Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	good_a	law_n	transgression_n	4,529	5	10.4346	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08188	A day-starre for darke-wandring soules shewing the light, by a Christian controuersie: or briefely and plainely setting forth the mysterie of our saluation. Diuided into principles, obiections, and answeres. By Richard Niccolls, th'elder, of the Inner Temple London, Gent. deceased. Published for the generall benefit of all those who heartily, and with a true path desire their owne saluation: by I.C.	Niccols, Richard, of the Inner Temple.; I. C., fl. 1613.	1613 (1613)	STC 18526.5; ESTC S119830	27,183	96

into this heauie punishment for our transgression in Adam viz. vvee are tainted with originall sinne This originall sinne is a corruption of the powers of the Soule and that not in some or in part but of all and wholy and so by this originall sin first wee are depriued not of some but of all good inclination and doe want not some but all goodnesse and secondly thereby we are inclined and prone not to some but to all euill and not onely inclined and prone but also naturally fruitfull not of some but of all sinnes as hauing the seeds of all sins bred within vs so that although sinnes doe not breake out in all men alike neither is any man found who putteth all sins in practise Yet take the most ciuill and best natured man in the World and by Nature the seeds of all sinnes are in him but the generall restraining grace of God doth many and diuers wayes restraine all men from comming into many sins chiefly for the good and quietnesse of his Church and also for the maintaining and vpholding the societie of the world Which restrayning grace of God if it should be withdrawne then euery man without exception would breake out into euery sinne to the vtter ouerthrow of all Societies and Common-weales The godliest and best men can best testifie of these inbred seeds of corruption for they best know what a do they haue with their corrupt natures and how difficult a thing it is to keepe them within the compasse of obedience Rom. 3. 9. 10. 11. The third cause of this our continuall sinning doth rise from the consequence of the two former causes viz. Euery one of vs Man or Woman high or low rich or poore borne in the visible Church or without as he commeth of Adam is borne of his father and mother for our transgression and originall sinne from and in Adam is hated of God is Gods enemy and the bondslaue of Sathan who vntill the time of regeneration raigneth and ruleth in the heart of euery one of vs and haleth euery one of vs forward to the height perfection of wickednesse so farre as he is permitted by the powerfull hand of God vvho will suffer neither wicked men nor the Diuell himselfe to put in practise euery wickednesse they could and would if God should withdraw his restrayning hand Ephes. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 44. 2 Tim. 2. 26. 1 Obiection It is against common reason say the Pelagians that all men should be made guiltie of one mans fault and therefore say they Adam sinned to his owne proper hurt and by his transgression hurted not his posteritie And in this that Adams sinne is passed to his posteritie that is come to passe by imitation and not by propagation Answere This Obiection being beleeued vtterly ouerthroweth our free Iustification by Christs righteousnesse performed by himselfe and imputed vnto vs as done by our selues For if Adams sinne is passed ouer vnto vs his posteritie by imitation onely then also doth it follow that wee haue no other profit by this righteousnesse of Christ performed by him for vs then that he is set before vs for an example to follow for in what sort wee are made partakers of Adams transgression to our condemnation in the same sort we are made partakers of Christs righteousnesse to our Iustification And so againe in what sort we are made partakers of Christs righteousnesse to our Iustification in the same sort wee are made partakers of Adams transgression to our condemnation And therefore as we being in Christ as our head and roote are iustified by the communication of his righteousnesse it being imputed to vs as done by our selues because that in him and by him by reason of our vnion with him we haue fulfilled the Law and satisfied Gods iustice So wee being come of Adam as the roote of all mankinde originally are guiltie of his transgression because that in him and by him by reason of our vnion vvith him see haue all sinned 2 Obiection The Soule is newly created and commeth immediatly from God who is perfectly righteous and so the Soule cannot be naturally and originally sinfull as the flesh vvhich descendeth from Adam And it being a spirit and a thing immateriall can not be infected of the body being a thing materiall Therefore it standeth not