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

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

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

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

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

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

Now to fall in nearer to the words themselves. In the 18 Verse we read of a glory that shall be revealed in us, which glory is that glorious estate which man (made immortall) shall be invested with from God; which glory God ne­ver manifested in man, whilest man con­tinued mortall; but then our vile bodies shall be like unto his glorious Bodie;1 Cor. 15.49. when wee shall have the Image of Christ perfectly restored in us: and Phil. 3. last, He shall change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body.

In the 19. Verse we read of the earnest expectation of the Creature waiting for [Page 9] the manifestation of the sons of God. The words [...], in the O­riginal are very significant. Chrysostome will have the word [...] to signifie Vehementem expectationem, A vehement expectation; Ambrose, Assiduam expectationem, A continued diligent expectation: Erasmus, sollici­tam Creaturae expectationem, The care­full expectation of the Creature: Be­za saith, Ego vero studui Graecum voca­bulum exprimere, But I studyed how to expresse the Greek terme; and he renders it, Exerto capite observans ex­pectat, The Creature waits with a stretched out neck; even as when a man greedily desiring to see some­what at hand, stretcheth out his neck, standeth upon tiptoes, and strains his eyes to obtain the light; so greedily and earnestly expects the Creature for the manifestation of the sonnes of [Page 10] God,1 Iohn 3.2. in that glorious lustre in which they shall live for ever. It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; that is, immortall, impassible and glorious,1 Cor. 15.53. as he is; for this mortall bodie shall put on immortalitie; but we shall be like him, not similitudine aequalitatis, but similitudine conformita­tis, Not with the likenesse of equali­ty, but with the likenesse of confor­mity; for as we were made confor­mable, and in conformity to his owne Image at the first, then shall his Image also be perfectly restored in us again.Col. 3.3.4. Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God: Eph. 2.1. ye are dead, not in sin, as were the Ephesians in their Genti­lisme,Rom. 6. la [...]t. but to sinne, as were the Chri­stian Romanes; the old man of sinne, and the corruption of your nature is dead in you, but there is a spirituall [Page 11] life in you, and an inchoation of glo­ry, which though by reason of so ma­ny crosses, troubles, and infirmities it appear not so clearly, and in the ex­cellency, and full lustre of it, in this mortall life; yet, as it is hid with Christ in God, and the excellency of it doth as yet no more appear to cor­porall eyes, than doth the excellency of Christ in his glorified body. When Christ which is our life shall appear; [Which is our life, that is, which is the Fountain and efficient cause of our life] then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

In the words themselves we may consider these four parts;

First, the Creatures subjugation.

Secondly, the modus, or the modi­fication

Thirdly, the relaxation.

Fourthly & lastly, the melioration.

[Page 12]1. The Creatures subjugation in these words, For the Creature was sub­ject to vanitie.

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

• Negative,
• or Positive;

Negative, Not willingly.

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

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

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

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

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

Secondly, in what sense the Crea­ture may be said to be subject to va­nity.Beza in locum For the former Beza by the [Creature,] understands Coelestem machinam, et elementanem regionem, but not animantia, not ejus incolas; the fabrick of Heaven and elementary Re­gion, but not the living Creatures, and the Inhabitants of the World. The Syriack version by Tremelius hath it, Ʋniversa Creatura, Tremel. versio. Syr. the whole Crea­ture, or Creation; the Greek is [...], The Creature, indefinitely, and as the new Translation reads it. Indeed vers. 22. there is [...], Every Creature, as the Geneva reads; Omnes Creaturae, as the Syriack version by Tremelius, Tremel. All [Page 14] the Creatures, the whole Creation, as our new Translatiō; for [...] signifies as well the Creation as the Creature; Mark 10 6. [...], ab intio Creationis, from the beginning of the Creation.Aug. in Rom. & in libro 83. q. q. 67. Augustine in expositione quarundam propositionum ex Epistola ad Romanos, and Libro 83. q. q. 67. by every Creature understands Man, and would illustrate his Expo­sition by that place, Mark 16.15. Prae­dicate Evangelium [...] omni Crea­turae, Preach the Gospell to every Crea­ture; there indeed by [every Creature] is meant man.Act. 10.35. Acts 10.35. Men of every Nation. Gal. 3.28. Galath. 3.28. not one­ly Jews but Greeks, whether bond or free, all are one in Christ; yea, Bar­barians and Scythians,Col. 3.11. Colos. 3.11. Om­nis creaturae nomine signatur homo, saith Greg. magnus in his 29.Greg Hom. 29 in Evang. Hom. in Evang. by the name of every Creature is meant man, yet do not I think that upon the [Page 15] same grounds man is meant, that he there alledgeth, though that which hee alledgeth bee true, namely, be­cause man hath something common to all other Creatures with him; he hath Beeing with the Stones, Motion with the Heavens, growth cōmon with the Plants, Sense with the Bruits, un­derstands with the Angels; so that he is a [...], or little world of himself: yet the Spirit of God doth not use to ground Phrases upon such Philosophi­call niceties; neither hence need wee flow over into so much superstitious diligence with St. Francis, as to Preach to Wolves, or Crows, or Ravens, or such like uncapable Creatures; yet Gregory grants, that the place also may be meant of men of severall Nations. And when Augustine perceived that nos ipsi was opposed to the Creature, Verse 23. seeing [man] and the [Page 16] [Creature here] thus opposed by [man,] he would have man unrege­nerate, understood such a Creature, quae nondum per fidem aggregata numero filiorum Dei, which by faith is not yet gathered into the number of the Chil­dren of God. But Pace tanti dicatur viri, with the leave of so great a light of the Church [this Creature] must needs be the same, which in the nine­teenth Verse hath such an earnest ex­pectation for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God. Now this cannot be averred of the men unregenerate, as (God willing) shall appear hereafter, therefore cannot rightly be under­stood of them. Again, the difference here between [Nos ipsi) or [we our selves] and the [Creature] will ap­pear to be specificall and essentiall, not numericall onely or accidentall.O [...]g Ori­gen by the [Creature] understands the [Page 17] Angels and Archangels; Angels, be­cause he conceives it a subjugation, and Bond put upon them, to be mini­string spirits to us, whereas indeed they do it joyfully and freely, as de­lighted with those that shall be Heirs of Salvation: Archangels, because they are set over Provinces and Bat­tels, (Instrumentally I conceive he means,) to direct, restrain, govern, from Dan. 10.13.Dan. 10.13. Iun. annot in locum. which place Junius understands of Cambyses, and his Counsellers, and of Cyrus, and of Christ, chief of the Princes. These things considered we must needs con­fesse with learned Martyr, Locus qui­dem est difficilis, truly this is an hard Text of Scripture; so that I shall con­ceive it to fall within the compasse of one of those places spoken of by the Holy Ghost in St. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.6. 2 Peter 3.16. In St. Pauls Epistles there [Page 18] are [...], nonnulla difficilia intel­lectu, some things hard to be under­stood: this the most accurate, able, and piercing Divines finde most true.

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

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

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

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

By exceedingly fearing it, or gracelesly mocking at it.

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

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

[Page 22]3. The good Angels cannot here be meant by the [Creature,] because they cannot be said to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, for under that bondage, (properly so called) they never were, but the Creature here meant hath been under it, and shall be delivered from it, Verse 21.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To illustrate this subjection of the Creature to vanitie a little more in some particulars. The Earth we know is cursed for our sakes, or for sin in Adam; Gen. 3.17. Thorns and Thistles that was to bring out unto us, Maledicta sit terra propter te, Cursed is the earth for thy sake, Thorns and Thistles shall it bring out unto thee. It is smitten with barrennesse; as the Psalmist speaks, A fruitfull land makes he barren, for the wickednesse of those that dwell therein. Its made also subject to cor­ruption and destruction, for howso­ever Salomon saith, That the earth abides forever,Eccles 1.4. Eccles. 1.4. his mean­ing is not, that it abides for ever sub [Page 29] statu jam habito, in that state and con­dition its now in, for that is contrary to S. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.10.2 Pet. 3.10. Terra et quae in ea sunt opera exurentur, The earth with the works therein shall be burnt up. Iunius reads it, in seculum, for a long time, which comparatively may be said to be for ever, in respect of many other Creatures, that are of much lesse continuance. And as for the Air,See Psa. 78.69 [...] in seculum. Iunius Leol [...]m its often distempered by contagious, or filthy vapours, extremitie of cold, or burning heat, darkned by Clouds, moistened by Rain, and the like.

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

Iam jam tacturos sidera summa putes.

I would English it, as near as I could, out of the words of the Prophet, Psal. [Page 30] 107.25,Psa. 107.25, 26 26. For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy winde, which lif­teth up the Waves thereof; they mount up to Heaven. Then the Po­et addes, Iam jam tacturos tartara nigra putes; the Prophet thus, They go down again to the depth, &c. The Sunne, Moon and Starres are forced to serve the sonnes of Belial, and such as are prophane men: are subject to extraordinary Ecclipses, and darknes­ses, and at the comming of Christ, at that great and fearfull day,Matth. 24.29. Matth. 24.29. The Sunne shall be darkned, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the Starres shall fall from Heaven, and the Powers of heaven shall be shaken; and then the Creature, that was made subject to vanitie, shall be delivered from it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Again, though Christ were willing to subject himself to infinitely more miserie, yet it was impossible for him to be subject to vanity, neither as man saw he any corruption, he had none in soul, and so had none in body. Psal. 16.Psal. 16, 10.10. ‘Thou wilt not suffer thine holy One to see corruption. Act. 2.26, 27.Act. 2.26, 27. My flesh also shall rest in hope, be­cause thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell, neither wilt thou suf­fer thine holy One to see corrupti­on.’ Yea, but Christ was innocent, [Page 86] how should he be come justly to suffer for the nocent? To which it may bee answered, First, that he was willing so to do, (as you have heard,) he had compassion of mankinde, and would not that they should utterly and to­tally perish; and therefore, though innocent in himself, yet no wrong done to him from his Father, for he that knew no sinne was content to be made sinne for us,2 Cor. 5. last. 2 Cor. 5. last, Hee hath made him to be sinne for us, who knew no sinne. Sinne for us, that is, a sacrifice for sinne, for us. Hostiam & victimam pro nobis, ipsi enim imposuit nostrum reatum, Gualt. Hom. 24. in loc. as Gualt. Hom. 24. in lo­cum: He imposed the guiltinesse of our sinne upon him, that knew no sin of himselfe. Pro nobis fecerit mortem obite, perinde ac si peccator esset is, & maleficus, ct. in lacum. as Theaphilact in locum, He made him to undergo death for us, as [Page 87] if he had been a sinner, and an evill doer. Gal. 3.13.Gal. 3.13. He was made a curse for us, for its written, Deut. 21. last,Deut. 21. last. He that is hanged, is accursed of God. In Gal. 3.10.Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. This curse of God Christ was willing to undergo, to free us from the eternall curse of God, which mans sinne had deserved. Esa. 53.3, 4.Esay 53.3, 4.5, 10. He is despised and reje­cted of men. Vir dolorum, a man of sor­rows, and acquainted with grief, &c. Surely, he hath born our grief, and carryed our sorrows, &c. Vers. 5. Hee was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are hea­led. And Verse 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sinne; in this sense he was made sinne for us, and thus became Author of Salvation [Page 88] to all that obey him.Heb. 5.9. Heb. 5.9. But not every one who walk according to their own lusts, and then tell of Christ, of the merits of Christ, the mercies of Christ, and the like; have Christ of­ten in their mouthes, but seldome in their mindes; often in their words, but seldome in their workes; such walk not as they have Christ for an example, but as enemies to the Crosse of Christ.

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

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

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

If we take a short view of the sen­sible [Page 93] Creatures that are made subject to vanity, by reason of the sinne of man, we shall finde them to appear in a great number, (letting passe the noisome qualities of divers Herbs and Plants) that God hath often armed with vengeance to punish man, whose sinne occasioned the bringing of them within the common course of corrup­tion. First let us begin with the Lion, which is accounted the King of the Beasts of the field, and stoutest of any. When David (let me say) in carmine lugubri, or in his Elegies for Saul and Ionathan, would much magnifie them, he said, 2 Sam. 1.23.2 Sam. 1.23. that they were Leonibus fortiores, stronger then Lions. 2 Sam. 17.10.1 Sam. 17.10. when Hushai would set out the valiant among the souldiers of Absolon, he saith, And he also which is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a Lion, &c. By these God hath pu­nished [Page 94] man, whom he once made Lord over them.1 Kings 13.24, 1 Kings 13.24. a Lyon met the disobedient Prophet, and slew him.2 Kings 17.25. 2 Kings 17.25. when the King of Babylon had carryed the Israelites Captives, and had sent the Gentiles into their Possessions, so it was in the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord, therefore the Lord sent Lions among them, which slew some of them: So that the Idolatrous Gentiles felt the smart of Gods revenging Hand within his Land, as well as did the Idolatrous Jews: and ignorance of worshipping the true God, proved no shelter to save them from his stroke. These in­stances are remarkable out of the holy Story, how many more might I adde out of humane Stories, written by men of great judgement and credit, to shew how God in other ages hath [Page 95] done the like?Sebast. Munst. in Cosmogr. de terris Asiae Majoris lib. 5. in ipsa calce. Sebastian Munster in his Cosmographie writing de terris Asiae Majoris, tells us of the City of Sana, and the Countries thereabout, and that in the Inlands more remote from the Sea, there is an exceeding high Mountain, and a large, abound­ing with all manner of wilde Beasts, and amongst the rest, Palantur ibi com­plusculi Leones, hominibus supra modum infensi, idque efficit ut illac tutum iter non pateat, nisi centum simul viatoribus, qui frequentiori numero perterreant feras: that is, there are Lions there in great abundance, wandring and ranging abroad, and are above measure mo­ved with anger against men, or do hate them, in so much that no jour­ney can safely be taken thither under the number of an hundred men in a company, that by their multitude they may make those wilde Beasts [Page 96] afraid. And how obvious in Histories are many such passages?

