euill in regard of the priuation and absence of the good good in regard of the subiect wherein it is Therefore since euery euill is in some subiect and euery subiect hath his being and is vpholden by God therefore the opinion of the Manachies proued by meere reason is fond and foolish The third point followeth That God willeth sin as it is a punishment of sinnes before committed Position 3 IT is vsuall with God and this is a most grieuous kinde of punishment to punish one sinne with another Such was the hardning of the heart of Pharaoh and the blinding of the eyes of the Iewes which were not effected by God as they were simply sinnes but as Tertullian saith against Marcion as they were punishments of their former iniquities Lib. 2. pag. 180. God sent the diuell to deceiue Achab with a lie put the spirit of error into the lying Prophets their lying was a sinne but God willed it as punishment and not as it was meerely a sinne of it selfe The like appeares 2. Thess 2.10.11 Rom. 1. Isai 19. Isai 29. Because the Thessalonians receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therfore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies Tim. 7. lib. 5. cap. 3. Augustine against Iulian sheweth that a desire to sinne is a sinne a punishment and a cause of sin but yet in respect of God a punishment onely This shall suffice touching this point If any one list to heare more I referre him to that of Tertullian before alleaged Contra Marcion lib. 2. p. 180. That God doth will sinne as it is an action in ward or outward Position 4 ALthough sin cannot in very deede be separated from the action with the which it goeth because euery priuation is in some subiect yet in minde there may bee a distinction and in the vnderstanding a separation of the one from the other Wherein wee conceiue the one to be good the other euill the euill proceeding from our owne corruption How sinne is distinguished from the action with the which it goeth the good from God alone whether it be substance or action Rom. 11.36 Of him and in him and for him are all things when hee saith all things hee comprehendeth substances and actions ioyntly together For since in God wee liue we moue and haue our being Act. 17.28 there is no question but by the vertue of the same power all substances are maintained and actions effected Tyrants persecuted the children of Israel their malice proceeded frō themselues but their strength to effect came of the Lord Tom. 7. de Gratia libero Arbit c. 20. Isai 7.17 For as Augustine saith God doth worke in the heart of man and doth moue the motions of the will that by them hee may bring to passe whatsoeuer he hath decreed according to that of Salomon Prou. 21.1 The kings heart is in the Lords hand as the riuers of waters hee turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him all Gods creatures are his instruments of glorie wee cannot properly say that an instrument worketh but the vser of the same The axe is not the squarer of the timber but the Carpenter with the axe so man doth not worke of himselfe but God by man Thus much wee acknowledge in the Confession of our faith saying I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth When we call him Almightie wee acknowledge an effectuall power working all in all according to the good pleasure of his will and when we confesse him Greator of heauen and earth we likewise acknowledge that he is the Maintainer Mouer and Effecter of all things And thus is God the effecter of actions though not of the sinnes which vsually goe with them The fifth point followeth That God doth will sinne as it is a guilt Position 5 or obligation wherin we stand bound vnto him to vndergoe the punishment our sinnes haue deserued AVgustine against Iulian Tom. 7. lib. 6. cap. 8. disputing of the guilt of original sin saith that it is an obligatiō wherin euery one that is in the flesh borne carnally of the flesh is bound vnto God to vndergo the reward of sin namely eternall destruction This obligatiō hath his seat in the lawes of God made in his iust iudgment his will setting downe the matter and his iustice ruling the forme and therefore must needs be good and being good that the Lord doth will the same For since it is proper vnto God to soue iustice and hate iniquitie as the Psalmist saith it must needs bee that God willeth our being tied to vndergo the punishment our sinnes haue deserued because therein is his Iustice exalted Gods promises conditionall namely if we by true faith take hold vpon them Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 and our iniquities beaten downe Now this bond is cancelled by our gratious Redeemer the benefit whereof redoundeth only to such as by a sledfast faith exercised in the workes of true godlines take hold vpon him I meane such as are growne to the yeares of discretion and therefore capable of instruction of whom a holy life is necessarily required not infants who by Gods order of creation cannot performe the same yet by reason of the promise are within the Couenant by a powerfull and admirable worke of his Spirit as Peter Martyr saith are conuerted vnto him Obiect If any obiect the conuersion of a sinner at the last gaspe as the thiefe on the crosse I answere Ans the instāce is of one that none should