A TREATISE of Gods free grace, and mans free will.  

HINC LVCEM ET POCVLA SACRA  
ALMA matter CANTA BRIGIA   
PRINTED BY John legate, Printer to the university of Cambridge. 1601.  
And are to be sold at the sign of the crown in Pauls Churchyard by Simon Waterson.   

To the Right worshipful, Sir Edward deny, Knight.  
RIght worshipful, it is a thing most evident, that the present Religion of the Church of Rome is an enemy to the grace of God, two ways. First, because it exalts the liberty of mans will, and extenuates the grace of God: and this it doth in five respects. For first of all it teacheth, that natural free-will of man hath in it not onely a passive or potential, but also an active power, or imperfect strength in duties of godliness: and so much the less power is ascribed to the grace of God. This doctrine of theirs is flat against reason. For, the will of man in itself is a natural thing: and therefore it is neither fit nor able to effect any supernatural action( as all actions of godliness are) unless it be first of all( as they say) elevated above his condition by the impression of a supernatural habit. And the Scripture is utterly against this doctrine, when it saith, Ye were once darkness, Eph. 5.8. We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing of ourselves, 2. Cor. 3.5. The natural man[ that is, he that wants the spirit of God] cannot perceive the things of God, 1. Cor. 2.14. Ye were dead in sins and trespasses, Eph. 2.1. Without Christ and without God in the world, v. 12. again, Scripture saith further, that the heart of man is slow, luke. 24.25. and vain, Psal. 5.10. and hard that cannot repent, Rom. 2.5. and stony, Ezech. 36.26. and that the Iewes were obstinate, their neck as an iron sinew, and their brow brass, Isai. 48.4. and that it is God who gives eyes to see, and an heart to understand, Deut. 29.4. By these testimonies it is manifest that grace doth not onely help and assist our weak nature, but altogether change the perverse quality thereof, and bring it from darkness to light, Act. 28.18. and from death to life, Eph. 2.1. Which grace whosoever doth not so far forth aclowledge, never yet knew what the Gospel meant: neither did he ever consider the words of our saviour Christ, No man comes unto me, unless the father draw him, joh. 6.44. Prosper the scholar of S. Augustine hath a notable saying, which I marvell that the Papists of our time do not consider. We haue( saith he) free will by nature, 
Prosp. contra Collat. c. 18. in fine.  but for quality and condition it must be changed by our Lord Iesus Christ.  
Secondly, 
Molina de grat.& lib. arb. q. 14. art. 13. disp. 12. Gratiae auxilia, quòd efficacia sint, habent dependenter ab arbitrij libertate.  some of the Romish religion avouch, that the efficacy of Gods preventing grace depends vpon the cooperation of mans will,& they affirm that the council of Trent is of this mind: but thē to the question of Paul, 1. Cor. 4.7. Who hath separated thee? the answer may be made, I myself haue done it by mine own will. And that shall be false which Paul teacheth, that beside posse-velle, the power of wel-willing, ipsum velle, that is, the act of wel-willing is of God. Phil. 2.13. Others therefore place the efficacy of grace in the congruity of fit objects and persuasions: as though it were sufficient to stir up the heart and to incline the will in spiritual matters: and our weakness might be cured with so easy a remedy: but God is further said to soften the heart. Ezec. 36.26. to turn the heart, luke. 1.17. to open the heart, Act. 16.14. And because our hearts are over hard, he wounds them, Cant. 4.9. he circumciseth them, Deut. 30.6. nay he bruiseth them, Ezech. 6.9. And when nothing will do good, at length God is said to take away the stony heart, Ezech. 11.19. to quicken them that are contrite, Isa. 57.15. Eph. 2.5. to give a new heart, Eph. 4.23. Ezech. 36.26. nay to create a new heart, Eph. 2.10. and 4.28.  
Thirdly, they give unto God in all contingent actions, a Depending will, whereby God wills and determines nothing but according as he foresees that the will of man will determine itself. And thus to maintain the supposed liberty of the will, that is, the indifferency& indetermination therof, they deprive God of his honour and soueraignitie. For by this means not God but will itself, is the first mover and beginner of her own actions. 
Shumel. sup. 1. Thom q. 23. art. 3. disp. 8.  And there are even of the Papists themselves that condemn this doctrine as a conceit.  
Fourthly they teach that the grace which makes us acceptable and grateful to God, stands in the inward gifts of the mind, specially in the gift of charity. But this is most false which they teach: for charity is the fulfilling of the lawe: and Paul saith, we are not under the lawe but under grace. Rom. 6.14. And again, as many as are justified by the law, are fallen from grace. Gal. 5.4. Now the grace that doth indeed make us grateful to God, is the free favour and mercy of God pardoning our sins in Christ, and accepting us to eternal life, and not any quality in us, as Paul signifies when he saith, we are saved not according to our works, but according to his purpose and grace, which is given to us in Christ before all times. 2. Tim. 1.9.  
Lastly they teach that the renewed will of man, by the general direction and cooperation of God, can perform the duties of godliness, without any special help from God by new grace. But the scripture speaks otherwise. By the grace of God I am that I am. I haue laboured, yet not I but the grace of God which is with me. 1. Cor. 10. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost. 1. Cor. 12.3. Without me ye can do nothing. joh. 15.5. After ye believed, ye were sealed with the spirit. Eph. 1.17. He which hath begun this good work in you will finish it until the day of Christ. Phil. 1.6. That ye may abound with hope by the virtue of the spirit. Rom. 15. It is God that works in you the will and the deed. Phil. 2.13. Though the righteous fall he shall not be cast off: for the Lord puts under his hand. Psa. 37.24. Incline my heart to thy testimonies: turn away mine eyes from beholding of vanity:& quicken me in thy way. Psal. 119.37. Teach me to do thy will: because thou art my God: let thy good spirit led me in the land of righteousness. Psal. 143.10. Create in me a new heart, renew a right spirit in me—: and stablish me by thy free spirit. Psal. 51.12. Draw me and I will run after thee. By these and many other places it is evident, that God after he hath endued us with his spirit, doth not leave us to be guided by ourselves( for then we should fall again to our former misery) but he directs us, he lifts us up, he leads us, he confirms and sustains us by the same grace,& by the same spirit dwelling in us, that walking in the way of his commandements, we may at length attain to everlasting happiness.  
The second way whereby the Papist shows himself to be an enemy of the grace of God, is that he joins the merit of works as a Con-cause with the grace of God in that which they call the second justification, and in the procurement of eternal life: whereas on the contrary Paul in the Article of justification opposeth grace to works, yea to such works as are the gifts& fruits of the spirit. For Abraham did good works not by natural free will, but by faith. Heb. 11.8. And Paul opposeth justifying grace to the works of Abraham, where he saith, to him that worketh the wages is not imputed according to grace. And Tit. 3.5. Not of the works of righteousness which we haue done, but of his mercy he saved vs. Rom. 11.6. If by grace, then not of works: or else were grace no more grace. Augustine said well, that grace is no way grace, unless it be freely given every way.  
Thus then all things considered, it is the best to ascribe all we haue or can do that is good, wholly to the grace of God. Excellent is the speech of Augustine: Only hold this as a sure point of godliness, 
De lib arbit. l. 2. c. 20.  that no good thing can come either to the sense or mind, or be any way conceived which is not of God. And Bernard: The Church shows herself to be full of grace, 
in Cant. serm. 67.  when shee gives all shee hath to grace, namely by ascribing to it both the first and the last place. Otherwise, how is shee full of grace, if shee haue any thing which is not of grace. again, I tremble to think any thing mine own, 
Horreo quicquid de meo est, vt sim meus.  that I may be mine own. This doctrine is the safest and the surest in respect of peace of conscience, and the salvation of our souls. So much the Papists themselves( betraying their own cause) say and confess. Bellarmine the Iesuite saith, 
Bellar. de justificat. l. 5. c. 7.  By reason of the vncertentie of our own iustice,& for fear of falling into vain glory, it 
Tulissimum.  is the safest to put our whole confidence in the alone mercy and goodness of God. 
Cassand c. de lib. arbit.  Cassander in his book called the Consultation of articles in question, to Maximilian the Emperour, cites a saying of bonaventure, which is on this manner: It is the duty of godly mindes to ascribe nothing to themselves, but all to the grace of God. Hence it follows, that how much soever a man gives unto grace, though in giuing many things to the grace of God, he take something from the power of nature and free will, he departs not from godliness: but when any thing is taken from the grace of God and given to nature which pertains to grace, there may be some danger. Thus then to hold and maintain justification by faith without works, and to ascribe the whole work of our conversion to God, without making any division between grace and nature, is the safest.  
These things I show more at large in this treatise following, which I now present to your worship as a small testimony of mine humble duty and love: desiring you to accept the mind of the giver, and to peruse it at your leisure. And thus I commend your Worsh. to the protection and grace of God in Christ.  
Your Worsh. in the Lord, William Perkins.   

A note.  
Pag. 109. l. 19. that some Papists place the efficacy of grace in mans will, it is the sentence of Bellarmine, de grat.& lib. arb. l. 1. c. 12. Grati. vn efficacem constituunt in assensu& cooperatione humana. L. Molina saith, that our will makes grace to be effectual, De lib. arbit. p. 326, 327. and sometime again he saith, will is but a condition and no cause of the efficacy of grace. p. 329. Yet always he granteth, that it lies in mans will whether grace shall be effectual or no. Thus when grace is offered on Gods part, will within stands as the Porter to open or shut, or as master Controller to accept or repel the work of God.  
Pag. 83. in the margin, red nihil ad non peccandum.   
Matth. 23.37, 38. 
jerusalem, jerusalem, which killest the Prophets, and st●●est them which are sent to thee, how often would I haue gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  
Behold, your habitation shall be left unto you desolate.  
THis whole chapter contains a Sermon that our saviour Christ made to the Iewes at jerusalem. It hath two parts. The first, is a reproof of the jewish doctors, namely the Scribes and pharisees for sundry vices, from the beginning of the chapter to the 36. verse. The second, is an invective against jerusalem, in the words which I haue now red: jerusalem, jerusalem, which killest the Prophets, &c. In the invective two things are to be considered, the Rebellion of jerusalem in the 37. verse, and the punishment of this sin, verse 38.  
Touching the Rebellion itself three things are set down, the place& p●rsons in the words jerusalem, jerusalem: the degree and practise of rebellion, in these words, which killest the Prophets, &c. the manner and form of their rebellion, in these words, How oft would I haue gathered you,& ye would not.  
According to the order of the holy Ghost, first I will begin with the place. It is a wonder that jerusalem of all the places in the world, should be charged with the height of rebellion against God. For it was the city of God, and had prerogatives above all cities in the world. 
Rom. 9.5.  Saint Paul hath noted seven of them. The first is, that they were Israelites, that is, of the posterity of jacob: the second is Adoption, in that they were reputed and called the children of God: the third is, that they had the glory of God, that is, the Mercy-seat, the pledge of the presence of God: the fourth is the covenants, that is, the two tables of the covenant: the fifth is the giuing of the law, namely of the judicial and ceremonial Lawe: the sixth is, the worship of God, the public solemnity whereof was tied to the Temple at jerusalem: the seventh, that to them pertained the promises made to the Patriarkes touching the messiah. To these, 
Micah 4. ●  the prophet Micah addeth the eight privilege, that the first Church of the New Testament, should be gathered in jerusalem, and that consequently, the preaching of the Gospel should pass thence to all nations. Now, for all these blessings and mercies, Christ our saviour cries out and complains of Ierusalems rebellion. And this is not the first time of his complaint. In the daies of the prophet Isai he saith, 
Isa. 5. ●  that when he had done all that he could do for his betide, it brought forth nothing but wild grapes. 
Ezech. 16. all.  By the prophet Ezechiel he sets down a long catalogue of his blessings to this people, and withall a catalogue of their unthankfulness. Hence it appears, that where God shows the greatest mercy, there oftentimes is the greatest wickedness and unthankfulness. And this is partly verified in this land, for within the compass of this forty yeares, we haue received great blessings from God both for this life and for the life to come, specially the Gospel with peace and protection: and the like haue not been seen in former ages: yet there was never more unthankfulness then now. For now commonly men are weary of the Gospel, and begin to decline from that which they haue been: and the care to please God and do his will is accounted but a curious preciseness of many.  
Secondly hence it may be gathered, that God doth not tie the infallible assistance of his spirit to any place or condition of men. If ever any city in the world had this privilege it was jerusalem. But jerusalem which was the seat and habitation of God, had not this privilege, because it is here cha●ged with rebellion against God. No place therfore nor condition of men hath it. It is alleged that God hath made a promise to the order of Priesthood: the priests lips shall preserve knowledge, 
Math. 2.7.  and thou shalt require the law at his mouth. I answer, that these words are not a promise but a commandement. For sometimes words of the future tense are put for words imparatiue. And therefore the sense is this, The Priests lips shall keep, that is, let them keep knowledge. again it is alleged that we are commanded to hear the Scribes and pharisees; 
Math. ●3. ●.  because they sit in Moses chair. I answer, that the chair of Moses is not a place or seat, but the doctrine of Moses: 
August. epist. ●66.  and to this doctrine, I grant, the spirit of God is annexed, when it is truly taught and believed. Thirdly it is alleged, that God hath promised the spirit of truth to led men into all truth. 
joh. 16.13.  I answer, that this promise doth not directly and absolutely concern all believers, or all Ministers, but onely the Apostles, to whom it was made: and not to them for all times& in all actions, but onely while they were in the Execution of their apostolical ministery, which stands in the founding of the church of the new testament, partly by publishing the Gospel, and partly by writing the Scriptures of the New Testament. In a word, no Scripture can be brought to prove that, God hath, doth, or will bind his spirit to any particular place or persons. Here then falls to the ground three popish conceits. The first, though the members of the catholic church may severally err: yet they can not err, when they are together in a general council lawfully assembled: the second, that the Pope cannot err in his consistory: the third, that personal succession is a mark of the catholic Church: which nevertheless may be severed from the spirit of God, as we see.  
Where our saviour Christ, useth a repetition, saying, O jerusalem, jerusalem; he doth three things therein. First he signifies thereby that he takes it for a wonder, and for a thing incredible that the Iewes after so many blessings should be so exceedingly unthankful. Secondly he testifies hereby his own detestation of their unthankfulness. Thirdly by this repetition he doth awake the Iewes and stir them up to a serious consideration and loathing of this their sin: and he doth( as it were) proclaim the same unto vs. And not without cause: for in unthankfulness there be two grievous sins against God, false witness bearing, and injustice. False witness bearing: because the unthankful person denies in his heart God to be the fountain and giver of the good things he hath, and he ascribes them to his own wisdom, goodness, strength, endeavour. injustice: because he yields not to God the duties, which he owes unto him for his blessings.  
The second point to be considered is the degree of the jewish rebellion. david makes three degrees hereof: the first is to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, the second is to stand in the way of sinners, the third is to sit down in the scorners chair, and this is the very top of desperate rebellion and the sin of jerusalem. For when Christ saith [ which killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee] he notes out three sins in this city. impenitency, whereby they persevered in their wicked ways without hope of amendment: sacrilegious and profane contempt of God& the means of their salvation: cruelty in shedding of blood. And by cruelty I mean not one or two actions of cruelty, but an habit therein and the custom thereof: for the words are thus to be red, jerusalem killing the Prophets, and stoning them that are sent to thee: where stoning and killing, signify not one act, but a continuance and multiplication of acts, that is, a custom in shedding of blood.  
It may be demanded how the Iewes should grow to this height of wickedness. I answer thus. In every actual sin there be four things distinctly to be considered; the fault, 
1. culp●.  which is the offence of God in any action: 
2. reatus.  the guilt or obligation to punishment for the fault: 
3. poena.  the punishment itself which is death: 
4. macula.  a blot or spot set in the foul of him that sinneth, and that by the fault or offence: and this blot is nothing else but a proneness to the sin committed, or to any other sin. In the sin of our first parents, besides the fault, guilt, punishment, there followed a blot or deformity in the soul, which was the loss of Gods image and the disposition of their hearts to all manner of evils. Since the fall of Adam, he that commits an actual offence, besides the fault, guilt, punishment, imprints in his heart a new blot and that is an increase of his natural proneness to sin: even as the dropsi-man the more he drinks the more he may, and by drinking he increaseth his thirst. Thus the Iewes by custom in sinning attain to an height in wickedness▪ because every act of offence hath his blot, and the multiplication of acts offensive, is the continual increase of the blot or blemish of the soul till the light of nature be extinguished, and men come to a reprobate sense. This must be a warning to all men to take heed least they commit any offence against God in thought, word, or deed, considering every offence imprints a blot in the soul.  
Secondly it may be demanded, how jerusalem grown to this height of Rebellion, can truly be called the holy city, or the city of the great king. 
