That all things in the World, whe­ther they liue, mooue, or haue a beeing, are maintained and go­uerned by Gods Prouidence.

IT is a main infirmitie crept into all, and neuer cleane cured in any, to be (as the Apostle saith) [...] obtenebratum, Ephes. 4.18. darkened in the vnderstanding. Ex­perience teacheth the blind man to bee incident to many miseries: though the way be plaine, yet hee will stumble: though the path bee straight, yet hee will wander: though the day bee cleere, yet hee sees nothing, and if any thing, yet verie [Page 2]darkely. Tit. 3.3. Sinne hath blind folded all: none can see but those whom God doth enlighten; and none are so en­lightned, but that they see obscure­lie. Hence it is, that although the Prouidence of God, is that plaine way, that straight path, that cleere light, yet some stumble at it, some wander from it, some see it not at al. Democritus thought God made not the world, Diuers opini­ons touching Gods Proui­dence. and therefore could not gouerne it. Auerroes, that although he made it, yet hee is ignorant of what is done in it. Protagoras (worse then both) that it hath neither Go­uernour nor Maker. Some thinke, that God respecteth the heauens, but hath no regard to that which is done vpon Earth. Some, that hee cares for all, but yet commits the dealing in meane matters vnto the sonnes of men; as kings ouerburthe­ned with waightie affaires, put ouer inferiour causes to their magistrates vnder them. Some, that God go­uernes all things, but without the vse of second causes. Others attri­bute so much to their working, thin­king [Page 3]all things to bee carried away with such a violēt necessity, as y ^t God cannot alter their working when he would, nor hinder their effects when it seemes good vnto him. This be­ing so, I hold it conuenient, first to prooue Gods Gouernment: and then in the second place to define, and shew the manner of the same. And as wee see nature hath receiued of God, that a master should haue a generall care of al that is vnder him, and from this, in the chiefest place to respect his children, in the second, his hired seruants, and in the third and last, his cattell and baser neces­saries: so (vndoubtedly) it is origi­nallie in that great Master of the whole families of the Earth, gene­rallie to prouide for all, yet chieflie for his children, lesse for his disobe­dient seruants, and least for other things subiected vnto them. Vnto the proouing whereof in order: First by Gods word, whose authoritie cannot be reiected: Secondly from the consent of the holy fathers, whose iudgements are much to bee [Page 4]reuerenced: Thirdly, from the opi­nions of Heathē writers, whose light of nature is not to bee contemned: Lastlie, from meere reason, by men of least reason, not to bee denied.

Gods generall Prouidence prooued by his word.

WHen God that reioiceth in mercie, was constrained to open y ^e dores of his iudgemēt house vpon the whole world, Genes. 6. because their great and their crying sins were still multiplied against him: whereas the punishment might iustly haue re­dounded vnto all both reasonable, and vnreasonable, (in as much as the reasonable had most grieuouslie sin­ned, and the vnreasonable with the contagion of that sinne, were won­derfully corrupted) yet God would haue Noah to make an Arke, where­in not onely some of mankind, but of all other creatures also, should be preserned. A sure president of his infinite loue to his Church, and great care ouer other things. God [Page 5](saith Iob) is wise in heart, Iob 9.4.5.6.7.8. and migh­tie in strength: He ruleth the earth, he walkes vpon the sea, he spreadeth the heauens, hee commaundeth the sunne and it riseth not, hee closeth vp Orion, Arcturus, the Pleiades and all the starres as vnder a signet: Hee alone (saith Dauid) numbreth them, Psalm. 147. and calleth them by their names: He couereth the heauens, prepareth raine, and maketh grasse to grow vpon the mountaines. Ierem. 23.24. He is present (as himselfe saith by Ieremie) to all his creatures: not as an idle behol­der, (as some foolishly haue imagi­ned) but as a powerfull Gouernour (as Paul teacheth the men of A­thens) giuing life and breath vnto al things; Act. 17.24.25.26. making of one blood all na­tions of men to dwell on the face of the earth. But how and in what manner? determining the seuerall times appointed, and also the boūds of their habitations. Yea, (as it fol­lowes) in him wee liue, wee mooue, and haue our being. But what more cleere then y ^e words of Christ, Ioh. 5.17. As yet y ^e father workth, & I also [Page 6]worke. But what worketh he? and how worketh hee? the latter Paul shewes, Ephes. 1.11. According to the purpose of his will: to the for­mer Dauid answers: Psalm. 113.5. He dwelleth in the highest, and beholdeth the base things vpon earth. Psalm. 136.25 Hee feedeth all flesh both man and beasis. He maketh the earth to bring forth fruite for the vse of man. Psalm. 138.6. Psal. 145.16. Psalm. 147. And who is like vnto the Lord that dwelleth in the highest, and yet beholdeth the base things vpon the earth? He gi­ueth life vnto all creatures, Deut. 30. Deut. 28. prolon­ging or shortning the same, as best seemeth good vnto him. He bestow­eth his blessings vpon the righteous, and punisheth the sinnes of trans­gressors. Wherefore, since God thus ordereth the heauens, the earth and the sea, feedeth all creatures, sendeth raine in his appointed seasons, ope­neth the fountaines of riuers, cau­seth the Sunne to arise on good and bad, worketh all in all according to the purpose of his will, feedeth the little sparrowes, and cloatheth the verie lillies of the field, let vs con­clude [Page 7]with Iob, The Lord looketh vpon the ends of the world, Iob 28.24.25.26. &c. and hath a regard vnto all things.

God speciall Prouidence ouer his Church, prooued his Word.

THe Church of God, and the wonderfull loue our most gra­tious Father beareth vnto it, being the cause why all other things were created, and being created, why they are maintained, it seemeth fitter to fall with Paul and Peter into an ad­miration of Gods great mercie and goodnes vnto vs, Ephes. 1.3.1. Pet. 1.3. then to goe about to prooue the same. 1 Yet since it will mooue to that Angelicall worke of thankfulnesse, Good vses of Gods speciall prouidence. teach patience in ad­uersitie, 2 minister comfort in afflicti­on, 3 encourage the godly in their weldoing, 4 and be at least a corrosiue vnto the cōsciences of the wicked, 5 if not a meanes to stay their malice and euill against Gods chosen, the trueth of this his great goodnes shall be prooued vnto vs.

Before the foundations of the [Page 8]world were laid, The impulsiue cause of God, speciall care o­uer his Church. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8.2. it pleased God, mooued through the riches of his grace and mercie alone, to elect vn­to himselfe, and select from others, the whole number of his Church vnto eternall glorie and felicitie. Se­condly, from this worke of Election within himselfe, he proceeded vnto the meanes of accomplishing. Hee created them by his power, yea holy & righteous: Our captiuitie by nature threefold. but by our own inuen­tions we fell into a threefold capti­uitie: The first of error, 1 blindnes and ignorance of heauen and hea­uenly things, Ephes. 4.18. Tit. 3.3. The second, 2 vnto sinne, and by con­sequence vnto Satan, death and de­struction eternall: Rom. 6.20. 2. Pet. 2.19. Ioh. 8.34. The third, 3 vnto corruption, and dissolu­tion of the soule from the bodie: Rom. 8.19.20.21. But God that of grace elected, Rom. 5.6. Ephes. 1.10. Ephes. 1.7. 1. Pet 1.19. in mercie followes vs: He sent his Sonne in an accptable time, who by his most precious blood, and offering himselfe once vpon the crosse, effected our deliue­rance, and reconciled vs to God the father againe: 1 First from error and [Page 9]ignorance, The manner and order of our redemp­tion. when hee calles by his Gospell, and enlighteneth the eies of our vnderstandings by his holy Spirit. Secondly, 2 from our seruitude to sinne, Note in this redemptions two things: 1. that is by a price: so the word [...] signifies, and so Paul teacheth, 1. Tim. 2. when by the same worke of his word and Spirit, hee worketh faith within vs to take hold on Christ [...]nd on his sauing promise; the sole meanes of our deliuerance from e­ternall destruction, whereunto our sinnes had made vs subiect. Third­ly, from our seruitude to corruption by the vertue and power of his re­surrection, 3 working this assurance, 2. a price of wonderfull va­lue: first, be­cause our Re­deemer is the Sonne of God: secondly most righteous. 1. Pet. 1.18. 1. Cor 6.20. Heb. 9.12.13.14. that as our head Christ Iesus could not be kept vnder the graue, nor de­tained by death, but is certainely risen to eternall glorie; so wee his members vnseparablie vnited, shall rise to felicitie with him. Thus the Church being elected by God of his free grace and mercie, (a worke without repentance) redeemed by the blood of his Sonne, when it was vtterly lost, reuiued by his word and Spirit, whē it was dead in trespasses and sinnes, gathered when it was dispersed, and so brought again vn­to [Page 10]Christ y ^e Shepheard, Bishop of our soules, and now by the bond of his Spirit vnseparablie vnited vnto him; how can it bee denied, that being thus blessed with all heauenly bles­sings, Ephel. 1.3. in heauēly places in Christ Ie­sus, it should not be in a most special manner, guided, and preserued by him? Hath he done the greater, and will he not doe the lesse? Rom. 5.9. Hath hee when we were sinners, iustified vs by his blood, and now being iustified, shall he not much more looke vnto vs? If when we were enemies, then much more being friends: If when wee were wicked seruants, then much more being blessed sonnes: If when we were abiects, then much more being his best beloued. The natural head prouides especially for the members of the bodie, the hus­band for his wife, the deliuerer for his deliuered: and shall not Christ, our head, the husband to his Church, the Redeemer of his people, especi­all maintaine, blesse, and preserue his Church, his members, his Spouse, his redeemed? Our vertues are mixed [Page 11]with imperfections, our loue with some dislike, our care with want of prouiding; yet what we haue, we re­ceiue from God, who is loue it selfe: Doth not hee then loue his Church abundantly, and from this loue, es­peciallie blesse and keepe it? Cast backe thine eies to the time past, be­hold the present, and conclude of the future. For the first, looke vnto Noah, when the wicked should pe­rish, hee being a figure of Christs Church, must haue his Arke of deli­uerance. How miraculouslie did the Lord preserue his people in the land of Egypt, euen foure hundred and thirtie yeeres from the promise made vnto Abraham? A figure of our deliucrance from Satan. How won­derfully (by the hand of his seruant Moses) did hee deliuer them from the bondage of Pharaoh? first, with­out munition, secōdly, with a migh­tie ouerthrow to the Enemie: and hauing freed them from that sla­uerie, how strangely did the Lord restore them safe into their promi­sed Countrie? The Arke to assure them of Gods continuall presence, [Page 12]the heauens (contrarie to nature) to yeeld them foode, the rocke to bee enforced to send forth her streames, the pillar of a cloud to protect them from heate, the shining fire to giue them light from heauen, the nations to be cast forth before them, and what not for the good of his children? Esay. 43.1. &c. Therefore Esay 43.1. Feare not, saith the Lord that created thee O Iacob, and hee that framed thee O Israel, feare not; I haue redeemed thee, I haue called thee by thy name, thou art mine: When thou passest thorow the waters, I will be with thee, and thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee. When thou walkest thorow the fire, thou shalt not bee burnt, neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee, for I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy Sauiour: I gaue Egypt for thy ransome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee; because thou wast precious in my sight & wast honoura­ble, and I loued thee, therefore will I giue man for thee, and people for thy sake: feare not, for I am with thee, I will bring thy seede from the East, and ga­ther [Page 13]thee from the West: I will say vn­to the North, giue, and vnto the South, keepe not backe, bring my sonnes from farre, and my daughters from the ends of the Earth. Esay 54.16.17. Esay. 54.16.17. All the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper, and euery tongue that shall rise in iudgement against thee, thou shalt destroy and condemne: For this is the heritage of the Lords seruants, and their righteousnesse is of mee saith the Lord. Neither hath the Church of God had experience of the performance of this Gods spe­ciall Prouidence in former ages on­lie, but euen wee also in a most gra­tious manner haue been especially blessed and delinered by the same. How could this little Iland, Applie. in quan­titie a handfull, in number few, en­ioy so manie, so great, such wonder­full deliuerances, from the hands of Infidels, Tyrants, Hereticks, bloodie Papists, in number infinit, some by open force abroad, some by secret conspiracies at home, did not our mercifull God most carefully looke vnto vs? Whence is it, that our [Page 14]dread Soueraigne holds the crowne of gouernment in peace? whence his miraculous deliuerances from the hands of his enemies? Euen from Gods especiall mercie and Proui­dence ouer him. And why from his mercie? wherefore from his speciall Prouidence? not only because he is the Lords anointed, but especially, because he is his elected: A comparatis. for if wic­ked kings haue a special priuiledge, in regard they are Kings, how much more our King, being a reso­lute Iosiah, a religious Dauid, a wise Salomon, and a zealous Ezechias? How are the tender lambes amidst the rauening wolues preserued frō them? how the sillie chickens from the greedie kite, waighting conti­nually to praie vpon them? The eause of our deliueran­ces from blou­dy traitors, and that they fall into the pit which they digged for vs. must they nor both goe to wrecke, vnlesse there be a carefull Shepheard, and a louing henne? No lesse can the flocke of Christ defend it selfe a­gainst tyrants (those greedy wolues) vnlesse Christ Iesus that good shep­heard did most carefully looke vn­to it. No lesse can his tender chic­kens [Page 15]keepe themselues from being deuoured by those rauening kites, the diuell himselfe, the Pope of Rome that Antichrist, with all his sworne and vowed Allegeants a­mong vs, did not Christ Iesus (as a most louing henne) preserue and keepe them vnder the wings of his mercie. O thou beloued, consider then the cause of thy deliuerances: It is because God loueth thee, and thus louing thee, appoints his An­gels to attend vpon thee: Heb. 1.11. Heb. 1.11. It is because he so respects thee, that an haire of thine head cannot perish: Matth. 10.30. Matth. 10.30. It is because of his neuer failing loue, therein excee­ding the loue of a mother to the child of her owne wombe. Esay. 49.15. Esay 49.15. It is because he makes our case his case: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9.4. Act. 9.4. It is because hee respecteth vs, as that which is dea­rest vnto him: Zach. 2.8. Zach. 2.8. Hee that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eie. This being so, who seeing Gods wonderful loue to his Church, in electing it, in being elected, to re­deeme [Page 16]it with the most precious blood of his onely begotten Sonne, and being thus redeemed, thus to respect, to loue, and blesse it, that can denie his especiall care and Pro­uidence ouer the same?

Gods Prouidence ouer the wicked.

IT is our mercifull God, saith Iob, chap. 28.24. that beholdeth the ends of the world, and hath a regard vnto all things that are vnder the heauens. Which cannot bee vnder­stood of a carelesse beholding, as some would haue it, but of a carefull prouiding for them, as al must needs confesse it. Is it likely that God, who looketh forth of the heauens, and beholdeth all the sonnes of men, Psalm. 33.13. should looke vpon them to no end, or behold them to no purpose? Surely no, he fashioneth as well the wicked as the godly in the wombes of their parents: Eccles. 11.5. Hee gouerneth their words, Prou. 16.1. He appointeth out their [Page 17]waies they shall walke in: Pro. 5.21. He exalteth one, he casteth downe another, Psal. 75.7. He giueth, and al men gather, he openeth his hands, and all ceatures (both good and bad) are filled with his goodnes: Psalm. 104.28. So that who is hee that hath not tasted how gratious the Lord is? yea, wee see it by expe­rience, that the godly are often as the sheepe feeding on bare com­mons; whilst the wicked are as fat bulls of Bashan grasing to the full in goodly greene medowes; the sun shining vpon them, the raine ma­king their grownds fertile, their flocks of sheepe and kine multipli­ed, hauing children at their pleasure, and so increasing, that they call their Lands by their owne names: Nay, if there were not a resurrection, a re­ward reserued for the godly, and plagues for impenitent sinners, of al other (as Paul saith) the Church of God were most miserable. For (as the Wise man saith) touching this life, all things fall out alike both to the wicked and godly: yea whilst [Page 18]they liuing at their hearts ease, ly­ing in their beds of Iuorie, carow­sing wine in their full vyols, inuen­ting to themselues instruments of musicke, Heb. 11.35.36.37. the Church of God (poore soules) in loue corrected, are often­times nipt with cold, pinched with famine, racked by tortures, tried by mockings, scourgings, bōds, impri­sonmēt, yea tempted, stoned, hewne asunder, slaine with the sword: All things working still for the best to those that loue and feare his name. Rom. 8. This prosperitie of the wicked, and afflictions of the godly, (both pro­ceeding from God; on them, a iudg­ment, vpon vs, an assurance of his mercie) haue astonied the dearest and wisest children of God, vntill going into the house of God, they beheld their miserable end and sud­den subuersion. Now whence ari­seth this flourishing (yet fading) e­state of the wicked? from their own wisedome, from their owne endea­uours? Surely no, it is in vaine to rise vp earely, to goe to bed late, to eate the bread of carefulnes, except [Page 19]the Lord giues a blessing: and ther­fore whatsoeuer the wicked enioy, proceedeth wholy from Gods Pro­uidence. As he increased the store­house of godly Abraham; so he fil­led the barnes of the wicked rich man: Luk. 16. Luk. 16.19. As he made Dauid King ouer his people; so hee gaue Saul the Scepter of gouernment, and therefore he was called the A­nointed of the Lord. As God was mercifull vnto Iob, in not suffering Satan to take away his life; Iob 4.12. so he was long suffering vnto Pharaoh, in that the first plague consumed him not, for not letting his people goe. As it came to passe by Gods Prouidēce, that Ioseph should bee preserued from death, Gen. 45.8. and made Ruler ouer Pharaohs household: so the same God effected that Naaman the Sy­rian, should be rich, mightie and ho­nourable in the sight of his Lord the King of Aram. 2. Kings 5.1. And therefore our gratious God whose mercie reioy­ceth against iudgement, extendeth his Prouidence to the wicked and reprobate.

That those things which seeme mea­nest in our eyes, are maintained and kept by Gods Prouidence.

NEither doth our mercifull God sit in the highest, regarding onely his most excellent creatures, as Angels, men and women, the hea­uens, the Sun, the Moone, the num­ber of the Starres, and such like; but, as Dauid saith, hee beholdeth all things: as comprehending his mea­nest creatures vpon earth. What­soeuer hath life, motion or being is gouerned by Gods Prouidence: Act. 17.28. But the basest things may bee referred to all or one of these: And therefore things most meane are ruled by his Prouidence. The Psalmist vsing the like genera­litie, Psalm. 145.15. saith, that the eies of all things doe looke vp vnto God, and he giueth thē their meat in due season: in the one part of the sentence shewing Gods mercie in giuing, Some reade, (looke vnto,) some, (hope in) in the other, his creatures ac­knowledgement of the same, by [Page 21]their hope of receiuing. The Lions are strong, yet of themselues not a­ble to prouide meat for their young: for they crying seeke it at the Lord, Psalm. 104.21. Psalm. 104.21 and thus seeking it, finde it at his hands. Looke to the meanest things in the heauens, Math. 6.26. the blowing of the winds, the moti­on of the clouds, Iob 39.3. the raine dropping from them: the flying of the birds, all are ruled by God: Psalm. 147. Matth. 10.30. Looke to the smallest things vpon earth: the grasse vpon the Mountaines, fodder for cattell, hearbes for the vse of man, lillies to adorne the field, all haue their be­ing, Psalm. 147.8.9. and encrease from God. Looke vnto the things vnder the earth: Matth. 6.21. They also haue their being (saith Iob) from God, and there is a place in which they are preserued. Yea, God ordereth the sillie wormes for his glorie, as appeares in making thē instrumēts of plaguing Pharaoh for his hardnes of hart; and meanes, to gnaw asunder the gourde where­with his Prophet Ionah was coue­red. Ionah 4.7. Since then the meanest things [Page 22]in the heauens, on the earth, and vn­der the earth are vpholden by God and guided by his Prouidence, and that this his goodnes declares the greatnes of his mercie, and secondly Ministers comfort to his children, (for if God thus gouerneth them, how much more will he bee present to those, that loue & feare his name) let vs not diminishing his mercie, or depriuing our selues of such com­forable assurance, once call into question his Prouidence ouer his meanest creatures, but with heartie thankesgiuing acknowledge the same.

Gods Prouidence prooued by the testimonies of the holy Fathers.

WIsedome teacheth, that it is good to build vpon a firme foundation: the word of God then being the ground worke of this do­ctrine, wee may with safetie settle our iudgements thereon. When the Sunne shines clearely, what needes the candle to be lighted? when the [Page 23]word is euident, what needes au­thoritie of fathers? To adde light to the sunne, or a sparke to the flame seemes small discretion; yet since experience doth teach, that the na­ture of man, is not onely hard to be drawne to the acknowledgement of an euident truth, but also meere re­pugnant to that, whereby the eies of his vnderstanding being enlight­ned, he might glorifie God: It shal not bee amisse to alledge their con­fessions, that the wauering in iudge­ment may confesse the trueth with them.

Cyrill writing against Iulian, Lib. secundo, & quinto. affir­meth that God doth not onely di­rect all things to the behoofe and full harmonie of the whole vniuer­sally; but also is the Cherisher, Main­tainer, and Preseruer of euery thing in particular. Augustine saith, De Trinit. lib. 3. cap. 4. that there is no creature, which is not go­uerned by Gods Prouidence: and in another place, hee descends vnto the particular, saying: Jn Psal. 148. Tom. 8. Who disposed the members of the gnat, and other small creatures, that they should haue [Page 24]their life, their goodly order, and moo­uing? Propound vnto thy selfe one of the meanest of Gods creatures: con­sider the excellent disposition of his members, his life, whereby hee is moued to eschew death, and to vse meanes to preserue him: he desires pleasures, he flieth troubles, hee hath his senses, and an excellent motion beseeming him­selfe, wherein he deliteth. And in a­nother place: Hee which made the Angels in heauē, made also the wormes in the earth. Hath God made the An­gels to creepe in the durt, and the wormes to remaine in the heauens? No, he hath giuen to euery creature his fit place of habitation: to that which is incorruptible, an incorruptible place of abiding: to that which is corruptible, a corruptible place of remaining. Thus much Augustine. Basilius Magnus hath truely said, that fortune and chance are Heathen mens words, Homil. 19. wherewith the minds of the godly ought not to bee busied. Chryso­stome vpon the Ephesians: If a ship though well rigged and sound euery where, cānot brooke the seas without a [Page 25]good gouernour; Lib. 1. cap. 16. how much lesse can the whole world without the care and gouernment of God? Caluin in his In­stitutions: Whatsoeuer changes of things fall out in the world, they come to passe, by the secret stirring of the hand of God. Beza in his Confessions: All things are gouerned by Gods Pro­uidence. The consideration where­of, made the ancient Philosophers, as Empedocles, Heraclites and such like, to affirme that all things fell out by a certaine necessity, although they could not determine the man­ner how. But what should I stand vpon moe allegations? He which will enquire further into them, I re­ferre him to August. de Prouidentia Dei, Tom. 1. lib. 1. Tom. 5. to the same Au­thor de Ciuit. dei, lib. 12. cap. 4. to Ori­gen in Romanos, cap. 1. to Chrysostome, in tribus de Prouidentia lib. ad Stargi­rium: to Naziazene de Paupertate curanda: with infinite others. All which omitted, I proceede vnto the third way of proouing this trueth vnto vs.

Gods Prouidence prooued by testi­monies of Heathen Writers.

WHen as men darkned in their vnderstandings, Ephes. 4.18. wan­ting the light of the Gospell, gui­ded only by the rules of reason, shall by manifold obseruations, gather vndoubted conclusions of the Pro­uidence of God ouer all his crea­tures; how shall Christians liuing in the glorious sunshine of the Gospel, and professing themselues not onlie naturally to bee ruled by the same rules of reason, but supernaturallie by Gods holy Spirit, call that into question, whereof they neuer doub­ted? The trueth whereof appeares thus vnto vs. Plotin the Platoniste, affirmes that Gods Prouidence is manifested vnto vs euen from the highest things to the very lillies of the field. Lib. 3. Enne ad. 4. And for further confirma­tion of the same, hath written three bookes to that purpose. Porphyri­us demanded this question of Ne­metrius: Shall we (saith he) suffer a [Page 27]King to dispose of his matters as hee listeth, and shall we denie the same vn­to God? Sinesius the Platoniste con­fidently affirmeth, that such as doe doubt of the Prouidence of God by inconueniences which happen, are fooles: but the wise are confirmed in the trueth by them. Alexander of Aphrod, in his booke of Proui­dence, hath this excellent saying: It is too farre disagreeing from Gods na­ture, that he should haue no care of the things below, (for that is the part of an enuious man:) and to say he is vna­ble, is too vnseemely, because he is able to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him. Iuue­nall hath a saying, thus translated:

There wantes no God at all, where wisedome doth aduise:

But fooles haue fortune deifide, and placd' aboue the skies.