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

Thirdly, the next eminent enemy of mankinde, is the Evening Wolf; Lupus vespertinus, as Iunius, often men­tioned in Holy Writ:Ier. 5.6. as Ieremiah 5.6. where he threatens, that a Lion out of the Forrest shall slay their great [Page 101] men, and a Wolf of the Evening shall spoil them, &c. which though it ayme at Nebuchadnezzar, and his mightie & terrible Armies, as Vers. 15. yet because they should symbolize in some qualities with these and the like Creatures, therefore are they set out under the names of such strong, cruell, and terrible Creatures, with whom in these things they should symbolize. Thus Zephanie 3.3.zeph. 3.3. Her Princes with­in her are roaring Lions, her Judges are Evening Wolves. And Habak. 1.8.Habak. 1.8. Their Horses also are swifter than the Leopards, and fiercer then the Eve­ning Wolves. Historians write of the Leopard to be so swift, that as the Tyger, when men steale away her Whelpes, being well mounted on the speediest Horses, yet she pursuing the footsteps, and with that exceeding diligence and velocitie, they have no [Page 102] way to escape from being overtaken, but by setting of Glasses in the way, at which when she comes in pursuit, she stands so long in viewing of her own likenesse, that they gather ground, and out-ride her, or else cast down one of her Whelpes in the way, which she taking up, is retarded with its carryage, and so the Rider is safe: for the which you may read Sebastian Munster in his Geographie,Sebast Munst. in Cosmogr. lib. 5. cap. 85. lib. 5. cap. 85. So the Leopard is very swift and active, and therfore the enemies Hor­ses herein resembled to her. The lat­ter, which is the Wolf, is called the Evening Wolfe, because that is the time when he creeps out of his lurk­ing places to seek for his Prey.Psal. 104.20. Psal. 104.20. Thou makest darknesse, and it is night, wherein all the Beasts of the Forrest creep forth: and how this English Island hath been infested in [Page 103] former ages by these cruell Creatures it may appear, in that we read in the Histories thereof, how some of its Kings, viz, Edgar, have caused their Rents to have been paid to them in Wolves Skinnes, to the end they might be hunted for with more dili­gence, taken and destroyed: so that this Land [praised be God] hath not of a long season been troubled with these dangerous and ingluvious Beasts.

Fourthly, the serpent hath been an instrument not only to deceive our first Parents, but to punish many of their posteritie. Amos. 9.3.Amos 9.3. Though they be hid from my sight in the bot­tom of the Sea, thence will I command the Serpent, and he shall bite them. And Numbers 21.6.Num. 21.6. When the peo­ple, which he had brought out of Ae­gypt, murmured against him, he sent fierie Serpents amongst them, and they [Page 104] bit the people,Deut. 8.15. and much people of Js­rael died: and Deu: 8.15. In that terri­ble wildernesse were fierie Serpents, and Scorpions. Now they are called (fi­erie Serpents) either [qualitative] in regard of themselves, because they had much choler, and fierie nature in them; or else (effective) because they caused burning like fire, or an extream and painfull heat in the flesh of those whom they had bit,Lucas Osiand. in locum. &c. Lucas Osiander thinkes they might be so called from both: morsu suo venenum ealidissimum in­fectis infunderet, ut pestifero ardore corre­pti miserime vitam finirent. that kind of Serpent did in its biting or stinging of them, infuse a most hot venome into such as they infected, so that being struck into a grievous heat, they died most miserably. Conrade Pellican thinks, that ferventi et venenoso anhelitu, they did inficere both corpora et aerem, [Page 105] that with their fiery hot & venomous breathings, they did not onely infect their bodies, but even the Air also, and no marvell then if many of the people died.

Fiftly and lastly, see how by more contemptible, sensible creatures, he hath punished man (to let al the insen­sible passe) as if the whole creation, or every creature were willing to be re­venged of him, for the forfeiting of Gods favour, and the bringing of such a miserie, or curse, vanitie, or slavery upon them. To let Ratts and Mice Passe, with which we read whole I­lands to have been vexed and plagued: I will but briefely instance in those poor, base, and contemptible, & impo­tent creatures, sensible, which God used in the plaguing of Aegypt.

Exod. 8.3.Exod. 8.3 God threatened to plague Pharaoh with Frogges in such abun­dance [Page 106] which the river should bring forth, that they should go up, and come into his house, and into his bedcham­ber, and upon his bed (and these in such multitudes, to glore upon him, as come to devour him, could not but for the present exceedingly affright him) and these were to do the like in the houses of his servants, and of his peo­ple, and to come up into their Ovens, and into their kneading troughs: which could not but be loathsome, and troublesome to looke upon. See the like by as contemptible things. Exodus. Exod. 8.17. 8.17. All the dust of the Land became Lice, upon man, and upon Beast, and this the Magicians of Pha­raoh were not able to imitate; God suffered them to go no further, least they should have been thought to have been as potent to have done Mi­racles, as Moses and Aaron. Therefore [Page 107] when they saw this, they confessed Vers 19. Digitus Dei est hic, Vers. 19. this is the Finger of God. Yet by as contempti­ble as these, Exod. 8.24.Exod. 8.24. He sent such a swarm of Flies into the House of Pharaoh, and into the houses of his ser­vants and people, that the Land was corrupted by reason of that swarm of Flies. Yet howsoever God suffered the Magicians to bring out some Froggs, by the skill of the Devill, in applying naturall causes, or at least in outward shew and appearance; yet Non potuerunt abigere, they were not able to drive, or take away the Froggs, that Moses, and Aaron had brought up, but Pharaoh must be forced to sue, and seek to them for that. And the Lice you see they could not pro­duce, that Pharaoh and his servants might the better consider, by what meanes they produced the Froggs.

Lastly, See but what he did by the Locusts,Exod. 10.4, 5, 14, 15. Exodus. 10.4.5.14, 15. Never were any such Locusts seen before, yet so long as they did but affright, and Plague them, and struck them not dead, in great number; but struck their Cattle, their grounds, their fruits, affli­cted their bodies, but took of his hand before he took away life, so long, tho they were affraid of Israel, and could have wished them well quit of them, but yet the Courtiers and men about the King, were not so vehemently ur­gent for their departure, but now whē Pharaoh and his peoples wickednesses were at the full, now God fell upon the Sonn that sprung out of his own bowells, yea upon him that should have succeeded him in his Throne, up­on all the Noble mens Herds in Ae­gypt, upon the Gentry and Commo­nalty, all had a like share, the rich could [Page 109] not any way avoid the last and most terrible blow, any more then the poor­est beggar. Exodus. 12.29.30.31.32.33,Exod. 12.29, 30, 31, 32. At midnight the Lord smote all the first born in the Land of Aegypt, from the first born of Pharaoh that sate upon his Throne; Qui sessurus erat super thronum ejus, as Junius reads, which was about to sit upon his Throne, or was to succeed Pharaoh in sitting upon his Throne. Others,Versio vulgaris Qui sedebat in solio ejus which sate on his seat. Some think that his first born was Adultus, come to be a man, was of ripe years and did sit on the Throne with him to be accquaint­ed with the government of the King­dom. Yet if we look upon the words only Grammatically, and in them­selves, without collation with the contextualls, we may referr the Rela­tive qui, to Pharaoh, ad primogenitum Pha­raonis, qui scilicet Pharao sedebat in solio [Page 110] ejus, id est, in Throno suo Regali, to the first born of Pharaoh which sate upon his throne, that is, which Pharaoh him­self sate upon his own regal Throne, and not unto his first born. If you urge the Pronoune [ejus] which sate upon (his) Throne: And would conceive it spoken as Emphatically, rather then simply declaratively, and so have it to note out diversity of persons, though the same place. I answer: Though I shall not oppose this, because I know many learned men do so conceive of it, yet if we stand upon Grammaticals, I see not how the text will necessitate the reader to that sense, for (his) may have relation to [Pharaoh] as well as to his (first born) as I have said. And collate it with the next Passe thus, Ʋs­que ad primogenitum captivi, qui erat in ergastulo, as Iunius reads; or, usque ad primogenitum captivae ancillae, quae erat in [Page 111] carcere, as others, unto the first-born of the Captive that was in Prison, or in the Dungeon. Now [qui] in that place may have relation as well to the Captive, as to the first-born; for it may be the Captive was in prison, and not his first born. This rather I con­ceive to move, to understand it rather of his Sonne, then himself, accord­ing to our version, or the version of Iu­nius and Tremelius, because they read qui s [...]ssurus, [as you have heard] which was about to sit upon his Throne hereafter. Or [the Throne] and [his Throne] may be conceived as diffe­rent, if we read thus, From the first-born of Pharaoh that sat upon [the] Throne, then would it make plainly for Pharaoh, and not for his primo genite. But if upon [his Throne] as thus, From the first-born of Pharaoh that sat upon [his Throne,] then it [Page 112] may make for the primogenite of Pha­raoh, as well as for himself, and let it passe for him. This was, you have heard, the last Plague upon Egypt, be­fore Israels departure; but not upon the Egyptians, God made a full end of them by water, who would not be warned by all his wonders he wrought upon the Land.Exo. 14.27, 28 Exod. 14.27, 28. and though all Egypt perished not, yet as many as pursued Israel, perished in the waters, there was not one of them left. When they perceived that God took off their Chariot Wheels, and could see and say,Exod. 14.25. that God fought for Israel against them,Vers. 24. Exod. 14.25. and this caused them to fear, Verse 24. as the Geneva Translation hath it.Iosh. 24.7. And Ioshua 24.7. he put darknesse between the Israelites and the Egyptians, which darknesse was a Cloud, black, thick and dark, so that the Egyptians [Page 113] who marched so fast and furiously with their Horse, could not now see or discern how farre Israel was distant from them, which in humane judge­ment they might soon otherwise have overtaken, and destroyed.Iosephus. For Iose­phus writes, that besides those six hundred chosen Chariots, mentioned Exod. 14.7. there were 50000 Horse,Exod. 14.7. besides 200000 Foot, if we may give any credit to his testimony herein.Lyra in locum. Ly­ra saith, that they saw not only Magnam multitudinem, a mightie and a great multitude, but bene armatam & doctam ad praelium, well armed they were, and expert Warriours, well Trained; which when the people saw and consi­dered, together with the weaknesse of themselves, want of Training, want of Arms; for in their slavery in Egypt they might not use the one, nor be ex­pert in the other, no not in common [Page 114] policie; for Egypt was afraid of their multitude, therefore said their King, when he saw them increase in great abundance, and growing mightie in the Land,Exod. 1.7. Exod. 1.7. Agedum sapienter nos geramus, Exod. 1.10. &c. Exod. 1.10. Come on let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, &c. They being in no bet­ter posture for warre than in humane probabilitie they were then, looking but upon the arme of flesh, it was not like but that they should have been utterly foiled by so potent an Army, therefore when they saw them, they cried out unto the Lord, and were sore afraid,Exod. 14.10. Vers. 11. Exod. 14.10. and Vers. 11. they mock Moses, saying, Were there not Graves in Egypt, that thou hast brought us hither to die in the Wil­dernesse?Vers. 12. And Vers. 12. puts him in minde what forewarning they had gi­ven him of this, that it had been bet­ter [Page 115] for them to have served the Egyp­tians, (or, which was as much in ef­fect, as to have been their Slaves still) then to have offered to have made an escape, & then not be able, but be furi­ously fallen upon by the great Dragon of the Waters, Pharaoh and his puis­sant Army, and be miserably hewne in pieces. Thus did the carnall mindes of Hypocriticall Hearts amongst them reason, notwithstanding all the won­ders their eyes had seen, and which God had wrought for them. But among a great multitude there usually are some nought, who fare the better, and are spared for the righteous sake. Many such escaped Pharaoh, and the Red-Sea, that perished in the Wilder­nesse, as you may read, 1 Corinth. 10.5.1 Cor. 10 5. Heb. 3.17. and Heb. 3.17. But with whom was he grieved fortie years, was it not with those that had sinned, whose Carka­ses [Page 116] fell in the Wildernesse. Thus God threatned them,Numb. 14.23. Numb. 14.23. seeing that they had seen what he had done in Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and in the Wildernesse,Num 14.22, 23. Num. 14.22, 23. and yet so basely murmured, and made such a faithlesse complaint at the re­lation of the difficultie to conquer the Land, what should become of their Wives and Children? The Lord makes answer,Num. 14.29, 30, 31. Numb. 14.29, 30, 31. Your Carkases shall fall in the Wildernesse. As if he had said, you do not beleeve you shall ever be able to see the pro­mised Land, and therefore you shall not. And all that were numbred of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, doubtlesse ye shall not come into the Land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the [Page 117] sonne of Iephumeh, and Ioshua the sonn of Nun. But your little ones, that you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the Land which ye have despised.

