is called Abaddon and Apollyon that is destroieng He is also called the God of this woorld blinding the eies of vnbeleeuers 2. Cor. 4. and the Prince of the woorlde Iohn 12.14.16 both for his power and forcible woorking which hee sheweth on the wicked and for that tyrrannie which he exerciseth against the godly also by gods permission as withal for that obsequie homage and obedience which is done him by the wicked euen those who professe the woorshippe of the true God Ephes 6. 1. Pet. 5. 1. King 22. 1. Cor. 10. Ioh. 8. The refutation of the Manichees who held two first causes By these places is made manifest the impiety of the Manichees who fained two causes or two Gods coeternall the one good whom they called the light and minde the other euill whom they termed the darknesse and matter the former whereof had created good natures the latter bad abusing those testimonies of Scripture where the Diuel is called the god and prince of the world the father of the wicked autor of sinne and death the power of darkenesse And standing most of al on this argument that a good God should not make the cause of euill For neither hath the Diuell any more power either ouer the godly or ouer the wicked or ouer other creatures for which he is called the prince god of the world than is granted him of God as appeareth by the first and second chapter of the story of Iob and by the inuasion of the swine Mat. 8. Neither is the creation of the wicked but the corrupting and enforcing of them to euill attributed to the Diuell Neither is there any neede least God should be made autor of sinne to make another God of the Diuell seeing the Scripture teacheth of Diuels and men that both were created good and holy by God but the Diuel reuoulting from god and seducing men corrupted both himselfe and men And although of their owne proper and free will they rush and bend themselues against God The euill spirits are vnchangeablely euil and damned yet by the iust iudegement of God they are so for saken and abiected of him that they are without all chaunge or alteration vnrecalabite euill and subiect to euerlasting tormentes Wherefore Iude saith that they are reserued by GOD in euerlasting chaines vnder darekenesse And Christ Matth. 25. Goe yee cursed from mee into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels For though doubtlesse these euil spirits were euen from their fall dispoiled of the celestiall habitation and blessednesse yet notwithstanding both they and reprobate men shall bee at the last iudgement adiudged to more greeuous punishment as contrariwise the felicity and glory of the Godlie shall then at length after the resurrection of their bodies bee in all respectes consummated and made perfect Therefore 2. Pet. 2. and in Iude these spirites are saide to bee reserued vnto damnation and the iudgement of the great day And Mat. 8. They complain that Christ came to trouble them before their time Furthermore GOD permitted them to fall into this wickednesse The causes why God permitted them to fall not onelie thereby to shew his wrath against sinne in their euerlasting paines but also to punish by them in this life the wicked and also to chastice or trie and exercise with temptations the elect For fire is saide to bee prepared for them from euerlasting Matth. 25. And 1. Sam. 16. vers 18. The euill spirite of GOD came vpon Saul and vexed him Psalm 78.49 Hee cast vpon the Aegyptians the fiercenesse of his anger indignation and wrath and vexation by the sending out of euill Angels But Iob cap. 1. vers 2. is deliuered to bee afflicted of Satan for the trial of his constancie Luc. 22.31 Satan hath desired you to winnowe you as wheat 1. Thessal 2. Wee woulde haue come vnto you but Satan hindered vs. 2. Corint 12.7 Least I shoulde bee exalted aboue measure thorough the aboundaunce of reuelations there was giuen vnto mee a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet mee because I should not bee exalted out of measure 1. Thessal 3. Least the tempter hadde tempted you in anie sort and that our labour had beene in vaine And Matth. 4. Christ himselfe is tempted of Satan and therefore verily is hee called the tempter for that hee solliciteth and inicteth men to sinne and to reuoult from God both by offering outwarde occasions of sinnes as also by stirring vp the cogitations and inward motions of the wil and hart OF GODS PROVIDENCE The creation and preseruation of things are the same in the thing itselfe but diuerse in consideration THE Doctrine which entreateth of gods prouidence is ioyned with the place which entreateth of the creation Because the prouidence that is the preseruation and gouernement of thinges dooth not differ from creation in the thing it selfe for that there is but one and the same wil or power or action of God whereby things both beginne to be and continue but they differ in consideration onelie For the omnipotent will of GOD is called creation in respect of the beginning when thinges by the force and power of his will tooke their beeing it is called prouidence as by the selfe-same power thinges are preserued Wherefore prouidence is the continuaunce and accomplishment of creation or creation it selfe continued and perpetuated For as no thinges would euer haue bin except GOD hadde created them so neither woulde they retaine and keepe their beeing neither their force of woorking neither the verie operation it selfe or motion if GOD did not preserue and mooue them effectuallie And therefore the Scripture it selfe often ioyneth the preseruation and continuall administration of thinges with their creation and from hence reasoneth for Gods prouidence And GOD is called Iehoua not onelie because hee once gaue to euerie thing both small and great their beeing but also because hee maintaineth it in all ruleth and mooueth them so as that hee not onelie seeth