseit a minute of time Could the deuill tell Saul yea and determine of it To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me and yet shall not God be able to set downe the exact time of mans apostacie And if the Lord haue determined the day and houre wherein Adam should die shall he therefore be the necessarie cause of his death You will not accuse the Physitian as a murtherer because he foretold the time wherein his patient should depart nay you will scarse accuse the Deuill because he said to morrow but confesse that Saul himselfe fell on his own sword onely this makes vs say the Deuill did it because he hath bin a murtherer from the beginning And as God saies Is there any euill of punishment in the citie and I haue not done it so dare I say is there any euill of sinne in the world and Sathan hath not done it Therefore I must craue pardon to hold a certentie but no necessitie that man infallibly should fall yet most freely and contingently but not necessarily at all for necessitie is against Gods decree Things necessaâ—â— neede no decree for their consequents God neuer decrees the fire to burne because if it be fire it is good reason it should burne God neuer decrees man shall haue reason for if he will haue him a man then it is necessarie he should haue reason but to decree in all proprierie of speech both with God and man is of things contingent Man he decrees vpon deliberation and consultation and the subiect matter thereof is some contingent thing which hee would produce or hinder for if it be a necessarie thing he can neither produce it or hinder it man is not a stone he can neuer produce out of this the arffimatiue part man is a stone God is iust is a necessarie truth let him bring all the arguments he can inuent or deuise out of his wit and yet he shall neuer produce this that God is the author of sinne or vniust Suppose an armie of men were comming against England would not the King and his Councill assemble to deliberate and consult that they might preuent them and therefore though the thing be most certain yet it is not necessarie The towne is on fire if it were necessarie it should burne the town what then should men do crying for helpe yet it might bee some knewe for a certentie that the towne would be burnt is it therefore necessarie But you will say euery thing when it is is necessarie that it should be I answer that this beeing should become existent was neuer necessarie A thing to bee when it is is not necessarie for the cause but that it is a kind of beeing vnder some head of entity where it is necessarie yet that this beeing should be something is most necessarie And therfore I admire that though many meane wel yet they should neuer distinguish betwixt an an effect and a species of beeing The effect lookes onely at causes now the causes of mans fal were no wayes necessarie either when they were in power to act or when they did really produce and therefore as man was a contingent cause till he fell so when he was fallen he was stil the same cause onely his power was brought into act and all our dispute is on this head as mans fall was an effect But now you come and say this effect was necessarie how I pray you because you say quicquid est quando est necessarium est esse marke your predication which is of that word esse vpon quicquid est quando est now what is that esse to quicquid est quando est I tell you no effect but a species now the species of any genus is a necessarie axiome when it is disposed And therfore that which is existing in the world to be brought vnder some head of beeing is most necessarie for God is the God of order sinne therefore or rather the action of sinne for sinne cannot haue an est though it may haue a quando est as beeing referred to the predicament of action One thing as an action is an example of that order and another thing as produced into that order or the catagorie of effects is necessarie because this action or this effect is an example or species of that generall nature and with that generall nature he is necessarie hence Logitians call these arguments disposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second degree of necessarie affirmation but recall these actions to their agents these effects to their efficients and the argument is changed therefore dispose Adam and his sinne together as cause and effect Gods decree and mans fall as subiect and adiunct and both are but contingent axiomes the former contingent and vncertaine vnto Adam vntill he had committed his sinne the second contingent and most certaine because God that decreed it knewe all things and with whom all time was present Argument repeated Further it is vrged from commission and omission from commission because God did concurre to the doing of it seeing it could not be done without him and beeing the first in it is the principall actor man but his instrument and that so necessarily vrged that hee could not resist God the first moouer From omission because God did not giue him so much grace as was necessarie to keepe him from omitting his dutie for if God had concurred
