one thing and the Image of God in him is another 30 Holinesse and Righteousnesse are onely in God by way of Essence in Man they are not but by way of Jnherence 31 Immortalitie was a part of that divine Image For God created man to be immortall and made him to be an Image of his own Eternitie Wisd 2.23 32 That death of the body unto which we are all subject since the fall of Adam is not the naturall condition of man But it is derived upon us as a punishment for the wickednes of his transgression 33 It is not a debt due unto our nature as it was at first created by God but it is our just merit and wages for falling away from God 34 At what time man opened the gate of sin unto Satan knocking death entred in upon him and so passed upon all men Rom. 5.12 35 That immortalitie unto which man was created as likewise the whole Image of God was a naturall and internall propertie of the humane nature 36 In the body there was a most exact harmonie of all the qualities and it was governed by the soul which was created after the Image of God unto immortalitie 37 As therefore since the fall We are by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 So before his fall the first man was by nature the Son of grace and life 38 But the Degree of Immortalitie which was in our nature at the first institution and the degree that shall be at the perfect restitution are farre different the one from the other 39 The Immortalitie of the first man was That he had power not to die but the Immortalitie of the Elect shall be hereafter That they cannot die August 6. de Gen. ad Lit. cap. 25. 40 And further seeing that Immortalitie is a part of the divine Image from hence it is apparent That even in the body of man there is some glimpse of the divine Image 41 The comelinesse of the clay did argue also the beauty of the soul Bern. Serm. 24. sup Cant. col 564. 42 If any one ask whether Eve was made after the Image of God or no we answer that the name of Image is taken two wayes 43 Primarily and properly the Jmage of God was resplendent in the conformitie of the soul and all the powers and faculties of man with the Law of God which was common to both sexes saving the diversitie of degrees 44 Secundarily the Image of God was resplendent in that externall priviledge of Dominion and rule the eminencie whereof properly belonged unto the man 45 And that there might be nothing wanting to mans felicity beside the grace of soul and body God added also the grace of place for he gave him his dwelling-place in Paradise 46 Man was created by God partly Spirituall and partly Corporeall Therfore God gave unto him also a twofold Paradise both a Spirituall and a Corporeall 47 The Corporeall or Terrestriall Paradise was a Type and School of the Spirituall and Celestiall Paradise that is great tranquillitie and joy in the mind of man 48 If any man be desirous that we should show unto him in what part of the earth the Corporeall Paradise was situate That we will do if he will first plainly show unto us the situation of the earth as it was before the floud 49 That the garden of Paradise is yet extant and to be seen then will vve beleeve when any man can bring us a bough or a branch from thence or else demonstrate it unto us upon a good foundation 50 It is certain that Henoch and Elias live in Paradise But in what Paradise Not the Terrestriall but the Celestiall where Christ promised the good thief that he should be Luk. 23.43 51 There were two trees especially which were a great grace to the garden of Paradise to wit the tree of Life and the tree of Knowledge of good and evil Gen. 2.9 52 In the tree of Life there was set before man a Preservative against sicknesse and old age as also a Type of eternall beatitude 53 The tree of Knowledge was mans Temple and Altar and the service which he was to have performed unto God was To abstain from the fruit thereof 54 After mans fall it was so called from the Event For by tasting of the fruit thereof man learnt by wofull experience what a great good he had deprived himself of by reason of his sin and what a great evil he drew upon himself by his disobedience 55 As concerning the question about the production of souls whether by way of Propagation or by a dayly and immediate Creation we do not dislike the modestie of those which say That it is sufficient for them to beleeve and know whither they shall come by living a godly life although they be ignorant from whence they came August 10. de Gen. ad Lit. cap. 23. 