exercise in sauing of vs not impeaching his iustice he hath vttered in his word Iohn 5.21 The father quickeneth whom he will The second is his infinite wisedome whereby hee knoweth how to turne the purposes of the Diuel imagined and deuised to the reproche of GOD himselfe by corrupting mankinde and to the ouerthrowing of the saluation of Gods chosen euen to the manifesting of his owne glorie and to the saluation of his chosen God therefore by this his wisedome hath found out an admirable temperament and such as no creature coulde haue found of his iustice and mercie in deliuering man that is such a way whereby hee might shewe his exceeding both mercie and iustice The third is Gods omnipotencie wherefore hee is able to performe that deliuerie of man from sinne and death which hee through his immeasurable mercie and wise counsaile decreed Luc. 1.37 With God nothing shal bee impossible To denie then mans deliuerie is to spoile God of infinite wisedome goodnes and power against that which is said 1. Sam. 2.6 The Lorde bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp Psal 68.20 To the Lord God belong the issues of death Isai 59.1 The Lords hand is not shortened Obiection What the vnchangeable iustice and truth of god requireth that is vnchangeable But the iustice and truth of god requireth the casting away and damnation of man for god had expresselie threatned euerlasting death to the transgressours of his lawe and the iustice of god will destroie euerie thing that is not conformable thereunto Therefore the casting awaie of man from the face of god is vnchangeable neither is it possible that without the impeaching of gods iustice and truth man should escape euerlasting damnation Aunswere The Maior is to bee distinguished What the iustice of God requireth to wit simplie without al condition that is simply vnchangeable It requireth the casting away of man with this condition except there bee interposed a full and perfect satisfaction Wherefore the iustice of GOD requireth that a sinner either satisfie or bee cast away Mathew 5.36 Thou shalt not come out thence vntill thou hast paide the vtmost farthing Replie But impossible is it for vs to satisfie for our sinnes or to beare sufficient punishment so that wee may come from thence Aunswere It is impossible in respect of our selues but not in respect of God He knoweth the meanes how by an other full satisfaction may be made for vs. Adam after his fall before by special reuelation hee was assured of the promise could not hope for deliuerance But that our deliuerie by another is possible is knowen onely by the promises of the Gospel and the reuealing of the holy Ghost forcibly mouing our hearts to beleeue the Gospel Here ariseth a question Whether Adam after his fall might haue certainly promised himselfe deliuerie Wee aunswere that hee coulde not without especiall promise and reuelation And before he had this nothing could present it selfe vnto his mind but the great iustice truth of God exacting of him euerlasting punishment for not yeelding obediēce For flesh bloud reueal not those things which are the peculiar and proper benefites of the Mediatour But some man may except that the selfe same causes notwithstanding doe remaine euen nowe after the publishing of the Gospell to wit the iustice and truth of GOD who is neuer chaunged If then Adam coulde not hope for deliuerie before the promise was published neither could he after the publishing thereof For so hee might haue reasoned It is impossible that the iustice and truth of GOD shoulde bee impeached But mans recouering and escaping out of punishment would impeache the iustice and truth of GOD because euerlasting punishment shoulde not bee inflicted on man which yet the iustice and truth of GOD require For the punishment to bee euerlasting and yet man to wade and escape out of it are thinges contradictorie and of flatte repugnauncie Therefore mans escape and deliuerie out of punishment is impossible This Obiection or temptation Adam might by the promise nowe made haue repelled on this wise The Minor is true if the escaping bee such that sufficient punishment and equall to the sinne bee laide neither vpon the sinner himselfe nor on another who offereth himselfe in the sinners place But the iustice of GOD hath inflicted punishment sufficient for our sinnes on his owne Sonne who offered himselfe of his owne accorde to sustaine it for vs. Wherefore mans escaping out of miserie by the full satisfaction performed by the Sonne of GOD doth not impeache but rather establish Gods iustice But againe it is replied That which necessarilie doth not conclude punishment to insue doth leaue some hope neither willeth vs to dispaire of deliuerie from punishment But the euent hath taught that the casting away of man is not necessarilie concluded or inferred vpon the first fall of Adam Therefore Adam beeing fallen no not before the promise published concerning the seede of the Woman ought altogether to haue dispaired of his deliuerie Aunswere Hee ought not verily to haue dispaired neither coulde hee haue inferred vpon his fall necessarily that his deliuerie out of miserie was simplie impossible but neither coulde hee of the otherside haue certainely promised vnto himselfe or hoped for it before the publishing of the Gospell Because neither hee nor any creature was able Humane reason might probablie coniecture but not necessarily conclude mans deliuerie or shoulde for euer haue beene able of himselfe to perceiue or so much as imagine vnto himselfe a maner of escaping punishment not repugnant to the iustice of God except GOD had declared and reuealed the same by his Sonne Hee might truelie as others likewise who liue out of the Church destitute of the worde of promise haue probablie reasoned that one day there shoulde bee a deliuerie First because it is not meete that man the most excellent creature shoulde bee made of GOD to sustaine the greatest punishment and that for euer Againe For that it seemeth not likely that GOD woulde haue deliuered a lawe to man to no effect that is which shoulde neuer bee perfectly performed by him But except the voice of the gospel had come mā would neuer haue beene able by these reasons long to haue withstood the tentation of the Diuel who woulde easily haue refuted them by his owne example Wherefore albeit these two reasons are of themselues most true for GOD did not make mankinde vnto perpetuall miserie neither made hee a lawe to no effect yet man beeing fallen is not able by reason of his blindnesse and corruption without the promise and grace of the holy Ghost to assent vnto them that is is not able of them certainely and necessarily to infer that he knoweth and hopeth for his deliuerance out of paine and miserie 3 Whether Deliuerie be necessarie and certaine THat some should be deliuered and saued from destruction is necessarie Obiection But it is free vnto God The deliuerie of some necessarie euen to saue
purposed from euerlasting And seeing god both foreseeth all things vnchangeable and his counsailes concerning the euent and end of thinges are certaine and vnchangeable it must needes be also that the second causes and meanes or Antecedents without which those euents were not to followe must bee certaine and vnchangeable And because in things created especially in humane affaires there is great vncertaintie and mutabilitie neither is there any cause of vnchangeablenesse but the will of god God could not haue appointed any thing certaine or vnchangeable concerning the euent and end except hee had also made all the meanes by which the end is attained vnto and which as concerning their owne nature are most vncertaine and chaungeable by his euerlasting counsaile and decree certaine and vnchangeable Wherefore it is saide Isay 14.27 The Lord of hostes hath determined it and who shall disanull it Thirdly the whole vse and force and declaration of the promises threatnings and examples of Gods goodnesse power iustice mercie and wrath both olde and newe to teach vs and to erect vs with comfort or by feare to holde and keepe vs in our duetie and the feare of God dependeth of Gods vnchaungeable nature For all those do then affect vs when wee thinke that the same nature and will of God which was in times past is nowe also and is and will bee such to vs repenting or persisting in our sinnes as wee see it was in times past and nowe is towardes others And then doe wee truelie relie vpon the promises of God when wee knowe that his counsell shall neuer bee chaunged Fourthlie This doctrine inclineth mens mindes to obedience and subiection which is necessarie in asking thinges at Gods handes that wee desire not GOD to doe those thinges for vs or others which hee hath before time assuredlie toulde vs that hee will not doe and further that wee submit and leaue with reuerence those thinges to his pleasure whereof hee would not as yet haue knowen vnto vs what hee hath decreede Fiftlie The vnchaungeablenesse of Gods will is the grounde and foundation of the hope and comfort of the godlie in this life For it is most absurd to conceiue of GOD that nowe hee loueth and nowe hee hateth vs nowe hee will assuredlie giue vnto vs euerlasting life and a little after againe hee will not And therefore when once true faith and conuersion vnto GOD is begunne in our heartes and the spirite of God hath begunne to witnesse to our spirite that wee are the sonnes of GOD and heires of euerlasting life God will haue vs certainlie to resolue that as hee had this his will towardes vs from euerlasting so to euerlasting hee will not change it but will assuredlie bring vs at his pleasure out of this wicked and miserable life through al tentations and daungers what-soeuer to eternall and euerlasting life according to that article of our Faith I beleeue life euerlasting When as Omnipotencie is attributed to GOD What is signified by gods omnipotencie thereby is first vnderstoode That whatsoeuer hee will or whatsoeuer not impairing his nature and maiestie hee is able to will he is also able to perfourme Secondie That he is able to performe all those thinges without anie difficulty labour euen with his only beck will Thirdly That all the force power of working and effecting anie thing is so in god only that there is not the least abilitie or efficacie of anie creature but what he continuallie imparteth preserueth at his pleasure And therefore the power of God is to bee considered of vs not as beeing idle but as creating sustaining mouing and ruling al thinges The reasons are 1 God is the first cause of all thinges Therefore he hath all thinges in his power and their abilitie is so much as he giueth vnto them 2 Hee dooth such thinges as can bee done by no created finit power as are the creation gouerning of all thinges the preseruation of common weales the deluge the deliuerie out of Aegypt all his miracles 3 He is vnchangeable Therefore in him to be able to do and to doe is the same which to will and so of the contrary But although al men affirme God to be omnipotent yet there is a double difference betweene the sacred Doctrine of the Church How the doctrin of the church and philosophie differ in conceiuing of Gods omnipotencie and Philosophie concerning gods omnipotency For first without the doctrine of the Church men only know the vniuersall and generall power of god whereby hee createth preserueth and gouerneth the whole world but they know not that power whereby he saueth men and restoreth the world by his sonne gathering and preseruing an euerlasting Church and deliuering it from sin and death and endowing it with life and glory euerlasting by which works God especially sheweth forth his power as it is said Hag. 2.7 Yet a litle while I wil shake the heauens the earth and the sea and the drie land Secondly neither doe they professe of the generall power of god so much as is sufficient For albeit they are enforced to confesse that God is the author and preseruer of the woorld yet are they not able to saie that al things were created of nothing by the woorde of God alone for as much as they are ignorant fo the cause of sin confusion they cannot affirme al things so to be administred and gouerned by gods omnipotency as that al which is good is done by the powerful working of Gods will but they attribute many things to chance fortune humane wisdome or vertue and so imagine the power of god to be idle in these and doing nothing Furthermore that god cannot either sinne or wil and allowe of sinne or be changed or diminished or suffer any thing or make things doone vndoone or wil thinges flat repugnant and contradictorie or create another god or some nature equal to himselfe or bee perceiued by bodilie senses or doe other thinges proper to a create or finite nature or admit the same into himselfe this doth not diminish or weaken but rather augment strengthen his power For that is the greatest and most perfect power which can neither be destroied nor weakned nor diminished and that none susteining it but only by it selfe But contrariwise to be able to be corrupted impaired is a token of imbecillity and imperfection of exceeding immense wisedome Gods exceeding wisedome whereby both hee knoweth all thinges perfectly and is the fountaine of all knoweledge and vnderstanding That we may rightly and with profit and commoditie know the power of God it is necessarie not to consider it but as it is ioyned with his immense wisedome and goodnesse which moderateth it Further of his diuine wisedome first we learne That God doth of himselfe in one act or view vnderstand and behold perpetually and most perfectlie in maruellous manner and that vnknowen to vs himselfe and the whole
Decalogue in speciall that is of the meaning of euery particular commaundement THE FIRST COMMANDEMENT I AM Iehoua the Lord thy god which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue no other gods before me This commandement hath two parts a preface and a commandement The preface goeth before being comprehended in these words I am Iehouah the Lord thy god which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage This preface belongeth vnto the whole Decalogue because it describeth and discerneth God the Lawe-giuer from all creatures Law-giuers and false gods and farder it conteineth three seuerall reasons why the obedience both of this first commaundement and of the rest which followe is to be perfourmed vnto God First he saith that he is Iehouah whereby he distinguisheth himselfe the true god from all creatures that he may shew himselfe to haue the chiefe right of ruling I am Iehouah That is I whom thou hearest speaking giuing this Law vnto thee am the true God who is and existeth from himselfe and by himselfe giueth vnto other things their being Creator of al things eternall omnipotent author and preseruer of all that are good Therefore obay me Secondly he saith that he is the god of his people that through the promise of his bountifulnesse he might allure vs to obay him God verilie is the God of all creatures as touching both the creating and preseruing and the gouerning of them al but he is the God of his Church by the participation and manifestation of himselfe God then is our God when we acknowledge him to be such as he hath manifested himselfe in his word namely who emploieth his omnipotency iustice wisdome and mercy vnto our saluation or who tendereth vs with an especiall peculiar fauour in his Son For God is saide to be their god whom he loueth fauoureth aboue al others Psal 33.12 Whereupon also the Prophet Dauid affirmeth that nation to bee blessed whose God is the Lord euen the people that hee hath chosen for his inheritance Thirdly he saith Which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegypt as if he should say I am hee who haue manifested my selfe vnto thee and bestowed all these blessings vpon thee This he addeth that by the mentioning of his late and notable benefit he might declare vnto them and admonish them that they were bound therfore to shew thankfulnesse and obedience vnto him This also belongeth vnto vs because it dooth figuratiuelie comprehend implie all the deliueraunces of the church by the mentioning of so famous and noble a benefit And further also this was a type of our woonderful deliuerance atchieued by Christ Nowe when hee saith that hee Iehoua is this god and deliuerer of the Church he opposeth himselfe both to all creatures to Idols challenging all diuine honour obedience vnto himselfe alone according to the exposition hereof deliuered Deut. 6. Jsa 43. and in other places Wherefore it followeth not only that this Iehoua is to be worshipped but that he alone is to be worshipped to be accounted for our God Next enseweth the commaundement Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me The end of this commaundement is the inward or internal woorship of God that is that due honour may bee giuen vnto God in the minde will and heart of man Moreouer this commaundement is in such wise a negatiue and denieth others as that it conteineth also an affirmation Thou shalt haue none other gods Therefore thou shalt haue me that Jehoua which haue manifested my selfe in my Church thy god alone Now to haue god is 1. To know and acknowledge God namelie that there is a god that he is one god that hee is such a god as hee hath manifested himselfe first in himselfe and then towardes vs. 2. To trust in god onelie 3. With great humilitie and patience to subiect and submit our selues vnto god 4. To expect and looke for all good thinges from god onelie 5. To loue god 6. To reuerence and worship god Thou shalt then haue none other gods that is besides me the onely true god And thou shalt not haue them before mee that is in my sight therefore neither shalt thou haue straunge gods in the closet of thy heart which is not close or hidden in my sight but lieth wholy open is altogether manifest vnto me the searcher of the hearts reines The most ready and easie way of explicating each commaundement is to distribute the obedience of euery commandemēt into his vertues as parts adioining afterwards those vices which are opposite vnto the same vertues Here then in the first commandement are signified seuen vertues The knowledge of god Faith Humilitie Patience Hope the loue of god the feare of god These vertues as beeing the partes of the obedience of the first commaundement wee will brieflie and in few wordes vnfolde and declare 1 The knowledge of god is so to iudge of God as hee hath manifested himselfe in his worde and workes and to bee mooued and stirred vp by that knowledge to a confidence loue feare and woorship of the true God Rom. 10.14 How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Ioh. 17.3 This is life eternal that they know thee to be the onelie verie god and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 2 Faith is a sure and certaine persuasion whereby wee assent vnto euerie woorde of God deliuered vnto vs and whereby we are resolued that the promise of the free mercy of God for Christes sake dooth belong vnto vs and further also it is a confidence receiuing this benefite of God and resting therein being kindled of the hole ghost by the word in our mindes will and hearts and working in them a reioicing in God inuocation and praying vnto God and obedience according to all his commaundements 2. Chron. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your god and ye shall be assured 3 Humilitie is to acknowledge all those good thinges which are in vs are doone by vs not to come from any worthines or abilitie of our owne but from the free goodnes of god so by the acknowledging of gods diuine Maiestie our infirmitie vnworthines to subiect submit our selues vnto god to giue the glorie of all good thinges which are in vs to him alone truely to feare god to acknowledge bewaile our owne defects vices not to couet any higher place or condition neither trusting in our owne gifts but in the helpe and assistance of God to hold our selues contented with our owne vocation and calling not to despise others in comparison of our selues neither to let or hinder them in the discharging of their duety but to acknowledge that others also are and may bee made profitable instruments of god and therefore to giue place and honour vnto them not to attribute vnto our selues thinges aboue our force and power not to
