creation fall or redemption that it is blasphemie to say that the ende of man as created was any thing but happinesse neither from thence ariseth any other demonstration Man qua creatus as created is in no intention but happines come to his fall and then againe I say homo qua lapsus est miser tantum man as fallen is onely to bee considered as miserable as redemptus or redimendus onely sub salute or saluandus where then is the ende of man As man generally considered electus or reprobus elect or reprobate these be the most generall and here onely reprobation and election is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truely first and primarily iâ— all the rest gratia huius for this cause therefore happines of creation miserie of the fall saluation by Christ are subordinate and come vnder it Indeed I confesse that election and reprobation haue their manifestation to the creature onely in redemption and in that part which is the application of it vnto the church in generall here onely both angels and men knowe and feele their state of election and on the contrarie reprobation is there to be sought for of the wicked But Bellarmine saith A defence of Calvin that Calvin denieth Gods determination decreeing what shall be to depend on his prescience that in all things his prescience presupposeth his purpose and decree For answer whereunto wee must consider whether there goe any prescience in God before his will I meane according to our apprehension Whether the Lord vnderstand or will first and as things are reuealed to vs out of God in his workes my reason is this because if the Lord vnderstand it then it is a possible beeing now I presse my argument that euery beeing whether possible to be or alreadie existing is demonstrated from his will for his will makes things to be or possibly to be therefore if a thing must be before it can be vnderstood and to be howsoeuer conceiued yet is from Gods will that giues all beeings either in posse or esse I knowe not what can be that first comes not from his will But wisdome according to sobrietie is commendable and in high mysteries it is good to goe with the current of our best approoued diuines therefore according to the way troden before me Intelligentia diuina I answer There is a double prescience one simplicis intelligentiae and another diuinae visionis the first is of all those things that are possible and which vpon any supposed condition may be as was the prescience of God whereby he foreknew that if in Tyrus and Sidon those things should be done which afterwards were done among the Iewes they would repent this doth not presuppose the decree of God but extendeth to many things God doth not decree nor purpose to be as it appeareth in the example proposed The other is of those things onely which hereafter shall bee and this alwaies presupposeth some act of Gods will for seeing nothing can be vnlesse some act of Gods will do passe vpon it at least not to hinder the beeing of it and thus nothing can be foreseen as beeing hereafter for to be vnlesse some decree of God passe vpon it Of this kind of prescience Caluin speaketh and not of the other it was not considered what it was possible for the creature to doe or what he would doe beeing so created and left vnto it selfe this may well be said to presuppose no decree of God or determination what he would doe for if it had pleased God he might haue turned the possibilitie to another end and issue but the truth is that other to wit what hereafter shall be which though it be future and therefore contingent yet to God it is most certaine with whom all future things are present and therefore beeing to be done was most certainely decreed and whatsoeuer is done and come to passe wee may absolutely conclude it was Gods will euen long before it happened therefore Calvin rightly affirmeth that Gods foresight of the entrance of sin presupposed his decree that it should enter Fourthly Gods foreknowledge and purpose in sinne Sinne 〈…〉 decâ—â—â—â— that God might â—â—nisâ—â— vpon the bestowing of such benefits of his rich abundant goodnesse was not that man should fall that he might punish but that man should freely make his choise vpon which choise the Lord both knew and purposed that his iustice and mercy should be manifested yet for all this it will not followe that the Lord should purpose the entrance of sinne originally out of his owne liking that he might haue matter of punishment Belâ—armâ—â—â— false exposâ—â—â— of Calvin as Bellarmine most iniuriously chargeth Calvin to affirme but the ende of his purpose of bestowing such benefits onely and no other notwithstanding his foreknowledge what would fall out if so he did was that he might shew his mercie and iustice in sauing and condemning whome he would Therfore it is idle in Bellarmine to followe this argument of the seuerity of iustice as though Calvin should any where affirme that when God thought of creating man the first ende that God purposed was the seuerity of his iustice and the riches of his mercie and that this purpose was before and without respect vnto the prescience of any thing that afterward might or would bee in man and that because there was not any thing wherein he could shewe mercie and iustice vnlesse sinne did enter therefore secondly he purposed that sinne should enter so that first hee purposed to punish before he sawe any cause and then purposed the entrance of sinne that there might be cause which is no lesse excusable from iniustice cruelty and tyrannie then if he should purpose to punish and so doe without any cause at all therefore he concludes that the first originall and spring of sinne is from the will of God according to Caluins opinion Answer to Bellarmine for his false imputation vpon Calvin But he is easily answered out of that which hath beene spoken concerning Calvins iudgment in this point for he doth no where say that God did purpose the manifestation of his mercie and iustice before all prescience but onely that which is named prescientia visionis which alwaies hath Gods decree going before it The possibilitie of a thing is before God decree it to be and so God knowes it simplici intelligentia but that this thing possible shal be the Lord decrees it before that bare knowledge that it shall come to passe Secondly Calvin denies not all pâ—escience before his decree Caluine doth no where pronounce that simply and absolutly the ende wherfore God purposed to make man was the manifestation of the seueritie of his iustice and the riches of his mercie or that he might saue some and condemne others but that first he meant to bestow vpon man as much as was sufficient to make him perfect fecondly there was something he meant to denie him How God shâ—wâ—d
vertues which are able to proclaime his name for vertue is the onely thing to blaze abroad the name of Iehouah these vertues are mercy and compassion more speciall Chap. 34.6.7 strength mercie grace patience bountifulnesse longanimitie gentlenesse c. Here you see is speciall mention of mercie and iustice Mercy and iustice Gods cheife glorie as though in regard of them all the rest were obscured these are as the two great lights the one to rule the day of his election the other to rule the night of mans misery Now all these are simply willed of the Lord and therefore as we haue come vpward by analysing so now may we boldly compose againe the whole matter First God wills his glory secondly his goodnesse Genefis or the order of Gods proceeding as farre as the Scripture guideth vs. thirdly his verues fourthly the vertues of vnderstanding fiftly the vertues of will sixtly the principall vertues of his will iustice and mercie this is all done in himselfe absolutly without all respect vnto the creatures But God wil manifest all this out of himselfe First therefore he will create secondly by creation he will make a world thirdly in the world he will haue a man fourthly that he may haue him he will make him fiftly he will make him in his owne image sixtly man thus made may by his own free will become vnholy seuenthly man beeing vnholy may be receiued vnto mercie or plagued with iustice eightly that mā may be receiued vnto mercie Christ shall redeeme ninthly that Christ may redeeme him he must bring him to his sheepefold and saue him in the arke of his church tenthly that he may be saued in the Church he must create in him the spirit of faith lastly he must bring him to those heauenly mansions where his name was written long before the foundations of the world the rest beeing left in their sinnes must dwell out of heauen where there names are written in the earth And thus much of the subiect Now I come vnto the end Concerning the third thing in the definition which is about the ende where I wil shew three things first the end it selfe secondly the manifestation of it thirdly the order The end on all parts is graunted to be Gods glory for as he is the supreame efficient cause of all things so is he the last end and before him and after him nothing is to be found Secondly all agree that the manifestation must be in regard of his essentiall properties only all the question is of the last in what order they are to be manifested That this may appeare we will shew what the order of endes is Subordination of ends to some last secondly which ende is exactly the last in this order thirdly the order of the meanes fourthly the order of subiects out of which these meanes are produced Order of ends is the subordination or bringing vnder of all ends to one last ende the reason of this is because order is alwaies of things comming betwixt an absolute first and an absolute last this the heathen Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eruditio in cinculo wisdome running round in a circle In a circle you know that there must be the same beginning and ending so God the beginning and ending of all things makes his wisdome in all his creatures runne round from him to him This the heathen Poet Homer called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 auream catenam quae de coelo vsque ad terram descendebat a golden chaine comming from heauen to earth in which euery footsteppe or impression of Gods wisdome is as a golden lincke coupled with some-other from the beginning to the ende So then the first point is plaine that all things are vnited together for some last ende Many lines meete in one center and so all make but one yet being drawn vnto the circumference spread themselues abroad For the second The last end consists in all Gods attributes which are one as himselfe is one all Gods attributes are the last end his glorie is the last his goodnesse is the last his vertues are the last and so of the rest If it bee inquired which of all these wee are to conceiue of as the last exactly I answer iustice and mercie This shall the better appeare if we consider how God is the best in euery thing If we speake of beeings then God is the best and most absolute beeing if we speake of life then God is the best life therefore will and vnderstanding which belong vnto the best life Now will and vnderstanding are considered of vs either for facultie or vertue for facultie then the Lords vnderstanding beeing the best must be able to vnderstand together and at once all truths and his will most free to will all good facultie we say makes able but vertue makes prompt and readie as the intellectuall vertues make a man prompt and readie to vnderstand the morall vertues prompt and readie to wil that which is good Vertue is whereby God is knowne vnto vs to be absolutely good therefore absolute happines both for vnderstanding and will These beeing premised let vs see where we may note the greatest perfection and excellencie First vertues are more excellent then faculties and so the Lord had rather shew his goodnesse then his omnipotencie Secondly morall vertues are better then intellectuall in so much as the will is better then the vnderstanding therefore I dare boldly say the Lord had rather shew his morall vertues then intellectual The best vertues iustice and mercy for it is a greater praise to be iust and mercifull then wise and vnderstanding Lastly among morall vertues none comparable to iustice and mercie why then may I not conclude that exactly the last ende that God would haue manifested is the glorie of his iustice and mercie and if this be the last then all other must be brought vnder these and aime at these principally Reasons of this assertion are many First that which brings out of the creature the speciall manifestation of Gods glorie is the last and best ende but iustice and mercie doe this Exod 33.19 I will proclaime the Name of the Lord before thee and what is especially proclaimed iustice and mercie and mercie more then iustice so Rom. 9. God will get him a name on Pharaoh a reprobate by his iustice and a name on his Elect by his mercie and therefore God is often said in the Scriptures to delight himselfe in iustice and mercie Secondly iustice and mercie are the chiefe because they are the vertues of the will which is properly conuersant about good Thirdly these make vs conceiue of God as the chiefe good It is worth our obseruation to see euen how by the light of reason the Heathen haue ascended to this consideration they referred all things to foure heads 1. Such as haue onely beeing 2. that haue beeing and life 3. that haue beeing life and sense 4. that haue beeing life