Two things made Gods last blow most terrible to Aegypt, the destroy­ing all the first born, and that at mid­night, at a time of deepest rest and si­lence, whereupon Conrade Pellican notes,Conrade Pel­lican in locum. nihil charius habetur primogenitis filiis &c what is dearer, or more esteemed amongst men then their first born? whereupon Micha saith, Micha. 6.7.Micha 6.7. shall I give my first born for my trans­gression, the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule? as if they should have said, what have we more dear under the Sunne then these? And Zach: 12.10.Zach. 12.10. And they shall be in bit­ternesse for him (or lament, or mourn for him) as one that is in bitternesse [Page 118] for his first born. As if he should have said, the first born as they are most dearly beloved, so they are most deep­ly lamented: and in the like speech­es alluding to that in Exodus, Exod: 22.29.Exod. 22.29. The first born of thy sonns shalt thou give unto me. And for the latter, bringing this plague upon them at midnight, nocturno tempore horribiliora sunt omnia adversa quam interdiu, Pellican. as Pelli­can notes; upon the night time all trou­bles are more terrible then upon the day, wherin some comfort may he had And as for Aegypt, they had in all pro­bability dealt thus with many of the first born of Israel, therfore no mar­vell if God also thus dealt with them; and not only with Pharaoh, his Nobles, and People, but with the Captives in prison.Exod. 11.5. Exod: 11.5. Unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behinde the mill. Quia Captivi et Captiva coge­bantur [Page 119] operari in Carceribus, Lyra in locum. as Lyra notes, because their captives, both mē & women were compelled to work in their prison houses. And they are said to be behind the Mill, because as they made servants of their Captives, so trudebant molas, as Junius notes,Iunius in loc. they caused them in their prisons to thrust their Mills about, for the doing of which they stood behind them. And thus you may read how the Philistines did with Samson, Judges 16.22.Iudges 16.22. When they had taken him, and put out his eyes, they caused him to grinde in the prison house. And God dealt thus in destroying the first born of the Cat­tle also. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants, & all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not an house, where there was not one dead: so that there was a Generall Lamentation [Page 120] through the whole land. To have seen what wringing of hands, knocking of brests, dolefull complaints, vehement outcries were made in every Town, and City, of Parents, Kinsfolkes, Friends, throughout the whole Land, from one end of their dwelling to an­other, so that as it was said of them at the buriall of Jacob, Gen. last. 11. Gen: the last. 11. Luctus gravis hic est Egypto, or, Planc­tus magnus hic est Egyptiis. This is a grievous mourning to the Egypti­tians; so I may say of this nights mourning, Planctus magnus hic erat Egyptiis, This was a grievous mour­ning to the Egyptians. A grie­vious mourning they had when old Israel went out of their Land, but a more grievous when the seed of Israel was to goe out; not for the love they did bear unto them, but for the love they had to their own, which they [Page 121] lost when they were to part with thē. And now might they feel by wo­full experience, in the loss of their own children, what heavie hearts they made to the poor Israelites in the kill­ing of theirs. Exod: 1.22.Exod. 1.22. Pharaoh char­ged all his people, saying, every sonne that is born ye shall cast into the river, &c. when he saw that the male chil­dren were not destroyed by the mid­wives occulte, voluit hoc facere manifeste, as Lyra notes; when not secretly,Lyra. in loc. then would he have them destroyed open­ly. Ac cum neque labores, Iunius in loc. neque mo­lestiae procreationem minuerent libe­rorum, neque obstetrices clam natos eo­rum tollerent, in apertam tyrannidem perrupit, et immane de submergendis pueris decretum promulgavit, as Junius. And when he saw that neither la­bour nor grievances would hinder the increase of the people, nor yet [Page 122] that the Midwives would kill them secretly, he broke out into open Tyranny, and published a wicked and cruell Decree concerning the drowning of their Male Children: Et sperabat tum Satanas; se hoc modo stirpem è qua Christus [...]ess [...]t [...]nasciturus extirpaturum; Lucas Osian­der. as Osiander observes, And by this means Sathan hoped, saith he, to have rooted out that stock, and race, of which Christ was to spring. And when God would not suffer him thus far to prevaile, see how he stirred Herod up again against all the Male Children, that were in Bethlehem, Matth. 2.16. and the Coasts thereof: but all in vain, Consilium suum stabit, as said the Prophet, his Counsell shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure,Isa. 46.10. Isai. 46.10. True it is indeed, that this was a great grief and affliction to the people of Israel, yet many of [Page 123] them were Idolaters, and served the Idols of Egypt, and complyed with them in their Idolatry, with the which the Lord was grieved.Ezek. 20.7, 8. Ezek. 20.7, 8. Cast ye away every man the abomination of his eyes, and defile not your selves with the Idols of E­gypt; for I am the Lord your God. But they did not forsake those Idols of Egypt, and therefore the Lord was resolved to poure out his fury upon them, and to accomplish his anger against them, in the midst of that Land. Exod. 1.13.14.Exod 1.13, 14 As for themselves, the Egyptians made them serve with rigour, and they made their lives bitter with Morter, and Brick, and in all manner of Ser­vice in the field: all their Service wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. They chidd them and reproached them Verbis duris, Lyra. & pun­gitivis, [Page 124] as Lyra, with harsh, hard, and pricking provoking words. They had dura verba, but duriora verbera, hard words they had, but their stripes and blowes were harder.Exod. 5 16. Ex. 5.16. Behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own people; or, En Famu­li tui flagellis caeduntur, as the Vulgar, Behold, thy servants are beaten with whipps. And no marvell if their lives were bitter unto them,Iosephus. if Iosephus say truth, both propter gravitatem et vilitatem operis, for the grievous­nesse and greatnesse of their labour: having such hard tasks set them, which might not be abated; and likewise for the basenesse of their works, be­ing compelled, Exportare faeces, et im­mundicias, de vicis extra civitatem, to carry dung, and all manner of filth out of their Streets to without their Cities. They built Pharaoh [Page 125] two Cities, Exodus 1.11.Exod. 1.11, & 14. Pithom and Raamses; and these they built him of brick, and morter, verse 14. and there he laid his fruits, and his treasure. And they used them also for drudgery, in tilling of their ground, and any manner of husban­dry in the field; and their children also you see how they were destroy­ed before their eyes, which did grie­viously vex the hearts of them. Thus would God have them punish­ed, in the middst of the Land of Egypt, for their vilenesse and Ido­latry, yea herein they were so vile, that after Gods wonderfull delive­rance of them, yet they fell to it againe in the wildernesse, as you may see, Exodus 32.1.2.3.4.Exod. 32.1, 2, 3.4. Yet when God saw their enemies insult, and considered not that God had given them that power over [Page 126] them, he cursed their enemies, and slew the cheife of all their strength, even their primogenite, as you have heard, in which their hearts did most rejoyce, thus Iacob speaks to Reuben Gen: 49.3.Gen. 49.3. Thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. My might, that is Primus effectus natura­lium virium, Iunius annot. in loc. as Iunius; the first effect of my naturall strength, and might, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. The excellency of dignity, because chief of thy bre­thren. Of power, because to have had a double portion,Deut. 21.17. and in thee my family began to be increased, and gather might. And thou wast the excellency of dignity, because of the Priest-hood; and of power, be­cause of rule and Princedome, both [Page 127] which thou forfeited by thy incestu­ous wickednesse.Nicholaus de Lyra in loc. Now when the first-born; or first of their strength was thus destroyed throughout all Egypt, in every house, such a hideous Cry was made, that Pharaoh started out of his Bed on the night time, and finding his sonne, his first-born, to whom he intended his Crown, to be dead, he wanted no affrighting: see­ing Gods Arrow strike into his house, yea, to hitt the chief Member of it, next to himself, he was afraid lest the next Arrow might hitt himself. Jam tua res agitur, paries dum proximus ardet; you know who spoke it, When the next house is on fire, its high time to look to our own. Now Pharaoh needed no more intreatie, he was willing to let the people flock, and all go. Now not onely men, but vvomen and chil­dren must go also; and not onely [Page 128] they, but Flock, and Herd, and what they would, so they would be gone, before Egypt was totally destroyed: for they were afraid, that if they were not let go, the rest of the Egyptians would also be destroyed. And now might an Israelite have had a Furlong from Pharaoh upon reasonable terms, to have passed all his Scouts, and Guards. Yet because the Devill could not be content to lose Pharaoh, no more than Pharaoh could lose Israel, therefore he stirres up Pharaoh to pur­sue. And Salomon hath it, Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved,Prov. 29. and hardeneth his neck, shall be destroyed suddenly, and that without remedy. And was it with him & with his army any otherwise, even when he presu­med that Israel was in his Jawes; and when he thought they had missed their vvay in the vvildernesse, and [Page 129] were Man, Woman, and Childe at his mercie: Goods, Cattell, and all they borrowed of the Egyptians, and all they had: then vvas he the nearest his fearfull ruine. Exod. 14.2, 3. God bid Mos [...]s speak to the Children of Israel, that they should turn and En­camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the Sea, over-against Baal-zephon, &c. divertant, let them turne aside, as Iunius and Tremelius read:Iunius Trem. Exod. 13.17. God gives a reason for it, Chap. 13. Verse 17. God set them not through the way of the Land of the Phili­stines, although that was near, for God said, Lest the People repent, when they see Warre, and they re­turn to Egypt. So he that could work without means, would use means to keep them forward. R versi sunt, as the Vulgar, they turned again; yea, Aliquantulum versus Egyptum, a little [Page 130] towards Egypt, as Lyra hath it; as though they had meant to have ei­ther come back again into Egypt, or else wandred in the Desart they knew not wh [...]t [...]er. For being before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol, and the Sea,Iosephus. over against Baal-zephon, Ios [...]phus observes, that they had ex uno latere mare, ex alio montem magnum, & asperri­mum, They had the Sea on the one hand, and a great and steep Moun­tain upon the other, and had no way to passe on drie land, but that way that Pharaoh was comming against them with his Army. And instead of è regione Phiai [...]oth, Iunius Versio, &c. (as the Vulgar,) over-against Pi-hahiroth. Iunius reads, ante fauces Montium Chirotharum, before the narrow passages or straits be­tween the Mountains of Pi-hahiroth, or before, between Migdol and the Sea, over-against Baal-zephon. What [Page 131] manner of place that was, Pharaoh ex­planes in the next Verse, which God foretold he would use; or inward­ly so say, & think in his minde, They are intangled in the Land, the Wil­dernesse hath shut them in: or, Coarc­tati sunt in terra, (as the Vulgar) they are straitned or shut up in the Land. Or, irretiti, as others, They are in­snared in the strait places in the Wil­dernesse, amongst the steep and high Hills, and are kept in on the other hand by the Sea. For thus had Pha­raoh gotten intelligence by his Scouts, and Spies, and therefore made haste to the prey, little questioning but that all was his own. But Exod. 14.24, 25.Exod. 14.24, 25. In the Morning Watch the Lord look­ed unto the Host of the Egyptians through the Pillar of Fire, and of the Coud, and troubled the Host of the Egyptians. This Cloud and Fire is [Page 132] that mentioned before,Verses 19, 20. Verses 19, 20. which came from before them, to be­hinde them, to guard them from the Egyptians. The morning Watch was the three last hours of the night, as saith the Geneva Note; and how he troubled the Host of the Egyptians, we see Verse 25. He took off their Chariot Wheels, so that they drave them heavily. I do not think that the Spoaks and Wheels were onely clogged with much tough, thick and tenacious heavie Clay, which stuck to them, as some do; that indeed would retard them, but that was not all; the Text saith, He took off their Chariot Wheels.Iunius Ablatesquerotis, as Iunius, and their Wheels being taken away, sub­vertit rotas curruum, as the Vulgar, He overthrew their Chariot Wheels,Vulg. versio. so that they had much trouble in the dri­ving of their Chariots. If he did but [Page 133] onely take them off, it would be a great trouble and stay in their March, in putting them on again; and who knowes how often God might take them off? for that is not expressed in the Text. But it may be objected, if the Wheels were taken off, how could they drive at all? Osiander answers,Lucas Osiand. Rotis momento vel detractis, vel confra­ctis currus everterentur; The Wheels being removed, or in a moment bro­ken, the Chariots would soon be o­verturned. It may be when God took them off, they were made more un­serviceable then before, broken or bruised, so that they could but drive them slowly: God did by this means so retard their motion, that they could make no great haste after the Israelites. And Psal. 77.17, 18.Psal. 77.17, 18 the Clouds powred out water, the Skies sent out a sound, thine Arrows also [Page 134] went abroad. The voice of thy thun­der was in the Heaven, the lightnings lightned the world, the earth trem­bled and shook, so that the Egypti­ans said, Let us flie from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians: so that they would presently have retreated, which when the Lord saw, he caused Moses to strike the waters again, and so drowned them before they could have time to return.Lyra in loc. But Lyra notes, that this was after the Israelites were gotten out of the compasse of the Sea, to the drie Land on the Sea shore, or much before them, that the waters should not hurt them; for when Pharaoh and his Host first entered the Sea, Filii Israel jam essent multum elon­gati à litore; The Children of Israel had then passed on a great distance from that Shoar on which Pharaoh [Page 135] entred. jam enim Israelitae alveum maris egressi erant et versabantur in continenti, as Osiander; Lucas Osiand. Now the Isralites were gotten out of the channell and bot­tom of the Sea and remained on the continent. And I might note here how God punished Pharaoh, and all his puissant Hoast, by an insensible Creature, but letting passe those, let me answer one objection and so on. Exod: 14.13.Exod. 14.13. Moses told the Israelites, when as yet they were not entred the Sea, but stood trembling and quaking to see the mightie Host of the Egyptians, that the Egyptians they saw that day, they should see them no more for ever.Vers. 30. And yet Vers. 30. its said, the Israelites saw the E­gyptians dead upon the Sea shore. The answer is very easie, for the Is­raelites saw them no more as any li­ving or pursuing Enemies, but saw [Page 136] dead upon the Sea shoar. Some think upon that shore next Egypt, but that is not like. Others, that they were wrecked and cast out of the Sea to that shore, on which the Israelites landed, that they might the more be incited to give glory to God, and be incouraged against their enemies. And Josephus adds,Iosephus Vt haberent arma corum ad defendendum se contra Hostes insur­gentes, that so the Israelites might be furnished with their Armes against all such enemies as might arise against them in the way.Iunius. But Junius reads it, Ʋideruntque Israelita Egyptios mori­entes in littore maris, The Israelites saw the Egyptians dying on the Shore; that is, saith he, è litore, maris trajecto hostes suos morientes spectarunt, The Israelites themselves standing now safe, being passed thorow the Sea, did from the Shore see their enemies sink­ing, [Page 137] and dying in the waters of the Sea. Exod: 15.5.Exod. 15.5. The depths co­vered them, they sanke into the bottom as a stone, so that no Art of swimming could help them; no, verse. 10.Vers. 10. They sanke as Lead in the mightie waters, Exod: 14.27.Exod. 14.27 The Lord over-threw the Egypti­ans in the middst of the Sea. Thus God caused those mad and raging waves, and proud Billowes, to swal­low that mad, proud, and raging people.