as much as al mē haue sinned cap. 7. We know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal sold vnder sinne Eph. 2. We were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others Last of al seeing infantes also are subiect to sinne whereupon also they die and are to be baptised as before time they were circumcised and they cannot as yet sinne by imitation it must needs be that sinne is bred in them as it is said Genes 8. The cogitation of mans heart is euill euen from his youth And Isaie 48. I called thee transgressor euen from thy womb Against this doctrine it is obiected first Obiect Of the deriuation of the soule from the soul of the parents If sinne bee propagated from the Parents vnto their posterity either the soul stained with originall sinne is deriued by deduction out of the soule of the Parents or is created by God of nothing infected with sinne and is infused into the bodie or els being created pure by God it draweth corruption and naughtines of the body vnto which it is vnited But since that a spiritual substance may not be cut into parts soules are not propagated by deduction out of the soule of the Parentes neither are they created corrupt of God because God by this meanes should be made autor of sinne contrarie to that which hath beene said God saw al which he had made they were verie good neither are the soules depraued by the bodies partly for that it would be against both the end vnto which man was created euen to life euerlasting and also against the goodnes of god for a pure and innocent soul to be ioined with a bodie of which it should be depraued partlie for that sinne can not be propagated by the bodie which ◠senseles neither exerciseth any action on the soule but by the soul Wherefore the children are not borne corrupt of corrupt parentes 1 Answere The souls are corrupted by the bodies To this the answeare is double First they can not proue that which in the third place in their Minor they affirme That the soules can not draw naughtines corruptiō from the bodies For our first Parentes also were created to eternall life and yet were depraued falling from god Wherefore as the creation of our first parentes and their triall by temptation and in temptation their falling away which being put their corruption was certainly to followe so also the vniting of the soules with their bodies in which certainlie they shall be corrupted is not contrarie to the goodnes of God partly because God is so good as also he will shew foorth his anger against sinne and his iustice togither with his mercie in his woorkes partly because he hath appointed a remedie in his sonne vnto the which who flie are deliuered from this hereditarie and necessarie corruption and from the danger of damnation neither is it disagreeing from his goodnes rather to saue men freed from sinne and death by the death of his onele begotten Son then if they had neuer fallen into these miseries Neither is it absurd that the nature or temperature of the bodie though it bee senseles yet should be prone to euill and no fit instrument for the good actions of the soule and that the soule not being established in that puritie in which it was made should follow the inclinations and corrupt temperature of the bodie and should fal from that integritie in which it was as soone as it is vnited vnto the bodie and seeing that the bodie proceeding from sinful and guiltie parentes is one part of a man that God should be offended with the whole man for that part of his which is guiltie and should withdraw the grace of his spirite that the other part also that is the soule being depriued of spiritual giftes may fall into wickednes and malediction But be it that they were able to prooue that Minor proposition 2 Answere The souls are togither created and vnited to their bodies yet there is another sufficient answere to the Maior so that wee haue no neede to enter into any doubtfull dispute about the deducting of the soule from the soule of the parentes by generation neither of the maner how Originall sinne is propagated For although wee graunt that the soules of all men as soone as they begin to liue are created of god yet it is not to be imagined that the soules haue a beeing some time before they are vnited to the bodies For at one and the same time they are both created and vnited to their bodies as it is said The soule of man is at the same time both created and vnited to the bodie Hee breathed in his face breath of life But as the substance also of bodies though it be taken out of the substance of the parentes yet is rightly said to be created of God that is framed by him and the substances both of men and diuels who both are sinfull are preserued of God neither is yet God the autor or maintainer of their sinne or malice so also the substance of the soules and their naturall faculties God togither both createth and bereaueth of his giftes which giftes hee gaue of that condition to Adam that hee would also giue them to his posteritie if himselfe did keepe them but would not giue them if hee by his vnthankfulnes should cast them away Now the soule being destitute of the spirite and spirituall light although it bee inclined to desires and operations yet is it blinde not inclined to such desires and actions as the law of God requireth And by this meanes the inclinations being despoiled of their rightnes are become of their owne accord euill and are repugnant to the lawe of God And those defectes in the minde and will and heart of our first parentes are the iust punishmentes of sin committed by our first parentes and by their seed in them as they are inflicted by God but the inclinations corrupted by these defectes and the defectes themselues because they are a cause that man neither is nor can bee conformable to the law of God they are sinnes as they are drawen by men sinning vpon themselues and their seede and as they haue from them and their seede their being 2 Obiection That which the Parents themselues haue not they cannot deriue vnto their posteritie Original sin is taken awaie from the godly Therefore at the leastwise these doe not deriue it to their posteritie Aunswere Original sinne is taken away from the godlie and saints of god as concerning the guilt of it that is so as it is remitted them for Christs sake But as it is a sinne repugnant to the Lawe so it abideth in them For although they be withal regenerated by the holie ghost vnto whomsoeuer their sinne is forgiuen yet that renewing is not perfected in this life Wherefore the godlie also doe deriue such a nature to their posteritie as themselues haue that is a corrupt one
either doth not moue the next cause of the effect or doth not intend and mind the effect neither is appointed thereunto it cannot be said to be a cause of that effect but by an accident as when of a good father is borne an euil and euil-liuing sonne or of a good father a good and wel-liuing son when a godly Magistrate by his commandement moueth the will of a wicked executioner to execute a guilty person and he being impelled either by desire of reuenge or by hatred or by cruelty reioiceth at his euil whom he executeth and so committeth murther before God and lastly when one maketh a sword and another vseth it either wel or il Now as often as the next cause is either before the bringing foorth of the effect depraued or in the verie bringing of it foorth either by it selfe or by another cause then bringeth it forth a bad effect which the cause remoued or a farre off that either bringeth forth or moueth this next cause neither intendeth neither as by any ordination or appointment vnto it produceth As when the wil hand of the cleauer purpose to cut a thing and the iron being too dul causeth that to break which is taken in hand to be cut So also God maketh and moueth the wil but because the wil of men is depraued by the diuel and it selfe it bringeth forth sin which God neither when he maketh nor when he moueth the wil intendeth or mindeth to bring forth Wherefore it followeth not at al that God is the cause of those sins which are committed by his creatures depraued and corrupted of themselues Likewise it is obiected Second causes are able to do nothing without the first cause which is God Wherefore neither is sinne brought forth neither doe they depraue themselues but that also the first cause worketh it with them God the first cause doth not concur with secondarie causes to the bringing forth of sinne We aunswere to the antecedent The second causes do nothing without the first cause that is without the first cause preserue them and mooue them to doe so far forth as it is good which they doe but they doe without the first cause concurring with them to the bringing forth of euil as it is a fault or of sin Isa 30. We to the rebellious children saith the Lord that take counsel but not of me and couer with a couering but not by my spirit that they maie laie sin vpon sin How the good will of man corrupted it selfe Likewise they obiect That which is good cannot by sinning corrupt it selfe except it be some other waie corrupted as it is said A good tree cannot bring forth euil fruit The wil of the diuel and Adam before the fal of both was good Therefore it could not corrupt it selfe by sinning except it were by some other means corrupted We deny the Maior For although the creature be good yet God not preseruing his goodnes that is mouing or willing that his wil should be moued by outward obiects neither in the meane season lightning and gouerning the wil with the knowledge of his own diuine will it is not only possible but it must necessarily folow that he must sinne become an euil tree and thorough his owne wil and fault auert himselfe from God run to worse and worse and purchase blindnesse the iust punishment of sin both vnto him and his as it is said Without me ye can doe nothing Againe it is obiected He that withdraweth grace from the sinner without which sin cannot be auoided he is the the cause of sinne God did withdraw his grace frō man without which hee could not persist in righteousnes Wherefore God was the cause of mans sinne Wee deny the Maior First because God was not bound to man to preserue that grace in him which he gaue him Secondly because he withdrew his grace for man beeing willing thereunto and reiecting it of his owne accord Thirdly because he withdrewe his grace not that he did enuie man righteousnes and eternal life or that he is delighted with sin but to trie him that is to shew how the creature is able to doe or keepe no goodnes without the singular goodnes and mercy of his creator and so god is not at al the cause of sin although sin doth necessarily follow this withdrawing in him from whom the grace is withdrawn So then when God did withdraw his grace frō man not God withdrawing it but man reiecting it is the cause of his owne sin destruction Againe they say God wil the temptation of man yet not the sinne of man He that wil haue him to be tempted whom he knoweth certainly wil fal if he be tempted he will the sinne of him who falleth But God would that man should bee tempted of the diuel whō he knew certainly would fall for otherwise mā could not haue bin tempted Wherefore God is the cause of his fal Here also we deny the Maior For he is not the cause of sin who wil haue him that will fall tempted for to try or to make manifest the weaknes of his creature but the diuell tempting man to this end that he may sinne and be separated from God and man obeying the tempter against the commandement of God are the causes of sin For the antecedent which being put must necessarily haue another thing consequent thereof is not the cause of the consequent except it worketh somewhat in producing the consequent But God neither in withdrawing his grace neither in that he doth wil the temptation of man worketh in producing of sin as it is sin because he neuer intended it Againe they obiect That is not of God but of man and the Diuel which maketh sinne He that is the cause of those thinges which make sin is the cause of sin God is the cause of those things which make sin that is of the action which is the matter and of the priuation of rightnes in man which is the form of sin Wherefore he is the autor of sin To these the aunswere hath beene made before For the Minor is to be denied Because the action priuation of the diuine light direction do make sinne as they are contrarie to the Law And they are contrary to the law of God and make sin as they are committed by man are in him but as they are guided by God inflicted they are not sin but a trial of him that would sin or a punishment of him that had sinned Wherefore that is not of God but of man and the Diuell which maketh sin Whether God would the fall of Adam and how Last of al they vrge Seeing that God would the fa◠of Adam either as it was sin or as a punishment and coulde not will it as a punishment because no sin had gone before which should be therewith punished it seemeth to follow that God would that worke as it was sin But this consequence also is deceitful
because ther is not a sufficient enumeratiō in the Maior For although the first sin was no punishment yet God would that action not as a sinne and contrary to his will and nature but as in punishing and receiuing againe mankind into fauour by his Sonne it was a waie and occasion of excercising and manifesting his iustice and mercy and an example of the weakenesse of all creatures yea of the most excellent if they bee not by the singular goodnesse of the Creator preserued as it is declared Rom. 11. God hath shut vp al in vnbeleefe that hee might haue mercie of all And in the same place it is shewed concerning the blindnesse of the Iewes That partlie this obstinacie was come to Israell vntill the fulnesse of the gentiles were come in and that the Iewes are enimies of the gospell for our sakes and that we haue obtained mercie through their vnbeleefe That is that god would this their obstinacy not as it was a sinne of the Iewes neither onely as a punishment of other sinnes but also as an occasion of translating the gospel vnto the gentiles And it is saide Rom. 3. That God in the preaching of the Lawe respecteth this That all the world be culpable before him Wherefore this also he respected would in permitting of sin which if it had not come betweene the Lawe had not made the world culpable before god God made Satan good and himselfe euil 1 Obiection Satan was made of god And therefore the malice also of Satan Answere God made indeed al the Angels yea those which became Apostataes and Diuels but yet he created al the Angels at the beginning good But Satan is saide not to haue stoode stedfast in the trueth Then before his fall he stoode in the trueth But afterwardes hee treacherouslie fel from his alleagiance and sinned against God and therefore the crime of euill sticketh in that run-away the Diuell For since that time after he fell there is no trueth in him no faith no integrity no feare of God no light no goodnesse He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell c. For he is the first sinner and the fountain of sinne 2 Obiection God made Adam Therefore he made sinne Sinne not made of God because it is no creature but the corruption of a creature Answere Sinne is the corruption of a nature created good of god but not any creature made of god in mā God made man good who by Satans perswasion corrupted willinglie that goodnesse which be receiued of god so that now sin is mans and not a creature of god created in man Neither is the nature of man the cause of sinne For god who created all thinges the verie nature of man created them all good wherefore the verie nature of man also was created good But sinne is an Accidentall quality Sinne a naturall propertie of man corrupted but not of man simplie as he was first created which befell vnto man in his fall and after his fall beeing euen from the beginning such as now it is but no substantiall property nor of the nature of man Now indeede whereas we are borne in sinne sinne is a naturall propertie of men according to the iudgement of Augustine Against the Maniches Cap. 9. But if we say any man to be naturally euill we say so because of the originall of the olde sinne in which all our mortality now is borne 3 Obiection God gaue not man a will power to work euil but to doe good But the will and power which was in Adam was from god Therefore sinne also is from god Answere God gaue not man a will and power to woork euill For he made a law to forbid euill Wherefore Adam himselfe did ill bestowe that will and power which he receiued of god in ill vsing them The prodigall sonne receiued mony of his father not that hee should lash it out wastfully but that hee might haue as much as sufficeth neede Wherefore when himselfe doth ill bestowe his mony and perisheth he perisheth through his owne default and not by his fathers though he receiued the mony of his father Therefore the fault is in the abuse Hee that giueth thee them leaueth the vse of them vnto thee If hee be iust hee giueth them thee for to vse and not to abuse When thou abusest them the fault is laid on thee who abusest them and not of him who gaue them So god gaue a will and power to Adam to do good not to woorke euill 4 Obiection God made man so as hee might fall It was necessary that man should haue free power either to stand or fall Rom. 9.20 Isai 45.9 neither did confirme establish in him the goodnesse of his nature Wherefore hee would haue him to fall or sin Answere The Scripture beateth back this frowardnesse of men wickedly curious Who art thou which pleadest against god W◠bee vnto him that striueth with his master Except god hath made man so as he might fal there had beene no praise of his woorke or vertue And what if it were necessarie that man should bee so made as hee might fall For so did the verie nature of God require God doth not graunt his glorie to anie creature Adam was a man no god And as god is good so is he also iust Hee doth good vnto men but hee will haue them to be obedient and thankefull vnto him He bestoweth infinite goodnesse vpon man therefore hee shoulde haue beene thankefull and obedient and subiect vnto him For hee declared by his Lawe what hee woulde and what hee woulde not Of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill saith hee thou shalt not eate When thou eatest thou shalt die As if hee shoulde saie Thou shalt regarde mee thou shalt cleaue vnto mee obaie mee serue mee neither shalt thou elsewhere seeke for rules of good and euill but of mee and so shalt thou shew thy selfe obedient vnto mee Replie God foreknew the fall of man which if he would hee might haue hindered But hee did not hinder it Therefore God was in faulte that Adam sinned Aunswere Vnto this obiection answere hath beene made before neither doth that necessity followe vpon the foreknowledge of God that Adam must needes haue sinned because God did foreknow that he would sin Some wise father did foreknowe by some signes and tokens that his sonne should hereafter at sometime be slain with a sword Neither doth this his foreknowledge deceiue him for hee was thrust through for fornication But hee is not therefore thought to be slaine because his father did foreknow that he should be slaine Lib. 2. De. vocat Gent. cap. 4. but because he was a fornicator So saith Ambrose speaking of the murder which Cain cōmitted Verily God did foreknow to what the fury of him being in a rage woulde come neither yet was the attempt of his will forced of necessitie to sinne because the knowledge of god could not be deceiued