Amonius writing against Porphy­rius, attributeth a double power vn­to God: the one whereby he knowes all things; the other whereby hee rules all things. But if any list to heare the iudgements of these men more at large, let him reade Theod. [Page 28]de affect: Graecorum curandis, intitu­led, Of the Prouidence of God. Also the first booke of Iohannes Francis­cus Picus Comes Mirandulanus, de Prouidentia dei: wherein this truth is proued by the testimonies of ma­ny Heathen writers, as of Orphaeus, Homer, Plutarch, Euripides, Sopho­cles, Menander, Diphilus, Virgil, Pho­cilides, Hipocrates, Pythagoras, Pla­to, Plotin, Atticus, Platonicus Aui­cen, Algazilus, Aristotle, and many others: all which I passe ouer, and come vnto the fourth and last way of proouing this trueth vnto vs.

Gods Prouidence prooued by meere reason.

IN this latter age, wherein iniqui­tie hath almost gotten the vpper hand: and wickednes approched ve­rie neere the seate of iudgement, some (I feare me) there are, The replie of Atheists. (I would to God not many) which dare af­firme that the word of God, is but a rule of policie, and that wee yeeld vnto it rather because it prescribes [Page 29]a goodly order, then sets downe a certaine trueth: though these are self-made Idols, hauing eies, but wil not see, eares, but wil not heare, harts, but wil not vnderstād, euicting con­sciences, but will not subscribe vnto them. For the confuting of whom, let me deale with them and others by meere reason, after this maner. Reasons to prooue Gods Prouidence. And first with such as acknowledge the Godhead, but cannot see his Proui­dence in all things.

Reas. 1 Since it is granted that all things are made by God, it must needs fol­low, that euery thing is gouerned by him. For if we confesse him God, we together withall inferre that hee is most wise, yea wisedome it selfe, most mightie, yea power & strength it selfe, most good, yea goodnes it self; for to be God & to be almigh­tie, wisedome, and goodnes it selfe, are all one. How then can God bee wisdom, if ignorāt how to gouerne? how Almightie, if not able to rule e­uery thing? How goodnes it self, if being both wisdom, and Almightie, hee should not after his creation of [Page 30]the world gouerne and preserue the same? Beasts (though without rea­son) care for that which proceeds from them. Sillie birds looke to their nests they haue framed, and carefullie hatch vp their young that nature sent forth. And wilt thou graunt thus much in creatures vn­reasonable, and denie the same in God the Creator of them?

Reas. 2 Secondly, if God doth not go­uerne the world, I would de­maund of thee what should bee the reason: Whether because he would but cannot; or can, but will not? If thou shalt say, he would but cannot; thine eies can tell thee thou art de­ceiued: because it is harder to make all things of nothing, then being made, to guide and gouerne them. Again, how should God be almigh­tie, if there were any thing which he could not doe? and how infinite; if thou didest know the ends of his power? Therefore the Lord can guide all things. If thou shalt say, he can, but will not: then thou deniest his mercie, and wisedome: for mer­cie [Page 31]euer extends aid vnto others, and wisedome directs al things to a cer­taine end. And therefore God being almightie, goodnes, and wisedome it selfe, it must needes follow that al things are gouerned by him.

Reas. 3 Thirdly, we count Prouidence in man an excellent thing, (for y ^e more prouident, the more in that respect commended.) Now whatsoeuer is good in our selues, (which yet not­withstanding is in vs, but by mea­sure and in part) the same is origi­nally and infinitely in God. There­fore since experience doth teach vs, that he hath giuen euerie thing a na­turall instinct of caring and proui­ding for things vnder them; how can we bereaue God of this honour due vnto his name?

Reas. 4 Obserue the goodly order and harmony of euery thing: one ruling, another ruled; one in authoritie, a­nother subiect vnto it; they not so excellēt, to those that are more ex­cellent; those which haue no life, to those that haue life; the vnreasona­ble to the reasonable; the earthly to [Page 32]the heauenly; the heauenly host to the glorious Creator, euer in sub­iection. First, the day, then the night, the Sunne continually running his race like a giant in the one, y ^e Moone enlightning the other, neuer conti­nuing in the full, but alwaies in­creasing, or decreasing. After dark­nes comes light, after a shower, the sunshine, after heate, cold weather, after a storme, a calme. The daies doe make the weekes, the weekes the moneths, the moneths the yeere: In the yeere, the spring followes the winter, the sommer the spring, the Autumne y ^e sommer, the winter the Autumne, and then comes y ^e spring againe. These (wee see) keepe their perpetuall sucession and order. And therefore it must needs follow that God by his Prouidence is maintai­ner of the same.

Reas. 5 Fifthly, we know that the Globe of the earth and the sea, being com­pared with the heauens, are but as a pricke with a pen, or as the appea­rance of one of the least starres: and yet the earth not to bee measured, [Page 33]nor the sea to bee compassed: the Sun causing the seasons of the one, and the Moone ruling the tides of the other: Now both these are guided by the course of the heauens, and the heauens (as wee all acknowledge) by God a­lone; and therefore by good conse­quence, the sea & earth, with al things therein contained, are gouerned by him.

Reas. 6 Sixtly, we see that Townes standing by the sea, are not swallowed: manie Islands compassed with the same, are not ouerflowed: yea, Townes, Islands, and the whole world, with the swel­lings of the Seas are cōtinually threat­ned; and whence is it, that they are not ouerflowed? surely from Gods Prouidence, who commands it, that it shall not passe his bounds, but running thorow the chanels of the Earth, to comfort the bowels thereof, afterward to returne to his place againe.

Reas. 7 Seuently, wee see that such beasts as might hurt man, doe (notwithstan­ding their rebellion caused by the sin of man) goe single by themselues and haunt the couerts and caues of the [Page 34]earth, making but small increase. But such beasts as might benefit man (how huge, how strong soeuer) come home vnto him, submitting themselues by whole flocks and heards euen to little children, and so encrease abundantlie. And therefore since such things as might hurt vs, flie from vs, and such as bring profit, and by whose liues, our liues are maintained, come home vnto vs, it must needes bee, that Gods Pro­uidence, (directing all things to our good) doth cause the same.

Reas. 8 Eightly, suppose, as it often fals out, two sons to be begotten by one man, borne of one woman, brought forth at one time, vnder one and the same motion of the heauens, Esau and Iacob. commonlie called Twins. The one of these liues in a ciuil and honest maner, and brings his hoary head in peace vnto the graue. The other set on fire with the vehe­ment heate of enuie, thirsteth after blood, murdereth his neighbour, and and so receiues death, the iust reward of his wicked fact. What is the cause, both being by nature the children of wrath, Ephes. 2.4. that both of them fell not into [Page 35]the like transgression? Not diuersitie of seede, for both were begotten by one man, and both borne of one wo­man: not diuersitie of the planets, for they were both borne vnder one, and the same motion of the hea­uens: both at one time, both in one place. So that it must needes bee, that God of the tiches of his mercie by his special Prouidence blessed the one, and for the declaration of his Iustice, by a voluntarie permission, suffered the other.

Reas. 9 Ninthly, admit two men purpose a iournie to a certaine place; by the way there ariseth a tempest of thunder and lightning, both take to a tree for shel­ter, but the one with the lightning is scorched to death, Neere vnto VVaternew­ton, Countie of Huntington. the other hath nei­ther mēber hurt nor haire burnt. Who hindred their iournie, who sent the storme, who caused the death of the one, who so wonderfully deliuered the other, both standing close together? Surely God by his Prouidence was ef­fecter of al. Whence was it, Done in France. that Steuen Brune, that godly Martyr, could not be consumed with a fire of fagots twise [Page 36]made about him? Whence that the vessels of oile twice powred vpon them, were rather meanes of quench­ing, thē encreasing the flame? Whence, that these things denied their naturall operation, so that the Hangman was compeld to thrust him thorow with a sword? surely from Gods ouer-ruling Prouidence. The Philosophers, ob­seruing the course of the heauens, and excellent order of all things, and that amongst them many consisted of con­traries, gathered an vndoubted con­clusion, that there must needes bee a chiefe Gouernour, whom they indiffe­rently called God or Prouidence, be­cause the one cannot bee without the other. For it is as great wickednesse to say that there is a God without Proui­dence, as it is meere follie to affirme God to haue eies without sight, eares without hearing, might without mind, mind without reason, wil without wis­dome, wisdom without a wise gouern­ment, yea a Godhead without proper­ties belonging vnto it.

Wherefore (as experience teacheth) if the Counsell of a commonwealh [Page 37]cannot cease without the confusion thereof; if the soule of man cannot forbeare working without the death of the partie; neither the soule vegeta­tiue in plants, without their withering; if the sunne cannot goe downe with­out procuring darknesse, nor suffer eclipse; without some notable ex­change much more ought we beleeue, that if the whole world, with all things therein contained, were not guided and gouerned by Gods Prouidence, al would fal from order to disorder, from an excellent harmonie of all things, to a confusion of euery thing, and from a confusion of euery thing, to a not be­ing of any thing. The contrarie wher­of in wonderfull manner appearing vnto vs, we ought to be so farre from doubting of Gods Prouidence, as that vpon a stedfast perswasion of the cer­taintie thereof, we ought in thoughts, These three seene especially in his gouern­ment. words, and deeds, continually blesse, magnifie, & praise his wonderful wis­dom, power and goodnes for the same.

And thus much for the prouing that all things are gouerned by Gods Pro­uidence.

That although God doth gouern all things, and that so, as his gouernment can nei­ther be altered nor hindered, yet that he cannot be the author of sin, although he is the principall cause of euery action, with the which the sinne concurreth.

SVndry are the opinions cō ­cerning this point. Diuers opini­ons thouching the author of sinne. The Li­bertines affirme, that God so willeth sinne, as that he is the cause thereof. The opinion of the Libertines. And therefore that sinnes should not be re­prooued, because they are the workes of God. For (say they) it is not mā which sinneth, but the Lord by man. If you contradict them, their answere is, You are not regenerate by Gods Spirit, and therefore cannot iudge aright of his workes. But this opinion tendeth whol­ly to the libertie of the flesh, and there­fore [Page 98]is diuellish and damnable. The Ma­nichees haue thought, The opinion of the Manichees that God can­not so suffer sinne, as that he should a­ny way wil it, and therefore concluded, that there are two onely Authors of all things: the one the chiefest Good, the principall Efficient of all goodnes: the other, the chiefest Euill, the sole Effe­cter of all wickednes; as well the sinne, as the punishment for the same. And so they will haue sinnes to be committed, whether the Author of all goodnes will or not. Others there are, which neither consenting to these, nor agreeing with the former, would haue God to will sin, and that he is the cause thereof; yet that no fault can be imputed vnto him, but vnto men, who commit it. Their rea­son is, Gods will is a rule of equitie, and therefore whatsoeuer hee willeth, the same is iust and right. Thus you see the diuersitie of iudgements: whence ari­seth the necessitie of handling this do­ctrine. In the entreating whereof, it is necessarie to touch these three points:

How farre foorth God doth will sinne.

That he can in no respect be Author [Page 99]of any thing as it is simplie sinne. 2

That the diuell is the setter, 3 and wee the effecters of it.

For the vnderdanding, How God doth will sinne. how far forth God doth will sinne, we must obserue that there is a double euill:

The one the euil of the offēce, 1. Malum cul­pae. which is the sinne: the other the euill of the punishment, which is the reward of sin: 2. Malum poe­nae. called euill, in respect it is hurtfull to him which suffers it.

The Euill of the offence, Sinne is to be considered three waies. which is the sinne, is to be considered three waies.

1 The first, as it is simplie contrarie to Gods law, in which respect onely it is called a sinne.

2 The second, as it is a punishment of sins before committed: for God doth vsually punish one sinne with another, Rom. 1.21. Because when the Gentiles knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but became vaine in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were full of darknesse, therefore the Lord gaue them vp vnto their hearts lusts, and vnto vncleannesse.

Thirdly, as it is a cause of sinnes after­ward committed. Such was the igno­rance [Page 100]of the Gentiles, Ephes. 4.18. Such the blindnesse, and hardnesse of hearts in the Iewes, whereof Isai. chap. 6. and Paul, Rom. 12. For these sinnes of theirs, were punishments of their former sins: secondly, sinnes of the mselues: thirdly, causes of their infinite other sinnes, as Augustine in his Treatise against Iulian teacheth excellently well. Lib. 5. cap. 3.

Thus we see that God may will a sin, as it is a punishment, and yet not be the Author of sinne, as it is simplie sinne.

Note further, Three things concurring in sinne. that three things con­corre in sins: The first, the deed, or acti­on: and that is either inward or out­ward: 1 inward are those, which are ei­ther of the mind, Actions, in­ward, or out­ward. as euill thoughts, or of the heart, as wicked affections; or of the will, as an euill choice, and an agree­ment to that which is wicked. Outward are those, which are actions of the sen­ses, wrought by the externall instrumēts of the bodie. 2 Secondly, the breach of Gods law going with this action, which is an absence of the purity commāded, and a presence of a defect, and corrup­tion forbidden; noted by the Heathen man, Tull. in his Pa­rad. when he saith, Peccare, est transi­lire [Page 101]lineas praefixas, & à scopo aberrare, to sin, is to passe the boūds prescribed, and to wander from the marke; expressed by the Grecians, when they call it, What sinne is. [...] or [...]: and defined by the holy Ghost, to be the Transgression of the law, 1 Ioh. 3.4.

3 Thirdly, there is in euery sin a guilt, and an obligatiō, wherin we stand most firmely bound vnto God, to vndergo the punishment, which our breach of his law hath deserued. This guilt hath his ground in sinne: Rom. 6.23. Death is the reward of sinne: this death is from Gods Iustice, which willes that euery one shall haue his due: this death is our due, because the soule that sinnes, (by Gods law,) shall die the death: this law is giuen in equitie, for he hath the right of commanding, we of obeying, he our Creator, we his creatures, and therefore by the law of equitie and right of crea­tion, haue entred a statute both of soules and bodies, to be obedient vnto him. Now all are guiltie, in as much s all haue sinned: and this guilt is the bond, whereby in iustice we are tied through the committing of our sinnes, to vnder­go [Page 102]the punishment they haue deserued. And so is the third things considered in sinne.

Concerning the first of these three, God is the Au­thor of the first thing conside­red in sinne, viz. the Actiō. which is the Action: It is true that God is the principall Efficient, and Author thereof: for in him we liue, we mooue, and haue our being. Touching the third thing confidered in sinne, namelie the guilt, God is author of the third, namely, the Guilt. whereby we stand bound to vndergoe the punishment our sinnes haue deser­ued, there is no question, but that God doth in like manner will the same. But the second, namelie the transgressing of Gods Law, which expelles the puritie in the action, and makes it wicked, breedes a doubt, whether God doth wil it or not. For the satisfying whereof, I will first shew, what it is to wil. Second­lie, how farre forth God doth will the same.

To will is taken two waies: To will, taken two waies: 1. Properly. proper­lie, or improperly: properly, when wee will a thing in respect of it selfe, because we iudge it good indeede, or at least, in appearance seemes to be so.

Improperly, when we will a thing, 2. improperly. in respect of another thing, that is, because [Page 103]of some good that will ensue the same and not in respect the thing we desire, is of the one nature good. In which sense, men doe often wish a naturall e­uill. A man often desireth the cutting offan infected member: Simile. he doth not properly will the want of that member (for euery creature aimes at his perfe­ction,) but the good he hopes will fol­low the same, namelie, the health of his bodie. So that there is an improper will­ling of the one, because we whollie de­sire the other. So that the cutting away of that member, may rather be called a voluntarie permission, then an effectu­all willing, because the will according to the owne nature willeth that which is good either in truth, or at least in ap­pearance: and if at any time it is carried to the contrarie, this commeth from a certaine disturbing of the mind, where­unto none can say that God is subiect. Further, those things which we proper­lie will, those we like, loue, and take pleasure in; but a knowne euill is neuer thus affected, and therefore at no time we properly desire the same. Since this then is thus with men, much more is it [Page 104]so with God: Whence it necessarily fol­lowes, that hee doth willinglie suffer sinne, and that he doth will that which followes the same, namelie, his owne glorie, but is no cause of sinne, as it is simplie a transgression of his law, as shal be more at large declared. But care is to be had, lest in going about to set downe the meane, we fall into the extreame, or labouring to eschew some danger, wee slip into a greater. He that shall say God doth will sinne, as it is a transgression of his law, shall not goe vnpunished: nei­ther may he which affirmeth that sinne is committed against his will, or with­out his knowledge, goe vnreprooued; the former is to rob God of his good­nes, the latter of his infinite power and knowledge. In shewing how far forth God doth will sinne, seuen things to be obserued. Therefore that we may es­cape the danger, keepe the meane, and obtaine our desires, these things are to be obserued.

1 That God doth will his owne glorie principally as the sole end, wherefore all other things are effected.

2 Secondly, that he willeth the euill of the punishment: and that so as he is the sole effecter and inflicter thereof.

3 Thirdly, that hee willeth sinne as it is a punishment of sinnes, before com­mitted.

4 Fourthly, that he doth will sinne as it is an action either inward or outward.

Fiftlie, that he doth will sinne as it is a guilt or obligation, wherein we stand bound vnto God to vndergoe the pu­nishments which our sinnes haue de­serued.

6 Sixtly, that God doth not will sinne, as it is a transgression of his Law, but doth onelie willinglie permit it.

7 Lastly, that there is a difference be­tween his willing of that which is good and that which is euill.

Before we enter the seuerall handling of these, it is to be marked, that to will and to doe with God are all one. Hee doth not any thing, which hee willeth not, neither willeth any thing, which by the vertue of his willing it, is not pre­sētly effected. Therfore in shewing how farre forth God willeth these things, is also declared how farre forth hee is the Author and Effecter of them. To which in order.

That God willeth his owne glory prin­cipally, Position 1 as the sole end wherefore hee willeth all other things.

IF a knowne good thing, (as reason teacheth) is properly the obiect of the will, then doth God will his owne glorie especially, because it is most ex­cellent in his sight. This end was pro­pounded in his admirable frame of the world, and especially in the creation of his Angels in heauen, and men vpon earth. 1. Cor. 10.22. Deut. 6.5. Exod. 2.3. Isai. 48.11. Prou. 16.4. To this tended his precepts, his mightie power, and charge of sanctify­ing his name: to this end, is the executi­on of his iustice vpon the wicked both in this life, and in the life to come: to this tendeth the shutting vp of all vn­der sinne, the sending of his Sonne, the redemption of his Church, their salua­tion in heauen, with all other mercies forth of the exceeding riches of his grace for the accomplishing thereof, bestowed vpon them. Yea in a word, (for this is a knowne and confessed truth) to this tended the Law and the Prophets, Christ and his Gospell, the [Page 107]Apostles and Ministers of our Lord and Sauiour with all Gods works of wis­dome, power, iustice and mercie. There­fote I conclude this with Paul: 1. Cor. 10.22. Do all things to his glory: Rom. 11.33. To him bee glorie for euer, Amen.

That God so willeth the euill of the pu­nishment, Position 2 as that he is the principall cause and inflicter thereof.

THere is no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done; The error of the Coluthiani, teaching the contrary, (Aug. de haeres.) is here condem­ned. Amos 3.6. Punishment is a good thing, because it is the execution of iustice which sets forth Gods glorie, and therefore befit­ting him who is goodnes it selfe. Hence it is that Adams high presuming hand, was punished by God himselfe. Hence it is, that he prouided a Law for his Suc­cessors and promised punishment by his owne person vpon the violaters thereof. 1. Sam. 2.31.32 And therefore the man of God denounced Elies punishment in the name of his master. Therefore the Lord taketh this authoritie to himselfe with an abridgement of the like vnto others: [Page 108]not onelie saying, I, but, I and none o­thers, forming the light and creating darkenes, making peace and creating euill. Surely hee is the inflicter of pu­nishment in whom is the right and po­wer of punishing: but these two belong both vnto God. And therefore he alone the inflicter of the same. That the right belongs vnto God it is plaine, because he alone giues the law, and takes an ac­count of the breach thereof: that this power is proper vnto him, it is in like manner euident, because experience teacheth, that man by strength or poli­cie, doth often escape from man. But if hee be neuer so strong, he cannot resist the Al-omnipotent. If hee goe downe into the sea, or flie to the vttermost parts of the earth, euen there will the Al-see­ing God finde him out, and his power sease vpon him. If hauing this right and power, he should not punish according­lie, there should be a disorder, and con­tinuall neglect of his glorie, because of an vsurpation and challenging of that by the creature, which so wonderfullie sets forth the glorie and iustice of the Creator. Therefore without doubt God [Page 109]is sole inflicter of punishment. But it is obiected:

Obiect. The Magistrates of the earth doe pu­nish, and to this end God hath put the sword of authoritie into their hands, and therefore not God alone.

God doth punish somtimes by him­selfe, Solution.sometimes by others, yet alwaies it is he which punisheth. He exalts men to that honour, giues knowledge to iudge, wisedome to distribute, power to execute. The chaire of Authoritie is his, the sword is his, and hee giues strength to vse them: And therefore we cannot properly say that Magistrates doe pu­nish, but God by the. In this respect they are called his Vicegerents, Kings, yea Gods vpon earth: to this end that wee might know that hee which is the King of all Kings, and God of all Gods, hath giuen them this honour, and that he will both rule and punish the world by them, & also giue them some names of exceeding dignitie and honor, wher­by wee might see it, and acknowledge his Maiestie in them. Yet all this while, the names, the authority, the power and wisedome being giuen, and vpholden [Page 110]by God, and that so, as that we cannot say that they execute punishment, but God by them: (without question) men are but second meanes, and the Angels ordained ministers, God only is princi­pall efficient in executing iustice and iudgement. And therefore both the good and bad Angel is still at his com­mand: the one must into the King of Ashurs armie when he is commanded: the other may not touch his seruant till leaue be granted. Iob 1 And thus much to the obiection.

It is further to be obserued in the exe­cution of punishment, that God doth not will it as it is simply a destruction of his creatures, but as it is an execution of iustice and declaration of his glorie: for being a perfect goodnesse, he would neuer inflict a naturall euill, vnlesse it had respect to a morall good. And thus it appeares that God is the author of all punishment, and wherefore hee infli­cteth the same.

Hence is confuted the vaine imagi­nations of such as would haue two Gods; The opinion of the Manichees confuted. the one sole efficient of al good­nesse, the other of all euill, as well the [Page 111]sinne as the punishment, and the pu­nishment as the sinne it selfe. But sinne is no other thing then a priuation and absence of the good, neither (being considered only in it selfe) hath any be­ing in the nature of things. For what is a disease? want of health. What is hun­ger? a want of being satisfied. What is barrennesse? an absence of fruitfulnes: So what is sinne? An absence of that vp­rightnes and equitie which ought to be in euery action. Now this priuation or absence cannot arise whēce they would haue it, for it must needes bee in some subiect: the disease hangs not in the ayre, but in the bodie of a liuing crea­ture, capable of health. Blindnes, which is an absence of sight, must needs be in eyes capable of seeing. Now the subiect of any priuatiō is good, because it hath his being and is vpholden by God: nei­ther indeed (as Philosophers teach) can euill be in any other as his subiect, then that which is good. And therefore no­thing so euill (be it substance or action) which is not good: One and the same thing, good and euill, in of [...] spects. euill in regard of the priuation and absence of the good: good, in regard of the subiect wherein [Page 112]it is. Therefore, since euery euill is in some subiect, and euery subiect hath his being and is vpholden by God, there­fore the opinion of the Manachies (pro­ued by meere reason) is fond and foo­lish. The third point followeth.

That God willeth sin as it is a punish­ment of sinnes before committed. Position 3

IT is vsuall with God (and this is a most grieuous kinde of punishment) to punish one sinne with another. Such was the hardning of the heart of Pha­raoh, and the blinding of the eyes of the Iewes: which were not effected by God as they were simply sinnes, but (as Tertullian saith against Marcion) as they were punishments of their former iniquities. Lib. 2. pag. 180. God sent the diuell to de­ceiue Achab with a lie, put the spirit of error into the lying Prophets: their ly­ing was a sinne, but God willed it as punishment, and not as it was meerely a sinne of it selfe. The like appeares, 2. Thess. 2.10.11. Rom. 1. Isai. 19. Isai. 29. Because the Thessalo­nians receiued not the loue of the truth, that they might be saued, therfore God [Page 113]sent them strong delusions, that they should beleeue lies. Tim. 7. lib. 5. cap. 3. Augustine against Iulian, sheweth that a desire to sinne, is a sinne, a punishment, and a cause of sin: but yet in respect of God a punishment onely. This shall suffice touching this point. If any one list to heare more, I referre him to that of Tertullian, before alleaged: Contra Marcion. lib. 2. p. 180.

