The Creatures Liberation from the Bondage of Corruption, Text (1 of 4)

The Creatures Liberation from the Bondage of Corruption · Text (1 of 4)

p. 1Of the Creatures liberation from the bondage of corruption.

Rom. 8.20, 21.

For the Creature was made ſubject to vanitie, not willingly, but by reaſon of him who hath ſubjected the ſame in hope.

Becauſe the Creature it ſelf alſo ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God.

OUr Apoſtle in the foregoing Chapter having had a long diſpute about juſtification and ſanctification, by way of ſhort repetition, he ſhuts p. 2up the Points, applying all his diſpute ad foreign, & conſolationem fidelium, adverſus multifarias tentationes illatas, to the practice and conſolation of the faithfull againſt many and divers temptations brought upon them; and then in the following Chapter proceeds to theſe intricate Points of Election and Reprobation, (as the Schools uſually oppoſe them;) but I conceive that Election and non-Election, or preterition, are more immediately oppoſed. And whereas the regenerate are uſually diſquieted and troubled two wayes, Per reliquias peccati, and afflictiones mundi, by the reliques of ſinne, and afflictions of the world, the former might ſeem incongruous to the Saints ſtate of juſtification and ſanctification; the latter to Gods juſtice. The Apoſtle applies medicinable remedies againſt both theſe troubles.

For the Reliques of ſinne he would p. 3have them conſider, firſt, that they are not regnantes, but remanentes, Not regnant, but remanent, being in ſuch as walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit; not after the motions of the unregenerate, but regenerate part; and poſt remotionem reatus per juſtificationem, gradualiter diminuuntur per ſanctificationem, After the removing of the guilt by juſtification they are gradually deminiſhed by ſanctification; ſo that, as the Lord ſaid of the Enemies of Iſrael, Deut. 7.22. that he would conſume them by little and little; even ſo likewiſe will he do with our ſpirituall enemies, our ſins, the Lord will kill them & conſume them by the internall power of ſanctification, by little and little, and take out the Macula or ſtaine of them, and ſubdue the vitulencie of them; for as there is an increaſe in grace, 2 Pet. 3. laſt, ſo there is a decreaſe in ſin; for even as the ſtrength and heat of the p. 4Sunne is increaſed, the coldneſſe of the Air is diminiſhed; ſo the ſtronger grace and zeal from it growes, the coldneſſe of ſinne is more diminiſhed.

And though it be true, that many eminent Divines ſay, that juſtificatio is actus individuus, an individuall act, and perfected uno actu, and quaſi uno ictu, at once, and that in it ſelfe it admits of no degrees, (properly ſo called) but that quoad ſenſum & manifeſtationem, in the ſenſe and manifeſtation of it to the hearts and mindes of men, it admits of diverſe degrees, every one in his ſanctification not having the like manifeſtation of his juſtification; ſome diſcerning it more ſweetly and ſatisfactorily, & magis continuate, with leſſe intermiſſion: Others more weakly, more obſcurely, with reluctancy; and ſometimes doubtingly; who notwithſtanding (lucidioribus intervallis) when the temptation and p. 5myſt of humane infirmitie is diſpelled, and the Sunne-ſhine of grace from under this Cloud ſhewes forth its ſelfe more clearly, have more full manifeſtation of their juſtification, and the diſturbed conſcience more ſweetly ſetled in the ſenſe, and perſwaſion of it, and labours by prayer and all good means to have it increaſed, and to walk in the comfort of it: yet in what ſenſe its individuall would be ſhown.

Now our ſanctification is actus dividuus et gradualis, a dividuall and graduall act: we are ſanctified by degrees, and by ſuch meanes as God in his wiſdome hath appointed to increaſe ſanctification by.

And whereas in juſtification the peccata praeterita, or fore-paſt ſinnes before calling, or praeſentia, are pardoned, actualiter in ſeſe, & per formalem applicationem juſtificationis, actually, and in themſelves, p. 6and by the formall application of juſtification, yet the peccata futura, or ſinnes not committed, into which the juſtified perſons afterwards may fall by infirmity, by negligence, by violent temptation, or the like; though theſe be pardoned alſo decretive, intentionaliter et virtualiter perſonae juſtificatae, decretively, intentionally, and vertually to the juſtified perſon, being now put in the road of Salvation by his juſtification, yet actually and manifeſtatively they are not pardoned (in themſelves) untill they be confeſſed, the partie be humbled, and have repented himſelf of them, and for ſuch particular Acts applies his former juſtification to him. No man can upon good grounds deny, but that David before he committed adultery with Bathſheba, was a juſtified Perſon, yet that ſinne he fell into with her is not ſaid to be put away, till he (being convinced by Nathan) confeſſed p. 7it, and was ſenſible of it, and touched for it, 2 Sam. 12.13. he to whom God hath decreed pardon of ſinne, hath alſo decreed that he ſhall repent, to whom ſinn ſhall be pardoned. Thus much for Reliquiae peccati.

For the ſecond, the afflictiones mundi, the croſſes and troubles which befall men after they be in a juſtified and ſantified eſtate, how this can ſtand with Gods Juſtice, having puniſhed their ſins in Chriſt: to which it may be ſaid, that there are juſt cauſes of them remaining in man, and in his ſecret Counſell hee knowes how to make them medicinable to his ſervants; and theſe though they be not poenae ſatisfactoriae, yet are they poenae caſtigatoriae, though they bee not ſatisfactory puniſhments, as were thoſe that Chriſt did undergo; yet were they poenae caſtigatoriae, caſtigatorie puniſhments, by which God keeps his Children p. 8in obedience: for though his ſanctified Children obey out of love, via praevalentiae, by way of prevalencie, yet are there in them ſtill reliques of ſervile feare, upon which the rod works: and this may ſerve for the praecedany to the words of the Text.

Now to fall in nearer to the words themſelves. In the 18 Verſe we read of a glory that ſhall be revealed in us, which glory is that glorious eſtate which man (made immortall) ſhall be inveſted with from God; which glory God never manifeſted in man, whileſt man continued mortall; but then our vile bodies ſhall be like unto his glorious Bodie;1 Cor. 15.49.1 Cor 15:49 when wee ſhall have the Image of Chriſt perfectly reſtored in us: and Phil. 3. laſt, He ſhall change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body.

In the 19. Verſe we read of the earneſt expectation of the Creature waiting for p. 9the manifeſtation of the ſons of God. The words foreign, in the Original are very ſignificant. Chryſoſtome will have the word foreign to ſignifie Vehementem expectationem, A vehement expectation; Ambroſe, Aſſiduam expectationem, A continued diligent expectation: Eraſmus, ſollicitam Creaturae expectationem, The carefull expectation of the Creature: Beza ſaith, Ego vero ſtudui Graecum vocabulum exprimere, But I ſtudyed how to expreſſe the Greek terme; and he renders it, Exerto capite obſervans expectat, The Creature waits with a ſtretched out neck; even as when a man greedily deſiring to ſee ſomewhat at hand, ſtretcheth out his neck, ſtandeth upon tiptoes, and ſtrains his eyes to obtain the light; ſo greedily and earneſtly expects the Creature for the manifeſtation of the ſonnes of p. 10God,1 Iohn 3.2.1 John 3:2 in that glorious luſtre in which they ſhall live for ever. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be, but we know that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him; that is, immortall, impaſſible and glorious,1 Cor. 15.53.1 Cor 15:53 as he is; for this mortall bodie ſhall put on immortalitie; but we ſhall be like him, not ſimilitudine aequalitatis, but ſimilitudine conformitatis, Not with the likeneſſe of equality, but with the likeneſſe of conformity; for as we were made conformable, and in conformity to his owne Image at the firſt, then ſhall his Image alſo be perfectly reſtored in us again.Col. 3.3.4.Col 3:3Col 3:4 Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Chriſt in God: Eph. 2.1.Eph 2:1ye are dead, not in ſin, as were the Epheſians in their Gentiliſme,Rom. 6. la…t.Rom 6 but to ſinne, as were the Chriſtian Romanes; the old man of ſinne, and the corruption of your nature is dead in you, but there is a ſpirituall p. 11life in you, and an inchoation of glory, which though by reaſon of ſo many croſſes, troubles, and infirmities it appear not ſo clearly, and in the excellency, and full luſtre of it, in this mortall life; yet, as it is hid with Chriſt in God, and the excellency of it doth as yet no more appear to corporall eyes, than doth the excellency of Chriſt in his glorified body. When Chriſt which is our life ſhall appear; [Which is our life, that is, which is the Fountain and efficient cauſe of our life] then ſhall ye alſo appear with him in glory.

In the words themſelves we may conſider theſe four parts;

Firſt, the Creatures ſubjugation.

Secondly, the modus, or the modification

Thirdly, the relaxation.

Fourthly & laſtly, the melioration.

p. 121. The Creatures ſubjugation in theſe words, For the Creature was ſubject to vanitie.

2. The Modus or modification, and that is twofold,

Negative,

or Poſitive;

Negative, Not willingly.

Poſitive, But by reaſon of him who hath ſubjected the ſame under hope, or, in hope.

3. The relaxation, Becauſe the Creature it ſelfe alſo ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption.

4. And laſtly, the melioration, Into the glorious libertie of the ſonnes of God; or, Into the liberty of the glory of the ſonnes of God, or, of the Children of God. Let us begin with the Creatures ſubjugation, For the Creature was made ſubject to vanity.

p. 13In which words we have two things that call upon us for ſerious thoughts and deliberation in explication.

Firſt, what we are to underſtand by the [Creature.]