Secondly, This judgement must fall on them at such a time, as it was most terrible, as you have heard, so that the circumstance of time did increase the plague that God inflicted on them. The more suddenly and un­expectedly that any trouble assailes us, the more grievously it afflicts us, and especially on the night, when we [Page 138] are setled to rest. The old Moralist plainly, yet truly, said, Levius laedit quicquid praevideris ante, Things fore­seen lesse hurt us when they fall upon us, because in the interim we prepare our selves against they fall: praemoni­tus, praemunitus, fore-warned, fore-armed. The efficient cause of the Creatures subjection to vanitie, was God, who [as you have heard] was the absolute Lord of the Creature, he hath subjected the same [...], sub spe, under hope.

Hope is here ascribed to the Crea­ture as unwillingnesse was, as ex­pectation was, which, as you have heard, cannot properly be predicated of the Creature here mentioned,Chrysost. The­ophylact. in. lo­cum. but as Chrysostom observes, the Apostle here faineth a certaine person of the Creatures, attributing unto them affections, as will, desire, hope, [Page 139] sorrow, grieving, &c. Beza hath also well observed,Beza in locum that Totus hic sermo per Prosopopaeiam accipiendus, That this whole passage, and text of the Scrip­ture here concerning the Creature, is to be conceived of by way of prosopo­paeia, as in part you have heard, Fi­guratively, attributing unto them hu­mane affections.

[...], Under hope, or in hope: but of what? I answer, under hope of being delivered from the bondage of coruption, for he that hath subject­ed the Creature to vanity, yet intends not forever to involve the Creature under the curse; no, you have heard verse 19. that there is an earnest ex­pectation of the Creature, of the ma­nifestation of the sonns of God, the Creature stands as it were upon tipp­toes & as stretching out the neck, wai­ting with great earnestnesse and desire [Page 140] to see that day when the sonns or children of God shall be manifested in that glorious state, which in this life, during their mortall bodies, cannot be seen, and the hope of the Creature is nothing else but the naturall expe­ctation of liberation from the incum­bent corruption. For there is appe­titus naturaliter insitus, qui sanè non erit perpetuò irritus, There is a naturall ap­petite in the Creature, which doubt­lesse shall not be continually, or for­ever frustrate of this expectation.

And in that the Lord of the Crea­ture made them thus subject to va­nitie, we may collect, that this vanitie or corruption, to which they are now subject, was not naturall, or im­bred, or connaturall to the Crea­ture, God made it in a more excellent and healthfull constitution; but this was adventitiall, by reason of the sinn [Page 141] of man, who having displeased both his Maker and theirs, brought them into an ill condition, but himself into a worse; them lyable to vanity, but himself to perpetuall and eternall miserie.

Secondly, hence we see the horri­ble burthen of the punishment of sinn, in that not onely man is punished that sinned, but even the brute Beasts, yea such Creatures as are in­sensible also; and so heavily, that the Creature groans to be delivered from this bondage of corruption, or from the burthen. How much more may wicked men look to be punished for their own sinnes; yet these never groan under the waight of them, whilest they are in this life, and there­fore shall they gnaw their tongues, gnash their teeth, and groan for ever in the world to come, where the [Page 142] Worms shall never die, and their Fire shall never be quenched; and where they shall have no rest day nor night.

Thirdly, we see the greatnesse of Gods power, in that he could make the Creature subject to corruption; he that made it in a better estate, could also bring it to a worse, for the sinne of him that had the possession of it: and the Creature must be subject, it must obey. For what was the Crea­ture to stand it out against the Crea­tor? it was impossible for it to do it, but must yeeld to be in a worse estate than that in which it was created, though with an [...], not wil­lingly.

Fourthly and lastly, observe how God mingles his judgements with his mercies, in that the Creature hath a metaphoricall hope in it, that this cor­ruption or vanitie, to which it is sub­ject, [Page 143] shall once come to an end. If the Devils, or the Damned in Hell had but such hope as the Creature here hath, which were short of that crea­ted excellencie that they were crea­ted in, it would elevate their mindes to think of it; but they are under the Hatches of eternall despair, without any the least hope for ever. Oh what Soul seriously considers this, and trembles not? and sets not all things apart to betake it to such means, as will help towards heaven, and misse that miserie? and then may man have a more noble hope, than the Creature here mentioned can have. Thus I have done with the positive part of the Creatures subjugation.

Let us now come to the third part of the division, the relaxation, Be­cause the Creature it self also shall be de­livered from the bondage of corruption. [Page 144] The doctrine and parts in this Text, may not unfitly be resembled to Eze­kiels waters,Ezek. 47.3, 4, 5 Ezek. 47.3, 4, 5. which at the first measuring were but to the Ankles, at the second, but to the Knees, but at the third were to the Loyns, and at the fourth were rises to such a River, as a man might swim in, and could not be passed over, at least not without doubt and danger.

But to the third point, Because the Creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption; what was meant by the Creature we have heard be­fore, but the [...], as we say, or the main matter to be decerned, is (how) the Creature shall be delive­red from the bondage of corruption, and (what Creatures) shall be so de­livered. De re constat, disputatur de modo, Its certain enough that there shall be such a deliverance from the [Page 145] bondage of corruption, we have an [...], fecit, an ipse dixit here in the words; and we have it in terminis, in expresse termes; but all the difficultie consists in the manner of the delive­rance, after what manner the Crea­ture shall be delivered, and what Creatures they are that shall be deli­vered. For the former, concerning the manner of the deliverance, so farre as may fall within the compasse of rea­son, or a rationall discourse, we con­ceive it can but be one of these two wayes, either privativè, and termina­tivè, or reductivè, and transmutativê; either it must be delivered by being deprived of its Essence or Being, and then as we say, Non entis non sunt acci­dentia, of a non-Being there can be no accidents, there can be no vanitie, sla­very, wearinesse, corruption, or the like; for when they cease to be, they [Page 146] cease to be subject to such miseries, immutabilities, instabilities, and the like, then their being subject to vani­tie, is terminated as is their being.

Or else reductivè, and transmutativè, by being reduced into their former estate, in which they were created, and in which they stood before man sinned, and changed from corrupti­on into incorruption, from which estate, they shall never more be chan­ged. But whether of these two wayes the Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, is dignus vindice nodus, a knot worth unloo­sing, and a point that requires a seri­ous scrutinie. If by the Creature here we might upon sound grounds understand man onely, or at least man as yet in the state of nature un­converted, as Augustine doth, (as you have heard before) then might we [Page 147] say with Bullinger, Bullin. in loc. Locus hic difficilimus erit facilimus, The place which is con­ceived most difficult, would be ex­ceeding plain; or this hard, and intri­cate knot were easily loosed: Its to be understood of other Creatures besides man, as may appear by the reasons before alledged, and also by the judgements of divers most learned and able Divines.Dr. Willet qu. 27. in Rom. Expos. 5. Dr Willet shews in his 27 qu. upon the eight Chapter to the Romanes, Exposition the fift, that the most generall and received inter­pretation is, to understand corporalia, & irrationalia, things corporall and unreasonable, comprehending the Heavens and Starres, with the earth, together with living Creatures of all sorts, Trees, and Plants, and quotes Ambrose, Calvin, Martyr for this sense. If by the generall and received Inter­pretation he means the most generall, [Page 148] in regard of the subject matter, of which their interpretation is, it must needs be true. And I beleeve, the sense that himself flies to in his Expositi­on sexta, will not come so near to the mark. But that remains to be hand­led in the next place, to which wee shall reserve it, and the Authors he quotes for that he calls the more ge­nerally received, are not many, though the very truth is, that if a man look fully upon the face of these pas­sages in Rom. 8.19,Rom. 8.19, 20, 21.22. 20, 21, 22, &c. (for the places in Scripture are like Beacons upon Hills, which give light one to another,) it would much move him to this sense, which that pious, painfull and learned Divine before-named calls The most generall and re­ceived interpretation; as when we read of the earnest expectation of the Creature indefinitely, as Verse 19. [Page 149] the Creature was made subject to va­nitie, Verse 20. And the Ceature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of corruption, (that is, the same Creature before mentioned.) Verse 21. And the whole Creation groaneth, &c. Verse 22. These places I say, in themselves considered, would move us to understand a free­dome and liberation of the whole Creation. But this I conceive would easily be granted, for it can neither with faith nor reason be opposed: but then how the whole Creation shall be delivered from the bondage of cor­ruption, so as to be brought into the glorious liberty of the Children or sonnes of God, hic haerendum est, here we must pause a while. The whole Creation doubtlesse (in its latitude here meant) shall be delivered the one of those wayes before mentioned; [Page 150] but thus, as to be brought into the glo­rious libertie of the Children of God, will admit of a further dispute.

So farre as the Scriptures hold out any light, or a rationall discourse will carry, so farre a man may go in this point; but I have never as yet read, either in the Fathers, who touch upon this point, whereof Chrisostome seems most resolute, and for that ge­nerally or most generall received opi­nion, and interpretation before-men­tioned, nor in the Schoolemen, or middle, or modern Divines is this matter in hand absolutely, clearly, and satisfactorily determined and sta­ted. Neither do I think that it can be clearly and indubitatively determi­ned in this life, but probably and conjecturally. Onely Calvin, ha­ving asserted,Calvin in loc. that Deus simul cum hu­mano genere Orbom nunc collapsum in in­tegrum [Page 151] res [...]it [...]et; that God, together with man-kind will restore the now-decayed world into an entire, or un­corrupted estate, adds, Qualis vero futura sit integritas illa tam in pecudibus, quam in plantis, et metallis, curiosiùs in­quirere, neque expedit, neque fas est, &c. quaerunt arguti, (sed parum sobrii) an im­mortale set futurum omne genus animalium, his speculationibus, si fraenum laxetur, quor­sum tandem nos abripient? hac ergò sim­plici doctrina contenti simus, tale fore temperamentum, & tam concinnum ordi­nem, ut nihil vel deforme, vel fluxum appareat; but what manner of inte­gritie, or incorruptednesse that shall be as well in Beasts, as in Plants of the earth, and in Mettals under it, to make too curious an inquisition, is neither expedient, needfull, nor law­full, &c. quicksighted men (but in this not very wise) do ask whether [Page 152] every Kinde, or all sorts of living Creatures shalbe immortall, or no? If we give but scope to these speculati­ons, whether at length will they carry us? let us therfore, saith he, be content with this simple or plain truth, the moderation and order after the resti­tution shall be so fine, so sweet, or ex­cellent, which God will make, that nothing shall appear either uncomely, or unstable. Therefore I have said, that so farre as the Scripture holds out any light, or by a rationall dis­course, or grounds of sound reason that a man may go, so farre he may labour; and, est aliquid prodire tenus, it will be found somewhat to go thus farre. As for that sound and worthy Divine Peter Martyr, we shall have oc­casion to scanne him more narrowly hereafter, which though at his in­gresse to this point, he may seem to [Page 153] favour the most generall and received opinion, yet after a large dispute of it, the reader will finde him not so reso­lute: of whose words God willing by and by, though he will not conclude against it.

All Divines that I have read, or mett withall, fall but upon one of these two wayes, by which the Creature is to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, either aboliti­one, or purgatione, by abolition, or the totall and finall taking away the Be­ing of them; or else by the purging out the drosse and corruption from such Creatures as shall remain for substance. But whether of these two wayes will the better stand with the sense of the Apostles words, is the grand quaere, and I conceive this to be one of those abstruse points, de qui­bus [Page 154] optimis etiam Theologis liceat, [...], morari, ignorare, vel dissentire, salvâ charitate; concerning which it may be lawfull or safe, even to the best Divines, to demurre upon, to be ignorant of, or to dissent in, without breach of charitie, or hurt of pietie. In such cases the saying of Saint Augustine is good,August: lib: 8. de gen: ad lit: Cap: 5. Lib. 8 de gen. ad lite­ram, cap. 5. Melius est dubitare de occultis, quam litigare de incertis, It is better to stand in doubt of such things as God hath kept secret, then to strive, or too vehemently to contend in such as are uncertain; and onely so farre to be­leeve as he seeth either light from the Scriptures for, in terminis, or vertual­ly included in them, or soundly de­duced, or collected from them: for, quicquid vere & directe potest colligi ex Scripturis, dici potest Scriptura; what­soever can truely and directly, or by [Page 155] sound consequence be drawne or ga­thered from the Scripture, may be cal­led Scripture, because its vertually and implicitely in those terms, in which it is not alwayes verbally ex­pressed, but may be thence deduced, & by sound cōsequence concluded; to which, amongst many others,Zanch: de Re­ligio: Christ: Cap: de Scrip­turis. Thes: 11. profound Zanchie accords in his Book de Reli­gione Christiana. cap. de Script. Thes. 11. and which is a commonly received truth amongst all learned Divines that are Orthodox: Nihil de religio­ne statuendum esse in Ecclesia Dei, quod aut non habeat apertum in libris Canonicis testimonium, aut manifesta necessariaque con­secutione inde evincatur; nothing ought to be determined in the Church of God concerning Religion, that hath not either open proof in Canonicall Scriptures, or by manifest and neces­sary consequence, may be thence evin­ced: [Page 156] but by either of these wayes a point is made good by Scripture, and that may be called the Scripture by which its so made good. Or else so farre as he can see sound reason, or good grounds brought, such as are not against the Scripture, but rather fall in with it. And in treating upon such intricate passages as this, its wisdome for us to do as skilfull Sea-men do up­on dangerous and narrow Seas; they still take care to Plumbe or Sound, so that they fall upon no Rocks, nor Shelves, and so long they sail safely, though they finde not their desired Haven, for the present; so God wil­ling shall we do, we shall so sound the Sea of the Scriptures, and plumbe the road of reason, that we shall not ship­wrack truth upon any Shelves of Er­rour, and so farre the Bark of our dis­course may floate safely, though we [Page 157] accomplish not our intention for our desired Haven.

First then let us sound the Scrip­tures, and see how farre they will go with us, for the deliverance of the Creature from the bondage of cor­ruption, by abolition, or by a totall & finall destruction of the Beeing of the Creature here meant. Let us begin with Psalm. 102.26.Psa. 102.26. speaking of Heaven and Earth, the Prophet saith, they shall perish. This of the Prophet is repeated by the Apostle, Heb. 1.11.Heb. 1.11. Ipsi peribunt, they shall perish:Iob. 14.12. and Iob 14 12. Vsque dum non erunt Coeli, till the Heavens be no more.