with Gods iustice that the soule hauing no sinne of her owne should beare the sinne of another namely of Adam which was committed so long before neither is it to be thought that God who forgiueth vs our owne sinnes will impute the sinnes of another vnto vs. Answere The cause of our hereditary corruption as well of our soules which by God are into vs infused pure and by vs from him receiued pure as of our flesh which descendeth from sinnefull Adam is not in the substance of the soule or in the substance of the body but in this that vnto the penaltie of God the Creators decree by Adam wittingly and vvilfully transgressed Adam and all his posteritie both in their soules and bodies were and are to be subiected For why should any Pelagian thinke of this as hard and vnreasonable seeing it seemeth vnto our selues iust and reasonable that the Potter may dispose of his Pots made by himselfe to what vse he wil and seeing it seemeth iust and reasonable to our selues to subiect to lawes made by our selues both the Parents and the Children vnborne and their posteritie long after succeeding 3 Obiection Against this first principle the Papists do further obiect That man hath free-will which vvhosoeuer denieth say they is worthy to be beaten like a Stocke-fish vntill he confesseth that they who beateth him haue free-will either to beate him or to cease from beating him for if one doe denie the fire to be hot the best way to perswade such a one is to cast him into an hot Ouen Answere The answere vnto this obiection is this First that all reasonable creatures haue free-will in morall and ciuill acts and secondly that all wicked men haue free-will from coaction and violence thirdly that among all sinnes wicked men make free choise to put some in practise But this freedome is wanting to Adams posteritie to wit by nature to thinke or doe any thing which is good before God and acceptable in his sight because that by Adams transgression mans free-will is brought into the bondage of sinne 4 Obiection If mans free-will by Adams transgression be in such bondage of sinne that it cannot make no choise of good then doth free-will lose its owne nature for where sinne must needs be chosen there can be no libertie and consequently all the libertie which mans free-will hath is freely to giue to the Diuell and so man is by God punished for that which hee cannot auoid Answere There be three kindes of liberties or freedomes the first is libertie from compulsion the second is libertie from sinne the third is libertie from miserie The first kinde of libertie was

now liue in the flesh I liue by Faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for mee This mysticall vnion is in both the Sacraments acknowledged for in the Sacrament of Baptisme all true beleeuers who are partakers of the outward Sacrament of Baptisme and thereby made and acknowledged to be members of Christs visible Body to wit his visible Church are by one spirit to wit by the only spirit of Christ working faith in them made members of his mysticall body the inuisible Church and in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as in token or remembrance that wee are made members of his visible Bodie the visible Church whose Body was broken and his Blood shed for vs wee communicate and participate our Bread and our Wine So also by this outward action wee acknowledge the mysticall vnion vvhich wee haue vvith Christ and one with another by the participation and communion of his spirit of which wee spiritually liue But the question may be yet further asked how a man may discerne and know when himselfe or any other is spiritually dead and when spiritually liuing and indued with the spirituall life here spoken of To vvhich it may be answered that as vvee be naturall men although wee eate and drinke and performe all other actions and vvorkes of men vvho are naturally liuing in bodily health yet vntill by our vnion with Christ vntill by our effectuall calling vntill by our Iustification and vntill by our Sanctification wee be made new Creatures in Christ wee are dead in our sinnes because vvee be no more able to doe any the workes of new creatures liuing vnto God in Christ that is to say we are no more able to doe any works acceptable vnto GOD then the man naturally dead is able to eate or drinke or to doe any other worke or action of the man who is naturally liuing because the vvhole naturall man and euery part of him is wholy corrupted with sinne and therefore dead in sinne for First in his minde there is nothing but blindnesse and ignorance concerning heauenly matters Secondly his conscience is defiled being alwayes either benummed with sinne or else turmoyled with inward accusations and terrours Thirdly his will willeth and lusteth after that onely which is euill Fourthly the affections of his heart as Loue Ioy