Math. 27.53. and 5.35.  I answer two ways. First, there were many holy men and women in jury and jerusalem, that truly served God and waited for the kingdom of Christ, as joseph, mary, zachary, Elizabeth, Anna, Simeon, Nichodemus, joseph of Aramathea, and many others. Now a Church is name not of the greater but of the better part: as an heap of corn is so called, though there be more chaff then corn. Secondly I answer that a people or Church that haue forsaken God, remaines still a reputed Church, till God forsake thē, as a wife committing adultery remaines stil a supposed wife, till her husband give her the bill of diuocement. jerusalem indeed had forsaken God, but God had not forsaken jerusalem. For there he preserved still the temple, and his worship: yea, when jerusalem had condemned and crucified Christ, S. Peter inspired by the holy Ghost saith still, 
Act. 2.39.  To you belong the promises, and to your children. And jerusalem did not utterly cease to be a city or Church of God, till they contradicted& blasphemed the apostolical ministry: for thē& not before the Apostles withdrew themselves from the fellowship of the Iewes. Here we see a depth of mercy in God: for though the Iewes for their parts had deserved a thousand thousand times to be forsaken, yet God for his part did not forsake them but still pursued thē with mercy. And we are taught hereby not to give any sentence of the persons of evil men. For though they forsake God, yet know we not, whether God haue forsaken them or no.  
In this example of Ierusalems Rebellion, we learn many things. First in it we may he hold the vileness of mans nature, and our violent proneness to sin. For the Iewes went about to abolish and quench as much as they could the doctrine of salvation; yea to quench it with blood, and which is more with the blood of the prophets: and this shows that man drinks iniquity, as the fish drinks in water. 
job 15.16.   
Secondly in jerusalem we may behold the desperate condition of the Church of Rome at this day. For it follows in Rebellion, nay it goes beyond jerusalem. If any man will indifferently consider, it will appear that by the whore of Babylon is meant the present church of Rome: 
Apoc. 17.6. & this whore is said to be drunk with the blood of the Saints. The locusts out of the bottomless pit go to the kings of the earth to stir thē up to war against the Church of God. 
●. 16.14.  And these locusts are in all likelihood, swarms of monks, friars,& jesuits of the church of Rome. And we haue found it by long and much experience, that they of the roman Church haue long thirsted for the blood of prince and people in this land.  
Thirdly we are here taught to exercise ourselves in the duties of meekness, goodness, peace to all men. The prophet Isai saith that men in the kingdom of Christ, shall not apply their swords and spears to the hurt of any, as the Iewes here do, but shall turn them to instruments of husbandry, as mattocks and scythes. 
Isa. 2.4.  Whereby is signified that men truly regenerate shall lay aside all purpose and mind of doing any hurt, and shall give themselves to do the good they can. again he saith that the wolf and the lamb shall dwell together: 
c. 11. v. 19.  and that there shall be no hurt in all the holy mount of God. The devill by the sin of our first parents, of men made us beasts, lions, wolfes, tigers, bears, cockatrices: and Christ again of beasts hath made us his lambs and sheep in respect of meekness and patience.  
Fourthly we are here taught not to oppose ourselves against the Ministers of God, but without pride and fierceness to yield subiection and obedience to their ministery. 
Isa. 11.6.  Isai foretells that in the Church of the New Testament a little child, that is, Ministers otherwise weak and silly men, shall by their doctrine rule and guide wolfes, leopards, lions, that is, fierce and cruel men by nature. My people( saith the Lord) shall come willingly in the day of assembly: 
Psal. 110.3.  and the sheep of Christ hear his voice and follow him. 
joh. 10.28.  The Iewes arraign and judge the prophets that are sent unto them: but we must suffer them in their ministery to arraign and judge us, that we be not judged of the Lord. again, the Iewes kill their teachers: but we must permit our teachers after a sort to kill us: for their ministery must be as it were a sacrificing knife to kill the old man in us, 
Rom. 15.16.  that we may be an acceptable offering unto God.  
Lastly Ministers of the word, must learn hence not to be troubled, if they be hated and persequuted of men. For this befell the holy prophets of God and that in the city of jerusalem.  
The third point is the manner or form of their Rebellion. In it I consider four things. The will of God against which the Iewes rebel, I would: the will of the Iewes rebelling, ye would not: the concord of both, I would, ye would not: the manner of Gods will, He wills their salvation in love, I would haue gathered you as an hen gathereth her chickens: in patience, How oft would I? Before I come to handle these points in particular, I will set down a general preamble touching the nature of will.  
Will is a power of willing, nilling, choosing, refusing, suspending, which depends on reason. By power I mean an ability or created faculty: and it is so properly in men and Angels: but in God onely by analogy or proportion. Because his will is his essence or godhead indeed. Secondly, I say it is a power of willing, &c. because to will, nill, choose, refuse, suspend, that is, neither to will nor to nill, are the proper effects of will whereby it is known and discerned. Lastly, I say it depends on reason, because it is incident onely to natures reasonable; as God, Angels, men: and because, though it go against good reason, yet it is not without reason altogether. When a man knows& approves that which is good, and yet doth the contrary: it is because it seems good to him to do the contrary. And in every act of will there are two things, Reason to guide, and Election to assent or dissent.  
Will hath his property, and that is the liberty of the will, which is a freedom from compulsion, or constraint, but not from all necessity. From compulsion; because compulsion and will be contrary, and where compulsion takes place there will gives place, and will constrained is no will. nevertheless will and necessity may stand together. God wills many things of absolute necessity, as the eternal generation of the son, the proceeding of the Holy ghost, the doing of iustice and such like: and he wills them with most perfect liberty of will. The good angels will their own happiness and the doing of iustice, and that of necessity; for they cannot will to sin or to be in misery: and all this they will most freely. Nay the necessity of not sinning is the glory and ornament of will: for he that doth good so as he cannot sin, is more at liberty in doing good, then he that can do either good or evil. When the creature is in that estate that it willingly serves God& cannot but serve God, then is our perfect liberty. again, the liberty of will since the fall of man is joined with a necessity of sinning, because it stands in bondage under sin; in this respect it is fitly termed of Augustine, 
Tract. in joh. 53. De corrept.& grat. c. 13.  the bondfree will. Wherefore we may not imagine in the will a liberty which is a freedom from all necessity. That this may the better appear, let us consider the kinds of necessity. There is a simplo or absolute necessity, when a thing cannot possibly be otherwise: thus we say there is a God, and he is righteous, &c. This necessity stands not with the will of the creature; yet doth it stand with Gods will, in whom an absolute necessity of holinesse and goodness is joined with absolute freedom of will. again there is a necessity by violence or compulsion, and this abolisheth freedom and consent of will. Thirdly there is a necessity of infallibility, or of consequence, when some thing follows necessary vpon a supposed antecedent, as namely vpon the determination and decree of God. This necessity and freedom of will may both stand together. 
Greg. Arim. l. 2 dist. 20. in fine▪ an sufficere ad rationem voluntatii si à sciente& voluntario committatur.  For to the doing of a voluntary action it is sufficient, that it proceed of iudgement& haue his beginning from within the will, though otherwise in respect of Gods will it be of unchangeable necessity. The certainty of Gods decree doth not abolish the consent of mans will, but rather order it and mildly incline or draw it forth. And the thing that is directly contrary to freedom of will is compulsion: because it abolisheth consent.  
The liberty of will stands in a double power. The first is, when it wills any thing, of it own self to be apt and able to nill the same; and so on the contrary: and it is called in schools the liberty of contradiction: the second is, when it wills any thing to be able to will an other thing or the contrary. As for example: when God willed the creation of the world, he could haue niled the same: and when he willed the creation of one world, he could haue willed the creation of mo worlds. And this latter is called the liberty of contrariety.  
Will by this liberty is distinguished from the inclinations of natural Agents, which always show themselves in the same manner. Put matter to the fire, it burns always& it can not but burn. Cast up a ston into the air, it fals down always and can not but fall down. Secondly will by this liberty is distinguished from the appetite of beasts: for it follows sense, and in choosing or refusing keeps always one order. The sheep flies the wolf: and all sheep do so at all times and in all places. Bees gather honey, and they do so always and in all places, and they can do no otherwise. When the beast in the field, chooseth one herb, and refuseth another, there is a show of liberty, yet no true liberty. For that which it chooseth or refuseth once, it chooseth or refuseth always in the same manner.  
Thus much of the general nature of will: now I come to the points in hand. The first is touching the will of Christ, I would. According to the two natures of Christ: so be there two wills in him, the will of his godhead and the will of his manhood. Some think that these words are ment of the will of his manhood. For they suppose him here to speak as the minister of circumcision, and consequently as a man. 
Rom. 15.8.  This I think is a truth, but not all the truth. Because the thing which he willeth namely the gathering of the Iewes by the ministery of the Prophets, was begun and practised long before his incarnation. Wherefore( as I take it) here his divine will is ment or the will of his godhead, which is also the will of the Father, and the Holy Ghost.  
This will is one and the same as God is one: yet may it be distinguished on this manner. 
Voluntas bene-placiti. Voluntas signi.  It is either the will of his good pleasure, or, his signifying will. The truth of this distinction, wee may see in earthly Princes, who bear the image of God. A king determines within himself according to his pleasure what shal be done in his kingdom, and what not: this is his will. again he signifies some part of his secret pleasure to his subiects, as occasion shall be offered: and this is also his will. even so the pleasure of God within himself, and ●●e significations thereof to his creatures either in whole or in part, are bis will.  
The first is mentioned, Ephes. 1.5. where Paul saith the Ephesians were predestinate according to the good pleasure of his will. That it may be rightly conceived of us, I will set down 4. things. The first is, that this will is Gods purpose or decree according to counsel. For in it these two concur, his counsel and his decree. His counsel sees all things and all the causes of them: His decree determines what shall be done and what undone: and he determines according to his own eternal counsel. Yet is not counsel a rule to his will. For there is nothing higher then his will, and his counsel also is according to his will which is goodness itself. And therefore by Paul, 
Eph. 1.11.  counsel is called, the counsel of his will.  
Secondly in Gods will there is a sovereignty, that is an absolute power, whereby he is Lord of all the actions that he willeth, willing of himself without dependence from any, without impediment or controlment, what he will, when he will, and how he will. Thus much is signified in the parable, 
Mat. 20.  May I not do with mine own as I will: and by Paul alleging Moses, 
Rom. ●●  I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy; teaching also that we are at Gods pleasure, as day at the pleasure of the potter. This must teach us when we think or speak of Gods works& judgements, to think and speak in modesty and sobriety, with admiration, reverence, not dating to search into the reason of them, or think hardly of them, when they sound not with our reason, contenting ourselves with this that we know God to haue a sovereignty in his will, to will at his pleasure, and his will to be good.  
The third point is, that the will of God is the beginning or first cause of all things without exception, and of all their motions and actions. And it is a beginning two ways. First in regard of the existence or being of things: Secondly in regard of their goodness. That all things in particular haue their Being from the will of God as from the first efficient cause, I show it thus. God is of that power, that nothing can come to pass which he nilleth, or which is utterly against his will. Therefore whatsoever comes to pass, comes to pass because he wils it either simply or in some part. A wise governor of a family or of an army, having all things in his own power, suffers nothing to be done without his will, and he desires in the very smallest matters to haue a stroke; and nothing hinders this desire but his own weakness, which is not incident to the majesty of God. God by an unchangeable prescience foresees all things that shall come to pass: and therefore by an unchangeable will he willeth the being of them. For Gods foreknowledge depends on his will. Not because God foresees things to come, therefore they come to pass: but because according to Gods will they are to come to pass, therefore he foresees them. indeed there is in God a knowledge of things that possibly may be, though they never be: and this knowledge goes before Gods decree. Yet the divine knowledge of things that certainly shall be, follows the will and determination of God. To proceed further: In that God wills the being of all things, he makes them to be. For his will is operative, not severed from his power but distinguished: and his willing of any thing is his doing of it: and therefore it pleaseth the Holy ghost to signify the will of God by an operative word or commandement: In the beginning God said, let there be this and that, and it was so: now this commanding word was his will. again, Man lives by every word of God, that is, by any thing that God in his pleasure wills to be our food. Things in respect of being must haue dependence on the will of God, or on themselves, or on some other thing. If they depend on themselves for their being, they are Gods: if they depend on any other thing without and beside God, that thing is god also. It remaines therefore that all things and acts in the world considered as Acts, haue their being by a dependence on God as on the highest cause, or the cause of causes. This doctrine must be remembered. For it is the foundation of true patience: when we consider, whatsoever comes to pass befalls us according to the will of God. 
job. 1. 2●.  Vpon this ground job arms himself to patience, and david saith, I held my tongue& said nothing: 
Psal. 39.9.  because thou Lord didst it. Secondly this doctrine is the means of all true comfort, when we consider that all our afflictions are from the good pleasure of God. Thus did the primitive church comfort itself, when it considered, that the Iewes, Herod, Pontius Pilate,& the rest, did nothing against Christ, but that which the counsel of God had determined before to be done And it must be out comfort, 
Act. 4.28.  that we are predestinate to be made conformable to the image of Christ in afflictions. 
Rom. 8.29. Phil. 3.10.   
Furthermore the will of God is the beginning of the goodness of things. For a thing is not first good and then willed by God: but it is first willed by God, and thus it becomes good. This is a manifest truth, I will not stand vpon it. It may here be demanded, whence the evil in the creature, namely sin, hath his beginning. I answer: It comes of the will of the declining creature, and not from the will of God. Yet is it not without the will of God. For though he will not sin properly, because he hates it: yet doth he will the being of it in the world. For in respect of the counsel of God, it is good that evil should be. And God wills the being of sin, 
non positiuè.  not because it is his will to effect, produce, or give a being to it, but because 
negatiuè, deserendo.  his will is to forsake his creature, and not to hinder the being of evil when he may: and 
perillatione●●.  thus evil not hindered comes to pass. And whereas God foresaw it in his eternal counsel, 
Hogu: Malum quod non vult. e●●e vult.  and yet willed not to hinder it when he might, in effect he willed the being of it in the world; though simply he wills it not.  
The last point is, that this will of Gods good pleasure being hidden from us, is not the rule of our actions and of our faith. Moses saith, 
Deu. 29.29.  Secret things belong to the Lord our God, and things revealed to us and to our children. Hence it follows, that we do and may( with a submission) in our wills dissent from this will of God before it is known to us, without sin. Paul would by virtue of his apostolical commission haue preached in Asia and Bythinia, and God would not, because it is said the spirit withstood him. 
Act. 16.6, ●▪  Yet did not Paul sin herein. One good thing may differ from another: and that which the creature sometime willeth without offence, God willeth otherwise by his most righteous pleasure. Samuel prays for Saul otherwise then the secret pleasure of God was; 
●. Sam. ●6. ●.  but when the decree of God was revealed to him, he then stayed his praying. Here sundry men are to be reproved that reason thus. If it be the will of God that I shal be saved, it shall so be, howsoever I live: therefore I will live as I list. They make the secret will of God the rule of their lives, which should not be: because the revealed will of God is the Law, or the onely Rule of things to be done and believed.  
Thus we see what the will of Gods pleasure is. Now this will is not ment in this text, How oft would I. For the pleasure of god cannot be withstood or resisted. Isay. 46.10. My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. But the will here mentioned, may be resisted, and withstood, I would, ye would not.  
The signifying will of God is, when he revealeth some part and portion of his pleasure, so far forth as it serves for the good of his creature, and for the manifestation of his iustice or mercy. This signifying will is not indeed the will of God properly, as the will of his good pleasure is, for it is the effect therof: yet may it truly be so termed. For as the effects of anger without the passion, are called anger in God: so the sign and signification of his will, may be termed will.  
This will is propounded sometimes more plainly, sometimes more darkly. It is propounded more plainly three ways, by his word, by his permission, by his operation.  
His word is his will, for so Paul saith, 
Rom. 12.1.  prove what is the good will of God And it is not his decree or pleasure, but his signifying will: because it serves to declare and manifest what is pleasing and acceptable to God, what is our duty, and what he requires of us, if we desire to come to life eternal. For this cause, both the Law and the Gospel and all the commandements, prohibitions, promises and threatenings thereof, are the signifying will of God. For commandements signify what we are to do: prohibitions what we are to leave undone: promises, what good he will do unto us: threatenings, what punishments are due to sin. Furthermore by reason of the word, the ministery and dispensation thereof is the signifying will of God. For by it God signifies his pleasure touching the salvation of men.  
divine permission is likewise the signifying will of God. For by it he signifies, that he will not hinder the being of the thing permitted; and consequently that the thing permitted shall come to pass.  
Thirdly every Operation or work of God, signifies what God will haue done, and what must come to pass. For when a thing is done, we know thereby what is and was the pleasure of God, considering nothing comes to pass without his will.  
When the signifying will is more darkly propounded, it is because some things appertaining to the said will, are concealed. And by reason of this concealment, sometime there seems to be a contrariety between the signifying will and the will of his good pleasure: but indeed there is none. And the end, why God doth so darkly signify and propound his pleasure, is not to hurt or deceive, but to procure the good of his creature. Examples of this kind, there be in Scripture three sorts. First of all, God sometimes propounds a commandment to men and conceals the end of the commandement. For the ends of divine precepts are three: one is Obedience, when God will haue the thing commanded, to be don precisely as it is commanded: the other is trial, when he wills not the thing commanded to be done absolutely, but onely wills to make trial of the loyalty of his creature: the third is conviction, when by commanding God intends to convince his creature of disobedience. Thus parents sometime give precepts to their children, that must be done: and sometime again they give a commandement, the doing whereof they intend not, but onely intend thereby to make experience of the affection and duty of their children. And sometime one man commands an other onely in way of conviction: as when the creditor saith to the bankrupt, Pay thy debt: which he never looks for, and which peradventure he minds to forgive. divine precepts therefore be of three sorts, precepts of obedience, as the commandement of the moral law, precepts of trial, and precepts of conviction. Now when the signifying will of God is propounded in a precept,& the end of the precept is concealed, the pleasure of God is darkly signified. God gives a commandment to Abraham, Offer thine onely son Isaac. 