what is doone in all things but also causeth and inclineth them to doe this which he from euerlasting would euery of them to doe And by this his prouidence hee gouerneth administreth ruleth and preserueth all thinges that they be not brought to confusion But albeit there be more in number and more euident arguments in nature of Gods prouidence than of the creation of all things out of nothing and therefore the Philosophers doe more acknowledge that than this yet by reason of the pride of mans heart which hardly suffereth all good to be ascribed vnto God by reason of the iudgement of our sense vnto which most things seeme to go by fortune especially the wils of men by reason of the knowledge of Gods prouidence darkened by the fall of man by reasâ—n of our desire of auoiding and declining by anie meanes gods fight and Iudgement by reason of the small compasse of mans minde and vnderstanding whereby when men measure God they cannot
onely from an outwarde cause beside or against the nature of that which is mooued Nowe such an impulsion falleth not into the will but God moueth it leading and bringing it on as it were by obiects to choose that which he will For the facultie or abilitie and power of the will cannot be brought into act that is to shewe and expresse it selfe without an obiect and We are liue and mooue in God Acts. 17. But to bee mooued of no other cause but of himselfe onelie Necessity taketh not away liberty of will in vs. this is exceeding and infinite perfection and libertie agreeing to God alone which the creature cannot desire much-lesse arrogate and challenge vnto it selfe without notorious blasphemie Further it maie easilie be shewed that the necessitie or immutabilitie which ariseth not from constraint but from the nature of the will or from the commotion of it stirred by other causes to choose or refuse an obiect thought of by the mind doth not at al withstand or hinder the libertie of will First because this necessitie doth not take awaie This necessitie proceedeth froÌ„ Gods woorking in vs which rather preserueth thiâ— libertie Absolute necessity doth not take awaie in God greater libertie muchlesse can a lesse absolute necessity take away a lesse liberty in vs. but effectuateth and preserueth the iudgement of the minde free or voluntarie assent of the will in asmuch as god doth cause woorke in men both the notions and election of obiects Secondly Because God albeit hee is by nature that is by exceeding and absolute necessitie good and hath begotten his sonne and had his holie spirite from all eternitie yet will he not by a constrained but most free-will be liue be blessed and good haue his sonne and holie spirite and will all his purposes and works to be good and iust although it be impossible that hee shoulde will anie thing contrarie to these which hee hath already determined If then this absolute necessitie of willing things in God doth not take awaie euen the greatest libertie there is no doubt but that necessitie which is but onelie conditionall that is according to the decree and gouernment of god doth not take awaie that libertie which agreeth vnto the creatures that is iudgement and election free and voluntarie Thirdly Angels saints in heauen haue greater liberty of will and yet greater necessity The holie Angels and blessed men in the celestiall life euen by our aduersaries owne confession are endued with greater libertie of will than we are in this life But they necessarily wil those things onelie which are right and iust and hate and abhorre all thinges whatsoeuer are euill and vniust because they are made such of god and so established by him and are so illuminated and guided by the holy ghost that they cannot otherwise will or work neither by this necessitie of willing those thinges which are good and pleasing to god is the liberty of will taken away or diminished in them but rather is encreased and confirmed as who with al willingnesse choose and doe those thinges onely which are iust Fourthly It is shewed by many testimonies of scripture Many paces of Scripture coÌ„firm the necessity of those actions the liberty of which yet both we and our adueâ—â—ries acknowledge that the wils voluntary actions of good and wicked men which our aduersaries mantaine to be and to haue beene free and we also according to the right meaning of this worde Libertie do willinglie confesse are so guided by the secret and vnchangeable purpose of god that they neither can nor could either doe or be otherwise Wherefore either so many manifest places of scripture must be denied or openly corrupted or it must be graunted that one and the same action of the will is free contingent in respect of the will and necessary in respect of Gods gouernment Contingent effects leese not their contingencie by reason of any necessitie imported by Gods decree The same is to be saide of the effectes of the will which are in respect therof contingent that is free and might as well not bee doone as be done Fiftly it is declared by manie places of scripture that all contigent effectes doe retaine their contingencie which they haue from the nature of their causes although they bee done by the vnchaungeable determination of the purpose or prouidence of God But all voluntarie effectes or motions are contingent in respect of the will which by nature was like able to haue doone the plaine contrarie vnto them They therefore retaine their contingencie that is their libertie for this is the contingencie of the actions of the will although they be so determined of by gods wil that there can be no other The reason of the Maior in this argument is for that GOD so mooueth the second causes and by them bringeth to passe what hee will that in the meane season by his prouidence hee dooth not destroy or abolish their nature which hee gaue them at their creation but rather