Hope Desire c. are stirred and moued to that onely vvhich is euill and neuer to that which is good Lastly the members of his body are Tooles and Instruments of his minde for the execution of sinne All which corruptions and deadnesse in sinne are then onely cured and wee made spiritually liuing vnto God When in Christ we be made new creatures by our effectual vnion with Christ by our effectuall calling by our Iustification and Sanctification which foure degrees of our regeneration howsoeuer they in nature goe one before the other yet too make vs new creatures in Christ doe so concurre that the true beleeuer or regenerate person finding himselfe to haue the one of them may assure himselfe hee hath them all for First the true beleeuer may assure himselfe of this vnion vvith CHRIST when hee findeth that Christ of his loue preuenting him doth begin the vnion by communicating vnto him his holy Spirit dwelling in his man hood through the ministerie of his holy Word and by the cooperation of the same Spirit vvith his word doth beget in him a liuely faith by which the true beleeuer on his part as by his onely instru ment is actually vnited vnto Christ but this vnion is not perceiued by the regenerate person before he be called Secondly therefore the true beleeuer may assure himselfe that he hauing a liuely faith is effectually called to the knowledge of the things he beleeueth for no man can effectually consent vnto the thing conteined in the Word much lesse by a liuely faith beleeue the things herein conteined vnlesse hee be first by the ministery of the Word instructed and called to the knowledge thereof to wit by hauing his vnderstanding inlightned with the knowledge of the truth and his vvill thereunto perswaded Thirdly the true beleeuer being by faith as aforesaid vnited vnto Christ and called by the ministery of the Word to the knowledge of that which by a liuely faith hee beleeueth hee may assure himselfe of his Iustification because that the faithfull are iustified before GOD by the onely imputation of Christs righteousnesse for in what manner Christ was made a sinner for vs in the same manner are wee made righteous by him but Christ was made a sinner for vs by imputation of our sinnes vnto him and therefore wee are made righteous before God by imputation of his righteousnesse vnto vs. Againe as vvee are made sinners that is guiltie of the first Adams transgression so are wee made not guiltie and iustified by the obedience of the second Adam but wee are made guiltie of the first Adams transgression by imputation and therefore wee are iustified by the imputation of the obedience of the second Adam Now the imputation of Christs righteousnesse vnto vs doth as vpon the onely cause and reason therof depend vpon our vnion with Christ made on our parts by faith onely Fourthly the true beleeuer finding himselfe vnited vnto Christ and Called and liuely Iustified hee may assure himselfe of his Sanctification for a liuely faith is not of our selues but it is of GOD. By it wee are in diuers respects both iustified and sanctified by it wee are iustified not formally as by a meritorious vertue or part of righteousnesse inherent in vs but relatiuely in respect of the Object it apprehendeth to wit as by it wee apply to our selues the righteousnesse inherent in Christ Iesus man-hood which of his owne meere mercie is imputed vnto all who lay holde therevpon by faith but by it wee are sanctified as by a grace inherent in vs as are also the graces of hope and charitie and other sanctifying graces which being in the man-hood of CHRIST without measure are by his spirit from thence infused vnto vs in measure to sanctifie vs and make vs fit for the Kingdome of Heauen and to speake both briefely and plainely of this matter Faith is a chiefe part of our Sanctification being as it vvere the roote both of other inward graces and outward obedience which concurre to our Sanctification The fift PRINCIPLE BY the outward Ministery of the Word is conuayd vnto vs Christs diuine spirit which also by the same Ministerie of the Word begetteth in vs Faith whereby wee are actually vnited vnto Christ and made one with him Notes vpon the fift Principle THE Doctrine of the fift Principle is taught and confirmed vnto vs by the whole Booke of the Ac●… of the Apostles for through out that whole Booke examples are expresly and plainely shewed vnto vs how the Holy Ghost and Faith are giuen to the hearers by attentiue and reuerent hearing of the Word of GOD preached by his