and water good and euill may as well bee reconciled In deede Gods silence might haue wrought better effects in the mind of these wicked men but they haue so hardned themselues Rom. 2.4 and brought impenitencie vpon their hearts that they are become subiects vnfit to be wrought vpon neither haue they that wisdome as to turne themselues vnto such a subiect as Gods silence to ponder seriously thereon so that neither can it worke vpon them nor they vpon it and therefore what consention betwixt God and their thoughts 2. Acception is to conforme the fruit of agreement 2. Conformitiâ—â— by a metanomie of the effect for the cause for conformity is the effect of consention neither will this stand in any good sense thou conformedst for it is the only thing that God complaines of in this place Râ—u 2.21 that he did not conform himselfe vnto the large time that God gaue him to repent for how can there be any peace as long as the whoordomes of Iezabel are in such multtiudes peace is where men agree together but where they are vp in armes all is in an vproare and the tumult is so great that they will bee brought vnto no order The men of Ephesus when they were troubled about their goddesse made the whole citie full of confusion Act. 19. one crying one thing another the cleane contrarie all out of order and the more part knewe not wherefore they were come together the Towne Clarke for all his wisdome can hardly bring them vnto any conformitie so as long as the tumult of sinne disturbs all within vs it is impossible that God should haue audience especially when for his silence he would be heard of vs. Let a sonne of thunder cry at a doore where all are fighting and quarrelling and they will out-cry him but if he should stand silent at the doore it were impossible that they should heare him when they were at the best therfore God may stand at the doore and knocke by his silence as long as he will and he shall neuer be heard therefore thou thoughtest was no conformitie with Gods silence 3. Signification is assimulation 3. Assimulation either to assimulate himselfe vnto the thing or the thing vnto himselfe if it had beene of himselfe vnto the thing theÌ„ had his thought without all question been lawfull and honest but it is of the thing vnto himselfe and therefore let the thing bee what it will it must bee made to serue his turne And this signification is very emphaticall and seruing for our purpose and is thus much in sense as if the Lord should haue said As a wicked man thinks of me so must I be indeed he will frame mee according to his owne conceit and not his conceit according to that which I would haue him thinke of me and my silence toward him and this is the first beginning of his thought now assimulation is neuer without a conceiued image Imagination comming betwixt the two things that make themselues like Hence a fourth signification to imagine and that is a second degree vnto this thought first by turning Gods silence vnto his owne will he saw no great difference but that there was proportion and similitude enough then in the second place he imagined that hee sawe God well pleased with him Resolution Now a third degree is to bee added and that is from the imagination a direct resolution that I may thinke it and acknowledge it for the truth The reason of the phrase is this because when any thing approaches toward the minde of man then the minde turnes it selfe vnto it sees how it likes it imagines what contentment may be drawne out of it and then thinks on it if the thing be good and the mind frame it selfe according to the same then the thought that riseth from that thinking is good If on the contrarie it be bad and the mind will impresse his image then the thought is bad silence and mercie from God in this place were exceeding comfortable they enter the mind of this wicked hypocrite but they are not intertained in their owne name neither will he part with so much as a cup of cold water for his sake that sent them but he will bee refreshed by them according to his owne liking Amos 4 5. The people will bring sacrifices yea betimes in the morning tythes after three yeers a thankesgiuing of leauen free offerings c. but according to whose liking euen their owne and therefore God counts of it as to transgresse at Bethel Esa 58. and multiply transgressions at Gilgal Esay 58. they fasted punished themselues but it was to seeke their own wills and require all their owne debts they care not to haue a good glasse to looke in but they must needs breath in it and therefore the inward corruption of the heart sends out such smoakie fumes that the true image is dimmed and so they see nothing but themselues The flowers that God sent them all the time of his long silence were exceeding sweete but the mind beeing corrupt in it selfe and also in his breathing infects or rather driues backe the pleasant smell and so most truely sents it selfe yea takes the deeper poison because a sweete flower poisoned is more louingly imbraced of the sences and so the poison doth creepe in with the pleasant smell and strikes with the spirits presently to the heart so often they poison the good graces of Gods spirit which willingly would be imbraced but the poyson creepes in too into the soule and strikes all dead at the very heart the glasse that is coloured casts about all the beames of the sunne with the appearance of his colour so the glasse of our mind beeing coloured and deepe died withall impietie makes euery beame of Gods goodnesse shine according to his owne minde intus apparens prohibet alienum was an old axiome of Aristotle but well may it be brought into diuinitie sinne that onely appeares within hinders all grace and goodnesse for alas they come but as strangers vnto vs and therefore they find very meane intertainment As Christ was dealt withall when hee came vnto the inne all inward roomes were taken vp and onely the stable is left for him so doe we deale with his grace and mercie all the cheife roomet in our soules are taken vp with greater personages then Christ and his grace there is either lord couetousnesse or lord pride or ambition or pleasure or reuenge c. and therefore must Christ and his grace into the stable for we will not haue these men to rule ouer vs and therefore if his grace will become our seruant we will giue it entertainement but to be Lord ouer vs is too much we will not haue it take so much vpon it and for our seruice we haue no other place for grace but the stable and therefore no maruell if all goodnes disdaine once to come neere the houses of these wicked men
That this may the better appeare consider three kind of thoughts the first is a direct thought and thinkes it selfe the second an indirect thought that thinkes first the thing and then it selfe the third is a corrupt thought that thinks it selfe out of it selfe the first is onely proper vnto God that knows himselfe first and in himselfe all things God lookes not out of himselfe to know any thing for all things are in him and therefore he knows himselfe directly the creatures indirectly this thought is aboue the thoughts of men and Angels Esay 55 9. as far as heauen is higher then the earth The second belongs to men and Angels in their best estate for they must first thinke the thing and then out of the thing themselues and this we call a reflexed thought as for example a man lookes his naturall face in a glasse he sees first the image of his face and then by that he knows the complexion of his reall face so a man sees Gods wisdome in his creation which beeing as a glasse 〈…〉 scit sâ— sâ—â—â—e casts vpon man the knowledge of himselfe So that man must looke himselfe out of himselfe and to know himselfe in himselfe is to labour to be like God The third thought is of corruption when a man will needs looke through his owne medium now be that lookes through his owne corruption can see nothing but corruption as a man that lookes through a red glasse sees nothing but rednes so he that will see himselfe through himselfe can see nothing but himselfe And herein we see that corruption would become a God desires to know nothing but it selfe and loue nothing better then it selfe And this is that thought which is to be conceiued in this place Gods silence must be tempered according to his appetite and their tast is so daintie that they can tast nothing but that which they themselues haue prepared nothing is sauorie which comes out of Gods kitchin dressed by his owne cookes but they will haue their own prouision and so like vnskilfull dames they put death into the pot and when they are sicke they will physick themselues vntill they haue brought themselues past all cure and then it shall be too late to crie father Abraham haue mercie vpon vs we are grieuously tormented And suppose God should then yeild them a cuppe of cold water it should not refresh them for as vpon earth they counted the kingdome of grace and goodnes a hell vnto them so questionlesse if God should let them feele the least ioy in heauen it would be a torment vnto them Their tast is alwaies an aguish tast iustice and mercie can not rellish with them and therefore they swallowe downe all things vnsauourily And this is the meaning thou thoughtest that is turned all to thine owne conceit Yet one thing more is to be added to wit that this is not the expresse thought of hypocrites for they will soone reply Lord when thought we so of thee Oh be content Iob 9 4. Amos. 4.13 God is wise in heart and able to declare vnto man what is his thought the Lord is no false expositour he iudgeth thy thoughts by thy practise in tantum scimus in quantum operamur for if thou didst not thinke thus much thou wouldst neuer haue practised it Psal 139.17 if thou hadst alwaies with Dauid cryed Lord how deere are thy thoughts vnto mee how great is the summe of them indeede I cannot count them but when I awake I am still with thee then assuredly God would neuer haue censured thee so deepely but alas thou art asleepe and thou dreamest all is well but when the Lord shall awake thy conscience and set thy sinnes before it then shalt thou cry Iust and righteous art thou O Lord but I am sinfull therefore thine own mouth shall condemne thee and thy life shall testifie sufficiently what thou thinkest Like thee A strange wonder when all the nations of the world in respect of God are nothing say they were counted as a drop of a bucket which is but a small thing to all the water contained therin yet let theÌ„ come with God vpon the balance this drop of water shall be turned into the dust of the earth and if he take away the very Isles as a little dust what shall become of this droppe of water when it is spilt vpon the earth shall it not be counted lesse then nothing euen vanitie it selfe how then should we heare this voice of an hypocrite God is like me If reason will excuse him we will plead for him Beeing in any creature is liâ—er God which iâ— the first beeing then that which is no beeing First therefore euery creature of God may say he is like God because he hath beeing therefore liker God that is beeing then that which is no beeing For God that is the first beeing will acknowledge the rest as from himselfe for the first beeing must needes giue all beeings therfore the grasse in the field prooues his creator and his creator approoues of him for the cause and the effect doe well agree but alas God neuer made an hypocrit for he is the worke of his owne hands therefore we dare not do so much for him as for the least spire of grasse that groweth out of the earth Againe 2 Man Gods image by creation man is the image of God and therefore very like God not for beeing but holines and righteousnes of beeing but alas when I looke vpon man and aske whose image and superscription doth he beare and finde that it is Adams then needes must I say giue vnto Adam that which is Adams but vnto God that which is Gods Now I find no stampe in an hypocrite but the stampe of Adam and though he hath couered himselfe with figge leaues yet God hath found him out therefore I dare not in charitie couer him Wherfore I enter a third consideration 3. of redemption for loue would couer a multitude of sinnes and find the Lord saying in the Scriptures be ye holy as I am holy If any thing will serue the turne here is matter to iustifie him for who is able with the hypocrite to thanke God that he is not as other men an extortioner vniust an adulterer but a faster twice a weeke a giuer of almes euen the tythe of all he possesseth Who dare now speake against him if the Lord had bin silent I should haue bin amazed once to haue opened my mouth in dislike of him but he is no Saint for all this glistering shew he is not purged from his sinne still is he in the gall of bitternes and the bond of iniquitie and yet the thought of his heart is not forgiuen him therefore his prayer of thanksgiuing is an abomination vnto the Lord for as yet he hath made no petition for the remission of his sinne as yet he hath not learned the first steppe to Christianitie therefore now I will