preserueth and nourisheth it so that as concerning their nature some woorcke contingently some necessarily although in respect of the libertie of Gods purpose all woorke contingently and in respect of the vnchaungeablenesse of his decreee all woork necessarily so as they doe For when GOD by the rising of the Sunne lighteneth the woorlde he maketh not the Sunne so as if beeing risen it did not necessarily lighten or were apt by nature not to lighten and yet is it in the power of God either to chaunge the nature of the Sunne or that remaining as it is not to lighten the woorlde as hee shewed in Aegypt and at the passion of Christ In like manner when the Quailes light at the Tentes of the Israelites and the Rauens carrie meate to Elias and one Sparrowe falleth on the ground GOD doth not make the nature of these liuing creatures such as coulde not bee carried else-where and yet that they can haue no other motion than that which they haue by reason of the will of God interposed and comming betweene the Scripture plainly affirmeth Whereof it is manifest that as in other thinges which work contingently their contingency so in the wil the liberty which is giuen it of God is not taken away but rather preserued by gods gouernment Nowe then if our aduersaries in their argument vnderstand that Liberty which consisteth in the deliberation of the minde and free assent of the wil wee doe not onely graunt but also better mainetaine than they the liberty of will in all actions thereof and so the Maior of their argument shall bee false to witte that those things which are done by the vnchaungeable decree of God are not done by the free will of men and Angels For this libertie the prouidence of God doth so not hinder but rather establish and confirme that without this that liberty cannot so much as be for God both keepeth his order which he appointed
instruments of gods working idle as the sun the raine the earth husbandmen food So god conuerteth men ruleth their purposes wils actions that is teacheth moueth them to approue chuse what he wil by laws by magistrats by doctrine by rewards by punishments and lastly by their owne wil which al he vseth as instruments not as if he could not without these illighten the mind with notions and incline the wil but because it so seemeeh good to him to exercise his power by these Albeit God was able to haue wrought what he would without the will yet because he will worke by the wil the working of the will is not in vaine If they reply That that wold necessarily come to passe so which is don euen without them therefore they are in vain vsed we deny the antecedent For although god were able to moue mens wils without these and if he had so decreed to doe men doubtles should doe without these what now they do beeing mooued by these yet whereas god hath once so decreed the effects as he hath also appointed their secōd instrumentall and impulsiue causes that verily shal be doone which god wil haue done but yet not without middle and second causes by whose means and working comming betweene and interposed god wil bring his purposes and decrees to passe Luk. 11. Hee wil giue his holy spirite to those who aske him Rom. 8.10 Whom he hath predestinated them hath he also called If they reply again Although it be grāted that these are not in vaine in those in whom god wil shew his force and be effectual by them yet in others who are not moued by them ther is no vse of them we answere 1. Although there were no vse yet because that is not knowen vnto vs whom god wil mooue or not moue we are to labour in teaching and vrging all and to commit the euent and fruit of our labour to God 2. Tim. 4. Preach the word bee instant in season c. Ezech. 3. If thou warn the wicked he turne not from his wickednes he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule Secondly we aunswere the consequence followeth not from the denial of one particular to the denial of the generall or from a not sufficient enumeration For although many obey not teaching admonitions neither are moued with rewards and punishments yet this vse is great that by this meanes their naughtines and stubbornnes is opened and so the iustice of God made more manifest in their punishment Ioh. 15. If I had not done workes among them which none other man did they had not had sinne Rom. 1. God hath shewed it vnto them to the intent that they might be without excuse 2. Cor. 2. We are to God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and them who perish Seauenthly Heb. 9. Externall Discipline is called the righteousnes of the flesh Therefore it dependeth on mans will The consequence of this reason is to bee denied which doth not holde from the position or putting of the second cause to the remouing of the first cause For as it foloweth not the Sun causeth day therefore God doth not so neither doth this folow the vnregenerate performe outwarde Discipline therefore they doe it god not causing it in them nor ruling and directing them 8 Obiection They alleage testimonies also How the scriptures admit libertie of will which confirme that men doe euill or good with freewill As Exod. 35. The children of Israell offered free gifts vnto the Lord. Deut. 30. I haue set before thee life death good euil blessing cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may liue But in these al the like places only that liberty of mans will is affirmed which hath beene spoken of before that is that the will obeieth or withstandeth the precedent iudgemēt of the vnderstanding with free and voluntarie motion without any constraint but the gouernement of god is not at all remoued from voluntarie actions For it was shewed before that this liberty of will doth not stand against that necessitie which by the prouidence of God doth accompanie it 9 Obiect What necessitie the scripture remoueth from voluntarie actions They bring forth testimonies also in which necessitie is remoued taken away from voluntarie actions Leuit. 