be faithful but after he begins to manifest the least appearance of his infidelitie vtterly to cast him off so Gods law would haue vtterly vanquished the deuill but man proouing vnfaithfull Gods lawe wholly reiected him Secondly if it had pleased God he might haue kept the deuill from man or haue assisted his will that he might neuer haue yeelded vnto the temptation so then God not giuing the will and the deed and the law beeing forsaken no maruell if vpon these desertions man sinned the one had not beene wanting had not man been wanting vnto himselfe and the presence of the other was not necessarie neither did God in his wisedome thinke that it was conuenient man then had sufficient but not absolutely to stand and this desertion or confirming grace might well bee withdrawne from man And herein there was no merit of desertion except that of the lawe neither did God make man will any such thing yet concerning the former distinction it may well be said that Gods election freed his owne from the possibilitie of euerlasting miserie and so their fall was but a passage to a better life and reprobation on the contrarie suffered the rest to fall and lie in euerlasting miserie For the other that mans fall was a meere consequence of Gods decree it is false in simple propositions but in connexion it may be true where the parts do not force it but the connexion as if God decree then it must needes come to passe To the third argument from mans will I answer Concerning the freedome of mans will it is not necessarie that the thing which cannot be frustrated should constrain men to sinne The gates of hell shall not preuaile against Gods Church this is no constraining of the libertie of the wicked Rom. 9. the Iewes were cut off yet v. 6. it cannot be that the word of God should take no effect He is said to be frustrated of his hopes that misseth of his end but he that is certaine of his ende can no wayes be deceiued of his expectation neither for this purpose is it necessarie that the meanes tending thereunto should be brought in by violence To be frustrated is one thing to be constrained is another they are indeed both vnder a cause by accident yet the efficient is constrained in the one to produce his effect in the other not constrained yet produceth an effect beside his scope and intent To worke by violence and â—â—â—stra differ modo 〈◊〉 they haue both of them an externall worker yet in the one it is necessitie in the other fortune and chance the one is because of ignorance and so may bee frustrated of his intent but the other cannot haue his scope and libertie to goe about that which he intendeth Now with God there is no ignorance and he cannot worke any thing frustrà or in vaine and therefore nothing can fall out beside his scope I meane that which he intended directly to bring to passe therefore it is chance and fortune that makes vs giue God an infallibilitie of decreeing not a necessitie of performing it is one thing for God infallibly to bring a thing to passe and necessarily To the second The difference betwixt the internall and externall act libertie is not taken away because his act is to one thing therefore obserue this distinction there is a twofold act one internall which is immediately from the forme acting vpon his owne matter and this is eternall inseparable and immutable But the second which is more externall and working on obiects out of it selfe is mutable temporall and separable as for example the facultie of laughter as it flowes from the reasonable soule acting and bestirring it selfe in our bodies is an inseparable act yet that motion which should bee in regard of externall obiects of laughter is separable yea a man may be without it for euer So then to our purpose that libertie that ariseth from our wills inwardly acting is inseparable yet that which should worke vpon externall obiects is separable and God may determine it at his will and pleasure and yet let man haue his essentiall libertie The externall act is separable without which the wil is not a will If then in all naturall things the externall act or that which we call the second be separable why may not the will of man be depriued of such an act as this In sinne surely our will for externall obiects onely flies on euill yet that first act is not taken away whereby by Gods grace it may be set againe and that in heauen onely to runne vpon good the angels in heauen haue their libertie and yet they are al waies to act good God is most free yet he hath neither first nor second act which may possibly be inclined vnto euill Here Arminius for his opposition is faine to defend that God hath no libertie of willing and angels in heauen haue such as they might become deuills for I am sure if they haue freedome as well to good as euill then may they will euill which if he should vnderstand of the first act then it were most true but they are confirmed in the second act still to cry holy holy Lord God of Sabboths But Arminius saies and confesseth that although God by vs be defended to take away libertie which he saies is secundum motum voluntatis yet he affirmes that the naturall motion of the will is still remaning but neither libertie nor naturall motion can stand with coaction or violence seeing that both naturâ and consilio efficere to worke by nature and counsell are causes that produce by an internall and innate principle and therfore free from coaction and violence And here I admire that he hath forgotten his Logicke For the third reason it is true that necessitie and contingencie can neuer stand together but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly and simply differ and therefore I will neuer hold that man fell necessarily and in that I consent with Arminius To the fourth obiection that reprobation is a punishment it is thus answered Reprobation is either a simple reiection or preterition or els damnation it selfe The first is opus voluntatis liberae the second voluntatis necessariae The preterition of God is his most free will but damnation is a necessarie act of diuine iustice for sinne and transgression 2. Thess 1.6 that all men are vasa vessells that is from God but that they are vasa irae vessells of wrath that is from themselues Gen. 1. all Gods workes were good Ioh. 8. when the deuill speakes a lie ex proprijs loquitur he speakes it of himselfe because he is a lyar and the father of lies and therefore when we sinne we sinne of our selues Yet besides all this there is a third and that is vasa praeparata Reprobatio est praed imnaâ—â—â— non damnatio ipsa vessells prepared and that is from God So then Gods preterition is no