eternity is now before the eyes of the hypocrite For the Lord saies not before me but before thee for the Lord neuer begins his work in himselfe therefore in himselfe he did this from all eternitie but now he will manifest his ordering of sinne which he alwaies doth by the booke of his law but because this was cast at his backe and set at his heeles which ought to haue lien at his heart the Lord will open the third booke which shall pricke him to the quicke and make him most fearefully to looke about him Obiect 2 The second obiection is drawne from his attributes Attributes simgle conditional some of them not following the nature of the creature as omnipotencie power goodnes immensitie eternitie and the like but others haue no worke in the creature vntill the creature haue had his worke as no mercie can be wrought vpon the creature vntill his miserie be presupposed and no iustice executed vpon the creature vntill he haue bin sinnefull For mercie cannot be where there is no miserie neither iustice where there is no sinne for that ius dominij is an abuse of Gods wisdome for there is no rule for it and for the Lord to doe any thing in punishing as dominus and not as iudex is to make him vniust Indeede by the law of creation as he made man of nothing so may he annihilate him and bring him againe to nothing but to let him liue and punish him standing in his innocencie is to doe against the law of his iustice Sol. The answer to this point it this in briefe The distinction is not good for Gods attributes in himselfe are equally absolute eternall infinite but beeing manifested in his creatures become conditionall and to haue respect vnto the creatures therfore creation makes manifestation of power goodnes wisdome eternitie and the like as wel as mans fall of mercie and iustice therefore mercie and iustice were equally first in God with the rest for God was in himselfe both iust and mercifull before man was either sinnefull or miserable for the execution of iustice or mercie I confesse to be in regard of sinne and miserie but there is one reason of the execution another of the decree the iust cause of the one is his will the iust cause of the other is mans sinne Gods decree must haue a subiect Obiect 3 The subiect of Gods decree therefore either beeing or no beeing no beeing can vndergoe no decree for it can haue no end and therefore it must be a beeing therefore either the first beeing or that beeing which is from the first beeing not the first beeing for he can haue no end nor beginning and therefore no decree can passe of him so that onely remaines the other beeing which is from God therefore created therefore man created is required for a subiect of Gods decree now the ende of creation can not be reprobation for the ende of creation is mans happines with his Creator therefore a second estate of man must be considered and that is the fall of man in which estate a iust ground is giuen of Reiection and Election The answer It is graunted that Man is the Subiect Sol. The subiect and his manner of consideration yet we distinguish of man and answer that in euery subiect two things are required res considerata modus considerandi the thing considered is alwaies one but the manner of considering maketh diuers speciall subiects in this one subiect As for example being frō God is the subiect of all Gods reuealed wisdome yet this one subiect hath diuers manner of considerations according to diuers acts and operations that lie in him As for example Reason is a particular act and therefore becommeth a particular subiect of Gods wisedome to wit the Art of Logicke so the will a particular worke in Gods creatures becomes the subiect of Diuinitie so speach a particular worke becomes the subiect of Rhetoricke and Grammar Now that generall Subiect is before all these particular subiects and the foundation of all the rest and in them the thing considered as common to them all but the manner of considering it is proper and speciall to euery one So man is the thing considered in Gods decree therefore the most generall going before all particular considerations of creation fall redemption saluation damnation for all these are but particular considerations of man therefore keepe their order appointed of the Lord for the obtaining of his owne ende which is the glorifying of himselfe in his Iustice and Mercie therefore as man is the Subiect of Gods decree so creation the fall redemption saluation and damnation are but the meanes for the accomplishment of his will Againe euery one of these particular actions haue their speciall ends not opposing but concurring to the generall ende of the whole subiect so that the ende of creation is happines with the Creator and no miserie at all but this is the speciall end and therefore no opposite of the generall Againe the speciall ende of mans fall is miserie of bodie and soule in the first and second death yet no opposite of glorifying God in the demonstration of his mercie Thirdly the speciall end of mans Redemption is saluation to all that are in Christ and damnation to all that are out of Christ therefore all these ends beeing speciall must needes ayme at the generall for so goes the Rule of all true reason that subordinata non opponuntur 2. that fines intermedij sunt pro subordinatione finium ad vltimum finem And this shall suffice for the opposition now I come to the confirmation Arguments proouing the decree of sinne first drawne from ends The first Argument That which hath any ende is decreed but sinne hath an ende therefore is decreed The first proposition is prooued from the true distinction of ends laid downe by the Philosopher in the first booke of his Ethicks and the first Chapter where the Philosopher disputes most excellently for the subordination of arts and so consequently of beeings by an argument drawne from the distinction of ends to wit that all ends are either the last ende or ends tending vnto the last now the last end giues goodnes and amabilitie to all other ends and doth virtually containe them all in himselfe therfore must they needes be appointed for him This ground is a most enident proofe that sinne is decreed for the end of sinne must either be the last ende or tending to the last ende now it cannot be the last end for that alone is chalenged of the first being therefore an end tending vnto this last end And who dare denie but that all endes vnto the last ende are decreed for they make for the manifestation of his glorie Obiect Sinne is euill and therfore hath no ende seeing ends goodnes are the same But it will be obiected sinne is euill and therefore hath no ende for finis and bonum conuertuntur Vnto this I answer
his efficiencie The nature of Gods decree and omnipotency and is generally nothing else but sententia definita in consilio suo ab aeterno de rebus faciendis that is Gods definitiue sentence in his eternall counsell concerning the making of all things And that it riseth from omnipotencie and efficiencie it is plaine for in that he did it we say he could doe it and so decreed it and the sentence must bee of such things as are within his power so that election is nothing but the choise of a thing and decretum the decree nothing but the setting of it done definitiuely the word is of decerno to see a sunder and verie fitly signifieth this determination of God sententia sentence though the Lord doth all things simul and semel at once and together in respect of himselfe yet to vs he shewes it as if he did it peditentim step by steppe and that with great and long determination therefore a sentence where his will and power giue in their verdict and say sic sentio so I iudge The third word definita or definitiua definite or definitiue is the determination or defining of a thing inter cancellos within his bounds in consilio con salio where many things leape together or concurre to make vp one sentence so that a man is as it were distracted about the composing of them the Lord did it without all distractioÌ„ yet were there many things that the Lord brought together Eterno eternall because it was long before any thing was existent de rebus faciendis it is of matters to bee done and not of things alreadie done Properties in Gods deciee for that is more properly ordination the ordering and ranking of euerie worke brought forth according to his eternall decree Out of this breakes forth his constancie in performing euerie thing by deede that hee hath decreed not that God is tied thereunto but rather the thing to bee done is tied vnto him and his good pleasure so that stoicall destinie is not thereby brought in but true constancy 2. Veritie in performing it according to his word for so is verum quod pronuntiat vti res est that saies as the thing is yet here we are to inuert quando res est vti pronuntiat that the thing is because he pronounceth it Constanti test qua constanter decretum essicit veritas est qua dicretum essi it sâ—cun lum vorâ—â— side est qua siat dictum for Gods pronunciare to pronounce is before the thing and God pronounced what should become of euerie thing long before they existed The third is sides fidelitie which is in performing the thing according to his promise A constant decree as he effects it most true as be effects it according to his word and most faithfull as he keepes his promise constancie truth and faithfulnesse bee three effects of Gods decree If from the effects we inquire of the manner of the cause we must needs confesse it was neither by nature nor necessitie or any chance and fortune but by counsell and therefore counsell beeing the manner of Gods working could not be considered as the genus of Gods decree but as it belongs ad causam illius essicientem to the efficient Eph. 1. God works all things secundum consilium voluntatis suae according to the counsell of his will And therefore Gods counsell is his deliberation of bringing euery thing to passe after the best manner So then by his decree appeares his counsel and his counsell makes his decree to bee wrought most willingly and most wittingly therefore his decree of sinne must be most willingly and wittingly performed otherwise it should be no decree therefore fecit Order of consequence in 〈◊〉 dâ—cree qua potuit qua potuit decreuit qua decreuit consuliò fecit qua consulto fecit gloriam spectauit qua gloriam spectauit sapientiae visum est qua sapientiae visum est bonum fuit qua bonum fuit absolute voluit God did the thing as hee might do it as hee might doe it so he decreed it as he deereed it so he did it by the best counsell as by the best counsell it respected his glorie as that it seemed to accord with his wisedome as that it was good and as good he absolutely willed it Surely with men in giuing counsell plus vident oculi quam oculus the more counsell they giue and the better but it is not so with God for he sees all things simul semel together and at once now when we speake of deliberation we must vnderstand it more humano according to our capacity that the Lord takes the best way to effect any thing Obserue further that the Lord when he is said to be causa consilio a cause by counsell must needes haue his ende and scope set before him and this must be of all things and what is that but his glorie Counsell therfore intends the glorie of God Glorie the fruit of vertue for as God is the beginning of all things so he is the ende of all things Now glorie is called the ende of God by a metanimie of the adj for subj because it is properly the fruit that follows vpon vertue intellectuall or morall in a word all his goodnesse Exod. 33. Moses cries to God that he would shew him his glorie God makes answer What Gods glory vertaâ—â— or goodnesse are that the glorie which Moses can see is the going of his goodnes before him whose backe parts he might see but for the face of it he could not see and liue this goodnesse breakes forth in the proclamation Exod. 34. And that goodnes is nothing but the appearance of his most absolute vertues especially iustice and mercie the reason is because these shine in the creatures and secondly because the ende thereof is to set forth his glorie As his counsell had a scope so it had some forme of working which we call the Idaea of all things A builder of an house first conceiues in himselfe the worke he intends to produce then secondly he lookes againe vpon his worke wrought and sees how it answers his first intended forme the painter eyes the naturall face and from that stamps by drawing limming and colouring the expresse image thereof and then he lookes vpon his worke to see how it answers the patterne The first knowledge we call direct the second indirect or reflexed so in God there is first of all the Idaea and plat-forme of all things and this is in God most direct who seeing in himselfe all things knows how to make all things out of himselfe How God in knowing differs from man and these may well be called Gods plots which he hath formed and fashioned in himselfe Now this wisdome of God differs from mans because his idaea or plot is first in the thing because he doth nothing primarily but by imitation and obseruation of that wisdome which he hath seene God lay open