Gen. 22.2.  The end was only to try Abraham,& this end was concealed, till Abraham was in doing the fact, for then the angel of the Lord stayed him& said, 
v. 12.  Now I see Abraham fears God. And the very commaudement, Offer Isaac, seems to be flat contrary to the will of Gods pleasure or decree: for, as it appears by the event, Isaac was not to be slain: and therefore the not slaying of Isaac was decreed of God. Now then, it may be said, why should God command any thing contrary to his decree? I answer, there is an apparent contrariety, by reason the end of the commandement was concealed: but indeed there is none. For as it was the decree of God that Isaac should not be offered: so also was it his decree, that Abraham should be tried in the offering of Isaac. And with this decree doth this commandement accord. For it is a commandement not so much of absolute obedience as of trial, and therefore it is a fit and convenient means to accomplish the decree of God. The Lord by the hand of Moses gives a commandement to pharaoh, 
Exod. 8.1.  Let the people go: and yet the secret pleasure& purpose of God was, that he should not let them go. Here is contrariety in show, but indeed none. For it was also the decree of god, to convince pharaoh of rebellion and hardness of heart: and to this end serves this commandement: because properly according to Gods intention it was a commandement of conuiction: though pharaoh for his part was to accept of it as of a commandement to be obeyed and accomplished.  
By this doctrine the public ministery of the word receives a just defence. Some are of opinion, it is a means to delude the world: because in it a commandement is given to all without exception to repent and beleeue, and yet grace to repent and beleeue is not. But they are deceived. For the commandement, Repent, and beleeue, though in the intent of the minister it haue onely one end, namely the salvation of all, yet in the intention and counsel of God, it hath diuers ends. In them which be ordained to life eternal, it is a precept of obedience: because God will enable them to do that which he commandeth: in the rest it is a commandement of trial or conviction, that to vnbeleeuers their sin might be discovered and all excuse cut off. Thus when the precept is given to beleeue and not the grace of faith, God doth not delude, but reprove and convince men of unbelief and that in his iustice.  
The second example of the signifying will of God darkly propounded is, when God propoundes his promises concealing the exception or condition thereof. Gen. 1.28. Ye shall rule over the fowles of the air, the fishes of the sea,& the beasts of the earth. And of jerusalem the Lord saith, Psal. 132.14. This is my rest for evermore. These promises take no place now: and yet there is no contrariety in Gods will, because the said promises must be understood with their exception; unless ye fall from me and provoke mine anger by your sins.  
The third example is, when God propoundes his threats concealing the conditions and exceptions thereof. Iud. 10.13. I will, saith the Lord, deliver you no more. And it was his pleasure afterward to deliver them again and again. Exod. 32.10. Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hote: for I will consume them: and he spared them at the prayer of Moses. Ion. 3.4. Yet forty daies and niniveh shall be destroyed. For all this niniveh was spared and not destroyed. We may not here so much as dream of any change or untruth in God. For all threatenings denounced, must be understood with this clause, 
Ezech. 18.21.  Except ye repent and turn unto me. And this exception God conceals, that he may the better terrify the consciences of men and so prepare them to true repentance. Isay. 38.1. the Lord saith by the Prophet to Ezechias, S●t thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live: and yet he lived fifteen yeares after. Here God conceals his own pleasure of lengthening the daies of Ezechias, and signifies, what shall betid him in respect of nature& the helps thereof. In all these examples we may not surmise any fraud or double dealing in God. For he doth not speak one thing and mind another, after the fashion of hypocrites: but he conceals part of his will and reueals part: and this he doth not for the hurt of any after the manner of deceivers, but for the good of men.  
Thus much of the signifying will of God: now I come to the text in hand. The words, I would haue gathered you, are not to be understood of the decree of God, but of this signifying will and namely of the ministery of the word. For when God sent his word to jerusalem by his Prophets, he thereby signified that it was his pleasure and will to gather and convert them. And he is said to will the conversion of the Iewes in and by his word two ways. First because he approved it as a good thing in itself, being agreeable to his goodness and mercy. Secondly because he commanded and required it of them as a duty of theirs, and as a thing necessary to salvation. Some may happily say, it is a point of hard dealing, for God to command the Iewes to do that which they can not do, and to complain because they are not gathered: and that a master might as well command his seruant to carry a mountain on his back, and complain because it is not done. I answer thus: If a master could give to his seruant power and ability to carry a mountain, he might then command him to do it: and if he should by his own default loose this ability, the said master might still command him and complain, if he did not the thing commanded. And this is the case with God. For he gave all men grace in our first parents to obey any of his commandments: this grace in them we haue cast away,& do not of ourselves so much as desire it of God: and God for his part is not bound to give us this grace again. He therefore may justly command us to turn unto him, though we now be unable to turn.  
If we compare this text with Isa. 6.10. they may seem to be contrary. For here Christ saith, I would haue gathered you: there he saith, Harden them that they be not gathered and converted. God therefore seems to will and not to will one and the same thing. Answ. There is but one will in God: yet doth it not equally will all things, but in diuers respects it doth will and nill the same thing. He wills the conversion of jerusalem, in that he approves it as a good thing in itself: in that he commands it, and exhorts men to it: in that he gives them all outward means of their conversion. He wills it not, in that he did not decree effectually to work their conversion. For God doth approve, and he may require many things, which nevertheless for just causes known to himself, he will not do. The confirmation of the Angels that fell, God approved as a thing good in itself, yet did not he will to confirm them. A judge in compassion approves and wills the life of a malefactor: and yet withall he wills the exequution of iustice in his death. even so God sometime wills that in his signifying will, which he wills not in the will of his good pleasure.  
By this which hath been said, we learn, that where God erects the ministery of his word, he signifies thereby that his pleasure is to gather men to salvation. In this regard the prophet Isay saith, that the preaching of the gospel, is a banner displayed, 
Isa. 49.22.  that all nations may come unto it. All this is verified in this our English nation. For more then forty yeares hath God displayed this banner unto us, and more then forty years hath he signified in the ministery of his word, that his will is to give mercy& salvation unto vs. First therefore we owe unto God all thankfulness& praise for this endless mercy. Secondly we are to reverence the ministery of the word, in as much as God signifies his good will unto us thereby,& we are in all obedience to subject ourselves to it: and for this cause we must suffer ourselves to be converted and gathered by it. Subiects use to reverence the letter of their Prince, how much more then must we reverence the letter of the living God sent unto us, that is, the ministery of the word,& comform ourselves to it. thirdly, hence we may learn to foresee our miserable condition in this land. For though God for his part haue long signified his will unto us touching our everlasting good, yet there is nothing to be found in the most of us, but a neglect or contempt of the gospel: and in most places men are weary of it as the Israelites were of Manna. What weary of the goodness of God, that offers and proclaims mercy unto us? Yea, verily. And the more weary we are of this, the more weary are we of our own happiness, and consequently hasten to our own perdition.  
Secondly it is to be observed, that the rebellion of jerusalem is against the signifying will of Christ, when he saith, I would, ye would not. And hence it follows, that the signifying will of God is the rule of our obedience and not the vnreuealed will. And therefore so oft as God signifies unto us his will and pleasure, we must yield ourselves in obedience to it. Now God signifies his will three ways( as I haue said) by his commandments and prohibitions, by his permission and by his operation. Therefore when be commands, we must obey: when he forbids, we must also obey. When he permits any evil, we must be content. Lastly when God doth any thing& brings it to pass, he signifies his pleasure, and we must obey. We are bidden to say, Thy will be done: and this is not onely the will revealed in his word but also his will revealed by any event. For when any thing comes to pass, it comes to pass because it was the will of God. Furthermore this signifying will must be the stay and ground of our patience and comfort. For when a thing is come to pass, the will of God is past vpon it& he hath signified his pleasure: As for example, when a man is slain, the will of God is past vpon his life, and he hath revealed his pleasure touching his death. Vpon this consideration in all events, are we to stay our mindes.  
Thirdly it appears hence, what mind must be in the Ministers& teachers of the word. They must put away all blind respects of profit and praise, and simply with honest hearts apply themselves and their ministery to this end, that they may gather a people to God. For that which is the mind of the master in any business, the same must also be the mind of the seruant: the mind of the master is here set down, How oft would I haue gathered you.  
Thus much of the will of God: now let us come to the second point, to consider what is the will of man. That this may appear, two things must be handled, the Nature of mans will, 
1. nature. 2. Vires. & the strength therof. Of the nature of will, I spake something before generally, there is yet somewhat more to be added. The nature of mans will, may be gathered by the practise thereof. The practise of will stands in five things. The first is the action of the mind, namely a Consideration of the thing to be done, and the end thereof: the second is Deliberation of the diverse means, whereby the foresaid thing may be done: the third is, after deliberation a Determination what shall be done. The fourth action is proper to the will, and that is Election, whereby the will vpon determination of the mind, chooseth or refuseth, that is, willeth what shall be done, what not. The fifth is, that the will in all her Elections keeps and maintains her liberty. Because when it wills or nills any thing, it moves itself freely of itself to will or to nill, without any external compulsion:& when it wils any thing, it so wills, as stil retaining a natural aptness to nill the same: and when it wills any one particular thing, it remaines still apt not to will it, but to will an other thing or the contrary.  
again the will of man must be distinguished from the power of man, whereby he doth any thing. Will and power in God are onely distinguished in our conceiving, being indeed one and the same thing, namely the essence of God. And therefore, what God can will, he can do: what he willeth he doth: and his willing of any thing is his doing of it. It is not so in man, who can will that which he can not do: as Paul saith, To will is present with me, but I can not do that which I would. Will therefore is one thing, and power to do the thing willed, an other.  
The second thing to be handled, is the strength of will, that is, what will can do, what not; and how far it extends itself. That this may appear, Will must be considered according to the four estates of man, the estate of innocency before the fall, the estate of corruption after the fall, the estate of regeneration after conversion, and the estate of glory after this life.  
In the estate of innocency, the will of man is a power of willing either good or evil. For God gave Adam a commandment, in which he forbade him to eat of the three of knowledge of good& evil. Adam therefore could either keep or break this commandment. This reason holds not in us since the fall, yet doth it hold in Adam. Because with the commandment he received the power to obey: and that he could not obey, it appeared by the event; because he did not obey. Ecclesiastes saith, 
Eccl. 7.19.  God made man righteous: there is the power to will that which is good: & they found out many inventions: there is also a power to will that which is evil. Moses saith to the Israelites, I set before you this day, 
Deut. 30.19.  life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live. These words are a sentence of the law, telling what we ought to do, and not what we can now do, but what we could do by the gift of creation before the fall. Here a difference of powers must be made: the power to will that which is good, was a gift put into Adams heart by God: and the power to will that which is evil, was in him before his fall not a gift but onely a possibility to will evil, if he should cease to do his duty. And thus had he power to will both good and evil.  
In Adams will there were two things, liberty and mutability. liberty was twofould. The first is a liberty simply to will, or to nill, or to suspend. And this is liberty of nature: because it is founded in the nature of will, from which it can not possibly be severed; and therefore it still remaines in the damned spirits: because where this liberty is wanting, there is no will.  
The second liberty is a liberty of grace, which is a power to will or nill well, or to will that which is good, and to nill that which is evil. This liberty is founded not in the nature but in the goodness of the will. By goodness I mean the holiness of the will, which is the image of God. And here we must take heed of the opinion of some, who think that Adam was created and placed in such a condition, in which he was neither righteous not unrighteous, but in a mean between both. But this is directly contrary to the Apostle who saith, that man was created in righteousness& holiness. 
Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10.  And by this means in the first instant of Adams creation, he wanted liberty of grace. again by reason of this second liberty, Adam had a further liberty from sin and a liberty from misery.  
The changeablenes of Adams will appears in this, that though it was created in goodness, yet was it made changeably good. For such was the goodness and inclination of his will to obey God, as might be altered and changed by force of temptation. The cause of this mutability must be considered,& it is this. That a creature righteous by creation may remain eternal and constantly righteous, two favours or helps of God are required: the 
1. posse vell●. perseverare. Aug. de Correp.& gr. c. 11. 12.  first is a Power to persevere in goodness. Without this power the creature of itself ceaseth to be good. The 
2. Actus pers●uerandi.  second is an Act or dead, and that is the will to persevere, or perseverance itself. This also is required with the former, for God gives not onely the power but also the will and the dead. And the creature doth not the good which it can do, unless God cause it to do the said good, as he caused it to be able to do good. Both these helps the good angels haue, and therefore they stand. And as for Adam, he received of God the first help and not the second. For beside the goodness of his will he received of God a power constantly to persevere in goodness if he would: yet the act of perseverance was left to the choice and liberty of his own will. We may behold the like in nature. God creates the eye and puts into it the faculty of seeing, and withall he adds to the eye necessary help by the light of the sun: as for the act of seeing, it is left to mans liberty: for he may see if he will; and again if he will, he may shut his eyes. The physician by art procures an appetite; this done, in the next place he provides convenient food: yet the act of eating is in the pleasure of the patient. For he may eat if he will,& if he will not he may abstain. And thus God gave Adam the power to persevere in righteousness, but the will he left to himself.  
It may be said, if Adam received power to do good if he would, and not the will to will that he could, he then received not sufficient grace. I answer: he received sufficient for the perfection of his nature, for the full obedience of the will of God, and for the attaimment of everlasting happiness, if he would not be wanting to himself: but he received not sufficient grace for the causing of the immutability of his nature: neither was it of necessity to be given to a creature. A goldsmith intends to make a jewel of greatest value& price: he compounds it of gold, pearl& precious stones: when he hath brought it to perfection, he doth not put this condition to it, that if it fall it shall not be bruised or broken. And God created Adam in all perfection, and gave him a power and ability to continue in the said perfection if he would: yet did not he put unto his nature this condition, that it should be unchangeable and unalterable, when it should be assailed by the force of outward temptation.  
The use of the former doctrine. In Adams example, we see the weakness of the excellentest creature in itself without the grace of God. For Adam having power to persevere, could not for all this, act or put in exequution the said power without the further help of God. He could fall of himself, he could not stand or rise again: he could not avoid the least evil, but as he was helped by God. We therefore being sinful wretches, much more are to aclowledge our infirmity, and to ascribe all we do or can do that is good to the grace of God. Thus haue the godly always done. 
I●r. 31.18.  The Iewes in their repentance say, convert thou me, and I will convert. The spouse of Christ saith, 
Cant. 1.3.  Draw us and we will run after thee. david saith, Incline my heart to thy commandements, turn mine eyes from the beholding of vanity, and quicken me in thy precepts. Augustine said, give that which thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. We are to God as the sick man to his keeper, who saith, Take me up and I will rise: hold me and I will stand. In regard of this our frailty, it is the best for us to deny ourselves, and by faith to depend on the providence and mercy of God.  
again such as beleeue in Christ haue great cause to be thankfull to God. For they haue the beginnings of further grace then ever Adam received. He received onely the power to persevere in his happy estate, 
Aug. de Correp.& grat. c. 11.  if he himself would: but they that beleeue beside the power of perseverance, receive the will and the dead. Paul saith, work your salvation with fear and trembling: and then he adds, 
P●●l. 2.13.  It is God that works in us the will and the dead, whereby we run the race to eternal life.  
In the estate of corruption, two things are to be considered of mans will, the first what it can do, and how near it comes to the doing of a good work. The second, what it can not do. For the declaration of the first, two things must br considered in corrupt will, a liberty and a possibility. The liberty is a certain freedom to will or nill, or to suspend. For this liberty is remaining since the fall of Adam, and is natural to the will, from which it can not possibly be severed. This liberty is large and sheweth itself in three kind of actions, natural, human, ecclesiastical. natural actions are such as are common to men and beasts, as to eat, drink, sleep, smell, hear, taste, move▪ common experience declares a freedom of will in all these actions.  
human actions are such as are common to all men: and I may fitly reduce them to three heads. The first is, the study and practise of arts, trades, occupations and professions of all kindes. And that man hath freedom of will in all these, experience testifieth. The second is, the government of societies, namely of families and common-welths. The Lord said to Cain of Abel, 
Gen. 4.7.  his appetite shall be subject to thee, that is, in freedom of thy will thou shalt rule over him, and his will shall be subject to thine. Peter said to Ananias, that, the giuing or the not giuing of his lands was before he gave them, 
Act. 5.4.  in his own liberty. And Paul saith, that the father hath the power of his own will, 
2. Cor. 7. 3●.  to give or not to give his child in marriage, as he shall see occasion. The third is the practise of civil virtue, iustice, temperance, liberality, chastity. To this purpose Paul saith, that the Gentiles do the thing contained in the law, and that by nature. For outwardly to be chast, just, bountiful and so forth, is in the power of natural and corrupt will. It may be said, that these things are the gift of the Holy ghost. I answer thus: the gifts of the Holy ghost are two fold, gifts of restraint, and gifts of renovation. Gifts of restraint are such as serve onely to keep in the corruption of nature and not to mortify or abolish it. And they are common to all men both good& bad, and serve onely to maintain outward peace and comely order in the societies of men. Of this kind are civil virtues. Gifts of renovation, are such graces of the Holy ghost, as serve not onely to restrain the corruption of the inward man, but also to mortify it in the root and to make a change of our sinful nature. Now virtues of this kind, are onely incident to such as are in Christ.  