Secondly, in what ſenſe the Creature may be ſaid to be ſubject to vanity.Beza in locum For the former Beza by the [Creature,] underſtands Coeleſtem machinam, et elementanem regionem, but not animantia, not ejus incolas; the fabrick of Heaven and elementary Region, but not the living Creatures, and the Inhabitants of the World. The Syriack verſion by Tremelius hath it, Ʋniverſa Creatura, Tremel. verſio. Syr.the whole Creature, or Creation; the Greek is foreign, The Creature, indefinitely, and as the new Tranſlation reads it. Indeed verſ. 22. there is foreign, Every Creature, as the Geneva reads; Omnes Creaturae, as the Syriack verſion by Tremelius, Tremel.All p. 14the Creatures, the whole Creation, as our new Tranſlatiō; for foreign ſignifies as well the Creation as the Creature; Mark 10 6.Mark 10:6foreign, ab intio Creationis, from the beginning of the Creation.Aug. in Rom. & in libro 83. q. q. 67. Auguſtine in expoſitione quarundam propoſitionum ex Epiſtola ad Romanos, and Libro 83. q. q. 67. by every Creature underſtands Man, and would illuſtrate his Expoſition by that place, Mark 16.15. Praedicate Evangelium foreign omni Creaturae, Preach the Goſpell to every Creature; there indeed by [every Creature] is meant man.Act. 10.35.Acts 10:35 Acts 10.35. Men of every Nation. Gal. 3.28.Gal 3:28Galath. 3.28. not onelyonly Jews but Greeks, whether bond or free, all are one in Chriſt; yea, Barbarians and Scythians,Col. 3.11.Col 3:11 Coloſ. 3.11. Omnis creaturae nomine ſignatur homo, ſaith Greg. magnus in his 29.Greg Hom. 29 in Evang. Hom. in Evang. by the name of every Creature is meant man, yet do not I think that upon the p. 15ſame grounds man is meant, that he there alledgeth, though that which hee alledgeth bee true, namely, becauſe man hath ſomething common to all other Creatures with him; he hath Beeing with the Stones, Motion with the Heavens, growth cōmon with the Plants, Senſe with the Bruits, underſtands with the Angels; ſo that he is a foreign, or little world of himſelf: yet the Spirit of God doth not uſe to ground Phraſes upon ſuch Philoſophicall niceties; neither hence need wee flow over into ſo much ſuperſtitious diligence with St. Francis, as to Preach to Wolves, or Crows, or Ravens, or ſuch like uncapable Creatures; yet Gregory grants, that the place alſo may be meant of men of ſeverall Nations. And when Auguſtine perceived that nos ipſi was oppoſed to the Creature, Verſe 23. ſeeing [man] and the p. 16[Creature here] thus oppoſed by [man,] he would have man unregenerate, underſtood ſuch a Creature, quae nondum per fidem aggregata numero filiorum Dei, which by faith is not yet gathered into the number of the Children of God. But Pace tanti dicatur viri, with the leave of ſo great a light of the Church [this Creature] muſt needs be the ſame, which in the nineteenth Verſe hath ſuch an earneſt expectation for the manifeſtation of the Sonnes of God. Now this cannot be averred of the men unregenerate, as (God willing) ſhall appear hereafter, therefore cannot rightly be underſtood of them. Again, the difference here between [Nos ipſi) or [we our ſelves] and the [Creature] will appear to be ſpecificall and eſſentiall, not numericall onelyonly or accidentall.O…g Origen by the [Creature] underſtands the p. 17Angels and Archangels; Angels, becauſe he conceives it a ſubjugation, and Bond put upon them, to be miniſtring ſpirits to us, whereas indeed they do it joyfully and freely, as delighted with thoſe that ſhall be Heirs of Salvation: Archangels, becauſe they are ſet over Provinces and Battels, (Inſtrumentally I conceive he means,) to direct, reſtrain, govern, from Dan. 10.13.Dan. 10.13. Iun. annot in locum.Dan 10:13 which place Junius underſtands of Cambyſes, and his Counſellers, and of Cyrus, and of Chriſt, chief of the Princes. Theſe things conſidered we muſt needs confeſſe with learned Martyr, Locus quidem eſt difficilis, truly this is an hard Text of Scripture; ſo that I ſhall conceive it to fall within the compaſſe of one of thoſe places ſpoken of by the Holy Ghoſt in St. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.6.2 Pet 3:62 Peter 3.16. In St. Pauls Epiſtles there p. 18are foreign, nonnulla difficilia intellectu, ſome things hard to be underſtood: this the moſt accurate, able, and piercing Divines finde moſt true.

Let us therefore fall on again, and trie if we can out of the contextualls, and (ex re nata) enucleare ſenſum, picke out the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt in this place.

By the [Creature] therefore I conceive is not ſimply meant every Creature, In rerum natura, in this Verſe, but every ſuch and ſuch Creature in ſpecie, or in its kinde, whether it be ſenſible or inſenſible, though man in his kinde is not exempted, as afterward appears; but the [Creature] in this place or Verſe, I ſay, is oppoſed to juſt or godly men, Verſe 23. Not onelyonly they, but our ſelves alſo which have the firſt-fruits of the ſpirit.

2. I conceive the Creature here oppoſed p. 19to bad men, for bad men are none of thoſe creatures that ſhall be delivered from the Bondage of corruption; from Phyſicall corruption of ſubſtance, we know they ſhall, but from the morall corruption by ſinne, they ſhall not, nor from the puniſhment due to it. Iob 20.11.Iob 20.11.Job 20:11 His bones are full of the ſinne of his youth, which ſhall lie down with him in the duſt.

Again, ſuch wait not for the manifeſtation of the ſonnes of God, as this creature doth; but they think of it either exhorrendo, or irridendo,

By exceedingly fearing it, or graceleſly mocking at it.

By exceedingly fearing of it, becauſe the manifeſtation of Gods wrath will then fall upon the children of Belial. Apoc. 6 16, 17.Apoc 6.16, 17Rev 6:16Rev 6:17 They p. 20ſhall ſay to the Mountains and Rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that ſits upon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, Nam venit dies ille magnus irae illius, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand.

2 P…t 3.3, 4.By graceleſly mocking at it, as 2 Pet. 3, 3, 4. There ſhall come in the laſt dayes foreign, irriſores, mockers, or ſcoffers, ſuch as David mentions Pſal. 1.1.Pſal. 1.1.Ps 1:1 foreign ſuch as walk after their own luſts, who are called their own, becauſe they are a natura inſitae, & Dei donis adventitiis oppoſitae, becauſe they are inbred in their corrupt nature, and are oppoſite to the adventitiall graces of God; and theſe ſay, Where is the promiſe of his comming? for ſince the Fathers fell aſleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation. Thus with a ſacrilegious boldneſſe, impudencie, p. 21and contempt they ſpeak of the laſt day. As if they had ſaid, We neither ſee his promiſe of the Day of Judgement fulfilled, nor any likelihood or ſign of it now, more than was ſince the Creation; for there is a continuation of the ſpecies of all Creatures, by renewing themſelves in multiplication of their ſeverall individualls, and ſo may do for ever. Thus they would ſeem to be wickedly wittie. To which cavill the Apoſtle anſwers at large in the following Verſes, from the ſixt to the eleventh Verſe. And theſe, as in their hearts they wiſh never to ſee that day, ſo likewiſe they are a verſe from ever ſeeing the day of death, becauſe the conſcience ſuggeſts unto them it will be a bitter and a comfortleſſe day. And theſe I conceive the many reaſons why**Calvin. Beza. Melanch. Martyr Paraeus, Willet. and many more. Alſo before them, Theophilact. the School. Divines, and divers more ancient. Modernitie diſſents from Aug. herein.

p. 223. The good Angels cannot here be meant by the [Creature,] becauſe they cannot be ſaid to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, for under that bondage, (properly ſo called) they never were, but the Creature here meant hath been under it, and ſhall be delivered from it, Verſe 21.

4. and laſtly, not the Devills or bad Angels, as may appear by theſe two Reaſons,

Firſt, they are not, neither ever were foreign, congemiſcentes, groaning together with us, or, una ſuſpirantes, ſighing together with us; but the Creature here meant doth. See Verſ. 22.

Secondly, they come not within the compaſſe of thoſe Creatures that are made ſubject foreign, under hope, but they are locked up under the Hatches of deſpair, without any hope p. 23of deliverance for ever; therefore the ſuperfluity of Origens charitie may be ſaid to have moved out of the ſphaere of verity,Error Origen. when he judged that even the devils themſelves in time ſhould be ſaved: which groſſe errour many learned men have ſufficiently confuted.Aug. Tom. 6. lib. ad Oroſ. cap. 5. See Aug. lib. ad Oroſ. tom. 6. cap. 5. though there was another Origen beſides that famous and great Clerk, yet both of them herein erroneous, the latter being miſled by the former of Alexandria.

But here will ariſe a queſtion, how groaning, earneſt expectation for deliverance, and the like, can be attributed to, or praedicated of irrationall and inſenſible Creatures? for we muſt needs ſay with Auguſtine in expoſitione propoſitionum ex Epiſtola ad Romanos, Aug in expoſ. propoſ. ex ep. ad Rom.Senſum gemendi, & dolendi, non opinemur eſſe in arboribus, & oleribus, & lapidibus, & hujuſmodi creaturis, &c. hic p. 24enim erat Mantehaeorum error: Not that we may think that there is any ſenſe of groaning or ſorrowing in Trees, Herbs, Stones, or ſuch like Creatures, for this was an errour of the Manichees. Therefore I anſwer, that the Apoſtle here ſpeaks of thē by a Proſopopeia, foreign.attributing ſuch things to them as belong to the reaſonable Creature, as is uſuall in divers other places in ſacred Writ. Mans groaning and waiting, Verſe 23. is proper, and not of the ſame kinde with theirs. Thus much for the Creature ſpoken of in this place.

Now for the ſecond, namely, in what ſenſe the Creature is made ſubject to vanitie, For the Creature was made ſubject to vanity. The word is foreign in the Greek, which is rightly rendred vanitati, to vanitie. You have it again, Epheſ. 4.17. foreign, in the p. 25vanity of their mindes. The word may alſo ſignifie fruſtrationi, to fruſtration; for nature propagating ſucceſſively one individuum from another, may ſeem to aym at and deſire an immortalitie of the ſpecies, as not onelyonly ſome old Philoſophers, but ſome others have dreamed, but foreign, fruſtra, in vain: the Creature is made ſubject to fruſtration in this point. So then take it ſubject to vanity, and the Holy Ghoſt that cannot erre in Expoſition, tells us, that to be ſubject to vanitie is to be ſubject to corruption, or the bondage of corruption. Verſe 21. where its ſaid, It ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, that was the vanitie it was made ſubject to for the ſinne of man: it remaines not in that quiet, conſtant, entire, ſound and firme eſtate of nature, in the which at the firſt it was created, but is now ſubject fluxae turbidae & p. 26evanidae conditioni, to a flowing, troublous, fleeting, vaine, and mutable condition. And Salomon well perceiving this,Eccleſ. 1.2.Eccl 1:2 ſaid, Eccleſ. 1.2. Vanitas vanitatum, omnia vanitas, Vanity of vanities, all is vanitie, ſubject to change and and frailtie.

If any man object, that the heavens are not of a corruptible nature: I anſwer, (and of which point God willing more hereafter) that though by the Ariſtotelians they be not of ſuch corruptible nature, or ſubject to ſuch viciſſitude of change, as compound and mixt Elementary bodies be; yet are they ſubject to obſcuration, and doing of ſervice to prophane and wicked enemies of God, and to diſſolution by their Maker, as well as inferiour bodies are. For ſuppoſe the Heavens be incorruptible, corruptione naturali, by naturall corruption; yet p. 27are they corruptible and diſſoluble Potentia ſupernaturali, by the ſupernaturall Power of God, upon whom both the Eſſe, and Eſſe tales doth depend, both their Beeing, and their Beeing in ſuch eſtate as they have continued in ſince their Creation.

Again, doubtleſſe Nulla natura naturata reſpectu potentiae Dei abſolutae, dici poteſt indiſſolubilis, (vel ſi liceat verbum cudere) inanihibalis, quamvis comparative reſpectu-conſtitutionis, vel naturae ſpiritualis, & reſpectu potentiae Dei ordinatae, vel reſpectu ſublunarium, dici poteſt: No created nature, if we reſpect Gods abſolute power, can be ſaid to be indiſſoluble, or [inanihilable] if we may be permitted by the leave of men Learned, to coyn a word for our expreſſion; although comparatively in reſpect of its nature, or ſpirituall Beeing, or in reſpect of God having ſo p. 28determined it, or having ſo ordered it; and in reſpect of ſublunary bodies, ſome Creatures may be ſaid to be incorruptible, or not to be corrupted by any ordinary Phyſicall corruption.