cognitione secondly in manifesting his desree it is done cognitione indirecta first generall in his creation for from his efficiencie and omnipotencie potuit he could reueale it hence in respect of himselfe being meere acts he could not haue any such attribute for potuit may be or could be can neuer be said of him that euer was actu therfore must it respect the things that may be may feele the act of God hence qua potuit efficit as he could bring them forth so he did it most effectually Now because omnipotencie and efficiencie respects both posse and efficere to be able and to doe Constanter verâ— sideliter and what God can doe and will doe that must he needs decree constantly truely and saithfully Now because this decree of God cannot but be brought to passe after the best way and manner therefore must he decree by counsell if by counsell then must the scope be prefixed therefore must the ende of it manifest his glorie therefore all his goodnesse therefore his vertues which are his attributes and if them then his iustice and mercie To doe by counsell is to haue some expresse forme of working the plot whereof makes euery thing agreeable to his counsell this plot seemes good vnto his wisedom and this the Lord wills and that with a most free will arbitrio iudicij libertate voluntatis wit and will Out of these grounds we easily answer the doubt Application to the doubt that God did neither omit or commit any thing in mans fall he did not omit for the rule was at hand and mans facultie to doe well was sufficient the concourse was not in man therefore did he omit denying the law that due respect that it challenged I told you before that neither the law alone nor the facultie alone was able to produce the act of obedience therefore the law alone could not do it not that it was an vnsufficient rule but because man would not practise this rule Now you know it is said to be impossible vnto the law not in regard of it selfe but in regard of vs that cannot concurre with it to that righteousnesse which it exacteth which we might haue done by creation For commission it is plaine that the Lord did no otherwise concurre with mans fall then the law did which you haue heard in explication of the causes of the first transgression was no causa perse but causa per accidens and therefore an vnblameable cause If man will rush against it what fault can he finde with the lawe if it doe mischiefe him Hee that takes a sword by the poynt is sure to wound himselfe which if he had taken by the handle might haue been vsed both for defence and offence But it is further replied the motion of man to finne followed Gods motion which was irresistable True it is the will of God is irresistable when it is opposed and therefore in resisting the will of God he followed an irresistable motion in opposing the law of God he suffered his owne ouerthrowe So that resistentia beeing only of enemies that suffer mutably and God beeing sine passione resistentia without passion or resistence and therefore cannot be resisted Then your meaning is this that man was a resolute enemie to sinning and fought with God about this action but God would haue man to sinne and so man should not resist But alas it was cleane contrarie Gods will was not to haue man to sinne and mans will was to sinne and therefore hee fought against Gods wil yet could he not resist Gods will or falsifie the least of his decrees Rom. How God concludes hiâ— mercy and iustice not ex prâ—uâ—sa fidâ— or ex pecâ—ato bâ—t from the promise which was his meere good will and pleasure 9.19 the conclusion in the 18. verse is the manifestation of Gods mercie and iustice by what argument you shal conceiue if you looke from the 6. verse it is drawne from contraries mans infidelitie and Gods fidelitie the infidelitie of man cannot frustrate the promise of God first because his promise is either generall or speciall generall as it respects the roote speciall as it respects the branches therefore hee saith all are not Israel that is the true liuing branches which are of Israel that is the root vnto which the promise was made it was made to Abraham it was made to Isaac c. Abraham the roote and some of the seede of this roote were indeed the seede of Abraham but yet in Isaac must the true seed be called this second promise is the effectuall promise which must stand v. 8. for there be some the children of the flesh hauing Abraham for their root but others are the children of God which haue God for their father and therefore must needs effectually be made partakers of the couenant and these say the Apostle are properly counted for the seed this hee shewes first because of the time appointed ver 9. secondly from the paritie of coÌ„ception Sarah had a sonne but the other was by her maide and therefore no maruell if God sanctified the true seed the other was bastardly borne yet v. 10. the matter was brought to more equall tearmes euen Rebecca she conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac therefore this conception would admit no exception for the parents Nothing either in the parents or children why God should purpose one to life the other to death but yet it may be the exception is to be made in the children themselues therefore v. 11. he proues Gods purpose to exclude all outward or inward considerations that might be found in them First from the constancy of his purpose that it might remaine secondly from the forme of his purpose according to election a setled decree thirdly from the eternitie of it yer the children were borne fourthly from the deniall of all causes out of himselfe first by an ennumeration either good or euill it was neither the goodnesse of Iacob nor the euill of Esau that caused the Lord to purpose any such thing secondly from the practise of good or euill done that distinction of facta and facienda of done or to bee done is idle for the fifth and last argument knocks it in the head which is drawne from the remotion of a false cause and the position or laying downe of the true cause not by workes generally done or to be done but by him that calleth if this be the true cause then say the other and you oppose Gods call for workes and Gods call be membra diuidentia therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cannot stand together This cause is proued to be the truth First by Gods oracle Gen. 25.23 the elder shall serue the younger this is against the ordinarie course of nature but God that calleth will haue it so Secondly from a testimonie Mal. 1.2.3 as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau that is I haue called Iacob to the feeling
three things Rather reconciled then â—pposed in the first first the genus or common nature in it secondly the subiect and thirdly the ende for the first Counsell cannot be the genus of predestination because it shewes the manner how Predestination is effected so that Predestination is not Counsell but that which is done by Counsell Eph. 1.11 where predestination is said to be wrought after the counsell of his owne will To this I answer that by Counsell M. Perkins vnderstands the decree it selfe by an vsual Trope of the cause for the effect to wit Counsell for a decree by counsell so then Predestination is a decree by counsell and thus both of them are rather reconciled then opposed For the second The subiect of Predestination is of man qua peccator as sinnefull and in this Arminius doth triumph as the only ground whereby he ouerturnes all other opinions of predestination so that if we be able to discouer an other subiect of Predestination the cause wil easily be euicted in all the rest Now for this purpose let vs first see how God wrought his decree and this must be done by resolution Analysis and genesis of Gods decree the only way to know it which alwaies begins with the most speciall and goes backward to the most generall secondly when we haue brought it to the most generall to carrie it along as God wrought it He that will view the bodie of a man by Anatomie must first of all lay open the outward parts and so by cutting enter into the secrets of the bodie vntill he come vnto those parts where sense life and motion haue their beginnings so wee that will looke into the secret decree of God as it is reuealed in his word must begin with the most specialls so ascend till we come to the highest which though it be last in our resolution yet will it be the first in Gods working Genesis Gods knowledge direct Αλφα God Ωμεγα Glorie Goodnesse His Vertues Intellectuall Morall Iustice Mercy Analysis Gods knowledge indirect Creation A world Man Made Holy Vnholy Redeemed A Church à latere Faihtfull Singular Analysis The most speciall subiect that can be imagined The first subiect in resolution which is last in composition is one indiuiduall and singular man and in this regard men are said either to be written or blotted out of Gods booke that is either chosen by name or put out by name as in a register wherein men are intitled vnto some honour he that brags of it and yet when the register is searched hath not his name therein is put to greater shame and this book is called in the Scriptures the booke of life wherein God is said to write and blot out mens names not that any is blotted out but that God manifests that he neuer had them in his election And this is made of Arminius his fourth and last decree wherein he inserts two most vncomfortable points First that the basis and foundation of this is nothing but Gods foreknowledge in the vse of sufficient meanes administred which beeing receiued and kept men should be saued Gratâ—â— praeueniens subsequent if otherwise damned Secondly though by preuenting grace men might beleeue and by subsequent grace perseuere yet he might loose both and of a beleeuer become no beleeuer which first of all breakes in peices the chaine Rom. 8.3 the consequent of iustification is glorification this is contradicted by Arminius a man may be iustified that neuer shall be glorified for I am sure he that beleeues is iustified yet he that beleeues may fall from grace and therefore a man may be iustified that neuer shall be glorified But the Apostle saies the contrarie Whome he hath iustified them also he hath glorified Againe it breakes the next linke for God calls all seeing he giues meanes sufficient to know and beleeue and therefore effectuall meanes are vsed whereby men are called yet neuer shall be iustified when the Apostle saies the contrarie whome he calls effectually and sufficiently they are iustified So then a man may be called but neuer iustified and iustified but neuer glorified Secondly it makes against our redemption Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice and follow me c. Here he contradicts three maine things in v. 28. First eternall life he that beleeues hath it but he may loose it therefore eternall life may suffer death and so eternall should become temporall and immortall mortall Secondly they shall neuer perish a good consequent from eternall life yet Arminius contradicts it and saies Christs sheepe may perish Thirdly No man shall plucke them out of his hand but they may fall saies Arminius and therfore shall they be taken from him but he will say it is of themselues but that makes the coÌ„tradiction much the worse For then 1. Christs sheepe may not heare his voice 2. Christ may not know them 3. they may not follow him 4. they may extinguish that life for which they are content to loose their naturall life and their eternall life may be as subiect to casualtie as their mortall and miserable life 5. they that shall neuer perish may perish of themselues therefore Christ shall not be as good as his word that said neuer 6. Christ shall fuffer that of his owne which he would neuer permit vnto others and therefore should be weaker to oppose the violence of his owne then the tyrannie of others 7. his fathers gift and greatnesse shall be surprised his Gift committed to the trust of his Sonne shall not faithfully be restored and his Father that is greater then all though he shall preuaile against all others yet his owne shall ouercome him Thirdly it takes away all Christian confidence how durst Paul so triumph Rom. 8.31 challenge principalities and powers Paul saies If God be for vs who shall be against vs Why Paul thou may be against thy selfe God spared not his Son to giue vs à ll things yet Paul he gaue vs not perseuerance Who can charge Gods chosen who Paul there is an answer They can do it theselues God iustifieth who shall condemne The answer is easie they may condemn themselues Christ is dead yea rather risen makes intercession but Paul for all his dying we may die for all his resurrection we may rise to condemnation for all his intercession we may liue not onely in purgatorie but hell it selfe But to stoppe the mouthes of such disputers the Apostle in the 35.38 39. makes an ennumeration of all that can befall vs as tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednes perill sword death life angels principalities powers things present things to come height depth or any other thing and what more then these can be found If thy selfe be more then all these then thou art assuredly a most wretched person that when all is taken away that might draw thee from Christ then thou wilt draw away thy selfe what more desperate then this In all these things saies the Apostle we are