punishment neither is his preparation of a vessell but damnation is a punishment and that is neuer without sinne Againe discernere and ordinare differ as a generall and speciall To discerne of any thing is the whole worke of reason but to ordaine is a speciall part of reason in disposing of all things orderly So then Gods decree is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perfect worke of his counsell concerning man ordination is that which à principio ad finem media respicit lookes how to lay things together from the beginning to the ende Now all this may be done of God in reprobation and yet makes it no punishment First that God doth discerne or decree by counsell is reason and iudgement which are no punishments but necessarily goe before them so then Gods decree of reprobation is not the Iayler in the prison or the hangman on the gallowes but the Iudge on the white throne whose putitie tries all things It is not therefore necessarie because God sentenceth all things that he should punish them for this is sapientis iudicis praevidere A logicall act and a morall â—uffer non iusti vindicis punire so then in reason to decree is not the illation of any punishment For the other ordination which more properly is in the things done God disposeth of them according to his decree that went before with counsell and deliberation neither is this any punishment for as decreeing so ordaining are of reason and iudgment now reason and iudgment punisheth no man for they are logicall acts but to punish is a morall act and therfore no necessitie why we should confound them So then simply to passe by or prepare a damnation by decree counsell and ordination are no punishments at all But you will say to be forsaken of his creator cannot but be a punishment Alas you do here misconstrue the meaning of our diuines for they say that election is ad supernaturalem gratiam non naturalem and reprobatio est praeteritio non quoad naturalem gratiam but supernaturalem that is election is to a supernaturall grace reprobation is the forsaking of a man according to this estate not for his natural estate or that wherein he was created and so God neuer forsakes him but in the other he forsakes him and yet it is no punishment that so the Lord should doe for it is neither a priuatiue euil or positiue vnto man Reprobation neither a priuatiue or positiue euill seeing all priuations and wants are of such things as once we had and positiue euills of such as vexe and trouble vs. Now to want supernaturall grace was neuer the want of a created man because he neuer had it neither by creation could he feele any want of it seeing God had giuen him enough And thus much of the Arguments The conclusion of the whole disputation declaring by reason the Scriptures and Church that God is no author of sinne Exod. 34. God is Iehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is omnipotent el shaddai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is iustice it selfe el tsaddick God is the supreame cause and chiefe good shaddiel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah absolute beeing cannot produce that which is nothing his omnipotencie cannot produce impotencie his iustice impietie or supreame cause any defect Sinne is peshange defect gnavou iniquitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fall from righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aberration from a scope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgression and for his production non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne is produced from impotencie and imbecilitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from meere masse and impersection therefore not from God that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and strength and therefore free from all imbecilitie shaddai sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deus plenitudinis a God of fulnesse therefore heauen and earth may as soone ioyne as perfection become imperfection act power good euill sufficiencie deficiencie God sinne Adde the Scriptures Gen. 1.31 All was very good Deut. 32.4 Habak 1.13 Rom. 3.5 6. Rom. 9.14 The Scripture teacheth 1. that God wills no sinne 2. that he neither commands or stirs vp any to sinne 3. that he punisheth it grauissimè iustissimè certissimè most iustly most grieuously most certenly 4. that he hates it in that extremitie that no man was able to beare it but he that was God and man no blood able to wash it away but the blood of his welbeloued Sonne no sacrifice able to pacifie this wrath but of him in whome onely he said he was wel-pleased no prayers no teares to preuaile but onely those that are put vp in this name Lastly euery page in the Bible is either exhorting to pietie or threatning plagues and punishments vpon those that will not be reclaimed Adde to the Scriptures the Church triumphant the quire is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctus sanctus sanctus sacro sancto Trinitas holy holy holy most holy and sacred Trinitie and the Church militant is fighting and praying that at the length it may