Secondly, Luke 21.33.Luke 21.33. Coelum & terra transibunt, Heaven and Earth shall passe away.

Thirdly, Apocapalyp. 21.1.Apoc. 21.1. I saw a new Heaven, and a new earth, for the first was passed away.

2. Petër 3.10.Fourthly and lastly, to insist upon no more places, 2 Pet. 3.10. The hea­vens shall passe away with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat: the earth also and the Works therein shall be burnt up. These places make fair for the delive­rance of the Creature from the bon­dage of corruption, by an abolition or destroying of their Beeings, an so by consequence [as you have heard] they cannot any longer be subject to vanitie, any more mutability or cor­ruption. And from these and such like Places, many learned men have concluded an utter abolition of the Creature here mentioned, save one­ly some few, of which hereafter. But how the Heavens shall be set on fire, the Elements melt, and the Earth with the Works therein burnt up, the Scriptures have not clearly dis­covered [Page 159] unto us, only the penetrating School-Divines, who conceived them­selves more Eagle-eyed then the rest, and could cast stones at an hair bredth, they have rationally conjec­tured, that all may be set on fire, ei­ther per radios solares ex repercussione multiplicatos, by repercussion of the Sunn beames redoubled, or by colle­cting them into a narrower compasse, as so to unite their forces more close­ly as in a burning glasse; or per discen­sum ignis elementaris jussu divino, by the discent of the element of fire at Gods command or injunction. In these philosophicall speculations we cannot deny but that there is a rationall pro­bability, it may be a verity, though we do not conclude it by way of in­falibilitie; for as God hath determined that the world shall be destroyed by fire, so we know that he neither [Page 160] wants wisdom, nor power how to effect it, though to us he hath not clearly revealed the manner how, we may say with Saint Augustine, lib. 20 de Civitate Dei. Cap: 16.August: lib: 20. de Civit Dei, Cap: 16. he saith he knew no man that did know, (that is as I conceive) that did infallibly know, Quisnam aut unde futurus sit ig­nis ille deflagrationis, what manner of fire, or from what place that fire should come that shall burn the world.

But when scoffing Porphyrie under­stood this to be a received opinion amongst the Christians, that the world should be destroyed, as his manner was, he much derided them for it, being a most bitter enemie a­gainst Christianity; him Saint Au­gustine mentions lib: Aug. lib 20. de civit. Dei, cap. 24. 20. de Civitate Dei. Cap: 24. to have followed Plato in this, which in Timaeo holds; mundum caepisse, s [...]d non interiturum, that the [Page 161] world had a beginning,Plato in Tim. but that it should never have an ending; and so some of the most ancient Poets held, as might be shown at large out of Orpheus and Hesiod: Orph. Hesiodꝰ. yet Plutarch thus relates the opinion of Plato, and Pythagoras, lib: 2.Plut. lib. 2. de de Philosoph. placit. caP. 4. de Philosophorum placitis et de­cretis, Cap: 4. Pythagoras ac Plato geni­tum a Deo mundum et sua quidem sponte in­teriturum, &c. haud interiturum tamen pro­videntia, et conservatione divina, it should never decay, yet not so firm of its own nature, but sua sponte interitu­rum, of its own accord (think they) it would ruine in time, or become de­ficient in its principles, and so could not perpetuate it selfe.Epicurus. For Epicurus thought that the world was genitus, begotten of God, and so had a be­ginning, as you have heard the other two affirmed, s [...]d animantis et plantae mo­do occasurum, It should come to an end [Page 162] as Plants, and living Creatures did: but that it was conserved by a divine Providence and conservation. But Xenophanes, not so farre more ancient then Plato, as he was wide of truth, he held the world to be sempiternum, to be everlasting, and neither to have had beginning, nor should have end­ing. And this opinion Aristotle took up, adhered to it, and went about to defend it by arguments,Arist lib Phys. 8. & lib. 1. de coelo calcem versus. as we read lib. Physicorum 8. and in the last Chap­ters of his first Book de Coelo; whose opinion herein divers others have fol­lowed, as Plinie, Proclus, Simplicius, and Averroes most pertinaciously: yet all the arguments that great searcher of nature brings,Arist. lib. 2. de coelo cap. 1. in lib. 2. de Coelo cap. 1. are of no concluding validitie against the contrary assertion of Christian Philosophie, and have been shott tho­row and thorow, tota Doctorum Phi­losophorum [Page 163] Christianorum Phalange, by a whole and strong Armie of learned Christian Philosophers. Yet Iulius Sca­liger would gladly draw him to have bin a patron of the worlds beginning, Exercitatione 61 sect: 3,Scalig. exerc. 61. sect. 3. agnovit enim ille quoque Deum opt: max. esse mundi creato­rem, he also himselfe acknowledged God to be the Creator of the world, for which he quotes him in lib: 2.Arist lib. 2. de gen. de generatione, [...], &c. Some indeed excuse him for his calling it [...], in generabilem, and that it had no beginning, &c saying, his meaning was, it had no beginning, per generationem, but yet had per ema­nationem, ut lux à Cand [...]la, not by gene­ration, but by emanation from the word of the power of the primum Ens, (and this were to make Aristotle agree with Moses, Gen. 1.1.Gen. 1.1.) even as light flowes from the flame of a Candle. [Page 164] But this I fear, were to make more of his words than he ever meant, and like some of later times that would have brought him within the com­passe and possibilitie of a Saint. True it is, many Divine sentences, and scat­tered passages are found here and there in his prima Philosophia, and the Books de Caelo, but whether he had them from Plato his Tutor, under whom he remained twenty years, or those de Coelo were not his, as some have thought, and hereupon questio­ned it. In Demosthenis Elogiis, Tran­slated per Hyeronimum Wolfium, Hieron. Wolf. and set before his Orations out of Dionysius Halicarnasseus, Dionys. Hali­carn. we have this testimo­ny of him, his Father being dead at 18 yeers of age, he came to Athens (then the most famous Universitie of all Greece) [...], &c. Et Platoni commenda­tus, [Page 165] viginti annos cum eo exegit; He was in Athens commended to Plato, [who had been both a great Traveller and a great Scholler] and with him he spent twenty years.

2. Plutarch, and the Ancient Phi­losophers have not interpreted Aristo­tle for any Patron of the Worlds be­ginning. True, say some Neotericks, he held it had no beginning, or any generation, ex materia aliqua praeexi­stenti, or per mutationem è contrario; of no praeexistent matter, or by mutati­on from any contrary subject, as or­dinary generations are;Arist. lib. 1. Physic cap. 5. and as he as­serts lib. 1. Physic. cap. 5. yet simply denies not the generation of it, af­ter any manner or way at all, it might be generated or produced à pri­ma causa, from the cause of causes, which was God; and then,Scalig. loco quo supra. quid aliud diceret Christianus? saith Scaliger loco [Page 166] quo suprà, what else could a Christian say?Heb. 11.3. Heb. 11.3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were fra­med by the Word of God, so that things that are seen, were not made of things which do appear: [...], secula, the worlds, as the Vulgar, and Erasmus hath it. The same words we have,Heb. 1. Heb. 1.2. but because its spoken per enallagen numeri, in putting the Plu­rall for the Singular number, there­fore Beza reads it mundum, the world, and so Iohn 1.10.Iohn 1.10. the world was made by him. Or if by the wo lds you will understand all the severall parts of the world, all the severall Creatures, of which the world doth consist, then may we conceive it of all things in the [...], or the [...], or the universe, as the Philosophers term it, which make up the [...], or compleat world, for one such there is, but as the great [Page 167] naturalist goes about to prove, and affirme by grounds of naturall reason, lib: 1. de caelo. Cap: 8, 9.Arist lib. 1. [...] coelo, cap. [...] and this [...], he will have to be as much as [...], semper existens, because he held that mundus was aeternus, yet som­times indeed aevum is taken for an age, or life, Hieron: took it pro septuagin­ta annis, for the space of 70 years.Hieronym. Pa­raeus in loc. Pa­raeus thus, res omnes cum ipso tempore, the (world) that is saith he, all things with time it self, yea quaecunquè usquam, unquam extiterunt, extant, aut extabunt, as Beza upon the place,Beza in loc. whatsoever hath, doth, or shall have existence. John 1.3. [...],Iohn 1.3. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, all things were made by him; and by faith we understand that they were made by the word of God, not only [...],Iohn. 1.1. by the sub­stantiall word of God, but [...], as here in the Heb: by his potentiall [Page 168] or mightie word of his power, jussu Dei as Paraeus, Paraeus in loc. by Gods command. How often have we a dixit Deus, Gen. 1. God said? Deus, that is, Pater, Filius, et Spiri­tus sanctus, et sic deinceps in opere creati­onis, Iunius annot. in loc. as Iunius hath it; God, that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and so all a long conceive the word (God) in the worke of Creation: for this was a worke of the whole Trinity, as the fathers constantly teach us, O­pera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa, the works of the Trinity to without, are undivided.Psal. 33.9. Ps. 33.9. dixit, et factum est, he said, and it was done. Thus by the word of his power he made the world but the things that are seen were not made of things that do appear, non ex apparente, Beza. et jam existente materia, as Beza, not of any matter that we now see to appeare, oris non existent, non ex materia aliqua visibili, Paraeus in loc. sed ex nihilo, as Paraeus, [Page 169] to the same sense,Paraeus in loc not of any visible matter, but of nothing did God make the world, so that the usuall axiome of the naturall Philosophers came far short in this, Ex nihilo nihil fit, of no­thing perexistent, nothing can be made; not in their way, by the ordi­narie production of Creatures succes­sively, by way of generation, but by creation its otherwise, of which they were ignorant.

The second opinion is, for the de­liverance of the Creature from the bondage of corruption, by way of mu­tation, and repurgation, [...], secundum qualitates; and not a totall abolition, [...], secundum sub­stantiam; and the most are of this judgement, that the heavens and some other Creatures shall not perish, [...], wholly, or quoad esse substantiale, but quoad esse accidentale, their corrup­tible [Page 170] qualities shall be changed, but not the substance totally destroyed or annihilated;Voss. Thes. Theol. de mundi fine Thes. 3. and to this also Vossius in Thes: Theolog: Thes: 3. de mundi fine, agrees, and doth acknowledge, and that truly, as all men of any ex­tent of reading know, that this is Com­munior sententia, the more common opinion, non [...], periturum, sed esse renovandum, that the world shall not simply and totally be abolished in its parts, but renewed; for the truth of which he quotes this subject we are now upon.Rom. 8.20, 21. Rom. 8.20, 21. To the former of the senses he names, we have said somewhat already, and to the second (God willing) we shall in due time. Yet thus he concludes, Thesi qua suprà, Gerard. Ioh. Voss. Thesi qua supra. Quocircà nec eorum sen­tentiam praefractè rejicere audemus, qui mundum secundùm substantiam periturum esse arbitrantur, praesertim cum nihil de eo [Page 171] antiquitùs Synodo ulla sit definitum, qui­dam praestantes sanè viri de eo dissentiant: Therefore we dare not stubbornly or obstinately reject their opinion, who judge, or suppose that the substance of the world shall perish, especially see­ing nothing is defined or determined by any ancient Synode concerning this point, whether way the Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption: and truly there be divers excellent and worthy men that dis­sent, [yea, and I have said, may dis­sent, salvâ charitate] without breach of charity in this point: and I shall desire to be moderate in it, and wish the reader to go no further a long with me herein, then he (if he be judicious) can either see light of Scripture for, or sound and well grounded reason to induce. I had rather saile in these straits, placidâ rationis aurâ, then [Page 172] turbido affectationis vento, with a sweet and pleasant gale of reason, then with a strong winde, and stormie blasts of affectation; as ready to judge every man that herein differs in judg­ment from me. I rather say with the Poet, vel his utere mecum, vel ede tua, either make use of these with me, or else give better grounds of thy own farther to instruct me. The former I hope shall do thee no harme, the lat­ter would do me much good; and be­cause I shall fall in with those learn­ed men that have given their judge­ments for a liberation of the Creature by mutation and repurgation, rather then by totall abolition of the mate­riall or visible Creature, I thinke it will better satisfie to give answer to the arguments brought for the con­trary opinion, or to such places, in sa­cris, from whence some learned men [Page 173] have grounded it, before we produce any witnesses for the second, which God willing we will do as briefely as the matter will admit of.