56 Let me be ignorant of the originall of my soul if so be that I can come to the knowledge of the propagation of originall sinne and the redemption of souls Aug. Epist 157. ad Optat 57 If by the Image of God we understand according to the Scripture phrase true righteousnesse and holinesse The Holy Ghost witnesseth that we have lost it and we find it true by wofull experience 58 For what is Originall sinne but the losse and want of the divine Image which succeeded in the place of Originall righteousnesse 59 This doctrine concerning the Image of God leads us as it were by the hand that so we may come to the knowledge of Gods mercy and our own misery and further establisheth our hope 60 All land and praise be given to God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost To the Father which created us in Adam after his own Image to the Sonne which merited for us the renewing of that Image and to the Holy Ghost by whom this Image beginneth again to be renewed in us CHAP. IX Wherein are contained Theologicall Aphorismes concerning Originall sinne That is The Fall of our first parents and the corruption of nature which followed thereupon and is propagated unto their posterity 1 THE first man continued not in the integritie and perfection wherein he was created and therefore it descended not upon his posteritie by any right of inheritance 2 He followed the deceitfull perswasion of the Serpent and so fell into sinne and the transgression of Gods Commandment 3 In that naturall Serpent the infernall Serpent lay lurking 4 So then the Serpent which by his subtiltie deceived our first parents was disguised For there was a Devil in the shape of a Serpent 5 He sets upon the woman first being the weaker and not to be compared with man for the gift and endowment of wisdome 6 By a treacherous and deceitfull question about the meaning of Gods commandment he solicits her to a very dangerous kind of doubting 7 Outwardly with a feigned voice he propounds a question unto her Inwardly he wounds her soul with
upon them any absolute necessitie For then should they not be free and contingent Agents 20 It is a most grievous and hainous sinne to make the Providence of God to be the authour and cause necessitating man to sinne 21 If Gods foreknowing a man will sinne be the cause why man sinneth then Gods foreknowledge is not of mans sinne but of his own which is impious once to imagine 22 God doth not onely foresee the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things to be done but also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause and manner of doing 23 He foreseeth things he foreseeth the causes of things What things therefore are from their causes voluntarie or contingent notwithstanding Gods Providence cease not to be such as they are of their own Nature 24 How should the Order of causes which is certain in the Foreknowledge of God be the cause that nothing should be in our will when as even our wills have place in the Order of causes Aug. 5. De civit Dei cap. 9. 25 Neither is the Providence of God a bare Foreknowledge seeing that God is not an idle spectatour of things But also a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Predestination or Purpose a will decree to use Providence and take care for all things 26 It is the part of him that is provident not onely to have knowledge but also a will to provide for and to do good 27 That Eternall Purpose after a most exact manner hath respect unto the Actuall Administration and governing things in time 28 For whatsoever God doeth and after what manner soever he doeth In time by way of this Administration That by his Purpose he decreed to do and in the same manner From all Eternitie 29 Gods Administration is his Actuall and Temporall supporting and governing all things by which he guideth directeth all things well wisely freely and powerfully 30 This Administration extendeth it self to all things at all times and in all places it reacheth from one end to another mightily and sweetly doth it order all things Wisdome 8.1 41 For if it be no injurie or shame to God to have made the least and meanest things that are then certainly it is not unbeseeming Gods majestie to govern them being made Ambros 1. de Offic. cap. 13. 32 All things were made of nothing All things again would return to nothing did not that Chief and True Being sustain and uphold all things Which Conservation is nothing else but the continuation of their Existence and Being Scal. Exerc. 135. sect 1. 33 As the Being of the sunne-beams dependeth on the Sunne and the Being of the shadow on the Body So the Being of all Creatures dependeth on the Providence of God conserving them Raim de Sabaud in Theolog. Natur. cap. 16. 34 Neither doth God onely conserve things created but also he doth guide govern and direct them 35 And although all things are under Gods guidance and governance yet he hath a care of mankind after a more speciall and peculiar manner and yet after a more speciall and peculiar manner he hath a care of his Church which he gathereth out of mankind 36 According to this his Providence God ordinarily conserveth the appointed course of Nature 37 For God so administreth and governeth all things that he suffers them to exercise their own proper motions Aug. 7. de Civit. Dei cap. 30. 