The third kind of actions are ecclesiastical, namely such as pertain to the outward duties of the worship of god. And there is also a liberty of will in them. For corrupt and sinful man, hath power and liberty to think of God, 
Rom. 1. ●●.  and to think many things of him, good in themselves: 
2. Cor. 3.14.  power to red and search the Scriptures: 
Psal. 50.16.  power to speak and talk of the word of God: power to come to the congregation and hear a sermon, 
Act. 17.20.  as the Athenians did: power to conceive a zeal( I say not a good zeal, but onely a zeal I say) for the maintenance of outward duties of religion. Paul saith, that the obstinate Iewes had a zeal of God, and were followers of the iustice of the Law; 
Rom. 10 ●. and 9. 3●. Phil. 3.6.  and that himself being a pharisee vnconuerted, was vnreprooueable in respect of the Law of God. Thus far can man proceed by the freedom of corrupt will: and the devill by natural strength goes somewhat further. 
Iam. 2.19.  For he is said to beleeue▪ and he conceives his faith not by illumination of the spirit of God, as man doth; but by the remainders of the light of nature, and by the power which yet remaines in his corrupted will. For we may not supppose that since his fall, he is enlightened by the spirit of God in any thing.  
Thus we see what is the liberty of corrupt will. We must yet further conceive it to be full of weakness and imbecility, which I will express in three rules.  
The first: that which the will can will, it can not do, unless God will. hereupon S. james bids us say, we will do this or that, 
Iam. 4, 15.  if God will. And Paul wishing that he might haue a prosperous journey to Rome, 
Rom. 15.32.  adds this clause, By the will of God. herod, 
A●●. 4. 2●.  Pontius Pilate and the Iewes did nothing against Christ but that which the counsel of God had determined before to be done.  
The second: That which the will can will, it cannot do without the help of God: for in him we live, move, and haue our being. This help is twofold, preservation of the will both for power and act, and the Direction thereof, whereby it is ordered and applied to the things it willeth.  
The third: Often the will neither willeth nor doth the things it can will and do, because it is hindered. It is hindered sometimes by the mind that misleades the will: sometimes again by the work of Satan. Thus Paul saith, that satan hindered him from coming to Thessalonica.  
The use of this doctrine is twofold. First the liberty of the will is the condemnation of the world. For in civil and ecclesiastical actions men do not that which they can do: so far be the most from doing that which the Gospel requires, that they do not that which nature can do. Some pled, that if they be ordained to salvation, they shall certainly be saved, otherwise not: and therefore they say they will leave all to God, and live as they list: but this shall be their condemnation, that they haue not lived according to civil virtue as they might, they come not to the Church, they search not the Scriptures, they hear not sermons: in a word, they use not the good means of salvation so far as they are able to use them by the strength of nature.  
Secondly, the weakness of will in his liberty must teach us to abate our pride, and to humble ourselves: because we can not do any thing, no not so much as move hand, foot, or finger without the help of God. 
●. king. 13.4.  Ieroboam, when he had stretched out his hand to lay hold on the prophet, could not so much as pull it in again. And this consideration must likewise move us to be thankful to God, because the actions we do, we do by him.  
The second thing to be considered in the corrupt will, is 
Possibilitas non activa so● passiva, vel potentia materiae,  a possibility of willing that which is good. This possibility is a certain condition of the will, whereby it can will that which is good, after that God hath prevented us with his grace. A ston is not of this nature, neither is the beast, because they are creatures unreasonable, wanting both will and understanding: and therfore no way capable of grace: whereas man in that he hath will and understanding, hath a possibility of doing that which he cannot do. The fathers in this sense say, To be able to haue faith is nature, 
Aug. de praed▪ sanct. c. 5.  to haue faith indeed is grace.  
Hitherto I haue shewed what will can do in the corrupt estate of man: now let us see what it cannot do. And because here the main differences come to be considered, between us and the Church of Rome; I will first lay down a sure ground and then build vpon it. The ground is this: Though liberty of nature remain, yet liberty of grace, that is, liberty to will well is lost, extinguished, abolished by the fall of Adam. I prove it thus. liberty of grace is founded in the goodness or integrity of the will: now this goodness of the will is abolished by the fall of Adam: and therefore the liberty itself that is sounded thereon. That the goodness or integrity of the will is lost, I confirm it thus. That which we put on in our conversion, we want by nature: we put on this goodness in our conversion. For in it we put on the new man created according to the Image of God in iustice and holiness, 
Eph. 4. 2●.  as Paul saith. again if all the motions and inclinations of the heart be evil, and onely evil, and continually evil, there is no goodness in the heart: but the first is true. For the Lord saith, that he saw the frame of the thoughts of the heart to be onely evil continually. 
Gen. 6.5.  Paul makes three parts of man in the estate of innocency, the body, the soul, 
1. Thess. 5.23.  and the spirit, that is, the image of God wrought by the spirit, being the ornament and glory of both the former. Now since the fall, the spirit is turned to flesh: 
joh. 3.3.6.  for what soever is born of flesh is flesh( saith Christ,) that is, wholly flesh and onely flesh: and the natural disposition of the flesh is to lust against the spirit. What goodness then can be in the will. He that must enter into the kingdom of heaven must first be born again: now look as it is in the first birth, so is it in the second. In the first, an imperfect man is not made a perfect man, but that which is no man is made a man: even so in the second birth, he that is a sinner& hath nothing in him to please God, is made just and righteous. For regeneration is not in respect of the substance of body or soul, nor in respect of the faculties of the soul, but onely in respect of the goodness thereof, which is a conformity to the will of God. And if there be any part or portion thereof yet remaining, there cannot be a new birth, but onely a repairing of that which is decayed, with a confirmation and increase of it.  
The second reason. There is 
understand that which is called in schools potentia activa, or, potentia formae, which we say is lost: the Papists say no. Intelligi non potest o●omodo ad opera pietatis activè voluntas humana concurrat, si non habeat ex se potentiam activam saltem remotam. Rursus, habet potentiam remotam& vires imperfectas. Bellarm. de grat.& lib. arbit. l. 6. c. 15.  no power or aptness in the will corrupted to will that which is truly good. Therfore liberty of grace to will well is lost. The minor I prove thus. Ezech. 36.26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your body, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Here two things are set down distinctly. The first, that the new& fleshy heart is the gift of god, that is, an heart ready and apt to give obedience. The second, that there is in us no aptness or ability to receive this gift of God: because our hearts are stony. God therefore gives the fleshy heart, and the aptness to receive this gift by taking away the stony heart. Christ saith, that none can come unto him, 
joh. 6.44.  unless the father Draw him. Now if there were in us by nature the least power or aptness to come to Christ, then drawing were needless,( for that argues obstinate rebellion) and it were sufficient to succour, help, and confirm the foresaid power, without any more ado. Saint Paul saith, that the wisdom of the flesh, that is, 
Rom. 8.7.  the best inclinations and motions of the mind of a natural man, are not only enemies, but even enmity to God. Now in enmity, there is nothing but hatred and contempt of God. And in the hatred of God, what inclination or aptness can there be to love and obey him? again Paul saith, The natural man is not capable of the things of God: 
1. Cor. 2.14.  for they are foolishness to him: neither can be know them, for they are spiritually discerned. In the mind of a natural man there be two things to be considered, the act and the power of knowing& approving that which is truly good. And here Paul gives his sentence of both: of the act, that the mind cannot know the things of God: of the power, that the mind hath no capablenes or aptness to aclowledge or approve them; 
{αβγδ}.  as a little vessel hath no aptness to receive a great quantity of liquor. again, 
2. Cor. 3.5.  we are not apt or sufficient of ourselves to think a good thought as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Therefore nature corrupted wants ability so much as to think a good thought: much less to will that which is good. again Paul tells the Ephesians that they were dead in sins and trespasses. 
Eph. 2. ●.  And this death or deadness is not onely in respect of the performance of that which is good, but also in regard of power to perform it. For if the least power to do good remain since the fall, man is not dead as yet, 
ver. ●.  but dying or drawing on: because as yet some portion of spiritual life remaines. And if this be so: how are we quickened together with Christ: and how is it a wonder, that the dead hear the voice of Christ. 
joh. 5.25.  again, Paul saith to the Ephesians that they were once darkness, 
Eph. 5. ●●.  but now are light in the Lord. Now in darkness there is no aptness at all either to give or to receive light. But how were they made light? 
2. Cor. 4.6.  without any work or cooperation of theirs: even as in the creation light was taken not from some other precedent beginnings of light, but out of darkness, which conferred nothing at all to the being of light.  
The third reason: There is not onely an impotency to good, but such a forcible proneness and disposition to evil, as that we can do nothing but sin. 
jer. 27.9.  ieremy saith, that the heart of man is wicked above all things, who can know it. Paul saith that the romans were once seruants of sin& free in respect of righteousness: 
Rom. 6.20.  and of himself, that the law was spiritual, he carnal& sold under sin. 
and 7.  And of unrepentant sinners he saith, that they are in the snare of the devill according to his will. 
2. Tim. 2.26.  And this disposition of which I speak, is not to some few sins, but to al sins without exception: because, as every man takes of Adam the whole nature of man, even so he takes the whole corruption of mans nature. And where this huge& horrible mass of corruption takes place, there all inclination and power to goodness must needs give place. It may be objected, that if the will be in bondage, under sin, it hath lost his liberty quiter. I answer; not so: for both may stand together. The prisoner though he haue lost a great part of his liberty, yet hath he not lost al: for within the prison he may( as he will) either sit, stand, lye or walk. And though he which is captive to sin can do nothing but sin, yet may he in sinning use his liberty: and in the diuers kinds of evils intended, show the freedom of his will.  
The fourth reason. All the goodness we haue and all we can do that is pleasing to God, is wholly in Scripture ascribed to God. He that is the child of God, is born of God: not of blood, that is, not of natural generation: 
joh. ●. ●●.  not of the will of the flesh, that is, not of the power and inclination of natural will, not of the will of man, that is, the heroical inclination of excellent men. We are the workmanship of God created in Christ to good works. 
Eph. 2.10.  Now the creature confers nothing to his creation, which is wholly from the Creator: because to create is not to make something of something but something of nothing. Christ saith without me ye can do nothing. And the reason is there rendered. Because Christ is the vine, and they which beleeue are vine branches: which branches, that they may bring forth good fruit, must first be set into Christ, and then draw their sap, that is power to do good, from him.  
Patrons of nature against the grace of God, allege four special reasons for liberty of will in moral acts, that is, in things and actions good according to the moral law. The first is this. God hath given sundry commandements to man since his fall, some pertaining to the law, some to the gospel, as commandements to turn unto God, to beleeue, to repent. And all commandements are given in vain, unless there be freedom of will to do them or not to do them. I answer first, these commandements set not down what we can do, but what we should do: they signify not our ability but our office and duty, whereby we should please God& come to salvation. And if the commandements be impossible, it is not Gods fault but ours: for they are not impossible to created but to corrupted nature. Secondly, though we can not will to do that which God commands; yet are not his commandements idle. For they are the instruments and means of the spirit of God, whereby he effects in us the good he commands.  
The second objection. We are bound to give unto God an account of all our doings in the day of iudgement, and this were not equal unless we had power to will both good and evil. I answer, It sufficeth to bind us to a reckoning, that once we had liberty in Adam to will either good or evil. And all men since the fall haue some measure of liberty of will: the wicked liberty in sin: the righteous liberty in duties of righteousness.  
The third objection from testimonies of Scripture. It is alleged that the samaritan, 
I●●. 10.  which lay wounded between jerico& Ierusalen is a figure of mankind half dead in sin. I answer, that in parables nothing may be gathered that is beside the scope thereof: and the scope of this parable is nothing else, but to show who is our neighbour. again, we grant that liberty of will is not abolished but wounded. Because, though liberty of grace to will well be lost, yet liberty of nature to will, stil remaines. again the words of Christ to the angel of Laodicea, are objected. Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man open I will come in. 
Rev. 3.20.  Here( say some) to knock is the work of grace, and to open the work of free-will. I answer, that the words,( if any man open) are conditional: and therefore determine nothing of the power of will either to or fro. again, the words set not down what the angel is able to do, but what his office is and what he can do by grace. Furthermore the place of deuteronomy is objected. The word which I command thee, 
Deut. 30.14.  is near thee that thou mayst do it. But in these words Moses sets down, what the Israelites can do by the grace of a mediator, who fulfilling the law for us, and giuing grace to obey the same; makes the commandements of the law( which otherwise are impossible) to be easy. Thus Paul hath expounded this text Rom. 10.8. where he signifies, that sentences of the law must not legally but euangelically be understood of them that are in Christ, and fulfil the law by him.  
The fourth objection. When man is converted, he is not converted against his will: for then God should deal with a man after the manner of a ston or a beast. Therefore he which is converted is converted with the consent of his own will. Answer. This consent is not of ourselves but of God. For as the conversion is of God, so is the will to be converted. Of this point, more afterward.  

pag. ●●.  Vpon the ground formerly delivered, sundry questions of great moment are resolved. The first is, whether a natural man or an infidel, can by the freedom of his will, without faith and without the help of God, do any work morally good, that is, a work in which there is no sin. They of the Church 
Alex. 3. para. Summa q. 66. Thom▪ in 1.2. q. 109. Bon. ●●. in 2. Sent. d. 28. Bellar. de gra●.& lib. arb. l. 5. c. ●.  of Rome for many hundred yeares haue answered, yea: for they confidently teach, that a man pressed with no temptation, may without faith, by the special help of God, and without it, by his own strength so do that which is morally good, that no sin at all be committed therein. We answer, no: and that vpon sufficient warrant. For such as the beginning of an action is, such is the action itself. Now the mind and will of man are the beginnings of all their actions: and in them there is no ability to think or to will that which is truly good, but a continual disposition to the contrary. All actions therefore proceeding thence are onely and continually evil. Vpon this ground Paul saith, that to the unclean, the use of all things is vnclean: 
Tit. 1.15.  and Christ saith, 
Math 7.18,  that an evil three can not bring forth good fruit. And, whatsoever is not of faith, 
Rom. 14.24.  without exception is sin. To this doctrine always subscribed the orthodox and ancient Church. The Arausican council saith, 
council. Araus. c. 22.& 20.  It is from the gift of God, that we keep our feet from injustice: and, that 
Nulla bona facit homo—.  man doth no good things, which God enables him not to do. Cyprian saith Al we can do is Gods. 
Lib. 2. epist. 2. Hierom. gal. 3.  jerome saith, Without Christ every virtue is but as a 'vice. 
Greg. l 2. moral. c. 15.  gregory, If faith be not first wrought in our heart, other things can not be good, though they seem to be so. Augustine saith expressly, 
De nupt.& Concup. l. 1. c. 3 Contra ●ul. l. 4 c. 3.  that all the works of vnbeleeuers are sins: because whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. And he saith thus of Pelagius the heretic: 
Epist. 106.  Sometimes he poised the power of the will with such equal weights in even balance, 
Aliquantum ad non peccandum valour.  that he might determine how it availed somewhat to cause us not to sin: which if it be so, there is no place reserved for the help of grace, without which, we say free will hath no force at all in causing us not to sin. In this speech there are two things worthy observation. One, 
Nihil ad peccandum valere, vel, ad non peccandum.  that( in Augustines iudgement) free-will of itself hath no force at all to cause man not to sin. Of the same mind is the master of the Sentences, who saith, 
Lib. 2. dist. 25. F. non posse no● peccare.  that man before he be repaired by grace can not but sin; though the school afterward for the most part dissent from him. The second, that it was the heresy of Pelagius to teach, that free-will SOMEWHAT AVAILETH to cause us not to sin. With this jumps the determination of the council of Trent, 
Sess. 6. c. 7.  when it saith, Let him be accursed that saith all works done any way before justification, are sins indeed. For thus it insinuates closely, that will, before the grace of justification partly helped, and partly of itself, can do that which is good, at the least morally, as they speak. And this is the resolute sentence almost of all Papists. I doubt not therefore to avouch, that the present religion of the Church of Rome revives in part the heresy of Pelagius,& in these last daies propounds it again to the world with new varnish and fresh colours. To avoid this charge, they answer the place of Augustine before alleged thus: When Pelagius saith, the will is of force not to sin, his meaning( say they) was, 
Bellar. de grat.& lib. arbit. l. 5. c. 11.  that, will was of force to cause us never to sin through the course of our lives. I answer again, Augustine who knew the meaning of Pelagius, speaks not onely of the life of man but even of particular actions, as appears by these words: 
Ephe. 95. ad Ianocen.  He that praies, led us not into temptation, praies that he may not sin, that is, that he may not do any evil. Vincentius Lyrinensis took this to be the heresy of Pelagius, that man by his own free-will might do some good things. For these are his words: 
d● h●res. c. ●●.  Who before that profane Pelagius did ever presume that the virtue of free will was so great, that he did not think the grace of God was necessary for the helping of it in the doing of good things according to every act.  
It is objected to the contrary, that infidels can do things of the law which are good: and that they haue been and are endued with many virtues, which are the gifts of God. Ans. Infidels may do things good in their kind, but they cannot do thē well: because they apply thē to wrong ends, as honour, profit, pleasure. And a good thing done to a wrong end, ceaseth to be good, and is evil in the doer. again, the virtues of the Heathen, as they are of God, are good; yet as they are used or rather abused of men, they are turned to sins.  