To the first Psalm. 102.26.Responsio Ar­gum digladi­antibus pro sententia tota­lis abolitionis. Hea­ven and Earth shall perish; repeated Heb. 1.11. Ipsi peribunt, they shall pe­rish: and Job. 14.12. Ʋsque dum non erunt Coeli, Till the Heavens be no more. To the places in order. Ha­ving spoken of the Earth and Hea­vens in the foregoing Verse, he adds, They shall perish, but thou shalt en­dure, yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be chan­ged. Neque antiquitas, n [...]que tam pulcher coelorum ornatus eximent ab interitu, as Calvin in locum, Calvin in loc. Neither can antiquity nor that goodly adorning of the Hea­vens, that have so stood for so many thousands of years, keep them still [Page 174] safe or exempted from destruction. And he further adds upon the fame place that which most of Divines know to be true,Calvin loco quo supra. Non uno modo exponunt interpretes [coelos perire,] that is, that all Interpreters do not understand this perishing of the Heavens after the same manner, quidam simpliciter in­telligunt de mutatione quae speci [...]s quaedam erit interitus. Et si enim non sunt redi­gendi in nihilum; ipsa tamen naturae al­teratio (ut ita loquar) absumet quod mor­tale est, ac corruptibile ut alii esse caeli in­cipiant, ac novi. Secundum alios subaudi­enda est conditio, si deo ita placuerit, quia absurdum esse existimant coelos cor­ruptioni subjici, &c. Some men under­stand it simply of such a change as is a kinde of corruption, or destruction; for although the Heavens be not to be reduced into nothing, yet not­withstanding the very alteration of [Page 175] their nature, [if I may so speak] shall consume and take away that which is mortall and corruptible in them, that they shall begin to be others, yea, new Heavens. According to some others the words are conceived on conditio­nally, as thus, (if God so please,) because they conceive it absurd, to think, that the Heavens are subject to corruption. But this condition rather hinders the sense, than otherwise, saith he. Deinde falso coelis tribuunt immortalem statum, quos Paulus non secus ac terram ali­asque creaturas gemere, & parturire dicit, usque ad diem redemptionis, eo quod sub­jectae sint corruptioni, non sponte, vel na­tura, sed quia homo se praecipitans totum mundum in ejusdem ruinae societatem secum traxit: Moreover, they do untruly attribute to the Heavens a state of im­mortalitie, which Paul saith, do groan, and desire deliverance no otherwise [Page 176] than the earth and other Creatures unto the day of redemption, in so much as they are made subject to va­nitie, not willingly, or by any natu­rall inclination, but because that man casting himselfe headlong from his happie estate in which he was Crea­ted, drew the whole world to share with him in his ruine, to be subject to vanity and corruption, as well as he. These two things then are to be hol­den, Nunc obnoxios esse Coelos corruptioni propter hominis lapsum, & ita renovatum iri, ut meritò Propheta dicat, perituros, quia non iidem erunt, sed alii: The Hea­vens are now subject to corruption by reason of the sinne of man, and are so to be renewed, as that the Prophet might justly say, they shall perish, be­cause they shall not be the same, but others: others, not for substance, but for quality. As before also you [Page 177] have heard, that this was communior sen­tentia, the more common opinion. He that would see the judgement of par­ticulars,Vossius Thesi qua supra. let him but read Gerardus Joh. Vossius Thesi qua supra, who herein hath saved me much labour, in quote­ing both the Greek and Latine Di­vines, for this opinion; with whom Calvin, you hear, and most of our sound Modern Divines do agree, too many to be particularized in such a Cloud of Witnesses, would over­spread much clean Paper. All of them shall wax old as a Garment, as a Ve­sture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. They shall wax old as a Garment, respectu durati­onis, or continuati temporis, in regard of duration, or continuance of time, at least, if not respectu imminutionis, or defectus virium naturalium, if not in re­spect of any impairing, or deficiencie [Page 178] of their naturall strength; in this re­spect a garment may be said to wax old, namely, in regard that its long since it was made, though it be not decayed, or much worse for wearing; yet we say in this sense, that its an old Sute, because long since it was made, though it appear not old in regard of decay, or any deficiency in the Woof, but in this sense may be as good as a new one,Deut. last. 7. Moses was old duratione, but not immuni­tione. as we say. See, Deut. last, 7. Moses was an hundred and twenty years old; yet naturall strength not abated.

And as a Vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. Now a vesture may be changed two wayes, either totaliter abolendo, or accidentaliter commutando, either by the totall taking of it away, as burning of it, or casting of it aside, &c. as of no more use; or else by an accidentall change of it, [Page 179] as washing of it, scouring of it, dres­sing of it, or colouring of it anew, or the like; & this is to change a vesture, but it is but an accidentall change of it; the substance is still the same. The like change is cōceived to be had in the Heavens.Dyonys. Car­thsianus in loc. Dionysius Carhusianus in verba, Nec coelum, nec terra peribit sub­stantialiter, sed peribunt in fine mundi, quan­tum adesse formae accidentalis, quoniam ali­um statum hebebunt, quàm modo, &c. Neither shall the Heavens nor the earth perish in regard of their sub­stance, but they shall be acciden­tally changed in the end of the world; for after the judgement day they shall be put into another state or condition, then that in which they now are, and not changed, as Ioseph changed his garment or vesture when he appeared before Pharaoh, Gen. 14.14. Gen. 41.14. Taking new for substance, and [Page 180] casting away the old, mutatâ veste, so changed he his raiment.

To that in the Hebrews the same an­swer may be given, seeing its but the repetition of the same thing.

Iob. 14.12.To that in Iob, Vsquedum non erunt coeli, Till the Heavens be no more. So man lyeth down, and riseth not till the Heavens be no more. I answer, some, more Philosophically, than Theologically, conceive of it thus, That even as the Heavens, by their own nature and Principles are such, that they of themselves would never decay, but be for ever; even so like­wise man lying down in the grave, by nature, or his own strength, would not arise again, or could so arise, till the Heavens were no more, or ceased to be, and that they conceived would be never, because the Heavens would never cease to be.

Secondly, others, that are for a to­tall abolition, they would understand it thus, that at the last day, when the generall resurrection shall be, then shall the visible and sphaericall Hea­vens totally perish, and then shall man arise again, and till then he shall not.

Thirdly and lastly, most thus, Till the heavens be no more, not simpliciter, but secundùm statum praesentem, not of simply or absolutely being no more at all, but no more according to that present state and condition, in which they now are, and to which the sin of man hath made them subject,2. Pet: 3.7. 2 Pet. 3.7. [...], Qui vero [nunc] sunt coeli ac terra, The heavens and the earth that [now] are, till they be no more in the same state or condition they are in now; but changed for qualitie, or condition into better, [Page 182] when they shall be refined, and pur­ged by burning. Even as when we see a lump of Mettall melted, (be it of Gold, Silver, Lead, Tinne, or any other) the drosse we know is taken out, and the substance is thereby re­fined, but yet the same substance still remains: so may we also conceive of the Heavens, when they shall be bur­ned and purged. And thus much may serve for answer to the first Ar­gument.

Luke 21.33.To the second, Luke 21.33. Coelum & terra transibunt, Heaven and earth shall passe away. Matthew hath it thus, Matth. 5.Matth. 5.18.18. Till heaven and earth passe, (or as the Geneva, perish) one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law, till all be fulfilled. [...], as the Originall, Donec transeat coelum & terra, as the Vulgar, Vsquedum praeterierit coelum & terra, as [Page 183] Beza, Quod donec transeant coelum & terra, as the Syriack Version by Treme­lius. Here we have some diversitie in words, but all to one and the same sense; and some conceive the words not simply, but cōparatively spoken; as thus, that the truth of the Law is so firm, that even such things as seem most durable shall perish, before any jott of it perish: yea, Heaven and Earth are not so stable as the truth of it in all the parts of it. Yea, so strictly doth Piscator urge this place,Piscator in in verba. that as he hence observes the Law to have been written of old, with pricks in the Hebr. Tongue: so likewise he notes, that God will have such a speciall care in preserving of the Scriptures, that not so much as the least Vowell, or prick of it shall perish in the Hebrew tongue, nor the least iota, or least letter with which its written in the Greek [Page 184] Tongue, the least Letter, or the least truth of the Law of God shall not pe­rish, or be changed, so wisely was it gi­ven.Calvin, Musc: Bucer in verba Psal: 102.27. To the which sense Calvin, Mus­culus and Bucer agree. Beza parallels the Greek word [...],Beza. with the Hebrew word [...] Psal. 102.Iahhaloph.27. signifies sic praeterire, ut etiam mute­tur, so to passe away, as also to be changed in the passage.

In Luke its positively set down, as likewise in the Hebrewes, before cited, heaven and earth shall passe, or they shall perish, yet it will not hence fol­low, that they shall passe, or perish totally, or by the whole destruction of the substance, but in regard of this their present state and condition, or in regard of their qualities, or outward forme. The same words are also positively used, Mat: 24.35. caduca eorum conditio, their fraile and [Page 185] brittle estate, and condition shall passe away; but that will not conclude, that therefore their essence and sub­stance shall totally, and finally be abo­lished, but that they shall not remaine in the state and condition, that they are now in for ever, as the Philoso­phers that followed Aristotle dreamed, holding the heavens aeternall, and in­alterable; but shall perish, or be chang­ed. Now Ipsi peribunt, they shall pe­rish, or passe away, will not con­clude a totall abolition of sub­stance, as I have said, but alteration of their present state, quality, and condition; no more then justus pe­rit, Esa 57.1.Esa. 57.1. The righteous perish­eth, and no man layes it to heart; now the righteous perish not so, as to suffer a totall abolition of their substance, but the mortall, and naturall man suffers so, and perisheth so, as to [Page 186] have his naturall, and mortall estate changed, his present estate, conditi­on, and qualities; but shall arise a­gain in the same bodies for substance. 1 Cor. 15.1. Cor: 15.53.53. Oportet enim [hoc] corruptioni obnoxium, induere incorruptam naturam, For (this corruptible) that is, this corruptible body, not ano­ther for substance, shall put on incor­ruption.Verse 44. Verse 44. Seritur corpus animale, excitatur corpus spirituale, it is sown a naturall body, it is raised a spi­rituall body: so that though the state, qualities, and condition be more ex­cellent when it is raised, then when it was cast into the grave, yet the sub­stance shall be the same.

Apoc. 1.1.To the third, Apoc: 21.1. for the first heaven, and the first earth was passed away and there was no more sea. [...], abiit, as the vulgar, or abierat, was passed away. Saint Mat: [Page 187] and S. Luke say [...], shall passe away. Iohn here in a vision saith, [...], the first Heaven, and the first Earth were passed away already; this he spake prophetically, and as fore­seeing what should befall them in the end of the world; but for the manner how they shall passe away, we answer as before, for I conceive, that the same answer for substance will solve the objection, and therefore we will pro­duce Aretius assenting to the same judgment, quoting also Rev: 20.11.Aretius in loc. from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them; which might seem to argue indeed a totall aboli­tion of them; but saith he, they fled [...], from the state, or condition of corruption, to incor­ruption, and they fled from their for­mer estate, from before Gods face, as [Page 188] ashamed of that estate. For you have heard how usuall it is in Scripture, to attribute to senselesse, or irrationall creatures, that which belongs to ratio­nall. And whereas mention is made of Iohns seeing a new Heaven, and a new Earth.Apoc. 21.1. Apoc: 21.1. revera eadem sunt, solum deposita corruptibilitate In very deed they are but the same, having put off their corruptible estate, and condition; so that you see for substance the Heaven and Earth re­mains; yet because their qualities, pre­sent state and condition are chan­ged, they are called new, and such you see S. Iohn saw them, thus Aretius. We may in some degree illustrate it thus, 2 Cor. 5.17.2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ, saith the Apostle, he is [...], nova creatura, a new Creature. Now he is not new for substance, either in body or soul, for he hath the same for sub­stance, which he had before God [Page 189] wrought any change, but not for state, qualitie, and condition; for, in regard of new qualities infused into his heart and minde from God, he is called a new Creature, or a new man; veteri illa conditione abolita, as Beza, Beza in loc. his old condition being abolished.Ephes. 4.22.23.24. Thus Ephes. 4.22, 23, 24. mention is made of putting off the old man, and put­ting on the new man. This old man is said to be corrupt, according to the deceitfull lusts. That is, he is denominated an old man, from vicious qualities, and that corrupt state of nature, in which he was born.Ephes. 2.3. Ephes. 2.3. By nature we are children of wrath. But the new man is deno­minated from new, and supernaturall qualities, in regard of our lapsed estate. This new man after God is Created in righteousnesse, and true holinesse, that is, which after, or ac­cording [Page 190] to Gods Image is renewed and changed, by instauration of such qualities in some good measure, and degree, which we lost in Adam. The Scholies,Schol: Graec: from the Greeks, have it thus sensed, [...], Veterem hominem non nomina vit ip­sam naturam, sed operationem peccati, vete­rem vocavit in peccatis, &c. he calls not nature it self the old man, but the cor­ruption of nature; for our nature was of old corrupted by the filthi­nesse of sinne. According to which Zanchie upon the place,Zanchie in loc. Vetus homo est vetus naturae corruptio, atque pravitas, quam ex Adamo quisque hausit: the old man, saith he, is the old corruption, or pravity of nature, which we all drew from Adam. Et paulò post, Quid vero deponere jubetur? numquid suam sub­stantiam? minime verò, sed vetustatem [Page 191] suam, & pravitatem naturae: But what is a man bidden to put off? whether or no is he bidden to put off his sub­stance? no truly, but that old corrup­tion of nature. And the putting on the new man, is to have new Created qualities in us from God, by which we put on Christ, and his righteousnesse; for Christus habitat in nobis per fidem, E­phes. 3.17. Christ dwels in the hearts of his Children by faith. And thus the heavens and the earth may be cal­led new heavens and new earth, or old Heavens, or the first Heavens, or old earth, or the first earth, in regard of their severall qualities, states, and conditions, and yet the substance re­main the same in them, as well as in the old man, and new man. This may suffice for the words that have been urged.

But yet there are more words be­hinde [Page 192] in the forenamed places, which seem more strong then the former that have been urged, and answered, and the answer illustrated.

Apoc. 20.11.In that its said, there was found no place for them, and there was no more Sea:Apoc. 20.1. To the former words, There was found no place for them, that is, saith Aretius, non apparerent, they would not have made any appearance before him that sate upon the great white Throne, Nullibi reperirentur, ne ad tribunal sisterentur, nam quorum locus non reperitur, illa latent, & occulta manent, they would have beene found no where, least they should have stood before Gods tribu­nall; and they whose places are not found out, they still lie hid, and re­main in secret. Yea, but I conceive not this sense to agree so well with the Greek Text, it accords better with [Page 193] Beza's Version of that place, Quorum locus non est inventus, whose place was not found. Apoc. 12.8.Apoc. 12.8. speaking of the Angels that fell, [...], neque locus corum amplius inven­tus est in Coelo; Neither was their place found any more in Heaven; that is, they had no more any more place there for ever. And if the place of the first heaven and earth should be no more found than theirs, then should it never be found. True it is, it is not said The place, scilicet where once they had been, but their place, where locus must be conceived of by way of re­lation to the locati, Heaven was ne­ver found any more a place for them. The Originall hath it, Apocal. 20.11.Apoc. 20.11. [...], which the vulgar Translation renders verbatim, Et locus non est inventus eis, and there was not a place found to them, or for them. [Page 194] Now a place may be said non esse inven­tus, not to be found, two wayes, either viâ essendi, when there is no such place, and so that which is not cannot be found, by reason of the defect of the thing, though there were no defect in the Seeker; or viâ detegendi, by way of the detection of it, though there be such a place, yet it cannot be found out. Now there is no place in Heaven to the lapsed Angels, in the former sense. I shall not need to stand upon this point Philo­sophically, to shew how the Angels can be said to have been in loco, physi­cally, and tanquam corpora naturalia, non sunt in loco, quia non habent dimensiones, non sunt quanti, &c. but at least defini­tivè, we say they are in loco, because being but finitae creaturae, finite Crea­tures, they must needs be alicubi, some where: yet we usually say, they are [Page 195] not in loco [circumscriptivè,] because they are immateriales, immateriall sub­stances; and so, Heaven was the locus communis, the common place to all the lapsed Angels. Locus we say, is im­mobilis per se, immoveable by it selfe, though the locata be moveable, so that the locus, or place may receive diversa locata, successivè, divers things placed in it successively. Now though I say there be a place in Heaven, and that place which they once had, yet it is not now locus corum, their place; theirs it is not relativè, & formaliter, by way of relation to them, and formally; but by way of detection,Psal. 37.10. that place which was theirs, may be found, is found, and is known; but other (locata) are, and shall be placed in it, Iohn 14.2. [...],Iohn 14.2. vado parare vobis locum, as the vulgar, I go to prepare a place for you.