punishment on them which do ill as it burnes more remissely against sinne it is called anger as more sharpely wrath as it doth giue sentence iudgement as it doth execute vengeance Thirdly he shewes mercie not that which is properly vnderstood in Christ but that which is vnderstood in my text compassion gentlenesse patience longanimitie bountifulnesse c. and these most properly appeare in the fall yet the fall beeing more generall then all that follow hath his vse in them all and is subordinate with all the rest to the decree of God And euen here God manifests his decree of election euen before the sending of Christ Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 1. Ioh. 4.9 In this appeared the loue of God toward vs because God sent c. in both these places the loue of God is the cause why Christ was giuen and sent and therefore this loue went before Christ else should the cause followe the effect this loue was decreed So then God loued the world before he either gaue or sent his Son actually he loues none but in Christ neither doth any feele his loue but he that is in Christ and therefore for the comfort of the Church the fittest place to teach the decree in is application of Christ yet the determination of his loue was before all this and the onely cause why Christ was sent into the world 6. Hâ—mo ad imaginem dei gradus 6. Steppe is a man according to Gods image and in this estate man was holy and righteous and to this image we are restored againe in Christ Rom. 8.29 and therefore God decreed to maintaine this image in some of his creatures that so he might haue the glorie of his creation maintained for euer and this is the thing that made God haue a Church from the beginning of the world and no Church wherein there is not Gods election and the decree of his euerlasting saluation Hence man in his innocencie was of Gods election such a one as then was ordained of God could not die without the renouation of his image therefore our euerlasting saluation was decreed in the estate of our integritie 7. Steppe is man made Homo creatus aâ—â— per creatâ—onem se ctus gradn 7. and this is the first manner of consideration that we can find in a man and in this likewise appeares the decree for God made man for the manifestation of his glorie not onely in regard of generall goodnesse wisedome and omipotencie seene in all the creatures neither of that which was seene in the angels to wit goodnesse communicated from an infinite good to which being ioyned their obedience brought Gods rewarding iustice to confirme them in an euerlasting estate and this is called bonitas cum iustitia coniuncta goodnesse conioyned with iustice wherein appeared the election of the good angels Againe disobedience to dissolue and breake off the coÌ„munication with that infinite good brought in punishing iustice euerlasting and eternall wherein appeared the reprobation of the bad angels Thus farre then it pleased God generally to shewe his goodnesse omnipotencie wisedome c. Secondly more specially his goodnesse and rewarding iustice vpon the blessed Angels and the losse of his goodnes with the inflicting of his punishing iustice vpon the accursed angels but as yet no subiect to shew goodnes iustice and mercie and therefore man must bee made the subiect on which he will shew all his goodnes in what order you shall heare when I come to shew the ends in Gods decree 8. Is man more generall then all these For man made Homo generale subiectum oâ—â—i bus adiunctis praesuppositum grad 8 hath a speciall ende to wit happinesse of creation man made holy happinesse with the creator man made vnholy miserie with himselfe man redeemed saluation by Christ and so of all the rest speciall ends may be assigned which can be nothing else but the manifestation of Gods glorie in his iustice and mercie 9. Mundus exnihilo gradus 9. A world made of nothing exceeding good whereof man is a part and the most principall and therefore made for man Now euen before this subiect was election Come receiue the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world So then God intended a kingdome for his elect before he made this world 10. Creatio omnium or goad extoriora grâ—dus vlâ—â—mus supâ—â—mus Creation the originall of all things and before which there was nothing without this man could not be so then when they say man was by creation it is true that man there tooke his originall and creation is more generall then man but so creation is taken actiuely but passiuely as in man it is more speciall therefore man created is a speciall consideration of man but man in Gods creation is more generall Hence the Lord in making of him appointed him all his ends To conclude the creation of man was for the manifestation of all Gods diuine attributes as wel iustice and mercie as the rest And now beeing come to the highest staire in creatures wee slippe presently out of them and lay all the rest on Gods will as the onely subiect This is as it were the bodie of Gods decree the rest is as the soule this externall that which followeth internall in this is manifested Gods indirect knowledge in the other his direct and proper knowledge the lowest steppe of this is iustice and mercie and the subiect in which these two rest is his will I will haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie and compassion on whom I will haue compassion Rom. 9.15 and v. 18. He hath mercie on whom hee will haue mercie and whom he will he hardeneth 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 re 〈…〉 2. â—irtus morâ—â—s 3 intellectuals 4 〈◊〉 5 bo mitas 6. Gloria 7. Deas ipse â—l pha omâ—ga Second head we call morall vertues whereby God willeth euery thing most readily that is good and is most prompt in the performance thereof so that iustice and mercy comming vnder this head according to our capacitie are moued to nothing but that which is good third intellectuall virtues whereby God is most prompt in the performance of euery act of vnderstanding fourth vertues whereby God is knowne vnto vs to bee absolutely good fifth goodnesse the head and fountaine of all these sixt glorie the perfection of goodnesse seuenth God himselfe which is knowne vnto vs by all these That this is the Scripture see all in the 33. of Exod and also in the 34. Chap. 33. ver 18. I beseech thee shewe me thy glorie v. 19. God answers Moses my glorie is too excellent for thee but my glory which is seene in my goodnesse shall goe before thee I will make all my good goe before thee that is thou shalt see the backe-parts of my glorie these backe-parts are Gods
sense and reason backeward again 4 returne into 3. 3 into 2. 2 into one so all these though diuers yet fouÌ„ded in one Now this one once was not therefore when it was it was by the power force of some chiefe and first beeing and this they tearmed absolute essence this beeing alwaies they tearmed it eternall essence Againe to beeing finding life the next they called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a liuing God In the third place because life was in trees and the beasts of the field they gaue vnto God the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minde or vnderstanding In the fourth place because they thought the minde of man to be bare and naked hauing nothing written in it yet capable of all things and therefore imperfect they called God further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and act and so a perfect minde 5. Because power act might be abused and so the greater and the worse they called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodnesse it selfe 6. Because they thought the chiefe good to be according to all vertues they gaue vertues vnto God both intellectuall and morall 7. Because vertues were qualities and so comprehended within the limits of subiects they called God infinite in beeing liuing vnderstanding working infinite goodnes and infinite vertue Now in the 8 place because infinite vertue must be one most simple vertue and comprehend all in it they saw not how Gods prouidence should rather be counted prouidence then iustice and iustice rather iustice then mercie mercie more mercie then knowledge knowledge then life and life then essence True it is God simply one to vs diuerse God is simply one in himselfe yet apprehended of vs as diuers For so we define him in his attributes that he is one God diuersly apprehended of vs. Therefore the manifestation of himselfe in his creatures is to be considered in diuers heads yet the greatest meeting together of all his attributes is most to be seene in his iustice and mercie Therefore both Scripture and reason prooue God especially glorified in his iustice and mercie If then iustice and mercie be most exactly the last end then must all ends and meanes and subiects be subordinate vnto this ende and this ende must be decreed before all the rest Hence we may conclude that God intended to manifest his iustice and mercie before all things For the third the order of the meanes The order of meanes it must thus be conceiued that that which is first in execution is last in the intention of the workeman and most remote from the ende and the lower we goe the neerer we come vnto the ende M. Perkins makes creation and permission of the fall two generall meanes of Gods predestination This Arminius reprehends for saies he both creation and the fall goe before predestination it is true in the execution but if predestination rest vpon the last end intended of God it must needs goe before as an end and haue all these meanes come vnder him As for example I would determine a iourney to London to speake with some deare freind this is before all the meanes that I vse to come vnto him yet before I can accomplish this I must come where he is and that I may come where he is I must get me a horse and all things necessarie for my iourney then must I goe from place to place vntil I come where he is so that the first in intention is last in execution and in the progresse the further I goe the neerer I am to consider the meanes subsequent vnto the end In like manner God intends the manifestation of his iustice and mercie therefore this is the first with God and the last that all meanes driues at That this may be brought about God will create create a world man in this world man holy man holy may by his owne freewill become vnholy man vnholy may bee punished with the iustice of God but redeemed may be receiued vnto mercie Concerning the fourth order of subiects The order of sâ—biects manifesting Gods diuine attributes The first subiect is nihilum nothing out of which God must bring something and here steps out to our viewe omnipotency The second subiect is a world admirable for beauiie and perfect for goodnesse and here ariseth the manifestation of Gods wisedome and goodnesse Thirdly in this world there shall be creatures either to communicate with a finite good or an infinite good in those that communicate with a finite good God shewes his wonderfull loue to men and angels that made all in heauen and earth for them secondly with an infinite good that is with God himselfe as men and angels where he meant to lay open all the treasurie of his glorie goodnesse and vertues And here first of all he made them all in his own image and therefore able to expresse any of his attributes God is a spirit so are they spirituall God is vnderstanding and will and so they haue both vnderstanding and will The vnderstanding and will of men and angels are speciall subiects to declare his goodnesse Hence may men and Angels shewe forth both his intellectuall vertues and morall vertues they haue intelligence to conceiue of principles science to iudge of truths sapience to make diductions from those truths prudence to carrie all things orderly and art or skill to practise in any subiect the excellencie of their reason Againe for morall vertues as compassion gentlenesse patience longanimitie bountifulnesse liberalitie magnificence fortitude but especially iustice and mercy So then in that God made them with holy righteous vnderstandingâ— and wills they were to set forth all his vertues and therefore Saints restored are commaunded to set forth the vertues of him that hath called them into his maruailous light To descend first to angels Angels set forth goodnesse and iustice God by creation did communicate with them infinite goodnesse wherein did consist their happinesse now in reason it was necessarie that this communication should be by compact and the square of iustice wherefore a law must be giuen them according to which this communication was to be maintained Hence commination as well in the losse of this goodnesse as participation for the obseruation of the rule Here then may the Lord manifest his iustice to obedience remuneration and euerlasting communication and this is the manifestation of infinite goodnes conioyned with Gods rewarding iustice wherein appeared the election of the good angels to disobedience the losse of this infinite good wherein appeared punishing iustice peremptorily inflicting damnation on all the bad angels and here appeared their reprobation but in both these could no mercy be shewed not in the first because in the good angels there was no miserie except we coneciue possible misery which is not a fit subiect for mercie seeing there was no want for the perfection of a creature neither could it be vnto the bad angels for
