lteon~dic. Ruk. 1&1f:q8.$. eAnExpojition of Chrifls .Hatth.j. V.29,)0. Tho vnlearncd -altO, from this doCtrine of Preddlimuion, take occafion ofmofi fcatcfuU falling;for thu.s'thcy rcaidn:lfi be predctlitratc to falu:uio'll, 1am Cure to be faued, let me doe what I \\'\11; and 'if I be prcdcil:inated to con– demnation,! am furc to be condenmcd,though I litk.ncucr fo godly;'for Gods decree changcth noc:ra.n·d·thcrdOre I wilt liue as !lilt, Thus doe dcfi,cratetp:cr!Ons..imbolden thcmidues to fin, and tq -cafl a.way.cl1cir.foulcs. The Way to c.ut offthis offence is this, they mull: remember, that in Godsdecr'ee, the end~, and th.a..meanc.s thar bring mcntothatende, got al~ie.J.tt:Pg:r.hro; arrd du:rcfure,rh:u fuch as arc ordainc1.h.o f'llua.tiO,are'ordained·to the means thereOf; oam:-ly to v~fon, iullihcation, and fanc1ific.ii:ion, RPm. 8. )0. The ehdc' and the mcanes.'in GQJ:s decroc mufl: ncucr.bc fcuered: No..w righteoufitdfc•and holindfel.n Chrirl,is the m,.ans whcrby: God bath dccracd to bring men ro falu:~tion:and therefore they finne grieuou11y,th:lt vpon the immut::.bilicyofGods de– cree, take oec<'fjon to liue profanely, 1-le:::..~kJ.- 1 a& is fief.; vnto de.1t.h, J&& God promifoth.·to t:dde -------------=------ A1himfo/fu.<n doe no(ood, PNt allgood11ef{<0c grnce in mmJ come from God. Hence our common people take OGGt.tlon of loofcncffc of life: for tell rhcm that they mufi repent and bclccue if they will be faucd; their anfwcr is,that they do it fo wclasGod will giucrhcm gr:t.cc;ai,good: ncs (fay they) mull: come from GoJ : yc:a the w1fcr iOrt a1npng vs "vill HOt ll:ickc to1ay the 3. 0frn~nt m~b!litieol lulll{clf.:~ doegood. fault oftheir lboic lifC o:n God,:·...,\·ho giucs ihC no more grace, _'But for [l{c ::LU6id1ng of this Rclll~d.ie.. occafion of b!fChce, WC rrllllt know; that Whc.n \\'Care no.t a~!~ to doe out0Uties :lS we ought, and to pray, to r('pcnt aud Delecue as G6d. re... quircth, the fault is in our· fducs, and not.in 'I vnrohU daiu fific..cn.. cyeares: uow .if Hn.ekias •- had confultcd widlt~lefc mC, [hey would hauc told bitn.thus;· be of good. chearc 0 Kirrg,nci– ilier,e:ltC.o..or drinke, nor vie any thing to cure thy fcrre-;or to prcfcruc life : for thou !halt cer~ B Uod: for \\'C\V de crc:1tc'd ·righteous in Adaffi &: in htm had povVcr'and gtaCe to l1:1ue done whatfocucr Cod rcquirea <\t our hands : but Adam loft this power thrdugh his def.1ult; and we in him loft it alfo : and therefore our inability commcth from oUr fcluc::s, Again, we mufr confider that God giue~ gra_ce in– dcede, yet not miraculouDy ji1 Alc-houfeSand Taue::rncs, but ~hen ~vhcn meri viC the n1eanCs to come by g'racc,and do that \\'hieh by nafure) they arc able; that is, con;e and heare the word attcnuudy 1 ehdeauouring to beleclle 3.nd to obey the f.1rpc:fOr rhough.thr good vfagc 9f the gifts of nature cannot merit ~nygracc 1 .yet ordinarily vvc m·ay obfcl'ue, that in thevfe of meancs is gracc·receiued: ACt. 2.4J • .At one S"mon there )Pere contterud three tboufond· fou!es, among the rehelliom 'lewu: ACf. :.41. :.Oftbcfill of Ad~m. Remedic,. I. Rule. IJ.Ru!c. t eqly liue fittecnc yeares; God h:1th faid it,and i~slllJ!bb.e done: but Hezeki:is taketh no fuch courfe: nay, he vfeth the mcanes both to cure hi& fore!