Againe, for the more plenary il­lustration of the answer, as we have considered of [...], and [...], of the place, and of the finding of it, or not finding of it, so must we also distinguish of the [...], or of the locata, the Heaven and the Earth; it is not simply said, that there was no place for Heaven, and Earth,Apoc. 21.1. for the first words of the Verse in Apoc: 21.1. are, [...], vidi Coelum novum, et terram no­vam, I saw a new Heaven, and a new Earth, therefore there was some place to be for Heaven and Earth, but [...], but the [first] Heaven and the (first) Earth passed away, [...], et locus non est inventus eis. Apoc. 20.11. Apoc: 20.11. and there was no place for them, namely for the first Heaven, and the first earth, for they were made subject to corrup­tion, [Page 197] and vanity, as we have heard, by the sinne of man; and no Crea­tures that are subject to vanity, or any corruption, shall any more find any place for them after Christ shall sit up­on his great white Throne, at the day of judgement; for when man shall put on incorruption, then all the Creatures that shall remaine after that day, shall put on [by way of analo­gie] incorruption too. To which sense Musculus upon the words accords,Musc. in locum. Nam sicut sole adveniente, fugantur tene­brae, sic Christo apparente in gloria fuga­bitur omnis infectio, elementorum corrupti­onis noxiae et omnia innovabantur, for even as when the Sun ariseth, all dark­nesses, or mists do vanish away; even so when Christ shall appeare in his glo­ry at the last day, all infection, or hurtfull corruption of the Elements shall be chased away, and all things, [Page 198] (namely that shall remaine after that day) shall be made new, or become new; so that then the first Heaven, and the first Earth, shall be changed, and become new, and there shall be no more place found for them as they were at Christs comming to judgment, in that state and condition that they remained in after man had sinned, but a better and farre more excellent estate; for they shall then be so chang­ed and freed from their former corrup­tible estate, and so refined and quali­fied with new qualities, with a new estate and condition, that in this re­spect they may be called, a new Hea­ven, and a new Earth.

Esa. 65.17.But let us yet drive the naile a little farther, Esa: 65.17. Ego creaturus sum Coelos novos, et Terram novam, neque commemorabuntur haec priora, neque veni­ent in animum; behold, I create new [Page 199] Heavens, and a new Earth, and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde. Creation is ex nihilo, therefore if God create new Heavens, it may be urged that the former, as also the Earth shall be totally abolish­ed, and so be no more remembred, nor come into his minde.

To which for answer first, take the Geneva note,Nota Gene­vensis. I will so alter and change the state of my Church (namely in the time of Christ under the state of the new Testament) that it shall seem to dwell in a new world. So divers conceive this Place meant of the ex­cellent gifts that shall be in great a­bundance in the time of the new Te­stament, when he shall make such a restauration, as if Heaven and Earth were changed, or made new,Esa. 25.6, 7, 8. this is more fully expressed. Esa, 25.6.7.8. where by corporall things he sets [Page 200] out spirituall blessings. In this moun­taine shall the Lord of hosts make un­to all people a feast of fat things, &c. yet this seemes not to be the compleat sense of the place, neither shall all those blessings be fully attained, and in their highest perfection and degree, untill God shall make a new Heaven, and a new Earth, after the day of judgement, and when things shall have their renewing; for such a new Heaven and new Earth God shall make, as we learne from Saint Peter, after the former Heaven and Earth shall be burnt with fire, 2 Pet: 3.13. and that he promised to make such: and what promise finde we so plaine as this in the fore-cited place of Esa 2. if the word [creation] be urged far­ther for the new Heavens and Earth, which shall be after the destruction of the first. I answer, Esa last. 22. [Page 201] God saith he will make the new Hea­vens, and the new Earth, and that they shall remaine before him. 2.2 Cor. 5.17. Cor: 5.17. If any any man be in Christ he is nova creatura (a new) Creature. A new Creature, not in regard of sub­stance, (as we have heard) but in re­gard of qualities; divine habits or qualities which are infused into him from God, they grow not out of the ac­cursed soyl of nature, but are spirituall and divine qualities, created of God, or by him, by which man is so chang­ed that he is called a new Creature. Creation, (if we take it properly) est motus ex nihilo adesse, a making some­thing of nothing, thus God made Heaven and Earth, [as we have heard] of nothing: Gen: 1.1.Gen. 1.1. or ex nihilo tali, of nothing by nature apt to have any such thing produced of it, as to have the body of Adam framed [Page 202] of earth,Aquin. in loc. or red earth, or Eve of a Ribb taken from Adams Side. Aquinas comes home to this sense upon the place, having quoted that passage in Gal. 6.Gal. 6.15.15. neither circumcision nor uncir­cumcision, but a new Creature; ubi notandum (saith he) quòd innovatio per gratiam dicitur creatura, where it is to be observed, that the renewing of us by grace is called a Creature, yea this renovation is a spirituall creation. And whereas creation, properly and strictly taken, is a production of a thing out of nothing, or of a being out of a non-being; and whereas there is a two fold being, esse naturae, et esse gra­tiae, the being of nature, and the being of grace, the first being was of old corrupted, which was our being in nature, which we drew from Adam. Oportet ergo esse novam creationem, per quâm producerentur inesse gratiae, it was [Page 203] needfull there should be a new creati­on, (saith he) by which they should be produced into the being of grace. An­swerable to which I cōceive that place Ephes. 2.10. For we are his worke­manship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, [...], opus, as Beza, Beza. Versio Vulgar. fac­tura, as the Vulgar: his worke or making, created in Christ Jesus to good works: and, ne putaremus Aposto­lum loqui de primo opere Dei, dequè pri­ma creatione, qua scilicet omnes nos creat in uteris maternis, adjunxit creati in Christo Jesu, &c. as Zanchie in locum; Zanc. in loc. least we should suppose the Apostle to speake of the first work of God, and of the first creation, to witt of that by which we were all created in our mothers wombe, he adjoyns created in Christ Jesus. For duplex est creatio hominum, saith he, Prima, et Secunda, et utraquè in Christo, et per Christum, there is a [Page 204] double, or twofold Creation of men, the first, and the Second, and both of them in Christ and by Christ. The former is the substantiall Creation of our Nature, the latter the qualitative Creation of our Grace,Aretius in loc. to which A­retius also assents and more fully illus­trates thus, Creatura nihil confert ad suum creatorem, sed id opus totum est in manu creatoris positum, sic regenerandus ad sui regenerationem nihil confert, &c. even as the Creature brings nothing to his Creator in its Creation, so he that is to be regenerated brings no­thing with him that makes for his re­generation; both are wholly in the Power, and the efficiencie of God. Regeneratio est opus regenerantis, in actu primo, its also opus regenerati in actu se­cundo; Regeneration is the worke of God in the first act, its also the worke of man in the second act. In the first, [Page 205] man is meerly Passive in regard of God, who renews and heales our cor­rupt nature; and subdues our vicious qualities, by the infusion of new qua­lities into each of our faculties: and then acti agimus, being wrought up­on, we worke on together with God, in actu secundo, in the second act, Gods grace is the principium a quò, man is the subject on which this grace works, and is the principium quod, as the Schooles use to speake, and then both concurre in the production of every holy action: and man thus helped by Gods grace, he willingly moves him­selfe to what is good: and by reason of this concurrance of man with God, these operations of grace are properly called mans worke, not Gods worke, as it is thus done by man; so that when a man beleeves, though his faith be in­fused by Gods Spirit, yet it is exer­cised [Page 206] by man voluntarily moving himselfe to that act of beleeving, and therefore we say that its man that be­leeves, not the spirit in man; for though this habite be infused by the spirit, yet the spirit is not subject to any infused habits. Thus briefely for the fuller illustration of the word Creation.

Pererius in Gen. 1.1. Pererius upon the word creavit, in Genes. observes it to be promiscuously used, not only for production, ex nihilo, but also sundry times for production out of some praeexistent matter, not naturally apt for any such thing, as is produced out of it.Barth. Kecker. lib. 7. systemat. Physic. Wolleb. Christ. Theol. compend. lib. 1. cap. 5. canon. 1. This Keckerman calls Creationem mediatam, lib. 7. System. Physici. Woll bius in compendio Christianae Theologiae. capite 5. canone 1. to the same purpose lib. 1. Creare, non tan­tum est ex nihilo aliquid facere, sed etiam ex materia inhabili supra naturae vires ali­quid [Page 207] producere; To Create is not only to make some thing of nothing, but also to produce somewhat of a matter unfitting for such a production, as a­bove the strength of the nature of it, or above the strength of nature, so that we may see creating doth not al­wayes import production out of no­thing; and you have heard out of the same Prophets, that whereas he useth the word Creating, or he will Create, in one place of his prophecie, he useth the word make in another, and both of them spoken of the same thing.

If we further urge that in Esay, Esa. 65.17. be­fore mentioned, neque commemorabuntur haec priora, neque venient in animum, the former shall not bee remembred nor come into minde, as if they should be so totally abolished, that they should never more be seen, or thought upon. To which we afford a [Page 208] further answer, that a thing may be said not to be remembred two wayes, either absolutely, or comparatively; absolutely, God cannot be touched with oblivion or any such defect, so as to forget what he hath once known; for,Petrus Lomb. lib 1. sent. dist. 39. lit. A. as Lombard saith well, lib. 1. Sent. d [...]stinc. 39. lit. A. Dei scientia omninò immutabilis est, nec augeri potest, nec mi­nui, the knowledge of God is immu­table, it can neither be increased nor deminished: if therefore God once knew the old Heavens and the old Earth, he can never absolutely be said so not to remember them, or not to come into his minde, as absolutely to forget them.Lom 1. lib. 1. sent. dist. 41. lit. G. in fi [...]e. And lib. 1. sent. dist. 41. lit. G: in calce. Indubitanter ergo teneamus Deum semper omnia scire, quae aliquando scit; having argued the Point con­cerning Gods knowledge, thus he con­cludes, Therefore we hold it for an [Page 209] undoubted truth, that all things which God knowes at any time, he knowes them alwayes.

But it may be objected, Ier. 31.34.Ier. 31.34. I will remember their sinne no more, speaking of the sinnes of his people: To which I answer, where the Lord saith, that he will remember their sinnes no more, we cannot rightly understand it thus, that he hath abso­lutely forgotten that ever his people had had any sins, but as Mattyr well saith, Class. 3. locorum communium, Peter Martyr Class. 3. loc. com. cap. 9. sect. 18. in calce. cap. 9. sect. 18. in calce, Deum oblivisci, at (que) non recordari, est nolle punire, neque p [...]enas de aliquo sumere. In this sense for God to forget, and not to remember, is as much as not to punish, or to take re­vengement upon a man. I conceive that that passage in the Gospell ac­cording to S. Iohn, will come up to our purpose: Iohn 16.21.Iohn. 16.21. Mulier cum pa­rit, [Page 210] dolorem habet, quia venit hora ejus; quum autem peperit puerulum, (as Beza reads) jam non meminit oppressionis, quòd gaudeat hominem esse natum in mun­do, or quia natus est homo in mundum, as the vulgar, A woman when she is in Travell hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but as soon as she is de­livered of the Child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. Now where it is said that [she remembreth no more the anguish,] we must not understand it simply and absolute­ly, as though she had quite for­got the extremitie of her pain, as if it had never been; but comparatively she remembers it not, in regard of that joy with which she is now filled, that its passed over, and that a man-Childe is born into the world. Even so the Lord may be said not to re­member [Page 211] the former Heavens and Earth, and that they come no more into his minde; not absolutely, as we have heard, but comparatively, or in regard of the glorie and excellency of the new Heavens and Earth that he will make. And thus much may suf­fice for answer to that objection.

I have but one branch more of the allegation to answer, and then the ob­jection is solved. Apoc. 21.1.Apoc. 21.1. before alledged, And there was no more Sea. To which I might first answer, that there is no such expresse Scripture for a new Sea, as there is for a new Hea­ven, and a new earth in particular.

Secondly, by the [Sea] Sunt qui putant turbulentam hujus saeculi vitam, (qui maris nomine aliquoties Scriptura sig­nificatur) tum cessuram significari: Some suppose that by the Sea is signi­fied the troublesome and unquiet [Page 212] estate of this world, (which sometimes is set out in Scripture by that terme) shall then cease: but I conceive that the word Sea, is to be taken as Heaven and Earth are in the same Verse, not metaphorically, but literally, and properly, and no good reason can be shewn to the contrary.