28 Gods Providence ordinarily worketh by means but yet our trust and confidence must not relie upon them 39 For there is no efficacie of the Second causes which descendeth not from the First 40 And yet the Providence of God is not so tied to means but that he can work without means 41 The vertue of all Second causes is Eminently and Causally in the First 42 Therefore the defect of Second causes may be easily supplied by the vertue of the First 43 Suppose the Second causes were in Act yet notwithstanding the divine Providence can change and hinder their Effect 44 But the Second causes cannot work without the influence of the First 45 Moreover the divine Providence can by the Second causes produce another manner of Effect then that which is agreeable to their naturall properties 46 He which gave the Laws and order of Nature is not bound to the Laws and order of Nature 47 The very brute beasts themselve◠by a kind of Naturall instinct have a sense of this Providence by which they are sustained and directed 48 God hath a peculiar and special◠care of Man in the whole course of hi◠life in his Ingresse Progresse and Egresse 49 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about Job 10.8 And again Thou art he that took me out of the wombe Psal 22.9 50 God doth so govern our whole life that not so much as one hair of our head doth at any time fall without his will and providence Matth. 10.30 Luke 21.18 Act. 27.34 51 He hath appointed Man his bounds that he cannot passe Job 14.5 52 Yet the divine Providence doth so guide and govern man in the whole course and end of his life that it doth neither exclude the second causes neither yet is tied unto them 53 Hence we may learn That Marriages are in such manner Fatall that notwithstanding they prove sometimes Fatuall 54 And That the bounds of mans life are appointed which he cannot passe but yet not by any Law or decree of the Parcae or Fatall sisters nor by any Stoicall necessitie 55 As the divine Providence governeth mans Life so all his Actions 56 But yet God concurreth to good and bad actions after a farre different manner 57 Actions civilly good he doth govern in such manner that he doth not onely conserve the Naturall Agent and furnish him with abilitie and power for action but doth also approve and set forward the actions themselves and in a speciall manner sometimes moveth men unto them 58 Actions spiritually good he doth both command approve in such manner that he effecteth them in us and by us by his Holy Spirit 59 As for evil Actions he neither commandeth nor willeth nor furthereth nor inciteth or moveth unto them 60 For in Evil we are not to seek so much the Efficient cause as the Deficient August 14. de Civit. Dei cap. 7. 61 Because it is rather a defect from Gods work then any work it self August 14. De Civit. Dei cap. 11. 62 God who is a most perfect an◠pure Act cannot be deficient Therefore he cannot be the cause of evil 63 Gods Providence concurreth in Evil actions by foreknowing them sustaining and upholding the Nature of th◠Agent permitting forsaking delivering to Satan setting bounds and drawing good out of them 46 He hardneth Negatively that is by not softning Privatively that is by taking away such softnes as there is Traditively that is by delivering a man unto himself and unto Satan to be hardned Materially that is by showing signes and wonders and Dispositively that is
another Evangelicall 52 For even that Contrition of the godly which they call Evangelicall is of the Law and not of the Gospel 53 Unto the preaching of the Law God sometimes addes reall and ocular preaching concerning the greatnesse of sinnes and his wrath to wit publick and private calamities both upon our selves and others 54 For to this end doth God send upon us punishments in this life that he may bring us to the acknowledgement and detestation of sinne 55 The doctrine of Contrition is perverted if it be denied to be a part of Repentance terrour conceived from the threatnings of the Law and if it be further averred that it is a grief for sinne voluntarily apprehended 56 And again if men teach such doctrines as these That a man yet in the old flesh doth work together with God truly in his Conversion That Contrition doth especially belong unto the Gospel That it is the cause of remission of sinnes and That the purpose of leading a good and godly life is included in it 57 For all these are averred and maintained contrary to the truth of the Holy Scripture 58 What the Schoolmen dispute concerning grief and sorrow in the highest degree Appreciatively and Intensively and how that the grief and sorrow for sinne should exceed or equall the joy and pleasure conceived in sinne c. This I say tendeth to the butchering and slaughtering of souls 59 The Contrition that is required must not be Hypocriticall and Superficiall but serious and from the heart 60 God forbid that we should say that it can be correspondent or answerable to the greatnesse of sinne Gods wrath and the punishments deserved 61 God which is offended is an infinite good the sinne which is committed is an infinite evil and the punishment which is prepared