yet bona venia with greater rashnesse seeing the Apostle intended no such thing as humane infirmitie to dispute with God but to musle vp the mouthes of the refractorie and peruerse Iewes and such like but yet he is to know that if the Apostle had brought his argument to that purpose onely then should he haue dealt with them as our Sauiour Christ did Ioh. 8. the Iewes they say we haue no neede to be made free Christ tels them Ye are the seruants of sinne therefore in vaine doe you boast of your freedom so here the Iewes might haue saide we are cast off and reprobates for so was the will of God and how should we haue helped it The Apostle might presently haue stopped their mouthes Yee are rebells against God and therefore he hath cast you off what could flesh and blood haue opposed to this But the Apostle makes no mention of this but resolues all into Gods will and that most iustly seeing to make and prepare his vessells is his own will alone When he shall come to the third to handle them as vessels of wrath the cause shall easily be found out to iustifie God and condemne man 6. Principle No mon can doe any thing but where God workes the will and the deed and it is done according to that measure lesse or more that God bestowes vpon vs. Of the concourse of Gods grace both of them agree onely that word absolute is disliked yet if in all effects the first cause bee absolutely required that the second may worke then God must absolutely concurre to the effecting of any good Seuenth principle No euill is avoided that God doth not keepe vs from in the working Of this it is agreed but the manner of working is doubted of whether it bee by omnipotencie causing a necessary impedition or of counsell causing an infallible impedition the first mooues the will naturally the second voluntarily To answer the distinction is not good for omnipotencie goes along with prouidence in the preseruation of the creature as well as it did in creation for the production of the same and therefore omnipotencie is seen in the creatures motions whether naturall or voluntarie Secondly that distinction of the wills naturall motion and voluntary is false for I demaund whether the will in both be an internall agent if internall then it suffers neither violence nor coaction but acts most freely and therefore by that modus efficiendi which is counsell Thirdly a necessarie impedition and infallible are not alwaies distinguished nay a necessarie impedition is alwaies infallible though infallible be not alwaies necessarie and therefore to make distribution of a whole into a part and a whole is against reason and opposeth those which are not opposed Fourthly the naturall or voluntarie motion of the will to an externall obiect is neuer necessarie but contingent Therefore if the Lord should mooue the will with a most certaine determination vpon some externall obiect it should not make the act necessarie Eigth Principle Gods will is iudged of by his word by reuelation and by euent Arminius excepts against the third because the euent may as wel belong to Gods permission of it as his action in it the former teacheth vs to resolue the euent affirmatiuely vpon the second cause but negatiuely vpon Gods will because he would not hinder it either by his power secundum modum naturae or perswasion secundum modum voluntatis liberae If wee graunt that God permitted sinne which before I haue shewed to bee false in regard that a manner of working in sinne is iustified of God without all blame yet doth it not follow but that the euent should be Gods Zach. 6.1 the foure charets of the world that is all euents East West North and South come from betweene mountaines of brasse Gods immutable decree which is as immooueable as a mountaine of brasse Againe that God must needes will the euent it is plaine from the order of his wisedome which runnes before and after all euents before to worke in them and dispose of them without which two causes they cannot bee he that is the first wisedome and the last will not suffer any euent that shall not be from him to him for in as much as any thing is to him in so much it is from him seeing it is equally good to both that is as good for God so good from God Now surely all euents fall between these two tearmes and therefore from God to God Againe as after the euent Gods wisdome doth either approoue or disprooue of the second causes working it and hence all euents are either ordered limited or punished of God 9. Principle No man can doe that good which he might doe by grace except God should worke in him both the will and the deede to effect the same To this Arminius replies that God neuer giues power but secondly all things that might concurre to bring that power into act This is most true for before we shewed that two things were required to produce any worke facultie and rule of working and God neuer put any facultie into his creature but he gaue him a sufficient rule to worke by But the strait tying together of these two makes the creature to stand firme and immooueable therefore religion which since the fall is properly so called a tying againe of man vnto God is this strait bond that ties the faithfull soule for euer vnto God I will put my feare into their hearts and they shall neuer depart from me This is eternall life to knowe thee c. So then beside the rule and the facultie a third thing is required not for sufficiencie of working but for certentie of working and that is when the Lord shall put into vs his spirit of grace which shall lead vs into all truth and keepe vs from falling away And this third thing Adam wanted and therefore Phil. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both the will the deede euen at his good pleasure Obserue first it is said in you that is his faithfull ones secondly it is both will and deede thirdly it is his most free will and pleasure and therefore hee may doe it to whom he will and when he will therefore man had power and rule sufficient to haue stood but God did not so necessarily tie these together but that man might if hee pleased denie his concourse with the rule and so sinne against God 10. Principle The gouernement of the whole world and all execution of iustice is to be ascribed vnto God The exception to this is of small moment God doth all not onely in iustice but also in mercie and knowes where to bestow both this M. Perkins included in the gouernment of the world wherein both iustice and mercie are manifested The definition of Predestination reprehended in the genus or common nature in the subiect and in the ende The next examination is concerning the definition of Predestination wherein Arminius reprehends
from the obligation of the law That which is bound to the lawe is properly the subiect of the breach of the law now men and angels are only bound to Gods law therefore men and angels may only be tearmed the subiect their actions therefore onely as belonging vnto them are sinfull that is flowing from sinners and so are their workes so that mans nature worketh and sinne and God mans nature worketh and hath God working in it and so the action is good againe God beside his general influence concourse with his creature hath a speciall worke in the action which concernes himselfe and that is likewise good yea and verie good for it is the last end of the creature but the other cause which is sinne cleauing so fast vnto our nature qualifies our nature to doe sinfully The sunne-beames comming thorough a red glasse shines on the opposite wall with the tincture of the colour of the glasse now the question is whether the red colour be onely in the glasse or likewise in the shining surely it seemes that the whole colour remaines still in the glasse and rather dimmes the shining then infects it so the beames of Gods wisedome shining through our corrupt soules seemes to be an action tainted with sinne but surely the corruption stickes in our soules and onely hindred the bright beames of Gods glorie from appearing in our actions Reason 3. from the sole nature of an effect That which is onely an effect can neuer be a subiect nowe the motion is onely an effect and can no otherwise be considered and therefore is alwaies ioyned with his cause as a sinfull action is in sense and reason the action of a sinneful man that is whereof sinnefull man is the cause Hence beeing an effect it must needes exist or stand out by many causes and therefore according to euery cause hath his speciall affection so a sinfull action hath one reference vnto man an other vnto God and yet may stand out of both Christs death had many causes and all subordinate causes were according to Gods determinate counsell the action was sinfull yet the sinne did inhere in Pilate Herod and the accursed Iewes Reason 4. from the nature of goodnes That which is simply good cannot bee the subiect of sinne now actions are of this nature the reason is because causes giue beeing vnto things and therefore are absolute as causes now motion hauing no other being but