To illuſtrate this ſubjection of the Creature to vanitie a little more in ſome particulars. The Earth we know is curſed for our ſakes, or for ſin in Adam; Gen. 3.17.Gen 3:17Thorns and Thiſtles that was to bring out unto us, Maledicta ſit terra propter te, Curſed is the earth for thy ſake, Thorns and Thiſtles ſhall it bring out unto thee. It is ſmitten with barrenneſſe; as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, A fruitfull land makes he barren, for the wickedneſſe of thoſe that dwell therein. Its made alſo ſubject to corruption and deſtruction, for howſoever Salomon ſaith, That the earth abides forever,Eccleſ 1.4.Eccl 1:4 Eccleſ. 1.4. his meaning is not, that it abides for ever ſub p. 29ſtatu jam habito, in that ſtate and condition its now in, for that is contrary to S. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.10.2 Pet. 3.10.2 Pet 3:10 Terra et quae in ea ſunt opera exurentur, The earth with the works therein ſhall be burnt up. Iunius reads it, in ſeculum, for a long time, which comparatively may be ſaid to be for ever, in reſpect of many other Creatures, that are of much leſſe continuance. And as for the Air,See Pſa. 78.69 foreign in ſeculum. Iunius Leol…mPs 78:69 its often diſtempered by contagious, or filthy vapours, extremitie of cold, or burning heat, darkned by Clouds, moiſtened by Rain, and the like.

The Seas are tumbled, and toſſed to and and fro with vehement windes and tempeſts. Ovid. lib. 1. Triſt. eleg. 2.Ovid. lib. 1. Triſt. Eleg. 2. Me miſerum, quanti montes volvuntur aquarum.

Iam jam tacturos ſidera ſumma putes.

I would Engliſh it, as near as I could, out of the words of the Prophet, Pſal. p. 30107.25,Pſa. 107.25, 26Ps 107:25Ps 107:26 26. For he commandeth and raiſeth the ſtormy winde, which lifteth up the Waves thereof; they mount up to Heaven. Then the Poet addes, Iam jam tacturos tartara nigra putes; the Prophet thus, They go down again to the depth, &c. The Sunne, Moon and Starres are forced to ſerve the ſonnes of Belial, and ſuch as are prophane men: are ſubject to extraordinary Ecclipſes, and darkneſſes, and at the comming of Chriſt, at that great and fearfull day,Matth. 24.29.Matt 24:29 Matth. 24.29. The Sunne ſhall be darkned, and the Moon ſhall not give her light, and the Starres ſhall fall from Heaven, and the Powers of heaven ſhall be ſhaken; and then the Creature, that was made ſubject to vanitie, ſhall be delivered from it.

The ſublunary both by Land and Sea, are ſubject to corruptions, diſeaſes p. 31and infirmities, death, and many changes are taken and deſtroyed, not onelyonly for neceſſitie, and the relief of man, but for ſuperfluitie, and needleſſe pomp and vanitie; ſo that no wonder if the Creature groan, and deſire to be freed from this ſlavery, under which it was caſt by mans diſobedience. Of which hereafter.

But ſeeing that the Air is become troubled, the Heavens darkned, the Earth barren, the Sea incumbred, the ſenſible Creature diſeaſed, weakned and often changed in its ſeverall Individualls, this ſhould humble man, when he conſiders, that for his ſinne all this miſerie, mutability, and vanity befell all theſe Creatures, all that God brought to him, put him in poſſeſſion of, and made him Lord over; for his diſobedience to the Creator of both, came this miſery upon p. 32the Creatures; yea, over thoſe Flocks that he is Owner of: His Sheep periſh by the rott, his greater Cattell by the Murrain, and many the like diſeaſes: his Fruits are tainted and unſerviceable, the Springs become cold, the Harveſts unſeaſonable, the Clouds drie, or without water, or elſe weep, and waſh the face of the Earth, and often thus do diſadvantage the Inhabitants thereof.

Secondly, ſee the odiouſneſſe of ſinne, in that God did not onelyonly puniſh man, the Creature that offended, but ſuch other Creatures alſo as were made for mans uſe, to refreſh his Senſes, feed his Body, be his Servants, in obeying that Dominion which God gave him over them, and in puniſhing the Creatures, and mans Poſſeſſion, by which he ſhould be relieved; he alſo by conſequent, puniſheth man. You p. 33have heard how he makes a Land that is fruitfull, become barren, for the wickedneſſe of the Owners. And I fear with S. Auguſtine, that many grieve for the barrenneſſe of their Lands, more then for the barrenneſſe of their lives, yea, and are more ſenſible of the loſſe of their Cattell, then of the loſſe of Gods countenance; it takes a deeper impreſſion in them, they are more ſtirred and moved at it: and indeed many of them may ſay, as Laban did of his Idols, Gen. 31.30.Gen. 31.30.Gen 31:30 their gods are gone; or as Iudah ſaid of Iacob, Gen. 44.30.Gen. 44.30.Gen 44:30 anima illius hujus animae devincta eſt, His life is bound up in the Lads life; ſo their mundane life may be ſaid to be bound up in the life and increaſe of their Goods; if theſe die or decay, their life is vexed in them, and they crie out bitterly, and ſay, they are undone utterly; as though p. 34the arm of the Lord were ſhortned, and as though it were not eaſie with the Lord, to make a poor man rich again.Prov. 10.22.Prov 10:22 Proverbs 10.22. Benedictio Domini facit divites, The bleſſing of the Lord maketh rich; and though they labour to regain or reſtore what they loſt, with tears, as Eſau did his Birthright,Heb. 12.17.Heb 12:17 Heb. 12.17. yet can they not ſay to the God of Jacob, as Eſau did to his father Iſaac, Gen. 27.38.Gen 27:38Gen. 27.38. An benedictio unica tibi eſt Pater mi? Haſt thou but one Bleſſing, O my Father? So, hath but God one way or means to beſtow the Bleſſing of Goods upon men? Happy were men if they could conſiderately ſay with Iob, Iob. 1.21.Job 1:21Iob 1.21. Naked came I out of my Mothers womb, and naked ſhall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. The Sabeans, Chaldeans, Fire, and Winde p. 35had taken away, yet they did it but inſtrumentally, God permitted this, and had a hand of Providence in it: ſo ſhould man conceive of his loſſes and croſſes, he ſhould labour to ſee Gods hand in them, and be humbled; and conſider, that God can do to him as to Ioſeph, when evill was intended againſt him, God turned it to good,Gen. laſt 20. Geneſ. laſt. 20. And of this odiouſneſſe of ſinne, by which Poſſeſſions come to be puniſhed, as well as Perſons, and the Owners of them, we may ſee,Gen. 7.21.Gen 7:21 [Expiravit itaque omnis caro] And all fleſh died that moved upon the earth, Gen. 6.17.Gen 6:17for ſo the Lord had threatned] Geneſ. 6.17. And Exod. 9.3.Exod. 9.3.Exod 9:3 the hand of the Lord was upon the Cattell of the Aegyptians that were in the field, upon the Horſes, upon the Aſſes, upon the Camels, upon the Oxen, and upon the Sheep, a grievous Murrain light upon p. 36them.Exod 9.25.Exod 9:25 And Exodus 9.25. the Hail ſmote every Herb of the field, and brake every Tree of the field: And Verſe 31.Verſ. 31. the Flax and the Barley were ſmitten.Eſa. …8, 46, 47.Isa 8:46Isa 8:47 Pſalm. 78.46, 47. reflecting upon theſe Paſſages, He gave alſo their increaſe unto the Caterpiller, and their labour unto the Locuſts; he deſtroyed their Vines with Hail, and their Sycomore Trees with Froſt. Amos 4.9 I have ſmitten you with blaſting and Mildew,Amos 4.9.Amos 4:9 when your Gardens and your Vineyards, &c. increaſed, the Palmer-Worme devoured them.Zeph. 1.3.Zeph 1:3 Zeph. 1.3. I will conſume man and beaſt, I will conſume the Fowls of Heaven,Gen. 19.25.Gen 19:25 and the Fiſhes of the Sea, &c. Geneſ. 19.25. when Gods anger was kindled againſt Sodome, not onelyonly man that offended, but the ſenſleſſe Creatures were alſo puniſhed by reaſon of his ſinne; he overthrew thoſe Cities, p. 37and all the Plain, and all the Inhabitants of the Cities, and that which grew upon the ground; ſo that when man ſeeth this puniſhment upon his Poſſeſſion, upon his Lands, Fruits and Goods, he may ſay properly, as David did metaphorically, 2 Sam. laſt. 17.2 Sam. laſt 17. Lord, I have ſinned, and I have done wickedly; but as for theſe Sheep, yea, and theſe Lands, theſe Fruits, theſe goods, [quid fecerunt] what have they done? Yet we ſee that for our diſobedience that were Lords, they that were ſervants were alſo made ſubject to vanitie. Hactenus de Creatura, & ejus ſubjugatione, Thus much then of the Creature, and its ſubjugation, or being ſubject to vanitie.

And now are we to fall upon the way how it was ſubjugated; but before we come to that, we are to obſerve the averſneſſe from, or the unwillingneſſe p. 38to this ſubjugation found in the Creature, foreign, non volens, not willing, the Creature was not willing to it.Tertul. Beza. [Invite] as Tertullian, it was, non ſua ſponte, as Beza, not of its own accord,Paraeus. that is, non ex nativa propenſione, as Paraeus, not of any naturall propenſitie to it;Cicer. lib. 1. Offic. for as Cicero obſerved, lib. 1. Officiorum: Generi animalium omni eſt natura tributum, ut ſe, vitam corpuſ que tacatur; Its naturall to every Creature to preſerve its own being in nature: and Scaliger contra Cardanum exercit: Scal. de ſub lit. Exerc. 12. ſect. 3.12. ſect. 3. Nam quae natura conſumit ſua principia? What Creature is there in nature that would give way to deſtroy its own Principles?

The naturall Philoſopher tells us, that Omnis creatura naturali inclinatione fertur, ad ſuipſius conſervationem: Every Creature is carryed on with a naturall inclination to its ſelf-preſervation; p. 39therefore no marvell that the Apoſtle expreſſeth it with an foreign, Non ſua ſponte, Not of its own will, or accord. Ex pede Herculem, or, ex ungue Leonem, as we ſay, Let us gueſſe at the whole ſeries of the Creature by ſome particulars. We ſee by daily expeperience, that the ſenſible or irrationall Creature is not willing to corruption, neither the Fowls of Heaven, nor the Fiſhes of the Sea, nor the Beaſts of the Earth, but are a verſe from it, and reſiſt it to the utmoſt of their skill and cunning; the very Elements are not willing to yeeld to forcible corruption, for when the fire would lick up the water, or the water would quench the fire, you know there is pugna, or a great ſtrife between them, one of them [quoad poſſe ſui quanti] reſiſting the other, as not willing to be corrupted, or forcibly changed from its nature, p. 40and one reaſon [as the learned know] why the guttae pluviales, or dropps of rain do fall down [figu… rotunda] in a round form, is foreign, propter incolumitatem, for the more ſafetie of their nature, and greater ſtrength to paſſe through the Ayre undiſſipated, as naturall Philoſophie teacheth.