is likewise infinite 62 How then can God who is infinite whose justice is infinite whose wrath is infinite against sinne be appeased and satisfied by a finite Contrition 63 As concerning Confession take notice of these errours That a man after diligent premeditation and strict examination is bound by the Law of God to make confession of all his sinnes that he can call to mind together with their severall circumstances in the eare of the Priest and That by such confession as this sinne is blotted out and That by a little confusion of face for the present which those that confesse their sinnes before the Priest do suffer they are delivered from that great confusion which they should otherwise suffer at the day of Judgement c. 64 But yet there is a great deal of variance and dissension betwixt those that stand for this Confession For some extend this precept to Veniall sinnes as they call them and others restrain it onely unto Mortall Some seek the Originall thereof in the Law of God and others seek it in the Constitutions of the Church Some extend the force of Contrition to the Remission of the sinne others restrain it to the Remission of the punishment either iâ— whole or in part Vide de hac tota â—e Biel. 4. sent dist 17. q. 1. 65 We say that private Confession is very usefull and profitable both for the Minister of the Church and for those that do confesse 66 For by this means order may be taken that those which are unworthy be not admitted unto the participation of the Lords Supper those that are delinquent may be corrected those that are negligent may be stirred up to those that are terrified remission of sinnes may be preached to those that are doubtfull counsel may be given and that the ruder sort may be instructed 67 Well therefore saith D. Philip in his explication of the Gospel Miser on the first Sunday after Easter which he delivered to his Auditours the last yeare of his life in these words Love that custome of private absolution For if that custome be abolished what will the Church become yea saith he that custome is a testimony that in the Church there is remission of sinnes 68 Neither do we mislike the reckoning up of certain sinnes especially those which most trouble the conscience 69 But yet we altogether deny that the reckoning up of all sinnes is necessarie by the Law of God 70 Neither do we acknowledge any merit of confession for the obtaining of remission of stones 71 Some indeed there are that teach such a kind of satisfaction by which a man may satisfie either for the sinne or at least for the temporall punishment due unto it and that by indulgencies he may be freed and delivered from it but if he do not fullâ— satisfie that then he is to sweat it 〈◊〉 in Purgatorie 72 But we acknowledge no other satisfaction but the satisfaction of Christ and we say that sinne is forgiven to the penitent freely for that satisfaction of Christ 73 The calamities which God sends upon the godly after their reconciliation with him are not properly to be called punishments as of an angry and severe Judge but rather fatherly castigations 74 Which castigations are not therefore imposed upon them as if by suffering them they could make recompense and satisfaction for their sinns but That they may more and more detest sinne that the fear of God may increase in them That they may shake off securitie That they may mortifie the flesh with the lusts thereof That thereby they may understand that otherwise they should perish for ever were they not received into grace through Christ their Mediatour That they may be humbled under the powerfull hand of God and That others may be put in mind of Gods judgement against sinne 75 In a word That there may increase in them Patience Hope Desire of eternall Life Prayers Mortification of the old Adam c. 76 Admirable well speaks Nazianzen of the calamities of the godly That they are bitter arrows sent by the sweet hand of God In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 77 Thus much concerning Repentance which we may very well call the Haven of Salvation with Lactantius 6. Div. Institut cap. 24. God saith he knowing our great weaknesse and infirmitie hath in his pitie opened unto us the Haven of salvation that the medicine of Repentance might remedie the necessitie whereunto our frailty is subject 78 Which that we deferre not many things there are which ought to invite us There is no accesse unto the grace of God but by the way of Repentance 79 The impenitent heart treasureth up unto it self Gods wrath and an impenitent life is the slaverie of the Devil 80 We are not certain that we shall live till to morrow Why then do we deferre our Repentance till to morrow 81 Late Repentance is seldome true and they which persevere in their sins even to the end of their life are not said to leave their sinnes but their sins are said to leave them 82 Convert us O Lord and we shall be converted and what we cannot do of our selves that work thou in us by thy Holy