that which it receiues from causes Causa cuius vi res est This vis must needs be Gods and causes producing that by a motiue force in themselues which force is from God cannot any wayes leaue in the effect an euill inherent but onely in themselues which wanted true force whereof the effect should haue existed hence we call sinne rather a deficient cause then an efficient cause Rom 6.12 Rom. 7.5 Indeede sinne in vs is said to raigne and haue force in our members and so sinne with his subiect is exceeding powerful but it is by turning Gods created force the wrong way euen as a wheele set a running wrong way is carried with as great force as when it runne the cleane contrarie so mans nature set a rebelling against God turnes Gods created forces against himselfe that the force is put into the action it is Gods but that it was put in by the hand of a rebell it became sinfull yet God will acknowledge his owne force in the action and turne the fault and crime to the proper owners That the Iewes and Pilate laid hands on Christ it was Gods created force in them but the abuse of it is their owne and takes vp a proper habitation in their miserable soules then causation beeing a created force and motion onely acknowledging the same well may the motion be Gods and yet no cause at all of sinne Reason 5. from priuation Sinnes are properly the priuation or want of action and therfore though they may bee both in one subiect yet neuer can the one be the subiect of the other for so should deadly enemies become louing freinds and the worst kind of opposites be reconciled for I am sure that priuation though he be no being yet he denies a beeing in the selfe same subiect which is capable of it Blindnes is a worse not being then not seeing for not seeing may be in a stone which is neuer the worse for it but blindnes can be no where but where sight may be and therefore the eye is much worse for it if then sinne bee the priuation of an action it can neuer bee in an action but alwaies against an action Reason 6. from action and passion which seeme to differ but in respect of the agent and patient and therefore the patient should sin more then the agent seeing the action wherein lies the sinne is most properly in the patient but frō the agent The action from the worker is a passion in the receiuer and therefore if sinne were in the action it should goe along with it to the patient yea rather should it be in the patient then the agent seeing the action rests most in the patient Hence murther should rather be the sinne of the patient then the agent seeing the action of murther as it is from the agent so most properly is in the party slaine and therefore the murtherer should be the murthered which is against reason It is plaine then that sinne abides in the murtherer the action is good let this therefore be obserued that God may be iustified euen in sinnefull actions yet no cause of sinne because sinne alone rests in the bosome of fooles and will not stirre one iotte out of that subiect it is therefore dangerous to defend that an action is the materiall cause of sinne for so should sinne not onely be said to be in the action but of the action and then I know not how God should worke the action and bee freed from sinne for causa causae est causa causati The words then are thus to be expounded Things are here put for actions by a metanomie of the cause for the effect for actions proceed frō things then actions for the sinnes which are committed by sinnefull things and so the action is an effect of the sinnefull man and is put for his cause which be sinnes in the things Neither is this any newe opinion Motus modus actionis for all agree that the motion is good onely the manner of doing is euill Now examine the point well and we shall alwaies find the manner in the doer and not in the thing done and therefore the euill is properly in the doer and not in the thing done onely it is said to be in it in that regard that an euill cause wrought it and so the motion is both Gods and mans yet not both of one manner of working Mans fall was an action therefore Gods and mans but man wrought it one manner of way and
shew what we are to thinke of him He may make all the world to admire at him in this place for strange impudencie and horrible blasphemie against God for in these two words like thee is a gradation of three steppes euery one rising a steppe aboue an other First to compare God with him in any similitude of qualitie is sinnefull In qualitie because he hath no qualitie that answereth any thing in God but it were well if he would haue rested in the qualitie for things like are also dislike In essence but the originall in this place telleth vs plainly that he passeth all the bounds of logicall comparison and extends it to the very beeing of God for so the words are to be expounded out of the Originall In beeing to be like that is according to our English phrase altogether like thee strange impudencie and voide of very reason it selfe to make things compared as like any further to argue then their qualities but wickednes in the bosome of fooles is restles for he riseth one degree higher In immortality of beeing and brings in an eternitie of beeing altogether like God for the verbe is in the future tense and signifieth thus much not onely in beeing to be but also in beeing shall be therefore wicked men promise vnto themselues an eternall fellowship with God Let vs therefore consider what things are here compared Wicked mens innention is 〈◊〉 of comparisons and that with the best 2. in what qualitie they are compared 3. what truths or falshoods they make 4. what be the discourses of wicked mens hearts for all these are contained in this thought of a wicked man For the first the things compared Tearmes sinne silence God man are God and his silence a wicked man and his thoughts the proportion stands thus as wicked mens thoughts are so shall Gods silence be and consequently as wicked men are Qualitie from condition to substance and so to eternitie so shall God himselfe be The qualitie wherein they are compared is threefold 1. of condition God must be like minded vnto them 2. of substance and beeing for they frame Gods Image according to their owne image 3. for the qualitie of time God must be an euerlasting Patron and fauourer of all their causes For the third what truths shall we expect out of this strange inuention of wicked men surely none that will agree with the nature of Truth for they haue abused the truth and God himselfe who is the author of truth therefore three horrible falshoods are contained in these words First The falshoods of wicked men Gods thoughts as mans that Gods thoughts are as mans thoughts and Gods waies as mans waies directly against the truth of God Isa 55.8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies saith the Lord for as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my waies higher then your waies and my thoughts aboue your thoughts The second falshood that God is as man 2. He makes God no better the a himselfe against that place God is not as man that he should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should be deceiued therefore may he well expostulate the matter with these hypocrites worse then idolaters for they make themselues the Idol therefore deny all gods as he doth with his people Isa 40.18 To whome will ye liken me or what similitude will ye set vp vnto me or rather set vp your selues cheeke by joule with me know ye nothing haue ye not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning haue ye not vnderstood it by the foundation of the earth how that I the Lord sit vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants are as grassehoppers how I stretch out the heauens as a curtaine and spread them as a tent to dwell in O hypocrites are you better then Princes and Iudges of the world see I pray you how I bring Princes to nothing and make the Iudges of the earth as vanitie as though they were not planted as though they were not sowne as though their stocke tooke no roote in the earth for I did but blow vpon them and they withered and the whirlewind hath taken them away as stubble therefore I counsell you lift vp your eyes on high and behold who hath created all things and bringeth out their armies by number and calleth them all by their names by the greatnes of my power and mightie strength nothing faileth Why saiest thou then O wicked man and speakest O hypocrite the Lord is as man and the mightie God of heauen as the silly worme that crawleth vpon the earth Thirdly 3. God shall dwell with him for euer that their estate shall be as vnchangeable as God himselfe for they say God shall be with them for euer wherfore let them heare the word of the Lord that say thus in their hearts Wee haue made a Couenant with death and with hell are we at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe thorough it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidde therefore thus saith the Lord Iudgment will