be deliuered not to be with a God of sinne but with him that can free them from all sinne and miserie We therefore conclude he that will not heare the voice of reason is a beast that will not beleeue the Scriptures is an infidell that will not heare the Church is a bastard Reason ought to conuince vs as men the Scriptures as Christians and the Church as children We heare the voice of reason that we may confesse our Creator of the Scriptures that we may loue our father and the Church that we may kisse our mother And God forbid that euer any of vs should otherwise be minded The collation of M. Perkins and Arminius in this point of Gods decree IT was well saide of Seneca Libâ—de ira Vtrique pirti actiones dares dares te apus non semel audires magis anim veritas elucet quo saepius ad manum venit that in matters of controuersie each partie should haue time to trie his action and be heard more then once and the reason thereof as well giuen by him because the aftner the truth commeth to hand to be skauned the more the light thereof appeareth Seeing therefore it hath pleased the Church with some patience to heare and I am afraid to allow the examination of M. Perkins by Arminius the Coryphaeus of all the Lutherans in the point of Predestination I hope for the loue of that worthie man and the acutenesse of his aduersarie shee will vouchsafe the reading of this Collation to see how the Truth is more apparant by their opposition If the opposition were but like an ouerblowne bladder then would it burst of it selfe and vent the winde thereof without any further pricking but seeing the common fame runnes through the world that it is so learnedly and absolutely done that it may
though by their fall they became miferable and so might haue receiued mercie yet because they sinned against the holy Ghost their sinne was vnpardonable and vncapable of mercie Leaue we the Angels and come to men where more especiall communication is to be obserued from the diuine wisedome of God First Men set forth goodnes 〈◊〉 and mercy God did communicate with them infinite goodnes but it must be receiued by a rule of iustice Doe this and thou shalt liue and also a commination of the losse of it But if thou doe not thou shalt die the death here no man communicated with God in obseruing of the Law and therefore could there not be found in man any rewarding iustice as was found in the good Angels so that man was now for euer put out of the possession of happinesse by the Law of God and if euer he receiue this happinesse againe it must be by mercie O therefore for the loue of God you Papists consider this one thing That man is not now to be saued as the Angels are in heauen and therefore denie all your workes if it were for no more then Adams sinne for now will he haue it vnder the condition of mercie Man then hauing put himselfe out of Gods fauour and not by a sinne against the holy ghost may be receiued vnto mercie So here is a fit subiect for God to shew his goodnesse iustice and mercie and where he had decreed the manifestation of his mercie it shall appeare when he hath sent his Sonne gathered his Church and ingrafted euery faithfull soule into the mysticall bodie of this Sauiour Againe where he hath decreed the manifestation of his iustice it shall appeare in all those that are passed ouer of Christ and haue not his blood sprinkled vpon them This shall make all spirituall Egypt euen at the midnight of their miserie to crie out most lamentably but Israel shall then receiue the best Iewels costly attire and euery pretious thing that heart can wish I should follow Arminius in the rest but because I heare some other are about it that are worthie men I breake off for I confesse that I was drawne vnto it by considering how many runne after Arminius If the learned of the Land shall approoue this which I haue done and no others shall haue taken it in hand I will be readie to stand at their command to proceede in the rest And I can not but breake out to blesse and praise God that hath lately raised vp such worthie Bishops the true Defenders of the Orthodoxall truth and resolute enemies to all that oppose it I am at their command to stay or goe forward and if I haue slipped in any thing for I confesse my ignorance may soone draw me into error and error may plunge me in heresie it selfe I am willing to heare any and yeild presently but I hope it is the truth and then it will stand We haue great cause to bewaile the miseries of these wretched times in which Atheisme clouds of heresie worldly policie fasly so called beeing indeede little better then plaine villenie and temporizing haue like a canker fretted out the very heart of pietie they are but a few which seeke to search out the certaintie in matters of Religion or which care to haue established hearts and know precisely which is the true God Baal or the Lord. We had rather halt betweene two opinions that so we may be for all times then vndergoe the labour of gayning aduised resolution Some slippe into Poperie beeing lead captiue God in iustice sending them strong delusions by those false brethren which are priuily crept into euery corner through the remissenes of these euill times Others runne headlong to prophannesse and that which is of all other the worst luke-warmenes This brings in want of loue to the truth and want of this heresie so that we may well say except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant culling out as it were one of a citie and two of a Tribe as the shepheard taketh out of the mouth of a lyon two legges or a peece of an eare according to the election of grace we