It is alleged that wicked pharaoh did a good work, when he said, I haue sinned, the Lord is righteous, I and my people are sinners: 
Exod. 19. 2●.  pray for me, &c. Answ. This confession is good in his kind, but not good in pharaoh: because it proceeded not of love to God, but of the fear of punishment; and it was made in hypocrisy, because afterward he hardened his heart.  
Further it is alleged, that Nabuchadnezzar a heathen man was rewarded of God for sacking of Tyrus: 
Ezech. 29.20.  and that God would not haue rewarded him, if his work had been a sin. Ans. The reward was temporal: and he was rewarded for his labour only, and not for the goodness thereof.  
Lastly it may be obiect●d, that if we cannot do good works by freedom of corrupt will, then all our actions, our eating, drinking, sleeping, buying, selling, and whatsoever we can do, is sin: and no sin may be done: and therefore nothing must be done. Ans. Actions before name, incident to the life of man, are not sins of themselves: for then they might not be done at all: but they are sins onely in respect of the manner of doing: because they are not done in obedience to God, and referred to him as to their right end, but by-ends are propounded. And this is the condition of every man till he be converted, that he can do nothing but sin and displease God, even then when the action is praiseworthy before men.  
The consideration of this doctrine serves to correct the erroneous opinion of many, who think themselves in good case and highly in the favour of God, because they are not theeues, murderers, blasphemers, adulterers, &c. But alas, they are deceived: there is matter enough of comdemnation within them, though they be no outrageous malefactours. For all they do is sin before God, till they be renewed by grace. In eating, drinking, sleeping, buying, selling, in all they do they sin. Not that eating, drinking, sleeping, buying, selling, are sins in themselves, but because they fail in the right manner of doing these actions.  
Secondly, in that we can do nothing but sin till we be regenerate, we are taught to aclowledge our bondage under sin and Satan: yea, we must labour to feel this bondage,& to groan under the burden of it. This being don, we must go further yet,& with hungering and thirsting hearts seek to the mediator Christ, who preacheth deliverance to captives,& withal gives deliverance from sin, Satan, hell, death, condemnation, to all such as with touched and bruised hearts fly unto him.  
The second question is, whether a natural man by the power of his will may be able to resist and overcome a temptation. The 
B●●●v. in. 1. dist. ●8. ar. 2.& Thomas ibid. Bellar. de grat.& libero arb. l. 5. c. 7.  Papist answers, that he is able to overcome lesser and easier temptations of himself, yea and greater too, if he be helped by God: and that sundry temptations do not exceed the strength of mans nature. But we are to hold and we teach the contrary, that the will of man since the fall of Adam can not overcome so much as the least temptation. Because the power whereby a temptation should be overcome, is lost and abolished, that is, the power to nill that which is evil and to will that which is good. And where is no power to resist there can be no resistance. When we pray to God,& say, led us not into temptation, we aclowledge that there is no temptation at all that we can of ourselves withstand without the help of God. Peter bidds us resist satan our adversary: and he shows the right means when he adds these words, steadfast in faith. 
1. 〈…〉   
It is objected that a natural man can either sin or not sin. I answer: It is true in regard of actions pertaining to outward government and in regard of open sins, murder, theft, adultery, &c. yet not always true, but onely at some times. For even the righteous sometime fall into open offences. And though the natural man occasioned to sin, abstain from open offence, yet gets he no victory. For though he avoid the outward act, yet can not he avoid the wicked inclination of his heart. And the abstinence from outward sin is not without sin. Because it proceeds from a person vnreconciled to God, it hath not his beginning from faith: again, it is for by-respects, for the getting of praise, the avoiding of open shane, and not for the honour of God.  
The third question is, whether an unregenerate man by the power of his will can observe the law though not ●ully, yet in respect of the substance of the act. The doctrine of long time hath been in schools and church, that he can: and the doctrine of all papists at this day is, that he can if he be helped by God: and that by his own strength, he may keep all the moral precepts so as no sin be committed, 
Bell. de grat.& lib. arbit. l. 5. c. 6. in fine.  for some short space of time. But the truth is, he can not. For if we grant and suppose an action, we must presuppose the ground and beginning thereof. Now the integrity or sanitie of will, whereby it was able to will that which is good is the ground of a good act, and it is lost: and therefore there can be no keeping of the law in respect of substance. The substance of the first table is, to love God with all the heart, soul, strength: and the substance of all negative commandements is, Thou shalt not lust. 
Luther.  And the natural will can not possibly reach to the doing of these. It is alleged, that a natural man may give alms& do iustice to others, and such like. I answer, in the substance of any duty commanded there be two things, the act to be done, and the manner of doing it: and that is to do it in faith, with a mind to obey God, and to intend his honour thereby. And this manner of doing a work is the form of every work, that makes it to be good indeed: and without it, works commanded in the law, are but as a body without life or soul, or as matter without form. Will therefore is unable to observe any one commandement or so much as any one work of a commandement in his own entire substance.  
And it must be remembered as a main ground, that the law beside external dueties requires inward obedience, in knowledge of God& his will, in faith, hope, love, patience, and the subiection of our thoughts, wills, and affections to the will of God. In respect of this inward and spiritual obedience, the Holy ghost saith, the law is impossible, Rom. 8. ver. 3. and that the wisdom of the flesh can not be subject to the law of God, v. 7. that this is the yoke which neither we nor our fathers could bear. Act. 15.10.  
again it was the heresy of Pelagius, 
Aug. de heres. c. 88. Innocent. epist. 93. apud August.  that a man by the strength of his own free-will may keep al the commandements of God though( as they say) he doth it somewhat hardly. And the Papists are not far from this when they say, that man by natural strength may keep the whole law for some little time.  
The fourth question is, whether natural corrupted will can any way prepare and dispose itself to his own conversion& justification: that is, take away the impediments and make himself apt and capable of his justification. The 
Scotus in 2. dist. 28. Du●and▪ ibid.  doctrine hath been for diuers hundreds of yeares that will can do it: and the doctrine of the papists now is, that the will so it be stirred up by God, can do it. But the certain truth is, that will can not. The conversion of a sinner is a creation: and no creature can prepare itself to his own creation. That very thing, 
liberty of grace.  whereby a man should prepare himself to any good duty, is lost by Adams fall: and therefore the work of preparation is Gods and not ours; unless it be possible for a man, dead in his sins to prepare himself to his own spiritual vivification: by nature we are seruants of sin& our liberty begins in our justification. Therefore before we are justified, we can not so much as will that which is good. Indeed the Israelites prepared their hearts to seek the Lord: 
1. Sam 7.  and Ezra prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord. 
Ezr. 7. 〈◇〉.  But this was the work of men regenerate, whereby they renewed in themselves the purpose of obeying God and of persevering in dueties of godliness.  
The fift and the principal question of all is, whether a natural man can will his own conversion or regeneration. The learned among the papists teach on this manner. 
Bellar. de gr.& lib. arb. l. 6, c. 15.  That will alone by itself can not: yet that will can, if it be prevented and stirred up by some good cogitation cast into the mind and some good desire stirred up in the heart, and be withall helped and directed by God. They use to open their mindes by these comparisons. The eye in darkness sees nothing and is as it were without the faculty of seeing: yet if an object be set before the eye& light be brought in, then can it see. again, a man lies a sleep in a dungeon, 
Coster. ●nc●ir. c. de lib. arb.  and he doth not so much as think of coming forth: yet let a man come and call him, and reach down a cord unto him, he will then awake, take hold of the cord, put under his arm holes, as ieremy did,& hang thereupon. And being thus helped, he both can and doth come forth of the dungeon. The doctrine we teach is the plain contrary, That will before it be turned and converted can not so much as will his own conversion. This follows vpon the former ground: for the power to will that which is truly good is lost: a power to will our conversion is a power to will that which is good: therefore the power to will our own conversion is lost. Beside preventing and exciting motions that serve to stir up and help the will, there is further required that the will be regenerate, before it can will that which is good: and without this gift of regeneration( which is the true preventing grace) all external motions and excitations to that which is good, are of no effect. For the cause must go before the effect. Now that the will may affect and will that which is good, the cause is the regeneration thereof: in which is given to the will not onely a new action, whereby it wils well, but also a new quality, whereby it is able and can will well. And this ability of willing well, goes before the act of good will, as the cause before the effect. When a man is dead, chafe him, and rub him, put aqua-vitae into him to warm him at the heart: when this is done, take him by the hand, pluck him up, and bid him walk: for all this, he will not stir the least joint, neither can he. All chafing and rubbing, all speech& persuasion,& all helps in the world be in vain, unless the soul be restored to the body. even so no persuasions offered to the mind, nor good desires to the will, are of any moment, till the image of God standing in holiness, which is a conformity with the will of God, and the very soul of our souls, begin to be restored. Nay, the mind is uncapable of any good thought, and the will of a good desire, till God once again create in them a new quality or property of holinesse, that the mind in thinking may think well, and the will in willing may will well, or, will that which is good. For though it be the nature of the will to will or nill, yet the proper and formal beginning of well-willing is the integrity or goodness of the will. It is objected, that the will to accept and receive grace, is in us before grace be received. I answ. thus, the first act of will, whereby the will in his regeneration begins to assent unto God,& begins to will to be converted, is indeed the work of the will,( because it is the will that willeth) yet doth it not arise of the natural strength of the will, but from the grace of God, that reneweth it. For to will to be regenerate, is the effect and testimony of regeneration begun. Paul handling the point of the predestination and justification of a sinner, compares God to a potter, and us to day. Now the day, before it is framed to a vessel of honour,& while it is in framing, it is merely passive,& doth nothing at all for the framing of itself. When a man is to be regenerate God takes away the stony heart, 
Ezech. 36.  that is, by nature disobedient and altogether unapt to obey: and he gives a fleshy heart, that is, pliable and flexible to obedience. Now to will to be converted is a good thing, and one point of true obedience: and therefore it proceeds not from the heart of man, till it be mollified and framed by God to that which is good. What hast thou, saith Paul, that thou hast not received? 
1. Cor. 4.  and if thou hast received it, why dost thou boast? Now, if to will to be healed were of us, we haue matter of boasting in ourselves. again he saith, we are not sufficient or able to think a good thought as of ourselves, 
2. Cor. 3.6.  but our sufficiency is of God: much less then can we of ourselves will or desire to be regenerate. The health and life of the soul is of God, who raiseth us from death to life: now to will to be healed and to will to live unto God, is the beginning of health and life. A certain council saith thus: 
council. Arausic. c. 4.  If any man do avouch, that God doth expect our will, that it may be purged from sin; and doth not confess that it is the operation of the spirit of God in us, that doth make us to will to be purged, he resists the holy Ghost saying by Salomon, The will is prepared of God. Augustine saith, 
August. in Enchind.  It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth mercy, that all may be given to God, who both prepares the will of man to be helped, and helps it being prepared: who prevents him that willeth that he may will, and follows him with help that willeth, that he will not in vain. They which are bodily sick, can will to be healed before they begin to be healed: because they be alive: but they which are spiritually sick in sin before their conversion, are dead in their sin: and therefore they can neither think, or will, or desire their conversion. When Christ was about to cure a sick man, he moves this question to him, Wilt thou be healed? 
joh. 5.6.  and so when God is about the work of regeneration in any man, he inwardly moves the question in the heart, whether he be regenerate or no: and by this means stirs up a desire to be regenerate. If any man think, that by this doctrine, men are regenerate against their wills: I answer, when God begins to regenerate us, he makes us then willing, being otherwise by nature unwilling▪ and thus he regenerates us not against our wills, but with our wills; yet so as the willingness to be regenerate is not of us but of God. It may be alleged further, that the Act of the will whereby it wills to be converted, goes before the act of God whereby he turns us to himself: and that otherwise, we are converted without our consent, and that God works vpon us as vpon a block or ston. Answer. In respect of time they are both done together: but in respect of order of nature, first the will begins to be turned of God, before it can will to be turned. For every cause is before his effect, if not in time, yet in priority of nature. The will converted, so soon as God hath begun to renew it, wils to be renewed: and it could not will the conversion of itself, unless it had formerly tasted the goodness thereof. And though we first feel the desire to be converted before the grace of conversion, it is nothing: for sometimes we perceive the effect before the cause: as we see the light of the sun before the sun: and we see the light of a candle in a house before we see the candle. Therfore to will to be regenerate may be the effect of regeneration begun, though it first of all appear. For the better clearing of this our doctrine, I will propound two other questions.  
The first, whether the will of man by his natural strength, be any cause of his own conversion. The answer of the Papist is, that the will is a cause with the grace of God: and that both together work our conversion; grace as the principal, will as the less principal, 
Bellar. de gr.& lib. arb l. 6. c. 15. Sent. ●●.  and both as causes formally But we teach and hold( as the truth is) that will, in the Act of working, effecting, producing of our conversion or regeneration, is no cause at all, but in itself considered a mere patient or subject to receive the grace of conversion given and wrought by God. It is absurd to think, that a creature should be a cause of his creation, or a dead man of his quickening. Therefore( as I think) the doctrine of them that teach, that there are three efficient causes of mans conversion, Gods spirit, Gods word, mans will, hath his defect. The spirit is the principal cause, the word in his right use is the means or instrument, whereby the operation of the spirit is effectual. As for the will of man, it stands onely as a Patient or object of divine operation. It is alleged, that men which repent, are worthy praise therefore: and this can not well be, unless repentance proceed from freedom of will. I answer: repentance is praised, because it is a thing that pleaseth God, and in that respect praiseworthy: and the repentant person is praised, not because he is the cause of his own repentance, but because he repents being thereto enabled by the mercy of God.  
The second question is, whether the conversion of a sinner be in the power of mans will a●y way. The answer of the papist is, that our regeneration and conversion is in part in the power of mans will: so as the will stirred up can either apply itself to the grace of God, or reject the same. contrariwise 
read Cal●. instit. lib. 2. c. 3. sect. 10.  we teach, that regeneration is not within the power of mans will, but that it wholly depends on the will of God:& that, when God will convert and renew us, though will for his own nature be apt to resist, yet in respect of Gods vnchaungeable will, and in respect of the efficacy of his inward operation, it can not resist and repel the work of God. For when God himself works any thing, his work can not be resisted. For his working of a thing is onely to will it to be: and his will can not be resisted. Now in mans conversion, he works the will and he works the dead: 
Phil. 2.13.  and he causeth men to walk in his commandements. 
Ezec. 36.26.  Resistance therefore can not be made 〈◇〉 Secondly the Scripture every where teacheth that our conversion& salvation wholly depends on Gods will,& not on the will of man. Of the distinction of man& man in the matter of salvation Paul allegeth the testimony of Moses, It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth, 
Rom. 9.16.  but in God that sheweth mercy. Our saviour Christ teacheth that the secrets of the kingdom of God are revealed to some and to others concealed, 
Mat. 11.27. luke. 8.10.  because the pleasure of God is so: and because this gift of understanding is given to some and not to others. Our conversion is termed a new generation and a new creation: for this cause it can not depend on the will of man at all, because a creature hath not his creation or generation in his own will so as he may either accept or refuse it. And it is a great ouer-shaddowing of Gods grace, to make the having or the not having of it, to be in the choice of mans will. But the text in hand is objected. When Christ would haue converted jerusalem, they resisted and would not. I answer: there is a double work of God. One is, outwardly in the word and sacraments to offer grace: and this indeed may be resisted. Of this Christ speaks here, when he saith, they would not:& Stephen when he saith they resisted the Holy ghost. 
Act. 7.51.  The Lord saith, Gen. 6.2. My spirit shall not alway strive with man: and Peter applies this striving of Nohes ministery saying, that Christ went in spirit and preached, 1. Pet. 3.19. The second is, when God inwardly by his spirit, turns, renews, sanctifies the whole man: and this work can not be resisted by the will of man; no more then Lazarus could resist the work of Christ, when he was raised from the dead. If it be said, that this doctrine abolisheth liberty, because it can not choose and refuse the grace of God. I answer: the angells of God, which will good and can not will evil, haue nevertheless perfect liberty of will. And it is greater perfection of liberty freely and onely to will that which is good, then to be able to will both good and evil. He is at more liberty, that can not be a seruant, then he which maybe either a free man or a seruant. And a necessity of yielding to the will of God is no hurt to our will. For it is a special liberty, to will that which God wills and nothing else. By all this which hath been said it appears, what is the difference between us and the church of Rome in the point of free-will. They say liberty of grace to will well is onely weakened, diminished, and held captive by sin: we say it is quiter lost and abolished by the fall of Adam.  
again by the former doctrine, the common question is easily answered: namely wherein lies the efficacy of Gods grace. 
Thom. cont. Gent. l 3. c ●5●. Greg. de Val.  Some papists answer that it lies ordinarily in the free consent and cooperation of free-will joined with grace. And this seems directly to be the opinion of the council of Trent. But 
D. B●●n●● i● 1. Thom. q. 2●.& 22. q. 10.  this is much derogatory to the divine grace of God to place the efficacy thereof in mans will: and it ministers much matter of boasting unto men. 
1. Cor. 4.7.  Others place the efficacy of grace in the congruity of the object, that is, in moral persuasions which God knows to be apt and fit to move and 'allure the will according to the condition therof, 
Bellar. de grat.& lib. arbit. l. 5. c. 11. Confuted by Molina, as saith P. Bin●feld. de lib. arb. p. 591. Stapl. Antidota in Acta.  even as a beast is moved by the sight of a bottle of hay. But there is no efficacy in these persuasions presented to the mind: because the will lies in thraldom and bondage under sin and satan. And the will must not onely be helped, but also be delivered from this bondage, before any persuasions can move it. 