Li. 3. de libero arbitrio cap 4. And Augustine God is a iust reuenger of those thinges of which yet he is not an euill autor Wherefore those sinnes which ensue and followe are in respect of god considered as most iust punishments which as they are punishments haue their beeing from him as their author and causer but as they are sinnes in respect of men they come God neither willing nor causing them but permitting onely seeing he doth not cause men to do that which he would haue done for a punishment to this end as for to obay therein his will For one and the same work is good and holy in respect of God and sin in respect of men by reason of the diuersitie both of the efficiences of the ends For first man by reason of his great both ignorance and corruption will and worketh euill only But God because hee is exceeding good and the verie rule of goodnesse and righteousnesse doing in all things what he wil will and worketh alwaies only that which is good Secondly men haue such an end of their actions as is disagreeing frō the Law of God that is what they doe they do not to that end to obay God but to fulfill their bad and corrupt desires But God hath the end of all his woorkes agreeing with his nature and Law euen that he may declare and execute his iustice goodnesse and mercie By these two thinges it commeth to passe that the reasonable creature woorking together with God God woorking vprightly and holily doth neuerthelesse it selfe woorke vnholylie and corruptly 5 What are the effects of sinne NOw that it is defined what sinne is and from whence it came we are to consider also what be the euils which follow sinne For except this also be knowen we know not yet how great euil there is in sinne and with how great hatred God pursueth it It hath been said before that euil was of two sorts one of crime or offence which is sinne the other of paine or punishment The euil of punishment is the effect of the euil of offence That this maie be the better vnderstoode we must here againe remember that of punishments Some are onlie punishments as are the destruction of nature or tormentes others both punishments and sins as al sins which haue followed since the first fal 1 The sinnes which follow are effects of those which go before Sinnes ensuing effects of sinnes which go before So original sinne is the effect of the sinne or fal of our first parents By one mans disobedience manie were made sinners And secondly All actual sinnes are effects of original sinne Sinne took occasion by the commandement and deceiued me And thirdlie The effect of actual sins is the increase of them that is greater guiltines by reason of the most iust iudgement of God because God punisheth sins with sins Wherefore God also gaue them vp to their hearts lustes Rom. 1.24 2 Thes 2.11 Mat. 25.29 Other mens sins oftentimes effectes of actual sinne And therefore God shal send them strong delusiō that they should beleeue lies Frō him that hath not shal be takē away also that which he hath And fourthly The effects of actual sins are also oftentimes other mens sins by reason of scandale or example wherby some are made worse of others are entised or moued to sin So the persuasion of the diuel caused man to decline from God and now it worketh in stubburn-minded men The diuel put it into the heart of Iudas to betraie Christ Ioh. 13. Euil speeches corrupt good maners So euill teachers doe withdrawe men from god to errours idolatry and other sins So a vse of liberty out of season offendeth and draweth men to sinne An euil conscience an effect of sinne 2 There followeth sin in the immoueable and perpetual order of Gods iudgement an euil conscience which is the knowledge and dislike which we haue in our mind of our own sinne and the knowledge of the iudgement of God against sin and that proceeding out of the knowledge of Gods Law vpon which ensueth the fear of the wrath of God and punishment according to the order of gods iustice and a flieng and hatred of God who destroieth sinne which is the beginning of desperation and eternall torments except it bee cured by the comfort of the gospel Rom. 2. The gentiles shewe the effect of the Law written in their harts their conscience also bearing witnes and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing And Isaiah There is no peace to the wicked Temporall and spiritual euils effects of sin 3 Temporall and spirituall euils as temporall death and in a worde all the calamities of this life These euils are onely punishments that is torments and dissolution of nature If any man obiect that they also are subiect to temporall death and other calamities who haue all their sinnes remitted them and therefore al temporall euils are not the punishmentes or effects of sinne Temporal euils in the regenerate are effectes of sinne not as punishmentes but as chastisements but some haue other causes we answere that the consequence holdeth not from the denial of one particular to the denial of the general For albeit the calamities of the regenerate are not effectes of sin as a punishment which is inflicted on men sinning that so the iustice of God might be satisfied yet are they effects of sinne as chastisementes and exercises whereby sinne is repressed and more and more purged out vntill at length by corporall death the whole be abolished Now that of the blind man Ioh. 9. Neither this man hath sinned nor his parents Christ meaneth not simply that they had not sinned or that their sins were not a cause of this calamity but that their sinnes were not the principal cause why he was borne blind but that the woorkes of God should be shewed on him Christ by a miracle opening his eies 4 Eternall death which is the effect of al sinnes Eternall death the effect of sin as they are sinnes For al of what quality soeuer they bee are punished either with eternal paine as in the reprobate or with equiualent paine to eternal as in the sonne This death doth begin in the reprobate euen in this world that is anxiety and torment of conscience which we also should feele except we were deliuered by the grace of God Now by the name of eternal death is not vnderstoode the destruction of the soule or body or the separation of them but the abandoning and banishing of the soule and bodie liuing from the face of God a continuall horror and torment and a feeling and flying of Gods wrath and iudgement and a horrible murmuring against God taking vengeance of their sinnes If they obiect that the sinnes of those who beleeue in Christ The regenerate though they sin are not punished with this death because Christ hath suffered an equiualent punishment for them are not punished with eternall
magnifie the bountifulnes of God towards vs we must aske all thinges of him as beeing our creatour and soueraign Lord who hath the right and power of giuing al good things to whom and how far he will himselfe and vse those things which are granted to our vse with a good conscience to the glorie of god who gaue them And that this may be done we must not by our infidelity cast our selues out of that right which wee receiue in Christ if god of his own power autority either giueth vs lesse than wee would or take away from vs that which he hath giuen wee must submit our selues patiently to his iust purpose most profitable for our saluation And seeing the soule is the better part of man the happinesse of the bodie dependeth on the happinesse of the soul seing also we are created to immortall life we ought to haue greater care of those things which belong to the soule and eternal life than of those which belong vnto the bodie and this tēporall life And at length seeing the end and blessednes of man is the participation communicating of god his knowledge worship let vs euer tend vnto it referre thither al our life actions And seeing we see one part of mankinde to be vessels of wrath to shewe the iustice and seueritie of God against Sinne let vs bee thankefull to God for that of his meere and infinite goodnesse he would haue vs to bee vessels of mercie to declare through all eternitie the riches of his glorie Last of all that we maie learne consider and begin these thinges in this life let vs to our power tender and helpe forward the common society and saluation of others for which we are borne OF FREE-WILL WHEREAS God is a most free agent and man was created to the image of God The causes of diuers controuersies arisen about free-will yea and was furnished with libertie of will it seemeth to many not to agree that all the actions of mans will are gouerned by the vnchangeable prouidence of God that the nature of men is so corrupted by the fall of our first parents and Originall sinne that it is able to bring forth nothing but that which is euill and displeasing God without the renewing and especiall benefite of the holy Ghost For neither do they acknowledge that for liberty which is tied to any necessity neither seemeth it that wee shoulde graunt the whole libertie of the will to haue beene lost by sin because also after the fal there are left in men some prints and steps of Gods image and the blame and crime of sinne cannot be laid on men except the will be free To this is added the pride of mans wit which admitteth nothing more hardly than that the glorie and original of all good should be transferred from men to God alone Further also the notable vertues of men not regenerated and lastly the iudgement of our sense and reason which doth not marke without the light of Gods woorde the secret gouernement of Gods prouidence in humane actions Wherefore hereupon haue risen controuersies debates concerning free-wil while the olde diuines yeelding too much vnto the Philosophers swelling with a vain perswasion of wisedome and righteousnesse and the latter ascenting vnto the former haue either spoke more magnificently than they ought to haue done of the strength and power of mans will or haue endeuoured to arrogate that vnto men which is not found in them since the first fall But let vs remember that this doctrin of free wil is a view and contemplation not of mens ability and excellencie but of their weaknes and misery which is therefore to bee ioined with the doctrine of the creation and fall of man that wee knowing the more from what top of dignity and felicity into how deepe a gulfe of ignominie and misery we are cast by sinne may not more deepely plunge our selues by a vaine confidence of our owne strength vnto euils but may incline to a true humility and thankfulnesse towards God and bee of him reuiued quickned and healed For that the scope of this disputation may be knowen and the vse thereof perceiued The state of the maine question about free will we must vnderstand that the principal question in it is this Whether as man auerted himselfe from God and corrupted himself so of the other side he be able by his owne strength to returne to God and to receiue grace offered by God and to amend himselfe And further whether the will of man be the first and principal cause why others are conuerted others persist in their sins and as wel of the conuerted as not conuerted others are more others lesse good or euil and in a woord doe either good or euill some after one maner some after another To this question the aduersaries Pelagians and the like make answere That so much grace is both giuen of God and left by nature to al men that they are able to returne vnto God and obey him neither ought we to seeke any other cause before or aboue mans wil for which others receiue or retaine others refuse or cast awaie diuine succour and aide in auoiding sinne and do after this or that manner order and institute their counsailes aad actions Contrariwise we haue learned out of the sacred scripture That albeit by nature so much of God and his wil is knowen to all as maie suffice for taking away all excuse from them of sin and although it be manifest that many woorks morally good may be done euen of the vnregenerate and the wil doth in them freely make choise either of good or euil yet no work pleasing to God can be vndertaken or perfourmed by any man without regeneration and the especial grace of the holy spirit neither can more or lesse good be in any mans counsailes or actions than God of his free and purposed goodnes to euery one doth cause in them neither any other way can the wil of any creature be inclined than whither it shal seeme good to the eternall and good counsel of God And yet all the actions of the created wil both good and bad are wrought freelie The chiefe questions here to be obserued are fiue 1 Of the word liberty or freedome 2 What is the liberty of the wil. 3 What is common and what diuerse in the liberty of will which is in God in Angels and man 4 Whether there be any liberty in vs and what 5 The degrees of free wil. 1 Of the word Liberty Libertie from bond misery THere is one kind of liberty from bond and misery And this signifieth a relation or respect that is the power or right or ordering either of person or thing made either by ones wil or by nature to deale at his owne arbiterment or motion according to honest Lawes or order agreeable to his nature and to enioy commodities conuenient for him without inhibition or
from that obedience by her owne proper and free motion if hope or shewe of any good to come by defecting were offered vnto it Or shorter thus Before the fall it was such a power in man as that he was able to will and yeeld perfect obedience to be coÌ„formable to god to make choice of that coÌ„formity And further was able if he listed to forsake that conformity Or to be yet shorter Man before his fall had perfect libertie either to continue good or to fall Before the fall there was a fitnes and aptitude in man to choose good or euill and man was perfectly conformed to god because hee was made to the Image of God Again All things which God made were very good Now that there was in our first Parentes some weakenes ioined with perfect knowledge and obedience of God which might bee ouercome by the greatnes and force of some temptation Man though most free yet not so strong but he might fall God not assisting him the euent it selfe doth euidently inough declare And that by the especial purpose of god there was not so much grace bestowed vpon our first Parentes as thereby they were not able to be seduced by the tentation of Satan and bee moued to sinne the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 11. when he saith God hath shut vp al in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie on all Likewise Rom. 9. sayâ—â—g That the vessels of wrath are prepared of god to destruction â—e sheweth that god therefore suffered mankind to fall because it seemed good to him not onelie to declare his mercy towards his chosen but his anger also and power and iustice in punishing the reprobate Furthermore whereas nothing is done without the euerlasting most good purpose counsel of god the fall also of our first Parents may be so much the lesse exempted from it by how much the more god had precisely exactly determined from euerlasting concerning his chiefe work euen mankind what he would haue done Lastly the creature can by no meanes retaine that righteousnes and conformitie with God except God who gaue it keep it neither can he leese it if god will haue it kept according to these sayings Iames. 1. Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights Iohn 1. In it was life and the life was the light of men which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world Psalm 51. Take not away thy holy spirite from me Psalm 104. If thou hide thy face they are troubled 2. Tim. 2. The foundation of god remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his And of our confirmation and establishment in the life to come Math. 22. In the resurrection they are as the Angels of god in heauen As then man could not haue fallen except god had withdrawen his hand and not so forceably and effectually affected his will ruled it in temptation so neither could he persist in integrity when hee was tempted except god had sustained and confirmed him euen as hee confirmed the blessed Angels that they shoulde not defect and fall away together with the other Apostataes Seeing therefore such was the first mans estate from which he wittingly and willingly fell the crime and fault of sinne neither can nor ought to be laid on God but on man only albeit notwithstanding he fell by the eternal counsell and will of God Humane reason fansiyng her owne wit in deriuing the blame of sinne from herselfe The causes of humane reason refuted which lay the fault of the first sinne on God when shee heareth these thinges is troubled and keepeth a stirre and faineth many absurdities to folow except such a libertie of doing well or euil be giuen to man that his perseuerance or falling depend of his own will alone First that God was the cause of that first sinne and by consequent of all other sinnes as which came all of the first fall Likewise that he was the cause of the sinne of the Diuel seducing man especiallie seeing the first sinne is not to bee accounted a punishment as other sinnes for no sin had gone before How the first sinne might be a punishment vnto t selfe to that end permitted of God which should be punished with that sinne and therefore seeing God coulde not will that as a punishment he may seem to haue willed it as a sinne But although there be nothing to the contrarie why sinne may not be the punishment euen of it selfe whereas in the same action both the creature depriuing himselfe of that conformitie which he had with God might sinne and god depriuing him of that good which hee of his owne accorde casteth away might punish as it is said of couetousnes Syrach 14. There is nothing worse than when one enuieth himselfe and this is a rewarde of his wickednes Yet notwithstanding there are other ends besides punishment for which it was conuenient for God to will the action both of the Diuell of man God woulde the temptation of man which was done by the Diuell as a tryal of man by which it might be made manifest Other endes and causes why God would the action though not the sinne both of Satan and Adam whether hee woulde perseuere in true pietie towardes God Euen as God himselfe doth tempt Abraham immediatly when hee commaundeth him to doe that which yet hee woulde not haue done God would that assent of man by which he did yeelde vnto the Diuell against the will of God as a manifestation of the weakenesse and feeblenesse of the creature which cannot keepe the giftes wherewith hee was adorned by God without Gods especiall instinct and aide Likewise He woulde haue this done as an occasion or a waie to manifest his iustice and seueritie in punishing and his mercie in sauing sinners As Exod. 9. Rom. 9. Nowe God respecting and willing these thinges in that perswasion and enticement of Satan and in mans assenting and yeelding thereunto did notwithstanding all this while hate the sinne of both and therefore did not wil it neither cause it but iustly permitted and suffered it to be done For first whatsoeuer things God doth they are alwaies iust 2. He was not bounde vnto man to preserue and confirme him in goodnes 3. He would haue man to be tempted and to fall that he might trie mans perseuerance in true pietie towards God 4. That he might manifest the weakenes of the creature 5. That this fall might be an occasion and way to manifest Gods iustice and mercie These things very well agree with the nature and law of God Now that they say That man did not fall of his owne free will except he had equall power as well to persist in obedience as to fal the consequence is not of force because they reason from an ill definition of mans libertie which they imagine cannot stand if it be determined and ruled by God But the whole scripture