I lay to the rule and righteousnesse to the ballance and the haile shall sweep away thy vaine confidence and the waters shall ouerflow thy secret place and your couenant with death shal be disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when a scourge shall runne ouer and passe through then shal ye be trode downe by it thus will I make your bed straight that it cannot suffice for your rest in my wrath and your couerings so narrowe that you cannot wrap your selues from my rods Go too then O hypocrite thou saidest I shall be a Lady for euer like the Lord of heauen whose dayes haue no ende I am Re◠18.7 and none else I shall not sit as a widow neither shall knowe the losse of children therefore heare thou that art giuen to pleasures dwellest carelesse that doest not set thy mind to righteousnes neither doest remember the latter end of thy sinne how that these two things shal come to the suddenly the losse of children and widowhood they shall come vpon thee in their perfection for thou hast trusted in wickednesse and hast said none seeth me◠thy wisedome and thy knowledge haue caused thee to rebell therefore shall euill come vpon thee and thou shalt not knowe the morning thereof destruction shall fall vpon thee which thou shalt not be able to put away And this shall bee the ende of all them that falsifie the truth of God The fourth thing is the discourse of wicked men Wicken mens discourses that riseth out of these apparant truths First I sinne and God is silent therefore he either seeth not or if he see yet hee regards not my sinne or if he regard my sinne yet his silence makes mee trust that he consents with me or if he doe
denying graunt the one and graunt the other denie the one and denie the other Secondly because it is not onely the part of a wise man to produce his worke but also to direct it to his ende therfore most absurd to denie it of the wisest Thirdly because it is impossible that a thing should be produced by one wisdome and gouerned by another thus things would not serue the ende of their creation but another Observ 6. According to this wisdome euery nature worketh and to this he ought to obey Reason 1. Because they are Gods effects and therefore obeying the cause must needs obey the wisdome that ordered the causes sinne therefore beeing nothing obeies not God neither any sinner as he serues sinne Secondly this wisdome carries to the ende and euery thing obeies his ende and inclines bends and bowes vnto it Observ 7. This obsequie or obedience of the creature is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or true impression of this producing and gouerning wisdome This first wisdome is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gouernement of the Creator the obedience of the creature or liuely seale that stamped that marke vpon the creature therefore the stampe is the liuely effigies or impression of that first wisdome and the obsequie or obedience of the creature is nothing but to imitate his gouernour A familiar example of this you may see in the seale and the impression vpon the waxe the seale leaues his marke and the marke is a plaine representation of the seale though the seale it selfe could be seene of none but him that stamped his marke vpon the waxe The waxe sets forth the creature the stampe the obedience and the seale Gods wisdome and this is that Idaea which is so much dreamed of whereof the creature is not capable yet the reflexion of it may be in the creature As for example sixe or seuen men may see their faces all in one glasse yet the glasse is farre lesse then any one of their faces for the naturall face of a man can not be put into the glasse but the image of his face reflected and that in most liuely proportion so Gods face no man can see yet his backe parts may be seene Exod. 33. now this face as I may say of Gods wisdome beeing stamped vpon his creatures carrie them in all their motions to their ends appointed of his Maiestie These things beeing well conceiued of wee finde two things most necessarie to concurre to the producing of any act 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 First facultie or power which God giues the creature when he giues them beeing 2. a rule of Gods wisdome to bring that facultie into exercise and so carrie it along vnto his ende The rule is the principall cause the facultie the instrumentall or ministeriall cause to ioyne with the principall neither alone can doe any thing but both together can doe any worke that the Creator would haue to be done To come then to our purpose God created man a reasonable creature indued with two most excellent qualities will and vnderstanding so that man was made able to vnderstand his Creator and will him as his onely good Yet man could not actually will God except God had giueÌ„ a rule to haue taught him so to doe the Lord bad man loue him with all his heart soule minde and strength and then to loue his neighbour as himselfe And for the effecting of this he gaue him a perfect rule of righteousnes to ioyne with his will in the performance of any dutie neither did God withhold this rule from him at any time and therefore God gaue man by creation power to will and rule sufficient for to haue taught him how to will so that neither for power or act any thing was wanting Let vs see then how these two things concurred in mans first fall How rule and facultie meet together in the first fall The deuill comes in the serpent and he beginnes to withdraw man from his rule knowing if man and woman had sticked close thereunto sinne should haue had no entrance He beginnes first to propound a question that so he might bring the woman to dispute with him and the question is made about the rule of obedience Hath God indeed said Ye shall not eate of euerie tree of the garden To this the woman answers first by affirmation we eate of the trees of the garden secondly by negation from the sentence of the law of the fruit which is in the mids of the garden God hath said not onely I The dispuâ—â—â— on of the 〈◊〉 man and 〈◊〉 deuill but neither I nor my husband must eate of it neither shall ye touch it and to the prohibition she laies the curse least ye die So then the rule would haue made his part good against the Deuill and haue taught the woman to haue holden this conclusion against all the deuills arguments The deuill replies againe vpon the woman and first he begins to take away that which might feare her in breaking the law yee shall not die at all and then to her negation brings a testimonie first from God God doth knowe secondly from contradiction to the law when ye shall eate therof thirdly a threefold reason to perswade them to that act of eating first knowledge your eyes shall be opened secondly the measure of this knowledge it shal make you like God himselfe thirdly from the kinds of their knowledge knowing both good and euill As yet no hurt was done Let vs now see how the Law concurres in the next The conâ—â— of the 〈◊〉 and we shall easily see both Gods and the lawes confluxe with Adams fall The 1. act of the woman was approbation of the deuills reasons so the woman here 's consent against both God the law The 2. act was seeing here God concurred naturally and that by the rule of nature in optickes neither was this the breach of that rule but presently the will wheeles or turnes it selfe vpon the obiect and saies the tree was good and that approbation was also good for the tree was good by Gods creation but this goodnesse did so affect the will that Gods law must be forgotten and the tree beeing made good for that which the law forbad to wit that it was good for meat when before out of the sentence of the law she had saide the law and God himselfe hath saide ye shall not eate and to say it was good for meate was a direct affirmation against both God and his law and so could not haue their concourse and this was her internall iudgment The next is her externall iudgment in regard of the tree obiected to her eyes in these words and that it was pleasant to the eyes Now this was no where forbidden but that they might looke on it and it may be she said too much when she added we may not touch it yet this likewise is made a sinne for after the will is spoyled then all the other