That God doth will sinne as it is an ac­tion in ward or outward. Position 4

ALthough sin cannot in very deede be separated from the action with the which it goeth, because euery priua­tion is in some subiect, yet in minde there may bee a distinction, and in the vnderstanding a separation of the one from the other. Wherein wee conceiue the one to be good, the other euill: the euill proceeding from our owne cor­ruption, How sinne is distinguished from the action with the which it goeth. the good from God alone, whether it be substance or action. Rom. 11.36. Of him, and in him, and for him are all things: when hee saith, all things, hee comprehendeth substances and actions ioyntly together. For since in God wee [Page 114]liue, we moue, and haue our being, Act. 17.28. there is no question, but by the ver­tue of the same power, all substances are maintained, and actions effected. Ty­rants persecuted the children of Israel: their malice proceeded frō themselues, but their strength to effect came of the Lord, Tom. 7. de Gratia & libe­ro Arbit. c. 20. Isai. 7.17. For, as Augustine saith, God doth worke in the heart of man, and doth moue the motions of the will, that by them hee may bring to passe, whatsoeuer he hath decreed: according to that of Salomon, Prou. 21.1. The kings heart is in the Lords hand, as the riuers of waters; hee turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him. all Gods creatures are his instruments of glorie: wee cannot pro­perly say that an instrument worketh, but the vser of the same. The axe is not the squarer of the timber, but the Car­penter with the axe: so man doth not worke of himselfe, but God by man. Thus much wee acknowledge in the Confession of our faith, saying, I beleeue in God the Father Almightie, maker of heauen and earth. When we call him Al­mightie, wee acknowledge an effectuall power, working all in all, according to [Page 115]the good pleasure of his will: and when we confesse him Greator of heauen and earth, we likewise acknowledge that he is the Maintainer, Mouer, and Effecter of all things. And thus is God the effe­cter of actions, though not of the sinnes which vsually goe with them. The fifth point followeth.

That God doth will sinne as it is a guilt, Position 5 or obligation, wherin we stand bound vnto him, to vndergoe the punish­ment our sinnes haue deserued.

AVgustine against Iulian, Tom. 7. lib. 6. cap. 8. disputing of y ^e guilt of original sin, saith, that it is an obligatiō, wherin euery one that is in the flesh, borne carnally of the flesh, is bound vnto God, to vndergo the reward of sin, namely, eternall de­struction. This obligatiō hath his seat in the lawes of God: made in his iust iudg­ment, his will setting downe the mat­ter, and his iustice ruling the forme, and therefore must needs be good: and be­ing good, that the Lord doth will the same. For since it is proper vnto God, to soue iustice, and hate iniquitie (as the [Page 116]Psalmist saith) it must needs bee, that God willeth our being tied to vndergo the punishment our sinnes haue deser­ued, because therein is his Iustice exal­ted, Gods promises conditionall: namely, if we by true faith take hold, vpon them. Ioh. 3.16. 1. Ioh. 4.9. and our iniquities beaten downe. Now this bond is cancelled by our gra­tious Redeemer, the benefit whereof re­doundeth only to such, as by a sledfast faith exercised in the workes of true godlines, take hold vpon him: I meane such as are growne to the yeares of dis­cretion, and therefore capable of instru­ction, of whom a holy life is necessarily required; not infants, who by Gods or­der of creation, cannot performe the same, yet by reason of the promise, are within the Couenant, & by a powerfull and admirable worke of his Spirit, (as Peter Martyr saith) are conuerted vnto him. Obiect. If any obiect the conuersion of a sinner at the last gaspe, as the thiefe on the crosse: I answere, Ans. y ^e instāce is of one, that none should dispaire: & but of one, that none should presume. Late repen­tance is better then none: yet remem­ber a good lesson, Vix benè mo­ritur, qui ma­lè vixit. That mā doth seldome die well, that euer liued ill. Thus much by the way, Prou. 1 though it seemes from the pur­pose. [Page 117]And thus much of this guilt, be­cause I haue spoken before of the same. The sixth point followeth.

Position 6 That God doth not will sin, as it is sim­plie a transgression of his law, but doth only willingly permit it.

FOr the vnderstāding of this, A permission is taken three waies. we must know, that to permit, or to suffer, is taken three waies. 1 The first, when of two good things, wee must against our willes yeeld vnto the worst. As for ex­ample: A man rather desireth his sonne should applie his studies, and so proue learned, then that hee should be a soul­dier, delight in warrefare, or that baser Arts should be effected by him; yet be­cause he is not fit for that thou desirest, when he entreateth thee that he may be a souldier, or to follow some occupati­on, thou dost yeeld vnto him; which kind of yeelding is called a suffering a­gainst our willes. According to that old saying: When we cannot that which we would, then wee must that which wee can. But God willeth not after this ma­ner, for he is omnipotent, and by con­sequence [Page 118]his will can neither be forced, nor restrained. 2 Secondly, to permit, is often taken for a suffering of the one of two euils, that a greater euill should not ensue. After this manner do Princes of­tentimes in wisdome suffer a traitour to rest in his conspiracy, that it may be the more euidently proued against him, and that other his complices may more apparently be knowne. As also, when they suffer the wickednesse of some to goe vnpunished, lest by cutting them off, the land should bee weakened, or by some sinister meanes the countrey brought to ruine. In which cases, Prin­ces do not approue of the wickednes of their subiects, but in great wisdome do suffer them a while, that by apparēt iu­stice they might suppresse them, or by vertuous lenitie, at length conforme them. 3 The third way of suffering, is when we do not preuent the euill which we could hinder, but do at our pleasure suffer the same. As when by our skill in aduising, we could free a ship from be­ing swallowed vp of the seas; by our strength, we could pluck our neighbour or his cattell forth of the ditch; by our [Page 119]abundance we could relieue the distres­sed, cloath the naked, feed the hungrie, and such like; yet in these cases it is our purpose to yeeld no helpe at all, and therefore do willingly suffer them to perish. After this manner doth God permit sinne: and is excellent good in him, because he is aboue the law, & yet doth it to an excellent end, mixed with no maner of ataxie or disorder at al: but is euill in vs, in regard we are vnder a law, which commāds we should do vn­to others, as we would others should do vnto vs. God seeth that man being na­turally euill, cannot but sinne, vnlesse he be preuented with the special assistance of his holy Spirit; he cannot but fall, Psalm. 23 vn­lesse the staffe of his Spirit doth hold him vp. God knoweth this, and can by his al-sufficient grace stay him vp; yet it pleaseth him sometimes to suffer him to sinne, and to permit him (being of himselfe not able to stand) sometimes to fall, but this is vpō great cōsideration and in wonderfull wisdome: namely, A threefold cause of Gods suffering of sin: 1. The declara­tion of his iust iudgement: either for the declaration of his iust iudgement, by punishing his sinnes, or for the manifestation of the riches of his [Page 120]grace, 2. The mani­festation of his exceeding mercie: by pardoning his iniquities, Rom. 9.22. Neither doth God permit sinnes (as certaine men imagine) vnwil­lingly, or at least no way willing them: for this doth not agree with his omni­potencie: 3. That we might know our ovvne weaknesse, and wholly relie on his grace. but he doth so suffer them as that he doth will the suffering of them: the which is added, lest men should thinke that God suffered any thing, the which he did not will, which is impossi­ble, because omnipotent. Neither doth God willingly permit sinne in such sort as that he doth like of it in that respect that it is simplie sinne, (for his lawes are to preuent it, and his iustice takes hold vpon it) much lesse then doth he put it into their minds, or is in the least mea­sure, Author of the same: so that it fol­lowes, that his permission is voluntarie, and we sole effecters of our owne mise­rie: Psalm. 81.13. I gaue them ouer (saith the Lord) vnto the lusts of their hearts, and they walked in their owne waies: Act. 14.16. God suffered the Gentiles (saith the text) to walke in their owne waies. That this permission was in al respects voluntary, Matth. 10.29. it is plaine, in that a sparrow shall not fall on the [Page 121]top of the house without the will of our heauenly father: much lesse then shall greater matters be effected without his voluntarie permission, as that Tyrants should persecute his chosen, of which kind offsinnes Christ in that place spea­keth. Therefore since no one hath re­sisted the will of God at any time, Rom. 9.19. Tom. 3. de Tri­nit. lib. 3. cap. 4. wee may safelie conclude with Augustine, that the same is the principall cause of euery thing, as well of the substance as of the seuerall motions, nothing being done, which hath not either his com­mandement, or permission, forth of the court of the great Emperour of heauen and earth, from the riches of his grace and mercie in bestowing of rewards, or from the rule of his iustice in inflicting punishment: to which opinion of Saint Augustines, the learned of this age doe easilie agree.

That there is a difference betweene Gods willing of that which is good, Position 7 and that which is euill.

GOd is properlie said to will those things which are good, because [Page 122]he doth both approoue, and also loue them in that respect that they are good, and so doth effect them immediatelie himselfe, or mediatelie by others: But he doth condemne & hate those which are euill, much lesse doth hee approoue nad loue them, yet he doth willinglie suffer them, and that in wonderfull wis­dome, and for excellent ends. So that the difference betweene the one and the other is, in that the good is powerfully effected, the euill willinglie permitted. The first thus wrought, because of it selfe it tends to the end or dained: and secondly, is the sole things whereunto Gods will is carried. The second thus permitted, because the exceeding riches of his grace may the more redound to some, and the strictnesse of his iust iudgement more declared vpon others: both iointlie tending to his owne glory and good of his Church, Note three wonderfull things in Gods effecting of this: 1. His infinite vvisdome. 2. Povver. 3. Goodnesse. in that his po­wer, knowledge, and will concurre, to make sinnne being simplie euil, to tend vnto another end, then the nature ther­of will admit, or was in the purposes of such as did commit it, once imagined. And thus much briefely, for the diffe­rence [Page 123]betweene Gods willing of that which is good, and that which is euill.

Thus hauing touched these seuerall positions, wherein is especially shewed, first, the proper obiect of Gods wil, and secondly, in what sense hee willeth sin: now it remaines to prooue the conse­quence of all, namelie, that God is prin­cipall Efficient of all goodnesse, but ne­uer Author of sinne, as it is simplie con­sidered.

That God can by no meanes be the Au­thor of sinne, as it is simplie a trans­gression of his law.

THe truth of this position appeares, Two waies of prouing that God cannot be Author of sin: 1. By his Word. 2. By meere reason. first, from Gods word, secondlie, from meere reason. From his word af­this manner: Psalm. 5.4. Thou art not a God (saith Dauid) that louest wicked­nesse: neither shall any euill dwell with thee. As though he should say; Thou God shall free mee from Saul and his conspirators, because thou art a God which neither willest, nor any way ap­prouest of wicked dealing: Habac. 1.15. Thou art of pure eies, and canst not see e­uill: [Page 124]Thou canst not behold wickednesse. In which place the Prophet doth teach that the nature of God is such, that hee cannot abide (in contented manner,) to looke vpon sinne, or behold iniquitie in another, much lesse doth he will it him­selfe. But we will reduce the Arguments after this manner.

This is impossible that there should pro­ceede any euill, from a cause which is simplie, and absolutely good:

But God is a cause in all respects sim­plie and absolutely good:

And therefore no euill can proceede from him.

That it is impossible that there should proceed euill from a cause which is sim­plie, The proposition proued. and absolutelie good, who so wil­full, that will not conceiue it, who so blind, that cannot see it? How can that be absolutelie good, from whence pro­ceedes some euill? Wherein should an absolute good cause, differ from an e­uill cause, if euill did proceede as well from the one as the other? Whence is it called absolutely good, if it be mixed with euill? Is it because there is more goodnesse in it, then euill? then is it no [Page 125]more absolutely good, but partly good and partlie euill. Can a compound be a simple, or a colour obscured with darke, perfectlie white? No more can a cause partlie euill, bee said to bee absolutely good. Therefore being prooued that GOD is a cause absolutely good, it must needes bee that no euill can pro­ceede from him. Therefore in the next place to the proouing of this truth vn­to vs.

We call that sincere friendship, The assumpti­on proued. which is neither mixed with the gall of harred, nor coloured with the glosse of dissi­mulation. We hold that true faith, which is [...], sincere, and without diffi­mulation, and therfore shall neuer faile. These, though neuer so perfect, yet haue their imperfections, and what goodnes is in them, or in vs from them, proceeds from another: but God is goodnesse absolutely perfect, his perfection is of himselfe, his goodnesse his essence, and his essence goodnesse it self, frō whence the goodnesse of all other things pro­ceedes: he of himselfe, euery thing from him; he infinite, without time or mea­sure, we in part & for the time appoin­ted [Page 126]by him. Thus is God such a good­nesse as is perfectly absolute, and abso­lutely perfect in all things. Therefore when Moses desired of the Lord to shew him his glorie, Exod. 33.18.19. the answere was, I will make all my goodnesse goe before thee: that is, I will shew vnto thee a certaine semblance of that my goodnesse which is infinite: I will manifest my selfe gra­tious and good, so that, so farre foorth as the shallownes of thy vnderstanding will attaine vnto, thou shalt perceiue the same. Gods goodnesse, and himselfe are all one: It is no idle qualitie, where­by hee is good onely vnto himselfe, but his goodnesse is such as doth continual­ly by sundrie and infinite meanes, com­municate it selfe vnto others. Vpon this ground Dauid excites vnto thankful­nes, Psal. 117.22.saying, Praise ye the Lord all ye na­tions. All yee people praise him: for his lo­uing kindnes is great toward vs, the truth of the Lord endureth for euer: that is, the restimonies of his fatherly grace and goodnesse neuer haue end. Where the heauēly Prophet describeth no idle goodnesse, but such a one as is euer ta­king pitie, euer working for the best, [Page 127]euer doing good: and therefore hauing his minde busied with this considera­tion, and his heart full fraught with the sense of what his minde did meditate, he breakes foorth into a most thankfull admiration, The earth, O Lord, is full of thy goodnesse. So that God is not such a goodnesse as sometimes ceaseth, but euer worketh that which is good, and is neuer wearied in his weldoing. But what needes long proose? since God and his goodnesse are all one, it must needes be that himselfe being infinite, his goodnesse is infinite, and therefore extends vnto all; and so impossible is it that himselfe should not be himselfe, as it is possible for euil to proceed from his goodnesse which is himselfe: for such as is the fountaine, such are the streames that flow from it.

God hath left a certaine impression of this his goodnesse in his workes of creation. And therefore Moses saith, that all things which God had made were very good. If the goodnesse of the creatures was such, how great is the goodnesse of the Creator? The blasphemy of Marcion confuted. Most blas­phemously therefore did Marcion af­firme, [Page 128]that God which created heauen and earth was not a good God. If he is not good, how should he create so ma­ny good things? Nay, if his goodnesse was not infinite, how could the earth, which our sinnes had caused to bring foorth nothing but brambles, yeeld so many diuers and excellent fruites? This wonderfull goodnesse of God, is most euidently seene in his worke of main­taining, gouerning, and blessing all things, which we call his diuine Proui­dence. Is not he good which maintai­neth, gouerneth and blesseth the world with euery particular therein contai­ned? Is not hee good, which giues life, motion and being? Hee which beauti­fies the heauens with the starres, the day with the Sunne, the night with the Moone; he, whose Spirit, by the vertue of the Sun, the operation of the Moone, the influence of the starres, the motions of the heauens, giues life vnto al things? Who made Marcion of such corrup­tible matter to be an excellent creature? who gaue him a diuine minde, an vn­derstāding soule, with other admirable gifts of nature? O blind and vnnaturall [Page 129]man, that could not see, or durst denie him to be good, of whom hee himselfe had receiued so many good things! this goodnes of God is so much more manifest, in that he neuer ceaseth to do good vnto his enemies; of which sort was Marcion and others as yet (I feare mee) innumerable, who resisting this goodnesse of God by their open wic­kednesse, recompence his long suffe­ring with carnall securitie, turne his blessings into wantonnes, and harden their hearts at his deferring of iudge­ments: which men neuer thinke that his mercies are to worke a louing obe­dience, his iudgements to cause a god­ly feare, and that his long patience ex­pects a repentant reformation. God could destroy these men in a moment, Deferendo, non auferendo: modò non poe­niteant. yet he doth not: he could inflict present punishment for their sinnes, yet he de­ferres it: hee could shew the tokens of his furie and wrath, as vpon Sodome and Gomorrha: but his mercie breeds delaies. Why so? because it reioyceth a­gainst iudgement, testifying his good­nesse exceeds our iniquities. This is that goodnesse which Christ perswades to [Page 130]imitate as neere as wee may, saying, Be ye perfect as your heauenly Father is per­fect; who suffers the Sunne to shine, and the raine to fall both on the good and the bad.

But this goodnesse of God is seene in nothing so much, Ephes. 2.4.5. as in the manife­station thereof to his Church. Therein consists infinite and perfect goodnesse: hence it is that hee calles it home when it wandred, gathers it when it was dis­persed, awakes it when it was in the slumber of sinne, Rom. 5. reuiues it being dead in transgressions, yea redeemes it being vtterly lost, 1. Pet. 1. not with corruptible things as filuer, gold, and such like, but with the most pure and precious blood of his deare and onely begotten Sonne. And now thus called home, keepes it to the Shepheard of the flocke and Bishop of their soules; thus gathered, preserues it louingly vnder the wings of his mer­cie; thus a wakened, still sounds by the trumpet of his word that it should not be lulled asleep in the cradle of securi­ty; Rom. 10. thus reuiued, giues still life vnto it by the power of his Spirit: and thus of the exceeding riches of his grace and mer­cie [Page 131]hath deliuered vs from the captiui­tie of error, sinne, Satan, corruption and eternall destruction; and so by the same word and Spirit, Rom. 8. conducts vs thorough the boisterous seas of this troublesome world, vntill hee hath brought vs to his hauen of euerlasting rest and blessed­nesse. O the wonderfull and incompre­hensible goodnes of this our most gra­tious God and mercifull Father!

The Arguments drawne from rea­son, Arguments drawne from reason, to proue God such an absolute Good­nes, from whom proceeds no euil. whereby those which are vnreaso­nable, may be farther conuinced, are ve­ry many. The Philosophers defining that which we call, Good, say, Bonum est quod omnia expetunt: That is good, which all doe desire. But all desire God, Reas. 1 and are by a certain affection carried vnto him; as vnto one in whom all perfection doth consist, and from whom all good­nesse proceedes, (for euery one desires his perfection, and longeth in a certain manner after the chiefe good, which all conclude to bee in God, though some hauing their vnderstandings darkened; and the vaile of ignorance as yet before their eyes, framed vnto themselues an vnknowne God, and so could not at­tain [Page 132]y ^e goodnes they hoped for frō him) & therfore God is an absolute goodns.

Reas. 2 Their second reason is taken from the nature of that which is good, after this manner: The propertie of that which is good, is to extend and com­municate it selfe. And by how much the better it is, so much the more doth it participate vnto others: for thereby do men know and say that it is good. The Sunne is therefore more excellent then the rest of the starres, because it is more beneficiall in extending his light and vertue. The like wee may see in other Gods creatures, and especially in man: the more hee loueth, the more he exer­ciseth the duties which loue requireth: the more righteous hee is, the more hee executeth iustice and iudgement: the wiser hee is, the better hee disposeth of seuerall matters: the more mercifull he is, the more he visits the sicke, feeds the hungrie, cloathes the naked, relieues the oppressed, and shewes compassion with cheerfulnes, and so in other things par­ticularly: to which tendeth that hea­uenly saying of Christ: It is a better thing to giue then to receiue. Now if the [Page 133]goodnesse of creatures is so much the better, by how much the more they communicate vnto others, then the Creator himselfe who communicates all vnto all, must needs be goodnesse it selfe: that is, one from whom procee­deth no iniquitie.

Reas. 3 Their third reason is taken from Gods absolute perfection. There is nothing wanting in him, nothing to bee more desired: therefore hee is perfect good­nesse. Wee say that vertue makes the owner good, and his works good: for the vertue of euery thing, is the perfe­ction of that thing: Therefore since God is absolutelie perfect, it must needs follow, that hee is also perfectlie good. Neither is hee so fitly said to bee good, as he is properly said to be goodnesse it selfe: that is, of himselfe good, and of his owne essence perfect goodnes: for he receiues not his perfection from anie other: neither is it added to his diuine essence as an accident, for then it should follow, that hee should be good by the participation of another goodnesse, which is impossible. First, because, if Gods essence and goodnesse bee two [Page 134]distinct things, then he should not bee simple, but subiect to composition. Se­condlie, if he was not of himselfe per­fectlie and essentiallie good, then hee should be good by the participation of another goodnesse, which is good of it selfe: and therefore should not be eter­nall, because hee should haue another goodnesse before him. For that thing which is good of it selfe, is in nature and order before that which it doth partici­pate his goodnesse vnto. But God is a most simple and eternall goodnesse, ab­solutelie perfect, and therefore of him­selfe essentially good: so that this abso­lute perfection is proper to the Deitie only, in regard of which, al other things are meerely imperfect. The water made warme by y ^e fire, is imperfectly warme, because it receiues heate from another: so the goodnesse of all other creatures is imperfect, because whatsoeuer sparke of goodnes they haue, they receiue it from God. So that the most righteous, is imperfectlie iust, the most prudent, imperfectly wise, because both the righ­teousnesse of the one, and wisdome of the other, are iointlie receiued from [Page 135]God, who is wisdome and holinesse it selfe. Yea, what is the righteousnesse of the most holie, and wisedome of the most wise, being compared with God? Surelie filthie pollution, and palpable follie in his sight. As impossible there­fore as it is for God not to be God, or being God to lose the properties belō ­ging to the Godhead; so impossible is it for God being of himselfe, an essenti­all, absolute and perfect Goodnes, to doe any thing which should not bee good, that is, simplie a sinne and trans­gression of his law. Hony, in that respect that it is honie, hath neither sowernesse nor bitternesse in it: The Sunne of the owne nature is light, and therefore can­not admit of darkenesse: The good tree by his natural vertue, yeelds forth good fruits, and the bad, those which are e­uill. If these creatures by the ordinance of God, cannot in their natures admit of contraries, how much lesse can the Crea­tor, that most perfect sweetenesse, most glorious light, most blessed tree of life, admit of the gall of sinne, effect the works of darkenesse, or yeeld the bitter fruits of lust and concupiscence? There­fore [Page 136]as Iohn saith: 1. Ioh. 1.4. God is light, and in him is no darkenesse: so wee conclude, God is a perfect goodnesse, and in him is no iniquitie.

Reas. 4 Fourthly, euery Agent worketh an effect like vnto himselfe, much lesse, contrarie to himselfe. Psalm. 1. The godly man sits not in the chaire of the scorners, nor walkes in the waies of the wicked, but his delight in the law of the Lord, and therein doth exercise himselfe day and night: The wicked on the contrarie, re­iect Gods lawes, and effect the works of darknesse, and herein they take plea­sure and delight, as the fish to bathe in the sea: If these are carried this way, or that way, according to their seuerall conditions, how can God bee mooued to any other then to good, being a most perfect essentiall good­nesse?

Reas. 5 Fiftlie, he which knoweth euil, as it is euil, & doth no way conceiue of it to be good, that mā doth not at any time will that euill: for the wil is naturallie caried to that which is good, and when it wils the contrarie, it is from the corruption of the naturall instinct of willing, and [Page 137]because man is deceiued, through his corrupted nature, and by the false shew set thereon by Satan, to take that for good which indeede is euill. Yea to those whose consciences tell them they refuse the good, and chuse the euil, euen to them, doth the good for that instant seeme lesse beneficiall, and the euill more cōmodious & pleasing. But God being an absolute pure goodnesse, can will nothing corruptlie: he knoweth e­uill in al respects, it cannot deceiue him: he is not deluded with a false shew, to whom all things are apparent: the out­ward painting hides not the inward cor­ruption from him, to whom all things are naked: the nature of his owne ef­fects cannot deceiue him, to whom the verie secrets of all mens hearts are eui­dent: Satan may leade the blind awrie, but hee cannot seduce the Al-seeing: though his first assault ouercame Adam and Eue, yet many attempts could not preuaile against Christ. Therefore if good be the proper obiect of the will in the corrupted creature, how much more doth the pure Creator, the Al-see­ing God, will only that which is good?

Reas. 6 Sixtlie, those things which God wil­leth, those he both liketh and loueth: for it is the propertie of the will to bee caried with a certaine affection vnto that which it doth will. But God doth no way affect sinne, but both hateth and condemneth it: Psal. 44. Thou Lord hast hated iniquitie, and loued righteous­nesse. And Zacharie, after he had per­swaded the people to eschue sin, addes the reason wherfore they should obey, namely. For these are the things which the Lord of Armies hath hated. And therefore the will being carried with a certen affectiō to the thing willed, how can God, hating sinne and iniquitie, meerely will the same?