Secondly, we ſee how the Creature tends ad centrum, tanquam ad locum proprium praeſervationis, as to the proper place of its preſervation; thus levi… do tendere ſurſum, gravia deorſum, tanquam ad locum proprium, et naturalem, et ubi illis ſit optime; light things move upward, as fire, ſmoak, and the like heavie things downward, as Stones, Earth, Braſſe, Iron, Lead, and ſuch like mixed bodies, becauſe thats their naturall place, and ſuch as agrees the beſt with the preſervation of their nature, and when they are detained p. 41elſewhere, it is a violent detenſion, ſo that it is ſuppoſed if an hole could be digged thorow the Bodie of the earth, as it is thorow the Nave of a Wheel, and a Milſtone caſt done by it, that it would not reſt untill it came at the Center, having nullum impedimentum, or corpus craſſum interpoſitum, having no impediment in its motion, or groſſe body to interpoſe it and the Center: yea, and though that by violence of the motion, or gathering ſtrength in its continuance, it ſhould exceed the Center, yet would it not reſt untill it reverted to its proper place.

Thirdly, obſerve the ſenſible Creature, if it be ſick, or weak, or in danger of corruption, or of reſolving into its Principles, by inſtinct of nature, it hath appetition of ſuch things as will help it, or of ſuch places as will p. 42ſecure it; Look but upon the Swallow, and wilde Bees, Flies, and ſuch like, which in the extremity and unmercifull ſeaſon of the ſtormy, and ſturdy Winter appears, yet have they an appetition by nature to Caverns and Holes, where they preſerve their Beeing, untill the tender-hearted and gentle Spring invite them to appear: the Dog by inſtinct of nature, knows how to give himſelfe a Vomit, and ſome Phyſitians write, man firſt learned this point of Phyſick from his practice. The Fowls can ſcowre themſelves by gravell, the Cattell by licking up of Mould. The Salmon wounded, by his preſent return to the ſalt waters, which exſiccate and drie up his wound, but if he want opportunity to return, or be detained in the freſh Streams, by Nets lying in his way in the Summer ſeaſon, by great p. 43and high locks built in the water, or the like, and grow weak upon his wound, the ingluvious Eels no ſooner diſcern an imbecilitie in him, but preſently they fall upon him, bite him, toſſe him, and tugge him out of his very Skinne, and devour him. And this I have ſeen and obſerved with mine own eyes, at a place called the Force, in the River of Kent, neare unto the Houſe of Sir Henry Bellingham, and not farre from the Town of Kendall in Weſtmerland, and therefore dare more confidently report it; yet when many ſuch things are reported to be in nature, from the credit of learned men, the ignorant beleeve them not, becauſe themſelves have not ſeen them.Plutarch in Grillo. Origanum. Plutarch in his Moralls in Gryllo, writes of the Swallows, Vt quando Viperam adederunt, ſupermandant origanum, When they have eaten p. 44or fed upon a Viper, preſently they eat wilde Marjorane, and this delayes the Poiſon; and, quis inſtituit Hierundines? who (ſaith he) did teach the Swallow this Medicine? Who would beleeve it if it were not a common experiment, that the Ducks ſhould take the moſt venomous Toads, and by inſtinct of nature are ſo carefull to preſerve themſelves from diſtaining or dying by Poiſon, they toſſe them and ſwill them up and down in the Water or running Streams, untill the virrulency be quite waſhed out of their ſubſtance, & then devour them, and degeſt them without any the leaſt hurt or danger; and by inſtinct of nature they can tell or know when they are edible, and before then they will not eat them; and I may ſay, quis inſtituit anates? who taught theſe poor Creatures this skill? p. 45The wilde Boar that he may be armed againſt the danger of the Sword or Spear of the Hunter, will rubb himſelf againſt the Bark and Moſſe of Trees, till he make his Briſtles as ſlippery, and hard as Horn, of which the mouth of the ſword is ſcarcely able to bite: and of him I may ſay, Quis inſtituit Aprum Silveſtrem? who taught the wilde Boar to make ſuch armour for his defence?

Plutarch in the aforenamed place tells us of the Craetian Goats,Plutarch in Grillo. Origanum. the which cum ſagittis ſunt vulneratae dictanum ſectentur, quo guſtato cuſpides ejiciunt; When they are hitt with any Arrows, they betake themſelves to eat of the Herb Ditanie, or Dictander, otherwiſe called Garden-Ginger, which if but taſted, bitteth the tongue, and having eaten of it, it is of that nature that it will worke out the Head of an p. 46Arrow, and ſo procure the ſafetie of the wounded Creature. It is a thing commonly reported by Fowlers, and alſo known for a truth to many others, that if the Gallinago minor, the Snipe, the Lapwing, or the Plover bee taken in the Lime-twiggs, and her Wings ſo glued together with that tenacious matter, that ſhe findes her ſelf unable to flie, and to eſcape with her life, ſhe will not reſt untill ſhe come to the Water, if ſhe be able to move, and there belabours her ſelf with all her might, and without ceaſing, untill ſhe have waſhed off the viſcoſitie and tenaciouſneſſe of the Lime, without which means ſhe could not eſcape to ſave her life

I have heard it with mine own ears from a skilfull hunter of the Badger, that when two of them take an earth-Hold or Hole together, and thoſe kind p. 47of Doggs called Terryers, put into the Hold after them, that the one of them will ſtand upon his defence, to keep off the Dogs, whiles the other works further into the ground, and as way is made, ſtill follows backward, and holds off, untill ſo much mould be caſt up within the Hold, that they may hide their bodies in it, and the Doggs may trample over them thus covered, and cannot finde them, but return without them; which the Hunter perceiving, and not ſeeing how by any means they could eſcape, have digged off the ground above them, and into the Mould that had been lately caſt up, and there hath found them, as you have heard. So that I may ſay, though there be not reaſon in theſe, and ſuch like Creatures, properly ſo called, yet they have rationem metaphoricam, or foreign, they p. 48have ſomewhat in them anſwering unto reaſon in man, by which every Creature is guided to preſerve its Beeing, as man is by his reaſon; for though they have no reaſon by which they are capable of the Art of the Apothecaries, how to compound Medicines, nor of ſyſtemes or Rules directing how to practice.

Plutarch in Grillo.Plutarch in Grillo, Neceſſarios vero non ab aliis aſcitus, neque mercede traditus, neque conglutinans meditatione, et compingens praeceptorum quodque cum quolibet, ſed ſua ſponte, ex ſeipſa velut legitimas, et nativas fundit: Thoſe neceſſary Medicines or wayes by which they help themſelves, are not taken from others, nor taught them for hire or reward, nor framed by Meditation, nor compacted into Precepts received from any, but of their own accord, from their naturall inſtinct, the Creature p. 49puts it ſelf upon ſuch Medicines as are moſt agreeable to relieve its nature. Animalium quodquae non modo ad medicandum per ſe eruditum, ſed & ad victum, &c. Every living Creature is not onelyonly taught by nature how to play the Phyſitian, but how to get its living, &c. quatenus cujuſque naturae convenit, as farre forth as is needfull to the nature of any of them, &c. Si enim id quod eſt facere velis, horum eſſe naturam Magiſtram. And if we but grant that which is truth, nature, or inſtinct of nature is the Miſtreſſe in all theſe,Plutarch de Animant. compar. Plutarch de animantium comparatione, writing of the Lion, ſaith, Semper contorti… ingreditur pedibus, tanquam vagina conditis intus unguibus ne aciem attriti retundant, neve veſtigantibus notam relinquant, &c. He goes alwayes with his feet writhen together, hiding his ſharp Claws within the skinne and p. 50fleſh, as within a Scabbard, leaſt he ſhould blunt the ſharpneſſe of them, and leaſt the Hunter ſhould finde any print of his foot. The Ichneumon or Indian Ratt being to incounter that dangerous Beaſt the Crocodile, takes care to arme himſelf to the battell, Craſſo limo adoriturus crocodilum loricat, et veſtit, He all to bedawbs his body with thick Slime or Mudd, making hereof to himſelf a Brigandine, or herewith arming himſelfe as with a Coat of Mail, againſt his Foe.

Anſeres aquilarum formidine tranſcenſuri Taurum, grandem lapidem ore capiunt, velut obturantes et fraenantes garrulitatem, &c. Whileſt the Wilde-Geeſe do fann the Air with their Wings over the Mountain of Taurus, for fear their gaggling ſhould betray them to the Eagles prey, every one taketh a good Peeble ſtone in his mouth, to hold p. 51them from making any ſuch noiſe, till they be paſt, and out of their danger. The Fox being to paſſe over any deep covered with Ice, harkens diligently whether it crackle or no, Quae ſi percipiat ex ſtrepitu propè undam delabentem, conjiciens non altum eſſe gelu, ſed tenue, et infirmum, ſubſiſtit, ac ni prohibeatur, regreditur, ſi ſtrepitum non ſentiat, tranſit fidenter: that is, If he perceive by the crackling or noiſe, the water ready to break up, he conjectures that the Ice is not thick enough, but weak and ſlender, and therefore he ſtayes from going any further: And leſt he ſhould not ſafely return, he comes back upon it; but if he perceive it not to crackle, he paſſeth on boldly, as out of danger. What may we ſee in all theſe paſſages in particulars, but the truth in the Text, there is an foreign, an unwillingneſſe in the Creature p. 52to bee ſubject to vanitie or corruption.

I ſhall but add one inſtance more in fiſhes, and ſo ſhut up the Point, upon which I had not dwelt ſo long, ſave only that I would illuſtrate the truth of this point in hand.

It is commonly obſerved in Fiſhes, that in great Winds they have alwayes a care by natures inſtinct, to ſwimme againſt them, if they be occaſioned to move, eſpecially in violent water, or ſwift & heady currents, & any conſiderable diſtance, leſt if the winds in their ſwimming coming behinde them ſhould by the violence of the waves, and water, beat up, and beat off their ſcales, ruffle their Fins, and often claſh (in Branchias) into their Gills, which would much vex and diſquiet them; but if they be affraid, or in eminent danger, then will they p. 53move contrary to their naturall bent, though with danger of their lives. I have obſerved in fiſhes of ſmall quantity, and ſuch as uſually ſhove, ſhoale, or ſwimme together by many in a company, that even in a calm ſeaſon, and quiet current, yet when they have come to the fall of a ſtream or break of water, they have all together made head againſt the ſtream, and ſuffered the water to drive them down backward. So of this no more. I now come to the way how they became ſubiect to vanitie, as thus, Firſt, if we conſider the meritorious cauſe, why they were made thus ſubiect to vanity, it was the ſinne, or diſobedience of man, as in part you have heard.