though by their fall they became miferable and so might haue receiued mercie yet because they sinned against the holy Ghost their sinne was vnpardonable and vncapable of mercie Leaue we the Angels and come to men where more especiall communication is to be obserued from the diuine wisedome of God First Men set forth goodnes 〈◊〉 and mercy God did communicate with them infinite goodnes but it must be receiued by a rule of iustice Doe this and thou shalt liue and also a commination of the losse of it But if thou doe not thou shalt die the death here no man communicated with God in obseruing of the Law and therefore could there not be found in man any rewarding iustice as was found in the good Angels so that man was now for euer put out of the possession of happinesse by the Law of God and if euer he receiue this happinesse againe it must be by mercie O therefore for the loue of God you Papists consider this one thing That man is not now to be saued as the Angels are in heauen and therefore denie all your workes if it were for no more then Adams sinne for now will he haue it vnder the condition of mercie Man then hauing put himselfe out of Gods fauour and not by a sinne against the holy ghost may be receiued vnto mercie So here is a fit subiect for God to shew his goodnesse iustice and mercie and where he had decreed the manifestation of his mercie it shall appeare when he hath sent his Sonne gathered his Church and ingrafted euery faithfull soule into the mysticall bodie of this Sauiour Againe where he hath decreed the manifestation of his iustice it shall appeare in all those that are passed ouer of Christ and haue not his blood sprinkled vpon them This shall make all spirituall Egypt euen at the midnight of their miserie to crie out most lamentably but Israel shall then receiue the best Iewels costly attire and euery pretious thing that heart can wish I should follow Arminius in the rest but because I heare some other are about it that are worthie men I breake off for I confesse that I was drawne vnto it by considering how many runne after Arminius If the learned of the Land shall approoue this which I haue done and no others shall haue taken it in hand I will be readie to stand at their command to proceede in the rest And I can not but breake out to blesse and praise God that hath lately raised vp such worthie Bishops the true Defenders of the Orthodoxall truth and resolute enemies to all that oppose it I am at their command to stay or goe forward and if I haue slipped in any thing for I confesse my ignorance may soone draw me into error and error may plunge me in heresie it selfe I am willing to heare any and yeild presently but I hope it is the truth and then it will stand We haue great cause to bewaile the miseries of these wretched times in which Atheisme clouds of heresie worldly policie fasly so called beeing indeede little better then plaine villenie and temporizing haue like a canker fretted out the very heart of pietie they are but a few which seeke to search out the certaintie in matters of Religion or which care to haue established hearts and know precisely which is the true God Baal or the Lord. We had rather halt betweene two opinions that so we may be for all times then vndergoe the labour of gayning aduised resolution Some slippe into Poperie beeing lead captiue God in iustice sending them strong delusions by those false brethren which are priuily crept into euery corner through the remissenes of these euill times Others runne headlong to prophannesse and that which is of all other the worst luke-warmenes This brings in want of loue to the truth and want of this heresie so that we may well say except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant culling out as it were one of a citie and two of a Tribe as the shepheard taketh out of the mouth of a lyon two legges or a peece of an eare according to the election of grace we should long ere this haue beene as Sodome and like vnto Gomorrha we had bin as it is said of a cursed tongue a very world of wickednes And surely except the good Gouernours and Shepheards of our Land be vigilant and carefull we shall not so much haue the sheepe in the mouth of the lyon as the Shepheards themselues and then woe be to the flocke It is reported that Beza conferring with Arminius and seeing in his young yeares such ripenesse of wit brake out into these words Goe thy way for I am fully perswaded that thou wilt either prooue an excellent instrument of Gods Church or a most pestilent heretike which prophesie we see now come to passe God deliuer our Shepheards out of his mouth and establish them in soundnesse of doctrine that so the silly sheepe may not be deuoured by their owne Pastors Propositions 1 Gods will his glorie 2 His glorie is his goodnesse 3 His goodnesse is all his attributes 4 His attributes are his vertues 5 His vertues are intellectuall and morall 6 His morall vertues are his iustice and mercie 7 All these he wills absolutely 8 That which he wills he can doe 9 That which he can doe and wills that he decrees 10 That which he decrees is done by counsell 11 That which is done by counsell is wisely done 12 That which is wisely done is for some good ende 13 That which is for some good ende hath all good meanes 14 Creation is a good meanes of Gods ende 15 The world is made for Gods ende 16 Men and Angels are made for this ende 17 Angels shew forth his goodnesse and iustice 18 Men shew forth goodnesse iustice and mercie 19 Christ is a meanes to declare Gods mercie 20 Men onely receiue mercie from Christ 21 All out of Christ are iustly condemned 22 A iust condemnation is for sinne 23 All this God hath done 24 That which he hath done he could doe 25 From both these he decreed 26 That which he decreed he purposed 27 That which he purposed respected his glorie 28 His glorie was agreeable to his wisdome 29 That which agreed with his wisdome was good 30 That which was good he absolutely willed therefore he absolutely willed all these things Obserue that the end confists not in vse but in his goodnesse and fitnesse for vse the ende of an house is not habitation for that is after the house is made now the ende is before the making of the house and therefore that a house should be good fit for habitation that is the ende though the house it selfe were neuer inhabited The world was made for man yea and that before man was existent yet that goodnesse and fitnesse which respected man was put into the creature and should be brought forth after the creation of man
Conscientia in effectu affectu â—uâ—nâ—u vel pro effectu praeterito vel pro affectu presente vel pro eueÌ„tu futuro for the fact past that is either in regard of God or man of man it either absolues or coÌ„demns in regard of god a witnes either to excuse or accuse for the affection that followes vpon this it is either ioy or sorrow ioy vpon absoluing and excusing sorrowe vpon accusing condemning and for the future euent it is either the expectation of reward or the feare of punishment That this may a litle the better appeare let vs see how the coÌ„science is locked or vnlocked this eye is alwaies as a booke that is both clasped and open at the same time or els wholly clasped and locked vp The claspes that doe all this are in number three goodnes Claspes of conscience 1. Goodnesse sinne and punishment Goodnesse clasps vp the accusation of the conscience but alwaies leaues open the conscience for excusation therefore a good conscience will open for no accusation nor shut for any vaine excusations Secondly 2. Sinne. sinne is either the clasper and vnclasper together or the clasper alone the clasper and vnclasper by excusation or accusation as in our first parents it is said when they had sinned their eyes were opened not that they were blind before but that now the eye had lost the power of excusing and therefore in that was shut vp and blinded but was altogether vnlocked for accusation and condemning of themselues yet by reason of custome and long continuance in sinne that verie selfe same thing which opened the eies of our first parents hath wholly seared vp the eyes of some that their consciences neither accuse nor excuse except you will say they falsly excuse when they make vs cry peace peace and all is well with vs. Now this for the most part is the claspe of mens consciences so that except God bring iudgement the conscience will neuer be awaked from his securitie 3. Punishment Therefore the third claspe of the conscience is punishment this holds most surely in excusation in so much that none can either vnclaspe it or by any meanes be able to mitigate the strait holding of punishment from all comfort so that neither angels nor men nor any other creature can giue a dramme of comfort but for the vnclasping of the conscience it wil do it most forcibly and exceedes all other meanes and therefore is to bee vnderstood in this place Hence ariseth a fourefold distinction of conscience the first that is at peace with it selfe Conscience quiet but not good quiet nor good but not with God and that is the conscience that is wholly locked vp the second that is neither at peace with God nor it selfe and that is the conscience vnder the horror of the punishment of sinne good not quiet the third conscience which is not at peace with it selfe but with God and that conscience hath two claspes in it goodnesse and sinne goodnes from God sin from it selfe good and quiet The fourth that hath peace with God and with it selfe and this is a conscience that feeles a claspe of Gods mercie to bind vp the broken heart and make it breake forth with ioy and gladnesse So that now if we looke into the world wee shall find that euerie man is either a Prince or a peasant either the basest among the sonnes of men and most ignoble or els couragious as a lyon and stout hearted as a gyant If a man were as poore as Lazarus and as naked as Iob yet if he bad a good conscience he would be higher then Princes and scorn to yeild a foote for the proudest but on the contrarie if hee were as stout as Alexander as merry as Belshazzar as wise as Ahithophel as proud as Hammon and as rich as Nabal yet hauing an euill conscience he would tremble with Alexander for the touch of an ague quiuer with Belshazzar for the appearance of a finger hang himselfe with Ahitophel for that his counsell was brought to nought mourne with Hammon vpon his bed for the losse of his honour or his heart would die within him as it did within Nabal for the losse of a field or in a word hee would tremble at a very leafe and therefore fearfull shall bee the estate of these men when the Lord shall thus vnlocke their consciences as he hath promised he will doe in this place Now this vnlocking is threefold Keyes to vnlock conscience 1. Amazement First by a generall amazement when a man is suddenly stricken but he knowes no particular cause as Belshazzar was in the 5. of Dan. the writing on the wall vnclasped his conscience by a sudden amazement Secondly 2. Particular knowledge by a particular knowledge of the sinne that they haue commited as it was with Indas who said Phaue sinned in betraying inocent blood this did strike so deepely into his conscience that be departed and hanged himselfe and for verie greife the rimme of his bellie rent in peices Thirdly and lastly 3. Gods departure by a most lamentable farwel in hell when the Lord shall say O my creature I made thee glorious but thou hast spoyled all thy glorie and lost my fauour farewell my creature I the fountaine of liuing water I the liuing God I thy life and length of dayes thy verie breath must leaue thee and come vnto thee as a consuming fire as a roaring lyon heape vpon thee all torments in bodie and soule Again thou shalt say Farewell creator farwell louing wife farewell my children and all my freinds farewell my pleasures prosits and all my worldly lusts Alas will none of you pitie mee wilt thou O Lord looke on and take no compassion and will you my freinds if with me curse me and cry A vengence on me will you thus reward my loue vpon earth If in heauen will you crie with father Abraham Remember that you had your pleasure when many a Saint starued at your doore and therefore iustly art thou tormented and we most mercifully rewarded you did vs much hurt in your pretended loue and blessed be God you preuailed not in your will Alas is it so why then O worme of conscience doe thy worst burne fire that can not be quenched I gnash with my teeth to see the prosperity of my freinds blaspheme God with the rest of my freinds here in hel not as sinning for that we did in brauery vpon earth to teare God in peices was our credit but now we together see all to be our punishments and we can take no sweet solace in our companie as we did vpon earth Thus the wicked goe downe to hell to see their sinnes set in order before their consciences to their euerlasting shame and confusion that could not see it vpon earth the deuill hath lead them into the mids of hel as the Prophet the Aramits that came to take him into the mids