th●… hast 〈◊〉 rec●…iued and if thou hast receiued it why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not 〈◊〉 it Thirdly the Kingdome of heau●…n is of ins●…te value and therefore cannot possi●…ly be purchased by the 〈◊〉 and deserts of finite 〈◊〉 And hence Saint Paul saith I co●…t th●…t the afflictions of this pres●…nt life are not w●…rthy of the glory which shall be reueal●… a vnto vs. Moreouer admit that the regenerate mans car●…iage and gouernement be such of his out●…ard parts and also of his desires 〈◊〉 and lusts that they br●…ake not forth into co●…mitting of grosse sinnes nor that hee giue so much as consent to his wicked lusts but hate them and is against them and bringeth forth many good workes yet for so much as hee is not so cleane washed in the La●…ar of Regeneration but that some part of his inbred corruption though it be not imputed vnto him yet remaineth in him hee can in Gods Iustice deserue nothing at Gods hands but his wrath and condemnation for the reward of sinne is death and He●… b●…aketh the whole Law wh●… by his inbre●… lusts break●…th the tenth Commandement which doth not onely forbid consent vnto wicked lusts which is also formerly forbidden by the other Commandements but goeth further and forbiddeth that vvee be not so much as ●…kled with any kinde of Concupiscence or wicked lust although our will consent not yea●… be against it Also from this inbred corruption of the regenerate man springeth not onely omission of some good which ought to be done but also wants and defects of his best deeds and to speake all in a word Imperfection of Chariti●… For Charitie which is a vertue with which wee loue that which ought to bel●…d and so is the ground of all vertues and good workes is in some more in some lesse but perfect Charitie such as the Law of GOD requireth which cannot be increased is found in none no not in the regenerate man during his life For hee cannot perfectly performe the Law of GOD and loue God with all his soule with all his heart vvith all his minde and his neighbour as himselfe Hee must needs confesse vvith the Apostle Saint Iohn If wee say wee haue no sinnes we deceiue our selues and the truth 〈◊〉 not in vs. This imperfection of Charitie wrought through the force and violence of inbred corruption is cleerely set forth and described by S. Paul in his owne person propounding himselfe a true patterne of a man regenerated Romanes 7. For in the 15. and 19. verses hee saith that this inbred corruption made him to omit the good be would and to do the euill he hated and in the 18. verse that to will was present with him but he found no meanes to performe that which was good and in the 23. verse that his inbred corruption ●…ebelled against the law of the minde and led him captiue or prisoner to the law of sinne and in the 25. verse that it made him serue the law of sinne and in the 22. verse it appeareth that hee speaketh of himselfe as a man regenerated who delighteth in the Law of God concerning the inner man VVherefore howsoeuer wee profit by the worke of regeneration by God wrought in vs yet doth our charitie good workes by reason of the force and violence of ou●…●…bred corruption or originall sins want somewhat of that they should be and the wants and defects of our good deeds we doe and the omission of the good deeds wee ought to doe are such and so many that wee of necessine though wee be regenerated must alwayes without presuming vpon our merits and deserts humbly for his mercie 〈◊〉 craue at Gods hands forgiuenes of our trespasses with this assurance that if we acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs all our sinnes and to clense vs from all our vnrighteousnesse Obiection It seemeth that there is little difference betwixt the true beleeuer or regenerate person and the vnbeleeuer Answere The difference betwixt them is very great for sinne doth onely dwell in the regenerate person against his will but it reigneth not nor is imputed to him because hee is iustified and clensed from his sinnes by faith in CHRIST I●…VS and in this sense in the Scriptures the regenerate man is sometime said to sinne and sometime is said not to sinne The regenerate man sinneth in regard that sinne dwelleth in him though it raigne not in him And he sinneth not because sinne is not imputed vnto him but hee is notified and clensed from his sinne by the blood of Christ Iesus But in the vnregenerate man sin raigneth with his will and consent and his sinnes are imputed vnto him because hee want●…th faith to iustifie him and to cleere him from his sinnes by the rightcousnesse of Iesus Christ. Also the regenerate man may say with Saint Paul I doe not the 〈◊〉 I would but the vnregenerate man contrariwise saith I ●…not so much euill as I would which howsoeuer hee speaketh it not in expresse words yet hee hath it in his heart as may appeare in couetous ambitious and contentious persons and in Thecues Fornicators Drunkards and such like whose lusts are neuer satisfied moreouer whereas the vnregenerate man waxeth euery day vvorse and worse the regenerate man contrariwise maketh proceedings in goodnesse In vvhich though they be small it doth appeare that sinne