After the whole creation was finiſhed, God made him lord of the ſublunarie creatures, but he ſoon abuſed the honour conferred upon him; true it is, p. 54Pſal. 49.Pſal. 49. laſt.Ps 49 laſt, Homo cum eſſet in honore, Man in honour had no underſtanding, but is become like unto the Beaſts that Periſh, as it hath been vulgarly read, and then ſome of the Ancients have underſtood it of man in the eſtate of innocency.Aug. in locum. Auguſt. in locum, Factus ad imaginem et ſimilitudinem Dei homo praelatus jumentis, &c. God having made man according to his own Image or ſimilitude, & preferred him before the Beaſts of the field, and, Fecit Deus Hominem cui ſervirent jumenta, made him ſuch as that the Beaſts ſhould do him ſervice; yet, non intellexit, he underſtood not, he well conſidered not this height of honor in which God had placed him, but being made in the Image of God, he made himſelf like unto the Beaſts that periſh: For though ſuperſtites a morte erunt eorum animae, id minime obſtabit quo minus in aeternum p. 55dedecus mors ipſos demergat, as Calvin notes, Although their ſouls remain after death, yet that hinders not but that death may ſwallow them down into eternall ſhame and infamy. But if the place be well pondered, it will rather make for man, indefinite, indefinitely; not Adam in particular, but what man ſoever. The Originall is thus,Adam. bicar viſo jabin foreign Homo in excellentia, et non intelligit, A man in his excellency, & yet underſtands not. Iunius, Iunius.Homo qui eſt in precio, neque intelligens, A man that is in eſteem, and underſtands not;bicar for the word foreign comes of the root foreign precioſum eſſe, in honore, jacargloria, et pretio eſſe, To be precious, or of great value, to be in honour, in glory, or renown, or account; a man that is ſuch and not conſiderate of it, ſimilis fit jumentis quae intereunt, may be ſaid indeed to be like unto the Beaſts p. 56that periſh. Though the Lord had ſaid to man,Pſa. 32.9.Ps 32:9 Pſal. 32.9. Ne eſtote ut Equus et Mulus, expertes intelligentiae, Be not as the Horſe or the Mule, which have no underſtanding: yet a man in honour, and not underſtanding it, is like unto theſe, Propriam dignitatem non advertit, nec rationaliter vixit, nec Coeleſtem et Angelicam beatitudinem concupivit, ſed in rebus temporalibus, at que carnalibus ſe immerſit, nec per rationem paſſionibus ſuis praevaluit, Dyonyſ Carthuſ. in loc.as Dionyſius Carthaſianus in locum: He conſiders not his own dignity, nor guides his life by the rule and law of reaſon, nor covets after that Heavenly and Angelicall happineſſe, but plungeth himſelf in the carnall cares and affairs of this life, and makes not uſe of his reaſon that God hath given him, to ſubdue or controll his affections.

God gave Adam a Law in Paradice, p. 57where he had put him,Gerard. Voſſiꝰ Theſ. Theol. Theſ. 1. de primo pecc. Adami, & potuit, & facile potuit evitare. and when he had made him able to keep it, and was no way neceſſitated, or ſtraitned to break it, but willingly failed in his obedience, he had voluntatem a Deo, but he had abuſum voluntatis a Diabolo, defectum a ſeipſo, He had his Will from God, but the abuſe of it from the Devill, and the defect of it from himſelf.Aug. in Enchirid. ad Leur. See Auguſt. in Enchirid. ad Laurentium, chap. 27. Praeceptum ſui Creatoris (quod cuſtodire facillime poſſet) ſua male utens poteſtate calcavit, &c. The command of his Maker which he then might moſt eaſily have kept, by the ill uſe of his power he trod under foot. The Will which he had of God was good.Aug. lib. 5. de civit. Dei. c. 9. Auguſt. lib. 5. de Civit. Dei, cap. 9. Malae voluntates a Deo non ſunt, quia contra naturam ſunt quae ab illo, &c. Ill Wills are not of God, becauſe they are contrary to that nature which God created good p. 58in man.Aug lib 83. qu. qu. 3. Auguſt. lib. 83. qu. qu. 3. Eſt vitium voluntatis quo homo fit deterior, Its the fault of mans own Will, by which he became worſe then God made him: for, voluntas potuit deficere a nullo incitante, multo magis a Diabolo ſeducente; A created Will might faile though none incited it, much more when the Devill inticed it. Gregorie, Deus Author eſt naturae, non culpae, God is the Author of our nature,Gregor. magn. lib. 19. Moral. cap. 21. Aquin in 1, 2. qu 80. art, 1. in corpore. not of our ſinne. Moral. lib. 29. cap. 21. Aquinas in 1, 2. Summ. qu. 80. artic. 1. In corpore: proprium principium actus peccati, voluntas eſt, &c. The Will is the proper principle,Pet Martyr. claſ. 1 locor. com. cap. 14. ſect. 12. or cauſe of ſinne. Peter Martyr, claſſe prima locorum communium, cap. 14. ſect. 12. Malarum ergo actionum cauſa deficiens quaerenda eſt, et inter caetera pravi affectus, et inclinationes reperientur, &c. iſtae cauſae ſunt interiores peccati, ſed potius deficientes quant efficientes; p. 59A deficient cauſe is to be ſought for of evill deeds, and amongſt the reſt, our depraved affections, and inclinations, will be found to have an hand in them, theſe are more inward cauſes of ſinne, but rather deficient, than efficient cauſes. Much like Auguſtine lib. 12. de Civitate Dei, cap. 7.Aug. lib. 12. de civit. Dei. c. 7. Mala res non habet cauſam efficientem, ſed deficientem, That which is evill hath not an efficient but a deficient cauſe. True, if we ſpeak properly, for cauſa efficiens proprie dicta non producit effectum toto genere a ſe diverſum: (as the Logick Schools informs us) An efficient cauſe properly ſo called, cannot produce an effect in its whole kinde differing from it ſelf, and there fore produceth an entative effect. And we are taught in Metaphyſicks, quod bonum et ens convertuntur, Every Being is good. And e contrá, for Entia per ſe mala non ſunt, p. 60ſed entium defectus: Beeings of themſelves are not evill, but the defects of Beeings. The Devill though he be a cauſe of ſinne, yet is he not cauſa propria abſoluta, Diabolus non eſt cauſa abſoluta & immediata, peccati.et plenaria peccati noſtri, ac immediata; The Devill is not the proper, abſolute, plenarie, and immediate cauſe of ſin, for nothing can properly be ſaid to be the cauſe of ſin, but that which can movere voluntatem ad agendum, move the Will inwardly to ſinne, which ſinne being a defect, an evill, God cannot be the cauſe of it thus; for Deus non irritat voluntatem ad peccandum infundendo malitiam aliquam in voluntatem ipſam, Deus non infundit maliti. am in volunt.for God never infuſeth any wickedneſſe into the Will it ſelfe, by which he might provoke it to evill, but failing from its obedience, it inclinatively moves to ſinne. Sola voluntas hominis eſt directe cauſa peccati ejus, OnelyOnly the Will of p. 61man (ſaith Aquinas) in the place before named,Aquin. loco quo ſup…a. is directly the cauſe of his ſinne. Now the Proper and immediate cauſe is ſuch, quod ea poſita neceſſario ſequitur effectus, if that be put to work, the effect doth neceſſarily follow; but the Devill cannot alwayes in his ſuggeſtions cauſe them neceſſarily to take effect, but he comes to have his ſuggeſtions executive, Mediante corrupta noſtra voluntate, Our corrupt Will giving way to them, and comming between the ſuggeſtion and the ſinne. And howſoever the motus Phyſicus, or naturall motion of the Will, in quantum ſimpliciter motus, for ſo farre forth as its conſidered as a motion, be of God; yea, and the motus moralis tum in quantum ad bonum: The morall motion alſo is of God, ſo farre forth as its moved to God. Melchior. Canus, lib. 2.Melchior. Canꝰ lib. 2. loc. com. cap. 4. locor. commun. cap. 4. Cauſa moralis non p. 62agat niſi per voluntatem movens, id eſt movendo voluntatem, A morall cauſe, works not but by moving of the Will. And Aquinas in his 1,Aquin. 1.2. qu. 80 art. 1. 2. qu. 80. art. 1. In corpore nihil inclinat interius voluntatem ad volendum, niſi vel ipſa voluntas, vel Deus, Nothing inwardly inclines the Will to will, but either the Will it ſelf, or elſe God. The VVill it ſelf quantum ad exercitium actus ſecundum rationem finis, For as much as concerns the exerciſe of its act, and in regard of the end.

But it may be objected, that the Will cannot be both movens and mota, the thing moving, and the thing moved; I anſwer; eodem reſpectu, in the ſame reſpect it cannot. Non omne movens eſt actu quod movetur, eſt in potentia. I anſwer, quod potentia voluntatis eſt ſibi ſemper actu praeſens, ſed iſta potentia quae ſemper ſibi ſit actu praeſens, non ſemper eſt p. 63potentia actualis, The power of the Will is alwayes indeed preſent to it, but that power of it that is thus preſent, is not alwayes actuated, actus volitionis quo vult finem, et ea quae ſunt ad finem, non ſemper eſt ſibi praeſens, The act of volition for the end, and thoſe Mediums that are conducible to it, are not alwayes preſent to it.

The Will as it is moved, may be ſaid to be in potentia, in regard of theſe, and yet hath potentiam actu ſibi praeſentem, qua ſeipſam moveat, A power actually in Being, by which it may move it ſelf, ipſa movet ſeipſum in quantum per hoc quod vult finem, reducit ſeipſam ad volendum ea quae ſunt ad finem, hoc autem non poteſt facere niſi conſilio medianti. So Aquinas 1.2. qu. 9. art. 4.Aquin. 1.2. qu. 9. Art. 4. in corpore. in corpore: It moves it ſelf in as much as thus, in that it would the end, it reduceth it ſelf to will thoſe things that are conducible p. 64to the end, & this it cannot do except by counſell comming between.Cajet. com in locum. Cajetan thus, Semper cum voluntas move… ſe utitur ſeipſa, Alwayes when the Will moves it ſelf, it makes uſe of it ſelf, applicando ſe ad volendum, vel nolendum, By the applying of it ſelf to be willing or nilling: but Principium motionis quoad exercitium actus, eſt ex fine, quia omne agens agit propter finem appetitum, The principle of the motion it regard of the exerciſe of the act of the Will is taken from the end, becauſe every agent works for the end deſired of it? for prima inter cauſas eſt cauſa finalis, The finall cauſe is the firſt amongſt the cauſes, namely in intention; and we are taught from the Logicians, quod finis perſe & ſua natura tantum eſt bonus; That the end of it ſelfe, and owne nature is onelyonly good; whence we ſay uſually, Finis & bonum convertuntur, p. 65The end, and that which is good, are things convertible; and the object of the Will we know is bonum, that which is good. Yet it may be objected, that finis non eſt actus, qui ſit principium agendi, but finis eſt (propter quem) principio agendi agens agit, The end is not that act, that is the beginning of the doing of a thing, but the end is that, for which the great Agent worketh from the Principle of acting. To which it may be anſwered, that finis ut objectum voluntatis eſt ratio agendi tali potentiae cujus eſt objectum proprium; That the end conſidered as an object of the Will, may be a reaſon of the working of that faculty, whereof it is the proper object. Thomas, Thom. 1.2. qu. 9. art. 4. reſpond. ad 1.prima primae qu. 9. art. 4. reſpond. ad primum, Ʋnde motus voluntarius etſi habeat principium proximum intrinſecum, tamen principium primum eſt ab extra; The voluntarie p. 60motion of the Will, although it have the next principle intrinſecall, or within it ſelf, yet notwithſtanding the firſt principle is from without it. Thus we may ſee that the Will hath Principium internum, et formale ſuae motionis, The Will hath an internall, and formall Principle of its motion. See for the like Scaliger de ſubtilitate contra Cardan. Scaliger. exercit contra Hier Card. 307. ſect. 25.exercitat. 307. ſect. 25. in ipſo limin. Aquinas prima ſecundae quaeſt. 9. artic. 6. motus voluntatis eſt ab intrinſeco, Aluar de auxiliis grat. lib. 9. diſp. 85. ſect. 3. Oſtendens quod lib. arbitrium ſubordinatur gratiae efficaci, &c. ſubordinatur Deo ut cauſae priori non ſo lum ſuadenti vel moraliter moventi interius, ſed tanquam cauſae vere efficienti, &c.The motion of the Will is from an intrinſecall principle.

