of AB~QlUTION. 55 fore, than more naturally : but ofretaining it, the 'caufe is minillred from us, even from our hardneffi, ~nd heart that cannot repent. And as Him. fdfe dothu[e this poW€r, {o give_th ~e it to t,hem, t~ edi(iration, anJ not to 2 Cor. io.s~ deflmElion.. I fay, not fit!l: or pnncrpally to dejlruEl10n; Mr ofany, fave qnely ofthe 'll>ilfu/1 impenitent f!nner . Thus much pf.the remit~ing and tetainingin general!, and of therr place and order. ~·ow of the pow~ er it felfe in particular. Ofthis P01verthere is here in my 'Text t\Vice mentfon ; 1 One in !JV~ ~f Rtmijfi., tnijeriti!, and 2 againe in~mittuniur: Which two words doe plainely ~:e·;~~~~ar. lead us to two AEls; ofwhich twoaEls, by_ good confequence are in. of it two~ ferred twoPowers. Which two powers, though they be concurrent to one fold. end, yet are they dillinCl: in themfelves. DillinCl:, in perfim·; for, 11\e- t R•mi(tritiJ; miferltio is theftcond perfon, and meant.of the Apoftles; and IJ(emittuntur :u~tmmrm. is the third per[on, and meant of GoD Himfelfe- And as diltinCl: in Mat.t6,t~ per[on, f0 dillinCl: in place: for, the one is exercifed in earth, which is the .4pojtlts ;the o_ther in het~1Jen, which is Go o's: .Q!!,icquidfol-veritis 111 terr~, folutnmerit inCrelo: Nowwhere two powersare,'and one ofthem in God,the other,mufl: peeds be fubordinate and derived from it. For, 'Duo principill, two begin– nings there are not, Therefore none other from whence it can proceed, but fromGgdandfrom the power in Him alone. i Of thefe two then. ~mittllntur, though lattcrin place, yet indeed is Rtmittunrur ~ by nature and order firfl:, and from it doth proceed the other of~mift- (~·~srw~ ritio; Which howfoever in rhe fentence it lland before it, yec without ~~d.:. m all quellion it is derived -from it, and after ir. So that,t\msthe cafefhnds betweenethem : !J\.emittU1ltur, which is Gods power, is the primiti'lJeor origina/1 5 ~miferitis, which is theAportles power, is meerelyderilJed.Tffat . in God, Soveraigne :This in the Apo-ftles, Dependent. In H1m onlyAbfolute;filn thpem, 'Delegfate. _l~ Hfiim lm_Peri~ll_; in 11 rh~mG,Midmifl-de~ialGZ. d I EfaH>· z;·. 1e - ower o renitttmg mne 1s ongma y 111 o , an m o a one. - And in CH R 1s T our· S· A v 1o u a, by meanes ofthe union of theGodhead and manhood into one perfon : By vertue whereof, theSonne ofman M • - , . 'J ~.a.. 2.to. bath power to forgt1Je fimtes. upon eartb. - · This power bein'g thus folely inveiled in God, He might without wrong to any, have retained and kept 'oHimfelfe, and without meanes ofWordorSacrament, and without Mi1zijfers, either Apofl-lesor others, have exercifed immediately by Himfelfe from heaven. ~ ' But we fhould then have faid ofthe remiftion offinnes (faith Saint Rom.xo,6, -paul) Wbo {hall goe ttp to hea'l!en for it, and (ttab it thence? For 'll>hicl, cauft (faith he) tberighteoufnrjfeoffaith JPeaket!J tlms,[ay notfo in tby heart. ne 'JJ>ord /hall bee neere tbee,in thy mouth, and in tby heart, a1zdtJ,if u tbe'll>ord of faitb:flJhicb 'll>epreacb. 1i ~ Eee e e 4 Partly I
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=