should long ere this haue beene as Sodome and like vnto Gomorrha we had bin as it is said of a cursed tongue a very world of wickednes And surely except the good Gouernours and Shepheards of our Land be vigilant and carefull we shall not so much haue the sheepe in the mouth of the lyon as the Shepheards themselues and then woe be to the flocke It is reported that Beza conferring with Arminius and seeing in his young yeares such ripenesse of wit brake out into these words Goe thy way for I am fully perswaded that thou wilt either prooue an excellent instrument of Gods Church or a most pestilent heretike which prophesie we see now come to passe God deliuer our Shepheards out of his mouth and establish them in soundnesse of doctrine that so the silly sheepe may not be deuoured by their owne Pastors Propositions 1 Gods will his glorie 2 His glorie is his goodnesse 3 His goodnesse is all his attributes 4 His attributes are his vertues 5 His vertues are intellectuall and morall 6 His morall vertues are his iustice and mercie 7 All these he wills absolutely 8 That which he wills he can doe 9 That which he can doe and wills that he decrees 10 That which he decrees is done by counsell 11 That which is done by counsell is wisely done 12 That which is wisely done is for some good ende 13 That which is for some good ende hath all good meanes 14 Creation is a good meanes of Gods ende 15 The world is made for Gods ende 16 Men and Angels are made for this ende 17 Angels shew forth his goodnesse and iustice 18 Men shew forth goodnesse iustice and mercie 19 Christ is a meanes to declare Gods mercie 20 Men onely receiue mercie from Christ 21 All out of Christ are iustly condemned 22 A iust condemnation is for sinne 23 All this God hath done 24 That which he hath done he could doe 25 From both these he decreed 26 That which he decreed he purposed 27 That which he purposed respected his glorie 28 His glorie was agreeable to his wisdome 29 That which agreed with his wisdome was good 30 That which was good he absolutely willed therefore he absolutely willed all these things Obserue that the end confists not in vse but in his goodnesse and fitnesse for vse the ende of an house is not habitation for that is after the house is made now the ende is before the making of the house and therefore that a house should be good fit for habitation that is the ende though the house it selfe were neuer inhabited The world was made for man yea and that before man was existent yet that goodnesse and fitnesse which respected man was put into the creature and should be brought forth after the creation of man
according as he had vse of them So God made all these things fit for his glorie this fitnesse was good and absolutely willed of God and the vse that God made of this fitnesse was likewise good but no excuse for mans sinne no more then the fitnesse of an house for habitation an excuse when it is made a denne of theeues whores and prophane persons Of the second speciall booke wherein Sinne is ordered to wit the Morall Law THe Law of the Lord is the perfect Rule of righteousnesse and the forbidder of all vnrighteousnesse it shews vs what ought to be our worship of his sacred Maiestie and the loue we must beare vnto our neighbour In the first Commandement all our sinnes of Atheisme either in not worshipping God or worshipping another god or preferring any thing before him whether it be in thought word or deede In the 2. Commandement we shall haue ordered all our ill worship deuised by others or our selues in the seruice of God In the 3. we shall be condemned for all kind of prophannesse and light estimation of God and his goodnesse and here will come in an infinite number of sinnes called in one word vngodlinesse In proper signification impietie is against the first Commandement superstition against the second and vngodlinesse in this third which was a principall sinne in these hypocrites In the 4. Commandement all imployments of the seuenth day to any other vse then it was appointed of God whereby holy exercises are hindred and here alas a whole yeare would scarse suffice to number them vp but I doubt not but he that said he will order will make a quicke dispatch and yet leaue none out of his catalogue For the 5. in this Commandement shall come in all neglect of dutie toward our superiours In the 6. all want of care and neglect of my brothers life In the 7. all kind of vncleannesse whatsoeuer yea in the very thought In the 8. all corrupt dealing In the 9. all lying yea euery speech that may doe harme vnto my neighbour In the 10. all repining and enuying at another mans prosperitie O Lord thy Law is perfect thy testimonies are sure thy statutes are right thy commandements pure thy iudgements truth but alas who can vnderstand his faults surely thou canst order all our sinnes O therefore for the merits death and passion of thy Sonne cleause vs from our secret sinnes Iames 1.25 teacheth vs how we may be blessed Gods law the true discerner of complexions if we vse the perfect Law of God as a glasse appointed of the Lord and is able to shew vnto vs the good face or the bad face of our conscience what kinde of complexion we beare whether well tempered ruddie fresh and well-liking hauing the blood of Christ sprinkled vpon vs in iust proportion and measure that the King of glorie may be delighted with our beautie or ill tempered with the pale and deadly complexion of our sinnes and transgressions hated and detested of God on which God can shew neuer a good looke It is reported of a certaine fountaine in which a glasse beeing dipped and holden before a