Secondly, God inclines the Will morally to good, yet inclines it freely according to its nature, ſuaſione, but not ſuaſione tantum, quamvis non excludit, quia inſerviat ad movendam voluntatem humanam ad agendum congruenter naturae ſuae libere, et deliberate, By ſwaſion, but not by it onelyonly, although it p. 57be not excluded, ſeeing it may ſerve to move the Will of man to act congruouſly to its nature; deliberately and freely, but motio ſola ſuaſoria non eſt motio vera, realis, ac immediata, ſed remota, et quaſi metaphorica: Guil. Twiſſ. in his vindic. Gratiae, lib. 2. c. 15. digreſ. 3. ſect. 2.[as acute Dr. Twiſſe in his Vindiciae gratiae] A motion of the Will onelyonly by way of ſwaſion is not a true, reall, and immediate motion, but a remote, and as it were a metaphoricall motion; for ſwaſion works but per modum proponentis objectum, ut Bellarmin', et objectum, quantumvis idonee propoſitum, non agit genere cauſae efficientis, ſed finalis, alliciendo tantum, non vere, et realiter in ipſam voluntatem operando; at gratiadei eſt efficax, &c. agit potenter, naturae tamen uniuſcujuſque convenienter: it works but by way of propoſall of the Object, as Bellarmine hath it; and the object, although it be fitly propoſed, works not in the kinde p. 68or nature of an efficient cauſe but finall onelyonly, by way of inticing or alluring, not truly and really working upon the will, or in having efflux, or operation into the Will it ſelf; but the grace of God is effectuall, &c. and works powerfully, yet agreeable to the nature of every thing.Aqu. 1.2 qu. 9, art. 4. reſpond ad 3. Aquinas prima ſecundae, queſt. 9. art. reſpondend. ad tert. confeſſeth,Aluar de auxilas grat. li…. 3. diſp. 18. ſect. 3. Neceſſarius eſt previus Dei influxus, in ipſas cauſas quo ad operandum moveantur, &c. (not only that God moves the VVill, ſicut univerſalis motor, ad univerſale objectum voluntatis quod eſt bonum &c.) ſed tamen interdum ſpecialiter movet aliquos ad aliquid determinate volendum quod eſt bonum, ſicut in his quos movet per gratiam; As an univerſall Mover to the univerſall or generall object of the VVill, which is good, &c. but ſometime notwithſtanding he ſpecially moves ſome men to will determinately, that which is good, as it is with thoſe that he moves by grace; p. 69but God moves no man to evill, (formally ſo called) as it is foreign, or foreign, iniquitas or inordinatio, iniquitie or diſorder. Deus volens iniquitatem tu non es, Thou art not a God that wils, or takes pleaſure in wickedneſſe. God wills it not voluntate approbationis et effectionis, Paraeus in caſtig, Bell. de amiſſ gratiae & ſtatu peccati.as Paraeus in his Caſtigation of Bellarmine, De amiſſione gratiae, et ſtatu peccati, With an approbative and an effective will, he wills not evill. Aquin: Aqu. 1.2. qu. 49. art. 2. reſpond. ad 2.in his prima ſecundae qu. 49. art. 2. reſp: ad ſecundum: effectus cauſae ſecundae deficientis reducitur in cauſam primam non deficientem, Aluer. de auxilii… gratiae l. 3. diſp. 18. ſect. 21quantum ad id quod habet entitatis, et perfectionis, non autem quantum ad id quod habet de defectu, The effect of the ſecond cauſe deficient, is ſo farre forth reduced to the firſt cauſe not deficient, as it hath any thing of Entitie, or perfection; not in regard of that which is defective in it, for that p. 64is to be imputed to the ſecond cauſe,Actio non eſt mala in ratione Entis, &c. ſed mala moraliter, & defectiva, ſive in quantum eſt peccatum, & ſub hac ratione ſolum reducitur ad cauſam deficient. as is claudication in motion: the motion is from the motive power in the creature, but claudication in the motion is a curvitate cruris; from ſome lame legge of the thing moved; thus conconceive of the Will of man as it is a Will, and taken as a depraved Will, and then,Paraeus in cacaſtig, Bell. de amiſſ. lib. cap 5 as Pareus in caſtigat. Bellarmine, de amiſſion: gratiae, &c. lib. 2. cap. 5. Per ſe et proxime actionis malae cauſa ſemper eſt mala hominis, vel Sathanae voluntas: The evill will of man, or of the Devill is by it ſelf the next, or neareſt cauſe of an evill deed. For I conceive him to take the word [action ſimply there, for the aberration of of the action, or the evill in the action. And the Devill cannot compell or move the Will to ſinne, without the concurring willingneſſe of it ſelfe, Aqu. ſpeaks moſt excellently to this p. 61point in his 1.2. qu. 80. art. 1.Aqu. 1.2 qu. 80, art. 1. in corp. in corp. Diabolus non ſit cauſa peccati directe, vel ſufficienter, ſed ſolum per modum perſuadentis, vel proponentis appetibile. The Devil cannot directly, or ſufficiently be ſaid to be the cauſe of ſinne, but by the way of perſwading or propoſing ſuch objects as are appetible, or ſuch as we affect, and ſo one may alſo be the cauſe of ſinne to another. The Devill did propoſe the forbidden fruit, as objectum appetibile cum intentione tentandi, As an appetible object, with an intent to tempt our firſt Parents to eat it, and ſo to ſinne, and that he might the better and more eaſily prevail, he perſwades them ſub ſpecie alicujus boni, under the ſhew of ſome good, that ſhould redound unto them by it, Gen. 3.5. Eritis tanquam Dij, Ye ſhall be as Gods, &c. Yet, as Auguſtine hath it in Pſalm. 91. Though the Devill p. 72hath aſtutiam ſuadendi, Auguſt. in Pſal. 91.Ps 91yet he hath not potentiam cogendi, he hath craft and cunning enough to perſwade, but he hath not power, or ſtrength to compell: voluntas non neceſſario movetur ab objecto appetibili propoſito, but the cauſa immediata, et interior peccati eſt voluntas: The Will of man is the immediat cauſe of ſinne, and the inward moving to it. Now indeed apprehenſio partis ſenſitivae, et appetitus ſenſitivus eſſe poteſt cauſa remota peccati, nam appetitus ſenſitivus aliquando moveat appetitum intellectivum, qui eſt voluntas; The apprehenſion of the ſenſitive part, and the ſenſitive appetite may be a remote cauſe of ſinne; for the ſenſitive appetite may ſometime move the appetite intellective, which is the Will; yet it moves it not neceſſario, neceſſarily, but ex parte objecti ſub ratione boni, by way of an object, and under the ſhew of p. 73that which is good. Jam. 1.14.Iam. 1.14.Jas 1:14 Every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his own luſt, and enticed: now, non abſtraheretur a concupiſcentia, niſi moveretur voluntas ab appetitu ſenſitivo, qui ſedes eſt concupiſcentiae, it ſhould not be drawn away of luſt, except it were moved from the ſenſitive appetite, which is the Seat of concupiſcence.Aug. in Pſ. 58.Ps 58 And Auguſtine ſaith of the Devill in Pſalm 58. Certe princeps eſt omnium peccatorum, certe ſeductor eſt ad peccandum, Truly the Devill is the Prince of all ſinne, ſurely he is the ſeducer to it, but we muſt conſider how, and that is indirecte et occaſionaliter, indirectly and occaſionally, and ſo he may be ſaid to have been cauſa omnium noſtrorum peccatorum in quantum induxit primum hominem ad peccandum, ex cujus peccato in tantum vitiata eſt humana natura ut omnes ad peccandum proclives p. 74ſumus: He may be ſaid indeed to have been the cauſe of all our ſins, in as much as he allured the firſt man to ſinne, from whoſe ſinne our humane nature comes to be ſo much defiled, that by reaſon of it we are all prone to ſinne.