Lumb. l. ●. dist. 25.  lombard in his time much declined from the purity of the former daies: and yet he is far founder then the Iesuites of our daies. For he saith thus: Free-will now is hindered by the law of the flesh from doing good and stirred up to evil, 
Nisi per gratiam liberetur& adiuv●tu●.  so as it can not will and do good, unless it be delivered and helped by grace. We leaving the papists in their dissensions place the efficacy of grace in the grace itself. For Christ saith, 
joh. 6.45.  every man that hath heard and learned of the father comes unto me. again we place it in this, that God adds the second grace to the first. For having given the power he stays not there, but proceeds further& gives the will, and with the will the deed. And thus is the grace of God effectual.  
The consideration and use of this& the former doctrines is of great consequent. For if liberty of grace be lost, great is the necessity of our redemption by Christ and great is the excellency thereof. Secondly this doctrine cuts off the excuse of all sin: for though we sin necessary because liberty of grace is lost: yet we sin freely, because liberty in evil remaines. Thirdly it appears hence, that man of himself can not haue or retain any goodness, but that which God giveth and preserveth in vs. This thing must move us to pray earnestly for the grace we want: and to give hearty thanks for the graces we haue. Fourthly we are taught deeply to humble ourselves for the loss of our liberty and for the bondage under sin: and to pray instantly for deliverance by Christ. Fiftly, seeing of ourselves we can not prevail against the least temptation, we must pray to be guided and assisted continually by God. Lastly, seeing our conversion depends on Gods mercy and not on our will, we are taught to deny our own wills, wisdom, power; and to ascribe our justification and salvation wholly and onely to God.  
The third estate of man, is the estate of regeneration: in which the will hath power to will, partly that which is good and partly that which is evil, as daily experience declareth in the lives of just men. And the reason is, because the will of man renewed, hath in it a three-fold liberty. The first is, the liberty of nature, to will or nill which is in all men. The second is, liberty of s●●ne, whereby the will when it willeth any evil, willeth it freely. And this liberty is diminished according to the measure of grace, which God bestoweth. The third is liberty of grace to will that which pleaseth God, and it is restored in part in regeneration: so far forth as liberty to sin is diminished. And because these three always remain in the will to the death, therefore sometimes it willeth well, sometime evil, sometime both: and in the best actions we do there is a mixture: because they are not perfectly good for the time of this life, but partly good and partly evil.  
That this power of the will may the better appear, I will propound four questions. The first is, whether the will prevented or renewed, haue any stroke, action, or operation in the first regeneration of a sinner. I answer: In the renovation or conversion of a sinner I consider two things. First, the beginning or ground thereof, and that is the setting or imprinting of new qualities and inclinations in the mind, will, affections of the heart. And this is the entire or mere work of God in us and vpon us: and we in it are merely passive, not active. The second is the evidence of the former in new and spiritual actions, as namely in thinking, willing, and desiring that which is good. Now these actions are works of God in and by mans will: and mans will is not onely a subject of them, but also an Instrument. A subject, in that God is the first and principal worker of these works in the will. An Instrument, because it pleaseth God to use the will, and to move it by his grace for the acting and effecting of the things which he appointeth. And thus the will is not merely passive, but passive and active both: first passive, and then active. For being acted and moved by God, who works the will and the deed, it also acteth and moveth. And we do not utterly deny the Co-operation of mans will with Gods grace. It is necessary indeed that God first regenerate us and make us his children and new creatures. And in this thing, we do not Co-worke with God, but stand as patients, that God may work vpon us and reform us even in the same manner, as when he made us in the beginning without any help of ours. Yet, after our regeneration, by faith we are brought from life to death, and to will is present with us, though in weak measure by reason of the remainders of corruption: and then we begin to be Co-workers with the grace of God, moved to will and so indeed willing that which is good. In this sense haue the learned said, 
Prosper. contra Collat. 12. Devoc. Gent. l. 2. c. 29.  that which is repaired in us, is not repaired without us: and, that God in them whom he calls, prepares the will that it may be a receiver& handmaid of his gifts.  
The same answer in effect I propound an other way. In the work of our regeneration, three graces be required, the preventing grace, the working grace, and the co-working grace. The preventing grace is, when God of his mercy sets and imprints in the mind a new light, in the will a new quality or inclination, in the heart new affections. The working grace is, when God gives to the will the act of well-willing, namely 
Velle credere, velle resipiscere, velle ob●dire.  the will to beleeue, the will to repent, the will to obey God in his word. The Co-working grace is, when God gives the deed to the will, that is, the exercise and practise of faith and repentance. The first gives the power of doing good, 
Aug de grat.& lib. arb. c. 17.  the second the will, the third the deed: and all three together make the work of regeneration. Now the will of man in respect of operation, doth not concur with Gods preventing grace, but is merely patient as a subject to receive grace. For it is the proper work of God to set or imprint a new faculty or inclination in the will, and that without any action of the said will. nevertheless the will being once renewed and prevented, concurreth by his operation with the working and Co-working grace of God. For the will being moved by grace, willeth and doth indeed that whereto it is moved. And the will to obey God, or to perform any like duty, proceeds jointly from two causes. From grace: in that it moveth and causeth the will to will to beleeue. From the will of man: in that being prevented and moved by God, it willeth to beleeue, or to do any like duty. And therefore the ancient saying hath his truth, He that made thee without thee, 
August. serm. 15. de verbis Apost.  doth not regenerate or save thee without thee. Because our conversion is not without the motion and consent of will, as our creation was. And that we do not mistake in this point, the order that is between mans will and Gods grace, must here again be remembered. In respect of time they are both together, and concur in the very first moment of our regeneration: in respect of the order of nature, the will doth not first begin that which is good, and then after borrow aid from grace: but grace prevents, renews, and moves the will, and then the will moved or changed, wils to be converted and to be healed in the first instant of conversion.  
This operation of the will, to will to beleeue, to will to repent and to obey, is the least grace and sign of Gods favour:( for nothing can be less then to will to do that which is good:) yet is it of great& excellent price. For it hath the promise of God annexed to it. The prophet saith to the rebellious Israeelites, Wash and make you clean—: 
Isa. 1.16.  cease to do evil, learn to do well. Now they might peradventure say, Alas, we can not wash ourselves: he therefore adds, If ye will and obey, 
vers. 19.  that is, if ye do but will to be cleansed, and testify this will by your endeavour to obey, ye shall eat the good things of the land. And Christ saith, that the heavenly father giveth the holy Ghost to thē that desire him. 
luke 11.13.  And to them that are in Christ God accepts this act of goodwill for the deed itself. mark the comfort that flows from this doctrine. The full obedience to the law of God is impossible to all men, except Christ, in this life: yea to them which are converted and sanctified, and greatly desire the fulfilling of the law in themselves: and therefore no man can be justified by it before God, and obtain salvation thereby. nevertheless saith in Christ and repentance is so far forth possible, 
Faith and repentance are possible to all that will in earnest.  to all that will and haue a desire, that whosoever do but will in earnest to beleeue and to be converted, do indeed beleeue and are converted, and please God, and shal not perish eternally, though the beginning of faith and conversion be weak; so it be in truth and not counterfeit. And yet such is the naughtiness of our nature that faith and conversion, is impossible unto us, unless of the singular mercy of God, it be stirred up in the hearts of the Elect by his holy spirit. In this respect Christ saith, Math. 11. My yoke is easy and my burden light. And again, his commandements are not grievous. It may be objected, that the will& desire of renovation and reconciliation with God, may be where there is a mind and purpose to sin, and where is no true hatred and detestation of iniquity. Answ. The serious and instant will or desire to beleeue in Christ and to repent, includes in it the hatred of sin, and the purpose of not sinning. For he that truly desires to beleeue doth so: because he detests his unbelief: and he that desires to repent: doth so, because he hates his own evil ways, and purposeth to sin no more.  
The second question is, whether the will after it is renewed be able to cause and bring forth good works of itself, or no? I answer two things. The first, that will cannot, unless God further give a double grace. The one is Assisting grace: and it stands in three actions, preservation, confirmation, protection. preservation is, whereby God continues the being of the will renewed. For that which is good, doth not continue good the least moment, unless God make it to continue. Confirmation is, when God fixeth the mind in that which is good and causeth the will constantly to follow the good inclination thereof, it being otherwise mutable and apt to decline. Protection is whereby God defends his grace in us against the violence of temptation. Of this he saith to Peter, 
luke. 21.  satan hath desired to sift you, but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. And God promiseth that he will not suffer the faithful to be tempted above that they are able to bear. 
1. Cor. 10.13.  The second grace may be called, Exciting grace, whereby God moves and stirs up the will, that it may indeed will and do the good to be done. And this grace is ordinarily required to the effecting of every good work. Dauids will was exceedingly renewed by the Holy ghost, yet he prays still, 
Psal. 119.36.  Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies. The Christian soul, that is already drawn to Christ prayeth still, Draw me and we will run after thee. 
Cant. 1.3.  Paul saith, they which are the children of God, are guided, moved, 
Rom. 8.14. {αβγδ}.  or stirred by the spirit of God. again he saith of the Philippians, after they were renewed& wrought their own salvation with fear& trembling, 
Phil. 2. 1●.  that God did stil work in them beside the power the Act of willing and of doing that which is good. And he works the will, by moving it to will and to do indeed, that which it can will and do. And this moving cause, is the good will of God. It may not seem strange, that I say new grace is required to stir up the will to the doing of every new work. For grace in the will is like a fire of green wood which hardly burns, and continues not to burn unless it be continually stirred up and blowed: even so the good inclination of the will, because it is joined, nay mixed with contrary corruption that presseth down, tempteth, enticeth, and draweth away the will from God and all goodness, hath need continually to be excited, stirred and moved. The man regenerate is able to pray to God, yet can he not pray sometime by reason of the weight of corruption, unless the spirit help to bear the infirmities of nature and make request in us by stirring and moving us to make request. 
Rom. 8.26.  The doctrine of the ancient church hath been that, 
Aug. ep. 107. Gratia dari ad singulos actus bonos.  new grace is to be given to the doing of every good act. And, 
de praedest. ●●nctor. c. 11.  that we do not that good which we can do, unless God make us do it, as he made us able to do it. This doctrine must the rather be remembered, because the stream of popish doctrine runs another way; by teaching that our wills assisted by grace can do good, 
Ruard. Tapper. Bellar. degr.& lib. arb. l. 6. c. 15.  without the concurrence of new grace to excite and stir up the will. Indeed for the doing of natural actions the general Cooperation of God sufficeth: but to the effecting of actions supernatural, the special help of God is required. A child, that can go up and down in an even floor being stayed by the mothers hand, for all this it can not go up a pair of stairs unless it be lifted at every step. Like is the case of the children of God, in things which concern the kingdom of heaven.  
The second part of the answer is, that when renewed will doth a good work it doth it not perfectly. 
Rom. 7. 1●.  To will( saith Paul) is present with me, but I can not perform the good I would, that is, I can not perfectly do it as I would. It may be objected thus. The works of God are perfect: good works done by us, are works of God: therefore they are perfect. I answer to the Maior or first part of the reason: it is true of such works as are works of God alone, and not of such as are works jointly both of God and man, God being the principal agent, and man the instrument. For then the work done takes unto it the quality, and condition of man: considering it proceeds from God through the sinful mind and will of man. The scrivener, when he writes by himself, he writes a perfect hand: but when a learner and he writ both together, he taking the learners hand into his own, then that which is written will carry the imperfection of the learner. Like is the case in all such works as are from God in and by vs.  
The third question is, whether the relics of corruption be of that force in sinning, that they can utterly quench the spirit of God in the renewed will. The answer is, that corruption remaining is of itself apt to do it: and the grace of Gods spirit is apt to be extinguished, because of itself it is mutable: nevertheless it wholly& utterly cannot be lost, for 4 causes. The first is, the promise of God in the covenant of grace, I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me: 
jer. 32.40.  and this promise particularly belongs to all them that truly beleeue, because it is the promise of the evangelical covenant. The second is, the Intercession of Christ in the behalf of all the Elect. Christ saith to Peter, 
luke. 2●.  satan hath desired to sift you as wheat, but I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith fail not. And this he did especially in that solemn prayer made John 17. in which he prayed not onely for Peter, but for all the Apostles and for all that did or should beleeue in him. The third cause is the omnipotent power of God in preserving all thē that are in Christ, No man( saith Christ) taketh my sheep forth of my hand. 
joh. 10.28.  And mark the reason: my father is greater then all. The last cause is the efficacy of Gods spirit. S. John saith, that the seed of God remaines in him that is born a new: and that this seed keeps him that he neither doth nor can sin in two respects. First, if he sin, yet he sins not with full consent of will. For he hates and nills in part the evil which he willeth. 
Rom. 7.19.  Secondly, if by human frailty he fall, he makes not a trade of sin, neither doth he keep a course in wickedness, but the seed of grace remaining within, causeth him to return to God and to recover himself by new repentance.  
The last question is, whether the renewed will can of itself persevere in doing good. I answer, that our perseverance depends and proceeds onely from the will of God. That we may persevere two things are required: the power to persevere and the will of perseverance: and both these being good things are of God. Because every good giuing and every good gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights. 
Iam. 1.17.   
This former doctrine is of great use. In that the new birth& regeneration of a sinner is not without the motion of his own will, we are taught, that we must if we desire our own salvation, use the good means, and strive against our own corruptions, and endeavour earnestly by asking, seeking, knocking. It will be said, that faith, repentance and the rest, are all gifts of God. I answer, there is no virtue or gift of God in us, without our wills: and in every good act, Gods grace& mans will concur: Gods grace as the principal cause: mans will renewed as the instrument of God. And therefore in all good things industry and labour, and invocation on our parts is required.  
Secondly this doctrine ministers true comfort to all true seruants of God. For, if when they use the good means of salvation, the word, prayer, sacraments; the will lye not dead but begin to oppose itself against unbelief, and other corruptions, and withall do but so much as will to beleeue, will to repent, will to be turned to God, they haue begun to turn unto God, and God hath begun to regenerate them; so be it, this will in them to do the good they ought to do, be in good earnest unfeigned, and they withall be careful to cherish this little grain, till it come to a bigger quantity.  
Thirdly, seeing to every new act that pleaseth God, new grace is required, we are taught not to presume of our own wisdom, will, and strength; nor to glory in any thing we do, but always to aclowledge our own impotency, and in every good thing we do, to give all the glory to God: and to be watchful in prayer continually, because we stand by grace so long as we stand: and having done one work, we do not the second but by a continued supply of new grace.  
Lastly seeing Gods preventing and working grace turns our wills and makes them of unwilling most willing wills, all our obedience must be voluntary, and come from such freeness of will, as if there were no bond in the law of God to force and compel us thereto. 
Psal. 110 〈◇〉  The people of God that are turned and guided by the free spirit of God, must be a voluntary people, and with all alacrity and cheerfulness do the duties that pertain to them, of a ready mind, even as if there were neither heaven nor hell, judge nor iudgement after this life. The spirit of life that is in Christ must be a law unto them. 
Rom. 8.2.   
The last estate is the Estate of glorification after this life. In this estate the liberty of will is a certain freedom onely to will that which is good and pleasing unto God. For it is the continual voice( as it were) and cry of the glorified will; I do no evil, and I will not do it: I do that which is good, and I will do it. And this indeed is the perfect liberty in which mans will is conformed to the Free-will of God and good angels, who will onely that which is good, and can not will that which is evil.  
By this which hath been said, it appears that the words of the text in hand [ and ye would not] are spoken of the will of man according to the estate of corruption. For the voice of the regenerate will is, I do that which is evil but I would not do it: I do that which is good, but I can not do it as I would. And the voice of the corrupted will is, I do that which is evil, and I will do it: I do not that which is good, and I will not do it. And this last voice is plainly expressed in these words, And ye would not.  
The third point comes now to be considered, namely the harmony or consent of both wills. For the words are, I would, ye would not. Here it may justly be demanded, whether there be an harmony or consent between Gods will and mans will, and how it stands with this text. I answer, there is an excellent harmony: and generally it stands in this, that Gods will hath a sovereign Lordship over the will of man, and mans will stands subject to it absolutely, and simply depends vpon it. And by this means, where man hath a will, God hath an antecedent will; and where mans will hath any stroke or action, there Gods will formerly had his stroke and action.  
Furthermore mans will depends on Gods will, in respect of three things, namely Sustentation, Determination, Ordination, or government. It depends on the will of God in respect of sustentation: because mans will for his nature, strength, and all his motions depends on the will of God: and could not haue being for the space of one moment, unless it were upholden by God. It may be objected, that if God sustain the will which is sinful he sustains not onely the will but also the sin thereof. Answ. God sustains nature, and not the sin of nature:& therefore he only sustains will as will, and not as it is corrupt or sinful will. The like we see in nature: when a man halts in walking, the motion of the body is from the soul, and is preserved by it: but the halting which goes with the motion and disorders it, is not from the soul, neither hath it his preservation thence, but from a defect in the leg or foot. By this we are taught to aclowledge the endless long-suffering of God, who sustains the members of our bodies, our souls, the faculties and actions thereof, even in the works in which men offend& dishonour him. Secondly we are taught to aclowledge the vile abomination of every sin: for we sin in the very hands of God sustaining and preserving us: and in the very actions, which we could not do unless we were sustained by him, we offend him and provoke him to anger against vs.  
