Gods Arraignment of Hypocrites, Religious tract 1 · Chapter 2 · Part 4
IIII. Part. Of Gods reproofe, and order in ſinne.
Reprooue] This word ſignifieth foure things: Firſt, to argue or reaſon vponupon any matter: ſecondly, by reaſoning to prooue or disprooue any cauſe: thirdly, by proouing or diſproouing, to abſolue or condemne any perſon: fourthly, after condemnation to puniſh or execute: This fourth ſignification is ſpecially meant in this place; for he had his conuiction before, therefore to reprooue in this place is as much as to plague; for the reaſon following makes it plaine, Oh conſider this, leaſt I teare you in peeces: ſhewing plainly what his reproofe was, nothing but vengeance.
Set] This word preſuppoſeth things out of place: ſecondly, the placing of them againe in their rankes and orders, ſhewing vsus the nature of ſinne. Firſt, that ſinne is gotten out of his own place; for neuer a creature of God by his creatiō did acknowledge him, and God himſelfe did alwaies abhorre him: therefore before the fal of men and angels, Gods er…ation a deadly …uemie to ſinne.ſinne was like vntounto that which we call in nature vacuum, which is ſo abhorred of nature, that the verie fire will deſcend, and the verie water aſcend, before they wil yeeld him the leaſt corner in the world: ſo ſinne, by Gods creation was wholly excluded, and God giueth his teſtimonie, that eueryevery thing that hee made was good, and very good: therefore that ſinne ſhould obtaine that in nature, as to get him a place in the beſt of Gods creatures, was neuer the placing of the Lord; therefore the Lord cannot bee ſaid to ſet ſinne in this manner. The way of Gods placing Cane.The ſecond ſetting is here vnderſtood, to wit, bringing that into his proper place, which hitherto hath beene out of his place: and is done two manner of wayes; Firſt, by bringing it vntounto himſelfe, and the rule of his wiſedome; and ſo ſin is ſet in the decree of God, and ordered by his wiſdome: for that of the Philoſopher is true, Veritas iudex ſui & obliqui; but what need we the teſtimonie of the Philoſopher, ſeeing that we hauehave the Apoſtle Paul, Rom. 7.7. I knewe not ſinne but by the lawe, and without the law ſinne is dead: now the rule is alwaies before the breach of the rule, & therfore muſt needs determine of euerie fault. Secondly, ſinne is ſet in order, when it is brought vntounto man by making him feele what his ſinne was by the puniſhment of it.
Order] Includeth three things, Confuſion, di…ontion, i…u…ination.firſt confuſion: ſecondly, comely diſpoſition: thirdly, plaine reuelation: as in the creation of the world, Gods order is ſet forth vntounto vsus in the confuſion of the firſt matter, wherein all things were buried, as in a dark dungeon. Secondly, how the Lord proceeded to bring out of this, the heauens in their ranke, with all the hoſt thereof, the firmament in his place, the water and all therein in his place, the earth and all thereupon in their place: and thus was the worke of the Lord comely and full of beautie. Thirdly, the Lord brought foorth a light, to ſeparate from the darkenes, and ſo was there a plaine reuelation of his workes: ſo in this place, here is ſinne, a greater confuſion in m…n, then euer was in that firſt chaos. Secondly, as the Lord brought all things out of that into their place; ſo will he bring all the ſins of man vntounto a comely order: ſo that plainly in the third place eueryevery man ſhall ſee what he hath done to the diſhonour of his creator. This order is threefold, according to a threefold booke: the firſt is the booke of decrees; 3. Bookes, Gods dec…es, Law, Conſ… ence.the ſecond is the book of Gods law, the third the books of conſcience: and theſe three bookes doe moſt plainely order ſinne. The firſt booke being ſecret, ordereth ſinne ſecretly, yet moſt iuſtly, becauſe moſt wiſely: for if the wiſedome of God ſhould not be ſeene in ſin, then ſhould not God hauehave his glorie out of ſinne; therfore to anſwer all obiections that may ariſe out of this ordring of ſin, & the prouing of the truth of this point; I will in a few words take in hand the clearing of theſe two things; firſt the remoouall of that which may obſcure the truth: ſecondly, I will bring reaſons for the confirming of this difficultie. Anſwer.
The firſt obiection may be out of the words of the Pſalme, I will ſet them in order before thee: therefore the order that is taken for ſinne, is after that ſinne is committed. For firſt God ſaith, Theſe things haſt thou done: 2. theſe things will I order: 3. before thee: all which plainely prooue, that this order followeth ſinne.