Reas. 7 Seuenthly, if God was the effecter of sinne in his owne person, or did worke it by others, then hee would not vse meanes for the preuenting thereof, for therein he should crosse his own works. But hitherto tend all his works of crea­tion, the whole Law and the Gospell, namely, vnto obedience vnto God, and auoiding of sinne: and for this purpose, (as Iohn saith) that he might take away the sinnes of the world, and destroy the [Page 139]workes of the diuell, Ioh. 1.30. 1. Ioh. 3.6. he gaue the grea­test price, euen his only begotten Son, that which was most neere and deare vnto him. Now what wisdome can we hold it, to labour continually to pre­uent that which wee purpose conti­nually to effect: and why should wee doe that, for which wee would giue the greatest price to haue it abolished? Since wee hold this to bee follie in our selues, how dare wee impute it to God, being wisedome it selfe?

Reas. 8 Eighty, euery sinne is committed, ei­ther by leauing that vndone, which ought to bee done: or by doing that which ought not to be done. Sinnes are ei­ther of omnissiō, or commission. But God is tied to neither of these: and therfore can faile in neither. If hee should bee bound to any thing, how should hee be ruler of all things? for to be bound to a thing, and yet to haue authoritie ouer that thing, agrees not with reason. Now since all of vs acknowledge God to bee Almightie, which is to rule al, and haue authoritie ouer all, we must needs con­fesse he is not tied to any law, and ther­fore cannot offend against the law.

Reas. 9 Ninthly, euery sinne is properly a sin [Page 140]from the next cause of the same, and not from another cause further remoued. A tree blowne down by the winde, is cal­led a windfall, as attributing the cause of the fall vnto the winds, and not vnto the heauens, which drew vp the vapors, whereby the winds were caused. When a man is scald with hot water, it is called a scalding, as attributing the cause to the water, and not a burning, as hauing relation to the fire, by whose vertue the water was heated. As these effects are properlie imputed to their next causes, so is sinne vnto vs, and not vnto God, being the cause farthest remooued in our actions, whereunto our sinnes are ioyned. Though the diuell was the set­ter, deciuer, and instigator in the sinne of eating the forbidden fruit, yet the transgression was properlie Adams, else how could Gods iustice haue taken hold vpon him, and his whole posteri­tie for the same?

Reas. 10 Tenthly, what God punisheth in all, that he cannot in iustice effect in any: Either in the person of Christ, or on these which commit it.

But God punisheth sinne in all:

And therefore being Iustice, cannot effect it in any.

Reas. 11 The eleuenth reason: If God bee the author of sinne, it must needs be as hee doth either foreknow it, decree it, or will it.

But God cannot be the author of sin any of these waies.

And therefore not at all.

The former part of the Argument is euident. It remaines to proceed to the proofe of the latter part. Touching the first, namely, that Gods foreknowledge cannot be the cause of sinne: God is said ei­ther to know things, or to foreknow them. we must note, that God is said either to know things, or to foreknow them: betweene his knowledge & foreknowledge, there is this difference. The difference betweene Gods knowledge, and foreknowledge. Knowledge is general of all things both done, and to be done; but his foreknowledge is restrained to things that are to be done hereafter. Se­condly, Gods knowledge extends to that within himselfe, as well as to that without himselfe; but his foreknow­ledge is onely of outward things, and cannot be said to be of any thing with­in himselfe: because whatsoeuer is in God, is his essence, which being from euerlasting, in reason he cannot be said to foreknow the same.

We must further obserue, Knowledge is either contem­platiue, or actiue. that this his knowledge is to be considered two waies. The one absolutely and simplie, as it is only in himselfe; the other secun­dùm quid, respectiuely, as whē an Artifi­cer maketh that, whose maner & forme he doth foreknow. The former is a con­templatiue knowledge, that is, a know­ledge without practise or effecting the thing foreknowne. The latter is an actiue knowledge, that is, a knowledge ioyned with practise, or a working the thing foreknowne. Contemplatiue knovvledge no cause of sinne. Out of which diui­sion, this Argument ariseth: If Gods knowledge is the cause of sinne, it is ei­ther as it is contemplatiue, or actiue: But it is not a cause of sinne either of these waies: And therefore not at all.

That Gods bare foreknowing a thing will come to passe, Gods foreknow­ledge cannot be a cause of sin. cannot be the cause of the thing foreknowne; it ap­peares: first, by the naturall signification of Theorica, contemplatiue, which is a meere conceiuing and vnderstanding of a thing, without any working vp­on that thing, for then it should cease to bee contemplatiue, and should be­come actiue. Secondly, the vnderstan­ding, [Page 143]as it is in it selfe considered, can­not properly be said to work any thing, for it is proper to the vnderstanding to cōcciue of those things which are with­out, and it is peculiar to the will, to bee moued from the vnderstanding, to the working of those things, which the vn­derstanding conceiueth. Now know­ledge doth belong to the vnderstan­ding, and not to the will; therefore of it selfe cannot worke any thing outward­lie: and if it worke nothing, it cannot be the cause of any thing, Causa enim est cuius vires est: For that is the cause of a thing, by whose force or vertue that thing is effected. The Physition knowes his patient will die shortly: Simile. The Car­penter knowes his neighbours house will fall quicklie: the Mariner knowes a leake not stopt in a passengers ship, will drowne him presentlie. Is therfore the Physitiō the cause of his patients death: the Carpenter the cause of the fall of his Neighbours house; or the Marriner the cause of the sinking of the Passengers ship? Surely no: Therefore wee con­clude that Gods foreknowing of sins, cannot be a cause of them.

Secondly, Gods actiue knovvledge cannot be a cause of sinne. actiue knowledge cannot be a cause of sinne: for it is not simple, but is ioyned with the will: neither doth knowledge work vpon outward things, but the will onlie. Simile. A Shipwright from his knowledge prescribes the forme of a ship, and directs the way of making it: but his will going with his know­ledge is actiue, and only worketh in the same: because it is from his will that he worketh himselfe, and from thence al­so that hee commandeth others; for a man doth not make a ship, because hee knowes the way of framing it, but be­cause he desires and willes a ship, there­fore he labours to haue it. Indeed with God there is neither time past nor to come, yet by y ^t order which we see he hath set downe in the course of things, which is vsually called a naturall order, we may say, y ^t knowledge goeth before the wil, and the wil before the effecting of the worke; for we worke nothing but that which we first will, neither will wee any thing properlie, but that which our vnderstanding doth first conceiue, and our iudgement approoue. Now I hold it lawfull by the consideration of this [Page 145]naturall course infused into the crea­tures, Though not strictly in all, yet in this vve now entreats of. to ascend vnto the knowledge of the diuine order of working in y ^e Crea­tor, and so in humilitie to reason from things naturall to supernaturall. And this seemes Paul to warrant, when hee saith: Rom. 1.20. The inuisible things of God, that is, his eternall power and his Godhead, are seene by the creation of the world: the heauens declaring the glorie of God, and the earth shewing his handiworke. Therfore it is certaine that Gods know­ledge is not a cause of any thing, but that his knowledge and wil conioyned, effect all things. Wherefore wee con­clude this truth with Augustine: Lib. 7. de Ani­ma. Deus nos peccatores pranoscit, non facit: God foreknowes we will sinne, but makes vs not sinne: according to that of Hierome: Non ideò peccauit Adamus quia Deus hoc futurum nouerat, sedpraesciuit Deus, Dial. 3. aduer­sus Pelag. quasi deus, quidille erat propria voluntate facturus: Adam did not therefore sin be­cause Godknew hee would sinne: but God, as he was God, did know what Adam of his owne will and accord was about to do. And thus much for the proouing that Gods knowledge cannot properly bee the [Page 146]cause of any thing. I come to the second.

Before I enter the prouing that Gods decree cannot be the cause of sinne, Gods decree is not a cause of sinne. we must obserue that it is to be considered two waies: Gods decree considered two waies. First, as it is in himselfe be­fore all beginnings, not manifested vn­to any: secondly, as it is put in execu­tion, and so made apparent to others. The former is called an Act of decree­ing within himselfe, the latter, the exe­cution of this decree effected without himselfe. Ephes. 1.4. The first is that whereby God hath necessarilie, yet freelie from all e­ternitie decreed all things: the second is an Action of God, by which al things in their appointed time are so accom­plished, as in his heauenly wisdome, they were foreknowne and in his eter­nall counsell decreed. Now Gods de­cree considered either of these waies, cānot be an absolute cause of any actiō, but only so far forth as God hath willed that action. True it is, that God willeth not any thing but that which in great wisdome he had decreed: yet he cannot so properlie be said to be y ^e cause of any thing in that he decreed it, as in that re­spect [Page 147]that he willed it, because his will effecteth what his decree appointeth: whence this argument ariseth:

If Gods will is not a cause of any sinne, then much lesse his decree:

But Gods will is not at any time a cause of sinne:

And therefore not his decree.

Of the proposition there is no questi­on. Gods vvill is not a cause of sinne. It resteth to prooue the assumpti­on: being the third and last part of the disiunction.

The will of God, Rom. 8.19. Ephes. 1. Gods vvill is either efficiēt, commanding, or permissiue. being that where­by he most freely and powerfully wil­leth all things, and that with one and the same Act of willing, is distinguished into efficient, commanding, and per­missiue. 1. Efficient. His efficient will is that where­by hee either worketh absolutelie of himselfe without the meanes of any o­ther; or if by others, yet so as that they doe not properlie worke, but God in and by them. 2. Commāding. His commanding will is that, whereby he worketh by comman­ding and setting of others to worke. 3. Permissiue. His permissiue will is that whereby he doth willinglie suffer sin to bee committed for the manifestation of his iustice and [Page 148]glorie. The two former waies doe so comprehend Gods working, as that (the thing being effected according to the manner and end prescribed,) he is made the principall cause and author thereof. But his latter way of willing, namely, his voluntarie suffering, can by no meanes make him the cause of the euill he doth so permit. But all is redu­ced after this manner:

If Gods will is the cause of any sinne, then it is either as he doth effect it him­selfe, command others to commit it, or because he doth willinglie suffer it:

But Gods will is not a cause of sinne any of these waies:

And therefore not at all.

Touching the former two, because from a cause simplie good cannot pro­ceede any euill, neither can he which is Iustice it selfe, punish that in another which hee commandeth that partie to commit; by reason of these and many moe alreadie alleaged, there is no doubt to be made of them. The question is a­bout the third, namely Gods voluntary suffering of sin, which although I haue prooued that it cannot be a cause of the [Page 149]thing so suffered; yet because the ad­uersaries of this truth doe draw most of their arguments from hence, Satan cunningly raising many doubts of his goodnes, who indeed is an infinit good­nesse in, and of himselfe, and is also infi­nitelie good and gratious vnto others, I will by way of confirming the latter part of this Argument, stand somewhat more vpon opening this truth vnto vs. What Gods permissiue will is, I haue shewed immediatelie before. The foun­taine from which it proceeds is his fore­knowledge, as that from which all his actions, ( quoad extra, as Diuines call them) which are effected without him, haue their beginning: and is thus di­stinguished, either it is absolute and simple, Permission is either simple or respectiue. as the suffering of Adam to eate the forbidden fruit, or it is respectiue and hath regard and consideration to the parties suffered. God determining thereby to keepe his law of iustice vn­spotted, and yet to giue a generall rule to all Magistrates how to vse a wise mo­deration. As when God permitted the Israelites to sell their children into bon­dage, and Moses for the hardnesse of [Page 150]the peoples hearts granted a bill of di­uorcement, Matth. 19.8. though from the beginning it was not so.

Touching this permission thus con­sidered, Jn God per­mitting of sin, foure things to be obserued. these things are to be obserued: First, 1 that Gods suffering of sinne is vo­luntarie: for being almightie, he cannot be constrained to any thing. Secondly, 2 that this suffering, is for a set purpose and end agreeing with his iustice and glorie: as that the exceeding riches of his grace and mercie might more ap­peare in sauing the elect, and his iustice and power be more euidēt in condem­ning the wicked. Thirdly, 3 that this per­mission is not idle, proceeding either of negligence, inabilitie, or ignorance, (common causes of mans permitting) but is from the determinate counsell of God, knowing, and decreeing a volun­tarie suffering. Lastly, that this permis­sion is with a limitation of the natures of sins, of their number, with the times, places and persons committing them. So that men are often restrained in their wicked purposes, neither can the diuell preuaile alwaies in what he most desi­reth, no not with the most wicked, [Page 151]much lesse with the vnregenerate in the secret counsell of God elected to eter­nall glorie, though not as yet called home to Christ Iesus the Shepheard of the flocke and Bishop of our soules. For if Gods diuine power and rich grace, should not concurre in this, then (alas) men should neuer cease sinning, yea then their least transgressions should be peccata clamantia, crying sinnes, sinnes of presumption, blasphemies & sins a­gainst the holy Ghost; that so the com­mitters might perish finally. Whereto then should serue the gratious promi­ses of God in Christ Iesus vpon true re­pentance by a liuely faith apprehen­ded? Alas to no end: Ephes. 2.2.3. for without the barres of Gods grace and mightie po­wer, wee inclining, the world alluring, and Satan continually tempting; how should we eschew that great & seareful sinne, for which the grace of repentance is neuer granted? If this was not true euen in the wicked, most lamentable miserie should befall all true hearted Christians. We haue experience of the truth of this doctrine in the most grie­uous persecutions of the Church of [Page 152]Christ, and especially in that most fear­full conspiracie and infernall treason, deuised, plotted, and prosecuted by that Antichristian sect and diuell incarriate Papists, against the Church of Christ, his chiese Anointed, and all other the most religious, wise, and honourable Peeres of this Common-wealth, whom, had not the hand of the Lord (of his espe­ciall grace to the Nursefathers of his Church) miraculously deliuered, they, (cursed be the soules that shall once in­tend it) as innocent lambes had been deliuered to y ^e bloodie slaughter-house of diuellish Tyrants, the walles of our Hierusalem had been broken downe, the honour of our Sion laid in the dust, yea, the many Pillars and sole Maintai­ners of our welfare being taken away, (farre be it from vs O Lord: for this is most fearefull to thinke of, how fearfull then O Lord to endure it?) we thewhole bodies of his Highnes dominions had come to a most lamentable subuersion and ouerthrow. A comfortable instance of Gods reslray­uing the sinnes of the wicked. But (to the euerlasting praise of our most gratious God bee it spoken) they haue digged a pit, and haue fallen into the middest of it them­selues: [Page 153]the Lord of the riches of his mer­cie hath broken their nets, & our soules are deliuered from the bloodie hands of these infernall, insatiate fowlers. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse, Psalm. 107. and declare the won­ders hee hath wrought for the children of men! Surely the policie of man pre­uented it not: they stood affected to vs, (and holding the grounds of their pro­fession will alwaies so stand) euen as Sa­tan vnto Iob, Iob 1. desiring (if the Lord would permit) to plague both soules and bo­dies: yet as the Lord said, he would not suffer Abimelech to sinne against him, Genes. 10.6. by comming neere vertuous Sarah; so let vs al with one hart & voice confesse, that our mercifull God would not suf­fer these diuellish Papists to proceed to the height of their hortible sinnes, by comming neerer his Anointed, and ho­norable chosen ones, to extinguish the blessed light of Christs Gospel, and that admired happines, which by their most religious, iust, wise, and careful gouern­ment, we haue enioyed amongst vs.

Further, In euery per­mission, two A­gents. it is to bee obserued, that in euery permission there are two Agents: [Page 154]the person permitting, and the person permitted. The former hath power to hinder, & whē he pleaseth doth vse the same. The latter hath an abilitie of wor­king, and when hee is permitted, doth put the same in execution. In both of these there is a voluntarie action, as wel in the suffered, as in the suffer: but herein is the difference, the action of his will which suffereth is only inward, and worketh nothing in him whom it suf­fereth: the partie suffered worketh of his owne proper will, his end of wor­king being not preuented, nor his meanes of accomplishing hindred by the other: so that although in both of these there is a voluntarie action, yet one of them onely is author of the fact: And by consequence, God onely suffe­ring, and we wholly executing, hee is most pure and holy, and we only guiltie of our sinnes committed. For although, as Augustine saith, Nothing is done in the world which the Lord would not to be done, Enchir. cap. 95. Vel ipse faciendo, vel voluntariè sinendo, either by doing it himselfe, or by a willing suffering of it to be done, yet he is altogether free from the guilt [Page 155]of the transgression, though for the ma­nifestation of his iuflice and glorie, he doth suffer the same. Simile. Admit there is a gappe open into my neighbours Orch­yard, I see it, (yet not bound to stop it) leaue it open; if afterward another mans cartell go in and spoile the fruits, shall I bee liable to the trespasse? surely noe. The Lord sees there is a gap broken in­to his vineyard, by our fall in Adam: The heresie of the Secentians Aug. de hares. and of Florinus and Blastus, (Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 13. & 28.) teaching the contrarie, is ve­rie damnable. he sees wee will play the wilde bores, breake downe his vines, spoile his Church, persecute his holy ones, and so both injury him and his: If therefore he makes not a stay by his holy Spirit, changeth not our minds, alters not our affections, nor preuents our purposes, and thereupon we worke all this villany against his Diuine Maiestie; is he there­fore a trespasser in his owne wrong? It cannot be: for hee doth not the hurt in his owne person, nor is any way tied to preuent it in others: which being gran­ted, hee can no waies bee blamed for what we commit.

Quest. 1 But some not contented with this, demaund why God doth suffer the sin, which he could so easily hinder?

Ans. Paul answeres: In that he suffers with long patiēce the vessels of wrath prepa­red to destructiō, Rom. 9.22.23 it is to shew his wrath, De pradest. l. 1. and make his power knowne ouer the wicked; and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie. In which (as Augustine saith) the Lord doth well, for he doth not suf­fer sinne, but by his iust iudgement, and whatsoeuer is iust is good. For al­though sinnes are not good, in that re­spect that they are simplie sinnes: yet it is good that there should be sinnes, o­therwise God (to whom it is as easie to hinder euill from being done, as when it is done, to cause good to arise from the same) would neuer haue suffered it to be committed: Fulgentius. for how can we ima­gine that he who is goodnesse it selfe, and also Al-omnipotent, Ierem. 23. wuld suffer a­ny euill to be done, vnlesse by that euill hee effected some good? Clemens Alex­andrinus. the sins of the reprobate declare his iust iustice and iudgement, vpon the vessels of repro­bation; the fallings of the godly, his ex­ceeding riches of grace vpon the ves­sels of mercie. Rom. 9.17.32.33. And thus in the depth of his wisdome hee hath shut vp all vnder [Page 157]sinne, Gal. 3.22. Rom. 11.31. that his iustice and mercie might appeare vnto all men. Secondly, note, that before this suffering of sinne, there doth euer go an offering of mercie, to preuent the sinne: so that if we are not staid frō our iniquities, the cause is not the want of Gods mercy, in not offering grace, but in the hardnes of our hearts, in not receiuing it when it is offered. And therefore saith Augustine, Augustine. Non ideò non habet homo gratiam, quia Deus non dat, sed quia homo non accipit: Men want the grace of God to keepe them from sinne, not because God doth not offer it, but because when it is offered, they haue not harts to receiue it. Christ is the way to the wanderer, but he see­keth by-pathes, & will not follow him: A light to them in darknesse, but they winke with their eyes and will not be­hold him: An inuiter to his blessed Sup­per, Luk. 14.24. Ioh. 6.35. but men wil not taste it: He knocks at the doores of our hearts, but we will not let him enter: He brings the bread of life, but we will needs starue in our sinnes: Prou. 1. He makes proclamation that all may freely haue it, yet men must bee drawne or none will receiue it: Per to­tum [Page 158]vbique iacet agrotus: Aug. in Matth. 9.11. Euery soule is sicke of sinne, ideoque magnus de coe­lo venit Medicus, and therefore that great and gratious Physition is come from heauen to cure vs: hee seekes vnto vs, knockes at our doores and of­fers his heauenly potions, imò pharmaca benedicta, immensique valoris, yea bles­sed potions, and of an exceeding great value: Simile. but such are our waiward na­tures, such our affections meere repug­nant to that which is good, that we will not be healed. So that, meritò perit aegro­tus qui medicum vlerò venientem respuit, the sicke patient doth deseruedly pe­rish, which peruersly refuseth the good Physition when hee willingly offers his helpe vnto him. Musculus. The lame in the ditch doth wilfully perish, whilest hee reiects his neighbours hand when it is offered vnto him: so if men darkened in their vnderstandings, and hauing the vaile of ignorance as yet before their eyes, doe tread the paths of sinne till they stumble at the threshold of hell, and so fall into the pit of eternall destruction; the cause is not the want of Gods gracy y ^t would not enlighten them, but their wilfull [Page 159]blindnes that would not be enlightned. Ioh. 3.19. For herein is their condemnation, in that (as S. Iohn saith) that light is come in­to the world: but men loue darknes more then light, because their deeds are enill.

Quest. 2 Others demaund, why God gaue m a nature mutable and subiect to sin­ning.

Ans. To these lunius answers, that it may as well be demanded, why hee made him not God; because immutabilitie is proper to the Deitie onely: neither is it (in the iudgement of the learned) as praise worthie to haue a nature not sub­iect to temptation, as hauing a nature subiect vnto it, to resist the same when we are tempted.

Thus it is euident that God can by no meanes be the Author of sinne, Delapsu Ada­mi. nei­ther because hee foreknowes it, Si diabolus se­ductionis pote­statem non ac­cepisset, home probationis mercedem non accepisset. Chrysost. Oper. impers. homil. 55. decrees it, willingly suffers it, or made man by nature subiect to commit it. It rests in the next place to shew, first, that Satan and our selues are the causes of the sins we commit. Secondly, that although in euery of our actiōs there are three cau­des, and that euery of these worke that which is good, 1 2 yet notwithstanding [Page 160]the action may bee euill, and that this euill proceedes from our selues. 3 Third­ly, that two things must be obserued to make our actions pleasing to God, and that a failing in either makes them abo­minable.

That Satan and our selues are the sole causes of the sinnes we commit.

1 FIrst, touching Satan, that he is primi­tiuus peccator, Ioh. 6. the first and originall offender, from whom sinne flowing as out of a maine sea, conueieth it selfe in­to the whole posteritie of all mankind, the Scriptures are very copious in pro­uing the same. Ioh. 8.44. When the diuell spea­keth a lie (saith Iohn) then speaketh he of his own, for he is a lier and the father thereof. 1. Ioh. 3.8. So that hee which committeth sinne, is of the diuell, because the diuell sinneth from the beginning. To this end therfore is the Sonne of man made manifest, that hee might dissolue the workes of the diuell. 2 Secondly, man is the cause of sinne: for after that it was conucied from Satan into Adam, Maxey in his golden chaine. in him it ariseth as out of a spring, from [Page 161]this spring it is reserued in nature as in a conduit, Rom. 5.12. from nature conueied to con­cupiscence as by a pipe, which working in our corrupted natures, causeth sinne and iniquitie to bee effected: so that now, because euery action hath his qua­litie from the roote of the affection, and from the intention of the next author, therefore is sinne properly attributed vnto our selues, as the causes thereof. And therefore the Lord for the disobe­dience of his people Israel in not hear­kening vnto him, saith that hee gaue them vp vnto their owne hearts lusts, Psalm. 81. Genes. 6.5. and they walked in their own waies. And what are these waies of men? Surely to haue all the thoughts of their hearts set vpon wickednes at all times: Genes. 8.21. To be in­clined to cuil from our youth: Iob 15.16. To drink in iniquitie as it were water: To loue darknesse more then light: Tit. 3.3. To bee vn­wise, disobedient, deceiued, seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures, 1. Cor. 6.11. liuing in ma­litiousnesse and enuie, hatefull, and ha­ting one another. Rom. 3.4. Rom. 8.7. So that the wisedome of our flesh is emnitie to God: for it is not subiect to the law of God, neither indeede can be. Hence it is that euerie [Page 162]man is tempted to euill of his own con­cupiscence: Iam. 1.14. that Pharaoh hardens his owne heart: Genes. 8.16. that Israel, and not the Lord, Ierem. 5.3. Hos. 13.9. make their faces harder thē brasse: that what helpe they haue is from the Lord, but their destruction from them­selues: for, Deus est prior in amore; God first offers grace, Matth. 23.37. Luk. 13.34. he would gather them vnder the wings of his mercie: but in that they are not gathered, it is because themselues would not. Therfore I con­clude this truth with Paul, In that men are the children of wrath, it is from their corrupted natures: for in that they transgresse Gods lawes, they are moued and ruled therein by the Prince of the aire, Ephes. 2.2.3.4. yet so as that they follow y ^e course of the world, and are led by the lusts of their owne flesh, which carrie them as directly in the paths of sinne, as it is na­turall to the birds to flie in the aire, and to the fishes to swimme in the seas. And thus it is manifest, that sinne is iustly at­tributed wholly to Satan & our selues: to him, as the originall and mouer: to vs, as naturally and desirously effecting, what we are moued vnto: for hee pro­pounds a deceiueable price, posteáque [Page 163]currentibus velocitatem addit, and after­ward helpes vs forward in the race of sinne, wherein we are running as fast as we may. The second point followeth.