is a day of his silence and there is a day of his iustice and the Lord will not breake his daies with the righteous and sinners vpon earth for the day of mercie man hath a bond from God but for the day of paying vengeance the Lord hath mans bonds man cares not how often God forfeit his bond of mercie for he would willingly haue God to be in his debt for euer yet the Lord is not so negligent in the requiring of the forfeit of his bond of iustice and therefore hauing alreadie discharged his bond of mercie it will be high time to looke vnto man that he answer him for his iustice especially seeing the wicked for Gods silence haue not broken forth with Dauid and said What shall we giue vnto the Lord for all his benefits nor as yet vpon conditions performed are able to say We haue taken the cuppe of saluation and called vpon our good God nay as yet we haue nor so much as resolued to doe it So that the Lord may most iustly breake silence and after the expiration of their daies of peace vexe them in his sore displeasure Reasons 1. from the nature of time From time appointed of God for all purposeâ— The Lord is before and after all times yet in his works he hath reuealed himselfe to performe all actions in time and he hath appointed euery thing his certen time Eccles. 3. that so euery worke of God might be seene distinctly The Lord hath a time for his silence and a time for his iustice that so the mercies which he shewes vnto the sonnes of men and the iudgements which he brings vpon them might be seene distinctly and he praised for them both 2. Reas Lone vnto his creatures First Loue to 〈◊〉 creature to shew his generall goodnes secondly to mooue him to repentance and thankefulnes for his patience and long suffering 3. Reas To leaue man without all excuse To leaue reaâ— without excuse seeing God hath laboured by mercies to allure and iudgements to terrifie so that when his last doome shall come the Lord shall say What are become of all my mercies and why was thou not reclaimed by my foretelling thee of iudgements therefore goe thou accursed wretch into hell fire where thou shalt neuer haue again the time of my silence 1. Vse reprehension either confutation of all those that cry Mal. 3 14. It is in vaine to serue the Lord and what pleasure haue wee that we haue bowed our selues before him surely you are blind that cannot see what large dayes the Lord hath giuen you here vpon earth and what long silence hath passed betwixt him you nay he hath not onely beene silent but also he hath been bountifull vnto you in many a temporall blessing euen aboue his owne Saints Second vse vnder this head is correction of the hastie desires of Gods children first to haue iudgment on their enemies and secondly to haue speedy dispatch of affliction in themselues Thus they hasten the time of the mercie and iustice of the Lord. Know therefore that God will haue his times completly ended and it is your duty to stay his leasure for he that beleeues will not make hast 2. Vse is instruction first an admonition to all the wicked that they harden not their hearts denie not Gods call but listen vnto him least they call when he will not heare them For your time is to day but Gods time is his will and pleasure in silence reproofe your time is present for time past is not called again with had I wist and the time to come is in Gods disposing 2. Branch is a direction to the godly that they make vse of all times for the Lord would haue them exact in the computation of the yeares of his mercie and iustice yea and of seasons in these times for he complaines for the want of it Isa 1. The oxe knowes his owner the asse his masters cribbe these know their masters and the times wherein they refresh them the swallow and the crane their appointed times therefore let it not be saide of Gods Israel that they know not him which doth all for them God is pleased to call them his people and what greater shame then this my people haue not knowne me 3. Vse is consolation first for tribulation Is this the day of Gods affliction then happie is my estate for the time of deliuerance is approching therfore in this Psalme v. 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee mourning may rest for a night but ioy comes in the morning Secondly for the day of prosperitie to haue a heart as ioyfull and glad to thinke of his affliction as then to puffe vp himselfe with his present estate Dauid hath more ioy of heart that Gods countenance is lifted vpon him then because his corne wine Psalm 4. and oyle are increased Heb. 11. Moses can take more ioy to be a partaker with Gods people then in the inioying of all the sinnefull pleasures of Egypt for a season Observ 4. from the order Silence goes before Gods reproofe as a silent ayre before a fearefull tempest The Lord spared the old world a long time before he drowned it he suffered Sodome and Gomorrha to burne a long time in lusts before he burnt them with fire and brimstone from heauen Reasons 1. Iust puwiâ—â—ment That iust cause may be giuen for all the wrath of God that falleth vpon the wicked 2. Reason because the sinne of man cannot be but in that which God hath made good no more then blindnes can be any where Good before euâ—ll but in the eie which had power to see now sight is before blindnes good before euill and therefore Gods silence before his iustice because iustice will not reprooue before man haue sinned 3. Measure of sinne Reason is because a measure of sinne is to be made vp Gen. 15. before God can iudge and therefore the Lord will be silent vnto that time that then he may answer them with a like measure of iudgement 1. Vse is reprehension which serues first for the confutation of the vngodly which thinke that God is forgetfull of his anger but let them know that method is the very rule of memorie and God keeping so close to an exact method can not by long silence forget what he hath to doe Indeede we say old things are out of date and long silence makes contentious matters cease but the Lord is the same to day he was when he began the world and Cains sinne is as fresh in his memorie as the sinne that is committed this day 2. Vse is correction of Gods children that can no sooner heare the faults of their brethren but presently they speake of them this is no good method they ought to haue paused on the matter by silence and after haue reprooued when time would haue serued 2. Vse is instruction 1. An admonition to the
parents Gen. 3. the Lord exaamines the matter and saies vnto the serpent because thou hast done thus thou are accursed vnto the woman I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes vnto Adam Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree whereof I commaunded thee saying Thou shalt not eate of it cursed is the earth for thy sake Thus dealt he with the whole world Gen. 6.5 When the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only euil that continually therefore v. 7 I will destroy from the earth the man whom I haue created c. Thus dealt he with nations Ezech. 18.2 The fathers haue eaten the sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge this prouerbe hath no good meaning for the soule that sinneth it shall die Therefore O house of Israel are not my waies equall and are not your wayes vnequall surely I will iugde you euery one according to his wayes Againe for particular cities Gen. 18. I will goe downe to see whether the cry which is come vp vnto me be so or no. Lastly speciall persons Gen. 4.9 Where is Abel v. 10. what hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth now therefore v. 11. Thou art accursed from the earth c. Reas 1. Drawne from the nature of punishment which is alwaies a consequent of sinne and therefore cannot goe before the doings of men Reas 2. The conscience of wicked men which must needs containe in them the bills of Inditement according vnto which the Iurie must proceed and the Lord himselfe wil giue sentence Reu. 20.12 The dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Reas 3. That all may be without excuse for what shal man say vnto his Creator when the Lord hath told him These things hast thou done surely lay his hand vpon his mouth and confesse that the Lord is iust in all his workes Vse 1. reprehension First of such as complaine with Israel in Ezek. 18. thy fathers haue sinned and we haue borne their punishments It is not so O house of Israel for Gal. 6.5 euery man shall beare his owne burden 1. Cor. 3.8 euerie man shal receiue his wages according to his labour therefore to thee O Lord mercy for thou rewardest euerie one according to his worke Psal 62.12 Secondly a correction of the godly that murmure at the silence of God toward the wicked and are grieued for his hand vpon themselues conceiuing it an iniurie done vnto themselues because they iudge themselues better then the wicked but let them also knowe that the cause of their afflictious is their owne doings Iam. 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euil neither tempteth hee any man but euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed then when lust hath concâ—iued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Vse 2. instruction First a direction to the wicked that they be more carefull of their actions Secondly a direction to the godly 〈◊〉 2.12 that they learne to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts and liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Vse 3. consolation First in trouble 2. Theff 1.6.7 For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you but to you which are troubled rest with vs. Secondly in weldoing thou maiest haue this consolation Psa 37.3 trust thou in the Lord and doe good dwell in the land and thoushalt be fed assuredly delight thy selfe in him and hee shall giue thee thy hearts desire for the Lord is a most equall God and will not suffer either the doings or the sufferings of his children to go vnrewarded CHAP. V. Of Gods silence in generall THE second part is the holinesse of the Lords sentence which is twofold mercy and iustice Mercy Silence I held my tongue Iustice but I will reprooue thee Mercy is described by sowre arguments first by his qualitie silence secondly by his obiect about which hee is exercised and that is the doings of the wicked thirdly by the accidentall effects and they are wicked thoughts fourthly by the forme and manner of these thoughts and that is to make God like themselues First of Gods silence which is nothing else but Gods clemencie in his patience and long suffering with his bountifulnesse and generall goodnesse toward sinners That this may more clearly appeare we are to vnderstand that the Lord which is absolute beeing in himselfe Exod. 3.14 can haue nothing giuen vnto him which is not himselfe for I am that I am is a proposition that hath no more in the consequent then was in the antecedent for I am is the antecedent and I am is the consequent therefore euery consequent in God is God God is silent God the antecedent is I am and silent the consequent is I am for nothing is giuen to God that is lesse then I am and greater then I am is impossible Hence God is one most simple beeing and impossible to be vnderstood of our shallow capacities therefore hath it pleased his maiestie that we might vnderstnd some thing of him to shew vs his backe parts Exod 33.23 which are his glorious attributes Exod. 34. v. 6 7. among which we haue this silence of God slowe to anger and aboundant to goodnes and truth Now these attributes are of diuers sorts Absolute attribateâ— Conditionall some absolute some conditionall some both absolute and conditionall absolute which at all haue no arise from the creatures but follow his absolute beeing as his infinitnesse eternitie and the like which doe follow from that he is without causes not looking at him for his effects in his creatures others meerly conditionall as in creation omnipotencie which is only in God in regard of his creatures which in time might feele the worke of an euerlasting worker For in God creation was alwaies act and neuer power otherwise should the Lord haue begun his act and then it should not haue beene eternall Indeede his creature felt the beginning of it for once it was nothing and to make that something we tearme it omnipotencie which is in the creature alone for God is not ommpotent in the generation of his sonne neither the sonne and the father omnipotent in the proceeding of the holy Ghost because this is an absolute and eternall genreation and procession that was neuer out of act and therefore vncapable of any power In the fall of man this silence is meerely conditionall for if there had bin no sinne then should God haue had no silence So in the state of redemption grace is giuen to God only from that worke in the creature receiuing him to mercy for Christs sake For attributes that may be said