22. Of these ye shal offer willingly Act. 5. Whils it remained appertained it not to thee And after it was solde was it not in thine owne power 1. Cor. 7. vers 37. Hee that standeth firme in his hart that hee hath no necessitie but hath power ouer his owne will c. 2. Cor. 9. As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue 1. Pet. 5. Feede the flocke of God caring for it not by constraint but willingly But these sayinges speake of obligation or binding which somtimes is signified by the name of necessity as the freeing from any bond by the name of libertie as Leuit. 22. Act. 5. partly of coaction or constraint as 2. Cor. 9. and 1. Pet. 5. or also of neede as 1. Cor. 7. which yet may be referred to obligation or bonde by which the Parentes are bounde to haue regard of the infirmitie of their children So also the power of will in the same place signifieth the right or power of determining any thing no obligation or bond hindering it But the remouing of any obligation or coaction doth not at all take away the vnchaungeablenes of voluntary actions which vnchangeablenes hangeth on the decree of God For as well his will who is not bound neither by any neede or want constrained is guided and moued by the purpose and counsell of Gods prouidence as his whom either bond or neede constraineth to resolue of any purpose Wherefore the scripture denieth not that the will is moued and ruled by God when it is not driuen by bonde or want or feare to doe any thing for there are besides these many other reasons and causes by which God can moue it either to will or not to will How in scriptures God is said not to will that which yet he will 10 Obiection They bring places of scripture which testifie that men will or doe somewhat God bidding and willing otherwise Ierem 7. Because I haue called you and ye haue not answered I will doe vnto this house as I haue done to Sylo Mat. 23. Hierusalem Hierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy children euen as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges and ye would not If then they did that which God would not their actions did depend onely of their owne will and not of Gods Anwere It is a fallacie concluding that which is in some sort so to be in all respects and simply so For God will not the actions of sinners as they are sinnes But hee wil them as they are punishmentes of sinnes and the execution of his iust iudgement Wherefore this
suffer chaunge from anie inwarde originall or beginning of chaunge For whatsoeuer is so moued or changed that must needs haue partes whereof some must mooue some be moued Now that god should be diuided into parts neither doth his immensity suffer nor his great perfectiō For seing euery part is imperfecter thā the whol in god is nothing which is not most perfect it is impious to imagin any parts in him Wherefore neither by any outwarde nor inward cause is he moued or changed Secōdly whatsoeuer is changed that must needs be changed either to the worse or to the better or into a state equal to the former It is impossible that God should bee made worser for he should so become of perfect vnperfect And to be made better is also vnpossible For so he should haue bin before more vnperfect But neither can he be trāslated into an equall condition and state as thereby to leaue some good which before he had and to receiue some good which before hee had not for thus should he be neither before nor after his change most perfect as wanting some part of those good thinges which belonged vnto him Thirdly That which is infinite neither can be made greater for so it shoulde not haue beene infinite before nor lesser for so it shoulde bee made finite Seeing then both the essence and power and wisedome and all the vertues of God are incomprehensible all things in God immense therefore cannot any of them be either diminished or increased Fourthly For the same cause God doth not transport and remooue himselfe from place to place as creatures seeing by reason of his immensitie whereby he filleth heauen and earth he can neither depart nor be absent from any place Fiftly Seeing he is most wise and therefore from euerlasting hath most well purposed decreed and foreseene all things change of purpose will cannot fal into him And therefore God would haue this in many places of holy scripture inculcated vnto vs that his nature wil is subiect to no mutations as beeing a thing most respecting his glory As Num. 23.19 God is not as mā that he should lie nor as the Son of man that he should repent Hath he said it then shall he not doe it Hath he spoken shall he not accomplish it Psal 33.11 The counsell of the Lorde shall endure for euer And the thoughts of his hart from generation to generation Iam. 1.17 With whome is no variablenesse neither shadowe of change Why God is sayd to repent when yet hee doeth nothing which hee decreed not from euerlasting 1 Obiection But God is said to repent Answere He is said to repent not that he changeth his will but 1 because he earnestly detesteth sinnes and is not delighted with the destruction of men 2 Because by reason of this hatred against sinne this mercie towards repentant sinners he maketh change of things and euents which from euerlasting he decreed as men are wont to doe who repent them of their purpose For among men euery change is an amending of that which disliketh thē Amending riseth vpon repentance Wherfore the name of repētance as also the names of other human affectiōs are said to be attributed to god by an anthropopathie Because the Scripture speaketh of God after the manner of men for our infirmitie that wee vnderstanding those thinges which are in vs to be shadowes of those which are in god may in some sort conceiue something