That although in euery of our actions there are three causes, and that eue­rie of these worke that which is good, yet that it is from our selues, that our actions are euill.

THat it may appeare how farre forth God worketh in euery of our acti­ons, and wherein the committing of sin doth consist, I hold the handling of this point very needfull. Touching the first part, Three causes of euery Action. (which may bee propounded by way of obiection against the truth of the former position) we acknowledge it a certaine truth, that of euery of our actions there are three causes: the first, God; the second, common nature; the third, our will. The first cause is of him­selfe: the second and the third proceed from the first, God working by them, [...]nd they by a certain vertue & strength [...]eceiued from him. The first, being an [...]bsolute good cause, must needs worke [Page 164]only y ^e which is good both in heauē and earth. The second (considered as it pro­ceeds frō the first, namely, God working by it, & it by a vertue receiued frō God) is also good, and so worketh naturallie in it selfe, and in the parties vnder the same contained. The third cause, name­lie, our will, considered as the second, workes of the one nature (as I haue al­readie prooued) that which is good: for Paul saith, Rom. 2.14. The Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by nature the things contai­ned in the Law. So that it is truth, that these are the causes of euery action, Obiect. and that these causes worke that which is good, Ephes. 2.3. Rom. 3.4. and yet notwithstanding that we are by nature the children of wrath, the wisdome of the flesh being enmitie to God. Solution. Mans estate to be considered tvvo vvaies. Natural is two­fold. For the vnderstanding of this, we must know that mans estate is to be considered two waies. First, as it was in Paradise, pure and holie. Secondlie, as it is since our fall, wicked and sinfull: so that naturall, 1 is now twofold, vel inna­tum, vel agnatum: either borne in vs, as naturally proceeding from common nature; Common na­ture good. or else borne with vs ouer and aboue nature: the first is good, being [Page 165]that which God created. 2 The second euill, because it is a corruption and wic­ked inclination added vnto nature by the fall of Adam, The corruption of nature euill. How corrupti­on is become naturall. Hovv our acti­ons are good: Hovv euill. which by reason of the generall infection of euery part, and impossibilitie to haue it remooued, is now become in vs as naturall as the for­mer. Yet those things which are natu­rally in vs as proceeding from common nature, are good: but as our actions are considered to come from this corrup­ted nature, they are euill. Common na­ture considered in it selfe as it proceeds from God, doth only cause, that from a man should proceede a man, from a sheepe, a sheepe, from a Lion, a Lion, and so in particular. But if you shall consider nature according to the next meanes it worketh by, and as it is by that meanes stained and corrupted, then doth it cause, that from a leaper should proceede a leaper, from one troubled with the palsie, one subiect to the pal­sie: from a nature corrupted with sinne, a creature defiled with iniquitie. Genes. 2.3. Adam at first was free from this corruption of sinne, and had he not tasted on the for­bidden fruit, no doubt his posteritie [Page 166]had remained in the same condition: but after his disobedience he was infe­cted with this corruption, and so in that respect that he was the next meanes of him which succeeded him, and his son the next meanes of him which came from his loines, and so all considered as they come from their next parents, e­uen from Adam vnto themselues by an ordinarie succession, as Adam begat Sheth, Sheth begat Enoch, Enoch begat Kenan, Kenan begat Mahalaleel: and so in particular, til thou commest to the next cause of thy selfe, namely, thine owne parents, hence it is thou art cor­rupted: for in that respect thou wast begotten by a man, thou also art a man, but in that respect that man which be­gat thee was corrupted, thou also art corrupted.

Admit a leaper beget another lea­per: Simile. the sonne is not a leaper in respect his father was a mā, but because he was a leaprous man. So mankind is not de­filed with sinne, in that respect we pro­ceede from common nature, or because we are begotten by man, in that hee is a man, but because all from Adam to thy [Page 167]selfe are defiled with sinne, hence it is, that thou thy self art polluted with ini­quitie. So that since the corruption of our first parent Adam, we may now crie out with the Psalmist: Psalm. 14.3. There is none that doth good, no not one. Thus you see, how man may be said to doe naturallie that which is good; and naturallie that which is euill: and therefore that our actions in diuers respects may be both good and euill: good, in that respect God, common nature, and the will not disturbed, doth worke, in, and vpon them: bad, in that respect they proceed from a nature corrupted, and from wils, (not directed by the good Spirit of God) euer since the fall of Adam won­derfully disturbed, which corruption and disturbing; since it proceeds not from the three former causes, but from a defect of puritie, and a priuation of good, crept into Adam by his disobe­dience, and from him deriued to his whole posteritie (for though it is a de­fect yet it is properly said to bee in vs, Simile. as blindnesse is said to be in the eies, which is no more but a defect and want of the sight) hence it is, that God wor­king [Page 168]in and by these causes, is yet not­withstanding free from all sinne, and we our selues the Authors of the euils going with our actions: I say, going with them, for we must conceiue a diffe­rence betweene our actions and the sin, which is nothing but a priuation and want of the good. The actions are effe­cted by God, but the euill going with them, wrought by our selues: God giues strength to worke, and a facultie to wil; but in that the action is euil, it is because we worke indirectly, and will preposte­rouslie. As for an instance: Iudas be­traied his Master: In this action, God gaue strength and a facultie of willing to Iudas as his creature, yea & wrought in, and by that power, and those facul­ties which hee had giuen him in his creation; but when Iudas thus main­tained, and mooued by the hand of Gods power, came to the adding of his owne couetous desire, and malitious mind, to this worke of God, therein hee made the action euill, and himselfe the Author of it. Simile. As for example: the hea­uens giue moouing to the Planets by a direct motion: but the Planets (though [Page 169]thus mooued,) take an indirect and o­uerthwart course: Whence is it? not frō the motion of the heauens, which is e­uer direct, but from the naturall incli­nation of the Planets, to bee cartied in­directlie from a direct motion. Simile. A man spurres forward a lame horse; if in his going he halteth, the cause is not in the man which put him forward, but in the horse which wanted soundnesse. Simile. The soule in a lame man mooues a halting bodie: if this partie halt, the fault is not in the soule (for it only mooues such a bodie as it is,) but in the partie halting, because he was lame: and therefore be­ing mooued, could not but halt. God is this soule of the world; hee giues life and motion to all: if they halt in their motion; (that is, if man mooued by his Creator, doth sinne against his Maker,) it is because hee doth (as it were) spurre a lame horse, and mooue an halting bo­die: wherein there can bee no fault in the Moouer, but in the parties mooued. When the Sunne sendeth his beames vpon a dead corps, Simile. the stinch will come the sooner, and bee the stronger: the fault is not in the Sunne, (for then it [Page 170]would yeeld the like effect in al, where­as shining vpon flowers it causeth them smell sweeter,) but in the corruption of the corpes enclined vpon the shining of the Sunne, Simile. to yeeld such a sauour. The Earth giues life and nourishment vnto all plants alike: yet some trees yeeld sower fruits, as well as others pleasant: the fault then is not in the earth, but in the stock which bore them. Good wine put into a tainted vessell, looseth quick­lie his naturall sweetnesse: so good fa­culties put by God into a corrupted soule, and good motions into a bad dis­posed mind, alas, how soone they are peruerted, and become euill within them! Simile. A barren and drie soile makes seede which is good when it is sowed, to bee often pinkt when it is reaped: other ground againe, is often so barren, that it will yeed no fruit at all: Christ is the good Sower, his word the seede, our hearts the ground, which are either so extreme hard that they will yeeld no fruit, (as the hearts of the vnregenerate) or if watered by the sweete continued dewes of Gods holy spirit, the seede takes roote and yeelds forth some fruit, [Page 171](as in the harts of the godly) yet alas the kirnels are pinkt, that is, their best acti­ons mingled with many imperfections. The fault is neither in the sower, nor in the seede, but in the ground, that is, the hearts of such as should receiue it. For, Vunum quod (que) recipitur secundum mo­dum recipientis: Euerie thing is recei­ued according to the measure, qualitie, and disposition of the thing receiuing. Good meate conueied into a bad sto­mack, Simile. turnes rather into choler, then to wholesome nourishment: but as the cause is not in the meate, but in the sto­macke that is euill affected, so in that life and motion are abused, the cause is not in God which giueth both, but in such (as from Gods blessing enioying them) doe wickedlie vse them. Simile. The word of God, of the one nature, is the sauour of life vnto life, and therefore is truelie called the glad tidings of salua­tion: but when it is not receiued by faith in those that heare it, (as it was not by the Scribes and Pharisies in the daies of Christ, nor as yet is by wicked liuers, in the happie continued time of his ho­ly Ministers,) then it prooues the sauour [Page 172]of death vnto condemnation. Surely so the case stands betweene God and vs: Actions in that respect they are main­tained, disposed, and receiue a power of being effected frō God, they are good; but in that they become euill, and wit­nesse (with other his good blessings) a­gainst vs in the day of his great visita­tion, this is from our owne corrupted natures: for in that men turne from God (as Augustine saith) it is of them­selues. De peccatorum meritis. lib. 2. cap. 5.

Quest. But it may be demanded: since God is free and our selues culpable, how thē doth the holy writ sometimes attribute sinne vnto God? Psalm. 105. as the Lord turned the hearts of the Egyptians that they should hate his people. The Lord hard­ned the heart of Eglon, Iudg. 3. with many such phrases in his holy word.

Ans. For the answering of this demaund, wee must obserue, that hardening is sometimes attributed to God, some­times to Satan, sometimes to man. To God, in that respect hee purposing to permit the sin, doth withhold his grace, by which the heart of man is mollified: And therefore, Augustine. saith Augustine, God [Page 173]doth harden, Non malum obtrudendo, sed gratiam non concedendo, not by cau­sing vs to sinne; but by not granting vs his grace to preuent our sinnes. To Sa­tan, in that he is primitiuus peccator, the first offender, Iohn 6. laies the deceiueable baite of sinne, and is euermore entising and perswading to take it. To man, in that hee doth vilely put that in execution, which the Prince of the ayre, and the corruption of his owne nature doth lead him vnto: and so he is the Author of the sinne, and iustly liable to the pu­nishment thereof, because euery action hath his qualitie from the roote of the affection, and from the intention of the next Author. Thus it is said, Exod. 7.3. That the Lord hardned the hart of Pha­raoh: yet in the 22. verse of the same chapter: and chap. 8.16. that Pharaoh hardened his owne heart. But Paul saith, 2. Cor. 4. that the God of this world (that is, Satan) doth blindfold the eyes of Infidels. And therefore it is said of him, that he filled the heart of Ananias, though the Lord had as great a stroke in that, as in hardening the hart of Pha­raoh. Againe, 2. Sam. 24. I it is said, The [Page 174]Lord moued Dauid to number Israel: but 1. Chron. 21.1. that Satan mooued Dauid to number the people: yet it is euident in the same chapter, that Dauid himselfe was the offender, because hee sustained punishment, and vpon repen­tance confessed his sin to the Lord, say­ing in his owne person, 1. Chron. 21.8. I haue done very foolishly, but I beseech thee O Lord, remoue the iniquitie of thy ser­uant. Which places must needs bee vn­derstood in maner and forme aforesaid. And thus much touching the former position, and the answering of this de­maund arising from the same. The next point followeth.

A rule to know when our actions are good, and when euill: and what cau­seth either.

TO the performance of an action in a direct and beseeming order, Jn euery vvell disposed acti­on, the knovv­ledge and the will must go together. two things must concurre: The knowledge, and the will: knowledge worketh no­thing without the will, nor the will any thing aright without knowledge. Ther­fore in euery good action, a direct will [Page 175]and a good vnderstanding (whereunto is adioyned a conscionable practise) must goe together: the will working, VVhat is the propertie of the vvill. What of know­ledge. knowledge ordering, the will causing, knowledge disposing, the will mouing vs to worke, but knowledge directing vs to worke so as the Lord comman­deth. Therefore aboue all wee must la­bour and seeke to God for spirituall wisdome and heauenly vnderstanding: for although thy will which sets thee a worke is naturall in thee, yet this know­ledge which is the directer of thy will, is supernatural and comes from aboue. As the Mariner hoisting vp the sailes in a gale of winde, Simile. shall soone dash the ship against the rocks, runne her on the sands, or fall vpō an vnhoped for shore, vnlesse knowledge (by the rules of the Carde and Compasse) directs the Rud­der: Euen so, whē the sailes of our head­strong willes are hoist, and that there wants a knowledge in the Carde and Compasse of Gods holy word, which is a lanthorne at the sterne in the stromie nights, and the fole directer thorough the seas of this troublesome world to the hauen of eternall rest: alas, how [Page 176]soone doe wee spoile our selues against the rockes of offences, runne with the multitude into the sands of sinnes, and so falling vpon the crosse shore of an vnlooked for euent, Act. 8.3. 1. Cor. 15.9. Philip. 3.6. Galath. 1.13. 1. Tim. 1.13. lose the hope of our best actions. Thus was Paui led by a violent will, and a blinde zeale, and so in that wherein he thought he did God greatest seruice, he most of all wronged his heauenly Maiestie. Prou. 1. Therefore wee must aboue all follow the aduice of Sa­lomon in seeking for knowledge: the chiefest meanes of attaining thereto, being to pray continually with Dauid from the ground of the heart: Psalm. 119. O Lord teach me thy statutes. And, O Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things contained in thy law. Two things re­quired to make the actiō good: 1. That the meanes. 2. That the end be lawfull and expedient. Now this vn­derstanding teacheth, that in the per­formance of euery good action there must be this double assurance: first, that the end be good, lawfull, & expedient. Secondly, that the meanes of accom­plishing be squared by the same rule. If thy purpose be good, and the meanes euill, thou sinnest in the manner of effe­cting. If the meanes bee good, but yet thy intent euill, thou sinnest in the end [Page 177]of hauing it effected. It is a good end to purpose the hearing of Gods word, to be therby taught our dutie: but to steale a horse to ride to heare it, makes the action euill, because thou sinnest in the meanes. The fasting, giuing almes, and long supplications of the Scribes and Pharisies, seemed to bee good actions, (for such duties are both strictly com­manded, and largely commended): but because they were done of vaine osten­tation, and to be seene of men, they fai­led in the end, and so made the whole action euill. Therefore if thou wouldest haue thy actions good, both the means of effecting, and the end of accomplish­ing must be good, lawfull, and expedi­ent; euer remembring, Modus & finis constituunt actionem. modum & finem constituere actionē; that from the means and end of effecting, the action is well or ill disposed: well, if both be lawful and expedient: euill, if there bee but a failing in either. For whereas all circum­stances must concurre to make y ^e action good; the failing but in one, doth make it euill. Hag. 2.12, 13, 14. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hag. 2.12, 13, 14 Aske now the Priests con­cerning the law, and say: If any one beare [Page 178]holy flesh in the skirt of his coate, and with the skirt do touch the bread, or the pottage, or the wine or any meate, shall it bee holy? And the Priests answered & said no. Then said Haggai, if a polluted person touch any of these things, shal it be vncleane? And the Priest answered, and said, it shall be vn­cleane. Thus you see the truth of that be­fore deliuered. It tests thē as a good vse of this doctrine, that we carrie a narrow examination ouer all our thoughts, words and waies: the want wherof cau­seth (as Iames saith) that not only in ma­ny, Iames 2.3. but in most things, we sin all. Note lastly, that thou mayest sin, when thou doest neither determine an end, nor vse any meanes of effecting: for sins are as well of omission as commission: as a mā may sin in the maner or end of praying, fasting, giuing of almes, and hearing Gods word: so if thou wilt not per­forme them at all, being duties which God requires at thy hands, thou shalt grieuously sin also. 1. Sam. 2. Elie offended in o­mitting that he should haue done: his sonnes by committing that they should not haue done. So that it is not enough, either not to doe good at all, or if thou [Page 179]hast begun yet to giue ouer, because thou wilt neither faile in the maner nor end, but thou must carefully seeke into Gods word to know what hee hath cō ­manded, & then with all diligence per­forme the same: assuring thy selfe, y ^t the neglect hereof, doth not onely depriue thee of a blessing at Gods hād (for none receiue a reward but such as labor in his vineyard, neither knoweth he any at the day of iudgemēt, but such as first know him here in his members, and acknow­ledge him in their liues) but further make thee subiect to y ^e deserued wrath and iust iudgement of the great, & fear­full master of heauen and earth, in that thou receiuedst talents at his hāds, whe­ther of knowledge, policy, strength, ho­nor, riches & such like, but hadst not the heart to imploy them to the honor and praise of his name, who for that end did giue thē vnto thee. And thus much for the prouing, that Although God gouerns all things immutably, yet that he cannot in that or any other respect be the author of sin. As also for the briefe handling of o­ther necessarie points thereon depen­ding.

God gouernes all things by his heauen­ly Prouidence.
Opinio sola veri similitudinese tuetur. Bern. Prudentia est in praecauendis infidijs. August.

WOe bee to you rebellious sonnes, because you take counsell which is not of me: Isai. 30.1. Isai. 30.

Obiect. If this worke bee of men, 1. Act. 5. it shall bee brought to nought, Act. 5.

Therefore there are some workes which are not wrought by God, and some counsels which are not directed by him.

Solution. 1 The counsels and workes of men, are properly said to be of themselues, in re­gard of their euill manner and end of working: but in regard they haue their strength of working, and faculties of deliberating from God alone, and that he turnes their workes and counsels to the glorie of his name, and good of his Church, in this respect they are gouer­ned by Gods Prouidence.

2 Secondly, to that of the Act. 5.38. and to these words (are of men:) We an­swere that Gamaliel meant by thē, that if the doctrine of the Apostles was coū ­terfeit, it would come to nought; and not that there were some coūsels wher­in God had no stroke: neither if it was his meaning, are we to rely thereon, vn­lesse it were agreeing to the Canon of Gods holy word.

Obiect. 2 Where there is no wisdome, there can be no Prouidence:

But (some are so impudent to say) there is no wisdome in God:

And therefore that hee cannot go­uerne by a wise prouidence:

That there is no wisdome in God, they would thus proue it:

Wisdome (as the Philosopher saith) cannot consist without discoursing, Arist. Ethic. 6. rea­soning, & comparing one matter with another: But there is no such thing in God: Because it should inferre an im­perfection: And therfore they hold the Assumption true.

God is absolute and complete in all, Solution. without the least imperfection: And (to speake to our capacities) vertues are an­other thing, and after another manner in God, then in vs: As they are in him, they are his diuine essence, most perfect and simple: for his wisdome is his es­sence, and his essence goodnesse and wisdome it selfe. And therefore must needs be most sufficiently wise, to go­uerne all things. Neither can this wis­dome, being this eternall Essence, be at­tained in succession of time, by reaso­ning, discoutsing, or comparing one matter with another. For then should [Page 183]that which is without beginning, bee subiect vnto time. And secondly, wee should attribute doubting and igno­rance vnto God, (for in whom are such imperfections, their reasoning, discour­sing, and comparing of matters are ne­cessarie) where as it is impossible hee should haue any such thing in him, since hee is Wisdome to iudge, and an Al-seeing God, to whom the very se­crets of the hearts are manifest. Thus the holy Scriptures doe attribute coun­sell vnto God, but without consultati­on: wisdome, but without reasoning: knowledge, but without discoursing: a decree, but without deliberation; be­cause there is neither doubting nor ig­norance in him. So that the Philoso­pher meaneth in men subiect to such­wants, such meanes are necessarie to the attaining of wisdome: but in God, who is wisdome it selfe, from all eternities, there is need of no such thing; and ther­sore can gouerne all things most wisely without them.

Obiect. 3 Where there is a great disorder and cōfusion of many things, there al things are not gouerned excellently well:

But in this inferior world, Qui importunè radios solis as­picit, tenebres­cit, & indè ni­hil videre com­pellitur. Greg. there is a great disorder and confusion of manie things:

And therfore all things in the world are not gouerned excellently well.

The assumption is prooued by seue­rall instances (as they take them) maine and firme; As:

1 In that Satan tempted mankind, pre­uailed with him, made him, and his po­steritie subiect to death and destructi­on:

2 In that the wicked are commonly in greatest honour and prosperitie, but the godlie euer and anon in some ad­uersitie or other. Instances of disorder and confusion false­ly pretended.

3 In that the way to destruction is broad, but to heauen narrow and strait, so that many are condemned, but few saued.

This Argument hath not onely been auaileable with the Ethincks, Solution. to make them thinke there is no Prouidence, but also hath mooued many other vnto E­picurisme, and made them scoffers at Gods promises: Who (as Peter saith) say with themselues: Where is the promise of his comming, &c: yea, the experience [Page 185]of some of these instances, hath much troubled the minds of the godly, Psal. 73.74.75 Ierem. 13. as Da­uid, Ieremie, Iob and many others, and therefore may craue a larger answe­ring.

First therefore, it is answered: that there is no confusion nor disorder in these things: for the confusion is onlie in respect of man, and not of God, or the things gouerned by him, which are euermore excellently well disposed, though (the vaile of ignorance being before mās eies) we are not able to dis­cerne this excellent order. The fleshlie man perceiueth not those things which are to bee discerned with a spiritual eie: My waies (saith the Lord) are not as your waies, neither are my thoughts, as your thoughts: so that vntill these men goe with Dauid into the house of God, well may these things seerne confused vnto thē: but whē they are enlightned by his holy Spirit, they appeare otherwise. A man that that is blinde, or hath sore eies, thinks it is darke when the Sunne shineth, or at least thinks her beclipsed with diuers coloured mists, when she is [Page 186]in her perfect beautie: Simile. the cause is the imperfection in his eies, and not any obscuritie or confusion in the Sunne: So is it with him that shall looke with a fleshly eie into Gods works, be they ne­uer so excellently disposed, yet through his inabilities to discerne they seeme confused. That which in the night, or a farre off we iudge a tree, proues when wee come neerer, or when the day ap­peareth, a more excellent creature. So in the night time of our ignorance, and when we are strangers from Gods Law; we iudge preposterouslie of his works, but when this mist is dispersed, or that we come to looke more neerelie vpon them in the glasse of his word, they seeme so excellent that we are constrai­ned to say, O Lord how wonderfull art thou in all thy waies, and holy in all thy works! In great wisdome hast thou made them all. But let vs come vnto the in­stances.

Thou saiest, JJnstance 1. in that Stan tempted Adam, and made him and his posteritie subiect to sinne.

Ans. It is answered, and alreadie prooued, [Page 187]that herein no fault can be imputed vn­to God, Eccle. 28. for Adam was created righte­ous, but his own inuentions made him euill. Secondlie, if God willed a decla­ration of his iust iudgment vpon the vessels of wrath, and the manifestation of the exceeding riches of his grace, vp­on such as are ordained vnto mercie, what right hath the clay herein to rea­son against the Potter. Thirdly, Gods children haue now more cause to re­ioyce by an infinite deale in regard of that blesse dnesse receiued from the last Adam, then to be sorrie for their digni­tie lost in the first Adam. To which ten­deth that of Paul concerning the sinne of our first Parents which is spread ouer all, and the righteousnesse of Christ which is much more aboundant to the saluation of the Elect. And therefore we may say with Gregorie, O foelix culpa, quae talem & tantum habere meruit Re­demptorem: O happie diseasewhich could not be cured but by such a diuine and hea­uenlie Physition!

That the wicked line in greatest honor, prosperitie, and abundance: Jnstant. 2. but the god'y in pouertie, disgrace, and affli­ction.