man sicke on his bed if it shew him a deadly face then it is a plaine signe he must die but if a cheerefull countenance then he is sure to liue of the truth of this I will not dispute yet this I am sure of take this glasse of the Law and dippe it in the blood of Christ if it shew a pale face then there 's no hope of life because the law shewes nothing but a man looking vpon it with his deadly sinnes hanging vpon him but if it shew a merrie countenance then the law shewes that we haue the beautie of Christ reflected vpon vs and this may assure vs of life and saluation Now as a glasse helps to order men in the cariage of thēselues for their bodies among men so the law of God doth direct and shew vnto vs what course we are to take to walke with God And herein it declares three things The law shewes what is comely and vncomely what apparell must be put on what off and then what must be our behauiour First what is comely or vncomely Eph. 5. To be followers of God as deare children and walke in loue as Christ hath loued vs is a seemely thing but fornication vncleannes couetousnes filthines foolish talking iesting c. are things not comely and rather giuing of thankes then the very naming of these things becommeth the Saints Secondly after it hath shewed vs what beseemeth Saints it teacheth what apparell we must off and what must be put on Eph. 4.22 The old man with his whole conuersation must be cast off the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines must be put on Thirdly after we haue apparelled our selues it will order the behauiour and carriage of our selues all the daies we haue to liue vpon this mortall earth Tit. 2.12 For the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared and teacheth vs to denie all vngodlines and worldly lusts and to liue holily righteously and soberly in this present world Yet may we admire what should be the reason that for all this sinne is no better ordered when the Lord hath left vs so perfect a law The law no false glasse better then all the looking glasses in the world for it tells men most truly their bad faces and their good faces it beguiles no man in making him better thē he is nay it hath a priuiledge aboue all other laws to wit many particular examples which are as little glasses contained in this great glasse wherein men may see their owne faces by the face of another As good Kings may not onely see themselues in Gods law what is to be done and left vndone and what is the reward of both but they may see themselues in Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Iosias Ezekias true reformers of religion euill Kings in Saul Ieroboam and Manasses good rich men in Abraham euill in Dives ambitious persons in Hammon contented in Mordecai couetous in Iudas liberall hearted in Zacheus euill counsellers in Ahitophel good in Samuel 1. king 12. embracers of the world in Demas close stickers vnto Christ and his seruants in Philemon sound friends in Ionathan rotten at the heart in Ioab faithfull children in Salomon rebellious in Absalom good seruants in Abrahams seruant euill in Onesimus obedient and louing wiues in Sara euill in Michal Dauids mocking wife Alas will neither precept nor example deale with man but the Lord must bring in a third bnoke to order sinne and that is to set it in the eyes of the conscience as he doth in this place surely it were not amisse by the way to shew the reason of this last refuge of the Lord and this last appeale to the court of conscience Reasons why Gods law can order sinne no better but the last refuge must be to
setting euen as a false peice of latin is set to the eye of the boy from the master by the rule and both of them corrected the boy by rods the latine by pulling it in peices because it is so farre wanting that nothing can be made of it that will beare good construction Indeede the godly are set againe into the image of their creation by Christ Iesus which hath turned man wholly againe vnto his creator and these haue their faults daily corrected become good proficients in the schoole of Christ and therefore one day shall celebrate the happie day of their commencing where euerie one shall be made an absolute Doctor free of all professions not to teach but read a continuall lecture of the praise of God to rauish his heart with ioy Obs Gods iustice is able to place all sinne in his order and ranke that so it may be easily seene and iudged of all men If I came into a roome and faw al the plate set forth to the view euery dish on the table in his due place all the furniture for the chamber in answerable proportion and euery guest in his due order and place set downe to meat I could easily iudge of the excellencie of the feast So surely the wicked alas they must expect no feast whē God shal haue mustered vp all their sinnes and ranked them vnder their seuerall heads according to his law and Gospel shall be able sufficiently to iudge what they haue done amisse to the great disquiet of their soules First therefore they shall see their apostacie from God that kept them from pleasing of him and made them displease him continually from this will the Lord descend to let him see the transgression in this apostacie with the propagation of it to all posteritie he will shewe him that the trangression in eating of the forbidden fruite was an offence of an exceeding great maiestie because it was a sacrament of the couenant of loue betwixt God the creator and man his creature and God forbad him as he would loue him not to eate thereof The loue on Gods part was extraordinarie because man being by nature changeable had this sacrament