his efficiencie The nature of Gods decree and omnipotency and is generally nothing else but sententia definita in consilio suo ab aeterno de rebus faciendis that is Gods definitiue sentence in his eternall counsell concerning the making of all things And that it riseth from omnipotencie and efficiencie it is plaine for in that he did it we say he could doe it and so decreed it and the sentence must bee of such things as are within his power so that election is nothing but the choise of a thing and decretum the decree nothing but the setting of it done definitiuely the word is of decerno to see a sunder and verie fitly signifieth this determination of God sententia sentence though the Lord doth all things simul and semel at once and together in respect of himselfe yet to vs he shewes it as if he did it peditentim step by steppe and that with great and long determination therefore a sentence where his will and power giue in their verdict and say sic sentio so I iudge The third word definita or definitiua definite or definitiue is the determination or defining of a thing inter cancellos within his bounds in consilio con salio where many things leape together or concurre to make vp one sentence so that a man is as it were distracted about the composing of them the Lord did it without all distractioÌ„ yet were there many things that the Lord brought together Eterno eternall because it was long before any thing was existent de rebus faciendis it is of matters to bee done and not of things alreadie done Properties in Gods deciee for that is more properly ordination the ordering and ranking of euerie worke brought forth according to his eternall decree Out of this breakes forth his constancie in performing euerie thing by deede that hee hath decreed not that God is tied thereunto but rather the thing to bee done is tied vnto him and his good pleasure so that stoicall destinie is not thereby brought in but true constancy 2. Veritie in performing it according to his word for so is verum quod pronuntiat vti res est that saies as the thing is yet here we are to inuert quando res est vti pronuntiat that the thing is because he pronounceth it Constanti test qua constanter decretum essicit veritas est qua dicretum essi it sâ—cun lum vorâ—â— side est qua siat dictum for Gods pronunciare to pronounce is before the thing and God pronounced what should become of euerie thing long before they existed The third is sides fidelitie which is in performing the thing according to his promise A constant decree as he effects it most true as be effects it according to his word and most faithfull as he keepes his promise constancie truth and faithfulnesse bee three effects of Gods decree If from the effects we inquire of the manner of the cause we must needs confesse it was neither by nature nor necessitie or any chance and fortune but by counsell and therefore counsell beeing the manner of Gods working could not be considered as the genus of Gods decree but as it belongs ad causam illius essicientem to the efficient Eph. 1. God works all things secundum consilium voluntatis suae according to the counsell of his will And therefore Gods counsell is his deliberation of bringing euery thing to passe after the best manner So then by his decree appeares his counsel and his counsell makes his decree to bee wrought most willingly and most wittingly therefore his decree of sinne must be most willingly and wittingly performed otherwise it should be no decree therefore fecit Order of consequence in 〈◊〉 dâ—cree qua potuit qua potuit decreuit qua decreuit consuliò fecit qua consulto fecit gloriam spectauit qua gloriam spectauit sapientiae visum est qua sapientiae visum est bonum fuit qua bonum fuit absolute voluit God did the thing as hee might do it as hee might doe it so he decreed it as he deereed it so he did it by the best counsell as by the best counsell it respected his glorie as that it seemed to accord with his wisedome as that it was good and as good he absolutely willed it Surely with men in giuing counsell plus vident oculi quam oculus the more counsell they giue and the better but it is not so with God for he sees all things simul semel together and at once now when we speake of deliberation we must vnderstand it more humano according to our capacity that the Lord takes the best way to effect any thing Obserue further that the Lord when he is said to be causa consilio a cause by counsell must needes haue his ende and scope set before him and this must be of all things and what is that but his glorie Counsell therfore intends the glorie of God Glorie the fruit of vertue for as God is the beginning of all things so he is the ende of all things Now glorie is called the ende of God by a metanimie of the adj for subj because it is properly the fruit that follows vpon vertue intellectuall or morall in a word all his goodnesse Exod. 33. Moses cries to God that he would shew him his glorie God makes answer What Gods glory vertaâ—â— or goodnesse are that the glorie which Moses can see is the going of his goodnes before him whose backe parts he might see but for the face of it he could not see and liue this goodnesse breakes forth in the proclamation Exod. 34. And that goodnes is nothing but the appearance of his most absolute vertues especially iustice and mercie the reason is because these shine in the creatures and secondly because the ende thereof is to set forth his glorie As his counsell had a scope so it had some forme of working which we call the Idaea of all things A builder of an house first conceiues in himselfe the worke he intends to produce then secondly he lookes againe vpon his worke wrought and sees how it answers his first intended forme the painter eyes the naturall face and from that stamps by drawing limming and colouring the expresse image thereof and then he lookes vpon his worke to see how it answers the patterne The first knowledge we call direct the second indirect or reflexed so in God there is first of all the Idaea and plat-forme of all things and this is in God most direct who seeing in himselfe all things knows how to make all things out of himselfe How God in knowing differs from man and these may well be called Gods plots which he hath formed and fashioned in himselfe Now this wisdome of God differs from mans because his idaea or plot is first in the thing because he doth nothing primarily but by imitation and obseruation of that wisdome which he hath seene God lay open
cognitione secondly in manifesting his desree it is done cognitione indirecta first generall in his creation for from his efficiencie and omnipotencie potuit he could reueale it hence in respect of himselfe being meere acts he could not haue any such attribute for potuit may be or could be can neuer be said of him that euer was actu therfore must it respect the things that may be may feele the act of God hence qua potuit efficit as he could bring them forth so he did it most effectually Now because omnipotencie and efficiencie respects both posse and efficere to be able and to doe Constanter verâ— sideliter and what God can doe and will doe that must he needs decree constantly truely and saithfully Now because this decree of God cannot but be brought to passe after the best way and manner therefore must he decree by counsell if by counsell then must the scope be prefixed therefore must the ende of it manifest his glorie therefore all his goodnesse therefore his vertues which are his attributes and if them then his iustice and mercie To doe by counsell is to haue some expresse forme of working the plot whereof makes euery thing agreeable to his counsell this plot seemes good vnto his wisedom and this the Lord wills and that with a most free will arbitrio iudicij libertate voluntatis wit and will Out of these grounds we easily answer the doubt Application to the doubt that God did neither omit or commit any thing in mans fall he did not omit for the rule was at hand and mans facultie to doe well was sufficient the concourse was not in man therefore did he omit denying the law that due respect that it challenged I told you before that neither the law alone nor the facultie alone was able to produce the act of obedience therefore the law alone could not do it not that it was an vnsufficient rule but because man would not practise this rule Now you know it is said to be impossible vnto the law not in regard of it selfe but in regard of vs that cannot concurre with it to that righteousnesse which it exacteth which we might haue done by creation For commission it is plaine that the Lord did no otherwise concurre with mans fall then the law did which you haue heard in explication of the causes of the first transgression was no causa perse but causa per accidens and therefore an vnblameable cause If man will rush against it what fault can he finde with the lawe if it doe mischiefe him Hee that takes a sword by the poynt is sure to wound himselfe which if he had taken by the handle might haue been vsed both for defence and offence But it is further replied the motion of man to finne followed Gods motion which was irresistable True it is the will of God is irresistable when it is opposed and therefore in resisting the will of God he followed an irresistable motion in opposing the law of God he suffered his owne ouerthrowe So that resistentia beeing only of enemies that suffer mutably and God beeing sine passione resistentia without passion or resistence and therefore cannot be resisted Then your meaning is this that man was a resolute enemie to sinning and fought with God about this action but God would haue man to sinne and so man should not resist But alas it was cleane contrarie Gods will was not to haue man to sinne and mans will