of the nature of god and his wil towardes mankinde Wherefore these formes of speaking doe not signifie any perturbation in God or change or passion like vnto our affections but are vsed to signifie these two things of God First that that is not a fained or dissembled but an earnest eternall vnchangeable nature will in god a shadow and image whereof he would haue the affections and motions created in men to be yet is it without al trouble or hinderance or diminishing of his blessednesse and ioy Secondly that he doth those things which mē are wont to do being stirred vp by those affections which are attributed to God not that he as men being mooued by a present or sodaine affection of the minde doth nowe first take counsel but doth now at the length execute and do those things which he decreed and appointed from all eternity 2 Obiection Gods promises and threatninges conditional and with an exception The promises and threatnings of God oftentimes are not fulfilled Aunswere The promises of God are alwaies to be vnderstood with an exception of the crosse of the Godly and of the punishments and chastisments of such as depart from God and sinne or with a condition of perseuerance in faith and Godlines and also contrarilie his threatninges with an exception of conuersion and praier or with a condition of perseuerance in sinne And these conditions are sometimes expressed as Ier. 18. and 28. where plainly is set downe this rule of vnderstanding Gods promises and threatninges as that God will punish them who depart from him vnto whom he had promised blessinges and will spare those who repent to whom hee had threatned punishment And sometimes they are closely vnderstoode especially in the threatninges and comminations thereby euen to wrest repentaunce and more timely and earnest praiers from vs by which as meanes interposed and comming betweene he hath decreed to saue and deliuer vs. Reply But these conditions are vncertain chaungeable Therefore the wil of god is also changeable Aunswere In respect of the nature will and iudgement of man they are chaungeable but in respect of the counsell and prouidence of God vnchaungeable and most certaine For God hath decreed from euerlasting the means and ends of things as also he hath decreed in whome hee will and in whome hee will not woorke conuersion 3 Obiection He changeth manie his precepts obseruances and woorks as the Mosaicall Lawes and gouernement Answere He changeth them indeede but so as he woulde also from euerlasting that change neither are al thinges appointed of God for perpetuity But he decreed from euerlasting some things to last only for a time Gods vnchangeablenes one of his speciall differences whereby hee is distinguished from all creatures Wherefore bee it to vs out of all controuersie that God is vnchangeable For first this is amongest those especial differences whereby the Creatour will be discerned from all creatures that hee onelie can by no meanes bee changed whereas all other things both are diuerslie changed may at the onlie pleasure of God be changed infinitelie howsoeuer for a while so long as it is his pleasure they are and seeme firme and immutable according as it is said Mat. 24. Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe Secondly Hence we vnderstand and are assured that al things in the worlde are gouerned by the euerlasting prouidence of god For seeing no mutation happeneth to god it must needes be that all his counsailes were
him but of the creatures which once beganne to be from him when they were not at all before Wherefore these respectes creation dominion and the rest are in the creatures reall relations but in GOD respectes onelie of our consideration And therefore the creatour and the creature are relatiues not mutuall as the Schoolemen wel speake and iudge because not both of them but one onelie dependeth of the other and is referred thereto reallie and formallie that is the creature For in the creatour is nothing at all depending of the creature For if the creatour and the creature were relatiues mutuall then these absurdities necessarily follow 1. That god is not most perfect in himself 2. That frō euerlasting both the creator was as he is creator and the creature 3. Or some reall thing to haue come in time to the diuine essence 4. and therefore the diuine essence to be mutable and compound Wherefore relations in god do not make mutation but are attributed to god in respect of the creatures 2 How God made the world The world created 1 By the Sonne and the holie Ghost 1 THe woorlde was created of God the father by the sonne and the holie ghost Of the sonne it is saide Ioh. 1.3 All thinges were made by this woorde of the holy Ghost Gen. 1.2 And the spirite of GOD mooued vpon the waters And Iob. 33.4 The spirite of GOD hath made mee 2. God created the world most freely without anie constraint not by anie absolute necessitie but by necessitie of consequence 2 It was created most freelie without constraint that is by the decree of his wil which decree though it were eternall and vnchangeable yet was it most free For neither was God tied to the creating and susteining of things neither if hee had not at all created the world or did annihilate it being created bring it to nothing were hee therefore lesse good or lesse happie 3. God made the world with his beck onelie or wil without labor wearisomnes 3 Without motion motiō or any change of himselfe that is not by any new action of his but by his forcible will onely which from euerlasting woulde that things shoulde on a sodaine exist and be at such a time as hee had freely appointed and decreed Isai 40.28 The Lord hath created the ends of the earth he neither fainteth nor is wearie Now to worke any thing with his becke and word onely is the highest and chiefest manner of working Fiue sorts of Agents For there are fiue