as a seale of his constant estate of goodnes and therefore was it called the tree of the knowledge of good Again on mans part it was required that he should loue constantly or if he should leaue to serue the Lord then was affured vnto him by the same sacrament vnder Gods broad seale his change from good to euill therfore was it also called the tree of the knowledge of euil From this trāsgression wil the Lord lead him by the hand to take notice of the causes and the effects that followed vpon those causes In the causes he shall vnderstand that one sort were blameable an other holy good the blameable causes both principall and instrumentall principall the deuill which through pride against God and malice against man became liars and murtherers of man by bringing him into sinne Man the second principall cause by his free receiuing of the deuills temptation and hearkning thereunto contrary to the commandement of god when he might haue resisted the same became a ioynt rebell with the deuill The instrumentall causes first the serpent the instrument of the deuill abused to the seducing of the woman the second instrument was the woman deceiued of the deuill by the serpent became an instrument to deceiue man Then shall he be brought to the vnblameable cause to wit the law and commandement of God for had not this bin their had bin no sinne as the Apostle saies therefore the law which in it self is the sauour of life vnto life through the default of man became the sauour of death vnto death that most iustly for as an earthen pitcher dashed by the hand against a stone wall is truely broken of the wall yet no fault in the wall but in the hand that threwe it against the wall contrarie to the command of his superiour so man like this earthen pitcher beeing dashed by the deuill his owne free will the serpent and the woman vpon the lawe of God and so broken in peices is no fault in the law but theirs that dashed him against the law Therefore the lawe is no faultie cause but a iust and holy cause of mans fall and as the law did it so God did it Now the lawe was no bare permitting cause or a forsaking cause but a working cause euen in that fall of man Who sees not the wall to haue an hand in the breaking of the pitcher and therefore it is idle to say that the Lord was but only a looker on gaue man leaue to transgresse or did forsake him in the act for all these are false therefore that which he did he was able to doe that which he was able to doe he decreed vnto his owne glorie and so it seemed good vnto his wisedome and therefore might absolutely will that as good and iust But God committeth no sinne true as he did all this you see there was no fault for what fault was there in the wal that brake the pitcher what fault is there in the water that drownes a man if he cast himselfe into it in the fire if it burne him surely none therefore that which God did was iust and holy but that which man did was a hainous sinne For God made them the fountaines and beginnings of their owne actions because they were indued with free will to doe well that thereby they might deserue both praise and price I meane ratione pacti non absolutè meriti of bargaine and not of simple merit for that which the law would haue giuen them that we may say was iustly deserued and on the contrarie by paritie of consequence for ill doing they deserued both dispraise and punishment If then you say God might will sinne and not will it which is to defend contradictions in his wil very true is the antecedent God did will and not will yet the consequent is false for contradictions must be of the same thing in the same respect I may say Appius est coecus non est coecus Appius is blind and not blind which are no contradictions for they are not ad idem there is not the same thing affirmed and denied but diuers he is blind in bodie but not in soule so of the Lord that which he doth in sinne he wills because so sinne hath a respect of good and he wills it iustly but that which man doth in sinne he willeth not but is sore displeased with it Thus when the Lord hath let many see their transgressions he will carie them on a long vnto the effects that flowe from these causes as the streames from the fountaine and these are in number three blame guilt and punishment blame the fault of his action in breaking Gods lawe guilt whereby hee is tyed to vndergoe his punishment and punishment which is the iust anger of God
vpon him Where by the way he shal take notice of his holinesse whereby he is so pure a God from all sinne that he cannot away with it so likewise of his iustice whereby he is so exactly iust in himselfe that he cannot but execute iustice remuneratiue and rewarding for weldoing and inflict punishment or iustice vindicatiue for euill doing yet least he should complaine that summum ius is summa iniuria hee shall see that which Aristotle called the moderator of iustice to witte equitie remitting of the full extent of iustice for if the Lord had dealt so with man he should neuer had his hand off him for either should his iustice haue burnt more remissely against sinne which is called anger or more sharpely which is called wrath or fully executed which is called reuenge for as sinnes be inaequalia so should the punishment haue beene in all these Now because his iustice may admit of these degrees ratione obiecti you shall see the Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringing in mercy whereby he vseth compassion toward his creatures offending First his gentlenesse whereby in his iustice he remembreth mercy patience whereby he most gently suffereth sinners