was to sinne and therefore hee fought against Gods wil yet could he not resist Gods will or falsifie the least of his decrees Rom. How God concludes hiâ— mercy and iustice not ex prâ—uâ—sa fidâ— or ex pecâ—ato bâ—t from the promise which was his meere good will and pleasure 9.19 the conclusion in the 18. verse is the manifestation of Gods mercie and iustice by what argument you shal conceiue if you looke from the 6. verse it is drawne from contraries mans infidelitie and Gods fidelitie the infidelitie of man cannot frustrate the promise of God first because his promise is either generall or speciall generall as it respects the roote speciall as it respects the branches therefore hee saith all are not Israel that is the true liuing branches which are of Israel that is the root vnto which the promise was made it was made to Abraham it was made to Isaac c. Abraham the roote and some of the seede of this roote were indeed the seede of Abraham but yet in Isaac must the true seed be called this second promise is the effectuall promise which must stand v. 8. for there be some the children of the flesh hauing Abraham for their root but others are the children of God which haue God for their father and therefore must needs effectually be made partakers of the couenant and these say the Apostle are properly counted for the seed this hee shewes first because of the time appointed ver 9. secondly from the paritie of coÌ„ception Sarah had a sonne but the other was by her maide and therefore no maruell if God sanctified the true seed the other was bastardly borne yet v. 10. the matter was brought to more equall tearmes euen Rebecca she conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac therefore this conception would admit no exception for the parents Nothing either in the parents or children why God should purpose one to life the other to death but yet it may be the exception is to be made in the children themselues therefore v. 11. he proues Gods purpose to exclude all outward or inward considerations that might be found in them First from the constancy of his purpose that it might remaine secondly from the forme of his purpose according to election a setled decree thirdly from the eternitie of it yer the children were borne fourthly from the deniall of all causes out of himselfe first by an ennumeration either good or euill it was neither the goodnesse of Iacob nor the euill of Esau that caused the Lord to purpose any such thing secondly from the practise of good or euill done that distinction of facta and facienda of done or to bee done is idle for the fifth and last argument knocks it in the head which is drawne from the remotion of a false cause and the position or laying downe of the true cause not by workes generally done or to be done but by him that calleth if this be the true cause then say the other and you oppose Gods call for workes and Gods call be membra diuidentia therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cannot stand together This cause is proued to be the truth First by Gods oracle Gen. 25.23 the elder shall serue the younger this is against the ordinarie course of nature but God that calleth will haue it so Secondly from a testimonie Mal. 1.2.3 as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau that is I haue called Iacob to the feeling
necessarily must needes be a cause The answer is it is a necessarie conclusion by way of ratiocination or discourse but not from the argument it selfe the disposition makes it necessarie but the third reason is no necessarie cause seeing that the action of Gods decree as out of himselfe and in the creature is externally and materially to be considered and so is not necessarie but contingent temporarie and mutable and therefore if it had pleased God it might haue fallen out otherwise for euery necessarie truth is an eternall truth And therefore that which is in time and not eternall is contingent mutable and alterable That which is said to the interceding cause betwixt Gods decree and the fall Of the interceding cause to wit mans free will to exempt God from sinne is most true for God did not immediatly worke mans fall But you obiect that the remote cause is as well sinfull as the next because the deuill was the remote cause and yet guiltie of the same sinne Adam commited A speciall neuerprooues a generall The answer is when the causes are vniuocall homogeniall and of the same order of working but in causes heterogeniall and equiuocall which are of diuerse natures the remote cause is neuer tainted with the same fault that the next cause is As wine is a remote cause why a man is drunke yet no faultie-cause of his drunkennesse The Gospell and our Sauiour Christ came to send a sword into the world but yet were no true causes of sedition and quarrels among men The Sunne raiseth putrified creatures out of dead carkases it can harden as well the clay as melt the waxe A sonne desires the death of his father so doth God One thing effected of diuerse causes may bee faultie in one but not in another but the sonne breaks Gods commaundement God doth it according to the true rule of iustice a sonne would haue his father liue God would the contrarie yet a sinne in neither And therfore a remote cause is onely guilty of the same offence with the next when they worke all after one forme and manner otherwise the immediate cause is the onely author of the sinne al the rest by accident and by abuse The Gospel is the sauour of death vnto death as well as the free will of man but not eodem genere causandi after the same manner of working Pharaoh hardneth his owne heart so doth God but the one immediatly the other mediatly by the abuse of mans freewill Therfore the answer is from the distinction of remote causes in vniuocall causes the remote cause is as guiltie as the next and therefore the deuills will In causes vniuocall all are guiltie of the same crime but not in equivocall and mans will working vnivocally are both in the same offence but Gods will and mans worke equiuocally the one one way and the other another and therefore no neede of participation seeing they haue no next genus of a cause in which they should communicate Answer to Gods desertion To the third euasion betwixt infallibilitie and necessitie it is granted that man fell infallibly but not necessarily except we vnderstand it of Gods decree in himselfe and then the truth was an eternall truth And in this sense our Diuines hold it not of any necessitie in mans will therefore it was only necessarie in Gods wll but contingent in mans yet the truth it selfe in the thing is to God and man contingent to God most certen but to man vncertaine For desertion we hold that God did not forsake man in any necessarie requisite for his true obedience vnto the law onely he with-held his confirmation of man If a man were set in some office for triall of his gifts is it necessarie that he should be confirmed in it I trow not and therefore this desertion was of confirmation and not of necessarie helpes for execution And here our Orthodoxe writers when they answer to that argument that iustice and mercie presuppose misery Misâ—rie potentiall reall habituall make answer of a threefold miserie first actuall which is in sense and feeling secondly habitual which is in the bosome of a man but as yet puts not forth it selfe the third potentiall into which a man may fall and this they call a miserie in comparison Iob 4.18 Behold he found no steadfastnesse in his seruants and laid folly vpon his angels Iob 9.2 Howe should man compared vnto God be iustified Habituall and actuall miserie had no place in man by his creation but possible or potentiall miserie was laid in the freedome of his will which if God had inclined vnto good and man so determined then had he come into the estate of the blessed Angels and so miserie had been impossible and his estate should haue been confirmed vnto him with God for euer not from the freedom of his will but from his obedience and Gods promise thereunto Therefore that desertion and not collation of necessarie helpe to auoide sinne is to be vnderstood of this third grace which was not a grace of creation but a further liberallity which God might haue bestowed if it had pleased him But I dare not rest satisfied with this answer because I see this third grace was onely to be obtained by the obedience of the creature that is if he did the will of God then would God haue beene as good as his promise thou shalt liue therefore in my iudgement Confirmation of life by creation was to follow our obedience vnto the 〈◊〉 confirming grace was a subsequent grace to followe obedience and not an antecedent grace to goe before it and so the angels obtained it by their obedience and from their obedience are confirmed if then without their obedience they could not be confirmed then must confirming grace belong vnto the law of creation as well as any other for what grace should man haue receiued by creation but that which God would haue communicated vnto him by the rule of obedience doe this and thou shalt liue to confirme him in life was vpon his doing I answer therefore Desertion 1. in not rebuking Sathan 2. In diuiding of the lawe and his facultie 3. In that God suffered man to be distracted and did not hold him close vnto his law in despite of the deuill that desertion is no cause of mans sinne but that God was wel-pleased to suffer the deuill to worke more strongly in the temptation then mans will should be able to oppose not for power giuen but for present act and as in this temptation the law forsooke man so God may most iustly bee said to forsake him I haue before declared that two things are most necessary for euery good action rule and power which if both concurre not the action cannot bee produced Now the law concurred not and therefore man was forsaken of the lawe not actiuely but passiuely euen as a master should promise his seruant all aide and succour as long as hee would