dispaire but of one that none should presume Late repentance is better then none yet remember a good lesson Vix benè moritur qui malè vixit That mā doth seldome die well that euer liued ill Thus much by the way Prou. 1 though it seemes from the purpose And thus much of this guilt because I haue spoken before of the same The sixth point followeth Position 6 That God doth not will sin as it is simplie a transgression of his law but doth only willingly permit it FOr the vnderstāding of this A permission is taken three waies we must know that to permit or to suffer is taken three waies The first when of two good things wee must against our willes yeeld vnto the worst As for example A man rather desireth his sonne should applie his studies and so proue learned then that hee should be a souldier delight in warrefare or that baser Arts should be effected by him yet because he is not fit for that thou desirest when he entreateth thee that he may be a souldier or to follow some occupation thou dost yeeld vnto him which kind of yeelding is called a suffering against our willes According to that old saying When we cannot that which we would then wee must that which wee can But God willeth not after this maner for he is omnipotent and by consequence his will can neither be forced nor restrained Secondly to permit
they should hate his people The Lord hardned the heart of Eglon Iudg. 3. with many such phrases in his holy word Ans For the answering of this demaund wee must obserue that hardening is sometimes attributed to God sometimes to Satan sometimes to man To God in that respect hee purposing to permit the sin doth withhold his grace by which the heart of man is mollified And therefore Augustine saith Augustine God doth harden Non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo not by causing vs to sinne but by not granting vs his grace to preuent our sinnes To Satan in that he is primitiuus peccator the first offender Iohn 6. laies the deceiueable baite of sinne and is euermore entising and perswading to take it To man in that hee doth vilely put that in execution which the Prince of the ayre and the corruption of his owne nature doth lead him vnto and so he is the Author of the sinne and iustly liable to the punishment thereof because euery action hath his qualitie from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the next Author Thus it is said Exod. 7.3 That the Lord hardned the hart of Pharaoh yet in the 22. verse of the same chapter and chap. 8.16 that Pharaoh hardened his owne heart But Paul saith 2. Cor. 4. that the God of this world that is Satan doth blindfold the eyes of Infidels And therefore it is said of him that he filled the heart of Ananias though the Lord had as great a stroke in that as in hardening the hart of Pharaoh Againe 2. Sam. 24. I it is said The Lord moued Dauid to number Israel but 1. Chron. 21.1 that Satan mooued Dauid to number the people yet it is euident in the same chapter that Dauid himselfe was the offender because hee sustained punishment and vpon repentance confessed his sin to the Lord saying in his owne person 1. Chron. 21.8 I haue done very foolishly but I beseech thee O Lord remoue the iniquitie of thy seruant Which places must needs bee vnderstood in maner and forme aforesaid And thus much touching the former position and the answering of this demaund arising from the same The next point followeth A rule to know when our actions are good and when euill and what causeth either TO the performance of an action in a direct and beseeming order Jn euery vvell disposed action the knovvledge and the will must go together two things must concurre The knowledge and the will knowledge worketh nothing without the will nor the will any thing aright without knowledge Therfore in euery good action a direct will and a good vnderstanding whereunto is adioyned a conscionable practise must goe together the will working VVhat is the propertie of the vvill What of knowledge knowledge ordering the will causing knowledge disposing the will mouing vs to worke but knowledge directing vs to worke so as the Lord commandeth Therefore aboue all wee must labour and seeke to God for spirituall wisdome and heauenly vnderstanding for although thy will which sets thee a worke is naturall in thee yet this knowledge which is the directer of thy will is supernatural and comes from aboue As the Mariner hoisting vp the sailes in a gale of winde Simile shall soone dash the ship against the rocks runne her on the sands or fall vpō an vnhoped for shore vnlesse knowledge by the rules of the Carde and Compasse directs the Rudder Euen so whē the sailes of our head-strong willes are hoist and that there wants a knowledge in the Carde and Compasse of Gods holy word which is a lanthorne at the sterne in the stromie nights and the fole directer thorough the seas of this troublesome world to the hauen of eternall rest alas how soone doe wee spoile our selues against the rockes of offences runne with the multitude into the sands of sinnes and so falling vpon the crosse shore of an vnlooked for euent Act. 8.3 1. Cor. 15.9 Philip. 