doth not raigne in him but in some measure is ouercome by him and in him is in some manner mortified The ninth PRINCIPLE THE true beleeuer or regerate person may assure himselfe that hee shall neuer be moued from the state of saluation whereunto hee is effectually called by the ●…nisterie of the Word and that hee shall haue life euerlasting and eternall glorie in Heauen Notes vpon the ninth Principle THE Gifts and Calling of God are without repentance and with him there is no variablenosse or shaddow of change as God doth testifie of himselfe I am the Lord and I change not Wee cannot attribute vnto GOD any change of decree counsell or will concerning election or reprobation vvithout vvicked blasphemie for he that changeth his decree his counsell or his vvill doth it because he seeth he might haue beene better aduised or because hee seeth he could not haue brought his purpose to passe as he would both which doe argue imperfection and weakenesse which are abhorring and farre from the nature of God who is most perfect and infinite in his Wisedome Will and Power and in all his attributes Whatsoeuer pleaseth the Lord that doth hee both in Heauen and in Earth and in all places and hee saith of himselfe my Counsell shall stand and my Will shall be done Therefore it is doubtlesse true that some whom God hath elected to Saluation shall certainely be saued and others whom God hath reprobated shall certainely be condemned But how may a man assure himselfe that hee is of the

grace of the Spirit is assaulted of doubting but this doubting being a fruit of vnbeliefe which is an inbred corruption of the Flesh cannot be a commendable virtue of Faith as the Papists doe teach neyther is it of the nature of Faith which in it selfe is certaine and assured and not doubting neyther is it any way incident vnto Faith but it is a fruit of vnbeliefe which is opposed vnto Faith Rom. 4. 20. And consequently though Faith be assaulted of doubting yet in it owne nature it doth remaine certaine and assured and still lyeth sucking nourishment out of Gods gracious Promises and still retaineth its propertie of certaine perswasion though in the conflict with doubting it doth not exercise it so manifestly and in such measure as before and after the Conflict of temptations And no more is doubting comming vnto the true Beleeuer from the boysterous blasts of Infidelitie being a fruit of the Flesh of the Nature of faith being a fruit of the Spirit then the shaking of a tree comming from a tempest of winde by outward accident is of the nature of the tree Laus Deo A deuout Prayer for all Christians and all times O LORD vvhich hast vouchsafed of thy vnspeakeable goodnesse to make and ordaine me thy creature to liue in this transitorie life giuing me a reasonable Soule by which I know thee my Lord and my God O most blessed Lord I wretched sinner confesse my wicked and abhominable sins I humbly aske of thee mercy and forgiuenes for the same grant mee thy strength to stand sure in faith thy knowledge to worke thy blessed will thy power to resist all errours and wicked imaginations thy wisedome to know the truth giue me thy help I humbly beseech thee that thy holy Spirit may guide me and all the thoughts and desires of my hart for the thoughts of men are miserable and their deedes vncertaine comfort therefore my soule let it walke in thy Lawes and wayes and worke thy will suffer no worldly perswasions to take place or roote in my heart but by thy holy Spirit so direct my wayes and works that they may be acceptable in the sight Suffer not my soule to perish whom thou hast so dearely bought but for thy mercies sake haue mercy vpon mee make me poore in spirit low in heart content with my calling and let my Soule rest in thee let mee loue thee as a Father a Forgiuer a Sauiour and scare thee as a Lord a Iudge a Reuenger O Father put from me my sinne and wickednesse make me to walke in the way of thy Commandements let me reuerently feare thee and stand in awe of thy iudgements Let me loue thee as a Sauiour honour thee as a father reuerence thee as a Lord and feare thee as a Iudge Grant me grace to set thy feare before mee to stand in awe of thee and of thy Iudgements that I doe nothing to prouoke thy heauy displeasure against me that I may walke in thy feare and holy ordinances and imbrance those vertues that shall euidently declare my faithful loue true honour vnsained repentance and humble feare toward thee Haue mercy pittie and compassion vpon mee most miserable sinner for my offences are horrible great and grieuous but I appeale to thy mercies which is aboue thy workes O let me liue with thee eternally and not dye though I haue deserued it make me a vessell of thy grace and mercy that I may praise thy name let not my sins souer me from thee but let me magnifie thy power and mercy O gracious God