aduerse to a sinner and so the arguments differ Adam by creation was a iust man in habite but not in act and according to that which the Lord required and so death beeing taken away we are in the way to iustification but not actually iust vntill actually the law be performed in our selues or another And because the point is in controuersie thereasons to establish this truth may be these Arg. 1. Lex regale 〈◊〉 iustiâ—e That which is the perfect righteousnesse of the lawe is both actiue and passiue but that whereby we are iustified is of this nature For I demaund by what rule of righteousnesse is life and saluation conuaied vnto vs If they say by faith then I demaund what is that righteousnesse of faith is it the verie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then assuredly it excludes both the righteousnesse of Christ and that of the law and yet faith is said to establish both If it be the righteousnesse of Christ then I demaund is not that morall if morall then either perfect or imperfect if perfect then actiue and passiue That we apprehend Christs righteousnesse that is of grace but that Christ hath it for vs that is of the law The second Argument against this opinion may be this Christ did all as a nâ—ediator for those that haue need of a mediator That which Christ did as a Mediator was not onely for himselfe but for vs and for vs more principally then himselfe but all that Christ did were the actions of a Mediatour his humane nature had no subsistence but by the diuine and euery action beeing in supposito was of him as a Mediatour and therfore for vs and so both actiue and passiue obedience were for vs. But they will say his actiue obedience did fit him for our Mediatorship To this I answer if his actiue obedience be the obedience of a Mediator then in his whole latitude it was for vs and as soon as he was born he was fit to redeeme so neuer an action but it was for vs. If then these actions of fitting bee properly the actions of a Mediator then they tautologise speak no sense for so that fitting was nothing but redeeming for I am sure euery action of our Mediatour is to redeeme and to redeeme is to seeke those that were lost and so his actiue obedience was for those which were lost and if that then had we neede of all Christs obedience Argum. He fulfilled the ceremoniall law both actiuely and passâ—â—ely for others ergn the moral 3. Christ fulfilled all righteousnes morall ceremoniall The ceremoniall was not fulfilled by passiue obedience but also by actiue if the ceremoniall required both then much more the morall Deut. 4.1 Sam. 22. Hos 6.6 mercie more then sacrifice and knowledge more then burnt offerings and this in both was done for others he was circumcised for others for he was without sinne and therefore in Christ to signifie any pollution circumcision had no vse so was he baptized but it was not for the washing away of his owne filthines but ours The reasons why he must keepe the law for others are these 1. because perfect obedience depended on him for the performer 2. both the law morall and ceremoniall acknowledge him for Mediator for seeing it was impossible to be fulfilled of vs it was possible vnto him 3. because he did establish and fulfill both 4. he alone is the bond of both seeing then he performed actiue obedience to the Ceremoniall law and that not for himselfe but for vs. the like must be confessed of the morall especially the ceremoniall law beeing but an appendix and addition to the morall Argum. Against reason that death should cause life 4. Christs death could not bring life because no death can be the cause of life seeing they are contraries Fire cannot cause cold neither water heat blindnes cannot cause sight neither sight blindnes Christs death to take away death is good reason but to cause life is against all reason This is very agreeable with the Scriptures reason that as Christs death doth free vs from death so Christs life doth bring vs vnto life He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Dan. 9.24 the slaying of the Messias brings in the expiation of sinne and his liuing againe brings euerlasting righteousnesse Sinne brought in death therefore righteousnes must bring in life for if death should bring in life then life should be the reward of sinne for I am sure that the Scriptures affirme that death is the reward of sinne and the reward of sinne can neuer be the cause of life What hath a schoole-boy deserued when his master hath whipped him so what haue we deserued in Christ when we are onely punished in him Sinne and the reward of sinne haue no agreement with life Therefore it is true that the expiation of sinne is wrought by Christs passiue obedience and life by his actiue Argum. 5. All types whereof Christ is the truth Types prooue both actine and passiue obedience to bee found in Christ point at this assertion first in the couenant of grace there was the Arke and the Table Exod. 24.7 in the Arke was the booke of the law and so the booke of the lawe went with the couenant and was to be found in Christ for vs. Exod. 25.22 the Mercie-seat was betweene the two Cherubims and these were vpon the Arke of the Testament Mal. 3.1 therefore no seat of mercie without the Arke of the Testament The pascall lambe must be without spot eaten with sweete bread and sowre hearbs both must be in Christ therefore not onely the soure hearbs of his death and passion but the sweet bread of his righteousnesse Vrim and Thummim must be on the Priests breast when he carries the peoples iudgement before God and this must be had beside blood therefore righteousnes beside passion Ar. 6. From similitudes familiarly applied in the Scriptures whose end purpose are to prooue this First the wiues debt is made the husbands and we beeing married vnto Christ the debt that we owe God by our creation must be payed before he will admit of vs now that debt was Do and liue and this Christ hath done and so we shall liue Secondly Christ is the head of his Church and therefore must he giue vnto his members life motion and all things needfull Thirdly the suretie must pay and discharge the whole debt of him for whome he is bound all of vs are bankerupts and stand in neede to haue a great debt discharged for vs and likewise a new stocke purchased To conclude it is foolish to make such a distinction as this seeing all the actions of our Mediator are as wel actiue as passiue his life is not taken from him but he laies it downe willingly and euen from his conception his humanitie being assisted by his deity which could not suffer turned all Christs sufferings into actions I haue bin drawne to inlarge
wicked men pay all to the deuill nothing to God and therefore because they will be thus debt-bound to the flesh to liue after it they shall be sure to die Reas Comparison with others 3. is comparison with others First wicked and profane which are extraordinarily beastly these men oftentime liue a faire life and die a quiet death and therefore if God loued them a little in both these then surely must I needs be loued of God much more Againe with the godly they are a companie of precise persons men of melancholy dispositions at peace with no men cannot liue quietly at home but they must abroad to heare sermons and yet for all this I sit still at home content with that which God sends and am as wel esteemed of my neighbours as they and why then should not I be in the fauour of God as well as they Thus dealing with their owne soules they are farre gone in a conceit that God is like vnto them and loues them most dearely therefore are sure to die in it 1. Vse reprehension first confutation of the wicked that they are of an other kind of stampe then they dreame of they conceit heauen and happines when indeede they are but one steppe from hell 2. Correction of the godly that if they trust for any fauour at the hands of wicked men they shall be deceiued for it is impossible they should doe them good except the Lord worke it out of them for they are forlorne creatures and forsaken of God 