3.6 Galath 1.13 1. Tim. 1.13 lose the hope of our best actions Thus was Paui led by a violent will and a blinde zeale and so in that wherein he thought he did God greatest seruice he most of all wronged his heauenly Maiestie Prou. 1. Therefore wee must aboue all follow the aduice of Salomon in seeking for knowledge the chiefest meanes of attaining thereto being to pray continually with Dauid from the ground of the heart Psalm 119. O Lord teach me thy statutes And O Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things contained in thy law Two things required to make the actiō good 1. That the meanes 2. That the end be lawfull and expedient Now this vnderstanding teacheth that in the performance of euery good action there must be this double assurance first that the end be good lawfull expedient Secondly that the meanes of accomplishing be squared by the same rule If thy purpose be good and the meanes euill thou sinnest in the manner of effecting If the meanes bee good but yet thy intent euill thou sinnest in the end of hauing it effected It is a good end to purpose the hearing of Gods word to be therby taught our dutie but to steale a horse to ride to heare it makes the action euill because thou sinnest in the meanes The fasting giuing almes and long supplications of the Scribes and Pharisies seemed to bee good actions for such duties are both strictly commanded and largely commended but because they were done of vaine ostentation and to be seene of men they failed in the end and so made the whole action euill Therefore if thou wouldest haue thy actions good both the means of effecting and the end of accomplishing must be good lawfull and expedient euer remembring Modus finis constituunt actionem modum finem constituere actionē that from the means and end of effecting the action is well or ill disposed well if both be lawful and expedient euill if there bee but a failing in either For whereas all circumstances must concurre to make the action good the failing but in one doth make it euill Hag. 2.12 13 14. Thus saith the Lord of hosts Hag. 2.12 13 14 Aske now the Priests concerning the law and say If any one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his coate and with the skirt do touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or any meate shall it bee holy And the Priests answered said no. Then said Haggai if a polluted person touch any of these things shal it be vncleane And the Priest answered and said it shall be vncleane Thus you see the truth of that before deliuered It tests thē as a good vse of this doctrine that we carrie a narrow examination ouer all our thoughts words and waies the want wherof causeth as Iames saith that not only in many Iames 2.3 but in most things we sin all Note lastly that thou mayest sin when
vnderstandings enlightned Ioh. 3.19 this way not walked the truth not receiued nor our soules cured Luk. 14.24 It is because wee reiect the truth Ioh. 6.35 refuse this way winke with our eies will not taste this foode Apoc. 3.20 but shut the dores of our hearts lest hee should enter and heale vs. Obiection The actions of the diuell and wicked men are sinnes But these are maintained by God And therefore some sinnes are maintained by him Whatsoeuer the wicked doth Solution it is euill in Gods sight because it proceeds from a person not sanctified by his spirit yet we must make a difference between the actions and motions of euill mē and the disorder and sin which goeth with them God is the cause of the one but not of the other A good Musitiō may giue a good tuch vpon a string Simile yet the soūd may be bad because the string is bad or the instrumēt naught so God may moue the actions of the diuell and wicked men yet their actions good in respect of God though euill in regard of them Obiect Hee which maintaineth nature sinning maintaineth also the sinne it selfe But God doth thus And therefore maintaineth some sinnes Aliud est innatum Solution aliud agnatum It is one thing to vphold common nature as a creature of God another thing to vphold the corruption of our nature the one is naturall as proceeding from common nature and is good in vs the other is naturall as proceeding from the corruption of our nature that is our sinne in Adam and is euill in vs the former is vpholden and maintained by God and it shewes his goodnesse because it is his creature the latter came first from our selues and is still continued by our owne wicked lusts and so is euill in vs. Isai 30. In this sense Isaiah saith vnto vs Woe be to you declining sonnes Obiect The second cause cannot work without the first cause But the second cause namely mans will is a cause of sinne And therefore the first cause namely God hath a stroke in it Solution 1 Truth it is that the first cause doth preserue maintaine and moue the second cause but in that being moued it runs into an euill this proceeds from a defect and corruption in the second cause only as in the handling that Satan and our selues are the sole causes of sinne it plainly appeares Secondly the faculties of willing and nilling are not simply the causes of sinnes but the corruption of our faculties and the diflurbance of our willes by reason of the contagion of sin which raigneth in vs. Obiect The hardning of the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon of Pharaoh King of Egypt of the Iewes and many other proceeded from God Dent. 2. Exod. 3. But these are