to arise from his beeing yet appeare in his works are in creation goodnesse wisedome and the like which are absolute in God and before creation yet manifested from creation seeing he hath placed in these creatures the foote-steppes of his goodnesse and wisdome Now his eternitie and infinitnesse may be collected from the creation Deus cognoscitur per modum nâ—gationâ—â— enunentiae causationis but that will be by way of negation for there is a threefold way of giuing attributes vnto God first per modum negationis as all imperfections in the creatures man is finite hath beginning of dayes therfore denie them both of God say Iehouah is infinite and eternall A second waie is per modum eminentia by way of excellencie as what is excellent in the creature to giue it to God in the highest degree man is good wise iust holy therefore God is goodnesse it selfe wisedome it selfe iustice it selfe holinesse it selfe The third per viam causationis by waie of making as the world is a worke aboue the reach of a creature therefore God made it redemption a worke aboue the power of angels and men therefore God must redeeme sanctification no gift in man therfore the worke of the holy Ghost and for any creature to thrust in with God is no lesse then blasphemie Againe in mans fall iustice puts forth it selfe yet was it absolute in God before and therefore might it appoint prescribe laws and set downe certain ends hauing no consideration of the creatures sinne yet the execution will alwaies follow mans sinne So in redemption mercie which is not the same with silence in this place but a free acceptation of the creature in Christ this is also absolute in God and so might haue his worke in God long before man was miserable but to execute this mercie vpon the creature must needes be in his miserie where it appeares to vs so both election reprobation are manifest vnto the creature yet were long before in God and with God Therefore that distinction vpon which some Diuines build to ouerthrow Gods decree of reprobation and election before the corrupt masse is not sound for thus say they Gods attributes are some of them absolute as eternity infinitenesse goodnesse wisedome and these are presupposed before the beeing of the creature others againe conditionall and alwaies haue respect vnto the creature as iustice and mercie no iustice but vpon the condition of sinne and no mercie but vpon the condition of miserie All this is true beeing vnderstood of the execution of mercy and iustice but absolutely it is false being conceiued of the first actions of iustice and mercie for the first action of any wisedome is to dispose of all things for their ends and then consequently to execute one thing to speake what God doth in himselfe and another thing what hee doth in his creatures therefore by the rule of diuinitie in this place wee vnderstand by silence such a kind of mercie as appeares vnto man in the state of his sinne and miserie which is equal to all and no distinct fauour of God in Christ but his generall goodnesse First on mans part for as soone as hee had sinned against God presently vpon the very sinne he was guiltie of hel death and damnation and the iustice of the Lord apprehended him and therefore present execution and if he had cried haue patience with me and I will pay thee all it had beene in vaine for he should haue promised more then he had been able to pay therefore the Lord must haue patience with him for his mercie sake and a little releiue him in his miserie Hence one reason is mans miserie a second is in regard of God himselfe who will be holy in all his workes and therefore iust and merciful iust because of iniquitie mercifull because hee will haue all iust commendation Shal it be the commendation of man to spare and shall not the Lord spare yes assuredly the Lord is full of clemencie and bountifulnesse From his clemencie appeareth his patience and long suffering and from his bountifulnesse many a temporall blessing as wee see by daily experience to the tempting of the verie godly that there is no diuine prouidence For the Rhetoricke in the words here is first to hold the tongue put for silence then secondly silence put for patience meekenes gentlenesse long-suffering and bountifulnes for the Grammar the word signifies such a kind of silence as goes with deafnes as though God were both dumme and deafe but the Lord is not so for he hath made both the dumme and deafe Exod. 4.11 and therefore can hee be dumme and deafe at his pleasure and also speake and heare at his pleasure So then I find this word in a more significant coniugation wherin a double action is signified Tacitum cogitare to thinke a secret to be silent for better deliberation and therefore Gods silence is no idle silence but full of wisdome Lastly for the logicke this is an adiunct giuen vnto God now adiuncts make not for the beeing of any thing but for his welbeing and therefore the Logicke tels me that though silence bee not for Gods beeing yet it is a grace that the Lord will put vpon himselfe when he saies I am silent And therefore hauing found out in some measure the wisdome of God in his word let vs magnifie him in it and apply it to our owne hearts Obser The great God of heauen and earth that is prouoked to wrath euery day is full of mercy clemencie patience long-suffering and bountifulnesse toward all Reasons drawn from God secondly from the creature Reas 1. It is Gods nature Esa 55.7 for hee is verie readie to forgiue that is it is his verie nature Reas 2. Gods will Ezek. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner Reas 3. His glorie Exod. 33.19 Moses desires to see Gods glorie the Lord answers him I will make all my good goe before thee and what is that I will shewe mercie on whome I will shewe mercie and I will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassion Reas 4. From his words and deeds both by himselfe and by his Prophets Isa 1.18 Come let vs reason together though your sinnes were as crimisin they shall bee made white as snowe though they were red like skarlet they shall be as wooll Isa 30.18 yet will the Lord wait that he may haue mercie vpon you and therefore will he be exalted that he may haue compassion vpon you 2. Chro. 36.15 The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers rising early for hee had compassion on his people and on his habitation Reas In regard of the creature First serious meditation on the time of his patience Acts 13.18 About the time of fortie yeares suffered he their manners in the wildernesse no idle circumstance but worth the obseruation that euill manners should goe vncorrected fortie yeares which ought now to
towards himselfe but he hath not lost his loue and fath toward God for he saith though the Lord should kil me yet would I trust in him Dauid Psal 22. Oh my God I crie by day but thou hearest not by night but thou giuest no audience neither night nor day had he any feeling that God did heare his prayers or graunted his requests but yet he was not without faith for he made this praier in faith and that with speciall application my God The Canaanitish woman had fowre repulses 1. silence 2. deniall I am not come but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel 3. the Apostles to speake against her send her away for she crieth after vs. 4. a wofull remembrance of her miserable estate Woman it is not good to take the childrens bread and cast it vnto dogges in all these Christ shewes her small comfort yet shee hath not lost the feeling of her saith for still shee cries Truth Lord yet the dogges may eate the crummes that fall from their masters table And surely all that can thus hang on the breasts of Gods mercies are children of hope that neuer miscarrie but at length after many scourges shall heare the admirable voyce of commendation I haue not found such faith in any goe away in peace and be it to euery one of you according to your faith Reas 2. Hee that will rest vpon the meanes of his saluation though he finde not any sweetnes in the performance of them is a true beleeuer though hee feele not his wished ioy Wilt thou goe to beare Gods word and frequent the places of his worship wilt thou pray read conferre meditate c. and performe all these in obedience vnto God though thou feele no sweetnesse in them then assure thy selfe that resting vpon Gods meanes for comfort thou hast true faith and that cannot but at length make thy ioy to breake forth Reas 3. He that with all his heart can wish the saluation of any member of Christ is a true member of Christ and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith now these diffressed soules can wish with all their hearts the saluation of others and therfore it cannot be but they should be of Christs bodie and haue in them the true life of that bodie for a member of the world can neuer in vpright sinceritie wish the wel-fare of Christs bodie Reas 4. They that most complaine of their corruption from the true sense and feeling thereof are sanctified by the spirit of grace for corruption cannot complaine of corruption neither one sinne become an enemie to another but grace alone complaines of corruption and the law of the spirit opposeth the law of the flesh nowe it is prooued by experience that none complaine more of sinne then the poore Christian afflicted in conscience neither is this their complaint that of the wicked for they crie out of the sense and feeling of the pupunishment but these for that they should so displease God O therefore lift vp your hearts and cry with Dauid Psal 51. Lord restore vnto vs the ioy of thy saluation Againe let vs consider with whom we fight and for what crowne and how both heauen and earth mooued at our redemption and the same power concurred thereto as in our first creation and therefore the worke beeing so great no maruell if we vndergo many an heauie burthen be put to many a dangerous lift yet the foundation is so surely laid that it must vp in spight of all opposing power For as the great and mighty oakes are slower in attaining their full growth then the shrubs and weedes whose enduring is for many yeares and for time out of mind as we say when the other in short time wither and fade away so must Christians esteeme their increase of heauenly graces slowe but sure and euerlasting as immortalitie that they may bee as a beame or a pillar in the temple of God for euer and euer for the life of grace is no naturall life but spirituall therefore no way corruptible for if it were so contradictions would be true that spirituall life should bee naturall life incoruptible corruptible and immortal mortall Neither here let vs be deceiued in iudging according to our sense or meere shewes of things for then the most fruitfull trees in winter shall be taken for barren and the lustie soyle dry and vnfruitfull while it is shut vp with the hard frost but reason and experience prooues the contrarie faith the spirituall sheild in this our spirituall war-fare endureth much battering and many brunts and receiueth the forefront of the encounter oftentimes fareth as if it were peirced through and worne vnfit for battell whereupon we lay it aside yet euen for all this it proues inuincible and repelleth whatsoeuer engine the enemie inforceth against vs and standeth firme rooted whatsoeuer storme Sathan raiseth for the displacing thereof therefore when the sense of faith is dulled in vs and the fruits minister discontentment remember that the graces and mercies of God are without repentance and Christ Iesus whom he loueth he loueth vnto the ende Suppose that fire were extraordinarily fixed in the cold water so that you would say there can be no coldnesse at all in the water yet consider that cold is so naturall to the water that secretly he will driue out the heate and make it apparent that the fire had no place there but by vsurpation so faith in the soule of man assisted by patience when man in the verie fire of affliction will by little and little bring out sinne and with sinne the punishment of the same so that it shal clearly appeare that faith doth but esteeme of them both as tenants at will Oh consider this that our goodnes did not mooue God to bestowe his mercie vpon vs neither shall our sinne cause him to remooue it for he saw them before be gaue vs his mercie why did he not then withhold his mercie surely as he knew vs when we were strangers from him and loued vs when we hated him and had nothing which might prouoke his mercie but our miserie so is his goodnes continued vpon vs still for his owne sake and not at all for our deseruing but for that righteousnes sake which is in his Sonne and that oblation of his offered vp not for himselfe but for others and therefore with whome he was well pleased for that sacrifice with them shall he still be well pleased otherwise both these absurdities should follow that this sacrifice might be in vaine and this wel-pleasing might be changed from whose righteousnesse so much is detracted as we attribute either vnto chāge or vnto our selues or thinke to attaine vnto in respect of our owne satisfying and againe so much of Gods mercie is impaired as we shall rest vpon any power or vertue in our selues whereby to auoid his vengeance iustice Election is onely the Lords therefore committed to no hazard if on vs who are like the