giue mee true hearty earnest and vnsained Repentance that I may from the very bottome of my heart continually lament my manifold sinnes and transgressions my vnthankfulnesse towards thee for all thy mercifull benefits abundantly bestowed vpon mee Alas that euer I became so wicked and vnkinde a Creature to displease so good a Lord so louing and mercifull a Father O forgiue me for thy most deare mercies sake forgiue mee all my sinnes that euer I haue committed against thee let me neuer more offend thee but alwayes gladly serue thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of my life gouerne and guide my heart in thy true faith feare and loue that in all my thoughts words and deedes I may glorifie thy holy Name to whom be all glory praise power and dominion now and euermore Amen FINIS Caluin Instit. lib. 1. cap. 1. Sect. 7. Gen. 2. 17. Rom. 5. 17. Caluin 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. 1. Septo Iames 1. 17. Marke 14. 31. 1 Pet. 1. 25. Psal. 22. De Pass●… Dom. cap. 7. Bern. de Pass●… Dom. cap. 41. Aug. Tract 119 in Ioan. Iohn 10. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. A blessed and most necessary note Heb. 10. 38. Mat. ●…5 41. Acts 20. ●…8 Rom. 5. 10. Phil. 2. Mat. 3. 17. Esay 42. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o●… 10. 16. Pro. 3. 32. 34 Iames 4. 6. Luke 1. 52. Esay 29. 14. 19. Gen. 22. 16. 17. 18. Esay 59. 21. 94. 10. Ezck. 37. 26. 27. 28. Iohn 6. 53. 56. 1 Cor. 1●… 12. Gal. 2. 20. G●…l 2. 20. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 5. Ephes. 4. 18. Ephes. 4. 19. Tit. 4. Esay 57. 20. Prou. 28. 1. Gen. 6. 5. Phil. 2. 13. Gal. 5. 24. Rom. 7. 18. 19. Rom. 6. 19. Hphes 2. 8. Matth. 28. 20. Ephes. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Iohn 17. 20. Rom. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Ephes. 5. 30. Ephes. 4. 13. Mat. 28. 29. Luke 24. 49. Iohn 17. 20. a Act 1. 14. 3. 4. 10. 2. Mat. 7. 7. Iohn 28 36. Ephes. 3. 19. and 6. 18. b Marse 16. 16 Iohn 6. 53. and 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24. c Mat. 23. 2. Acts 17. 11. and 18. 26. d Prou 19. e Heb. 13. 17. Rom. 13. 1. f Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 〈◊〉 8. g Psal. 119. 9. 57 Psal. 1. 〈◊〉 Iosh. 1. 8. Psal. 14. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 20. 1●… 5. Rom. 8. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 20. 1 Cor. 16. 17. Iohn 1. 5. 8. Ephes. 14. Luke 1. 74. ●…5 1 Pet. 2. 24. Ephes. 2. 11. Deut. 30. 9. 10. Luke 17. 1●… Phil. 2. 13. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Rom. 8. 18. Rom 6. 〈◊〉 Iam. 2. 20. Gal. 3. 10. 1 Iohn 1. 8. Iohn 1. 16. Rom. 7. 10. Rom. 11. 29. Iam. 1. 16. Matth. 13. 6. Psal. 135. 6. Esa 46. 10. 1 Cor 2. 16. Ioh. 6. 40. Rom. 8. 14. 17 1 P●…t 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Col. 3. 3. 1 Pet. 〈◊〉 Pro. 28. 14. Rom. 1●… 〈◊〉 Phil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

in Adam and shall be for euer in Adams posteritie but libertie from sinne and libertie from miserie cannot be had in this life but for as much as this bondage of sinne or necessitie of sinning is come vnto vs by our owne voluntarie acts for in Adam by eating the forbidden fruit wee all being in his loynes voluntarily sinned wee are all with the bondage of sinne and miserie iustly punished in him for his and our owne disobedience 5 Obiection To feede the hungry to clothe the naked to honour our Parents to serue our Maisters faithfully to obay our lawfull Gouernours to dye in defence of our Country and such like deedes done by Infidels are good deedes and no sinnes and therefore men by Nature before regeneration haue choise and libertie of will to doe some good deeds which are no sinnes Answere S. Augustine in his fourth Booke cap. 3. against Iulian the Pelagian answereth that such acts done by Infidels are doubtlesse sinnes not that in their owne nature they are sins but because they are not of Faith for whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. For that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6 Againe the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whatsoeuer wee doe it must be done to no other end then to the glory of God and therefore the said acts done by Infidels cannot be said to be done to his glory because the said acts being done without faith cannot possibly please God and therfore such acts done by Infidels are doubtlesse sinnes though in their owne nature they be no sins but Morall Virtues 6 Obiection If the premisses be true then may an Infidell as well robbe his neighbour as relieue him with food or ●…aiment and so of the rest Answere God doth deepely graue Morall Virtues or the workes of the Law in the hearts of the Infidels and thereby they are guided to doe some Morall Virtues and restrained from doing many wickednesses but they being without Faith doe nothing to the right end Also the Infidels for Morall Virtues which beare but a shew of good workes are by God rewarded with the praise and fauour of men and other temporall blessings for which the Morall Virtues were done as the principall end of their action The second PRINCIPLE WEe of our selues without CHRIST can by Nature lo●…ke for no grace or pardon for our sinnes a●… Gods han●…s but hatred wrath and eternall condemnation for the same Ephes. 