simply sinnes And therefore God is the cause of sinne God doth harden Solution Augustine non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo not by effecting sinne in vs but by not exhibiting of his grace whereby it is preuented For touching sinne God hath no positiue will In cludere est clausis non aperire but onely a priuation of his grace in respect of former sinnes committed In this sense God is said then to shut vp vnder sinne when hee doth not open his doore of mercie Gregor Destruit cum deserit and then to destroy when he doth forsake And thus much the Hebrew Dialect signifying as the learned haue obserued a permission and not an action doth teach vnto vs. This shall suffice for the answering of the obiections The vses follow THE SIXTH PART Containing the vses of the Doctrines deliuered The vse THe euident proofe that all things are gouerned by Gods prouidence doth teach vs a voluntary yeelding to this certain truth not suffering our mindes foolishlie to thinke on chaunce nor our mouthes fondly to attribute any thing to fortune For since it is the propertie of wisedome to dispose of all things and the wiser any one is the more he ordereth particulars it is strange that with one consent wee acknowledge God to be wisedome it selfe and yet abridge him of the properties thereof which is to gouerne all things Then it necessarilie followes that euery one that acknowledgeth God should abandon fortune and that deseruedly for whēce doth she come surely from ignorance the mother of superstition VVhat fortune is her first inuenters by likelihood her best acquaintance paint her blinde standing on a bowle and turning with euery winde Reason teacheth the blinde cannot guide the wauering cannot stablish that which is tost it selfe cannot settle others For how can he steare certainly which floteth himselfe on the waters how should fortune then gouerne any thing being more vncertaine then vncertaintie it selfe But what is she a word without substance begotten by a fond conceit brought foorth with fading breath no sooner come but gone no sooner heard but forgot againe That which is fortune to the seruant VVhence foreune ariseth is none to the master that which is fortune to the childe is none to the father that which is fortune to the foole is none to the wise that which is fortune to those which are darknesse is none to those which are light in Christ So that take away ignorance and her daughter chance will be quite banished The master lets a thing fall to see whether the seruant will giue it againe or steale it the seruant thinkes it fell by chance but his master did it to trie him So many things fall out amongst vs Gods ignorant seruants the causes and ends whereof lie hid to vs yet in all God hath his proper purpose and working Away then with fortune wherewith the mindes of the godly ought not to bee corrupted Vse 2 Secondly whereas Gods prouidence extendeth to all things but especially to his Church blessing and preseruing those that feare him in a speciall and particular manner it teacheth that aboue all things we should labour to be of the number of these priuiledged persons to be one of these sheepe whereof Christ is the shepheard that carefull shepheard that alwaies watcheth ouer them that louing shepheard that giues his life for them that mightie shepheard that alwaies deliuers them And indeed since all blessednesse doth consist in this namely to heare his voyce for those are of Gods Church and these are his sheepe and ouer them is he that carefull shepheard I will by the way and though vnfitly yet I hope profitably lay downe some reasons to moue the contemners to heare those which doe heare to bee more attentiue in hearing and forward in obeying And knowing there is no other meanes then poena praemium the Law and the Gospell for though this only works repentance yet that other is a schoolemaster and leades vs to Christ these two shall bee the heads from which my arguments of perswasion shall be taken The rewards concerne this life or a better The benefits of
Thus a good Iudge giues his charge to preuent stealing at one Sessions Simile and punisheth those which haue broke it at the next Sessions Secondly if you respect Gods reuealed will that is the meanes he vseth for our cōuersion keeping of his lawes in this sense he willeth the death of none but if you respect his secret will that is his decree of reprobation Esay 1.24 Matth. 11. Luke 10. then God may be said to will the death of infinite many and that therein he reioyceth and taketh pleasure in as much as his power and iustice is thereby exalted His iustice in that hee punisheth sinne his mercie in that of his grace through his sonne hee saueth some his power in that he can ordaine for his owne seruice both vessels of wrath and vessels of glorie Thirdlie 1. Tim. 4.2 whereas God is said to will the saluation of all we must vnderstand by All some of euerie nation and degree whatsoeuer Thus Paul noteth when he saith Pray for kings and all in Authoritie because it pleaseth God that some of euerie countrie nation and degree should be saued Thus the generall vsed by Esay 43.9 is expounded in the sixt verse to be ment of the sons and daughters of God But some replie Replie 1. Tim. 4.10 that this cannot bee thus because