witnesseth that it sufficeth for the libertie of the creature if the will be inclinable of it selfe to the contrarie of that which it chooseth and doth of it owne accord choose that which the minde either liketh or disliketh And hence also is that dissolued that they say that man is not iustlie punished of God if he coulde not auoide his fall For he that sinneth willingly or doth drawe on himselfe the necessitie of sinning is iustly punished his owne conscience accusing him neither is it vniust that hee is forsaken of God and depriued of the grace of the holy ghost who wittingly and willingly casteth it away and that hee suffer the punishment of this his ingratitude and contempt of God although he cannot God forsaking him doe otherwise For none is forsaken of God except he be willing to be forsaken As Math. 18. It must needes bee that offences shall come but woe be vnto that man by whom the offence commeth At length they say that God is made cruell enuious and far from bountie and mercie Gods denial of grace no crueltie but a way to greater mercie if hee did not bestow that grace vpon man without which he knew man could not stand or coÌ„sist in temptation yet would haue him tempted of the Diuel But these and the like tauntinges and reprochinges of the woorkes and iudgementes of God out of doubt are ioyned with great impietie because they ouerturne that grounde and principle which is the first degree step to godlines reuerence towards God that is that whatsoeuer God doth it is good and iust not disagreeing from his nature and lawe whether the reason thereof bee knowen vnto vs or vnknowen Wherefore this aunswere should suffice that it disagreeth not from the mercie and goodnesse of god whatsoeuer hee doth But there is not want also of other answers As that that deniall of grace doth not disagree but verie well agreeth with the mercie and bountie of god when god will haue this to bee an occasion of bestowing a greater grace and benefite as it is apparant in the fall and restoring of man Againe that that is not disagreeing from mercie or any other vertue which doth appertaine to the manifesting of the glorie of the chiefe good which is god For although it bee mercy not to reioyce in the ruine or destruction of his creature yet mercie ought not to fight with iustice Now it is iust that more regarde shoulde bee had of the chiefe good that is god both by himselfe and by others than of all the creatures Wherefore very well doe agree together in god his mercie which will not the death of a sinner and his iustice which suffereth mankinde to fall that by his fall the seueritie and goodnesse of god may appeare The second degree is in man fallen into sinne The second degree of lâ—bertie after the fall in man not regenerate and being vnregenerate In this state the will verily doth worke freely but yet is carried to euill onely and can doe nought else but sinne except it bee regenerated by the holy ghost Or shorter It is the fitnes pronenesse in man after his fall beeing vnregenerate to choose onely euill The reason is because men by the first Parentes fall are destitute of the true knowledge of god and of all inclination to obey him Therefore no actions of the vnregenerate be they neuer so notable can please god seeing they are not referred to this end that god may bee honored by their obedience This blindnes and corruption of mans nature doth the scripture liuely depaint out in very many places Al the thoughts of man are euil Psalme 59.11 2. Cor. 3.5 Ephe. 2.3 Iere. 13.23 Math 7.18 We are not able of our selues to think any good thing We vvere by nature the sons of vvrath Can the black Moore change his skin Then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe euil An euil tree cannot bring forth good fruit Wherfore the wil ability to do good workâ— is no more in the vnregenerats power than their creation The libertie which is in man now after his fall and not yet regenerated and recouered is the very bondage of sinne This libertie of the vnregenerate is the most wretched seruitude of sinne and very death in sinnes whereof the scripture treateth in many places as Iohn 8.34 Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Rom. 6.16 Know yee not that to whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes 2. Pet. 2 19. Promising vnto them libertie are themselues seruants of corruption Free will to outward good action without an inward faith and obedience is not freewill to good 1 Obiection Nothing more easie saith Erasmus than to keepe a mans hands from stealing Againe Socrates Aristides manie others haue shewed and exercised manie vertues Therefore they had free will to good before regeneration Aunswere 1. This is an ill definition of a good worke and of free wil to good which is a power of yeelding obedience pleasing to God The vnregenerat steale within by their lust and desire though not by outwarde fact That the vnregenerate contain their hands that is obserue outward Disciplin this is also Gods benefite who by his generall prouidence gouerneth also the heartes of the wicked and bridleth their inbred wickednes that it breake not forth and effect that which it would But hereof it foloweth not that it is easie to begin inwarde obedience or that to contain their hands from stealing is simply a good worke The outward actions good in themselues are made euill by want of an inward faith Neither are those good works before God that is pleasing vnto God which haue not ioined with them faith and inward obedience But faith and inwarde obedience coulde not be in them because they were not regenerated Replie 1. The workes of the law are good Heathen men did the workes of the lawe therefore the workes of heathen men were good And by consequence heathen men also or vnregenerate haue libertie of doing good Wee answere to the Maior by a distinction The works of the law are good true by themselues but they are made ill by an accident so are these workes of the lawe made ill by an accident of the vnregenerate because they are not done by them for that ende and after that sort which God commanded The remnants of spirituall life in the vnregenerat are not sufficient to make their workes good Replie 2. There remain also manie true notions in the minds of the vnregenerat concerning god and his will the right ordering of their life Wherefore the will working according to these notions and the direction of true reason doth not sinne but worketh well Answere first Those legal notions whether they belong to the first or to the second table of the Decalog they
Maior For the promise euen in those who receiue it not hath this vse that it may bee made manifest that God doth not reioice at the destruction of any and that hee is iust in punishing when as he doth so inuite thē vnto him who through their ingratitude contemne and refuse gods promises Secondly we distinguish that vnto them indeed the promise is vnprofitable to whom the condition adioined is neuer made possible through faith and grace of iustification by Christ and of regeneration by the holy Ghost But so it is made possible vnto the elect Wherefore God deludeth nether but earnestly declareth to both of them what they ought to be vnto whom he giueth euerlasting life and how vnwoorthy they are of Gods benefites and shall neuer bee partakers of them vnlesse by the free mercy of God they be exempted from destructiō further also he allureth more and more and confirmeth the faithful to yeeld obedience Lastly they cite also other sayings which seeme to place conuersion and good-woorks in the will of men Psal 119. I haue applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes 1. Ioh. 5. verse 18. He that is begotten of god keepeth himselfe These the like sayings attribute the woorke of god vnto men first because they are not only the obiect but the instrumēt also of gods woorking which the holy spirite exerciseth in them Then because they are such an instrument which being renewed and moued by the holy spirit doth also it selfe woorke together and mooue it selfe For there is not one effect ascribed vnto the holie ghost and another to mans will but the same to both vnto the holie ghost as the principal cause vnto mans will as a secondarie and instrumentall cause The third degree of libertie in man regenerated The third degree of libertie belongeth to man in this life as he is regenerated but not yet glorified or in whom regeneration is begun but not accomplished or perfected In this state the will vseth her libertie not onely to worke euill as in the second degree but partly to doe ill and partly to do well And this is to be vnderstood two waies First that some works of the regenerate are good and pleasing to God which are done of them according to Gods commandement but some euil displeasing to god which they do contrary to the commaundement of God which is manifest by the infinit fallings of holy men Secondly that euen those good works which the conuerted doe in this life albeit they please God by reason of Christes satisfaction imputed vnto them yet are they not perfectly good that is agreeable to Gods law but vnperfect stained with many sins therefore they cannot if they be beheld without Christ stand in iudgement escape damnation The cause of the renewing and beginning of this liberty in man to good is the spirit working by the wil. The cause for which the wil beginneth to work well is this because by the singular grace or benefite of the holy spirit mans nature is renewed by the word of God there is kindled in the mind a new light knowlege of god in the hart new affections in the wil new inclinations agreeing with the Lawe of God and the will is forcibly and effectually mooued to doe according to these notions and inclinations and so it recouereth both the power of willing that which God approueth and the vse of that power and beginneth to bee conformed and agreeable to God and to obey him Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God wil circumcise thy hart the hart of thy seed that thou maiest loue the lord thy god with al thine heart Ezec. 36.26 A new hart wil I giue you and a newe spirit wil I put within you and I wil take away the stony hart out of your body and I wil giue you an heart of flesh and I wil put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Act. 16. The Lord opened the hart of Lidia that she should attend to those things which were spoke of Paul 2. Cor. 3. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Why the will in the regenerate vseth liberty not onely to good but to euil also The causes for which the will vseth her libertie not onely to the choosing of good but of euill also are in number two The first for that in this life the renewing of our nature is not perfect neither as concerning the knowledge of GOD neither as concerning our inclinations to obey GOD and therefore in the best men while they liue here remaine stil many and great sinnes both originall and others The Second for that the regenerate bee not alwaies ruled by the holy spirite but are sometimes for a time forsaken of GOD eyther for to try or to chastise or humble them but yet are recalled to repentaunce that they perish not Of the first cause it is said Rom. 7. I knowe that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to wil is present with mee but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Marc. 9. I beeleue Lord but help thou my vnbeliefe Of the second cause it is said Psa 51. Take not away thy holy spirit from mee Isaiah 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardned our heart from thy fear Returne for thy seruaunts sake 1. Kings 8.57 The Lorde our God bee with vs that hee forsake vs not neither leaue vs. Therefore the regenerate man in this life doth alwaies goe either forwarde or backewarde neuer continueth in the same state Hence are deduced these 2. conclusions first as man corrupted before he be regenerated can not begin new obedience pleasing acceptable vnto God So he that is regenerated in this life although he beginne to obey God that is hath some inclination and purpose to obey God according to all his commaundementes and that vnfained though yet weak and strugling with euil inclinationes affectiones and desires and therefore there shine in his life and manners a desire of pietie towardes God and his neighbour yet can hee not yeeld whole and perfect obedience to God because neither his knowledge nor his loue of God is so great and so syncere as the law of God requireth and therefore is not such righteousnes as may stande before God according to that saying Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified The second They who are ōcuerted can no farder retein good inclinations neither thoughts and affections and a good purpose to perseuere and go forwarde therein than as the holy spirit worketh and preserueth these in them for if he guide and rule them they iudge and doe aright but if he forsake them they are blinde they wander slip and fall away yet so that they perish not but repent and are saued if so bee they were euer truely conuerted 1. Cor. 4. What hast
so the worke of god that the will of man is not only the obiect but the instrument also of gods working an agent by it own force giuen it of god in producing an effect in that the wil is not only passiue but both actiue passiue for as much as it is to this end moued of the spirite to worke that it self might do that which God wil worke by it which also so commeth to passe in all the good actions of the will euen as in ill actions also when it is incited either by the Diuel or other causes it self is not in the mean season idle Wherefore in Ezechiel it is added 36. I wil cause you to walke in my Statutes and yee shall keepe my Iudgements and doe them The fourth degree of libertie is in man perfectlie regenerated after his glorification The fourth degree of libertie is in man perfectlie regenerated after his glorification or after this life In this libertie the will shal be only free to choose good and not to choose euill this shal be the perfect libertie of our wil by which we shall not only not sin but shall abhorre nothing more than sin also shal not be able to sin anie more The reasons hereof are these Because in the mind shal shine the perfect knowledge of god his will in the wil heart a most perfect exceeding inclination to obeie god an exceeding loue of god a ioy resting in god an agreeablenes or conformitie with god Wherefore no place shal be for ignorance for errour or any doubting of God yea or for the least stubbornes against God Lastly That conformitie in the elect of all their inward powers and faculties with God and the effectuall guiding of the holie Ghost shal bee continued to all eternitie For the blessed Saints are neuer forsaken but continuallie ruled by the holie Ghost in all their actions in the celestiall life For which cause it cannot possiblie bee that any motions or actions of man there shoulde once swarue from rightnesse And therefore it is said Math. 22. They are as the Angels of god in heauen This last degree of libertie after mans glorification greater than the first before his fall because this excludeth all possibility of falling the other did not Neither by this meanes is the libertie of will taken away or diminished but is truely confirmed and perfected in the blessed Angels men for as much as both the vnderstanding is free from al error ignorance and doubtfulnes and lightened with the perfect knowledge of god and the heart and wil free from all stubbornes and without all soliciting or suggestiō to withstand god is carried with an exceeding loue of god and an alacrity to obey the knowen will of god And hence it appeareth also how much more excellent our state shal be than was Adams before his fall Adam truely before his fall was perfectly conformed to god but he could wil both good euil and therefore had some infirmity ioined with his excellent gifts euē a power to depart from god leese his gifts that is he was changeablie good But we shall not be able but to will good onely And as the wicked are onely carried to euill because they are wicked so shal we also only loue chuse good because we shal be good It shal be then impossible for vs to will any euill Because wee shal bee preserued by gods grace in that perfect liberty of wil that is we shal be vnchangeably good It is necessary that this doctrine Of the similitude and difference of free-will which is in god and his creatures The vse of this doctrine concerning the diuersities of libertie which is in God and in man and of the diuerse degrees of mans libertie and in diuers states and degrees of mans nature deliuered hitherto out of the scripture should be manifest knowen in the Church for many waighty causes 1. That this glorie may be giuen to god that he alone is the most free agent whose libertie and wisedome dependeth of no other and that all the creatures are subiect to his gouernement 2. That we may remember that they who wittinglie and willinglie sin or haue cast themselues into a necessitie of sinning are not at al excused and so not god but their own wils declining of their own accord from gods commandements to be the cause of their sins 3. That we may know god alone to be of himself vnchangeably good the fountain of goodnes but no creature to be able neither to haue nor to keep more goodnes than god of his free goodnes wil work keep in him therefore we must desire it of him ascribe it receiued to him 4. That we knowing god to be a most free gouernor of al things may confesse that he is able for his glory our safety to change those things which seeme most vnchangeable 5. That wee knowing from what excellencie of our nature wee haue fallen by our owne fault may the more deplore and bewaile our vnthankefulnes and magnifie Gods mercie who aduaunceth and lifteth vs vp euen to a greater excellencie 6. That knowing the miserie and naughtines of our nature and disposition if once god forsake vs we may be humbled in his sight and ardentlie desire to wade and come out of these euils 7. That hauing knowledge of that libertie into the which the sonne of god restoreth vs wee may the more desire his benefites and be thankefull vnto him for them 8. That knowing we are by the mercie of god alone seuered from them that perish that we rather than they might bee conuerted wee bee not lifted vp with an opinion of our owne goodnes or wisedome but ascribe the whole benefite of our iustification and saluation not to anie cause appearing in vs but to the mercie of god alone 9. That acknowledging the vveakenes and corruption vvhich remaineth euen in vs regenerated vve may seeke for iustification in Christ alone and may vvithstand those euils 10. That knovving our selues not to be able to stand against tentations vvithout the singular assistance of the holie spirite vve may ardently and dailie desire to bee preserued and guided by god 11. That vnderstanding that vve are not preserued against our vvils but with our wils we may wrastle with tentations indeuour to make our calling and election sure 12. That vnderstanding the counsaile of god concerning the conuerting of men by the doctrine of the gospel and ministerie of the Church vve may imbrace earnestlie and desirouslie the vse thereof OF EVILS OF PVNISHMENT IN this question also we are to speake of the effects of sinne that is of the other part of mans miserie euen of the euill of paine and punishment It is saide that God doth most grieuouslie most iustlie and most certainelie punish sinne Most grieuouslie for the greatnes of sin because the infinite good is offēded thereby Most iustlie because euery sin violateth