Ans. HEalth, wealth, and honour, are the hope of the worldlings labours, and being obtained, are their sole dar­lings of delight and pleasure. Jn serm. But, as Bernard saith of Peter: Vt nouum itr, sic noui modi itineris: Triplex est vi­ta, naturae, gra­tiae, gloriae. A new iorney must haue new waies of iourneying: so wee say of the godly, when they begin to enter the new life, (that is, the life of grace) then they must haue new cout­ses of liuing. Afflictions come by Gods decree. And what are these? That in following Christ, wee should take vp his crosse: that in liuing holily, wee should suffer persecution; that in our iourney to heauen, wee should passe thorow many tribulations. Therefore saith Augustine in the person of christ: August. in per­sona Domini. Venale habeo: quid Domine? regnum coe­lorum: quo emitur? paupertate diuitiae, dolore gaudium, labore requies, vilitate gloria, morte vita: I haue a thing to sell, saith Christ: what is it, O Lord, saith [Page 189] Augustine? The kingdome of heauen: but wherewith is it bought? for pouer­tie true riches, for griefe ioy, for labour rest, for basenesse glorie, for life death. So that pouertie, griefe, labour, basenes, and losse of life, are the new paths that leade to new Hietusalem, and the nar­row waies that tend to ample blessed­nesse. Now this being the decree of God the Creator, who is wisedome it selfe, why should it seeme preposterous in the eyes of the creature who is but meere foolishnes? Quid obsit vel prosit, medicus nouit non agrotus: Augustine. Gods decree of afficting, groü­ded vpon great reason. What is pro­fitable or hurtful to vs that are patients, that wise Physition knowes, not we that are grieued. Secōdly, this decree of God is grounded vpon great reason: both in respect of him afflicting, and of vs af­flicted. What sets foorth more the wis­dome of God, then his ministring seue­rall potions of affliction, according to the seuerall conditions of his children, as well in preuenting the diseases of sin, whereunto they are subiect, as in curing them, whē they are grieued with them? What more declares his mercie, then the giuing of the staffe of his Spirit [Page 190]with the rodde of correction, then the comforting vs in our distiesse, then the putting our teares in his bottle, then the making our bed in our sicknesse, then the pitching his Angels about s, then the not suffering the flouds to ouerflow vs, though they come neere vs; then the causing that although heauines conti­nue for a while, yet ioy shall come in the morning? Wherein is the power of God more euident, then in giuing vs strength to vndergoe so many troubles, then in casting vs down vnto the graue, and raising vs vp againe? These things haue caused admiration in the very ene­mies of God, and that amidst their ty­rannies. Is there not good reason then, why those things should bee effected, whereby Gods wisedome, mercie, and power are made euident, and not onely to his children, but euen to his ene­mies, whereby they are left inexcusable in the day of the Lord? if there were no persecutions, how should Martyrs glo­rifie God by their sufferings? If no tri­als, how should patience haue been left for a vertue to be imitated? If Satan had not been let loose to buffet Iob, where [Page 191]had been his words of praise? The Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the name of the Lord.

Secondly, the afflictions of the god­ly are grounded vpon good causes, 2. Gods decree of afflictiong, is good and iust in regard of vs, as it ap­peares: 1. By our owne reason. in regard of our selues: as it appeares, first by our owne reason: secondly, by our owne practise: thirdly, by the profit we reape from them. In reason, heauen could not be our sole place of blisse, if here we had no sorrow: if here our hap­pinesse, that could not be a place of all ioy. 2. By our pra­ctise. The palme of victorie is not due without fighting, the price without run­ning, nor the wages without labouring. This is reason, and therefore thus wee practise: an instance of one for all. Julius sextus lib. 1. cap. 11. Cy­rus King of Persir encouraging his soul­diers against the Medes, brought them to a great wood, where hee set them to labour al the day long in cutting down the same: but the second day prepared a daintie banquet for them, at their ea­ting whereof, hee passed thorow the seuerall bands, demaunding which of those two daies were best: the souldiers answered, the second, because then was the banquet: but how came you by [Page 192]this daies pleasures, saith Cyrus? they answered: by yesterdaies labours. So (saith he) by your paines in fighting a­gainst the Medes, you shall obtaine the victorie, and after enioy the banquet of the spoile: So first we must conquer af­flictions, and after bee crowned with glorie. 3. By the com­modities. But the excellencie of the crosse is seene in nothing more, then in the wonderfull commoditie it brings to those which are exercised therein. The bodie is a stinking house, and infects the soule: a bad seruant, and deceiues the master: an vntamed horse, and hurts the rider: a false friend, and often pre­uailes: a bad counseller, and is some­times heard. Hence it is that Christians haue their spirituall maladies: some troubled with the burning feuer of ma­lice, hating where they should loue: some with a dead palsie, not feeling Gods mercies: some with a spirituall phrensie, reioycing when they should weepe: some with an insatiate thirst, euer seeking after pleasures: some crookt-shoulders, that they cannot looke vp vnto heauen: some stark mad, counting godlinesse losse, and earthlie [Page 193]treasures, of greatest value: for these, (whether crept into the godly, and so must be remoued, or incident vnto thē, and so must be preuented) God hath his seuerall potions of heauenly physicke, which according to our natures, and grieuousnes of our diseases, for daies, moneths, or yeeres, Gods potions to cure our spi­rituall mala­dies, are, 1. Diseases, im­prisanment, b I­nishment, &c. Profitable. hee doth minister hee doth minister vnto vs. The first and principall of these which by the instance, seemes most bit­ter and hardest to bee digested, are the diseases of the bodie, imprisonment, banishment, losse of life and such like: touching which though we hold them, being naturall euils, to bee gall in the mouth, yet being receiued, we shal find them honey in the bellie. 1 They keepe a man in the paths of Gods commande­ments. Hebr. 12.11. Exod. 1.22. 2. Chro. 32.20. Greg. in moral. It is good for mee (saith Dauid) that I haue been in trouble, that I might learne to keepe thy commandements. 2 Ma­la quae nos hic premunt ad Deum ire com­pellunt: The afflictions which God laies on his children, compell them to goe vnto him. They shew vs our sinnes: Matth. 7.13. Ioh. 12.25. Be­fore I was corrected, I went wrong (saith the Psalmist,) but now I haue learned to keepe thy commandements. So that, Cum [Page 194]non potest disciplina verborum, percommo­dè vititur disciplina verberum: Gregor. in Mo­ral. Philip. 28. Hebr. 2.9.10. When words will not preuaile, then is the rod very profitably vsed. By fanning, the wheate is separated from the chaffe: by threshing, the corne is reserued that the beast doth not eate the straw and it to­gether, Chrysost opere imperf. hom. 4. whereas otherwise both would be deuoured. So in that satan that raue­nous beast, 2. Cor. 11.22. swallowes not vp the godly with the wicked, it is because God (re­seruing them for his garner of glorie) wils that they should be separated from the wicked by the flaile of affliction. They humble the high minde: 3 moue to repentance for our sinnes: Luke 24.19. and stirre vs vp to faithfull and earnest prayer to God for forgiuenes of them: 4 and thus prepare vs for Christs comming, Act. 14.19. and re­serue vs till his comming. 5 To this end (saith Moses) God sent the fortie yeres troubles to the Israelites: 2. Thess. 1.5. Prou. 17.3. 1. Pet. 1 7 9. Deut. 8.2. so that the hardned heart by affictions is often­times driuen to God whether it will or no: as it appeares by the stiffenecked Israclites, Exod 8. Pharaoh, and diuers others. And therefore the tenour of Salmons prayer at the dedicating of the Temple, [Page 195]is after this manner: if thy people in their captiuitie and distresse shall remember their sinnes, humble themselues, and by feruent prayer foorth of this place call to thee, O Lord, for mercie, then be thou mer­cifull vnto their sinnes, and hearken vnto their prayers. Apopyni auis. Some birds are taught to speake (as some haue obserued) by bea­ting them on the head with an iron rod: some Mariners will not bee wakened, till the water come into the shippe: so some men lie so sound asleepe in the cradle of securitie, Iud. 10.13. that the coole water of affliction must be powred vpō them before they will waken. Some men will neither praise God for his blessings re­ceiued, nor pray for moe vnto him; so that the iron rodde must teach them to praise him for what they haue, and ne­uer to cease praying for what they wāt. Oculos quos culpa claudit, poena aperit: Gregor. in Mo­ral. The eyes which before through corrup­tion of nature were bent to the earth, are now by correction fixt on the Lord, as the eyes of a handmaid vpon her mi­stresse. Afflictions quicken vp Gods graces within vs: Hieren. Adiutrix virtutum tribulatio, saith Hierome; Vertue is vp­holden [Page 196]holden by afflictions. Simile. The fire flameth most when the winde blowes hardest vpon it: Siluer is best discerned in a dark vessell when it is full of water: so the siluer graces of God are most apparent, when the water of affliction is distilled from heauen into our earthen vessels: so the sparks of graces within vs are ne­uer so neere the flaming, as when aduer­sitie blowes strong vpon vs. Dauid was neuer carried away with so feruent a zeale of Gods glorie, with such diuine meditations, with such heauenly prai­ses, with such feruent prayers. as when the tempestuous blasts of Saul and his Counsellors blew strong and sharpe vpon him. 6 Lastly, asslictions shew vs to be high in Gods fauour, 7 they conforme vs to Christ, 8 they frame that golden lad­der whereby we climbe to heauen, 9 they assure vs sillie men and women, that al­though we lament, Prou. 3.12. weepe, and mourne, the teares distill from our eyes, suffer imprisonment, hebr. 11.40. beare the markes of Christ, liue in the vale of many mise­ries, Hebr. 12.6. and are continually tost in the troublesome seas of this world by the tempestuous blasts of furious Tyrants; [Page 197]yet we shall laugh, reioyce, and sing, the teares shall be wipt from our eies, Apoc. 3.19. our feete shall bee set in a large and ample roome, the hill of Sion shall be our rest, yea, because we haue borne parte of the storme with Christ, we shal arriue at the hauen of eternall rest and happinesse with him. This is the Lambes marke, the wedding ring, the seale of his loue: This assures vs of an infinit deliuerance, this is a signe we are espoused to Christ: This seales it in our hearts, that wee are heires of a kingdome. Whom the Lord will strengthen (saith Luther) him hee first maketh weak: whō he will quicken, him hee first casteth into the iawes of death: whom hee will exalt to heauen, him hee will first (as it were) cast downe into hell. Si exceptus es à passione flagel­lorum, exceptus és à numero filiorū, saith Augustine: If thou art excepted from suffering of stripes, thou art also excep­ted from the number of Gods children. So that Luther and Augustine conclude plainly, that a poore estate, persecutiōs, stripes, and losse of life, are infallible markes, that wee are in the way to eter­nall blessednes. Nisi correctis, Daus hae­reditatem [Page 198]dare disponeret, eos per mult as molestias erudire non curaret: Vnlesse God did allot out vnto his corrected children an euerlasting inheritance, hee would not bee so carefull to instruct them by so many chastisements. But heare the truth of this from him who is truth it selfe: Matth 5.9. Blessed are ye (saith Christ) When yee suffer persecutions for righteous­nesse sake, for yours is the kingdome of hea­uen: & therfore Paul saith, Hebr. 12.10 11. that God doth chasten vs for our profit, that wee might be partakers of his holines. For though at first it is not ioyous, but grieuous, yet after­ward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righte­ousnesse to those that arethereby exercised.

Another thing that often troubleth vs, Pouertie must not trouble vs. is the pouerty of the godlie. But why should this grieue vs? The commodity it brings, is exceeding great: wee may say of it, Plato de Iusli­tia. as Plato doth of iustice, Paupe­rum beatitudo si inspiceretur, miros spe­ctantibus incitaret amores: Pouertie at the first view seemes base, but if we loo­ked thorowly into it, it would excite an exceeding loue in vs toward the same: Gradus perfectionis paupertas, Matth. 19. saith one vpon thewords of Christ. Pouertie is a [Page 199]maine steppe to perfection. Men are vnwilling to goe a iournie which carrie a heanie burthen on their shoulders, Sed liberiùs ad viam tendit, qui in via onere caret, saith Gregorie: Gregor. in Mo­ral. but they goe willinglie, when the burden is taken a­way. This burthen is riches, and there­fore saith Hierome: Sihabes, vende om­nia; Hieronym. in Epist. Si non habes, grandi onere liberatus es: If thou hast store of wealth, sell all: If thou hast nothing, thou art freed from a heauie burthen. This prouocation to a willing mind is pouertie, the spurre to set on our dull natures in our race to heauen, is want of riches: and therefore, Quimihi onus diuitiarum abstulit, me ad currendum citiùs expediuit: Hee which tooke the burthen of riches from mee, made mee to run both more willing lie and more swiftly. He which is downe laden, seldome gets to the end of a long iourny, or if he doth, yet exceeding hard­ly. And therfore saith Christ, how hardly doe they which are rich enter into the kingdom of heauen? The more riches increase the sooner do we waxe cold in our loue to God, and the more feruent in our affection to them, noted by Mo­ses [Page 200]caueat, Salomons prayer, Dcut. 6.10.11.12. and Paules preseruatiue: If riches increase set not thy heart vpon them.

Those which will bee rich fall into manie snares, and grieuous lusts; which will drowne their soules in perdition. Blessed then bee pouerty, that vnites my heart to God: blessed be want, that keepes me from these snares and grie­uous lusts: blessed bee a poore estate, that preserues my soule from the pit of perdition. Simile. The fowler when he would take the sillie bird in his net, doth pitch his siale to allure her. This bird is the godly man: this fowler Satan: this net destruction: this stale, richer: Matth. 4.1. Iesus was ledaside (heres the bird) to bee tempted of Satan, (heres the fowler) fall downe and worship me, (heres the net) The kingdome of the world and the glorie thereof will I giue thee, (heres the stale.) But as the bird is safe from the fowler, so long as she stoopes not to his stale, but keepes in the heauens: Glossa in Prou. 1. Sic facilè laqueos euadit in terris, qui oculos ha­bet in caelis: so men doe easilie escape the hands of Satan, whhich haue their eies fixt vpon God inheauen, and not [Page 201]vpon these stales of riches and honor vpon the earth. Pouertie auoides con­tention: men will not go to law for it: Iob 15. Qui nihil ba­bet in mundo quod diligat, nibil est quod pertimescat. Gregor. it frees from feare: the heeues will not breake thy house for it; the tempests will not shake thy high buildings: but Lord what contentions, what malice, what long suits, what feare and horror is among the mightie! Men in abun­dance, want the meanes of being stirred vp to God by prayer for things necessa­rie: and thus they want that which should benefit them: O munera non­dum intellecta, domi pauper­tas, angusti (que) lares! men by abun­dance, become high minded, strong to reuenge, forgetfull of God, stifnecked, hard hearted, yea committers of such sinnes, which the light of nature and meere ciuilitie doth detest and abhorre. Note Moses ad­uice to the Js. raelites. And thus they inioy the meanes of that which brings destruction and miserie: yea, in a word, whē men lie in their beds of downe, carouse wine in their full bowles, and inuent to themselues in­struments of musike, oh then, euen then, (alas) are they most subiect to those great and grieuous sinnes, for which the wrath of God is most fierce vpon the children of disobedience. Is it not needfull then, Vt paupertas medicina [Page 202]sanet, quos diuitiarum cumulus sic vulne­rat? that that heauēly balme of pouertie should cure those, whom the abundance of riches doth thus wound? Bern. in ferm. To cōclude, let the Iew which rests in earthly promi­ses, seeke for riches, not wee which are pilgtims, and looke for a kingdome: let the Pagan, which liues without a God, reioyce in worldly wealth, not we that haue Christ and al heauenly riches with him: let the riotous reioyce in their su­perfluities, not we which know y ^e mise­ries they bring with them, & haue lear­ned from Christ, that the poore are bles­sed: for howsoeuer y ^e world is bewitch­ed with these things, Bern. in Epist. yet, possessa onerant, amata inquinant, amissa cruciant: when we haue them they loade vs: when we loue them, they defile vs: when we lose them, they vexe vs. And therefore hap­pie is hee which is not troubled with them. This being thus, it agrees excel­lentlie wel with Gods Prouidence, that the godly should liue in want, and the wicked in abundance.

A third thing which much troubleth vs, The small ac­count had of the godly, must not trouble vs. is, that the godlie liue in disgrace, are reuiled, and often preuailed against, by such as haue no feare of God before [Page 203]their eies. That this is thus, experience prooues it true: but all this turnes to Gods glorie and the good of his chil­dren. The godly haue oftentimes their grieuous fals; sometimes secure in their sins, luld asleepe in the cradle of iniqui­tie: is it not good then that God should vse his trumpet to awake them? Shemei cursed Dauid, called him murtherer, or man of blood: but Dauid saies: 2. Sam. 16.7. It may be the Lord will looke on mine affliction, 2. Sam. 16.12. or teares, and doe me good by his cursing this day. And howsoeuer Gods children are reuiled, yet surelie the blessing doth therby redound vnto them; in as much as Christ hath said: Blessed are yee when men reuile you, and speake all manner of e­uill against you for my names sake falselie, &c. And howsoeuer they are in disgrace with the world, yet they are verie grati­ous with God: for if they were of the world, the world would loue his owne. but because they are not of the world, but God hath chosen forth of y ^e world, therefore the world hates them. And howsoeuer they are preuailed against, yet Gods honour is thereby exalted, and their owne good procured. Iosephs [Page 204]brethrē preuailed against him: but grea­ter was Gods glorie, Genes. 45. greater his honor, and greater the good of the Church. Sa­tan was let loose to vexe Iob; and the Caldeans suffered to spoile him of his goods: but thereby God was glorified by his words of praise; The Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed bee the name of the Lord. There­by the Church receiued a good: for his patience is alleaged, and left for an ex­ample to all posterities: and thereby Iobs good was greatlie procured: for, first, (now God had tried him & found him faithfull) he is more gratious in his sight, Iob 42.7.8. and therefore Eliphaz the Tema­nite and his two friends that before so much condemned Iob, must now in­treate him to pray to God for them, be­cause he is found faithfull, and therfore shall be accepted. Secondly, Iob in lo­sing, gained, for the Lord that suffered others to take his goods away, gaue him afterward twice as much as he had be­fore. And thus in all these things there is no cōfusion, Iob 42.10.11.12. but an excellent harmonie, all things considered. For as the bodies, so the soules of men and women haue [Page 205]their diseases: Some troubled with the burning feauer of malice, hating when they should loue: some with melan­cholie, mourning for the world: Some with a dead palsie, that they cannot tread the pathes that leade vnto Sion: Some with a spirituall slumber, that the sound of the Gospell entreth not their eares: Some senseles, not feeling Gods mercies: Some phrentick, reioicing whē they should weepe: Some haue their dropsie of thirsting after pleasures: Some blind in iudgement, coūting god­lines losse, and earthly riches of greatest value. So that wonderfull neede is there of healing potions: and what these shal be, and when ministred, the fond affe­ction of the patient is not to bee respe­cted, but the receits of the wise Physiti­on Christ Iesus, willingly receiued: be­cause, Quid obsit, vel prosit, Augustine. magnus hic & diuinus Medicus nonit, non agrotus: What doth hurt or profit a man, this great and diuine Physition knowes ve­rie well, and not he that is grieued. The bodie is a smoaking house, and must be perfumed: an euill seruant, and must be corrected: an vntamed horse, and must [Page 206]be brought vnder: a false friend, and must be tried: a domesticall enemie, and must be weakened: an euill counseller, and must be disclosed. If God which is wisdome and mercie, will do this, can there bee any disorder in his most wise and mercifull effecting it? But to bring vnder the vaine reioycing of the wic­ked, and for the setling of the minds of the godly, in a grounded assurance of Gods iustice and exceeding rich mercie vnto them, howsoeuer afflictions befall them, 5. Things to he respected in the persons of affli­cted Christiās. besides the forenamed commo­dities which aduersitie (of what sort so­euer) bringeth with it, let vs obserue these things in the persons of the god­ly, which do endure them.

First, 1. That they are conquerers in all. that they ouercome all afflicti­ons and miseries whatsoeuer. Many (saith the Psalmist) are the troubles of the righteous, Psalm. 34.19. but the Lord deliuereth them forth of all. And though the flouds came neere his soule, Psalm. 32.8 yet they did not ouer­whelme him. May not euery one of Gods children from the experience of this truth, Nahum 1.7. say of himselfe, as Dauid said of himselfe? Psalm. 71.20. How great troubles and ad­uersities hast thou shewed vnto me, but yet [Page 207]thou hast returned and reuiued me againe. Yea the poore Christian contemned in the eyes of the world, 1. Cor. 10.13. cries vnto the Lord, and the Lord heares him, Psalm. 46.7. and saues him from all his troubles. And how can it be otherwise? Psalm. 59.19. The Lord is with vs, and the God of Iacob is our re­fuge, he is our helper & deliuerer. Psalm. 40.17. Luke 21.18. Matt. 10.13. Though we be poore and needy, yet he thinketh on vs, hee numbreth our haires, he puts our teares in his bottle, we are as deare vnto him as the apple of his eye, hee hath loued vs with an euerlasting loue, and therefore we are conquerers in all through him that loued vs. And though the righteous beare the wrath of the Lord, because they sin against him, yet he will pleade their cause, Micah 7.9. Edod. 14.13.14. he will exe­cute iudgement for them, he will bring them forth to the light, and they shall see his righteousnes. 2. Cor. 4.8.9. So that although we are afflicted on euery side, yet we are not in distresse; though we often doubt, yet we neuer despaire; though wee are persecuted, yet wee are not forsaken; Rom. 8.36. though we are cast downe, Nulla nocebit aduersitas si nulla domine­tur iniquitas. Gregor. yet wee pe­rish not. Afflictio arguit, non interficit: angit, non frang it: extollit, non deijcit, Af­fliction [Page 208]corrects a mā, it doth not cause him to perish: it bends him, it breakes him not in pieces: it lifts him vp to hea­uen, it buries him not in the pit of for­getfulnes. For as the fire in the bush consumed it not, Exod. 3.2. Simile. Gen. 32. but made it shine brighter: so the fire of affliction con­sumes not the godlie, but makes them more glorious. Iacob stroue all night with the Angel, but in the morning got the victory: so in the night-time of our pilgrimage, we striue with many trou­bles, but when the morning of Gods grace and mightie power appeareth, we triumph ouer them. Miea. 7.8. Reioyce not therfore against the righteous, O thou enemie, for though they fall, yet they shall rise againe. Say not wee haue deuoured them: for God is on their side, and though heere they lament, weepe & mourne, yet this finite sorow shal be turned into infinite ioy. And if the godly amiddest their persecutions, Ioh. 16.20. see not meanes of victory, let them pray vnto God, and hee will performe it, and giue them grace to see it. When the King of Syria sent horses, chariots, and a mightie host to com­passe Dothan in the night, that they [Page 209]might take Elisha for disclosing his minde to the King of Israel, 2. King. 6.14.15.16, 17. and that the seruant of this man of God, arising ear­ly to go out, espied them, he cried, alas master, how shall we do? but when E­lisha had prayed to the Lord to open his eyes, and the Lord had opened them, then the seruant looked, and behold the mountaine was full of horses and cha­riots of fire to defend them; and then, (according to Elishaes aduice) no reasō he should feare, because they were moe that fought for them, then those which were against them. Euen so, many in their troubles, crie alas what shall wee do; vntill by prayer their eyes are ope­ned to see Gods armies of deliuerance about thē. Act. 4.30. Who although a while they seeme to haue their feet in y ^e stocks, fast boūd with misery and iron, yet y ^e Angel of God comes at the last, & bids them arise like strōg men, 1. Cor. 10.13. & then the chaines of their miseries fall presently from thē. Therefore, O verè tuta pro Christo, & cum Christo pugna, in qua (modò nè fugi­as) nec vulneratus, nec prostratus, nec conculcatus, nec millies (si fieri possit) oc­cisus, fraudaberis à victoria: O happie [Page 210]fight (saith Bernard) for Christ to fight vnder Christ, Bern. in Epist. in which (if wee valiantly hold out) though we be woūded, beatē to the groūd, spurned with feete, slaine a thousand times (if possible it could be,) yet we could not but haue the victorie: because, 2. Tim. 2.11. Licèt pugnādo moriamur, tamen mortui mox coronabimur: though in fighting we lose this miserable life, yet presently after we shal be crowned with the Diadem of euerlasting glorie.

Secondly, 2. The godlie haue true com­fort in all trou­bles. the godly haue exceeding comfort in all their troubles. And how can it be otherwise? They haue the Spi­rit of God dwelling within them: Ephes. 3.16. Rom 8 9. 1. Ioh. 3.24. 2. Cor. 3.16. 1. Tim. 1.14. Galath. 5.22. Virtutas gaudi­um est fons gaudij in pro­pria domo na­scens. Seneca. their bodies are his temples: he is in them, and they in him. Now among infinite other blessings, whereof Gods Spirit is an absolute cause, Paul accounts ioy to be one. A man cannot want pleasant springs to refresh him, that hath a foun­taine of sweet waters in his own house: no more can the godlie, hauing, fontem gaudij, in propria domo nascentem: the fountaine of all comfort in the temples of their bodies, want meanes to reioyce them. If the Angell in the prison where Peter lay, Act. 4.30. caused all the house to shine, [Page 211]what a glorious comfortable light shall that blessed Spirit which is the light of the Angels themselues, Exod. 15.25. giue to those in whom it hath his residence? 2. King. 2. This is that blessed tree, that Al-seasoning salt, that makes the bitter water of afflicti­ons sweete and sauourie vnto vs. Where the rod of correction strikes, Psalm. 23. the staffe of the Spirit doth hold vp and comfort. So that though the godly sit in darknes (as men forgotten) yet the Lord is a light vnto them. Mica. 7.8. Rom. 5.5. Thus Paul speaking in the persons of the afflicted, saith, wee reioyce in tribulations. And though this is not apparent to the fleshlie eie, that sees nothing but griefe and cause of la­mentation, yet the godlie haue an vn­doubted feeling of the same. Non enim pereunt gaudia iustorum, sed mutantur à corpore ad animam, à sensibus ad consci­entiam: For the ioyes of the righteous doe not perish, but are only remooued from the bodie to the soule, from the outward senses, to the inward consci­ence, which is a thousand times more excellent. And thus I conclude both these with Dauid: The voyce of ioy and [Page 212]deliuerance is in the Tabernacles of the righteous. Psalm. 118.15.