Anſwer. To which I anſwer, that in this place we are to vnderſtand, that the third booke, which is the booke of the conſcience, is here to be vnderſtood; not excluding the former as though they were not, but onelyonly ſhewing that the bookes of conſcience for the condemnation of a wicked man are ſufficient, and the onelyonly cauſe of the execution of Gods plagues vponupon him: as appeareth plainly, Reuel. 20.12. And the bookes were opened, and another booke was opened, which is the booke of life: and the dead were iudged of thoſe things which were written in the bookes according to their works. Here is mention of two bookes, the booke of Gods decree, and the booke of the Conſcience; Why the Lord tearmes the booke of conſcience bookes.called bookes, becauſe of the manifold bills and inditments that are written in the leanes of the conſcience, which are ſufficient for the iudgement of the wicked: therefore as often as we heare of Gods executions in puniſhing, we heare nothing of the booke of his decree, becauſe to what purpoſe ſhould God bring in his decree to conuince a wicked man, when his conſcience giueth in euidence ſufficient againſt him: it might rather cauſe cauill, then true conuiction. But in the execution of his merciemercy, we heare of the booke of life, becauſe therein lieth a principall cauſe of our ſaluation. Therefore I take it in this place, Death only frō finne; and therfore hath no …gher cauſe, & further then the cauſe, no inqui…e.that the Lord ſpeaking of bookes and of a booke, would hauehave vsus take notice that for iudgement we neede to looke no further then the bookes of conſcience: therefore I take it that the Scripture neuer ſpeaketh of a booke of death. Againe, when we looke vponupon our ſaluation, we muſt eye the booke of life, that ſo we may aſcribe all the praiſe of our ſaluation vntounto the Lord. So in this place the Lord is about his execution vponupon the wicked, God in himſelf workes out of all time in the are …ure in due time.therefore he pulls not out the booke of his decree, but appeales vntounto their owne conſciences: ſo that order which was before the Lord from all eternity, is now before the eyes of the hypocrite. For the Lord ſaies not, before me, but before thee: for the Lord neuer begins his work in himſelfe, therefore in himſelfe he did this from all eternitie; but now he will manifeſt his ordering of ſinne, which he alwaies doth by the booke of his law: but becauſe this was caſt at his backe, and ſet at his heeles, which ought to hauehave lien at his heart, the Lord will open the third booke, which ſhall pricke him to the quicke, and make him moſt fearefully to looke about him.
Obiect 2 The ſecond obiection is drawne from his attributes, Attributes ſimgle, conditionalſome of them not following the nature of the creature; as omnipotencie, power, goodnes, immenſitie, eternitie, and the like: but others hauehave no worke in the creature, vntill the creature hauehave had his worke; as no merciemercy can be wrought vponupon the creature, vntill his miſerie be preſuppoſed; and no iuſtice executed vponupon the creature, vntill he hauehave bin ſinnefull. For merciemercy cannot be where there is no miſerie; neither iuſtice where there is no ſinne: for that ius dominij, is an abuſe of Gods wiſdome, for there is no rule for it: and for the Lord to doe any thing in puniſhing as dominus, and not as iudex, is to make him vniuſt. Indeede by the law of creation, as he made man of nothing, ſo may he annihilate him, and bring him againe to nothing; but to let him liue, and puniſh him ſtanding in his innocencie, is to doe againſt the law of his iuſtice.
Sol. The anſwer to this point, it this in briefe: The diſtinction is not good; for Gods attributes in himſelfe are equally abſolute, eternall, infinite; but beeing manifeſted in his creatures, become conditionall, and to hauehave reſpect vntounto the creatures: therfore creation makes manifeſtation of power, goodnes, wiſdome, eternitie, and the like, as wel as mans fall of merciemercy and iuſtice: therefore merciemercy and iuſtice were equally firſt in God with the reſt: for God was in himſelfe both iuſt and mercifull, before man was either ſinnefull or miſerable: for the execution of iuſtice or merciemercy I confeſſe to be in regard of ſinne and miſerie, but there is one reaſon of the execution, another of the decree; the iuſt cauſe of the one is his will, the iuſt cauſe of the other is mans ſinne.