kindes of operations and agents 1. A naturall agent 2. That which woorketh with an appetite 3. Men and Diuels 4. Angels 5. God which three latter sortes are voluntarie agents 1 Naturall The first therefore is of those things which worke according to the qualitie and force of their owne nature not beeing guided by anie proper vnderstanding or will of their owne Such is the operation of fier water medicinable hearbs precious stones The actions and operations of these are subiect to the rule of those which are voluntary agents and are by them moued and directed to certain vses 2 Agents with an appetite as are brute beasts and to the performing of certain works The second is of those which folow also the lore of nature in woorking but not without some proper appetite or desire of their own though the rule of reason be wanting But neuerthelesse their action and working is so ordered that sometimes it is forced from them against their will Of this sort are the operatiōs actions of brute beasts But these also are subiect to the rule direction of god Angels men yet so that no violence is offered vnto them but what they doe moued by these superiour agents that they do of their own accord according to their owne nature force giuen thē of god The third is of men Diuels 3 Men and Diuels working with reason but corruptly who also work according to the qualitie of their nature namely by reason by deliberatiō freely but corruptlie The fourth is of good spirits which we cal Angels who likewise as mē work by reasō wil but not corruptly yet notwithstāding both of thē both men Angels though they woorke according to their nature freely 4 The blessed Angels working with reason also but not corruptly yet directed by a higher power 5 God working most perfectly and directed by none but by himselfe are not exempted from the decree and direction of God The fifth is the highest and supreme kinde of working which according to the nature of the first agent floweth from an vnderstanding and will and that most pure most perfect and most right neither is it subiect to the pleasure and disposition of anie higher cause Therefore this agent which is God himselfe is most wise most good most free and immense which hath no neede of any deliberation to goe before and doth without motion at his becke and commaundement onely woorke and guide al things which he will and as he will Wherefore all thinges depend of his will but he of none Psal 33.6.9 He spake and it was done he commaunded and it was created Rom. 4.17 Who quickeneth the dead and calleth those thinges which be not as though they were 4 God created all thinges of nothing not of a preexistent or forebeing matter 4 The world was created of nothing not of the Essence of god nor of anie matter coeternall with god For if God created all things nothing then is excepted besides the creator himselfe no not the matter whereof all the rest were framed 1 Obiection That which is produced with some preexistent thing is not created All things created of nothing either immediately or mediatly Man was produced out of a preexistent thing the earth and the rib Therefore hee was not created But this is false for the scripture saith that god created man Therefore creation is not a production of a thing out of nothing Aunswere The Maior is not simplie true Because those thinges also are said to be created whose matter whereof they came is of nothing Man therefore was made of nothing not immediately but mediately by reason of his matter not the last but the first matter for this at the beginning had a beginning from nothing out of it afterward diuers kinds of things were formed To this reason also that may bee added namely that that production also is called creation whereby a thing which was not before is made sodainly without any motion by the commaundement of God onely out of a matter indeede but yet such as hath no definite power in it selfe of producing any thing Such a production being no naturall generation and being after a sort not out of any matter is rightly called in the scripture creation Wherefore it followeth not Some creation is not of nothing immediately neither of that which is simply no matter therefore no creation is of
was purchased by their owne fault as who freely and willingly departed from God and remaineth in them ioyned and accompanied with great desire delight Wherefore to this that they should merite punishment their own will sufficeth whereas especially the punishment was before denounced This solution or aunswere Aristotle himselfe in the same fifth Chapter giueth vs when as he sheweth that men are diseruedly reprehended and punished for vices either of minde or bodie though they can not auoid them or leaue them because themselues are the cause of their owne vices and haue purchased them vnto themselues of their owne accorde and voluntarilie Lastly of all they wrest also certaine places of Scripture by false interpretations Certaine places of scripture wrested against Gods prouidence against gods vniuersal prouidence As Iohn 8.44 When the Diuel speaketh a lie then hee speaketh of his owne and Iam. 1. God tempteth no man Eccles 15.20 He hath commaunded no man to doe vngodly as also other the like places which denie God to bee the author of sinne But those places attribute vnto the wicked and remooue from GOD the sinnes as lies and temptations to sinne but the actions themselues of the wicked as they are not sinnes but operations and motions seruing for the exercising and manifesting of Gods goodnesse or iustice the whole Scripture sheweth to bee doone by the will of God and also as they are sinnes by his iust permission As of satan deceiuing the Prophetes of Achab of the false Prophets by whom god trieth and openeth the hypocrisie or constancy of men in true religion Acts 5. Satan filled the hart of Ananias 2. Cor. 