Thirdlie, 3. The godlie gaine by all af­flictions. the godly gaine by all the troubles & aduersities that befall them. They sow in teares, but reape in ioy: for mens cursing, they haue Gods blessing: for the worlds hatred, Gods loue: for earthlie riches, heauenly treasures: for fading ioy, enduring comfort: forty­rants contempt, Christs fauour; for their opposing, Angels guarding: for friends forsaking, Gods receiuing: for this lifes losing, their soules sauing. Thus tea­cheth Augustine: Augustine. Percutis vt sanes, & occidis nos nè moriamur: Thou dost wound vs to make vs perfectlie whole: and thou dost kill vs that we should not die finallie. Thus teacheth Dauid: When my father and mother forsaketh mee, the Lord taketh me vp. Thus teacheth Christ, that he that will saue his life shal lose it: but he that will lose it for his sake, shall saue it. And thus is Christ to the persecuted Christian, both in life and death aduantage. But see more of this in the answeres to the particulars obiected.

Fourthly, 4. The godlie are trulie rich. the godly are wonderfully rich, though, (in the iudgement of the world) they are counted poore. The Lions lacke and suffer hunger, but those which loue and feare the Lord, want no­thing that is good. Is not this then to bee exceeding rich? Aug. in Enchir. Ille diues, qui om­nia quae vult, habet, nec aliquid vult quod non decet: He is rich which hath as much as he doth desire: and desires no more, then that which he ought: for riches consist not in the abundance, but in the manner of enioying, so that to haue a little, and yet to desire no more, is to be truelie rich: and to haue much, and yet still to desire, is (indeede) to bee poore: or at least though outwardly rich, yet inwardly poore: because though his barnes are full, his mind is emptie: & so they are rich, but he poore. But it is far otherwise with the godlie: they desire no more then they haue, and in the pos­sessing of that which they haue, they are not disturbed. Gregorie. Cui cum paupertate benè conuenit, non est pauper (saith Gregorie): He that in his pouertie hath all things going well, that man cannot bee poore. But the riches of the godly, are the or­naments [Page 214]of their soules, Venditis rebus nostris, nullum magis charum accipimus pre­tiū, quàm nos metipsos. August. Augustine. & the rewards thereof: not this worldly wealth which hath his ebbe, as well as his flowing; and his meanes of hurting, as well as benefitting: Ʋbicun (que) caro inuenit refe­ctionem, inuenit defectionem; wheresoe­uer the flesh findes a refreshing, it shall also finde a want and wearing. In this, the godly are often poore in regard of the quantitie; but in the other, which are true, and tried riches, very abundant. Are not they rich, which haue the most precious graces of Gods holy spirit within them? which haue Christ him­selfe, who (as Bernard saith) hath all riches in his left hand, Bern. in serm. and all honour in his right? yea, who are heires of a king­dome, in qualitie, rich, pure, shining, cleare, gorgeous, most glorious, and ful­ler of all ioy and happines, then tongue can declare, or heart conceiue: In quan­titie, exceeding spatious: in substance not subiect to alteration, corruption, or malice of traitors. Reuel. 21. To this of the riches of Gods grace and mercie they are free­ly chosen, and of this, the whole world combining themselues together, can neuer depriue them. These are treasures [Page 215]not subiect to the blasts of the aire, to the malice of Tyrants, to the furie of the enemie, to the deceit of the flatterer, or to the plots of the robber: Nec fraude surripiuntur, nec vi eripiuntur, they are neither gotten by craft, nor taken away by force; and therefore permanent and enduring. And thus Christ for our sakes became poore, 2. Cor. 8.9. that we through his po­uertie might bee made rich. And thus are the godlie euer rich when in the sight of the wicked they are counted poore.

Lastlie, 5. The godlie euer haue true honor and hap­pinesse. howsoeuer the godly are ac­counted wretched, yet they are most blessed: howsoeuer base and vile, yet most excellent and honourable. Prou. 22.4. The truth of this appeares, in that the God of Gods, and King of Kings doth both largelie reward them, & highly esteeme them. For passing by many mightie Princes, 1. Thessal. 1. of the exceeding riches of his grace hee elected them; being defiled with that vglie leprosie of sinne, he hath clensed them with the most precious blood of his onely begotten Sonne: be­ing by nature the children of wrath as well as others, he hath iustified them of [Page 216]his free mercie, sanctified them by his Spirit, and called them by his word: thus though once they were dead, wan­dred and were dispersed, yet now they are reuiued, called home, and in the su­perabundance of Gods mercie gathe­red to Christ Iesus the Sheepheard of the flocke and Bishop of our soules. In which estate, they weare now no more the filthie ragges of the old man, but by the hand of a liuely faith, haue the glorious robe of righteousnesse, that is, of the new man Christ Iesus, put vpon them. This was our estate in regard of our selues. Ephes. 2.3. 1. Pet. 2.9. Ioh. 1.12. Galath. 3.26. Hebr. 2.11.12. So that whereas once they were enemies to God, now they are made friends vnto him: whereas once cursed, now blessed: whereas once slaues to Sa­tan, now sonnes to God: whereas com­panions and brethren of iniquitie, now brethrē to Christ: wheras once wedded to our lusts, now espoused to him: wher­as once vassals of wrath, now vessels of glorie: whereas once captiues to Satan, now free denizens of a glorious citie: whereas once led by the spirit that ru­leth in the aire, now guided and gouer­ned by the good spirit of God: where­as once bondslaues to Satan, now heires [Page 218]of the kingdome of heauen. Is not this true blessednes, is not this exceeding honour and dignitie? A faithfull man (saith Salomon) abounds in blessings: Prou. 28.20. Prou. 28.6. Prou. 19.1. Psalm. 1.1.2.3. &c. and better is the poore Christian that walketh in his vprightnesse, then he that peruerteth his waies, though he be (worldly) rich. Hunc habe beatum (saith Seneca) non quem vulgus vocat, Sencca. sed cui omne bonum in animo est: Account that man blessed who hath all his riches in his mind, not him whom the blind worldlings esteem blessed: Macrob. because solae virtutes faciunt beatum: the vertues of the mind make a man happie. The world hauing their iudgements corrupted, and eies blind­folded, are misled in censuring, and de­ceiued in beholding the state of Christs Church: and no meruaile, Omne decus filiae Sion ad intus: The beautie of the daughter of Sion is within her: which in as much as they want the spirituall eie, it is impossible by thē to be discer­ned. They prie into the imperfections and outward blacknesse of the Church, but they behold her not in Christ, and so see not her perfection and glory. Be­ing for her prittie trimnenesse compa­red [Page 218]to a Roe: for her louelines, to a doue: for her fruitfulnesse, to a vine: for her holinesse, to a Priesthood: for her roy­altie, to a Queene: for her safetie, to mount Sion: for her brightnesse, to the morning: for her glorie, to the Sunne: for her beautie, to the fairest of women: for her glittering, to an Iuorie tower: for qualities, called by Christ himselfe sweete, comelie, perfect, and most bles­sed. Now the Church of God consisting of the number of the righteous: Lord, what do they count blessednesse if these whom thou hast thus blessed are not truelie blessed? If these whom thou thus honourest are not right honourable? whose soules are inricht with thy gra­ces, whose bodies are kept by thy Pro­uidence, and guarded by thy Angels; whose death is life, Hebr. 6.7.8. 1. Cor. 3.22. Hebr. 1.13. whose end is glory, and ioy without end; whose authority is to rule all Gods creatures, and this rule ended, to haue a greater giuen them, euen to be Iudges with Christ of the most mightie tyrants, and wicked Princes vpon earth: Loe, this is the por­tion of the righteous, this the inheritance of the God of Iacob: and therefore they [Page 219]are truly blessed, therefore right hono­rable, therefore most excellent.

1 But on the contrarie, the wicked want true comfort euen when prosperitie smiles, The tontrarie to the fiue for­mer, observed in the wicked. much more when aduersitie frownes vpon them. And how can it be otherwise, since they want the Spirit of God which is the sole fountaine of all comfort? Secondly, 2 they are swallowed vp of the miseries that doe befall them. Hence it is that Dauid saith, though their seate be vpon an high hill, yet it is slipperie, & therfore they fall, & in their falling come to a perpetuall destructiō. As Pharaoh and his hoste were swal­lowed vp of the seas; so they are detai­ned of death, kept vnder of the graue, and hell hath dominion ouer them. Thirdly, they lose by all: view their ex­change: 3 for laughing, they haue mour­ning: Luk. 6. Prou. 14. for a little ioy, endlesse sorrow: for the loue of the world, the hatred of God: for the sauing of this life, Triplex vox creaturae: 1. Possideto. 2. Gratias ha­beto. 3. Rationem reddito. the lo­sing of their soules: for earthly plea­sures, they lose heauenly ioyes: to liue at ease in this life, brings endlesse tor­ments in the life to come. Yea in the enioying of what they most desire, they [Page 220]frame an inditement against their own soules, and hatch vp a deuouring ser­pent in their owne bosomes: noted by S. Iames. when he saith, Iames 5.2.3. The rust of their siluer and gold, and moths of their gar­ments, shall witnesse against them in the day of the Lord, and eate and con­sume their flesh, Am bros. as it were fire: Habet enim ecclesia pecuniam, non vt sornet, sed vt eroget: For whatsoeuer man enioyes from God, hee is not to reserue it to himselfe, but to vse it to the glotie of the giuer, & to the vse of the distressed. Fourthly, 4 howsoeuer the wicked seeme rich, yet (in very deede) they are excee­ding poore. First, because they want Christ Iesus, his Spirit, and the graces thereof, which being the only and true riches, are reiected by them. Secondly, Pecunia aqua salsa est. sitim prouocans non sedans: Riches are as the salt sea, not quenching, but prouoking a thirsting after them. Now so much as a man de­sires, so much he wants: and he which continually wants, how can he be rich? Thirdly, looke vnto those things which the world esteemes chiefe riches; haue they not their wings and doe often flie [Page 221]from vs, so that euen in the possessing, there is danger of losing, and when wee think our selues most sure of them, they are readie to be gone from vs? This day the rich man saith, Take thy ease, Luke 12.20. and repaste at full: but the next night came a finall separation. So that it seemes they are seruants lent, not hired, for so much as a yeere, a moneth, or a day: and therefore (at the pleasure of him that lent them whether in whole or part) must be gone againe. Si quid arri­sisset prosperum, taedebat apprehendere, quia penè prius quàm teneretur, auolabat: Therfore (saith Augustine) if that which is pleasing to the outward man did smile vpon me, August. lib. Confes. it was a griefe vnto me to lay hold vpon it, because it was (in a maner) gone againe, before it could be gotten. Sola virtus al­tissimis de fixa radicibus. Tull. Seueca. Vertue hath his sure habitation (saith Tully) Quae verò extrinsecus sunt, ad alium protinus transferri possunt: But those things which are without vs, may presently become another mans. Per Deum, dicimus aliena esse, Aug. lib. Solll. quae aliquandò nostra: & nostra esse quae aliquandò alie­na putauimus: At Gods pleasure, both that which we counted ours is present­ly [Page 222]made anothers: and that which we thought other mens, Quod efficit tale, illnd ma­gis tale. is made ours. A­gaine, there is great want in riches thē ­selues, and therfore cannot make others truly rich, because nothing can giue more to another, then it hath it selfe. Totas diuitias pluribus habere non licet, Seneca. nec ad quemlibet veniunt, sine caeterorum paupertate: Many men cannot haue the whole number of riches: neither can one be enriched by their comming, but another must be impouerished by their going. Agustine. I conclude then with Augustine: Homo absque virtute est regio pauperta­tis: A man in abundance without ver­tue, is a region of pouertie, poore, and barren, in which, though the wicked are mightie trees, Peccatum est pabulum dia­boli. Lactan. yet they are not rich trees, in as much as they beare not fruit delighting the King Christ Iesus, (and therefore not precious) but onely mast, wherewith the infernall swine are fed and nourished. For that which is highly esteemed among men, Luke 16.15. is abomination in the sight of God.

Lastly, the wicked are base and most miserable, though the honor they haue in this life is neuer so exceeding. Is it [Page 223]not a base and miserable condition to be seruants to their riches, subiects to their Iusts, captiues to sinne, and slaues vnto Satan; to will indirectly, to iudge corruptly, to vnderstand darkly? What doe riches, what doe friends, what do worldly honor and pleasures helpe him? View their sepulchres: Their bo­dies remaine, but the men are gone, and their triall is referred to the day of the Lord: where they shall finde the Iudge against them, whom by their sins they crucified; the Angels against thē, whom by their vnseemely behauiour they disgraced; the word of God a­gainst them, which in the hardnesse of their hearts they contemned; his bles­sed Sacraments against them, which by their pollutions they defiled: All his mercies against them, in as much as by them they would not bee allured; his iudgements against them, because tho­rough thē they would not be terrified; the righteous against them, because by them they were persecuted: lastly, Rom. 8. all Gods creatures against them, because through their sinnes they were corrup­ted, and by their prophane vsing them [Page 224]vilely abused. To whom shall they crie for comfort? whither shall they looke for helpe? If aboue them, Christ is their angrie Iudge; if within them, there is an accusing conscience; Reuel. 6. if to the good Angels, they pleade against them; if to the righteous, their blood cries for re­uenge; if to other Gods creatures, they are armed men prepared against them; if to their companions, they are in the same condition, and cannot help them; if to the diuell, he waites and labours to receiue them; if to hell, it gapes to deuoure them. Now should it be hap­pie if the hilles could couer their infa­mie, whom the world thought to be fa­mous, or that they had neuer bin, whoe being the foolish iudged to be happie. Wee confesse they planted vineyards, they multiplied their possessions, they fedde daintilie, they were cloathed gor­geously, they lay in their beds of down, caroust in bowles of Iuorie, inuented to themselues instruments of musicke, and thus in their abundance they found no end, nor in their reioycing seemed to haue measure: August. de spe­culo bum. mi­seriae. but one sillie moment gaue an end to all these things: and of [Page 225]all they had, they tooke not any thing with them. They left their riches which they wickedly sought after, and found the torments they neuer dreamed of. Of all they reioyced in, nothing is left: where is their pompe, where their ban­quets, where their rich attire, where their great treasures, where their ser­uants, their subiects, their troopes of followers, their multitude of clients? now they lie in the graue, their eyes behold none of these: they are tur­ned into ashes, their sinowes depar­ted from their ioynts: some thinke their bodies rest (and so it is till the day of iudgemēt: Luk. 6. Gregor. Prou. 14.) but in meane while their soules are plagued in hell. Extrema gau­dia sequuntur perpetua lamenta: Sweete meat hath sower sawce: extreame ioyes great lamentations. Bern. de medit. cap. 4. Tell me (saith Ber­nard) where are the louers of this world which were here of late? Tell me, what profit had they by their vaine glorie, their short ioy, their worldlie power, their carnall pleasures, Ʋna poena im­plicat, quos v­nus amor in crimine ligat. and their false riches? Where is their laughter, their ioy, their boasting? their bodies are gi­uen to bee wormes meate, and their [Page 226]soules are burning in the flames of euer­lasting torments, whither their bodies afterward come, that those which haue been companions in their vaine plea­sures, may bee partners in most grie­uous paines. Quanta distri­ctione feriat quos reprobat, si bîc cruciat quos amat? Gregor. Si Deus tam asperè percu­tit vbi parcit, quàm asperè percutiet vbi non parcet? For if God corrects the god­lie whom he spares in mercie, how grie­uously shall he wound the wicked, with whom he deales in the strictnesse of his iustice? If he sometimes whippe those whom hee loues in this life, with what seueritie will he plague those whom he hates, Bernard. in the life to come? If he will beat his holy sonne, what shall become of his wicked seruant? Iudg 4. Sisera giues milke vnto Iahel, couer him warme, and laies him to rest; but then his destruction was neerer: so the wicked are fed with sweete milke of delights, couered with rich attire, and luld asleepe in the cradle of securitie; but in meane while the sharpe nailes of Gods iudgements doe suddenly pearce them. Gregorie. Vitulus mactan­dus, liber ad pascua mittitur: The oxe re­serued for the butchers slaughterhouse, goes at his pleasure in the greenest me­dowes: [Page 227]so is it with the wicked whom the butcher of the soule must leade to his fearefull shambles. I conclude then with Augustine: August. ad Marcellinum. Nihil infoelicius foeli­citate peccantium: Nothing is more vn­happie then that which the wicked e­steeme their happinesse: who, though they seeme to flourish, ( quoniam splen­dor tectorum attenditur, labes autem ani­morum non attenditur; because men be­hold their outward beautie, and not their inward filthines) yet they are most miserable: Dum enim hos pollere Deus permittat, tunc indignatur grauius: si im­punitos dimittat, tunc punit infestius: For whilest God doth suffer them to flou­rish, then doth bee most set himselfe a­gainst them: and whilest he sends them away vnpunished, therein they are pu­nished a great deale more sharply. And thus the afflictions of the godly, & pro­speritie of the wicked, agree excellently wel with Gods Prouidence and iustice.

The third instance of confusion to proue God gouernes not the world, is, Jnstance 3. in that the way to destruction is broad, but to heauen narrow, and few there be that walke in it.

Ans. In very deed the way to heauen is ex­ceeding broad, in as much as the means which God hath giuen vs to haue vs walke in it, are many and infinite. Coe­lum & terra & omnia quae in ijs sunt, August. lib. Conf. 10. eccè vndi (que) mihi clamant vt te amem domine: The heauens, the earth, and all things therein contained, behold they neuer cease crying vnto mee, to loue thee O Lord, saith August. Adde Gods word to direct, his mercies to allure, his iudg­ments to whip vs on; and what not, to moue vs, helpe vs, and strengthen vs in this our iourney? If then for all this we very hardly walke in it, and so it proues narrow vnto vs, this is by accident, namely, Simile. through our own wilful blind­nesse, corrupt affections, and obstinate wickednes. A master makes a banquet for his seruants in an inner roome, and to passe into it, frames a dore both large and wide. If these which are inuited will loade themselues with huge bur­thens that they cannot enter, the doore is narrow in regard of the inuited, and not of the inuiter. So stands the case be­tweene Christ that inuites to his supper of glorie, Luk. 14.24. and vs that loade our selues [Page 229]with infinite sinnes that we cannot goe to it. Augustine. Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat, sed quia homo non ac­cipit: In that men want grace, Rom. 8.7. Rom. 3.4. it is not because God doth nor giue it, but be­cause they haue not grace to receiue it. Ioh. 3.19. Herein (saith Iohn) is their condemna­tion iust, in that, that light is come into the world, and men loue darknes more then light, because their deeds are euill. So that the way is narrow in regard of vs, and not of God. Secondly, if many are called and few chosen, if few vessels of glorie, and many vessels of wrath, Rom. 9. what hast thou to doe herein? shall fol­lie censure wisedome, or the clay reason against the potter?

Obiect. God either can take away euils and will not: or would but cannot: or nei­ther can nor will. If hee can but will not, he is enuious; if he would but can­not, he is impotent; if hee neither will nor can, he is both weake and enuious: none of which imperfections can be in God, and therefore since there are euils, all things are not gouerned by his Pro­uidence.

God can preuent all euils, Solution. (whether [Page 230]of the punishment, or of the sinne) and therefore is not impotent: but he doth suffer them, Qui mala tol­lit, prouidentiā tolleret. Plotin. yet therfore is not enuious: for hee doth not suffer them as they are simplie euils, but as from those euils his power, mercie, and iustice may appeare: his power, in turning euill to good; his mercie, in clensing and deliuering the elect of the riches of his grace; his iu­stice, in condemning the wicked and reprobate.

Obiection. That which doth resist God is not gouerned by him:

But the diuels and wicked men resist God:

And therefore are not gouerned by him.

Though the diuels and wicked men doe resist God in respect of his will re­uealed: Solution. yet God doth willingly suffer their resistance, limit the same, & turnes it to his glorie. So that he is not so resi­sted, but that hee doth gouerne; nor so opposed, but that he could ouercome. Therfore this neither takes away Gods prouidence, not diminisheth his power.

Obiection. If all things fall out by chance, then there is no Prouidence:

But all things fall out by chance: Ec­cles. 9.11. and in many other places:

Therefore no prouidence.

The holie Scripture doth vse such words, in regard of vs onely, Solution. to whom the causes of things and secret working of God is vnknowne, and therefore (the euents being simplie considered) we say they come by fortune: but not in re­spect of God, to whom all causes are knowne, and who worketh all in all by them. If we respect the counsell, know­ledge, & purpose of him that by shoo­ting the arrow at randome, wounded Achab; wee say Achab was slaine by chance: but if you respect the decree of God to punish the wicked, we say it came to passe by his heauenly Proui­dence. Secondlie, whereas Salomon saith, that neither the race is to the swift, nor the battell to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of vnder­standing, nor fauour to men of know­ledge, but that time and chance go­uernes all things; wee must vnderstand Salomon to speake in the person of the wicked, who hauing their eyes blind­folded, and iudgements corrupted, nei­ther [Page 232]see perfectly, nor iudge directly. For if the actions of men, Prou. 15.9. with their go­ings foorth and commings in (yea the hoppings of sparrowes) are gouerned by God; Exod. 3.21. then (without question) he di­rects their races. If God be the Captain of his people, Deut. 33.29. the helmet and sword of Israel, that none can preuaile against them, then he must needes be the God of Armies. If the eyes of all creatures that looke vp, receiue a blessing, a bles­sing extended to the sillie rauens of the field, will God detaine it from the wise? If those that seare the Lord want no­thing, doth he not giue sufficient riches to men of vnderstanding? Lastly, hee which suffers griefe wrongfully for cō ­science sake towards God, is counted thankes worthie in his sight, 1. Pet. 2.19. and there­fore he will shew fauour to such as haue the true knowledge of his name.

If things fall out by chance in regard of vs, Replie. & not of God, whose Prouidence extending to all things, imposeth a ne­cessitie vpon their seuerall euents; then you seeme to approue Stoicall destinie, which the godly condemne.

Ans. Destinie is obserued to be fourefold:

Naturall, Mathematicall, Stoicall, Destinie foure­fold. and Christian: Naturall, when naturall and definite causes do worke their proper and certaine effects: as the fire doth heate, the Sunne yeelds light, the water doth moisten; and so in particulars. 1. Naturall. This naturall or physicall destinie, is no other thing but nature it selfe, as it is noted by Alexander Aphrod. (an Interpreter of Aristotle) in his book of Destinie to Seuerus, and Antonius. By Tullie, when he saith, Multa impendere videbantur, praeter naturam praeter (que) fatum: Manie things hung ouer my head besides na­ture and destinie. By Aristotle himselfe, when he saith, Generationes quae fiunt se­cundum naturam, sunt fatales: Such ge­nerations as are according to nature are fatall. So that it seemes, fatall is à fando, because it speakes in that order, that is, is so ordained by God to work his cer­taine effects. Destinie or fate thus taken, is not to be blamed.

Mathematical destinie, 2. Mathema­ticall. whereby cer­tain mathematitians do attribute parti­cular effects to the operatiō of the hea­uens, as the Sun, the Moone, the Starres and such like: affirming no man to bee [Page 234]borne, to die, to be rich, to be poore, to be happie, to be vnhappie, but by the sole operation of the heauens, and in­fluence of the Starres. Touching this destinie, we say with Augustine, Hoc fa­tum verè fatuum est, August. de Ci­uitat. Dei. This is fooles de­stinie: and so I leaue it.

Stoicall destinie is noted by Tullie to bee an ordinarie succession of causes, 3. Stoicall. wherein, by a neere coniunction, one cause is the cause of another cause, and that cause, the cause of that which fol­loweth, The error of Manes, teach­ing fatall de­stinie, condem­ned. Eus. lib. 7. Socrat. lib. 5. and so by a perpetuall successi­on, one cause to be an absolute cause of another cause, by vertue of their next and neerest coniunction. But herein all honor is giuen to the creature, none to the Creator, and therefore this destinie is most damnable, and wholly condem­ned by the former doctrine, wherein all effects are attributed to God, and their necessity of falling out, to his diuine im­mutabilitie.