it is said that although God is especially a Sauiour of the faithfull yet that he is a Sauiour of all as wel as of them Ans Sauiour hath relation to this life not to the life to come so that the meaning is that although God especiallie preserueth and deliuereth the godly yet that he giueth food raiment and other things necessarie for this life euen vnto the wicked also In this sense speaketh Dauid Psalm 33.6 Thou Lord sauest both man and beast Where saue must needs be vnderstood for preserue and maintaine and so in the place before alleaged Obiection The will of man agreeing with Gods will is good But whensoeuer one man doth kill another False conclusions inserred there is mans will agreeing with Gods will because it was his pleasure that such a thing should fall out In regard of the right of punishing And therefore man for killing man is not to be punished though it lies in God to punish him for it Where mans will agreeth with Gods will in all respects Solution the argument doth hold but in this and all other there is infinit contrarietie God wils a voluntarie permission man a wilfull effecting God often willes the death of a man if hee bee holie as a blessing to giue him the life of the soule for the death of the bodie and for momentarie troubles eternall ioies if he be wicked as a punishment for his sinne and to cut him off from infecting his Church but the murtherer in killing of a man respects none of these ends but the satissying of his malitious mind the occasion being as often vniustly taken as of weaknesse giuen So that in this and al other such like God willes his owne glorie in the execution of iustice and in shewing mercie to his children Rom. 12.9 but the manslaier regards neither but whollie the satisfying of his bloudie desire whereby he multiplies his sinnes in approching to the seate of iudgement 1. Thes 4.6 for vengeance is the Lords and to him only it belongs to repay Obiection Our vnrighteousnes commends the righteousnesse of God therfore though God hath the right of punishing yet he cannot in iustice punish vs because our sinne sets forth his glorie Our vnrighteousnesse doth not commend Gods righteousnesse Solution as it is simplie sinne but by accident namely because when we doe sinne God doth punish vs for the same which punishment being the execution of iustice his righteousnesse is thereby commended therfore let vs not sinne nor sinning without repentance thinke to goe vnpunished for it is for the honor of the Iudge of the world to execute iudgement Gen. 25. Obiections alleaged to prooue God the Author of sinne with the Answers vnto them Obiect IF God created the wicked man against the euill day or day of wrath Thus taught the Seleutians Aug. de haeres Thus taught Floring and Blastus at Rome Euscb lib. 5. cap 13. 28. Solution then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God hath done so Prou. 16. And therefore seemes to be cause of sinne God created not the euill man to sin and therefore cannot be a cause of it but sinning to punish him for the same In which case none can complaine Psalm 6. because God will giue to euery one according to his worke Obiect If there be no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God is the cause of all euill in the citie Amos 3.6 Esay 4. and therefore of sinne There is a double cuill Solution the morall and the naturall the morall euill is the sinne the naturall euill is the punishment for the sinne God is the Author of this but not of the other And therfore the Prophet Amos theacheth in this place that afflictions come from God and not by chance and fortune as some were perswaded Obiect God commanded Abraham to kill his innocent son Shemeus to curse Dauid Gen. 32.2 Sam. 15. But these are sinnes Therefore God seemes to be a cause of sinnes God commanded not Abraham to sacrifice his sonne of superstition Solution as they that offered their sons and daughters to the idoll Moloch nor yet to satisfie any malice or wicked thought in Abraham toward his sonne for this was farre from so holie a father but onlie as it was a point of Gods deuine seruice to trie the faith of Abraham who therby was to be made a father of al beleeuers And therefore God did well in commanding and Abraham well in obeying Secondly though the commandement was giuen to trie Abraham yet the secret purpose of God was to deliuer Isaac as the sequeale did manifest But on the contrarie Shemeus his railing on Dauid was from a malitious minde and to satisfie his furie against him the which was not commanded by God but only willingly permitted and in the permission so ordered as that it turned vnto Dauid to be a correction for his sinne in which sense Dauid saith the Lord bad him doe it And therefore by neither of these can God seeme to be the author of sinne Obiection God caused the Israelites to spoyle the Aegyptians of their iewels Exod. 12.25 chap. 3.22 contrarie to his owne Law Exod. 20. and therefore seemes a cause of sinne What God commaunds to be done Solution the performance of that can be no sin because sinne is a transgression of Gods lawe Secondly the Israelites being Gods people and hauing liued in great seruitude in Egypt and by their labours encreased the treasures of Pharaoh very exceedingly there was good reason why they