4. The god of this world hath blinded the harts of vnbeleeuers In these the like saiengs also is discerned the work of the diuel vniustly blinding men to destroy them and of God iustly blinding them by the diuel to punish them Act. 5.38 If this counsel be of men it wil come to nought And Isa 30. Woe to the rebellious children that take counsel but not of mee The counsels of men are said to be not of God but of themselues in respect of the endes which men letting passe the wil of God reuealed vnto them respect and attaine not vnto but not in respect of the ends which god doth respect attaineth vnto as wel by the wicked not knowing or contemning his wil as by the godly or which is in effect the same the coūsels of men are said to bee of them not of God as they are sins that is as they swarue from the known wil of god but not as they are the execution of Gods either secret or knowen wil. 1. Cor. 9. God doth not take care for Oxen Not principally or not in such sort as for men For he giueth also to beastes their meat Those words thē Thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne was therefore spoken especially that God might thereby shewe what hee would haue by men vnto men to be performed So the wicked are often said to be cast out of the sight of God not that the prouidence of God is not extended to them but that he doth not tender them with his mercy bountie as he doth the godly For the godly also complaine that they are neglected of god when they are afflicted not that god is not present with them in affliction but that humane sense iudgement suggesteth this vnto vs. And God is saide to set his face against the wicked to cut them off Leu. 20.5 3 Why the knowlege of this doctrine concerning Gods prouidence is necessary The causes why this doctrine is to bee knowen 1 The Glorie of God THis doctrin is necessarily to be known 1 For the glory of god For he wil haue vs to ascribe vnto him most great liberty goodnes wisedome power iustice this he wil haue vs to acknowlege profes against the dreams dotings of Epicures Manichees and Stoicks But if the prouidence of god in mouing guiding al things euen the least both good bad be denied these also his properties are denied And if these bee denied god is not worshipped and magnified of vs but denied 2 Our comfort and saluation 2 For our own comfort saluation that by this means there maie bee stirred vp in vs First patience in aduersitie because all thinges come to passe by the most wise iust and most auaileable counsell and will of our heauenlie father And whatsoeuer either good or bad god sendeth vs in thē we consider the fatherly will of god towardes vs. Whatsoeuer commeth vnto vs by the counsel and will of god and is profitable for vs that we ought to beare patiently but all euils come vnto vs by the counsell and will of god and are profitable for vs Therefore wee ought to beare all euils patiently Secondly That wee may bee thankefull for benefites receiued of god Wee ought to bee thankeful because of whom wee receiue all good thinges both corporal and spirituall great and small to him wee ought to bee thankefull and to serue and worship him But from god the author of all good thinges we haue all thinges Therefore wee ought to bee thankefull vnto god and to worship him Nowe thankefulnesse hath two partes 1. Truth to acknowledge his benefite and to be thankefull both in worde and minde vnto him 2. Iustice to remunerate and make recompence Or Thankefulnesse consisteth 1. In acknowledging of the benefit 2. Jn celebrating it 3 In remunerating it Thirdly That we may conceiue a good hope and confidēce of things to come when as god by his prouidēce deliuereth vs out of euils He that hath decreed vnchangeablie to saue is able will saue beleeuers doth neuer suffer thē to perish Hope here signifieth such a hope as resolueth al things so to be gouerned of god as that also they shall hence forward be profitable for our safetie that he will neuer suffer vs to be pulled away or withdrawen from his loue nor will euer so forsake vs that we perish Because his will and power in preseruing sauing vs is vnchangeable far aboue the forces of al his enimies Fourthly the desire study of godlines praier and labour because although god indeed alone giueth all good things yet he giueth them with this rule and order that they bee desired and expected from him and sought by our labour and study which must bee guided by his word By this it appeareth Al the groundes of religion shaken in peeces if the prouidence of God bee denied that all the grounds and foundations of godlines or religion are pulled asunder if the prouidence of god be once denied such as before it hath been described out of the scripture For 1. We shall neuer be patient in aduersitie except we know it to come from God our Father vnto vs. 2 Wee shall neuer bee thankefull for his benefites except wee acknowledge them to bee giuen vnto
euerie where according to the maner of maiestie Beeing demaunded what they mean by maiestie they aunswere omnipotencie and immensitie To saie then Christes bodie is euerie where as touching the manner of maiestie not as touching the manner of a natural bodie is no thing else euen by their owne iudgement than Christes bodie to bee euerie where according to the manner of immensitie or infinity and not to bee euerie where according to the manner of finitenesse Now they trimlie take awaie the contradiction by thus distinguishing For the manner of immensitie is nothing else but immensitie and immensity and to bee immense are both affirmed of the same Wherefore as these are contradictorie to be euerie where to change place or not to bee euerie where so are these also contradictorie The same bodie to bee immense and to bee finite immensitie and finitenesse to agree vnto the same or the same bodie to be euerie where or immense according