al his waies And Act. 10. God is no accepter of persons Thirdly Gods diuine wil is the chiefe and perfectest rule and onely squire of vprightnesse And therefore God alone because he is exceeding good cannot of his owne nature wil or work anie vniust thing but the wils and actions of all creatures are so far iust as they are made by god conformable to his diuine wil. Men not able without the doctrine of the church to conceiue aright of Gods iustice and righteousnes Now although al confesse god to be righteous and iust because God hath imprinted this notion and knowledge of himselfe among other in the reasonable nature because hee is perfectly good and therefore is the rule of perfect righteousnesse because hee witnesseth by examples of punishmentes and rewardes that he hateth and punisheth vniust thinges and liketh the iust because hee is the iudge of the woorlde to whome it belongeth to compose or set and administer all thinges in a iust order because lastly hee oweth not any thing to any nature but by the right of a creatour it is laweful for him to dispose of all thinges at his will and therefore cannot be to any iniurious as it is saide Luc. 17. When ye haue done all saie we are vnprofitable seruants Rom. 11.35 Who hath giuen vnto him first and hee shall be recompenced Matth. 20.15 Is it not lawfull for mee to doe as I wil with mine owne Yet notwithstanding it is farre off that men shoulde iudge aright of the righteousnesse and iustice of God without the doctrine of the Church because they haue not the whole knowledge not so much as of the Lawe wherein God made knowen his iustice and can affirme nothing certaine concerning the euerlasting punishmentes of sinnes and are altogether ignoraunt of the punishment which the Sonne of God susteined for sinnes Moreouer mens mindes are troubled The causes which make men to conceiue amisse of Gods iustice so that they doubt whether all thinges be gouerned of God in a iust and vpright order First when they see it goe well with the bad and ill with the good And to this obiection the doctrine of the Church onely is able to make aunswere which sheweth that God differreth the punishmentes of the wicked and the rewardes of the good to another life inuiteth the vn-Godly by his mildnesse lenity to repentance proueth confirmeth the Godly by exercises and calamities punisheth and chastiseth many for their sins who seem in mens iudgements to be gâ—ltles It goeth therefore euil with the good but not finally Now as hee differeth the punishment of the wicked thereby to inuite them to repentance so he afflicteth the Godlie First Because they yet retain manie sinnes Secondlie To proue and trie them Thirdly To confirme their saith in them Obiection But iustice requireth that neuer any good should be done to the wicked they were presently to bee punished Aunswere Except there be a reasonable and iust cause why to differre their punishment Reply But yet no harme shoulde euer be doone to the good Aunswere Not to those which are perfectlie good But we in this life are not pâ—â—fectlie good Reply Wee are perfect in Christ Aunswere And therefore we are not punished of God but onelie chastised proued and exercised that so at length we may be also perfect in our selues Secondly when men consider that God dooth not cause and bring to passe that no sinne be committed when yet he might most easily doe it but farther that he punisheth sinnes which went before with after-sinnes and passeth at his pleasure thinges from one to another as the Aegyptians goods to the Israelites Exod. 12. And yet these thinges to be forbidden vs by his Lawe it seemeth vnto them that God will dooth some things contrarie to his Lawe But these thinges are contrarie to his Lawe and iustice if they be done by men but if God doe them they are most iust and are most agreeable to his Lawe For creatures are bound one to another one to prouide for anothers safety whensoeuer hee can But God is bound to none Thirdly some when they heare that god dooth not giue alike and equallie to men who all are by nature equal that is the Sonnes of wrath when as he conuerteth and saueth some hardeneth and condemneth others they deeme that by this reason accepting of persons is laide vpon God But these men mark not that then it is vniust to giue vnequallie to those who are equall when a due and deserued rewarde is paide and that GOD doth giue his blessings vnto men not of due but of his free bountifulnesse Reply Those thinges which are doone according to iustice are doone as due But that good should be doone to those who are good the order of iustice requireth Therefore good is doone vnto the good as due Aunswere Al this is true if wee talke of creatures But if of God not so because the creatour is bound to none as the creatures are neither can the creatures deserue any thing of God as they may one of another Wherefore God punisheth of iustice but dooth good of grace and mercie according as it is saide When yee haue doone all say we are vnprofitable seruants wee haue doone that which was our dutie to doe And if any man reply that not men onelie but God also is bound by order of iustice to spare and doe well to the good out of those wordes of Abraham Gen. 8.23 Wilt thou also destroie the righteous with the wicked It is to bee obserued that this bond is not of any desert or right that may make the Creatour to stand answerable to the Creature but of gods promise and truth For God did most freely and of his exceeding goodnesse when hee ought nothing to any bind himselfe by promises endented to doe good vnto the godlie And this goodnesse of God and faithfulnesse in keeping his promises is often called iustice And therefore it is well saide that it agreeth not with God to afflict anie vndeseruedly not because hee should iniurie any though he destroied him not offending but because his mercie and bountifulnesse and trueth doe not admit this These thinges are necessarily to be ascribed of vs vnto the iustice of God that the cogitation thereof may ascertaine vs of the punishment of the wicked of the deliueraunce of the Godly from their iniuries after this life that so we may patiently beare whatsoeuer he will lay vpon vs as Dan. 9. it is said O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs open shame GOD teacheth vs in the Scripture to knowe his trueth after this manner First How wee are taught the truth of God in scripture that his infinite Wisedome suffereth none but most true and certaine knoweledge of all thinges to bee in him Hebrues 4.13 There is no creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked vnto his eies with whom wee haue to doe Secondly that hee neither
appointeth nor will nor speaketh thinges repugnaunt and contradictorie 2. Corinth 1.19 The Sonne of GOD Iesus CHRIST who was preached among you by vs was not Yea and Naie but in him it was Yea. Thirdly that hee faineth nothing nor deceiueth anie man but this is in trueth and indeede his will which hee openeth vnto vs. Roman 3.4 Let GOD be true and euerie man a liar Fourthly that hee neuer changeth his minde Psalm 89.34 My couenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Fiftly that it certainly commeth to passe whatsoeuer god auoucheth shal come to passe which experience also witnesseth many sayings of holy Scripture as Matth. 24. Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe Sixtly that he is the louer autor and preseruer of the truth in the reasonable creatures and an enimie to all lies dissembling and hypocrisie Therefore Iohn 14.15 and 16. The holy Ghost is called the spirite of trueth who shoulde teach vs all trueth Prouerb 12.12 The lying lippes are an abomination vnto the Lord but they that deale truelie are his delight Mat. 24.51 He wil giue him his portion with hypocrits Seeing then the trueth of God is to bee considered out of his woorde and woorkes albeit men by nature confesse that GOD is true yet are they ignoraunt wherein his trueth consisteth For it is saide Iohn 17. Thy woorde is trueth and Psalm 89.5 Thy trueth in the congregation of the SAINTES Neither doth the conscience or the priuie knowledge of anie mans sinnes suffer him who knoweth not CHRIST the Mediatour to put any confidence in Gods promises For as 2. Corinth 1. it is said Al the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen vnto the glorie of God God dissēbleth not when hee saieth hee will doe that which yet he doth not But if sometimes god foretold that hee would doe those things which he neuer decreed to doe he did not therein dissemble For what hee threatned that hee meant with this condition should so come to passe except the conuersion of men and praiers came betweene and what he promised hee meant with this condition if they repented either persisted in godlinesse or needed not affliction and chastisement Wherefore he would indeede haue punished the Niniuits if they had persisted in their sinnes And Christ Luke 24. was indeed departing except his disciples had desired him to stay in the Inne at Emaus How God is saide to deceiue a deceiued Prophet As for that which God saith Ezech 14 9. And if a Prophet be deceiued and hath spoken a thing that he hath deceiued him he signifieth not thereby that hee deceiueth by instilling lies into false Prophets but that they are by him in iust iudgement deliuered and giuen to bee seduced by the Diuell as 1. Kings 22. GOD is saide to haue giuen a lieng spirite in the mouthes of all the prophetes of Achab. Replie But yet GOD would that the false Prophetes should tel a false tale Aunswere Hee would but in diuerse respects and to a diuerse end God foretolde victorie to Achab by an ironie and that a sharpe and bitter one thereby to recall him from making his expedition to warre and to punishe him for not obeying by deliuering him to bee seduced by the Diuell The false Prophets foretolde victorie to flatter him the Diuel to destroy him and to die Why chastitie is one of Gods properties There is made also mention of Chastitie in the former description of God because amongst his especiall and most notable differences whereby he may be discerned from Diuels he wil haue truth to be and chastitie For as God will bee acknowledged to bee true and will haue trueth loued of vs that it maie certainelie appeare that he is and what hee is that men may think and speake the truth of him and through his knowledge be partakers of euerlasting life so the Diuell attēpteth to fil the worlde with lies that he may both darken the glorie of God and by forging lies of God destroy mankinde Whereupon the holy Ghost is called the spirite of trueth But the Diuell a liar and murtherer from the beginning the father of lies Ioh. 8. And as God both by reason of the exceeding puritie of his nature as also because hee will haue the spousal loue and coniunction of mariage to be the image of the vnspeakeable loue and spirituall coniunction betweene him and the Church as wee may see Ephes 5. Ezech. 16. Osee 2. and therefore will haue it accounted sacred and holy amongest men As God then in these respectes is the louer and author of chastity and dooth most seuerely detest and punish al vncleannes both internal externall which is repugnaunt to this order as the examples of the Sodomites of the tribe of Beniamin and others of all other ages and nations testifie So the Diuell both for his impurity as also because whatsoeuer God woulde haue helde most holie and venerable that for the hatred hee beareth to God hee studieth most to depraue and most foulie to defourme endeuoureth with obscenitie and filthinesse horriblie to pollute al mankinde and to withdrawe them from GOD. Therefore it is said 1. Thess 4.3 This is the wil of god euen your sanctification and that yee should abstein from fornication that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour The mercie or fauourable and inclinable will of GOD to preserue his creatures and especiallie mankinde The mercie of God in preseruing his creatures the Scripture proposeth vnto vs opened by these degrees First that hee taketh delight in the saluation of all but in the destruction of none Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord god I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Secondlie that he differreth mitigateth and taketh away punishmentes inuiting all men by his long suffering to repentaunce if not one waie yet by the testimonie of their conscience Heereof Exod. 34. and often elsewhere hee is saide to bee slowe to anger Thirdly that hee debaseth himselfe to relieue our infirmitie both by inwarde and outwarde supplies as by his spirit worde oathes Sacramentes and miracles Fourthly that he embraceth with singular loue his chosen so that he saueth and deliuereth them for euer from sinne and all euils and comforteth them also in afflictions Reuelat. 7. and 21. God shall wipe awaie all teares from their eies Isaie 49.15 Though a woman shoulde forgette her Childe yet will I not forgette thee Fiftlie that hee chose rather to bring to passe this our deliuery euen by the incarnation and death of his onelie begotten Sonne than that all mankinde shoulde perish Iohn 3. So god loued the woorlde that he gaue his onelie begotten Sonne Sixtlie that hee promiseth and perfourmeth all these thinges of his owne free goodnesse Exod. 34.19 I will shewe mercie to whome I will shewe mercie
and will haue compassion on whome I will haue compassion Isay 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth awaie thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Seuenthly That hee dooth these thinges towardes sinners who not onelie were vnwoorthie of them but also who were his deadlie enimies Romanes 5.10 When wee were enimies wee were reconciled to GOD by the death of his sonne They also of the wiser sort which are out of the Church are all compelled to attribute mercie vnto God beecause they see him so mercifullie to spare sinners whereupon Ieremie Lamentations chap. 3.22 saith It is the Lordes mercies that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not But beecause the perfectnesse of Gods iustice and the priuitie of their owne sinnes doth not permit them to conceiue any firme persuasion of Gods mercie towardes them neither knowe they ought concerning the saluation of men by the death of his sonne therefore are they not able either constantly or wholy to agnise Gods mercie 1 Obiection Mercie is a kinde of griefe or sorrow therefore there is sorrow and griefe in God Aunswere The names of affections when they are attributed vnto God by an Anthropopathie they doe not signifie anie passion or change in God but an inspeakeable either dislike or liking of the obiects God therefore is said to be mercifull 1. Because he is against the destruction of his creature 2. Because hee doth those thinges which mercifull men are wont to doe 2 Obiection God seemeth sometimes to reioice in reuengement Isai 1. Prouerb 1. Aunswere He reioiceth not in reuengement or punishment but in the executing of his owne iustice 3 Obiection It seemeth in some places of scripture that Gods mercie doth not extend it selfe vnto the wicked Isai 27. Aunswere This is to be vnderstood of that degree of mercie wherewith he imbraceth his chosen And yet hee spareth also the wicked neither reioiceth at their destruction 4 Obiection But yet he saueth not all whereas he is able to do it Therefore hee is not exceeding mercifull neither mercifull towardes all Aunswere He doth not saue all for most iust cause For his mercie is so to bee exercised that it hinder not the execution of his iustice 5 Obiection He doth not take mercie on anie or receiue anie into fauour without the satisfaction of his sonne Therefore he doth it not freelie Aunswere That which is concluded doth not followe because God of his free grace giueth this satisfaction it selfe and applieth it vnto vs. Nowe hee giueth a thing freely who giueth the price of a thing for which the thing it selfe is giuen God is also called Bountifull 1. In what the bountifulnes of God is seene Because hee createth and gouerneth all things 2. He is the onely fountain of al good things 3. Which befall to all creatures 4. Yea to the wicked 5. Of his goodnes loue and free mercie towardes all creatures 6. But especiallie towardes mankinde which he hath made according to his image and for whose sake hee hath created all other things 7. But in them also chieflie toward his Church to whom hee hath opened himselfe and his will 8. And in this his Church toward his chosen Angels and men to whom by his sonne he giueth life and glorie euerlasting And further whom he is angry with and on whom he inflicteth punishment hee is not angrie with their substaunce or nature which himselfe created but with that corruption which came by other meanes to his diuine worke Rom. 1.18 The wrath of god is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlines Obiection No creature visible is subiect to so manie euils as man Therefore he is not bountifull towards men Aunswere Hee is subiect to these euils by an accident that is because of sinne but withall he is enriced abooue other creatures with great blessings euen when hee is out of the Church but is most happie and blessed if he repent God also alone is most free For what causes God is saied to bee most free because hee alone by nature is such that no fault or miserie can fall vpon him 2. Neither can hee bee constrained of anie 3. Neither is hee bounde to anie 4. Neither is hee subiect or tied to the rule or lore of an other Wherefore whatsoeuer he will and doth that hee will and doth of himselfe most freely when as much and in what maner he wil what he will that is most good iust But here chieflie is considered the freedome of will or libertie frō constraint which is the power abilitie whereby god without any necessitie hath from euerlasting decreed the whole order of the creatiō preseruatiō rule of al things and doth accomplish the same not beeing constrained or tied to other causes yet so that hee neuer swarueth from his rightnes To this beare witnes his miracles and many examples of deliueries and punishments and many places of scripture as Psalm 135.6 Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord that did hee in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all the depths 1. Sam. 14.6 It is not hard to the Lord to saue with manie or with fewe 1 Obiection That without which second causes which worke necessarilie can not worke doth it selfe also worke necessarilie Without the first cause which is God Second causes which necessarilie worke cannot worke therefore the first cause also which is God worketh together with them necessarilie Aunswere The Maior is true of such causes as woorke with absolute necessitie but it is false of such as worke onely of a conditionall necessitie that is because it so pleaseth God who notwithstanding could moue them otherwise or else at all not moue them or not so much as make them that they should worke and shoulde worke after that maner which they doe woorke Therefore all second causes depend on the first but not the first any way on the second 2 Obiection God is vnchangeablie good therefore not freelie good Aunswere This vnchangeablenes dooth not diminish but establish the libertie of Gods will For it is not the vnchangeablenes of a nature but constraint and coaction which is contrarie to libertie and so much the more freely the will chooseth with howe much the greater and surer force and motion it is carried vnto her obiect 3 Obiection It is said also of particular euents that God can onelie wil those thinges which are best but onelie those things which hee hath decreed are best therefore hee cannot will other things But aunswere is made to the Minor What things God hath decreed those are best not before but after his decree For Gods will being the rule and squire of rightnes therefore are thinges good because hee will them wherefore if hee woulde haue from euerlasting had anie other thing that then shoulde haue beene best As that Ioseph should be solde and made Lord of Aegypt and giue sustenance to his fathers familie was best because God would so Now if God would haue any other way