2. Vse instruction First admonition to the wicked that they bragge not too much of their prosperitie in so high a conceit of all is well with them 2. A direction to the godly to conceiue best of themselues when they haue learned the greatest humilitie to confesse that they are but dust and ashes and lesse then the least of Gods mercies This will make them mount vpon Eagles wings vnto the kingdome of heauen and the throne of glorie 3. Vse consolation First in our exaltation when we shall consider what a difference there is betwixt the true loue of God shed abroad in our hearts and that vaine conceit that we had of it in our owne thoughts Paul thought he did well and that it was an acceptable sacrifice vnto God to shed the blood of the poore Christians he was zealous for the law and surely he had no small conceit of Gods loue toward him But when the Lord had appeared vnto him and told him of his seruice he becomes of an other minde and triumphs in nothing but in Christ crucified and that with an execration God forbid now he sees the world crucified vnto himselfe and himselfe vnto the world 2. This obseruation may vouchsafe comfort in affliction that therefore the Lord doth afflict vs that we may not trust too much to our selues but truly resort vnto him that will denie vs no comfort Reason for all opinions Obs 6. No opinion so absurd but men wil haue some appearance of reason for it That God is like man is a conceit vaine enough and full of absurditie yet the hypocrite hath his reason for it because God is silent This point is cleare in all kinds of errors Atheisme which for breuitie I refer to foure heads Atheisme Idolatrie heresie prophannes Atheisme a strange opinion euen against reason it selfe and the crie of the whole world which cannot but make God the first and the last For if there be any beeing which cannot be denied then must it needs be either the first beeing or a beeing from the first for to say that there are two first beeings is false seeing that two doth alwaies presuppose one but one doth not alwaies presuppose two one may be without two but two cannot be without one therefore euery beeing wil say that God is this first that God is this one Secondly euery creature is for some next ende as all things are for man now for what next ende is man surely for God or else he is good for nothing A stately building can not be except some man haue his hand in it though I can see neuer a man about it This stately palace of the world could not be except God had shewed his power in it although wee cannot see his presence according to his essence yet see how Atheisme preuailes 1. Of God there is no cause aboue nature or fortune for into these two may all things be resolued as the first principles and therefore there is no God Tush God sees not neither is there any knowledge in the most high 2. Of creation Atheisme of his works first of creation that could not be because the Lord had no workemen to helpe him no instruments to worke by nor any matter to worke from 3. Of prouidence Againe no prouidence because bonis malè malis benè Neither any last iudgement 4. Of last iudgement because all things come a like since the fathers Neither haue we these generall Atheists alone Partiall Atheisme but also many partiall Athiests denying of his particular prouidence ouer all creatures â— Of speciall prouâ—â—ence in all creatures It is too base for the Lord to take care for smal creatures and actions of small moment because he sits like a king and therefore iudgeth the great matters of the world â— In sinne and the rest he puts ouer to angels and men nature and fortune Againe those that denie the prouidence of God ouer sinne saying hee hath a bare knowledge of it as though there were any prouidence which did not containe in it knowledge and care and they are not without reason for it God is not the author of sinne a good reason if it were not mis-applied Againe the Aramites the 1. of King 20. v. 23. 3. Of Gods vbiquitie will fight no more with Israel in the mountaines because their Gods are the Gods of the mountaines and therefore they ouercome vs but let vs fight against them in the plaine and doubtlesse wee shall ouercome them Here is an vndoubted argument that God is not euery where and therefore they might as well haue said no where Beside 2. Of his special and extraâ—â—dinary prâ—â—idence we haue more secret Atheist as some physitians which when God shewes his extraordinarie prouidence in preseruing some without food for many yeares will shew how this may be done by the losse of stomack liuer and the rest of the instruments which serue for nutrition and they further adde for the preuenting of the death of the bodie that these parts are turned in salinam substantiam which saltie substance is so farre from corrupting the body that it preserues it now for the continuance of life they adde further that the braine heart and lungs being in their naturall force giue life sence and motion by reason that breathing is from without as well as from within whereby the lungs are preserued and that the spirits vitall and animall are
not able to put life into that dead picture and therefore to goe before them was impossible it would not so much as follow them except they caried it and therefore beasts they were that saw how God went before them in a pillar of fire by night and in a cloud by day and when there enemies were behinde them made this pillar stand behinde them should now put their confidence in a dead picture The Papists say man is Gods image which may be painted therefore may there be an image of God Alas what Papist can paint the soule of man or the righteousnesse and holinesse that is in the foule Thomas Aquinas saies the starres might be worshipped but for feare of Idolatrie euen the selfe same as if I should say a man might cut an other mans throate but for feare of murther to cut the throate and murther are not farre asunder for the first is the cause and must needs bring in the other For heresie meere conceits This is my body Heresie therfore it is so in deed Christ is a rocke a stone a vine therfore he is so in deed nothing but a rocke a stone a vine surely stones and rockes will reason better then thus Christs man-hood is vnited to the deitie therefore it is euery where as though things vnited were confounded and the man-hood were equall with the deitie nay the very selfe same for to haue the same essentiall properties is to haue the same essence Christ must die therfore he is not Christ because be that dies endures not for euer as though the graue hauing shut in Christ three dayes should haue kept him for euer well he rose againe and hath openly manifested himselfe to liue for euer Diues calls in bel father Abraham haue mercie vpon me therefore to call to the Saints is no such intolerable thing a good argument that must needs be fetch out of hell to prooue so damnable an assertion Pope Alexander treading vpon the necke of Fredericke hath his conceit for it vpon the basiliske shalt thou goe the kissing of his feete because the sinner kissed the feet of Christ therefore his church because bone of his bone therefore the Pope because he is the church as beasts Psal 8. are subiect vnto man so all men vnto the Pope surely as beasts for he is the master beast of them all Reu. 13. Two swords in Christs family therefore two kingdomes on the Popes head Peter Act. 10. rise and kill therefore may the Pope excommunicate and kill Princes As good conceits as may be and at the best they are no better For profanation Profanation let vs sinne that grace may abound who will deale thus with a kind friend he is liberall vnto me therefore will I prouoke him to doe me good by my vnkindnesses the Physitian is skilfull and hath cured a deadly disease therefore I will drinke some more poyson that the physitian may not be idle the surgeon hath healed a dangerous wound therefore will I stabbe my selfe in the same place that I may trie him againe If I must be saued I must be saued if damned no remedie why then depriue I my soule of ioy in my pleasures If I should tell thee thou must liue and that is according to Gods appointed time why wilt thou eate or drinke this thou wilt say is a conceit therefore iudge so of the rest for the cause is alike Now I come vnto the reasons 1. Vâ—nity Reas Vanitie of minde Rom. 1.21 But became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darknesse Hence did arise those conceits following that the glorie of the incorruptible God was to be turned into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure footed beasts and of creeping things this is Idolatrie They turned Gods truth into a lie there is heresie And for prophanation strange to consider what followed hereupon 2. Reason is the abuse of the obiect Selfe-conceit turning it vnto their owne conceit and not their conceit vnto it They would haue their knowledge like vnto Gods that first sees all things in himselfe and after all things in the creatures So would man doe