to the maner of immensity or maiestie and not to be euerie where but to change place and to bee finite according to the manner of finitenesse or a natural bodie Wherfore it is manifest which was before also confirmed That Christ ascended locallie and that therefore this Article is to be vnderstoode of Christs local ascension 4 Obiection Contraries or opposites ought to bee expounded after the same maner that the contrarietie and opposition maie be kept But these Articles Hee ascended into heauen Hee descended into hel are opposed one to the other Therefore as the Article of Christes descension is taken in a figuratiue meaning that is of his great humiliation so ought also the Article of his Ascension to bee taken of his great maiestie not of any local motion Aunswere We Aunswere first vnto the Maior Opposites are to bee expounded after the same maner except it be disagreeing from the articles of faith from other places of scripture But this article the scripture it selfe vnderstandeth of a locall Ascension Act. 1.11 He shall so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen 2 Wee denie the Minor For these two articles are not opposed For his ascension into Heauen is not the furdest degree of his glorie as his descension into hell is the furdest degree of his Humiliation But the furdest and highest degree of his glorie is his sitting at the right hand of the Father Therefore as touching this article of his sitting at the right hand of his Father we grant the Maior For vnto this article is the descension into Hel opposed whereupon also the Scripture dooth not interpret properly but figuratiuely these two articles of Christes descension into Hell and of his sitting at the right hand of his Father 3 If christs ascension be constered of any equalling of his manhood with his God-head all the other articles concerning the true humanity of christ shal be vtterly ouerthrown Fourthly Christ ascended visiblie into Heauen For his assumption and taking away from his Apostles was conspicuous and apparant to the sight Act. 1.9 While they beheld he was taken vp And they beheld him ascending vp so long vntil a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight Fifthly He ascended by the power and vertue of his God-head as also by the same he rose Acts. 2.32 This Iesus hath god made being exalted by his right hand by his diuine power Lord and Sauiour Sixtly Hee ascended when he had conuersed on earth fourtie daies after his resurrection and that therefore 1 That hee might assure men of his resurrection of the truth of his fleshe Act. 1.3 To whom also he presented himselfe aliue after that hee had suffered by many infallible tokens 2 That he might instruct his Disciples and recall into their minds that which he had spoken before and farther ad some other things and so might make not them onely but vs also certaine of his resurrection of the trueth of his flesh or humane nature Seuenthly He so ascended that he returneth not before the daie of iudgement Act. 1.11 Hee shall so come as yee haue seene him go into Heauen Act. 3.21 Whom the Heauens must contain vntill the time that all things be restored Obiection But christ promised that hee would bee with vs vnto the end of the woorlde Aunswere Hee is with vs in that spirituall vnion whereby we his members are ioined to him our head And further he speaketh of his whole person to which hee attributeth that which is proper vnto the God-head In like manner he saith before his passion when as yet hee conuersed on earth with his Disciples Iohn 14.23 J and my Father will come vnto him and will dwell with him this hee speaketh as touching his God-head which was and is in heauen as the Father is with vs so is hee otherwise wee might reason also thus J go awaie saith Christ Therefore he is not at all with vs. But it is attributed improperly to his other nature namely to his humanitie that he abideth with vs in respect of that personall vnion which is the secret wonderful indissoluble vniting and knitting of the two most diuerse natures of Christ diuine humane into one person so that these two natures being in such wise linked conioined absolue the essence of Christs person and one nature should be destroied if it were sundered from the other both notwithstanding reteining their peculiar and seuerall properties whereby one is distinguished from another Therefore of no force is this Obiection In Christs person the two natures are ioyned in vnseparable vniō Therefore wheresoeuer Christes Godhead is there also must his humanity needes bee For these two natures remaine in such sort ioyned and vnited that their propertie remaineth distinct and neither is turned into other Replie Those two natures whereof one is not where is the other are sundered neither remaine vnited but are separated In christ are two natures whereof one which is his humanitie is not where is the other which is his godhead Therefore the two natures in christ are not vnited but separated Aunswere The Maior is true being vnderstood of two finite natures but not of those whereof one is finite and another infinite For the finite nature can not be at once in moe places but the infinite nature may be at once both whole in the finite nature and whole without it and this may we indeede consider and obserue in christ For his humane nature which is finite is but in one place but his diuine nature which is infinite is both in christs humane nature and without it euen euerie where Reply There must notwithstanding be made a separatiō in another part where the humane nature is not though there be no separation where it is Aunswere Not at all Because the Godhead is whole the same in the humane nature and without it Gregory Nazianzene saith The Word is in his temple and is euerie where but after a speciall maner in his temple Reply If christs humane nature bee