2. 3. Notes vpon the second Principle VVHen wee offend or sinne against GOD whose person is of infinite worthinesse our offence by consequence must needes be infinite and therefore greater then by any meanes wee of our selues can satisfie with condigne compensation because Men and Angels and all Creatures are vncapable of euery infinite action they are finite both in strength and power to doe or suffer Wherefore seeing God of his Iustice cannot pardon sinne without condigne compensation which man cannot possibly make therefore man of himselfe can looke for no grace of saluation at Gods hand who is perfectly iust true and faithfull and alwayes the same and like to himselfe with whom there is no variablenesse or shadow of changing All Virtues attributed to God are essentiall and eternall and not variable as the Virtues in men vvhich may be increased or diminished All his Curses and Iudgements against sinne must be performed as well as his mercifull promises Heauen and Earth shall passe but no word of the Lord shall passe away vnperformed The third PRINCIPLE THe Bloud of Christ Iesus crucified because of the worthinesse of his person is the onely meritorious cause thing and price which can satisfie Gods Iustice for all mens sinnes and so make them away to his fauour and mercy Act. 20. 28. Iohn 1. 7. Rom. 3. 23. 24. 25. Iohn 3. 14. Notes vpon the third Principle FIrst let vs behold Christ crucified as the Scriptures doe describe him according to which he had no part from top to toe free from paine and griefe but hung on the Tree hauing his flesh torne with whips his checkes swolne with buffets his face defiled with spittle his head stucke full with Thornes his eyes deiected for shame his eares burning with taunts his mouth sowred with Vinegar his hands and his feete wounded with Iron Spikes his bones vnioynted his sinewes pricked and strayned his whole body hanging by the sorenesse of his hands and feete and lastly though he were dead his heart pierced vvith a Speare whence issued bloud and vvater And here further let vs aduisedly obscrue in his Stripes that Pilate hauing a purpose to saue the life of Christ and not neglecting to satisfie the people who were incensed against him caused him extreamely to be whipped and to be shewed to the people in that plight with these words Behold the man to let them see that Christ had receiued very sufficient correction no crime being proued against him and so to with-draw them from secking his death In crowning him with Thornes let vs aduisedly note that the Souldiers did not onely wreath him a thicke Crowne of Thornes to sticke his head full of them but after the putting it on to fasten it they did strike him on the head with their Caues In his nayling to the Crosse or crucifying let vs aduisedly obserue that besides the greatnesse and sorenesse of his wounds which were worthy to be marked they so strayned his body least hee should stirre hand or foote that all his bones might be numbred The greatnesse of his Wounds Dauid fore-sheweth in these words They digged my hands and feete noting how wide wounds they made which were rather digged then pierced How tender and sensible the hands and feete are aboue other parts of the body and what paine and anguish the pricking strayning and tearing of the Sinewes Ligaments and ●…oynts which are very thicke and full of sense in those places did breede and kindle in the whole body Nature can teach vs without any further proofe Of the racking of his Ioynts Bernard maketh this collection out of Dauid I am so strained saith Dauid in the person of Christ that my body naked being stret●…hed like the head of a Timbrell or Drum all my bones may be numbred all my bones are out of ioynt or pulled one from th●…ther In this horrible torment of Stripes Thornes Wounds Sinewes and Ioynts our Sauiour hung on the Crosse aboue three houres in most perfect sense with extreame paine vntill the very instant that hee miraculously breathed out his Soule Hee who shortneth and lightneth the force of torments in his Saints when they be grieuous in his owne would doe neyther hee spared not himselfe who knew how to spare his hee dyed not by degrees as his Saints doe his Senses did not decay no pangs of death tooke holde vpon him but in perfect sense Patience and Obedience both of body and soule hee did voluntarily by his infinite power resigne his Spirit as he