exercised Ioseph and taken vengeaunce on his brethren that shoulde then haue beene the best It foloweth therefore that God will no other thing after hee hath once decreed what hee will haue done but that he was able from euerlasting to haue decreed some other thing For whatsoeuer he would that from euerlasting hee woulde most freely 4 Obiection Moreouer some places of scripture seeme to intimate that the will of God may bee sometimes hindered by his creatures As Ezech 33.11 I desire not the death of the wicked Math. 23. How often would I haue gathered thee and thou wouldst not Ans These and the like places onely shew with what God is delighted to what he inuiteth calleth al but not what by his mercie spirit he hath purposed to work in euery one Wherefore this doctrine of the libertie and free will of God let vs diligently maintaine that both the glorie of god may bee vindicated from stoicall blasphemies and in vs faith hope inuocating on god and sedulitie and earnestnes in performing our duety may be established if acknowledging god most freely to gouerne all hir creatures we be neither secure in prosperitie nor in aduersitie doe cast away hope and good indeuours Lastly in the description of gods nature is put The anger of God against sinne that he is angrie and wrath with offences and sinnes Which horrible anger and wrath of god whereby hee detesteth and punisheth all sinnes although al the wicked at length too late perceiue haue experience of when they rush into eternall dispaire yet such his displeasure and indignation as god will haue to be knowen they cannot so much as conceiue who are without the Church seeing they neither iudge all those euils to be sinnes which god in his lawe threatneth hee will punish with euerlasting tormentes neither knowe the death and punishment of the sonne of god than which god could not shewe a greater token and Argument of his anger against sin The elect and chosen alone are throughly moued by a right and sauing knowledge thereof gathered out of gods punishments and threatninges to conuersion and the feare of god But the greatnes of it no man can fully conceiue according as it is saide Psal 90. Who knoweth the power of thy wrath How the conceiuing of the whole nature of God he that is instructed by the spirit goeth beyond him whom nature informeth Out of the description therefore of God before deliuered wee may vnderstand how the true God is discerned from false Gods Likewise what the knowledge of God reueiled in his word differeth from that which the heathen haue beeing deriued from the light of nature The difference consisteth first In the attributes or properties of God now expounded Secondly In the persons Thirdly In the workes of these two is to be spoken afterwardes These thinges are fullie and rightly vnderstood in the Church onely Because they are made knowen by reuelation from GOD onely wherefore they who are not of the Church doe not knowe and worship of the true GOD but an idole in steede of the true GOD. For they erre First in the attributes or properties of GOD who either knowe not and professe all or doe not rightly and fully expounde them as they are declared in the worde or else corrupt them The Heathen therefore know not the omnipotencie wisedome goodnes iustice truth mercie bountifulnesse of GOD shewed in the sauing and restoring of men by the sending of the Sonne and the holie Ghost They knowe not the death and punishment of the Sonne of GOD therefore they knowe not the grieuousnesse of GODS anger against sinne euen that hee will punish all sinne yea the least with eternall punishment Wherefore also they know not the iustice of GOD punishing all sinne with eternal pains in the wicked or with that which is equiualent to eternall in his Sonne They knowe not the Wisedome Mercie Truth of god freeing vs sinners from death and receiuing vs without breach of his iustice into fauour Iustifiyng vs sanctifiyng and glorifiyng vs in his Sonne by the holie ghost according to his promises Neither further doe they ascribe vnto god fullie and wholy his Omnipotencie Wisedome goodnesse which shineth in the creation of thinges and in the continuall preseruing of the same For of manie things they haue either none or but a darke knowledge many things they subtract and withdrawe from the prouidence and gouernement of god and attribute it to their owne wisedome industrie vertue and strengh or ascribe it to fortune and chaunce The like we are to conceiue of other attributes of god in which they are alike blinde Secondly The Church acknowledgeth three persons of one and the same Diuine Essence that is that the true god is an Essence so in number one eternall and infinite that notwithstanding it is the same and whole substaunce of the three persons to wit the eternall Father and his Coëternall Sonne and the Coëternall holy ghost But the Heathen and Pagans and other sectes doe not acknowledge three persons but as the Essence so also the person of the Godhead they professe to bee onely one Thirdly They which are not of the Church are altogether ignorant of the works of the Churches saluation namely the reconciliation of men with god iustification sanctification and full deliuerie from all sinne and miserie by the Sonne and the holie ghost Neither doe they wholy acknowlege or professe the woorkes of Creation For they doe not thinke all thinges to haue beene created of nothing by the woorde of god onely they denie all generally and each in particular euen the least to bee administred power-fullie by the Omnipotencie of God but ascribe very manie to Chaunce Fortune and humane Wisedome Wherefore seeing out of the woorkes of god as his proper affectes are made knowen both the properties or nature of the true god as also the Trinitie of persons in one godhead and therefore god and eache of the persons take their names from them and seeing those woorkes are both all and chieflie extant in the Church and are by the Church rightly and sufficiently vnderstoode hereof is necessarily concluded that hee alone who is made knowen in the woorde and the Church is the true and naturall god and that hee is to bee knowen and discerned from Idols by the woorde onely and by his benefites and reuelations exhibited to the Church as the sending of the holy ghost the redemption of mankinde regeneration sanctification and glorification concerning the which Pagans and many other sects know nothing at all 3 Whence it may appeare that there is but one god Whence first sprang the multitude of Gods ALbeit god in the beginning did as certainely declare vnto mankinde that he is but one onely as what he is yet the world by the guile and deceit of the Diuel going about to spoile god of his honour and to beare and vaunt himselfe for god and to destroy mankinde for the hatred hee beareth vnto
diuers manner in god As when we speake of god the father that being is of it selfe not from another The sonne is the father The Sonne is the same being or Essence but from the Father The holie ghost likewise is the selfe same diuine being which the father is and the sonne but from the father and the sonne So the wisedome power iustice goodnes bountifulnes mercie c. of these three are the verie diuine being or essence which is in number one and the same in these three But to be of himselfe or from another likewise to be from one or from two that is to haue that one Essence of himselfe or to haue it communicated from an other either from one or from two is the manners of being which are three to wit The eternal father and the sonne and the spirite of them both And this is it that Iustine Martyr saith There is one existence or essence of the three which is from none but of it selfe because it is but one but the manners of the existence are three Wherefore as concerning existence Being or essence it selfe the three persons are of themselues as concerning the maner of existing or beeing the father is none but of himselfe The sonne of the father the holie Ghost from both The sonne begotten the holy Ghost proceeding The summe of the difference between the Essence and person is the essence is absolute and communicable the person respectiue and incommunicable This may bee made more manifest by exemplifiyng in a man It is one thing to bee a man an other thing to bee a Father or a Sonne and yet one and the same is both a man and a Father but hee is a man absolutely or in himselfe or according to his owne nature he is a father to another or in respect of another namely of his sonne Semblablie it is one thing to be God another thing to be the father or son or holy ghost and yet one and the same is both God and father god in respect of himselfe or his own nature father in respect of the sonne Again the essence of a man who begetteth another is communicated to him who is begot but the person or indiuidual is not communicated For the begetter bringeth forth not himselfe but another distinct from himselfe the same essence notwithstanding being communicated vnto him And no relatiue is his correlatiue or any part thereof Therefore the sonne is not the father nor the father the sonne although both bee true man So in like sort the eternall Father hath by eternall generating communicated to the Sonne his Essence but not his Person that is hee begot not the Father but the Sonne neither is the Father the Sonne or the Sonne the Father albeit each is true God God and man communicate both their Essence to another but their maner of communicating is most different and is much to be obserued Now although this be like in God and man that both doe communicate to an other not his Person but his Essence yet is there an exceeding dissimilitude in the maner whereby the diuine Essence being infinite and the humane being created and finite is communicated to another Which dissimilitude is diligently to be obserued For first in men in the father the Sonne the Essence is as distinct as the Persons themselues The father and the Sonne are not onely two persons but also two men distinct in essences So that the father is not that man which is the sonne But in God the persons are so distinct that yet the essence remaineth common one and the same and therefore there are not three Gods but the Sonne is the same God in number which is the Father and the Sonne Secondlie In persons created hee that begetteth and generateth doth not communicate his whole essence to him that is begotten For then hee should cease to be a man but only a part which being alotted and seuered out of the essence of him that begetteth is conueied or deriued into him that is begotten and is made the essence of another indiuiduall or person distinct from the essence of the indiuiduall who begetteth But in vncreated persons he that begetteth or inspireth communicateth his whole essence to him that is begotten or proceedeth or is inspired yet so that he who communicateth doth reteine the same and that whole The reason of both differences is that the essence of man as also of other creatures is finite and diuisible the essence of God infinite and indiuisible and therefore the Deity may beeing the same and whole or entire bee together both communicated and reteined Wherefore the eternall Father and Sonne and holy Ghost are that one true GOD and yet the Father is not the Sonne or the holy Ghost neither is the holy Ghost the Sonne that is they are one God not three Gods but three persons subsisting in one God By the name of Trinity are vnderstoode the three maners of beeing in God that is three not essences but persons of the same diuine Essence Now Trinity and triplicitie as also Trinal and triple differ That is said to be Triple which is compounded of three essences or is distinct by three essences Trinall is that which in essence is but one and most simple but hath three manners of beeing God therefore is not Triple because there are not mo essences but Trinall because he beeing one according to his essence is three according to his persons This difference of essence and person is to be obserued and held 1 Least the vnitie of the true God be distracted 2 Least the distinction of the persons be taken awaie 3. Least another thing be vnderstoode by the name of person than the truth of gods woorde declareth For person in this place doth not signifie only a relation or office as the Latines are wont to speak Principis personam tueri to defend the person of the Prince as of olde Sabellius falsely taught muchlesse doth it signifie the countenance or visible shape as in these daies Seruetus sported and trifled with the word person representing the forme or gesture of another such as is the person of a stage plaier but it signifieth a thing subsistent truely distinct frō others vnto whom it hath a relation respect by an incommunicable property that is it signifieth that which begetteth or which is begotten or which proceedeth not the office or dignity or degree of him that begetteth or is begotten or proceedeth Furthermore the persons are not anie thing separated from the essence but each of them are the verie selfesame whole essence of the Diuinitie But the difference is in this that the persons are each distinct from the other but the essence is common to them three And that the person is no other thing subsisting or other substaunce than the essence may be vnderstoode in some sort by the example of a man One and the same man or one and the same substaunce is a father and a man or
from the concrete to the abstract the reason doth not follow Christ therefore suffered according to his humane nature onelie making a sufficicnt and most perfect satisfaction thereby for our sins Which his satisfaction is made ours by applicatioÌ„ which is double The one from god who iustifieth vs for christs merit maketh vs to cease from sin The other from our selues who by faith apprehend applie vnto vs Christs merit by being fully persuaded that God for the ransome of his Son doth pardon vs our sinne Nowe that there was another nature in christ which nether suffered nor died is proued by these testimonies Ioh. 2.19 Destroie this Temple in three daies I wil raise it vp again 1. Pe. 3.18 was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit Reu. 1.18 I was dead and behold J am aliue Ioh. 18. I haue power to laie downe my soule and power to take it vp againe 3 The causes impellent or motiues of Christs Passion 1 THE loue of God towardes mankind Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onlie begotten Sonne 2. The mercy of God towards men fallen into sin 3. The wil of God to reuenge the iniurie of the Diuel who in reproch and despite of God auerted vs from him and maimed the image of God in vs in despite of the creator But here it maie be demaunded whether Christ fulfilled the Lawe or no and secondly if he did why then hee shoulde suffer so bitter a Passion Whereunto we aunswere first that he fulfilled the Law 1. By his righteousnes in obseruing it 2. By satisfaction in suffering punishment for our sinnes who had transgressed it Both which are most perfect Nowe to the second demand then why if Christ fulfilled the law was he so grieuously punished of God seeing punishment is the wages of sinne and sinne was not in him who neuer committed anie We answere that it was not for himselfe but for vs that hee was punished Reply A righteous man ought not to be punished for the vnrighteous Aunswere True except first he voluntarilie offer himselfe for them Secondly except he willinglie do suffer in such sort for them as that he yeelde a sufficient ransome and payment Thirdly except he haue the power of recouering himselfe out of the punishment once suffered Fourthly except he be able to bring to passe that they also for whom he offereth himselfe to satisfie leaue off to transgresse and sinne hereafter Fifthly except he bee of the same nature with them for whom he satisfieth If such a satisfier bee substituted there is nothing committed against the iustice of God for in so suffering both are saued both he that suffereth and they for whome hee suffereth Now such a suretie and satisfier was Christ who is not onelie man or of the same nature with vs but wee are also his members when the whole suffereth punishment the members also and partes are punished And for this coniunction of ours with Christ our head the Apostles commonly say that he suffered in Christ 4 The final causes or ends of his Passion THE first final cause or end of his passion is That his passion might bee a sufficient ransome for our sins or the redeeming of vs. 2. The mâ—nifesting of the loue goodnes mercie righteousnes of God while he punnisheth his sonne for vs. The chiefe finall causes then are Our saluation and the glorie of God To the former belongeth the knowledge of the greatnesse of sinne that we may knowe how great an euil sinne is and what it deserueth and further to knowe that death is not now pernicious and hurtfull to the Godly and therfore not to bee feared To the latter belongeth our Iustification wherein all the benefites are comprehended which Christ merited by dying euen our deliuery from death which hee bestoweth vpon vs. Obiection If hee haue satisfied for all then al should be saued Answere He satisfied for al as touching his satisfaction but not as touching the application thereof al not applying it vnto them Wherefore hee hath satisfied for al but doth not deliuer all but only those who by faith applie it And those he deliuereth 1. Because the Father ordeined him to this or because the Father will 2. Because the Son willingly offereth himselfe 3 Because this ransome is sufficient SVFFERED VNDER PONTIVS PILATE MEntion is made of Pilate in Christs passion 1. Because Christ would receiue from him a testimony of his innocencie that thereby we might knowe that he was pronounced innocent by the voice of the iudge himselfe 2. Beecause it was requisite that he should be solemnly coÌ„demned that we might know that hee though innocent was notwithstanding condemned that we might not be coÌ„demned as also he sustained death that we might be freed from it 3. That wee might be aduertised of the fulfilling of the Prophecy Gen. 49.10 The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shilo come For then was the Scepter taken from Iudah when Christ was a little after condemned of Pilate a Romane gouernour of whom before he was absolued This circumstance therefore is diligently to be coÌ„sidered in Christs passion that we may know him to be the Messias because al conditions are fulfilled in him which are required in the Messias Whereof this Prophecie of the taking away of the Scepter from Iudah was one 4. That we might know that Christ was condemned of God himselfe also and therefore that hee satisfied God for vs. For the head and gouernour of ordinarie iudgement is God himselfe Wherefore Christ was not to haue beene priuily taken away by the Iewes neither to be drawen to death by tumult and disorderlie but by lawefull order and iudgement and by inquisition made concerning all the accusations of Christ God would haue him first to be examined that his innocencie might appeare Secondly to be condemned that it might appeare that hee beeing before pronounced innocent was now condemned not for his owne fault but for ours and that so his vniust condemnation might be insteed of our most iust condemnatioÌ„ Thirdly to be put to death both that the prophecies might bee fulfilled and also that it might appear that both Iewes Gentils did put Christ to death CRVCIFIED I Beleeue in Christ Crucified that is I beleeue Christ did vndergo this punishment and this curse of the Crosse for my sake and that he was made obnoxious for my sake to Gods curse which I and we all deserued a type also of which curse was the death of the Crosse cursed by God himselfe Now for three causes would God haue his Sonne suffer the punishment of so ignominious a death 1 That we might knowe The curse due for our sinnes to haue laine vpon him so should be stirred vp to greater thankefulnesse considering how detestable a thing sinne is so that it could not be expiated or satisfied for but with the most bitter and most opprobrious and shamefull