Secondly mans will depends on Gods will in respect of determination: because we netiher can nor do will any thing without the will of God. A sparrow, saith Christ, lights not on the ground without the heavenly father, that is, 
Math. 20.29.  without his decree or will. The malicious and wicked will of the Iewes could not so much as will, much less do any thing against Christ, but that which the hand and counsel of God had determined to be done. 
Act. 4.28.  moreover God determines the will two ways. In good things he inwardly moves and inclines the will to the willing and doing of the good it willeth. For in that Gods will is the first cause of all good things, mans will depends on it in respect of virtue, in respect of Application, and in respect of order of working. In respect of virtue: 
Thom. 1. par. q. 105. atr. 5.  because the virtue of second causes proceed from the first. In respect of Application: because God useth the will of man as an instrument of his own will, and he applieth it to the doing of things which he intendeth, even as the carpenter useth, moveth, and applieth his tools. In respect of order of working: because always the first cause begins the work, and the second moves not without the first. Vpon this ground it follows, that the good things which man willeth, he so willeth, because God first willed them. And therefore Paul saith, that good works are prepared of God for us to walk in: 
Eph. 2.10.  and this preparation is made, because God decrees and determines with himself the doing of all works to be done.  
In evil things the Determination of God is 
Vol●ndone● impedite.  to will not to hinder them as he may. Vpon this will in God follows sin in the will of man, as a consequent, not as an effect. As a consequent: because when God suspends or withdraws sustentation and government from the will, it cannot of itself but will amiss: as the staff in my hand presently falls when I do but pull back my hand. To avoid evil is good: and therefore we cannot avoid the least evil, unless God make us able to avoid it. 
Voluntas permis●iua efficax non quoad productionem, said quoad illationem.  And [ c] evil is not the effect of Gods will: because God puts nothing into mans will to cause it to will amiss: but he onely ceases to confer unto it help and direction, which he is not bound to confer.  
Here long and tedious disputes are made by many touching the Concord of Gods decree and the liberty of mans will. And it is alleged that mans will looseth his liberty and ceaseth indeed to be will, if it stand subject to the necessary and vnchaungeable decree of God. I answer, first that when the will of man determines itself to one thing, it doth not loose his liberty: much more then may the liberty of will stand with the determination of God. Secondly Gods decree doth not abolish liberty but onely moderate and order it: by 
suaviter inclinando.  inclining the will in mild and easy manner with fitt and convenient objects and that according to the condition of the will. That Christ should die when he died, it was necessary in respect of Gods decree: yet if we respect the constitution of his nature he might still haue prolonged his daies:& if we consider the will of Christ, he died most freely and willingly. Otherwise his death had been no satisfaction for sin. God himself doth some things of an absolute necessity, and yet with perfect freedom of will: now then if absolute necessity do not abolish freedom of will, much less shall conditional necessity depending on Gods decree, do it. Lastly, the decree of God establisheth the liberty of will. For his determination is, that the agency of second causes shall be according to their condition: so as natural causes shall work naturally: free causes, freely: necessary causes, necessary: contingent causes, in contingent and variabl● sort. And therefore the necessary decree of God is, that man shall will this or that, not necessary in respect of himself, but freely.  
Thirdly mans will depends on Gods will in respect of government. This government is of two sorts. First he governs the wills of the righteous, by working his own good work in them and by them. In them, because he moves and inclines them by his spirit. By them: because they are holy instruments of his will.  
Secondly he governs the wills of the wicked and ungodly by six actions. The first is permission, when God withdraws his grace from the will, not enlightening the mind nor inclining the will, but leaving it to itself; as when a man gives the rene to a wild horse. The second is, a delivery of the will to satan, and that is when God ●iues the divell liberty to tempt, 
1. Tim. 3. last. 1. Cor. 5.  assault and vex the will of man being left to itself. And this thing is incident to obstinate sinners: and we pray against it in these words, led us not into temptation. The third action is, a ceasing to restrain corruption of will, either in whole or in part: as when he restrains al sins, save one, or, having restrained for a time, for the punishment of former sin, he omits restraint, permitting man to the lusts of his own heart. The fourth action is, the bending, moving, or inclining of the wicked will. And this God doth not by inward inspiration( for then he should be the cause of sin) but by presenting to the mind and will objects good, or at the least indifferent in themselves: vpon which objects the will takes occasion to be more wilful, obstinate, and rebellious, not moved thereto by God, but freely moving itself. The heat of the stomach in the winter season, i● increased, not by the heat of things taken inwardly but by the could of the air every way compassing the body. An unbroken horse being spurred, because he goes out of order; he flinges out and casts his rider. And thus the sinful will of man urged by commandements, threatenings, judgements: alured by promises and blessings, grows more sinful and wicked. Paul saith that sin took occasion vpon the good commandement of God to revive and to be sinful out of measure. 
Rom. 7.8.15.  david saith, that God moved the hearts of the Egyptians to hate his people. 
Psal. 105.25.  But how? He blessed the Israelites exceedingly, more then the Egyptians. And vpon this work of God, they took occasion to envy and to hate the Israelites.  
The fift action is ordination, whereby God useth well, the wickedness of the will of man, and directeth it against the nature thereof to good ends, even as the learned physician sometime of poison makes a remedy. In this sense Assur is called the rod of his indignation: and the Medes& Persians, 
Isay. 10.5.& 13.3.  his sanctified ones. The Iewes in the crucifying of Christ willed and minded nothing but his death and destruction: yet God willed and by them wrought the redemption of mankind. He works his own good work by mans will, as by an active instrument, and withall he leaves the will to itself, to work his own evil work. The last action of God is, when a man is going on in his own wickedness, he turns him unto himself, of his exceeding mercy: and sometimes again he opens a way, that that person, who of himself runs into wickedness, may rush headlong to his own destruction for the further exequution of divine iustice: as when an house is falling th● owner thereof will not vnderpropp it, neither will he push it down: but he takes away al impediments and digs away the earth round about it, not touching the foundation, that when it falls, it may fall down right.  
Thus we see briefly the harmony of mans will and Gods will: now let us come to the use, which is manifold. First of all, by the former doctrine, we are brought to a right understanding of many places of scripture. The Lord saith of pharaoh, 
Exod. 4.21.  I will harden his heart. And this he is said to do, not because he sets and imprintes hardness in his heart, but because by sundry actions he orders and governs his wicked will, and they are four. First he permits pharaoh to his own will: secondly he leaves him to the malice of the divell and the lusts of his own heart: thirdly he urges him with a commandement to let the people go. And pharaoh the more he is urged, the stiffer and stubberner he is,& the more he rebells against God, whereas he ought indeed to haue been the more obedient. Lastly God useth the hardness of Pharaos heart to the manifestation of his own iustice and iudgement, and therefore he opens him a way that he may run headlong to his own destruction. In this manner, and no otherwise are the places to be understood, when the Scripture saith, 
1. Reg. 22.23.  that God put a lying spirit into the mouths of the prophets of Ahab: that, if a prophet be deceived, 
Ezech. 14.9.  the Lord deceived him: 
Rom. 1.28.  that he gives up men to reprobate mindes: 
2. The●s. 3. 1●.  that he senas strong illusions to beleeue lies. In the book of Samuel it is said, 
2. Sam. 16. 1●.  the Lord commanded Shemi to curse david: because about this cursing there is a twofold action in God. One, that he restrains the wicked heart of Shemi in respect of all other sins, and not in respect of this sin of railing, to which God leaves him. The second, he useth him as an instrument to correct and to humble david. And thus likewise must the places be understood, when it is said, that God delivered the wives of david to Absolom, 
2. Sam. 12.11. and 24.1.  and that he stirred up david to number the people. Lastly joseph saith, that the Lord sent him into Egypt: and that for two causes. One, because when his brethren were about to make him away, God by his providence caused marchants to pass by in their sight, whereupon they took occasion to sell him into Egypt. The second, because God disposed this fact of theirs to the good of jacob and his family in time to come. And thus are all like places of Scripture to be understood.  
again, some schoole-Diuines following Damascen, make& ascribe to God an applied or depending will, on this manner. God for his part would haue all men without exception to be saved: why then are they not saved? They themselves will not. And because they will not, God therefore chooseth some and refuseth others. But according to the former doctrine, I take this kind of applied will, to be an invention of mans brain. For the contrary is the truth, namely that mans will wholly depends on the will of God. That vessels be some of honor, some of dishonour, it is not in the power of the day, but in the will of the potter. The first cause orders the second, and not the second the first. To make Gods will depend on mans will, is to put God out of his throne of majesty, and to set the creature in his room. Others set forth the depending will of God on this manner. God( say they) decrees nothing in particular of things that are casual& contingent, 
Bellar. l. 4. c. 15. de grat.& lib. arbit. R●ard. Tapper.  but he foresees within himself what the will of the creature will do or not do, when things are thus or thus ordered: and vpon this foresight he consequently determines what shall be done. But this opinion, as it gives unto God a common or general providence, so it takes away the certain determination of God touching all particular events. And it is absurd to think that God should foresee the future acts of mans free-will, when as yet he hath determined nothing: for things that shall be, are therefore to come to pass, because God by decree hath determined their being. And therefore the foreknowledge of things that shall be follows the decree of God. And if Gods decree presuppose mans willing of this or that, and thereupon determine, how shal that speech of the Lord stand, 
Ezech. 36.26.  I will cause them to walk in my statutes. For hereby is signified, that God doth not attend on the will of man, but brings mans will in subiection to himself. 
Shumel in 1. Thomae. q. 19. art. 6.  And therefore this attending will ascribed to God, is improoued even of the Papists themselves.  
Thirdly, in that mans will stands subject absolutely to the pleasure of God, our duty is, to yield voluntary subiection to him in all things when his will is made manifest unto vs.  
Lastly, this doctrine of the consent and concurrence of mans will& Gods will, must be the stay and ground of our patience and comfort. For there is no calamity or misery that betides us by and from the will of man, without the will of God. The creature can will nothing against us unless it be first the will of God: and it can do neither more nor less then God will. The devil could not touch job without leave, and he could not enter into the heard of swine without leave. Vpon this ground david speaks to this effect, Let Shemi curse, for he nurseth because the Lord bids him do so. joseph comforts himself and his brethren in this, that not they so much as the Lord sent him into Egypt.  
As there is an harmony between Gods will& mans will: so there is a dissent between mans will& Gods word, or his signifying will, as appears by the text in hand. 
Hales 3. Summae q. 69 Thomas in 1. 2 q. 109.& contra Gen●iles. l. 3 c. 159. Roffensis in refutant. 36. Bell. de grat.& lib. arb. l. 2. c. 5.  schoolmen vpon this dissent make a distinction of Gods grace into sufficient and effectual. Sufficient they call that whereby a man may be saved, if he will not be wanting to himself. effectual, whereby a man is indeed saved. The first( they say) is given to all men at one time or other, the second is not. And this distinction of grace they gather on this manner. When Christ would haue gathered the Iewes, they would not: therefore they had not effectual grace: and because they would not, they are blamed and rebuked by Christ: therefore( saith the Papist) God gave them sufficient grace to be converted, if they would: else could he not haue blamed them. I answer, this proves that once God gave them sufficient grace to obey any commandement of his, namely in the creation: but hence cannot be gathered, that when God called the Iewes by his word, that then, then I say, he gave them sufficient grace. Secondly it is objected, that God did all that might be don to his Vine to make it bring forth good fruit; 
Isa. 5.4.  and yet for all this, it brought forth nothing but wild grapes: therefore it is said, there must needs be a grace sufficient to salvation, which is not effectual. I answer: God did that to his vineyard that was sufficient to make a good vine bring forth fruit,( and that is the meaning of the place in Isai) though not sufficient to change the nature of an evil vi●e, and to make it a good vine. It is urged, that the Lord saith, he waited for grapes: which he would not haue done, unless there had been hope by reason of sufficient grace given. I answer again, that the Lord waited for fruit, not because God then gave them sufficient grace when he waited, but because the Church of the Iewes, was in show and pretence a good vine: and thereby gave hope of good fruit. Thirdly it is objected that Adam received sufficient grace: and that he had not effectual grace because he fell. I answer, Adam had sufficient to the perfection of a creature, but not sufficient to unchangeable perseverance, specially if he should be assaulted by temptation. Likewise he had grace effectual in respect of righteousness and happiness, but not in respect of perseverance in both. Grace in him, so far forth as it was sufficient to happiness, it was also effectual. Lastly, it is objected, that God forsakes no man, till he first forsake God: and therefore that God for his part gives grace sufficient to salvation. Answ. There is a double kind of forsaking in God, one is for trial, the other for punishment. The forsaking which is for trials sake, goes before mans sin, in which he forsakes God. In this regard, Adam was for order of nature first forsaken of God, before he forsook God. The forsaking which is for punishment always follows after sin, and of this must the rule be understood, that they which are forsaken of God, did first forsake God. Now the truth which we are to hold in this point is thus much. There is a grace which is sufficient to the conviction of a sinner, which is not effectual to salvation: and again there is a grace which is sufficient to the leading of a civil life, which is not effectual to salvation: yet the grace which is indeed sufficient to salvation, is also effectual; namely the gift of regeneration, in which God gives not onely the power to be converted, but also the will and the dead.  
Thus much of the harmony: now comes the fourth point to be considered, namely in what manner Christ willed the conversion of jerusalem. He willed it first in love, secondly in Patience. His love is set forth by two things. The first, albeit he was God full of majesty, and we vile wretches his enemies by nature, yet was he content to take vpon him a vile and base condition, to be unto the Iewes as an Hen. The second was, that he takes unto him the fashions, the disposition and tender affection of the hen to her young ones.  
That all this may the better be conceived, three questions are to be propounded. The first is, whether there be such an affection of love in God, as is in man and beast? I answer, that affections of the creature are not properly incident unto God, because they make many changes, and God is without change. And therefore all affections and the love that is in man and beast is ascribed to God by figure: and that for two causes. First because there is in God an unchangeable nature that is well pleased with every good thing, and a will that seriously willeth the preservation of every good thing: and of this nature and will of God, the best love in the creature is but a light shadow. Secondly the affection of love is ascribed to God; because he doth the same things that love makes the creature do: because he bestoweth blessings and benefits vpon his creature, as the lover doth on the person loved. In this sort are all other affections ascribed to God, and no otherwise.  
The second question is, whether there be in God an hatred of his creatures: for God is compared to the hen which loveth all her young ones. Ans. If hatred be taken for a passion incident to man, it is not incident to God: if it be taken for a work of Gods providence and iustice, it is in God: and that in three respects. First of al, in scripture Hatred sometime signifies a denial of love and mercy: as when it is said that he which will follow Christ, must hate father and mother, 
Luk. 14.26.  that is, neglect them or not love them in respect of Christ. In this sense hatred agrees unto God. For he is said to love jacob and to hate Esau: 
Rom. 9.13.  that is, not to love Esau with that love wherewith he loved jacob. again there is in God● nature that abhorreth and detesteth iniquity, thus saith the psalmist, that God loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity. 
Psal. 44.8.  And thus God hates man not simply, because he is the handiworke of God, but because he is a sinner, and by reason of the work of the devill in man, namely sin, which is simply hated of God. Thirdly God plagueth and punisheth offenders, and in this regard he is said to hate them. Thus saith david, that God hates the workers of iniquity, 
Psal. 5.6.  and destroys them that speak lies. By this which hath been said, it appears that there be two degrees of hatred in God: one is negative, when God as an absolute Lord, bestows his special love on some, and denies it unto others because his pleasure is so. The second is positive, when he hates and detests his creature: and this second always follows sin and is ever for sin: but the other goes before sin. And whereas it is said in this text, that God is as the hen that loveth all her chickens, and gathereth them all together: it must be understood that our saviour Christ here sets down his dealing not with all his creatures and with all mankind; but onely his dealing toward his own Church, in which he calleth all outwardly by the sound of his word, and receives all outwardly into the covenant. By this which hath been said, we are taught after the example of God to hate& detest iniquity: and yet always to make difference between the person and the sin.  
The third question is, in what thing is Christ as an hen to his Church? Answ. In temporal blessings and deliverances: in afflictions and manifold corrections: but specially and principally in his word published in the ministry of the prophets. For it is the wing which he spread over his people: and it is the voice whereby he called and( as it were) clocked them unto him.  
Thus we see the meaning of the similitude, that Christ would haue gathered jerusalem as the hen gathereth her chickens: now follows the use. By this we see the tender love of God to this Church and land. For it hath pleased him to propound unto us the gospel of salvation, and that now more then 40. yeres. And in so doing he hath offered long to embrace us in the arms of his mercy: and in spreading his wing over us to become our God and our saviour: for this tender love, our hearts must be filled with love to Christ, and our mouths with praise.  
again, we learn hence, that the gospel brings all other blessings of God with it. For God in it communicates his own self unto us as the Hen to her young ones. The kingdom of God brings all things else with it that may serve for the good of man: and where the gospel is embraced there is Gods kingdom. The peace and protection of this Church and land, whereby we haue been preserved from being a pray to our enemies, comes by means of the gospel of life. Therefore foolish and false is the conceit of sundry popish persons that say there was never such plenty in the world, as when the old learning( as they say) or old religion was. Secondly by this we are advertised, if we would haue all necessary blessings for this life, first of all to embrace the gospel of Christ.  