If any object, quod ſicut Deus movet ad conſilium bonum & honeſtum, et per hoc eſt directe cauſa bont, ita Diabolus movet ad conſilium malum, et per hoc Diabolus ſit directe cauſa peccati, thus, as God moves to that counſell which is good and honeſt, and by this means is directly the cauſe of good; ſo on the other ſide, the Devill moves to that counſell which is evill; and if one by that means may be ſaid [directly] to be the cauſe of ſinne, to this receive this anſwer, that God ſo cauſeth that which is good, Vt interius movet voluntatem, quod Diabolus non poteſt: differunt p. 75ergo in modo cauſandi. God inwardly moves the Will, as Phil. 2.13.Phil. 2.13.Phil 2:13 It is God that [works in you] both foreign velle, and foreign perficere, Deus non tantum habet fluxum ſi multaneum cum voluntate, ſed etiam fluxum praecedaneum in voluntatemto will and to do, &c this the Devill cannot do, as I have ſhown: therefore they differ in the manner of cauſation, God doing it interne movendo, by moving the Will inwardly, ſecundum conditionem, according to the nature and condition of it; the Devill externe ſuadendo, & appetibilia proponendo, by externally perſwading, and propoſall of appetible objects.Gerard. Voſſ. Theſ. Theol. Theſ. 4. de primo pec. Adami. To which Gerard Voſſius accords, Theſ. Theolog. Theſ. 4. de primo peccato Adami, nec neceſſitas ulla a Diabolo fuit, quia conſilium dare potuit, cogere non potuit. The Devill did not any way neceſſitate Adam to ſinn; he could counſell him, but he could not compell him:Aug. lib, 1. c. 13 de civit. Dei. which aſſertion he ſtrengthens from Auguſt. in lib. 14. de p. 76Civit. Dei, cap. 13. Diabolus hominem non cepiſſet, niſi jam ille ſibi ipſi placere cepiſſet: The Devill had never ſo catched and deceived man, if he himſelf had not firſt begun to pleaſe himſelf in what he heard. And the Fathers falling upon this point, ſend their judgements all down one Channell: to quote ſo many as may evidence the point, and ſuch as are moſt pregnant for it.Aug. de correptione, & gratia, &c. cap. 11, Auguſt. de correptione & gratia ad Valent. c. 11. Acceperat poſſe ſed ſi vellet, non habuit velle quod poſſet, nam ſi habuiſſet perſeveraſſet; poſſet enim perſeverare etiam ſi vellet, quod ut nollet, de libero deſcendit arbitrio: He had received an ability to have ſtood if he had would, but he had not a willingneſſe to do what he could; for had he been willing to have ſo willed, he had ſtill perſevered; for he might have perſevered in his (created Eſtate) if he had p. 77would, the which that he would not, deſcended from his own free-will: for as the ſame godly and learned Father, ſaith, l. 3. contra Iulaianum; c. 5.Aug. cont. Iul. lib. 3. cap. 5. ſicut voluntas mala ipſa eſt origo peccati, id eſt, a voluntate mala peccatum exortum eſt, & peccati origo voluntas mala eſt, ita niſi voluntas mala, non eſt cujuſquam ulla origo peccati, &c. as an evill will is the originall of ſinne, that is to ſay, from an evill will ſinne did ariſe, and an evill will is the beginning of ſin; ſo except the will were evill, there ſhould not be the beginning of any ſinne. Tertullian lib. 2. adverſus Martionem, cap. 8.Tertul lib. 2. adverſ. Marc. cap. 8.Mark 8 Sicut Deus homini vitae ſtatum induxit, ita homo ſibi mortis ſtatum attraxit, & hoc non per infirmitatem, &c. As God brought man into the ſtate of Life, ſo man attracted to himſelf the ſtate of death, but not by infirmity, &c. for we have heard how able his p. 78Maker had made him; ſo that this defect for want of ability given him, could not be imputed to his Maker, Chryſoſt. in Gen. 3.Chryſ. in Gen. 3. Hom. 15.Gen 3 Hom. 15. Nuſquam neceſſitas, nuſquam violentia, He was no where neceſſitated to ſinne, nor from any place had he any violence offered him. And the ſame father in Hom. de interdictione arboris ad Adam, utcumque habuit in poteſtate & Deo parere, quod noluit, & Diabolo non conſentire, quod voluit, He had both in his power, either to obey God, and he would not; or to conſent to the Devill, and that would he. Fulgentius de Incarnatione, & gratia, to the ſame purpoſe, chap. 6. he was ſo created ut bonum facere in propria facultate haberet, & male, ſi vellet: He had it in his power to have done good if he would, or to have done evill: now he that God had made thus able to ſtand, could caſt no p. 79juſt fault upon his Maker; if he did fall, his failing was from his own mutable Will, his Maker had not promiſed to continue him immutably good, without any condition, and himſelf implored not his aid in his temptation: but not relying upon the truth of God, he was inticed, willingly to give way to his Wife and the Devill: ſo that from the truth of this point, ſo farre diſcovered unto us, we may by the way diſcover three errours to be confuted.

Firſt, that of the Manichees,Manichees qui crediderunt peccatum omne eſſe a neceſſitate naturae, quia Deus coagmentavit hominem ex bona, malaque ſubſtantia; and that ſanatio, was per ſeparationem malae ſubſtantiae, non per ſanationem vitioſi accidentis, &c. That God compacted or joyned man together of a good and ill ſubſtance, and ſo they did beleeve that p. 80all ſinn was from the necceſſitie of nature, and that the healing of man of this hurt was by ſeparation of the evill ſubſtance from the good, not by curing of his vicious qualities. Auguſtine hath ſomewhat tending to this purpoſe,Aug. lib. de haereſ. c. 46. lib. de haereſib. chap. 46. Iſte duo principia inter ſe diverſa, &c.

Pricillianiſts.Secondly, that of the Pricillianiſts, thoſe Hereticks did affirm, unumquemque hominem naſci ſub conſtitutionibus Stellarum, & hoc in adjutorium ſui erroris aſſumit, &c. ſed paulo poſt neque enim propter ſtellas homo, ſed ſtellae propter hominem factae ſunt. Greg. Hom. 10 in Evang.Greg. Hom. 10. in Evanglia, they held that every man was born under the power and ordering of the Starres, and this they affirm to help on their aberrations, &c. but a little after (ſaith Gregory) man was not made for the Starres, but the Stars for man. The like was affirmed of p. 81them by Auguſt. lib. de haereſ. cap. 70.Aug. lib de haereſ. cap. 70. Aſtruunt etiam fatalibus aſtris homines colligatos; They ſay that men are bound to do this, or that, by the power of the Starres. And I cannot well omit the explication of that paſſage by learned and laborious Danaeus, Lambertus Danaeus in Aug. de haereſ.to whom I remember Reverend Beza gives this teſtimonie, that he was homo incredibilis diligentiae, A man of incredible paines, ſtudy, or diligence. They affirmed (ſaith he) Invitos nos malos fieri & peccare, & vi ſyderum coactos: non ſponte, ne que animi electione. Hoc a ſtoicis ſumptum, qui peccata hominum fato ſuo tribuunt, ſed plane falſum, nam perditio noſtra a nobis ipſis eſt, non a ſtellis, & earum vi, & impulſu: that is, That we were made evill againſt our wills, and compelled to ſin by the power of the Starres, not of our own accord, or Election. This opinion, ſaith he, they had p. 82from the Stoicks, which attributed mens ſinnes to their inevitable deſtiny, which verily is falſe, for our deſtruction is of our ſelves, not from the Starres, or from any force or impulſion in them;Iohan Damaſ. lib. 2. de Orthod fide, c. 7. for the which he further referres himſelf to Damaſcen. lib. 2. de orthodoxa fide, cap. 7. Thus would theſe have excuſed men in their ſinning, as neceſſitated thereunto by inevitable and impulſive Fate, or by the working and power of the Starres in their Wills, and over them.

Georg. Pauli Cracovienſis miniſt.Thirdly, that of Georgius Pauli a miniſter of Cracovia, who, as Wigandus teſtifies, lib. de Deo contra novos Arrianos, taught, quod Adam & Eva nunquam habuiſſent, unde ſtare potuiſſent in ſtatu innocentiae: That our firſt Parents never had that ſtrength and power in the ſtate of innocency, by which they had been able to have p. 83ſtood, which is a very falſe aſſertion, as hath been made fully to appear. So then, man thus ſinning willingly and freely, and in abuſing of that ability which God had given him in his Creation, he might juſtly put upon him ſuch puniſhments as his ſinnes deſerved. Yea true, but that the Creature ſhould feel the effect and miſery of this ſinne of man, from that you have heard, they were a verſe by nature; yet the miſery, that they were lyable to, was but temporall, but man their Maſter that offended, he was lyable to eternall.

Nay, and not onelyonly the Creature was thus troubled, but the eternall Sonne of God was troubled alſo for the ſin of man: when he took mans nature upon him, Iohn 12.27.Iohn 12 27.John 12:27 Anima mea turbata eſt, My ſoul is troubled. Yea, and no marvell, for Luke 12.50.Luke 12.50.Luke 12:50 p. 84I have a Baptiſme to be baptized with, (which was the Baptiſme of Blood, and of his Paſſion,) foreign, quomodo coarctor, as the vulgar hath it, How am I ſtraitned? conſtringor, as Beza, how am I bound together; multum premor, as the Syriack verſion by Tremelius, I am much preſſed untill it be ended.Phil. 2.6, 7, 8.Phil 2:6Phil 2:7Phil 2:8 And Phil. 2.6, 7, 8. Being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equall with God. But made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant, and was made in the likeneſſe men, [yet without ſin] Hebr. 4.15.Heb. 4.15.Heb 4:15] And being found in the faſhion of Man, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient to death, even the death of the Croſſe; that painfull, ſhamefull, lingring, and accurſed death: But here was a difference, Chriſtus paſſus eſt quia voluit, p. 85Chriſt ſuffered becauſe he was willing. Iohn 10.18.Iohn 10 18.John 10:18 no man could take away his life from him, but he laid it down of himſelf, &c. He was foreign, willing to do it. But the Creature in its kinde was not ſo. We have heard of an foreign, an unwillingneſſe in it, it was made ſubject to vanity, but not willingly.

Again, though Chriſt were willing to ſubject himſelf to infinitely more miſerie, yet it was impoſſible for him to be ſubject to vanity, neither as man ſaw he any corruption, he had none in ſoul, and ſo had none in body. Pſal. 16.Pſal. 16, 10.Ps 16:1010. Thou wilt not ſuffer thine holy One to ſee corruption. Act. 2.26, 27.Act. 2.26, 27.Acts 2:26Acts 2:27 My fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope, becauſe thou wilt not leave my ſoul in Hell, neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy One to ſee corruption. Yea, but Chriſt was innocent, p. 86how ſhould he be come juſtly to ſuffer for the nocent? To which it may bee anſwered, Firſt, that he was willing ſo to do, (as you have heard,) he had compaſſion of mankinde, and would not that they ſhould utterly and totally periſh; and therefore, though innocent in himſelf, yet no wrong done to him from his Father, for he that knew no ſinne was content to be made ſinne for us,2 Cor. 5. laſt.2 Cor 5 2 Cor. 5. laſt, Hee hath made him to be ſinne for us, who knew no ſinne. Sinne for us, that is, a ſacrifice for ſinne, for us. Hoſtiam & victimam pro nobis, ipſi enim impoſuit noſtrum reatum, Gualt. Hom. 24. in loc.as Gualt. Hom. 24. in locum: He impoſed the guiltineſſe of our ſinne upon him, that knew no ſin of himſelfe. Pro nobis fecerit mortem obite, perinde ac ſi peccator eſſet is, & maleficus, ct. in lacum.as Theaphilact in locum, He made him to undergo death for us, as p. 87if he had been a ſinner, and an evill doer. Gal. 3.13.Gal. 3.13.Gal 3:13 He was made a curſe for us, for its written, Deut. 21. laſt,Deut. 21. laſt.Deut 21 He that is hanged, is accurſed of God. In Gal. 3.10.Gal. 3.10.Gal 3:10 Curſed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. This curſe of God Chriſt was willing to undergo, to free us from the eternall curſe of God, which mans ſinne had deſerved. Eſa. 53.3, 4.Eſay 53.3, 4.5, 10.Isa 53:3Isa 53:4Isa 53:5Isa 53:10 He is deſpiſed and rejected of men. Vir dolorum, a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with grief, &c. Surely, he hath born our grief, and carryed our ſorrows, &c. Verſ. 5. Hee was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities, the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and with his ſtripes we are healed. And Verſe 10. When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſinne; in this ſenſe he was made ſinne for us, and thus became Author of Salvation p. 88to all that obey him.Heb. 5.9.Heb 5:9 Heb. 5.9. But not every one who walk according to their own luſts, and then tell of Chriſt, of the merits of Chriſt, the mercies of Chriſt, and the like; have Chriſt often in their mouthes, but ſeldome in their mindes; often in their words, but ſeldome in their workes; ſuch walk not as they have Chriſt for an example, but as enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt.