Gods decree muſt hauehave a ſubiect, Obiect 3 The ſubiect of Gods decree.therefore either beeing or no beeing; no beeing can vndergoe no decree, for it can hauehave no end, and therefore it muſt be a beeing; therefore either the firſt beeing, or that beeing which is from the firſt beeing: not the firſt beeing, for he can hauehave no end nor beginning, and therefore no decree can paſſe of him: ſo that onelyonly remaines the other beeing which is from God, therefore created: therefore man created is required for a ſubiect of Gods decree: now the ende of creation, can not be reprobation; for the ende of creation, is mans happines with his Creator: therefore a ſecond eſtate of man muſt be conſidered, and that is the fall of man, in which eſtate a iuſt ground is giuen of Reiection and Election.
The anſwer. It is graunted, that Man is the Subiect; Sol. The ſubiect and his manner of conſideration.yet we diſtinguiſh of man, and anſwer that in eueryevery ſubiect two things are required; res conſiderata, & modus conſiderandi: the thing conſidered is alwaies one, but the manner of conſidering maketh diuers ſpeciall ſubiects in this one ſubiect. As for example; being frō God is the ſubiect of all Gods reuealed wiſdome, yet this one ſubiect hath diuers manner of conſiderations, according to diuers acts and operations that lie in him. As for example; Reaſon is a particular act, and therefore becommeth a particular ſubiect of Gods wiſedome, to wit, the Art of Logicke: ſo the will, a particular worke in Gods creatures, becomes the ſubiect of Diuinitie: ſo ſpeach, a particular worke, becomes the ſubiect of Rhetoricke and Grammar. Now that generall Subiect, is before all theſe particular ſubiects, and the foundation of all the reſt; and in them the thing conſidered as common to them all: but the manner of conſidering it, is proper and ſpeciall to eueryevery one. So man is the thing conſidered in Gods decree, therefore the moſt generall, going before all particular conſiderations of creation, fall, redemption, ſaluation, damnation: for all theſe are but particular conſiderations of man, therefore keepe their order appointed of the Lord for the obtaining of his owne ende, which is the glorifying of himſelfe in his Iuſtice and MercieMercy: therefore as man is the Subiect of Gods decree, ſo creation, the fall, redemption, ſaluation, and damnation, are but the meanes for the accompliſhment of his will. Againe, eueryevery one of theſe particular actions, hauehave their ſpeciall ends, not oppoſing, but concurring to the generall ende of the whole ſubiect; ſo that the ende of creation is happines with the Creator, and no miſerie at all; but this is the ſpeciall end, and therefore no oppoſite of the generall. Againe, the ſpeciall ende of mans fall, is miſerie of bodie and ſoule in the firſt and ſecond death; yet no oppoſite of glorifying God in the demonſtration of his merciemercy. Thirdly, the ſpeciall end of mans Redemption, is ſaluation to all that are in Chriſt, and damnation to all that are out of Chriſt: therefore all theſe ends beeing ſpeciall, muſt needes ayme at the generall: for ſo goes the Rule of all true reaſon, that ſubordinata non opponuntur: 2. that fines intermedij ſunt pro ſubordinatione finium ad vltimum finem. And this ſhall ſuffice for the oppoſition: now I come to the confirmation.