in the actions of our life and vocation to be inclined to follow those thinges which are right and good and to perfourme the duties of loue and charity towardes god and our neighbour 5. To comfort Hee comforteth the Apostles amidst their afflictions The Apostles who were first flying awaie for feare of the Iewes now beeing erected by the comfort and solace of the holy ghost come forth into open place and reioyce when they are to suffer for the confession of the gospell Iohn 14.16 He wil giue you another comforter 6. To confirme He maketh the Apostles couragious and bold who were before timerous and wrapped and entangled with manie doubtes These thinges wee maie plainely see if wee compare that Sermon which Peter made at Whitsontide with their speech who went to Emaus who saie Luk 24.21 Wee trusted that it had beene he that should haue deliuered Israel The holy ghost then is the spirit of comfort and ioy Iohn 16.22 Your ioie shal no man take from you These are the chiefe and principall partes of the holy ghostes office vnto which maie bee referred all the giftes of the holie ghost as well those which are properlie bestowed on the godlie as also those which are common to them with the reprobate All those giftes we may briefly comprise in this diuision The giftes of the holie ghost either are common to the godly and vngodly or proper to the godly onely Those which are common to the godly and vngodly are giuen either to certaine men and at certain times or at al times and to all the members of the Church Those which are giuen at certaine times and to certaine men are these The gift of miracles of tongues prophecies the faith of miracles and these were necessarie for the Apostles the primitiue Church when the gospell was first to bee dispersed Those which are giuen at all times and to all the members of the church are these the giftes of tongues and of knoweledge and the gift of interpretation These are alwaies necessarie for the church and belong to the maintainaunce and preseruation of the Ministerie and are now also giuen to euery member of the church according to the measure of Christes gift as the calling and vocation of euery member needeth The giftes of the holy ghost proper vnto the godlie are iustifieng faith praier loue and other giftes profitable to saluation Obiection Many out of the church haue hadde tongues and sciences the tongues therefore and sciences are not the giftes of the holy ghost Aunswere The tongues and sciences out of the church are also the giftes of the holy ghost but by a general working of god which is without the true knowledge of him But in the church the tongues and sciences are the giftes of the holy ghost ioined with the true knowledge of god Moreouer al those giftes as wee saide are fitlie referred to those sixe principal partes before numbered of the holie ghosts office as the knowledge of tongues and of sciences to his function of teaching and that miraculous and extraordinarie gift of tongues partly to his function of ruling for the holy ghost did rule and gouerne their tongues partly to his function of teaching and confirming So also the gift of Prophecie and interpretation belongeth to his office of teaching For hee teacheth both by illightening the mindes within by his vertue and by instructing them without by the word The institution ordinance of the Sacramentes appertaineth to his office of teaching but chiefly to his office of confirming Faith and conuersion belong to his office of regenerating and conioyning vs with Christ That hee is the spirite of praier instructing vs how to praie belongeth to his office of ruling gouerning In like sort the rest of the gifts maie bee referred to certaine partes of the Holy Ghostes office Furthermore the holy ghost in respect of this his office hath diuerse titles of commendation in the Scripture For hereof hee is called 1. The spirite of adoption because hee assureth vs of the fatherly good wil of god towards vs and is a witnesse vnto vs of that free goodnesse mercy wherewith the father embraceth vs in his onely begotten sonne Therefore Rom. 8.15 By this spirit we crie Abba Father 2. He is called the earnest and seale of our inheritance because hee assureth vs our saluation 2. Cor. 1.21 It is god which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who hath also sealed vs hath giuē the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Eph. 1.13.14 In which gospell also after that yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance 3. Hee is called Life because he quickneth vs or as the Apostle saith The spirite of Life who mortifieth the oulde man and quickneth the new Rom. 8.2 The Law of the spirite of life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed mee from the Lawe of sin and of death 4. He is called Water whereby he refresheth vs being almost dead in sinne and maketh vs fruitful that we may bring foorth fruit 5. Hee is called Fire because hee dooth daily burne vp and consume concupiscences and vices in vs and kindleth our heartes with the loue of God and our neighbour 6. He is called the Fountaine because all celestiall riches doe flow vnto vs from him 7. Hee is called the Spirite of praier 8. The Oile of gladnesse Heb. 1.9 Wherefore god euen thy God hath annointed thee with the Oile of gladnesse 9. He is called the Comforter because he worketh faith in vs and purifieth our consciences and so comforteth vs that we exult and reioice in afflictions 10. He is called Intercessour because Roman 8.26 The spirite maketh request or Intercession for vs with sighes which cannot bee expressed 11. Hee is called lastly the Spirite of truth of wisedom of ioie of gladnes of the fear of God of boldnesse and the like Obiection It was said before that the holy ghost is the earnest of our inheritance But Saul Judas had the holy ghost neither yet obteined they the inheritance but were reprobate Therefore the holy ghost is not the earnest of our inheritance Answere Saul and Iudas had the holy ghost as concerning some gifts of the holie ghost But they had not the spirit of adoption Reply But it is the same spirit It is the same spirit indeed but doth not worke the same thinges in all For he woorketh adoption and conuersion in the Elect only Obiect 2. Those parts of the spirits office before specified are not proper to the holie ghost but belong also to the Father and the sonne Therefore they are not well assigned to the Holy ghost as proper Aunsw They belong also to the father and the sonne but mediatlie by the holie ghost But vnto the holy ghost they belong immediately Reply But after the same maner also it seemeth that the preseruation of thinges the inuention of arts and sciences and the like
worketh also in them to be warie and to take heed thereof Rom. 8.3 Whom hee predestinate them hee iustified They therfore doe amisse who thinke to receiue comfort without any desire of a good conscience Replie But if they must take heed and beware they are vncertaine Aunswere No because they haue this as a spur to goe forwarde and perseuere But To bee certaine and not to haue a desire of repentance amendment of life implieth a contradiction as if thou shouldest say I am certaine of my reward therefore I will not runne for a rewarde is not giuen but to him that runneth These propositions doe mutuallie one follow another To bee certaine of saluation and to haue a desire of conuersion and amendement of life 2 What Predestination is PRedestination differeth from prouidence The difference bâ—tweene predestination and prouidence as a speciall from the generall For prouidence is the eternall counsell of God concerning al creatures but Predestination is the eternall counsel of GOD concerning the sauing of men and Angels Wherefore Predestination is the eternal most iust and vnchangeable counsel of God of creating men of permitting their fal into sinne and eternal death of sending his Sonne into flesh that hee might bee a sacrifice and of conuerting some by the woorde and the holie ghost for the Mediatours sake and sauing them in true faith and conuersion and of leauing the rest in sinne and eternall death raising them vp to iudgement casting them into eternal paines Here is spoken of men which shall bee saued and not saued therefore to them onely and not to Angels doth this definition of Predestination agree Election The partes of Predestination are Election and Reprobation Election is the eternal vnchaungeable free and most iust decree of god whereby hee hath decreed to conuert some to Christ to preserue and keepe them in faith and repentaunce and by him to giue them eternall life Reprobation Reprobation is such a decree of god as whereby hee hath decreed to leaue some according to his most iust iudgement in their sinnes to punish them with blindnesse and damnation and to condemne them beeing not made partakers of Christ euerlastingly That Election likewise as also Reprobation are both the decree of god these and the like sayinges doe prooue John 13.18 I know whom I haue chosen 2. Tim. 1.9 His grace was giuen to vs before the worlde was Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he wil. Both therefore election and reprobation were made by counsell and therefore both are a decree and that eternal because there is no new thing in God but all from euerlasting and the Scripture doth manifestlie saie Ephes 1.4 That God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the worlde Seeing then hee hath chosen vs hee hath therefore reiected the rest That which the verie word of choosing doth shew For whatsoeuer is chosen the same is chosen other thinges beeing reiected This Election is of grace and free that is not in respect of anie good foreseene in vs. He hath mercie on whom he will that is He giueth freely what he giueth Joh. 15.16 You haue not chosen me 3 What the causes of Predestination or Election and Reprobation The efficient cause of our election Gods good pleasure not any thing in vs. THE efficient and motiue cause is the good pleasure of God Matth. 11.26 Jt is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such God hath not foreseene any thing in vs for which he should choose vs for there can be no good in vs as of our selues For if anie good bee found in vs that hee dooth worke wholy in vs and hee woorketh nothing in vs which hee hath not decreed to woorke from euerlasting Wherefore the alone gracious and most free good pleasure of God or the alone free mercy of God is the efficient and motiue cause of our Election Ephes â— 5. God hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Jesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil. See further Roman 9.11 Coloss 1.12 2. Timot. 1.9.10 The cause of reprobatioÌ„ in God In like manner also the efficient cause of Reprobation is the most free good pleasure of God For wee beeing all by nature the children of wrath had al perished if sin were the cause of reprobation Wherefore the cause of reprobation is not in men themselues but that is in God his will of shewing foorth his iustice Therefore of particular men why this man is elected and he reprobated there can bee no other reason giuen but the good pleasure of God onely But the cause of damnation is altogether in men The cause of Damnation in men which is sinne The supreme final cause of Predestination is gods glorie and the last and proper final cause of Election is the manifestation of Gods goodnesse and mercie in freelie sauing the Elect. The next neerest finall cause of our Election is our Iustification when God dooth in his Sonne freely account vs for righteous Both which finall causes the Apostle compriseth in these wordes Ephes 1 6. He hath predestinate vs to the praise of the glorie of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Likewise of the contrarie The first final cause of Reprobation is the declaration of gods iustice seueritie and hatred against sinne in the reprobate 1 Obiection God did foreknowe our workes Therefore he choose vs for our woorks Aunswere He did foreknowe those good thinges which he purposed to woorke in vs as also he foreknewe the persons otherwise he could not haue foreknowen any good workes So could he not haue foreseene any euill except he had purposed to permit the same 2 Obiection Christs merite applied vnto vs by faith is the cause of our Election Therefore not the good pleasure of God Answere Christes merit is not the cause of election but is reckoned among the effects thereof 3 Obiection Euil workes are the cause of reprobation therefore good workes are the cause of election Aunswere Euil workes are not the cause of reprobation but of that which followeth reprobation that is of damnation Good workes go not before in him that is to be iustified muchlesse are they the cause of election but they followe in a man beeing iustified and draw their original and their perpetual efficacy and vertue from gods meâ—e grace 4 Whaâ— are the effects of Predestination THE effect of election is the whole woork of our saluation and al the degrees of our redemption 1. The creation and gathering of the church 2 The sending and giuing of Christ the Mediatour and his Sacrifice 3. Effectuall calling of men to his knowledge which is the conuersion of the Elect by the holie Ghost and the woorde 4. Faith iustifâ—cation regeneration 5. Good woorkes 6. Finall perseueraunce 7 Raising vnto glorie 8. The effects of Reprobation Glorification and eternal life The effects of Reprobation are the creation of the reprobate priuation
1. Cor. 15.33 forbiddeth 110 What doth God forbid in the eight commaundement Not onely those f 1. Cor. 6 10. thefts g 1. Cor. 5.10 robberies which the magistrate punisheth but by the name of theft he comprehendeth whatsoeuer euil craftes fetches and deuises whereby we seek after other mens goods endeuour by force or with some shewe of right to h Luc. 3.14 1. Thes 4 6. conueie them ouer vnto our selues of which sort are false i Prou. 11.1 16.11 weightes false els vneuen k Ezech. 45.9 c. Deu. 25.13 c. measures deceitfull merchandise couÌ„terfet coine l Psal 15.5 Luc. 6.35 vsurie or any other way or meanes of furthering our estate which God hath forbidden To these we may adde all m 1. Cor. 6.10 couetousnesse and the manifolde waste and n Prou. 5.16 abusing of Gods gifts 111 What are those thinges which God here commaundeth That to my power I help and further the commodities and profit of my neighbour and that I so deale with him as I would o Mat. 7.12 desire to be dealt with my selfe and that I doe my owne woorke painefully faithfully that I p Eph. 4.28 may thereby help others also who are distressed with any neede or calamitie 112 What doth the ninth commandement exact That I beare no false q Prou. 19.5 â— 21.28 witnesse against any man neither r Psal 15.3 falsifie any mans wordes neither backbite or Å¿ Rom. 1.29.30 reproch any man nor t Mat. 7.1 c. Luc. 6.37 condemne any man rashly or vnheard but auoid and u Joh. 8.44 shun with all carefulnesse all kind of lies and deceipts as the a Prou. 12.22 13.5 proper works of the Diuel except I mean to stir vp against mee the most grieuous wrath of god And that in iudgements and other affaires I follow the truth and freely and constantly b 1. Cor. 13.6 Eph. 4.25 professe the matter as it indeede is And moreouer defend and c 1. Pet. 4.8 encrease as much as in me lieth the good name and estimation of others 113 What doth the tenth commandement forbid That our hearts be not at any time moued by the least desire or cogitation against any commaundement of God but that continually and from our heart we detest all sinne and contrarily d Rom. 7.7 c. delight in all righteousnesse 114 But can they who are conuerted vnto God perfectly obserue and keepe these commaundementes No But euen the holiest men as long as they liue haue onely smale beginnings of this e 1.10.1.8 c. Rom. 7.14.15 Eccle. 7.22 obedience yet so that they f Rom. 7.22 Jac. 2.10 begin with an earnest and vnfained desire and endeuour to liue not according to some onely but according to all the commaundements of God 115 Why will God then haue his law to bee so exactly seuerely preached seeing there is no man in this life who is able to keepe it First that al our life-time wee more and more g Joh. 1.9 Psal 22.5 acknowledge the great pronenes of our nature to sin and so much the more greedily h Rom. 7.24 desire remission of sinnes and righteousnesse in Christ Secondly i 1. Cor. 9.24 c. Phi. 3.12.13.14 that wee be doing of this alwaies and alwaies thinking of that and implore and craue of the father the grace of his holy spirit whereby wee may daily more and more bee renewed to the image and likenesse of God vntill at length after wee are departed out of this life wee may ioyfully attaine vnto the perfection which is proposed vnto vs. OF PRAIER 116 Wherefore is praier necessarie for Christians Because it is the cheife part of that a Psal 50.14.15 thankfulnesse which God requireth of vs. And also because God giueth them onely his grace and holy spirit who with vnfained groninges begge them continually of him and b Mat. 7.7.8 Luc. 11.9.13 Mat. 13.12 Psal 50.15 yeelde him thankes for them 117 What is required vnto that praier which shal please God be hearde of him That we aske of the onely true God who hath c Joh. 4.22 c. manifested himselfe in his woorde all thinges which he hath commaunded to be d Rom. 8.26 1. Ioh. 5.14 asked of him with a true affection and desire of our heart and through an inwarde e Ioh. 4.23.24 Psal 145.18 feeling of our neede and miserie f 2. Par. 20.12 cast our selues downe prostrate in the presence of his diuine maiestie and g Psal 2.11 34.19 Is 66.2 builde our selues on this sure foundation that wee though vnworthily yet for Christes sake are certainely h Rom. 10.14 8.15.16 Iac. 1.6 c. heard of god euen as hee hath i Io. 14.13 15.16 16.23 Dan. 9.17.18 Mat. 7.8 Psal 143.1 promised vs in his worde 118 What are those thinges which hee commaundeth vs to aske of him All things k Iac. 1.17 Mat. 6.33 necessary both for soule and body which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath comprised in that prayer which himselfe hath taught vs. 119 What praier is that OVr l Mat. 6.9.10 c. Luc. 11.2 c. Mat. 7.9.10.11 Luc. 11.12.13 Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euil For thine is the kingdome the power and glorie for euer and euer AMEN 120 Why doth Christ teach vs to cal God our father That presently in the verie entraunce and beginning of the praier he might stir vp in vs such a reuerence and confidence in god as is meete for the sonnes of god which must bee the ground foundatioÌ„ of our praier to wit that god through Christ is made our father and will much lesse denie vnto vs those thinges which wee aske of him with a true faith than our earthly Parents a Mat. 7.9.10.11 Luc. 11.11 denie vnto vs earthly things 121 Why is that adâ—ed which art in heauen That we b Ier. 23.24 Act. 17.24.25.27 conceiue not basely or teâ—â—enely of gods heauenly maiestie And also that we c Rom. 10.12 looke for and expect from his omnipotencie whatsoeuer things are necessarie for our soule and bodie 122 What is the first petition Hallowed bee thy name that is graunt vs first to d Ioa. 17.3 Jer. 9.23.24 31.33.34 Mat. 16.17 Iac. 1.5 Psal 119.105 know thee aright to worship praise e Psal 119.137.138 Luc. 1.46 c. 68. c. Psal 145.8.9.17 Exod. 34.6.7 Psal 143.1.2.5.10.11.12 Ier. 31.3 32.18.19.40.41 33.11 20. Mat. 19.17 Rom. 3.3.4 11.22.23 2. Tim. 2.19 magnifie thy almightines goodnesse iustice mercie and truth shining in al thy works