& to preferue l1is life.And [o didPan!, fSr h~t:t a-.'Vnc and others prefcru3rion, k!epe them:m·in~rJ i11 rhejhe'tp'e,who ·were the meancs vpmuhc fe-a to bring.thcm fafe to l·ahd,though God ·h-.1 gil!<n .v;;to'. him nl! rh«' f.til.d with him. _.:· The feco:>d fpeciall doctrine of the Church, wheL"eat !Ome take occalion ofoffence, is con– cerning rhefal of A dam: for V\'e teach, that God j in fome !Orr decreed his f;dl: whereupon fomc·l C Lidial heart Wl'.l opened in hearing Pats! preach: and ordinarily men are tonuened in the mea– nes : for fnirh comnmh b.J hMring the GoJPel preached, Ront;.1,o. 17. .J The l:lft point of dotlrine, fi·om whence many take occafion ofoffcncc 1 is thedoElrme of :;u~~uni. lujfijicmion by faith alone, wirhottt work,p. Hence rhe Papifi:s condemne our Church as an cnemic to all good workCs: nnd many here– by take occafion of aIcud life, becaufe good workcs mull -nor iuflific them before God. Now to cm oftchis offence, "''C mufl hold and Rcmcdic, obieCt, that vvc rnakc God the author offinne, confidering his decree is vnchangeablc. Now I to pr~uent rhis ofFence, nvo Rules mufl: be re– memhred: I. that Gods '~'ill may be diflingui- ' !heel. It is eitbcrgmera/i or fpecu!l!. Gods.. (.en~- ·1 D I rtt!l will is that, whereby he \villeth that flnnc Jhall bc,by his iuJ! permiffiou. Bur GodsJPecia/1 will,is the approouing: will ofGod,v\·hcrby he ~takingp!c:1fure in any thing,will hauc the fame know,rhat good '-Norks and. faith arc difioyricd in the workc of our lllfiification before God; but they arc conioyncd in rhc whble coulfe C?f our Jiues and conuerf.1tion 1 both before God done and brought to paffc. Nowwefaynot, that God\\ illcd ArbmsfaHby his approouing will, but oncly by his permitting will; bccaufc it was good i~1 regard ofGod,that man fhould £1II. II. VVe mufi remember, that Cods de– cree V\'Cnt bcftJre .Adams fall, one!y as an antecedent, not aS'L(,au(e thereof: for rhe vnchali– gcablc decree and w111 of God takes nor away j 1 the liberty ofmans·v:ll>or ofthe fecond oufcsJ but only inclineth and ordereth the fame as the fin1 and highdl cuufe of all. The third fpeciall dochine of the Church, whcreat offence is r:~ke!', is this, ThAt man of and man. No workc in man but faith is requi– red to his iufiificarion 1 though in God there be rcfpeCl: to his ownc free mcrcie, and to 1 Chrifis merits:.but in our liucs,faith and works 1 mull goc hand in hand t?gcther• . Now that thefe may thus be well di!linguiilicd, I ilicw it ' plainely: In the fire is both heate and light,yet '! in the wanmng of the bod1c the hcate hath force ondy, and ~ot lighr, though to mar.y o--j th~r ~JCs it fcruc nccdlarily; euenfo in a child I ohGod arc required both fi\ith and workes,but 1:o iutlific him fhith ondy is reqr1i'red, though I workes be ncceffaric thorough his whole life: for they iufHfie vs before men, and winnc vmo vs a tdlimonic ofour iufiification before God, l nor ondy in O\lt owne hearts, but from the i . Lord I
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