Arguments proouing the decree of ſinne: firſt drawne from ends.The firſt Argument: That which hath any ende, is decreed; but ſinne hath an ende; therefore is decreed. The firſt propoſition is prooued from the true diſtinction of ends, laid downe by the Philoſopher in the firſt booke of his Ethicks, and the firſt Chapter; where the Philoſopher diſputes moſt excellently for the ſubordination of arts, and ſo conſequently of beeings, by an argument drawne from the diſtinction of ends; to wit, that all ends are either the laſt ende, or ends tending vntounto the laſt: now the laſt end, giues goodnes and amabilitie to all other ends, and doth virtually containe them all in himſelfe, therfore muſt they needes be appointed for him. This ground is a moſt enident proofe that ſinne is decreed: for the end of ſinne muſt either be the laſt ende, or tending to the laſt ende: now it cannot be the laſt end, for that alone is chalenged of the firſt being: therefore an end tending vntounto this laſt end. And who dare denie, but that all endes vntounto the laſt ende are decreed: for they make for the manifeſtation of his glorie. Obiect. Sinne is euill, and therfore hath no ende, ſeeing ends & goodnes are the ſame.But it will be obiected, ſinne is euill, and therefore hath no ende: for finis and bonum conuertuntur. VntoUnto this I anſwer, that ſinne is not in it ſelfe, but by accident good, and ſeruing for Gods glorie: but the Lord which can bring light ort of darknes, good out of euill, is able to diſpoſe of the euill of ſinne by accident, and of the goodneſſe (which is his owne worke) by it ſelfe, to make for his glorie. True it is, that God in his worke goes no further then the good of the euill, and that he decrees the other, is ſaid very improperly; for euill in his abſtract nature, is neither beeing, nor the cauſe of any beeing; and therefore no good in the true approbation of goodnes: beeing not good, it hath no ende, and therefore is referred to Gods decree, as it is ſaid to belong to a beeing, and the goodnes of a beeing, and this is accidentall, therefore accidentally decreed; Sinne accidentally decreed, yet impoſſible to be vndecreed.but yet it cannot be vndecreed; becauſe the thing in him decreed, could not hauehave beene without him, for that good that comes out of ſin, could not hauehave beene, except ſinne had been; and ſinne could not hauehave beene, except goodneſſe had beene: and therefore beeing in Gods created goodnes and alſo God bringing from him, his owne goodneſſe to his owne glorie, he cannot eſcape Gods decree, becauſe both the other are of neceſſitie (all men confeſſing) vnderunder Gods decree directly. And therefore if God would hauehave ſinne to be in his good creatures, and alſo goodneſſe from ſinne in them, then muſt ſinne ſtand to Gods determination, becauſe the other two cannot but preſuppoſe ſinne becauſe a goodneſſe from him. Now that God is no author of ſinne in all this, it is plaine, becauſe the two former hauehave God for their author, & bring in the other as a hang-by, and vnwelcome gueſt, yet ſuch a one as they could not throw off at their pleaſure. Diſeaſeslie in nature, and ſometimes do good to nature, yet nature will neuer acknowledge the kindneſſe, becauſe he knew the intent was his ſubuerſion. Iaſon had an impoſtume in his bodie, An euill thing may doe good by accident.the enemie thruſts his ſword into it, & heales him of his impoſtume, which the Phyſitians could neuer accompliſh; but no thank to Iaſons enemie which ſought his life: and therefore if ſinne doe any good either for God, or to man, it is no thankes to ſinne, ſeeing that ſinne would diſhonour God, and deſtroy man. Againe, one may appoint the iourney lawfully, but an other may walke it vnlawfully: God appoints eueryevery man his race, but he himſelfe runs it: the horſe carries a man to his iourneyes end, and knowes not that he doth ſo much for mans good; yet man knowes it well enough, and guides him all the way; yet for all this the horſe vndergoes the trauell, and would be feeding by the way, and if he eate his owne poiſon, or lame himſelfe by a fall, it is the horſes fault; yet muſt he to his ende, if the man hauehave power to effect it: ſo the Lord hath laid vponupon man his decree, he carrieth it with him all the dayes of his life, he knowes not to what ende, yet the Lord knowes it well enough, and doth alwaies diſpoſe of him, vntill he come at his iourneys ende: Now in his way man feeds on the poyſon of ſinne, fals and ſtumbles in his way, yet the Lord will hauehave him go on, for he is able to doe it; and he ſhall neuer reſt, vntill he hauehave accompliſhed the wil of the almightie. And therefore if this be iuſt in men, in the rule and dominion ouer their beaſts, ſhall it not bee as iuſt in the Lord? I am ſure that the Lord hath as much authority ouer vsus, as we hauehave ouer our beaſts: therfore let vsus not be too bold in diſputing with our creator, but giuegive him the praiſe & glorie of all ends.
Argum. 2 Whatſoeuer is ordered, that is decreeed, but ſinne is ordered, therefore decreed. That ſinne is ordered, my text is plaine for it. But you will anſwer, that ſinne is ordered in the bookes of conſcience, and not in the booke of Gods decree. This is but a ſhift: for graunt the laſt booke, and you ſhall graunt both the former, which I prooue thus: If no bookes of conſcience, without the booke of the law; and no booke of the lawe, without the booke of Gods decree; then the third beeing graunted, the two former are concluded. For if wee would make theſe three bookes one complete booke, Three bookes one compleat booke.wee muſt of neceſſitie diuide them in this order and method: the firſt part is Gods decree, the ſecond is Gods reuealed law, and the third is the teſtimonie of the conſcience. Now method tells me plainely, that the firſt may be without the ſecond, for Gods ſecret will may be without his reuealed will; but his reuealed can not be without his ſecret will. And againe, the law may be without this booke of conſcience, but this booke of conſcience can not be without the law; for no accuſation or excuſation but by the law of God. Therefore graunt the third, and you graunt the two former by ineuitable conſequence. Now this third booke can not be denied, becauſe my text prooues it; and no man of reaſon contradicts it.