none Answere It is free vnto God to saue either al or none or some for he was not bound to vs that he should saue vs. Rom. 11.35 Who hath giuen vnto him first and he shal be recompensed Yet is it necessarie that he should saue some not by any absolute necessitie but by such as is called necessitie by supposition First because God hath most freely and vnchangeably decreed The necessitie not absolute but depending on the vnchangeable will and decree of God promised this deliuerie published A syllogisme thereof may be framed on this wise It is impossible that God should either lie or deceiue But God hath auouched and promised by an â—th that hee will not the death of a sinner but will that hee bee conuerted and liue The conuersion therefore and deliuerie of man not onelie may bee wrought but necessarily also is wrought Secondly In the beginning God created maÌ„ that he might for euer be magnified of him Epes 1.6 He hath made vs to the praise of the glorie of his grace And Psalm 89.48 Hast thou made al men for naught Wherefore seeing God is not frustrated of the end of his counsels it is necessarie that some be deliuered Thirdly God did not in vaine send his sonne into the world and deliuer him ouer vnto death Iohn 6.39 I came downe from heauen to doe his will which hath sent me And this is the fathers will which hath sent mee that of al which hee hath giuen mee I should loose nothing Mat. 9.13 I am come to call sinners to repentance 18.11 The Sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost Rom. 4.25 He died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Fourthly God more enclineth to the exercising and setting forth of his mercy than of his anger But he sheweth his anger in punishing the wicked Therefore he must shew his mercy in sauing the Godly 4 What manner of Deliuery this is THe deliuerie and setting of man at libertie is necessarilie compleat that is in al ponites perfect Our deliuerie most perfect euen from both euils both of crime and of paine First because God is not a deliuerer in part onely but saueth and loueth perfectly those whom hee saueth 1. Iohn 1.7 The bloode of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne to witte as touching both the formall partes thereof the guilt and the corruption of sinne Secondly because he doth perfectly punish the wicked that his iustice may bee exactly satisfied by their punishment Therefore doth hee perfectly deliuer the godly from punishment because he is more inclining propense to mercy than to anger Thirdly because we were fully perfectly lost in Adam But Christs benefit is not imperfecter or of lesse force than the sin of Adam which it would be if he did not perfectly deliuer because al haue lost al their righteousnesse saluation and blessednes in Adam Therefore righteousnes and felicity is restored by Christ Each of these deliueries both from the euill of crime and from the euil of paine or punishment is necessarily perfect Because the image of God glory and blessednes which is restored vnto vs by Christ our redeemer is more glorious greater than that Our deliuerie from eternall death perfect in this life from other calamities in the life to come which we lost in Adam Our deliuery from euerlasting death or damnation is most perfect euen in this life both as touching the parts thereof and also in degree Because Christs satisfaction for our sinnes which is imputed vnto vs is a most perfect conformity and correspondence with the law of God Now from other calamities we shal be fully deliuered in the life to come when as the remnants of sin in vs shal be vtterly abolished In the meane season they are mitigated vnto the godly euen in this life turned into fatherly chastisements Our deliuerie from sinne in part here by regeneration but perfect in the life to come Our deliuery from crime or sinne by regeneration is perfect not at once in a moment but successiuely by degrees For in this life it is perfect as concerning the partes thereof but as by a beginning onelie that is all the partes of obedience are begunne in the redeemed or beleeuers so that as long as we liue here it is daily augmented by new accessions and encreasings But after the departure of the soule out of the body this deliuerie is perfecter because then man doeth wholy cease from sinne After the resurrection and glorification it shall bee most perfect both as touching the partes thereof and in degree For then shall God bee all in all that is hee shal immediatly blesse vs with exceeding happinesse so that nothing shall remaine in vs repugnaunt to God but whatsoeuer shal be in vs that shal be of god But now there is somewhat in vs which is not of GOD euen sinne it selfe 5 By what meanes mans deliuerie may be wrought THe meanes whereby we may be deliuered from the curse and beeing reconciled to God may be accounted iust before him is only one euen a full and condigne or worthy satisfaction that is punishment for sinnes committed or obedience omitted For the Lawe The law being transgressed no satisfaction but by suffering due punishment when as wee haue not perfourmed obedience dooth iustly exact punishment of vs this being sufficiently paied wee are receiued of God into grace and beeing indued with the holy spirit are renued to the image of God that wee may hence-forward obey his Law and enioy euerlasting blissefulnes Beeing therefore reconciled vnto God by satisfaction most fully perfourmed vnto the Law we are deliuered then from sinne also that is from corruption it selfe by regeneration that is by the forcible working of the holy Ghost abolishing it in vs and restoring true holines and righteousnes heere by beginning it and in the life to come also by perfecting and absoluing it This deliuery is necessarily knit with the former as a necessary effect with his proper nearest cause For God wil of that condition accept of this satisfaction and for it pardon our sinne so that wee leaue off to offend him hereafter thorough our sinnes and be thankfull vnto him for our sinnes pardoned and other his benefites For to bee willing to bee receiued into Gods fauour and yet not to be willing to cease from sinning is to mock God Wherfore they who are receiued of God into fauour are withall regenerated and satisfaction is the cause as of acceptation so also of regeneration Now that if satisfaction or sufficient punishment come not betweene there is no deliuery from the guilt or from sinne it selfe the cause hereof is gods great iustice and truth which his mercy dooth no way ouerthrowe Deut. 27.26 Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the woordes of this Law to doe them Matth. 5.18 It is not possible that one iot of the Law should fall that is be frustrate till al thinges
be fulfilled Psal 5.4 Euill shal not dwel with thee Seeing then the Lawe is not an emptie sound and doth exact satisfaction for sinne committed equall vnto the fault it is wholy necessary that we performe it if we wil be receiued of god into fauour Heere are wee met with an Obiection But wee neuer satisfie the Lawe therefore this manner of escaping punishment is vaine and imaginary We Aunswere Wee are not able to satisfie by obedience wee are by paying the penalty which the Law in most full manner exacteth for our obedience omitted Reply But the Lawe requireth obedience that is the loue of God and our neighbour Therefore it is necessarie that the Law be satisfied by obedience Aunswere The Antecedent or former proposition is to be distinguished The Lawe requireth obedience that is which was after to bee perfourmed this beeing perfourmed the Lawe was satisfyed But if it bee not perfourmed then the Lawe exacteth punishment as a satisfaction for obedience omitted For neither can satisfaction bee made by obedience for the breach of the Lawe or for omitting of obedience Because the obedience or Godlinesse which followeth the breach of the Lawe when as it is due for that present when it is perfourmed cannot at all satisfie for the debt or offence or trespasse which is past Wherefore sufficient punishment is that satisfaction which the Lawe and Gods iustice exacteth at our handes for the not perfourming of obedience that wee may bee accepted and beloued of God This beeing sette downe and resolued of further demaund is made by whome that satisfaction or punishment is to bee perfourmed The Lawe will haue it perfourmed by vs and that iustly but it yeeldeth not ability to perfourme it neither any where maketh declaration thereof But the Ghospell declareth and sheweth vs Christ by whome we may satisfie By our selues wee cannot First because the Lawe requireth perfect satisfaction it is not perfect Our satisfaction can not bee by our selues because then it woulde bee infinite and so neuer accomplished except it bee either eternall for all sinne is an offence against the infinite good If then this infinite good must bee satisfyed satisfaction must needes be made by eternall punishment which aunswereth in equality to that infinite good or else temporall yet equall to eternall and worthie to bee accepted by the iustice of GOD for satisfaction If it bee eternall then neuer shall wee bee deliuered or recouered out of punishment death and sinne beeing fullie conquered because it can neuer bee saide that wee haue satisfyed which implyeth the ende but onelie that wee are satisfieng which sheweth the perpetuation and continuing of punishment which satisfaction is such as the punishment of the Diuels and reprobate men which neuer shall haue an end Nowe for a Temporall punishment which shoulde bee aunswerable and equall to eternall there is no man by reason of manifolde imperfection who can perfourme it Secondly because dailie wee heape vp offences and debtes yea euen in our punishmentes themselues while wee doe not in them acknowledge God to be iust and iustlie to punish vs for our sinnes but murmur and fret against him Wherefore our paines and punishmentes must needes be also heaped vp and encreased For he who goeth on afterwards in offending him whom he hath heretofore offended can neuer haue him fauourable vnto him Thirdly because wee cannot deserue of God that hee shoulde pardon vs our present sinnes muchlesse our sinnes past Neither can wee pay the debt past with that which wee owe presently Since then wee are not able by our selues wee must needes make satisfaction by another Obiection The Lawe requireth OVR punishment because wee haue sinned Aunswere The Lawe requireth ours but not exclusiuely so that it doth not admit it to bee performed by another for vs. For albeit the Law knoweth not this satisfaction for our sins made by another to be imputed vnto vs but the Gospell onely reuealeth it yet no-where dooth the Lawe either exclude or disalowe it Wherefore it is not contrarie to the Lawe that another should satisfie for vs. Reply But that another should be punished for offenders is vniust Aunswere That another should bee punished for offenders is not disagreeing with Gods iustice The conditions to bee in him respected who may bee punished for another if these conditions cōcur withall 1 If hee who is punished be innocent 2 If he be of the same nature with the offenders 3 If of his own accord he offer himselfe to punishment 4 If himselfe be able to recouer out of punishment and not inforced to perish therein And this is the cause that men can not iustly punish ones offences in another because they cānot bring to passe that the partie punished shoulde not perish in the punishment 5 If hee wish and attaine vnto that ende which Christ respected euen the glorie of GOD and saluation of men A meere man is not able to suffer and satisfie for man Furthermore that other by whom we must satisfie either must be a creature onlie or God to But no mere creature be he man or not man can satisfie for man which is a sinner First because the iustice of God doth not punish in other creatures that which man hath committed But man hath sinned Therefore all humane nature which hath sinned ought to bee punished Rom. 5.12 As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men for as much as all men haue sinned Secondly because no creature at al can sustain temporal punishment equiualent to eternal By reason therefore of the infirmitie weakenesse of the creature there would not be proportion betweene the punishment the sinne and so not sufficient punishment Psalm 130.3 If thou Lord straitly markest iniquities O Lorde who shall stande Rom. 8.3 Because the Lawe was not able to iustifie God sent his sonne Deut. 4.24 God is a consuming fire Thirdly He who is himselfe defiled with sinne cannot satisfie for others Fourthly Because the punishment of a meere creature would not bee a price of sufficient woorthinesse and valewe for our deliuerie Wherefore our Mediatour must be a man yet so that he be god also Fiftly The same is also shewed by this that the deliuerie of man is wrought after a sort also by regeneration But to purge out sinne and to make fleshie hearts of stonie is the worke not of any creature but of God alone For his it is to restore the image of God in vs who first created it in vs. Seeing therefore wee haue neede of a Mediatour for our deliuerie we must nowe speake of him OF THE MEDIATOR THE doctrine concerning the Mediator is to be held The causes why this doctrine concerning the mediatour is diligently to bee obserued and diligently to be considered 1 Because it is the foundation and short sum of Christian Doctrine 2. In respect of the glorie of God that we may know God doth not of any leuity
And further also to direct our whole life thoughts words and workes to this end that thy most holy name bee not reproched for vs but rather bee f Psal 115.1 71.8 renowmed with honour and praises 123 What is the second petition Let thy kingdome come that is rule vs so by thy word and spirit that wee may g Mat. 6 33. Psal 119.5 143.10 humble and submit our selues more more vnto thee preserue and encrease thy h Psal 51.20 122.6.7 church destroy the workes of the Diuill and all power that lifteth vp it selfe against thy Maiesty make al those counsailes frustrate and voide which are i 1. Ioh. 3.8 Rom. 16.20 taken against thy word vntil at length thou k Apoc. 22.17.20 Rom. 8.22.23 raigne fully and perfectly when thou shalt be al in l 1. Cor. 15.28 al. 124 What is the third petition Thy wil be done in earth as it is heauen that is Grant that we and al men renouncing m Mat. 16.24 Tit. 2.12 forsaking our owne wil maie readily without any grudging n Luc. 22.42 obey thy wil which is only holy and that so euerie of vs may faithfully and cheerfully a 1. Cor. 7.24 performe that duty and charge which thou hast committed vnto vs euen as the blessed Angels doe in b Psal 103.20.21 heauen 125 What is the fourth petition Giue vs this daie our daily bread that is giue vnto vs al thinges which are c Psal 145.15.16 104 27.28 Mat. 6.25 c. needeful for this life that by them wee maie acknowledge confesse thee to be the onely fountaine from whence all good things d Act. 17 27.28 14.17 flow and al our care and industry and euen thine owne gifts to be vnfortunate and e 1. Cor. 15.58 Deut. 8 3. Psal 27.16.17 noisome vnto vs except thou blesse them Wherefore graunt that turning our trust awaie from all creatures we f Psal 62 11. 55.23 place repose it in thee alone 126 What is the fift petition Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs that is Euen for the bloude of Christ doe not g Psal 51 1. c. 143.2 1. Iohn 2.1.2 impute vnto vs most miserable wretched sinners al our offences neither that corruption which still cleaueth vnto vs euen as wee also feele this testimonie of thy grace in our hearts that wee steadfastly purpose vnfeignedly from our hart to h Mat. 6.14.15 pardon and forgiue al those who haue offended vs. 127 What is the sixt petition Lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euil that is because wee our selues are so feeble weak by nature that wee i Ioa. 15.5 Psal 103.14 cannot stand so much as one moment or instant and our most deadlie enemies k 1. Pet. 5.8 Eph 6.12 satan the l Jâ—h 15 19. world and our own m Rom 7.23 Gal 5.17 flesh doe incessantlie oppugne and assault vs vpholde thou vs and establish and strengthen vs by the might of they spirit that we maie not in this spiritual combate n Mat. 26.41 Marc. 13. â—3 yeeld as vanquished but may so long stoutly withstand them vntil at length wee o 1. Thes 3.13 5.23 get the ful and perfect victorie 128 How concludest thou this praier For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer that is we aske and craue al these things of thee because seeing both thou art our King and art almightie thou art both willing and able to p Rom. 10.11.12 â— Pet. 2.9 giue them al vnto vs. And these thinges wee therefore aske that out of them not vnto vs but vnto thy holy name al glory may q 10.14.13 Psal 115.1 Ier. 33.8.9 redound 129 What meaneth this particle Amen That the thing is sure and out of doubt For my praier is much more certainly heard of God than I feele in my hart that I vnfaignedly r 2. Cor. 1.20 â— Tim. 2.13 desire the same OVT of the diuerse and manifolde doctrine of the two former partes we haue learned that wee are not thorough anie merit of ours but of Gods meere grace by and for Christ redeemed from sinne and death and euen from all the euill both of crime and paine whereof it followeth that we should be thankful for this exceeding benefite bestowed by Christ vpon vs. But we cannot shew approue our selues thankful to God except we be truly conuerted First therefore those things which are spoken Of conuersion are in few words to be expounded Then ensueth the common place Of good works for by them we declare our thankfulnes towardes God and true conuersion cannot stand without good works Afterwardes is adioined the doctrine which entreateth Of the Law whereby wee learne to know good works For those are truely saide to be good works by which we worship God aright shew ourselues to be thaÌ„kful which are done by faith according to the rule and prescript only of Gods Law But because God wil chiefly bee worshipped of vs and magnified by inuocation and for this cause wee shew our thankfulnes most of al by our praiers and thankes-giuing at length the common place Of praier shal bee lastly annexed These things wee purposâ— to declare briefly and in order here following OF CONVERSION THE chiefe Questions 1 What Conuersion is 2 Iâ— what the conuersion of the godly differeth from the repentance of the wicked 3 What are the parts of conuersion 4 Whâ—â— the causes thereof 5 What are the effects of â—onversion 1. WHAT CONVERSION IS FIRST we are to speak some-what of the 〈◊〉 of Conuersion Conuersion is either a generall 〈◊〉 like as is â—â—â—â—ation or it is â—â—ken more specially It signifieâ—â— the same in Latine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dooth in Greeke and Tâ—sâ—hum in Hebrue Moreouer the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very well also interpreted in Latine by * We haue no one english word to answerâ— vnto RESIPISCENTIA For our english REPâ—NTANCE expresseth rather the Latin PaeNITENTIA which agreeth as well to the wicked as to the godly Resipiscentia there beeing the same reason of both names For as the Latine Resipiscentia is deriued from resipisco which signifieth to wax wise after wee haue done a thing So the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is also to wax wise after an errour or fault committed to recall or retract our iudgement and opinion and to alter an euill purpose Some render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latine Paenitentia that is repentaunce or penitencie And this Paenitentia is said to be deriued either from Paenites which signifieth to bee grieued and to repent or from Paena which signifieth paine and punishment because the griefe which is in repentaunce is as it were a punishment But the name of paenitentia or repentaunce is more obscure than the name