2. As he was willing ſo likewiſe he was able to undergo the puniſhment for us. Thou haſt laid help upon one that is mighty, ſo he did indeed, when he laid it upon Chriſt. Acts 2.24.Acts 2.24.Acts 2:24 It was not poſſible that he ſhould be holden of the pains of death,Iohn 2.19.John 2:19 Iohn 2.19. Solvite templum hoc, &c. Deſtroy this Temple, and in three dayes I will raiſe it up again, for I have power, I have abilitie and p. 89ſtrength ſo to do. Iohn 10.18.Iohn 10.28.John 10:28 Poteſtatem habeo deponendi eam, & poteſtatem habeo ruſus eam aſſumendi, I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again.

3. And laſtly, hoc praeſuppoſito, this being praeſuppoſed, that man ſhould not be ſaved, except Gods infinite juſtice was ſatisfied, and actually in the fulneſſe of time was to bee done, then none but one of an infinite value, as was his Son, could have made this ſatisfaction, or have paid this price; no meer Creature, Man, or Angel could have done it. So that being brought to this point, though Chriſt was innocent, yet was it thought fitting in the wiſdome of his Father, that he ſhould ſuffer. Rom. 3.25.Rom. 3.25.Rom 3:25 God hath ſet him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.

Secondly, though the Creature was p. 90innocent, and kept that ſtation wherein God had ſet it, and placed it, and was not Created in any gift of reaſon, by which it was inabled to receive, conceive, or obey any poſitive Law, yet was God an abſolute Lord over it; and having neither determined nor made any abſolute promiſe to the contrary, might diſpoſe of it, as he in his great and over-ruling Wiſdome thought fitting, and God having given it to man for a Poſſeſſion in the ſtate of innocency; when man ſinned, God (as you have heard) did not onelyonly puniſh the perſon that offended, but his Poſſeſſion alſo: and being abſolute Lord over the Creature, he was not bound to conſerve it in that integrity in which he firſt created it; but as it was ſubject to mutability in it ſelf, ſo likewiſe might he change it, as in his wiſdome he would. p. 91And though the Creature [as we have heard] had not propenſity to be changed from the better to the worſe, yet the ſoveraign Lord of it can be touched with no injuſtice in making this change; and as the creature was puniſhed, and made ſubject to vanity for the ſin of man, ſo man is in ſome ſort puniſhed by the Creatures, ſome of them runne wilde, live out of his compaſſe, & will not obey him; other ſome obey him, but by conſtraint, & unwillingly: others riſe up againſt him, to deſtroy him, ſome by venome, and ſome by violence; & many times God arms the Creature againſt man, to revenge himſelf of his diſobedience, and how often have we inſtance of this in the Book of God? yea, even by inſenſible Creatures, as the Elements, either Fire, Water, Earth, or Ayr: by Fire, as, Geneſ. 19.24.Gen. 19.24.Gen 19:24 Brimſtone and Fire p. 92were rained upon Sodome and Gomorrah, Gen. 7.4.Gen 7:4out of Heaven. By Water, Gen. 7.4. I will cauſe it to raine upon the earth forty dayes, and forty nights, and every living ſubſtance that I have made, will I deſtroy from the face of the earth. By the Earth, Numb. 16.32.Num. 16.32, 33.Num 16:32Num 16:33 The Earth opened her mouth, and ſwallowed them up, and their Houſes, and all the men that appertained to Korah, and all their Goods: and Verſe 33. the earth cloſed upon them, and they periſhed from among the Congregation. By the Ayre corrupted,Deut. 28.22.Deut 28:22 Deut. 28.22. where amongſt other Plagues God threatned to plague the diſobedient Iſraelites with Blaſtings, Aere corrupto, as the Vulgar reads it, with corrupt Aire. Thus we ſee how by all the Elements God can puniſh man.

If we take a ſhort view of the ſenſible p. 93Creatures that are made ſubject to vanity, by reaſon of the ſinne of man, we ſhall finde them to appear in a great number, (letting paſſe the noiſome qualities of divers Herbs and Plants) that God hath often armed with vengeance to puniſh man, whoſe ſinne occaſioned the bringing of them within the common courſe of corruption. Firſt let us begin with the Lion, which is accounted the King of the Beaſts of the field, and ſtouteſt of any. When David (let me ſay) in carmine lugubri, or in his Elegies for Saul and Ionathan, would much magnifie them, he ſaid, 2 Sam. 1.23.2 Sam. 1.23.2 Sam 1:23 that they were Leonibus fortiores, ſtronger then Lions. 2 Sam. 17.10.1 Sam. 17.10.1 Sam 17:10 when Huſhai would ſet out the valiant among the ſouldiers of Abſolon, he ſaith, And he alſo which is valiant, whoſe heart is as the heart of a Lion, &c. By theſe God hath puniſhed p. 94man, whom he once made Lord over them.1 Kings 13.24,1 Kgs 13:24 1 Kings 13.24. a Lyon met the diſobedient Prophet, and ſlew him.2 Kings 17.25.2 Kgs 17:25 2 Kings 17.25. when the King of Babylon had carryed the Iſraelites Captives, and had ſent the Gentiles into their Poſſeſſions, ſo it was in the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord, therefore the Lord ſent Lions among them, which ſlew ſome of them: So that the Idolatrous Gentiles felt the ſmart of Gods revenging Hand within his Land, as well as did the Idolatrous Jews: and ignorance of worſhipping the true God, proved no ſhelter to ſave them from his ſtroke. Theſe inſtances are remarkable out of the holy Story, how many more might I adde out of humane Stories, written by men of great judgement and credit, to ſhew how God in other ages hath p. 95done the like?Sebaſt. Munſt. in Coſmogr. de terris Aſiae Majoris lib. 5. in ipſa calce. Sebaſtian Munſter in his Coſmographie writing de terris Aſiae Majoris, tells us of the City of Sana, and the Countries thereabout, and that in the Inlands more remote from the Sea, there is an exceeding high Mountain, and a large, abounding with all manner of wilde Beaſts, and amongſt the reſt, Palantur ibi compluſculi Leones, hominibus ſupra modum infenſi, idque efficit ut illac tutum iter non pateat, niſi centum ſimul viatoribus, qui frequentiori numero perterreant feras: that is, there are Lions there in great abundance, wandring and ranging abroad, and are above meaſure moved with anger againſt men, or do hate them, in ſo much that no journey can ſafely be taken thither under the number of an hundred men in a company, that by their multitude they may make thoſe wilde Beaſts p. 96afraid. And how obvious in Hiſtories are many ſuch paſſages?

Secondly, the Bear, who is a cruell Beaſt, and a raging in anger, yea ſuch, that when God himſelfe would expreſſe the height of rage, he inſtanceth in this Beaſt.2 Sam. 17.8.2 Sam 17:8 2 Sam. 17.8. when Huſhai would expreſſe to Abſolom the rage and furie of David, and his men of warre, he told him they were mighty men, and chafed in their mindes as a Bear robbed of her Whelps in the field, or in ſaltu, in the Forreſt, as ſome read, the which if the greateſt Potentate amongſt the ſonns of Adam, had taken by Birth, Blood, or Command, ſhe would flie upon him without fear, and tear him in peeces, if his ſtrength were not able to withſtand her.Prov. 17.12.Prov 17:12 Prov. 17.12. Let a Bear robbed of her Whelps rather meet a man, than a fool in his folly. p. 97Hoſea 13.8. I will meet them,Hoſea 13.8.Hos 13:8 as a Bear that is bereaved of her Whelps, (ſaith the Lord, when he would expreſſe his fury againſt them) and will rend the Caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a Lion. As if he ſhould have ſaid, I will do it fiercely and furiouſly. 2 King. 2.23, 24.2 King. 2. two laſt.2 Kgs 2 when Eliſha was going to Bethel, as he was going up by the way, there came litle Children out of the Citie and mocked him, ſaying, Go up thou bald-head, go up thou bald-head▪ Theſe Children were the Children of Idolatrous Parents, that uſed to go to Bethel to tranſgreſſe, as Iunius thinks;Iun annotat in locum. Oſiand. and Oſiander ſuppoſeth them to have flocked together out of the Citie to ſome convenient place for their puerile recreations, (as now we ſee Children every where do) and ſeeing the old Prophet travelling by the ordinary p. 98way, they began to mock him, and reproached not onelyonly his perſon, but his Office, therefore the Prophet [no doubt but moved by God that was offended] curſed theſe ill-taught, and wicked Children in the Name of the Lord, not out of any private ſpleen, and there came two Shee-Bears out of the Wood, and tare forty and two Children of them. And many other Countries have alſo been infeſted by them: and it appears by the ſpeech of Iacob, when he ſaw the Coat of Ioſ ph, that mankinde was then moleſted by cruell Brutes; and ſo it appears by the conſultation of his Brethren. For when they were conſulting about the killing of him, and how they might frame ſome credible excuſe to their father when they had done. Gen. 37.20.Gen. 37.20, 33Gen 37:20Gen 37:33 Let us ſlay him, and caſt him into ſome pit, and we will ſay, ſome p. 99evill Beaſt hath devoured him. As if they had ſaid, This our father will beleeve, and we ſhall be blameleſſe; and if their Father could be ſatisfied, it never troubled them, that we read of at that time, how God ſhould be anſwered for the effuſion of their Brothers innocent blood, but were framing how to adde a lie to fratricide.Verſ. 33. And Verſe 33. you may ſee how apt Iacob was to beleeve this, for ſo ſoon as he ſaw his Sonnes Coat, he ſaid, Some evill Beaſt hath devoured him, Ioſeph no doubt is rent in pieces.Peretius in locum. And Pererius notes upon the place, Terra enim Syria, cujus pars eſt Paleſtina, abundat feris, maxime vero Vrſis & Leonibus: 1 Kings 17. 2 Kings 2.1 Kgs 172 Kgs 2and for this quotes the place, 1 Kings 17. 2 King. 2, which are alſo quoted before for the ſame Point. The Land of Syria, (whereof Paleſtine was a part) abounded with wilde Beaſts, eſpecially p. 100with Bears and Lions.Levit. 26.22.Lev 26:22 Levit. 26.22. God did threaten them that were his People, even the Seed of Iſrael, that if they did deſpiſe his Statutes, and diſobeyed him, that he would ſend wilde Beaſts among them, which ſhould robb them of their Children, and deſtroy their Cattell, and make themſelves few in number; and that their High-wayes ſhould be deſolate, which he alſo did. And thus though the Creature was puniſhed by the ſinne of man, yet we often read how God makes the Creatures Inſtruments to puniſh man, for whoſe ſinn they are ſo puniſhed.