Collection of Discourses, Part 6 – Part 7
OF THE CAVSE OF SINNE Parte of a letter of Vrſinus to his friend, concerning the cauſe of ſinne.
ONe terrible bug-beare they hauehave, of the cauſe of ſinne, all the reſt is fooliſh, and not worthy the aunſwearing. But even that alſo is a childiſh fallacie of accident. For by accident, that is, through defect, fault, and error of the will of the Divel or man, ſin commeth to bee that worke, which God by will (moſt iuſt & moſt agreeable to his nature & the Law) wil hauehave done, permitting in the mean time the ſins of the creature, that is, not ſo correcting & directing it, that it may do iuſtly togither with God doing iuſtly: or els while he doth not enlighten it with the knowledge of his will, or doth not ſo turne it by his ſpirit, that it may doe that which it doth, for obedience ſake to the revealed will of God. So that God ever doth well, both by thoſe that are good, and alſo by thoſe that are evill. But the creature doth well togither with God, in that goodnes wherein it is created, preſerved, or therevnto againe reſtored by God. The good therfore which it doth is the work of God, which himſelfe doth will and effect; the evill which it doth is frō it ſelfe. Now this euill is not done, but permitted by God, whiles he doth not cauſe the will of the creature to become good, and to do good togeather with God doing good. For the ſame worke in reſpect of diuerſe cauſes is both good & euil, mutable & immutable, contingent & free, as the cauſes them-ſelues are diuerſe which concu…e in producing therof. Hee which ſees not this, ſees nothing. But if I can I will one day anſweare you in feawe wordes. For whether I can or no, & whē I can I doe not yet knowe, beſides that it is tedious to me to handle theſe ſtale ſophiſmes. Learne in ſecret, & whē your thoughts are at leaſure, meditate on this: that every man may trouble a true, but God alone can quiet it. If you would not crie roſtmeat, you might hauehave fared much better.
March. 10. An. 1573.
THAT PROVIDENCE DOTH NOT DEROGATE FROM PRAIER.
Part of an other letter to the ſame friend; wherein is debated this queſtion, Whether the doctrine of Providence doe derogate from praier.
THe godly exerciſe of praier wel agreeth with the doctrine of Providence; and is confirmed & eſtabliſhed thereby. For whoſoever beggeth at Gods handes with an vpright heart things neceſſary to ſalvation, the ſame is verily perſwaded, that he forth with receiveth them. The contrary opinion ſhaketh & rooteth vp our faith & cōfidence in God, and ſuffereth vsus not ſtedfaſtly to beleeue the laſt Article of the Creed. But praier when it ſueth for things on which ſalvatiō depēdeth not, patiently & humbly ſubmitteth it ſelfe vntounto Gods will, not deſiring to obtaine any other thing then that which GOD in his ſecret counſell hath decreed beſt, and moſt profitable for vsus. Nothinge more ſlacketh our obedience in this pointe; nothing more diſturbeth our comforte and quiet of minde herein, then that errant cōtingency whereby the Academicks & Epicures beare the world In hand that the events of thinges are not governed and determined by Gods divine counſel. Recall to minde that diſtinction of thinges to bee praied for, often taught, and daily repeated vntounto children by our country-man Philip Melancthon, and this whole controverſie of praier ſhalbe cleered and put out of doubt. Herevvith meeteth our opinion, but the contrary opinion ſwarveth wholie from it; ſo that truth wel ſuteth with truth, but falſhoode agreeth neither with truth, nor falſhoode. The ſumme of all is; you muſt ground your cōfidence on God, and craue all good things of him, and be thankful vntounto him for the ſame no otherwiſe thē as if all thinges proceeded from him without any your endeavour; and yet muſt you performe your dutie with as great diligence and induſtrie, as if you were able to procure and gaine all thinges of your ſelfe, and by your ſelfe without him Whoſoeuer directeth not the whole doctrine and diſputation of Providence and Election vntounto this end, he waxeth vaine in his curioſitie, & intangleth himſelfe in many ſnares, which himſelfe laieth for him ſelfe. On whomſoever God hath decreed to heap his bleſſings, to them he hath appointed the ſpirit of praier. If then hee hath giuen thee a deſire to praie, aſſure thy ſelfe this gift is not in vaine, but thou ſhalt alwaies bee heard according to Gods own promiſe. This is the Conſequent thou oughteſt to deduce and gather on good ground & infallible concluſion out of that precedent benefit. Seeſt thou thē the cōtrary of this thy fear? For nothing leſſe impeacheth, nothing more cōfirmeth the deſire, cuſtome, and conſolation of prayer then the doctrine of Providence. I much marueile that you yet ſtill dreame of the ghoſtes & ſpirits of particular men. Howe often hauehave you hearde and reade the contrarie to be trew, howſoeuer the miſerable Sophiſts of our time groping in the thicke darkenes of their Academicall blockiſhneſſe cavill hereat. For without the doctrine of Election and certainety of ſalvation the vniverſalitie of promiſed grace which appertaineth to al the faithfull, and to them alone, can neither ſtand or be mainetained, nor applyed to the comforte and vſe of the godly. How often hath it beene reiterated vntounto you, that you muſt iudge of Election a poſteriors from the ſubſequent ſigns & effects it cauſeth. For you muſt repute and iudge your ſelfe elected by that meaſur of faith which is required in the elect. Yea this is true & liuely faith, for a man to beleeue that he is elect vntounto eternall life for Chriſts ſake. Search then & ſift thine own conſcience whether there be found in thee faith, repentance, and & vnfeigned deſire of the grace and fauour of God: & then pronounce thy ſelfe one of Gods elect, al curious diſputatiōs ſet apart. I proteſt before God that I… ſee not by what meās I could hauehave ſtood ſtedfaſt in many my priuate greeuances, had I not held this one comfort impregnable. No man ſhall take my ſheepe out of my handes &c. What are all other comfortes if this be not at hand with vsus,Ioh. 10. that all thinges, good and evill befall vsus not caſually, but by the eternall decree & purpoſe of God worke for our ſaluation. 9. Iun. 1575.