he would first see all things in himselfe and then himselfe in all things when indeede by Gods creation man is made to looke vpon all Gods wisdome in the creatures and so by reflexion to see himselfe euen as a man sees a face in a glasse and by that knowes his owne and he that wil first know his owne face before he see it in Gods glasse will be sure his face shall be a good one and therefore will he neuer see any bad face in Gods law and so shall his iudgement be a conceit of himselfe 3. Reason the violence of passions which are in wicked men Violent 〈◊〉 as a melancholike humour in the bodie which makes men strangely conceited and so stiffe in their opinions that neither wise men by counsel or learned Physitians by purgations and cordialls are able to remooue it except they turne the conceit into an other by letting them plainly see that which fed their humour was so but now is otherwise Tralianus cured a woman that could not be perswaded but that shee had swallowed downe a serpent by causing her cast and priuily caused a serpent to be put into the bason and so shee was deliuered Philotomus cured a person that was conceited that his head was cut off by a tyrant by causing an yron ball to be put into his hat the waight whereof did so sore oppresse him that he cried out his head did ake the standers by tells him why then thou hast an head Some haue thought they haue beene dead men and therefore would not eate because dead men can not eate yet one faining himselfe to be dead and they putting meat into his mouth falls to eating and the conceited person seeing that he falls of eating too and so his life was preserued Others haue beene so resolute in their conceits that they haue died in them as Arthemidorus a Grammarian who vpon the sight of a crocodile was so sore amased that he forgat all his learning and became so madde that he thought his legges and armes were cut off neither would he euer be perswaded to the contrarie Euen thus falls it out with wicked men that either they see one conceit by another to prooue foolish or els they doe so strongly ground themselues in their conceits that they will neuer be drawne to any better perswasions As many an ignorant Papist his fathers were so and he hopes well of them and God forbid that they should be in hell therefore he liues as they did he hopes well Yet others after they haue seene as the Apostle saith no profit of those things whereof they are now ashamed become to change their minds and see all was but a conceit of pleasure Thus men become more wise after sinne committed then before because the passions
parents Gen. 3. the Lord exaamines the matter and saies vnto the serpent because thou hast done thus thou are accursed vnto the woman I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes vnto Adam Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree whereof I commaunded thee saying Thou shalt not eate of it cursed is the earth for thy sake Thus dealt he with the whole world Gen. 6.5 When the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only euil that continually therefore v. 7 I will destroy from the earth the man whom I haue created c. Thus dealt he with nations Ezech. 18.2 The fathers haue eaten the sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge this prouerbe hath no good meaning for the soule that sinneth it shall die Therefore O house of Israel are not my waies equall and are not your wayes vnequall surely I will iugde you euery one according to his wayes Againe for particular cities Gen. 18. I will goe downe to see whether the cry which is come vp vnto me be so or no. Lastly speciall persons Gen. 4.9 Where is Abel v. 10. what hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth now therefore v. 11. Thou art accursed from the earth c. Reas 1. Drawne from the nature of punishment which is alwaies a consequent of sinne and therefore cannot goe before the doings of men Reas 2. The conscience of wicked men which must needs containe in them the bills of Inditement according vnto which the Iurie must proceed and the Lord himselfe wil giue sentence Reu. 20.12 The dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Reas 3. That all may be without excuse for what shal man say vnto his Creator when the Lord hath told him These things hast thou done surely lay his hand vpon his mouth and confesse that the Lord is iust in all his workes Vse 1. reprehension First of such as complaine with Israel in Ezek. 18. thy fathers haue sinned and we haue borne their punishments It is not so O house of Israel for Gal. 6.5 euery man shall beare his owne burden 1. Cor. 3.8 euerie man shal receiue his wages according to his labour therefore to thee O Lord mercy for thou rewardest euerie one according to his worke Psal 62.12 Secondly a correction of the godly that murmure at the silence of God toward the wicked and are grieued for his hand vpon themselues conceiuing it an iniurie done vnto themselues because they iudge themselues better then the wicked but let them also knowe that the cause of their afflictious is their owne doings Iam. 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euil neither tempteth hee any man but euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed then when lust hath concâ—iued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Vse 2. instruction First a direction to the wicked that they be more carefull of their actions Secondly a direction to the godly 〈◊〉 2.12 that they learne to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts and liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Vse 3. consolation First in trouble 2. Theff 1.6.7 For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you but to you which are troubled rest with vs. Secondly in weldoing thou maiest haue this consolation Psa 37.3 trust thou in the Lord and doe good dwell in the land and thoushalt be fed assuredly delight thy selfe in him and hee shall giue thee thy hearts desire for the Lord is a most equall God and will not suffer either the doings or the sufferings of his children to go vnrewarded CHAP. V. Of Gods silence in generall THE second part is the holinesse of the Lords sentence which is twofold mercy and iustice Mercy Silence I held my tongue Iustice but I will reprooue thee Mercy is described by sowre arguments first by his qualitie silence secondly by his obiect about which hee is exercised and that is the doings of the wicked thirdly by the accidentall effects and they are wicked thoughts fourthly by the forme and manner of these thoughts and that is to make God like themselues First of Gods silence which is nothing else but Gods clemencie in his patience and long suffering with his bountifulnesse and generall goodnesse toward sinners That this may more clearly appeare we are to vnderstand that the Lord which is absolute beeing in himselfe Exod. 3.14 can haue nothing giuen vnto him which is not himselfe for I am that I am is a proposition that hath no more in the consequent then was in the antecedent for I am is the antecedent and I am is the consequent therefore euery consequent in God is God God is silent God the antecedent is I am and silent the consequent is I am for nothing is giuen to God that is lesse then I am and greater then I am is impossible Hence God is one most simple beeing and impossible to be vnderstood of our shallow capacities therefore hath it pleased his maiestie that we might vnderstnd some thing of him to shew vs his backe parts Exod 33.23 which are his glorious attributes Exod. 34. v. 6 7. among which we haue this silence of God slowe to anger and aboundant to goodnes and truth Now these attributes are of diuers sorts Absolute attribateâ— Conditionall some absolute some conditionall some both absolute and conditionall absolute which at all haue no arise from the creatures but follow his absolute beeing as his infinitnesse eternitie and the like which doe follow from that he is without causes not looking at him for his effects in his creatures others meerly conditionall as in creation omnipotencie which is only in God in regard of his creatures which in time might feele the worke of an euerlasting worker For in God creation was alwaies act and neuer power otherwise should the Lord haue begun his act and then it should not haue beene eternall Indeede his creature felt the beginning of it for once it was nothing and to make that something we tearme it omnipotencie which is in the creature alone for God is not ommpotent in the generation of his sonne neither the sonne and the father omnipotent in the proceeding of the holy Ghost because this is an absolute and eternall genreation and procession that was neuer out of act and therefore vncapable of any power In the fall of man this silence is meerely conditionall for if there had bin no sinne then should God haue had no silence So in the state of redemption grace is giuen to God only from that worke in the creature receiuing him to mercy for Christs sake For attributes that may be said