and deferreth their punishment longanimity whereby a long time he expecteth their repentance lastly bountifulnes whereby he being rich in goodnesse powreth forth his good gifts vpon them notwithstanding their sinnes And this they may obserue by the way in Gods setting of fin in order The infliction of the punishment followes by the causes They may assure thēselues that euery one that had their hand in sinne as the authors of it shall be punished most seuerely Neither shall the instrument escape the deuill shall haue his head crushed and all his deuises brought to naught hee shall be hardened in his sinne that he cannot repent and finde mercie and lastly he shall be vtterly banished from heauen into the elements which are reserued 2. Pet. 3.7 vnto fire against the day of condemnation and of the destruction of them and all vngodly men The serpent shall not go without his iudgment a curse shall bee vpon him aboue all the beasts of the field enmity betwixt him and the woman and sensible feeling of paine in creeping on his belly and eating the dust of the earth The woman beside her common miserie with man shee shall be in subiection to her husband full of griefes in her conception going with child and trauaile But for the man his punishment shall in speciall manner bee ordered wherein all his progenie may take notice of it his punishment shall bee with sinne and death sinne originall the exorbitation of the whole man both inward in himselfe and outward in the gouernement of the creature Hence plainely appeares that mans wit and will are set the wrong way their faces cleane turned from God and therefore no free will to doe any good that may please God but vnderstanding and will enough to do euill and that continually Againe in the necke of this followeth actuall sinne as the streame from the fountaine the branches from the root and this is a continuall iarring of man vpon outward obiects for originall sinne hauing turned all the wrong way it is necessarie that as often as any wheele in man mooueth it should meete a crosse with euery good thing and therefore iarre vpon him yet God limits this iarring that it can goe no further then he shall direct it to wit vnto his owne glorie and some particular good end in his Church This sin receiues degrees indeede the other is equall in all because the same measure metes it out vnto all but this is a greater or lesser sinne in respect of whom or against whom it is committed likewise in respect of the matter and manner of working it whether it be done of knowledge or ignorance of infirmitis or stubbornnesse or with an high mind and all these stand vpon two heads sinnes of commission in doing that euil we should not do and of omission the not doing of good that should bee done And all this will the Lord doe in setting in order which shall be a iust punishment vpon all malefactors The rest of Gods methode is more fearefull and better felt of man that is death the method wherof consists in the beginning and ending of it wherein shall be a continuall losse of life and subiection to the miserie thereof which shal make vs worse then if we had neuer beene This death brancheth it selfe into two parts the first and the second death the first death is a subiection to the miserie of this world the inchoation and beginning whereof is the miserie which comes by the losse of the good things of the bodie as of health whence commeth sickenesse deformitie sence of nakednesse wearines and subiection to dangers Secondly subiection to the miserie which comes by the losse of externall things as of friendship honour rule and dominion ouer the creatures of things necessarie for this life as meat drinke apparell c. now the perfection of this death is the going of the spirits out of the bodie whereby the soule departeth from the bodie and the bodie afterward is resolued into the elements especially the earth which did beare the greatest part in his making The second death hath this order first it subiects a man to the miseries of the world to come the beginnings whereof are in this life the forerunners of the extremitie of woe that are to come in the next world the forerunners are emptinesse of mind in regard of all good ignorance of God terror of conscience fleeing and hiding himselfe from the presence of God or else a deepe securitie and senslesnesse of miserie despaire and a fearefull expectation of iudgement the perfection and consummation whereof shall be an eiection from the face of God and iniection of the soule immediately after the first death into hell a reseruation of the bodie in the graue as in a dungeon against the day of iudgement when after the resurrection both soule and body shall be cast into the same place which is prepared of God for the eternall punishment of the wicked both angels and men where is nothing but weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth there shall be found no Limbus puerorum or purgatory but either heauen or hell must be their resting place Neither will the Lord breake his methode or leaue them any cauil for some defect with what reason can the Lord so deale with men seeing all that wee haue heard is concerning Adam must the children smarte for the fathers sinne I hope that God is more iust Well consider that the Lord will not leaue this without his order for all the posteritie proceeding from Adam and Euah by ordinarie propagation as they should haue had happinesse if they had stood Propagation of sinne so are they obnoxious to all these miseries hefalling And this is done iustly by all kind of lawes first of nations for Adam was a prince of all