Thirdly if Christ take unto him the disposition of the hen: we likewise must take unto us the disposition of the chicken in respect of Christ, and that in three things. First we must suffer ourselves to be gathered to Christ: that is, to be turned unto him from all our sins, to beleeue in him, to be of the same mind and disposition with him, to suffer him to quicken us with his heavenly and spiritual life, as the hen cherisheth her chickens by sitting on them. Secondly we must attend vpon the word and will of Christ, as the chicken vpon the call of the hen: and suffer him to rule us both in heart and life, for all things. The third thing is, that we must depend on the sweet and merciful promises of Christ, and shrowded ourselves under his wing against hell, satan, death, damnation. And verily, all such among us, who are not careful to perform these three things to Christ, are no better then monstrous rebels, considering he hath in his merciful and tender love, sought to win us to himself for the space of this 40. yeares.  
Thus much of the love of Christ: now I come to his patience in these words: Howe often would I? The meaning whereof is this: you haue continually from time to time provoked me by your sins: yet did I not withdraw my love from you, but sent my prophets from time to time unto you, to call you and gather you unto me And this patience of God is here expressed, to aggravate the rebellion of jerusalem. I will therefore speak a little of it. And first, it may be demanded, whether the virtue of patience that is in men, be also in God. I answer, properly it is not. For where this kind of patience is, there is passion and sufferance: now God is not subject to any passion or sufferance, because his nature is unchangeable. again that which is in God properly, is in him eternally: this patience is not in him eternally, but for the time of the continuance of this world. nevertheless, Scripture ascribes this patience to God for two causes. The first is, because there is in God an infinite goodness of will and nature, whereby he never simply wills the perdition or destruction of any creature. Thus saith Ezechiel, God wills not, 
Ezech. 18. 3●.  that is, takes no delight in the death of a sinner. And whereas it is said, that vengeance is Gods and he will repay, it must be thus taken, that God in reuenge doth not absolutely intend to destroy, but onely to exequute iustice in the punishment of sin. It may be objected, that God is said to make vessells of wrath prepared to destruction. I answer, 
Rom. 9.10.  this place must circumspectly and warily be understood: and I take the meaning of it to be this, that God makes vessels of wrath or vessells for wrath by his will and decree, whereby he decrees to pass by some and to forsake them in respect of his love and mercy. And this act of God in passing by and in forsaking of men, is as it were, to set them a part to become vessels of wrath. And though God in secret and just iudgement do this, yet he never fills any of these vessels with his wrath, till they haue been tainted with iniquity: and though they be prepared to destruction, yet they are never indeed destroyed but for their sins. Thus then, by reason of this excellent and incomprehensible goodness of God, whereof the virtue of patience is but a shadow, God is said to be patient.  
The second cause, why God is said to be patient is, because he doth the same things that patient men do. First he invites men to repentance: secondly he promiseth pardon: thirdly he defers punishment: fourthly at the first he onely inflicts lesser punishments, when they do no good he inflicts greater: and lastly when there is no hope of amendment, he inflicts everlasting death and destruction.  
The end of Gods patience is twofold: one that the Elect of God may be gathered and called: the other, that all excuse might be taken from the ungodly. 
Rom. 9.21.   
The patience of God is either universal, or particular. universal, which pertains to all men. The decree of divine iustice was set down to Adam,& in him to all mankind, When thou shalt eat of the forbidden fruit in dying thou shalt DIE, that is, 
Gen. 2.17.  presently die the first and second death. 
Numb. 16.3.  Dathan and Abiram presently vpon their rebellion, went down into the earth quick. The captaines with their fifties were presently vpon their coming to Elias, 
2. Reg. 1.10.  destroyed with fire from heaven. And so oft as any man sins, he deserves present destruction: and so many sins as we haue committed, so many damnations haue we deserved. Here it may be demanded, why God doth not execute his decree accordingly. I answer, God in iustice remembers mercy, yea his iustice gives place to mercy. For there is an other decree of mercy, which he will haue as well to be accomplished as the decree of iustice, and that is, The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head. again, ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, 
Psal. 2.8.  and the ends of the earth for thy possession. That mercy then may be shewed vpon mankind, iustice is exequuted in great patience by certain decrees. And this patience pertains to all men without exception, that come of Adam by generation.  
special patience is that which concerns particular men or countries. Thus God spared the old world 120 yeares before he sent the flood: he spared the Amorites till their iniquities were full: he spared the Egyptians 400 yeares. 
Ezech. 4 5.  He deferred the punishment of the idolatry of Israel 390 yeares, and then he punished it with 70 yeares captivity. He winked at the ignorance of the Gentiles 4000 yeares. Antichrist shall not ●●terly be destroyed till the coming of Christ. When men blaspheme God and Christ, swearing wounds, blood, heart, sides, nailes, life; if they had their desert, they should descend to hell quick and that presently: but God forbears them, and sundry such persons are vouchsafed the grace of true repentance. The very least offender vpon earth is partaker of the great patience of God. For he sustains the members of our bodies, the powers and motions of the soul in such actions in which we offend him. And no creature can sufficiently consider the greatness of this long-suffering.  
The use to be made of the patience of God follows. First, it serves to teach all men to turn to God by true repentance. Rom. 2.4. Despisest thou the patience and long-suffering of God, knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance. 2. Pet. 3.9. God is patient towards us, and would haue no man to perish, but would all men to come to repentance. To come more near to ourselves and this English nation. Now is the day of our visitation, and hath been for the space of this forty yeares and more, in which God in great patience hath continually called vpon us, knocked at the door of our hearts, and stretched out the arms of his mercy unto vs. Wherefore the common duty of all English people is, to turn unto God with all their hearts according to all the law of God, as it is said of josias. And that this duty may indeed be practised, I will use certain reasons, that may serve to stir up our dead minds. First, the time of the continuance of the patience of God is hidden& unknown unto vs. And hereupon, when men abusing the patience of God shall say, peace, peace, then, then shall come sudden destruction, 
1. Thess. 5. ●. Eph. 5.15.  as travail vpon a woman. And therefore the time is to be redeemed, and as S. Peter saith, 
2. Pet. 3.11.  we must watch and make hast for the coming of the Lord. Secondly, the greater the patience of God is and hath been, the greater shall his anger be. A blow, the longer it is in coming, the greater it is. Yea the very wrath of God in itself is most horrible. The wrath of a lion, of a Prince, yea the wrath of all creatures to the wrath of God, 
Mich. 1.  is but a drop of water to the whole sea. At his indignation the very mountaines melt; the heauens& the elements shall melt at his coming: much more should our rocky& stony hearts melt. Thirdly God hath his treasury& storehouses for iudgement: and they which go on in their sins from day to day fill this treasury of God, with wrath and judgements against the day of wrath. 
Rom. 1●.  And when men turn hearty from their evil ways, this treasury is emptied, as appears by the example of the ninivites. Wherefore let us all from the highest to the lowest bethink ourselves what evil we haue done, and how we haue abused the merciful patience of God,& make speed to turn to God and Christ our merciful saviour. Some will say, we abuse not Gods patience; we haue repented long ago. I answer, the number of them that truly turn unto God in their hearts is but small in comparison, even as the gleaning is to the whole harvest. It will be said again, we are not as the Iewes that denied Iesus Christ to be the messiah. I answer: we confess Christ in word, but there is a great multitude among us, that deny him in their deeds and naughty lives. For to omit the sins of the second table, there be five notorious sins that are common among vs. wilful ignorance; in that men haue little or no care to know God and to know the way of life. The second is, the profane contempt of the gospel. For now the obedience to this blessed doctrine of life, yea the very show of it is in common reputation preciseness. And now a daies under this name, the profession of the gospel comes otherwhiles vpon the stage to help to make up the play,& to minister matter of mirth. Vpon this we may justly fear the gospel is going from vs. The third sin is worldliness, which reigns and bears sway in all places as though there were no other world, and as though heaven were vpon earth. The fourth sin of our daies is Lewk-warmnesse. For commonly men are not lost in themselves that they might be found of Christ, they feel not their own poverty, they know not in what need they stand of the blood of Christ: and therefore they make profession of the faith formally, not seriously, onely because they are forced so to do by the good laws of a good prince. The last sin is hypocrisy, for all among us come to the Lords table, and thereby enter into the highest degree of christianity that can be vpon earth. For thereby they make profession that they are united to Christ, and haue fellowship with him and grow up therein. And yet the most being departed from this holy sacrament, take liberty to live as they list, despising all others that will not say and do as they do. These and many others, are the common fruits of our English vineyard. It stands us all in hand to pray unto God, 
Cant. 4.16.  that he would blow vpon his vineyard, that we may bring forth better fruit and prevent the judgements that otherwise are like to fall.  
Secondly, in that God is so patient towards us we are taught to exercise ourselves in patience in respect of God when we are afflicted and corrected by him. For when he lays his hand vpon us, we may not be angry, fret, chafe, and rage, but quiet our hearts in his will, though the cross be grievous for measure, and long for continuance. This patience to God-ward is termed in scripture by an excellent name, The Silence of the heart, whereby the heart without repining subiects itself to the will of God in all things. Psal. 4.4. Examine your hearts vpon your bed& be still. And 37.7. be silent to Iehoua.  
Thirdly, if God be thus patient towards men, we again must be patient one towards another: as Paul saith, 
Eph. 4.32. Col. 3.12,  forbear one another, and forgive one another, as God for Christs sake forgave you. The faith of the merciful patience of God cannot but breed and bring forth in us patience and long suffering in regard of anger and reuenge.  
Lastly, in that God calls us to salvation with great patience, we must suffer ourselves to be called, and run the race of our salvation with like patience. We must hear the word and bring forth fruit with patience. 
Luk 8.  We must pray without fainting and without taking repulse as the woman of Canaan did: 
Math. 15.  and therefore with patience. Our hope must be by patience and the comfort of the scriptures. 
Rom. 15.3.  In a word, we cannot obtain the promises without patience. 
Heb. 10.36.   
The fifth and last point to be considered is, what is meant by the children of jerusalem. I answer it thus. Children in scripture are taken 4. ways. First, some are children by generation: of them red Luke the 3. chapter, where a long genealogy is set down from Adam to Christ. Secondly, some are called children by adoption without generation. Michal, 
2. Sam. 6.13. cum 21.8.  that never bare child to her death, is said to bear five to Adriel: because shee did adopt his children, and bring them up as her own. Thirdly, some are called children in regard of legal succession in title to this or that thing. 
2. King. 24.17. 1. Chro. 3.16.  Thus Zedechias who indeed was uncle to Iehoakim, is said be the son of Iehoakim: because he did succeed Iehoakim,( as being the next of the blood) in the kingdom. 
jer. 23.30. Math. 1.12.  Ieconias or Conias was childless: and yet he is said to beget Salathiel: because Salathiel, was to succeed him in the kingdom of Iuda, in that he was the next of Dauids house. Lastly, men, in that they appertain to any thing or place, as children do to their parents, are called children thereof. Thus men are called children of light, of darkness, of sin, of wrath. Thus jerusalem is called the daughter of Sion. And in this text citizens, the inhabitants of jerusalem, are called the children thereof.  
Thus much of the Rebellion of jerusalem: now follows the punishment in these words: Behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate: or thus, your house, that is, both city and temple( as it is in the next chapter) shall be left unto you as a wilderness.  
Here we must first observe that the punishment of Ierusalens rebellion is a decreed desolation both of city& Temple. And the right consideration of it is of great use. For this desolation is as it were a looking glass to this our English nation, in which we may see our future condition; except we repent of our vnthankefulnesse to God for his mercies, and show better fruits of the gospel, then commonly we do. The old world little regarded the ministry of Nohe the preacher of righteousness, and was destroyed by an universal flood. It is a general decree of God, The Gentiles and kingdoms that will not serve thee shall perish, 
Isa. 60. ●●.  and be utterly destroyed. If God spare not the natural branches, he will much less spare us that are but wild branches, if we neglect& lightly esteem the gospel of life, as men every where commonly do.  
Secondly the desolation of jerusalem may be a glass to every one among us, who in these daies of Gods merciful visitation, sets the ministery of the gospel at nought, or lightly respects it; for unless such persons amend and that betime, utter desolation will befall both them and their families. God hath passed his sentence, they that withdraw themselves from God shall perish. 
Psal. 73.27.  now they withdraw themselves from God, that cannot abide to haue fellowship with him in his word, and to bring themselves in subiection thereto. Thirdly, it appears hence by the contrary, that the stability of all kingdoms stands in the obedience of the gospel of Christ: for Gods kingdom is most sure and stable, against which nothing can prevail. And when the gospel is obeied in any kingdom, it is( as it were) founded in the kingdom of God.  
moreover this desolation is both perpetual and terrible: it is perpetual, that is, to the last iudgement. For jerusalem must be trode under foot, till the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled, 
Luk. 21.24.25.  and that is, till there be signs in the sun and moon, and the powers of heaven be shaken, and that is immediately before the last iudgement. Hence I gather that there is no city of jerusalem nor Temple now standing. It will be said, that since the destruction thereof they might haue been re-edified. I answer, by reason of this curse of God, it cannot so be. Three 100. and 30. yeres after the death of Christ, 
Ruffini just. l. ● c. 38.  the Iewes by the leave and help of julian the Emperour, went about to build again their temple and city, but their work was overthrown, and they hindered by thunder& lightning,& earthquakes, and many of them slain thereby. again it may be said, that there is a city now standing that is called jerusalem. I answer, it is either jerusalem in his ruins, or the city Bethara, fenced and walled by Elius Adrianus. Secondly by this it appears, that the warres that were made heretofore for the recovery of the Holy land, and of jerusalem, were in vain. This enterprise was the policy of the Pope that he might the better seat himself in Europe. And there was little good to be looked for in the place that God had accursed with perpetual desolation. Thirdly by this it appears, that pilgrimages made to the Holy land are superstitious. And lastly I gather hence, that Antichrist shall not reign in the Temple at jerusalem. This is but a popish fiction. For how is it possible for him to sit in a Temple, that is utterly destroyed, in such sort, that ston doth not lye vpon ston. It is objected, that Antichrist shall destroy the two prophets of God in the city in which Christ was crucified. 
Reu. 11.8.  I answer, Christ is as well crucified in his members as in his own person: 
Act. 9.5. & thus he was& is stil crucified in Rome: and in respect of his members more crucified in Rome then in jerusalem.  
again, this desolation was most terrible, and the tribulation thereof so great, 
Math. 24.21.  that the like was never since the beginning of the world. Histories written thereof declare as much. For the city was at the first besieged by the army of Titus Vespasianus, called the Abomination of desolation, and it was withal compassed with a wall that had 13. castles in it to command the whole city. In the time of the siege, the Iewes were oppressed with a grievous famine: in which their food was old shoes, old leather, old hay,& the dung of beasts. There died partly of the sword,& partly of the famine an eleven hundred thousand of the poorer sort: two thousand in one night were imbowelled alive: six thousand were burned in a porch of the Temple: the whole city was sacked and burnt, and laid level to the ground: and ninety seven thousand taken captives, and to be applied to base and miserable service. This horrible desolation, must teach us to dread and fear God, and to yield unfeigned subiection to Christ. And as the psalmist saith, 
Psal. 2.12.  to kiss the son least he be angry, and we perish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenly burn.  
Touching this desolation there be three things done by Christ. First he determines it, saying, Your house shal be left unto you desolate. Hence I gather that there is a providence of God, touching things that come to pass. That is one point. The second is, that the disposition of kingdoms for the beginning, continuance, and end, is of God. The God of heaven( saith Cyrus) hath given me all the kingdoms of the world. 
Ezra 1.2.  And Daniel to Nabuchadnezzar, 
Dan. 2.37.  The God of heaven hath given thee kingdom, power, and glory. And the handwriting vpon the wall in the sight of Baltasher was to this effect, 
Dan. 5.26.  Thy kingdom is numbered, for continuance of yeares: it is weighed and found light in respect of the sins of the people: and it is divided to the Medes& Persians. This must teach all good subiects in England, to lift up their hearts to God, for the continuance of peace and protection to this Church and land.  
Secondly, Christ reveals the desolation of jerusalem and that certainly: yea, he determines the very particular time. 
Math. 24.34.  This generation( saith he) shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled: And according to this revelation& prediction of Christ, al things came to pass. For within the compass of 40. yeares after it was destroyed. Hence I gather that this gospel of Matthew and the rest are the very word of God, on this manner. That which foretells particular things to come certainly& truly, is of God: but the gospels foretell particular things to come certainly and truly, as in this place we see: therefore it is of God.  
Thirdly and lastly, Christ labours to bring the Iewes to a serious consideration of their punishment, when he saith, Behold. For he doth as it were take thē by the hand, and bring them to a present view of their misery. And thus he hath always dealt with his people from the beginning. Yea thus he dealt with Adam before his fall, when he said, If thou eat the forbidden fruit in dying thou shalt die. This serious consideration of deserved punishments, is of great use. 
Amos 4.12.  It is an occasion of repentance to many. It is a means, if not of repentance, yet of restraint of open vices. again, the consideration of everlasting punishments, is a means to make us patiently bear lesser crosses that befall us in this life. And therefore it were to be wished, that men now a daies would seriously think and speak of hell, and of the pains thereof. For then there would be more amendment then there is. But this good is hindered partly by blindness of mind, and partly by false imaginations, 
Isa. 28.18.  that the judgements and punishments of God may easily be escaped.  
DEO GLORIA.