Christian destinie, 4. Christian. (so called, because it agreeth with the profession of Christi­ans) is a necessarie course and goodly order of all things, depending vpon Gods diuine Prouidence. This differs [Page 235]much from the former. The difference betweene Stoi­call and Chri­stian destinie. That separates Gods power from the operatiō of cau­ses: this includes it, and makes his will efficient of all things. 1 That teacheth that the course and order of things is natu­rall only: 2 but this teacheth that God in wisdome framed all by his power crea­ted all, and by his Prouidence gouernes all. That teacheth, 3 that the naturall or­der and succession of causes is euerla­sting: but this, that they had a begin­ning, are vpholden still by God; and shall haue an end at his will and plea­sure. That teacheth, 4 that naturall causes do by their owne vertue worke necessa­rie effects: but this, that some causes are ordained necessarie, and some contin­gent, and that both of these are thus ap­pointed by God. Lastly, 5 Stoicall desti­nie (for such are the opinions of sundrie of that sect) teacheth that this their na­turall order and succession of causes, doth enforce the willes of men: but Christian destinie teacheth, that God only moueth the will, & that not force­ably, but mildlie enclining it, and gent­ly mouing it.

Object. Whatsoeuer derogates from Gods honor, that he will not do: but to go­uerne base things, derogates from his honour, (because they are not besee­ming his regard:) Therfore he doth not gouerne them.

The moe things any one is able to gouerne, Solution. the more is his power magni­fied: and the moe he will gouerne, the more is his goodnes manifested. So that for God to gouerne all, both great and small, therein is his glorie exceedingly exalted. Secondly, none of Gods crea­tures are base in regard of themselues, but as they are compared with others. The Angels, though base in regard of God, yet in respect of other creatures, are most excellent. A horse compared with a man, is base, but considered with a flie, is of great estimation, and so in particular: yea which of Gods crea­tures can we behold, but vpon due con­sideration, we shall finde matter of ad­miration in the same? euen in the gnat, and little flie, as Augustine noteth. But I proceed to the rest.

Obiections against the doctrine of the manner of Gods gouernment, with the answers vnto them.

Obiect. GOd hath appointed no one ouer the earth besides himselfe: hee a­lone works all in all. 1. Against the meanes. As by him al things were created, so by him alone all things are maintained and preserued: Iob 34. Ephes. 1. Col. 1. &c. Therefore he vseth no second meanes in gouerning the world.

In these and such like places, Solution. God doth not exclude his creatures which he hath ordained to vse for y ^e setting forth of his glorie; but onely sheweth that there is no other God in heauen or earth besides himselfe: and that he on­lie workes all in all by his mightie po­wer, in such a manner, as that although his creatures doe worke, yet it is by a strength and vertue receiued from him. Wee say Iulius Caesar conquered manie nations: yet wee doe not exclude his Souldiers, whereby he preuailed. Here is the only difference: Iulius vsed them because hee could not subdue others [Page 238]without them: but God being Almigh­tie vseth his creatures, because it is his good pleasure.

Obiection. If God worketh by all meanes, Absurdities in­ferred. 1. From the meanes. Solution. and disposeth of all ends, then wee are not tied to any men for kindnesses shewed, or benefits bestowed.

We are not bound vnto any men, or any other thing, as authors of our good, but as they are Gods disposers, and or­dained by him to bee meanes of con­ueying it vnto vs. If the King send a gift, we acknowledge him the bestow­er: yet ought to bee thankfull to him that brought it. Thus Dauid is thank­full to Barzillaus the Giliadite: Paul to Priscilla and Aquila: Rom. 16.4. yet they very well knew, that God was Author of al, and they but meanes ordained.

If God often vseth no meanes: 2. From the want of means. Obiection. then wee are not to stand vpon the vsing them.

It is great impietie to reason from the Creator, Solution. to the creature: hee is Al­mightie, and can worke without them: we are weake, and cannot want them. Secondly, God hath ordained meanes to be helps vnto man, and commanded [Page 239]man to vse meanes: Matth. 4. therefore to reiect them, is to contemne Gods ordinance, grieuouslie to tempt him, and wilfullie to hurt our selues.

Obiection. If the meanes whereof we are igno­rant whether they will profit vs or not, are to be vsed, then much more charmes and going to witches, which we know will profit vs.

Wee must know that the doing of that which the Lord hath forbidden, Solution. will neuer profit anie: for though it seemes to helpe the bodie, yet it doth grieuouslie hurt the soule. Secondlie, Leuit. 20.6. Esay 8.19.20. it was neuer knowne that euer any witch could inrich her selfe, or that any one was bettered by going vnto them, as in the vses it shall further appeare.

Obiection. 2 If all things fall out necessarilie: Against the immutabilitie of Gods go­uernment. then there is no free will in men: but the Church acknowledgeth a certaine free­will. And therefore this doctrine seemes contrary to y ^e iudgement of the Church, that all things should fall out immuta­blie.

Wee acknowledge (as Caluin saith) that men haue a certaine freedome of their willes, that is, Solution. 1. of choosing or re­fusing [Page 240]as it seemeth good vnto them: as it appeares by the choice propounded by the Prophet to Dauid, 1. King. 3.5. 2. Sam. 24. Deut. 30.19. and by Mo­ses to the people of Israel: yet so, as that God doth alwaies gouerne our willes: in that which is euill, decreeing a volun­tarie permission: for some good in that which is good, both strengthning our willes, Peccant per li­berum arbitri­um non libera­tum: Aug. There is a free will, and a will freed: to sin, free: to good, freed by grace. giuing the motion and inclining them forward. Otherwise wee haue no free will at all: for in our willing that which hee commands, himselfe doth worke both the will and the deede: and yet since it is not by a compulsion, but by a gentle inclining, we graunt a cer­taine libertie vnto them. 2 Secondly, the necessitie imposed vpon al euents, doth arise from the immutabilitie of Gods decree of gouerning, and not from na­turall causes: and therefore in regard of these, we may be said to will, or not to will, that things shall fall out, or not fall out. 3 Thirdly, there is a double ne­cessitie: the one of compulsion: the o­ther of immutabilitie. August. de Ci­uit. Dei Tom. 5. lib. 5. cap. 10. The first may seeme to take away our freedome: be­cause we are compeld to do that which we would not doe: as to be put to death [Page 241]by a tyrant, to be slaine by our aduersa­rie: yet our bodies and not our willes are properly said to be vnder this neces­sitie, because (do our aduersarie what he can) we may will our death, No necessitie ouerrules the minds of men. ibid. or not will it: but this second doth not: for al­though it comes to passe, that that which is done, could not but be done, neither otherwise done then it is done; and that our willes are vnder this ne­cessitie, yet (since it is by enclining them, and not by forcing them) there is a certaine libertie left vnto them: Otherwise how could it bee said, that Christ must needs suffer; Luk. 24. and yet that he suffered willinglie, and by consequence freelie: Esay 53.

Obiect. If al things fal out necessarily, because Gods decree of gouerning is immuta­ble, then prayers to preuent dangers, with other meanes prescribed in the word of God, serue to no purpose: be­cause not wee would, but as God hath decreed, so it must be effected.

The decree of GOD doth not ex­clude, Solution. but include the meanes ap­pointed; because as hee decrees the end, so the meanes whereby it is to [Page 242]be accomplished. Ioh. 1. Gal. 5. Rom. 10. Ephes. 1. Thus God in electing his children, giues his Gospell to worke faith and repentance, his Sacraments to confirme vs, and his blessed Spirit conti­nually to direct vs, and to quicken vp his good graces within vs: as feruent prayer, hartie thanks giuing, zeale of his glorie, conscience to serue him, and such like, Ephes. 2. These necessa­rie to saluati­on; though not to iustification. without which we cannot bee saued. Thus God in his decree of ele­cting, decrees also the meanes of ac­complishing: as by Christs precepts, his practise, and the word [...], signi­fying to predestinate, it plainely appea­reth. As this is true of the soule, so of the preseruation of the bodie: for God hath not onelie giuen it a being, but a soule, by whose faculties it should bee kept from dangers: he hath giuen food by which it shuld be nourished, clothes to keep it warme, oile to make a cheere­full countenance; yea and for the sa­uing of soules and bodies, all Gods blessings are giuen, and all still preser­ued. Thus Ezechias though he knew he should liue fifteene yeeres longer, yet vsed a plaister of figs. And Paul though he knew he should come safe to land, [Page 243]yet giues aduice and excites the mari­ners to the meanes how it should be ef­fected. How infinite many times did Dauid flie from his enemies, vse meanes of his deliuerance, and praied to God for the same, and yet knew very well he should come to the kingdome, yea and as infinit many times confessed God to be an assured defence and deliuerer of his children? Secondly, the reuealed will of God, commanding vs to vse the meanes appointed, must be a law to go­uerne vs, and therefore wee must not dreame of his hidden will, whereof wee are ignorant.

Obiections and false conclusions infer­red vpon this doctrine, that God is the author of the euill of the punish­ment: with the Answeres vnto them.

Obiection. IF God willeth the death of none, then hee hath no stroke in the punish­ment of sinners:

But that he willeth no ones death, it appeares: Ezech. 18.33. Ose 13.9. [Page 244]1. Tim. 2.4. 2. Pet. 3.9. Matth. 23.37. Luk. 13.34.

And therefore hee punisheth not all sinners.

There is a difference betweene the inflicting of punishment, Solution. & the willing that a man should not come to that pu­nishment: by these places of holy Scrip­ture, the Lord shewes his desire to haue men to eschew sin, The obiection propounded. whereby they come to this punishmnt, and not when they haue committed the same that he will not punish them for it. Thus a good Iudge giues his charge to preuent stea­ling at one Sessions; Simile. and punisheth those which haue broke it, at the next Sessions.

Secondly, if you respect Gods reuea­led will, that is, the meanes he vseth for our cōuersion & keeping of his lawes, in this sense, he willeth the death of none: but if you respect his secret will, that is, his decree of reprobation, Esay 1.24. Matth. 11. Luke 10. then God may be said to will the death of infinite many, and that therein he reioyceth and taketh pleasure, in as much as his po­wer, and iustice is thereby exalted. His iustice in that hee punisheth sinne, his [Page 245]mercie, in that of his grace through his sonne hee saueth some: his power, in that he can ordaine for his owne seruice, both vessels of wrath, and vessels of glo­rie.

Thirdlie, 1. Tim. 4.2. whereas God is said to will the saluation of all: we must vnderstand by All, some of euerie nation and de­gree whatsoeuer. Thus Paul noteth when he saith, Pray for kings, and all in Authoritie; because it pleaseth God that some of euerie countrie, nation and degree, should be saued. Thus the ge­nerall, vsed by Esay 43.9. is expounded in the sixt verse, to be ment of the sons and daughters of God.

But some replie, Replie. 1. Tim. 4.10. that this cannot bee thus: because it is said, that although God is especially a Sauiour of the faith­full, yet that he is a Sauiour of all, as wel as of them.

Ans. Sauiour, hath relation to this life, not to the life to come: so that the mea­ning is, that although God especiallie preserueth and deliuereth the godly, yet that he giueth food, raiment, and other things necessarie for this life euen vnto the wicked also. In this sense spea­keth [Page 246] Dauid, Psalm. 33.6. Thou Lord sauest both man and beast: Where (saue) must needs be vnderstood for preserue and maintaine: and so in the place before alleaged.

Obiection. The will of man agreeing with Gods will, is good: But whensoeuer one man doth kill another, False conclusi­ons inserred. there is mans will a­greeing with Gods will, because it was his pleasure that such a thing should fall out: In regard of the right of pu­nishing. And therefore man, for killing man, is not to be punished, though it lies in God to punish him for it.

Where mans will agreeth with Gods will in all respects, Solution. the argument doth hold: but in this and all other, there is infinit contrarietie: God wils a volun­tarie permission; man, a wilfull effe­cting: God often willes the death of a man if hee bee holie, as a blessing to giue him the life of the soule for the death of the bodie, and for momentarie troubles, eternall ioies; if he be wicked, as a punishment for his sinne, and to cut him off from infecting his Church: but the murtherer in killing of a man re­spects none of these ends, but the satis­sying of his malitious mind, y ^e occasion being as often vniustly taken, as of [Page 247]weaknesse giuen. So that in this and al other such like, God willes his owne glorie in the execution of iustice, and in shewing mercie to his children: Rom. 12.9. but the manslaier regards neither, but whollie the satisfying of his bloudie desire: whereby he multiplies his sinnes in ap­proching to the seate of iudgement: 1. Thes. 4.6. for vengeance is the Lords, and to him only it belongs to repay.

Obiection. Our vnrighteousnes commends the righteousnesse of God: therfore though God hath the right of punishing, yet he cannot in iustice punish vs, because our sinne sets forth his glorie.

Our vnrighteousnesse doth not com­mend Gods righteousnesse, Solution. as it is sim­plie sinne, but by accident, namely, be­cause when we doe sinne, God doth pu­nish vs for the same; which punishment being the execution of iustice, his righ­teousnesse is thereby commended: ther­fore let vs not sinne, nor sinning (with­out repentance,) thinke to goe vnpuni­shed, for it is for the honor of the Iudge of the world to execute iudgement. Gen. 25.

Obiections alleaged to prooue God the Author of sinne, with the Answers vnto them.

Obiect. IF God created the wicked man a­gainst the euill day or day of wrath, Thus taught the Seleutians. Aug. de haeres. Thus taught Floring and Blastus at Rome. Euscb. lib. 5. cap 13. & 28. Solution. then it seemes he is the cause of sinne:

But God hath done so, Prou. 16.

And therefore seemes to be cause of sinne:

God created not the euill man to sin, and therefore cannot be a cause of it: but sinning to punish him for the same: In which case none can complaine, Psalm. 6. be­cause God will giue to euery one ac­cording to his worke.

Obiect. If there be no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done, then it seemes he is the cause of sinne:

But God is the cause of all euill in the citie: Amos 3.6. Esay 4. and therefore of sinne.

There is a double cuill: Solution. the morall, and the naturall: the morall euill is the sinne: the naturall euill, is the punish­ment for the sinne: God is the Author of this, but not of the other. And ther­fore the Prophet Amos theacheth in [Page 249]this place, that afflictions come from God and not by chance and fortune, as some were perswaded.

Obiect. God commanded Abraham to kill his innocent son: Shemeus to curse Da­uid: Gen. 32.2. Sam. 15.

But these are sinnes: Therefore God seemes to be a cause of sinnes.

God commanded not Abraham to sacrifice his sonne of superstition, Solution. as they that offered their sons and daugh­ters to the idoll Moloch; nor yet to sa­tisfie any malice or wicked thought in Abraham toward his sonne, (for this was farre from so holie a father) but on­lie as it was a point of Gods deuine ser­uice, & to trie y ^e faith of Abraham, who therby was to be made a father of al be­leeuers. And therefore God did well in commanding, and Abraham well in o­beying: Secondly, though the com­mandement was giuen to trie Abra­ham, yet the secret purpose of God, was to deliuer Isaac, as the sequeale did ma­nifest.

But on the contrarie, Shemeus his rai­ling on Dauid, was from a malitious, minde, and to satisfie his furie against [Page 250]him; the which was not commanded by God, but only willingly permitted, and in the permission so ordered, as that it turned vnto Dauid to be a correction for his sinne, in which sense Dauid saith, the Lord bad him doe it. And there­fore by neither of these, can God seeme to be the author of sinne.

Obiection. God caused the Israelites to spoyle the Aegyptians of their iewels, Exod. 12.25. chap. 3.22. contra­rie to his owne Law, Exod. 20. and therefore seemes a cause of sinne.

What God commaunds to be done, Solution. the performance of that can be no sin: because sinne is a transgression of Gods lawe. Secondly, the Israelites being Gods people, and hauing liued in great seruitude in Egypt, and by their la­bours encreased the treasures of Pha­raoh very exceedingly, there was good reason why they should reape some commoditie from the Egyptians at their departure. As vsurie per­mitted to Gods enemies, but not among his people. Lastly, many things may be done to the professed enemies of God very lawfully, the which to en­terprise toward any that professe his name, is a grieuous sinne: the which in no wise can be imputed to the Israe­lites, [Page 251]and that so much the lesse, 1 because they tooke nothing away of malice, or desire of gaine, but onely to obey the will of God.

Obiection. If God punish one sinne with ano­ther sinne, then he is the author of sinne: because hee is the author of all punish­ment:

But God often doth thus: Solution. and there­fore he is often a cause of sinne.

Sinne is to be considered either as it is simplie a sinne, or as it is a punish­ment of former sinnes, by reason it is a begetter of moe sinnes, and makes the committer more miserable: as it is eui­dent in the ignorant Gentiles, Ephes. 4.18. and in the hard hearted Iewes, Rom. 1.21, 22, 23, &c. God onely willing lie permits the former, and in his iustice in­flicts the latter; Lib. 5. cap. 3. as Augustine in his Treatise against Iulian plainly teacheth.

Obiection. Whatsoeuer is committed the Lord doth will the same:

But sins are committed: And there­fore God doth will them.

Gods will is efficient, commanding, Solution. or permissiue: the two former make God an absolute cause; the latter doth [Page 252]not. So that we confesse that God doth will all, both good and bad: the bad, by a willing permission: the good, by his command and by a powerfull effe­cting.

Obiect. God commanded (or at least willed) the selling of Ioseph into Egypt by his brethren, which fact of theirs was a sin, and therfore God willeth some sinnes.

God willed the selling of Ioseph into Egypt, Solution. as it did make for the declara­tion of his exceeding power and mer­cie to his Church: Gen. 48. for thereby Iosephs deliuerance was seene, his honour ad­uanced, & the future good of the faith­full procured, as it appeares by his sup­plie of the want in the time of famine, in which respect Ioseph was sent afore­hand by the Lord into Egypt, as him­selfe declareth: but none of these were respected by Iosephs brethren, but only an intent to make him away, for the sa­tisfying of their malitious mindes to­ward him: therfore it was good in God, as proceeding from his infinite loue to his children: but euill in Iosephs bre­thren as proceeding of an euill minde in them.

Obiect. God willeth the actions of the diuell and of wicked men: but these actions are sinnes: Therefore willeth some sins.

God doth not command them, Solution. nor effect them himselfe, as they are simply sinnes: but doth only willingly permit them, which permission (as I haue pro­ued) cannot make him a cause of the sin committed. Secondly, though God giue strength to the actions of the diuel and wicked men, and that to a purpose making for his owne glorie, and good of his children, hee doth will the same, yet hee is farre from the intents of the diuell and wicked men in their actions, being that which makes them to bee sinnes: 1. Pet. 4.19. God willed the redemption of mankinde, and therefore the crucifying of his sonne whereby it was to be effe­cted: but the malice and hatred of the Iewes toward him, for which cause they did it, came of themselues. God willes the chastisement of his children for the trial of their faith and patience; but that Tyrants should imprison them, or put them to death vniustly, this proceedes from a hatred in them toward Gods children: and therefore God wils only [Page 254]the good, but the euill that is effected comes from themselues.

Obiection. He which willeth the end, willeth al­so the meanes whereby it is to bee ac­complished: but God willeth the end of sinning, namely his glorie:

And therefore the meanes whereby it is manifested, that is, sinne it selfe.

Solution 1 God doth will a willing permission of the meanes,but not an effecting of them: for he only intendeth that by the suffering of such a meanes, his iustice should take place, and so his glorie bee manifested. But this is cleane contrarie to the expectation of him which sin­neth: because he doth sinne only to sa­tisfie his owne lusts, and not to bee pu­nished, or to haue Gods glorie mani­fested by the same. 2 Secondlie, sinne is not of it selfe a meanes of Gods glorie, but in that respect Gods iustice is de­clared in punishing it, or his mercie shewed in pardoning it. So that Gods permission of the sinne is the meanes of his glorie, and not the sinne it selfe: be­cause God respects not the purpose of man in sinning, but his owne purpose in permitting.

Obiection. Whosoeuer can hinder sin, and will not, that partie doth offend:

But God can hinder sinne, and yet often doth not:

And therefore seemes often to of­fend.

The Proposition is true, Solution. being vnder­stood of those that are bound to hinder sinne, or of those that doe approue of sinnes in that respect they are simplie sinnes: but God is aboue his law, and therefore not tied to it. Secondly, in suffering sinne, he no way approues of it, for he punisheth him that commits it, yea rather then it should goe vnpuni­shed, doth punish it in his only begot­ten Sonne: so that the argument holds in vs that are his creatures, but not in God the Creator.

Obiection. He which doth euill that good may come thereof, doth sinne, Rom. 3.

But God by permitting euill, doth euill that good may come thereof:

And therefore God seemes some­times to sinne.

The Assumption is false: Solution. because it is not Gods permission which is euill, but the sinne it selfe.

Obiect. The want of Gods grace is the cause of sinne, both in the godly and in the wicked: And therefore since hee doth not bestow it vpon them, it seemes he is the cause of the sinnes both of the one and the other.

I confesse (as Augustine saith) that men doe sinne Deo gratiam non conce­dente, Solution. in that God doth not giue them his grace: yet God being not tied to giue it, and secondly his detaining it, making for his iustice and glorie, how can he be blamed for not bestowing it? Yet further note: Non ideò non habet ho­mo gratiam, quia Deus non dat, sed quia homo non accipit. Man is destitute of Gods grace, Rom. 6.12. not because God doth not giue it, but because men haue not hearts to receiue it when it is offered. Aug. in Matth. 9.12. [...]. Plato. Mag­nus de caelo venit Medicus quia per vbi (que) terrarum iacet aegrotus: That great and wise Physition is come from heauen, because the whole world lay sicke of sinne: if men are not cured, this only is the cause: Muscujus. Medicum vltrò venientem respuunt; they wilfullie refuse him, that would willingly helpe them. Thus is Christ the bread of life, the light, the [Page 257]way, the truth: in that our soules are not nourished, our vnderstandings en­lightned, Ioh. 3.19. this way not walked, the truth not receiued, nor our soules cured: Luk. 14.24. It is because wee reiect the truth, Ioh. 6.35. refuse this way, winke with our eies, will not taste this foode; Apoc. 3.20. but shut the dores of our hearts, lest hee should enter and heale vs.

Obiection. The actions of the diuell and wicked men are sinnes:

But these are maintained by God:

And therefore some sinnes are main­tained by him.

Whatsoeuer the wicked doth, Solution. it is e­uill in Gods sight, because it proceeds from a person not sanctified by his spi­rit: yet we must make a difference be­tween the actions and motions of euill mē, and the disorder and sin which go­eth with them: God is the cause of the one, but not of y ^e other. A good Musitiō may giue a good tuch vpon a string, Simile. yet the soūd may be bad, because the string is bad, or the instrumēt naught: so God may moue the actions of the diuell and wicked men, yet their actions good in [Page 258]respect of God, though euill in regard of them.

Obiect. Hee which maintaineth nature sin­ning, maintaineth also the sinne it selfe: But God doth thus: And therefore maintaineth some sinnes.

Aliud est innatum, Solution. aliud agnatum: It is one thing to vphold common nature as a creature of God; another thing to vphold the corruption of our nature: the one is naturall, as proceeding from common nature, and is good in vs: the other is naturall, as proceeding from the corruption of our nature, that is, our sinne in Adam, and is euill in vs: the former is vpholden and maintained by God, and it shewes his goodnesse, because it is his creature: the latter came first from our selues, and is still conti­nued by our owne wicked lusts, and so is euill in vs. Isai. 30. In this sense Isaiah saith vn­to vs, Woe be to you declining sonnes.

Obiect. The second cause cannot work with­out the first cause:

But the second cause, namely mans will, is a cause of sinne:

And therefore the first cause, namely [Page 259]God, hath a stroke in it.

Solution 1 Truth it is, that the first cause doth preserue, maintaine and moue the se­cond cause: but in that being moued, it runs into an euill, this proceeds from a defect and corruption in the second cause only: as in the handling that Sa­tan and our selues are the sole causes of sinne, it plainly appeares. Secondly, 2 the faculties of willing and nilling are not simply the causes of sinnes: but the corruption of our faculties and the di­flurbance of our willes, by reason of the contagion of sin which raigneth in vs.

Obiect. The hardning of the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon, of Pharaoh King of Egypt, of the Iewes, and many other proceeded from God: Dent. 2. Exod. 3. But these are simply sinnes: And there­fore God is the cause of sinne.

God doth harden, Solution. Augustine. non malum obtru­dendo sed gratiam non concedendo, not by effecting sinne in vs, but by not exhibi­ting of his grace whereby it is preuen­ted. For touching sinne God hath no positiue will, In cludere, est clausis non a­perire. but onely a priuation of his grace, in respect of former sinnes committed. In this sense God is said [Page 260]then to shut vp vnder sinne, when hee doth not open his doore of mercie: Gregor. Destruit cum deserit. and then to destroy when he doth forsake. And thus much the Hebrew Dialect signifying (as the learned haue obser­ued) a permission, and not an action, doth teach vnto vs. This shall suf­fice for the answering of the obiections. The vses follow.