Againe, eueryevery ſchoole-boy can tell me that the breaking of Priſcians head, muſt be healed by Priſcian himſelfe; the writing or ſpeaking of falſe latine either againſt the firſt or ſecond part of Grammar, The rule before the fault.muſt be ordered by the rule of Grammar it ſelf: now the rule was before the falſe latin, therfore determines what falſe latine was, long before the ſchoole boy practiſed it. So the Law of God tells me what ſinne is when I hauehave committed it, but it determined what ſinne was, and to what end, long before either I, or my father Adam committed it: therfore the determination was not to follow after, though indeede the conuiction followed after the commiſſion. Therfore orthodoxall is the diſtinction of Gods decree, and the execution of his decree: of Gods determination, and the accompliſhment thereof: of Gods definitiue ſentence, and the manifeſtation of it: of his reprobation of a man, and the conuiction of a ſinner: all the former I may tearme the premiſſes, and the latter Gods concluſion in the premiſſes. Againe, there is the firſt propoſition, which is Gods truth and ſole wiſdome; the ſecond (which we call the minor) is the ſpeciall application of it vntounto man in his good time. Gen. 15. Iſrael muſt ſerue 400. yeares; but Exod. 12. 400 are compleat; therefore muſt Iſrael out of Egypt that very ſelfe ſame day. There is a day in which God will iudge the world; Atheiſts may denie it, 2. Pet. 3. but when the decree ſhall be aſſumed, now is the day, I dare boldly conclude, that thoſe perſons ſhall periſh. So in like manner all men are decreed of the Lord to manifeſt his iuſtice and merciemercy, in all that either God himſelfe doth, or man can doe: but I am one of theſe all, and therefore muſt I manifeſt either his iuſtice or merciemercy: if that, then either I muſt be ſaued, or damned: but alas, that is a harſh concluſion both in regard of God, and in regard of my ſelfe: well conſider, that it is one thing to determine of thy ſinne, and another thing to puniſh thee: aſſure thy ſelfe that this is good reaſon, that eueryevery law of God muſt determine before thou doe any thing, els were the rule no wiſdome of God; but alſo take this with thee, that thou ſhalt neuer take any hurt by the law, vntill thou thy ſelfe hauehave done ſome hurt vntounto it: the Law will not ſting, vntill thou hauehave ſtung thy ſelfe, and then take heede of poiſon vntounto death. And therefore ſeeing Gods wiſdome runnes along in this order to determine all matters, not caſually, but certenly, long before they come to paſſe; we ſhould yeild it, and not denie it, becauſe of the execution which followes after, which hath other iuſt cauſes then Gods decree, but none to exclude it.
Argum. 3 God is Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt, the beginning and the ende, therefore nothing before him, neither any thing after him: therfore he cloſeth all things in theſe two tearmes: therefore eueryevery thing muſt hauehave ſomething to doe with this firſt and laſt, as from him, and to him: therefore muſt they be decreed, els ſhould they not be from him, and to him. Hence ſinne comming within the limits of this circle, that incloſeth all things, muſt needes ſome way come from God, and be for God, and therefore decreed. How ſinne may be from God, and to God, is hard to explaine; yet in my poore iudgement, vnderunder the correction of my betters, I iudge this the moſt true and ſafeſt, that the good the Lord will hauehave out of euil, is from God, and to God; all the reſt that remaines, is nothing at all for Gods purpoſe, and therefore he hath no hand in it; he will hauehave the gold by his owne fining, but the droſſe he will leaue to the firſt inuentors, that digged vntounto themſelues ſuch kinde of pits, that would hold no water for the Lord of hoſts, but ſuch as he drew out by his prerogatiue royall, ouer all his creatures and their actions. Therefore thus is ſinne decreed, and the Lord had his hand in it. For the other conſideration of ſinne as ſinne, it is a by-reſpect in it ſelfe, nothing tending to Gods purpoſe; but onelyonly as the Lord drew his owne goodnes out of him. And this makes vsus ſpeake ſo of ſinne, that he is decreed, meaning the goodneſſe out of ſinne, which the Lord hath appointed for himſelfe.