Thirdly and lastly, taking the word Sea properly, as Heaven and Earth is taken,Aug. lib. 20. de civit. Dei cap. 16. I answer with Augustine lib. 20. de civitat. Dei, cap. 16. who doubts whether those words be so simply and absolutely to be understood, Vt mare prorsus sit desiturum, utpote jam deflagra­tionibus exhaustum, & exciccatum, &c. vel futurum sit, Aquin. sup­plem ad 3. qu. 74. art. 5. resp. ad 2. remane­bit quoad sub­stantiam, non quoad false­dinem, & com­motiones fluctum. sed innovatum, & immu­tatum: that is, whether the Sea shall then altogether cease, as being ex­hausted, and quite dried up with the flames of fire, or it shall be renewed and changed, so that it shall be no [Page 213] more raging, roaring, or turbulent Sea, but more quiet and pleasant. And Meyerus judgeth thus,Meye. in verba that as the Sea, ad varios usus, ac hominum utilita­tem, optimi creatoris jussu deseruit, inno­vabitur ergò cum caeteris elementis, & a fervitute restituto homine, liberabitur: and grounds his opinion upon Ro­manes 8.21. As the Sea,Rom. 8.21. by the com­mand of its great Creator, served for divers uses and profits of mankind, so it shall be renewed with the rest of the Elements, and shall be delivered from its bondage, when man is restored.

And for further illustration of this place, that in Esa. 60.19.Esa. 60.19. may come up to helpe us, the Sunn shall be [no more] thy light by day, neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee, but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Which place must first be [Page 214] conceived (as the learned observe) of that great light, and prosperity that shall be in the Church under the state of the new Testament, when both Jews, and Gentiles were to have the knowledge of the everliving God, and when the knowledge of the true God should be spread over the earth, as the waters cover the Sea; but then the aeternity, and perfection of this excellency, was to be compleated when God should make new Heavens, and a new Earth, in those glorious Mansions, where a farre more glorious light then the Sunn of the firmament shall shine, and whereas then there shall be, dies unus perpetuus, nox nulla, one perpetuall day, and no night at all; that light and excellency that shall shine and flow out to the sonns of God in the state of the new Testa­ment, both in spirituall knowledge [Page 215] and divine graces, is but as a glimpse of their glory and excellency which shalbe compleated in the life to come. And some Divines I find who call this their excellency under the state of the new Testament, whether for time we referre it to the primative, or A­postolique Church, as some; or to the middle times, as others; or to the lat­ter times, as a third; or to all these from Christs time, to the last in their severall degrees, and in times when the Church had her Lucida intervalla, her halcion dayes, or dayes of free pro­fessing of the Gospel; not in her times of the storme beating by generall per­secutions, or darkning by the clouds of affliction, as a fourth: this their spi­rituall excellency I say, under the state of the new Testament, they call (ty­pum) a type or figure, or resemblance of that excellency, and glorious estate [Page 216] of the Sonns of God in the life to come, wherein the excellency of their estate shall fully appeare, so that the Prophets sometimes make a tran­sition from the one to the other, and promise to the Church in its com­pleat estate (in regard of sanctity and freedome from sinne) those things that shall in their height and perfec­tion be obtained in the state of glory, which you have heard in this life may be resembled or shadowed out.1 Cor. 13.9. 1 Cor. 13.9, 10. For we know in part, and prophesie in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. And he adds in the 11. and 12. Verses, when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things: for now we see through a glasse darkly, but [Page 217] then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. We know in part, parum enim ex multo cognoscimus, Versio Syriac. per Trem. as the Syriacke version by Tremelius, for we know but a little of much, we know but here after an imperfect manner, in compa­rison of what we shall know there. Our knowledge here is but compared to Childhood, in regard of a perfect and well instructed man. The know­ledge of a Child is but small, even so small and weake is our knowledge in this life, in comparison of what we shall have in the life to come. Here we discern Divine truths more darke­ly, there we shall discerne them more clearly, and fully. And where it is here said that we know in part, Non est sensus doctrinam salutis nos tantum ex parte, non integram habere, proinde reve­lationibus, aut traditionibus aliis opus esse. [Page 218] Nequaquam, sed est collatio praesentis et futuri status circa cognitionem Dei, et rerum divinarum. Etenim summa hujus vitae sci­entia nihil est ad futuram perfectionem col­lata, Paraeus in loc. as Paraeus hath it. This is not the meaning of the words, as though the doctrine of salvation were but had of us in part, and not wholly, and that therfore we should stand in need of o­ther revelations, or traditions to make it out; not so, but collation or compa­ring of our estate in this life present, with that which is to come, cōcerning the knowledge of God and Divine things. For, the chiefest knowledge that we have in this life, is nothing in comparison of that perfection we shall attain unto in the life that is to come. We prophesie but in part, in compari­son of the excellent light, & clearnesse of judgement in Divine mysteries, that we shall attaine unto then; for when [Page 219] that which is perfect shall come, then that which is imperfect shalbe done a­way, not corruptivè or destructivè, but absorptivè ac perfectivè, not quite abo­lished, corrupted or destroyed, but swallowed up into that knowledge which is more excellent, and more perfected, even as childhood is swal­lowed up of youth, or youth into a perfect man; or as Chrysostom gives it,Chrysost. in verb. Non abolebitur scientia ut nulla sit, sed de­sinet esse imperfecta, this knowledge which we now have in part shall not be absolutely abolished, that it be none at all, but it shall cease to be im­perfect. Even as that knowledge which a man hath in any liberall Art, or Science, when he is but Bachellour in Arts, and when he knowes them but in part, is not totally abolished when he proceeds to be Master in them, but swallowed up into greater [Page 220] knowledge, and perfected; so our knowledge in part, or imperfect knowledge of Divine mysteries in this life, of that excellent and per­fect knowledge in the next life. Now vve see but as in a Glasse, more dark­ly, then more clearly. And as in a Glasse the nudae species rerum apparenti­um, as the naturall Philosophers speak, the nudae species, or likenesses of things are but to be seen, not the things themselves. Here we see Gods vvis­dome in his Works, his power, his ex­cellencie; here vve know that his Son vvas incarnate, that he made all things of nothing, and the like; but this vve know not perfectly, till vve shall see God himself face to face; and know as vve are known, namely of God him­self:1 Iohn 3.2. for 1 Iohn 3.2. We shall see him as he is, non comprehendendo totam essen­tiam, sed conspiciendo per modum ineffa­bilem, [Page 221] habendo imaginem Dei perfectè re­novatam, labemque omnem totaliter de­letam, ac deperditam: not by compre­hending his whole Essence, for that is beyond the sphaere of the abilitie of any Created and finite nature; but by the beholding of him after an ineffa­ble manner, having the Image of God perfectly renewed in us, and all spott, or contagion of sinne, totally taken away from us, and destroyed: for un­till then we cannot see him as he is. Moses in this life saw but his back parts, the Fathers under the Law saw him but in symbolis, in certain out­ward signes of his presence, as in the fire, in the Cloud, in the smoak, or the like; but we shall see him clearly, as he is, 2 Cor. 5.6, 7.2 Cor. 5.6, 7. We know that whilest we are at home in the Body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by faith, and not by sight: but [Page 222] then we shall see what we have belee­ved, yea, him in whom we have belee­ved, which whilest we have but mor­tall eyes of flesh, and bodies subject to sinne, and infirmitie, you have heard, vve cannot do. And vvhereas it is said, the Sunne shall be no more thy light by day, &c. but the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, which farre exceeds the light of the Sunne; yet vve cannot hence conclude infallibly, that those Planets and naturall Lights of Heaven shall totally cease and pe­rish; but comparatively they may be said to shine no more, in regard of that unspeakable splendor which God shall give in glory in the presence of all his Elect; so that the Sunne shall be no more necessary to them in that manner it was whilest they vvere up­on the earth. But in that God shall make a new Heaven, it is not probable [Page 223] that this new Heaven shall be lesse adorned than the old one, or lesse glo­rious. The Starres are integrall parts of Heaven, they are densiores partes Or­bis, the thicker or more compact parts of their Orbes, for if the Corpus stella­rum, or body of the Stars, were aequae [...], or tralucidum, equally translu­cent to the rest of their Orbes, then would they neither receive, keep or give any more light than the rest of the Orbes do. Aristotle lib. 2.Arist. lib. 2. de Coelo cap. 7. de Coe­lo, cap. 7. shewes, that they have ean­dem essentiam & naturam cum Coelo, the same Essence and nature vvith the Heavens; eadem materiâ & forma con­stant, cienturque eodem motu: they con­sist of the same matter and forme, and are also moved with the same motion; therefore if the Heavens be made new, and more glorious than they are now, shall not these, as parts of them, be so [Page 224] too?Matth. 24.29. and if so, then not totally abo­lished. Yea, but Matth. 24.29. the Starres shall fall from Heaven;Apoc. 6.13. and Apoc. 6.13. the Starres of Heaven fell unto the Earth, as a Figg-tree casteth her untimely Figgs vvhen she is sha­ken of a mightie vvinde. And Hea­ven departed away as a Scroll, vvhen it is rolled, and every Mountain and Island vvere moved out of their pla­ces, &c. This latter allegation seems to me to have been taken from Isaiah, Isa. 34.4. All the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved, and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a Scroll, and all their Host shall fall down as the Leaf falleth off from the Vine, and as a falling Figg from the Figtree. And if so, then these integrall parts shall be abolished: for vvhen God shall shake both Heaven and earth, as Heb. 12.26. Yet once more, and I shake not the [Page 225] earth onely, but also the Heaven, &c. and you may alledge, that God by his power is as able to shake the Stars out of the Orbs of Heaven, as the winde the Figgs from the Figtree, or Leaves from the Vine. To these allegations I would give satisfaction in order, concerning the Starres and Planets of Heaven, for as for the bodie of Hea­ven we have answered already.

First then to the allegation, Matth. 24.29. The Starres shall fall from Heaven. The Ancient Divines have differed upon the sense of these vvords, so also have the Modern. And how the Sunne and Moon shall be darkned, we may more easily con­ceive then how the Starres shall fall, for they may become so either by great and fearfull Ecclipses, or nubi­um obtectione, or innatae lucis priva­tione, or majoris luminis obscuratione; [Page 226] by being deprived of their innate, light, or by being obscured by some greater light; as by the glorious com­ing of Christ.Chrysost. expo­sit. 1. & 2. But by whether of these two later, Chrysostome is not at one with himself, as may appear in Expo­sitione prima & secunda. Yet Astrolo­gers say, that Sol & Luna simul Ec­clipsim naturalem, pati non possunt.

Secondly, its observable that in the Prophets, vvhen any great & fearfull day of the Lord, by executing of his terrible judgements upon any peo­ple or Nation, vvas at hand, they ex­pressed it by these termes: all which judgements vvere specimina quaedam extremi judicii, certain examples and patterns of the last and great judge­ment; as upon those of Tyrus, of Baby­lon, of Aegypt, of the Jews, Idumaeans, or the like. For Tyrus, and Zidon, and the Coasts of Palestine, vvhen God [Page 227] threatens recompence to them for what they had done to his Church, which he takes as done to himself. If ye recompence me, &c. he saith. Ioel, 3.15.Ioel. 3.15. The Sunne and the Moon shall be darkned, and the Starres shall vvithdraw their shining, which shall be signes of Gods wrath and anger; so that the Creatures Lamps of light should be suspended from yeelding that comfortable light and Service unto sinners, vvhich for­merly they did.

For Babylon. Isaiah 13.10.Isai. 13.10. The Starres of Heaven, and the Constella­tions thereof shall not give their light: The Sunne shall be darkned in his going forth, and the Moon shall not cause her light to shine.

For Aegypt. Ezekiel 32.7, 8.Ezek. 32.7, 8. And vvhen I shall put thee out, I will cover the Heaven, and make the Starres [Page 228] thereof dark. I vvill cover the Sunne vvith a Cloud, and the Moon shall not give her light. All the bright Lights of Heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darknesse upon thy Land, saith the Lord God.

Ioel 2.10.For the Jews. Ioel 2.10. The Sunne and the Moon shall be dark, and the Starres shall withdraw their shining.

Esa. 34.4, 5.For Idumaea. Isa. 34.4, 5. amongst the rest of the Enemies of the Church of God, they were to be punished, and then (saith he) all the Hoast of Hea­ven shalbe dissolved, and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a Scroll, and all their Host shall fall down, as a Leaf falleth from the Vine, &c.

Musc. in loc.Thirdly, concerning the Starres falling from Heaven, Musculus is of opinion, that they shall fall indeed; & quid opus est disputare de modo, quo ventura sunt haec signa? to what end [Page 229] should we despute of the manner how these signes should come to passe? saith he. Of the same judgement is Bucer and some others,Bucer. in verba Yet judici­ous Calvin, Calvin in loc. and many other learned Divines, are not of this judgement, that the Starres shall really be separa­ted from their Orbs. Stellas non reipsa casuras intelligit, sed secundùm homi­num sensum: ideò apud Lucam tantùm praedicit fore signa in Soli, Luna, & Stel­lis, sensus ergò est, tantam fore machinae coe­li concussionem ut Stellae ipsae cadere puten­tur, &c. his meaning is not that the Starres shall fall indeed, but they shall seem to fall in mans apprehension, and the reason he renders, is in Luke 21.25. where he onely foretels that there shall be signes in the Sunne, the Moon and the Starres: the meaning therefore is, that there shall be so great a concussinn, or jumbling, or [Page 230] shaking of the Fabrick of Heaven, that the Stars themselves may be thought to fall. Some of the Rabbins think, that men shall be so perplexed, that they shall verily think, that the Starres are a falling from Heaven, and take no comfort from any light of those golden Firebals, as I may terme them. Others think, that the fierie Meteors, shall fall in such abun­dance at that time, that the Starres of Heaven shall be thought in­deed to fall; which yet shall but be Stellae cadentes, such fierie meteors, as we call falling-Starres. The School Divines, [that are Aristotelians for their Philosophie] are much bent against the reall falling of the Stars from their Orbs; which though they must needs grant with the Text, that they shall fall, yet they dispute the modus, or manner how, and will not be brought [Page 231] off naturall reason, in the contempla­tion of a miraculous and supernatu­rall work, to grant that the Starres shall fall à fitu, from their scituation in their Orbs, any more then the Orbs themselves, seeing that they are parts of them; and therefore have distin­guished about the manner of their fal­ling, as God willing, we shall hear. True it is, if we respect Gods abso­lute power, and miraculous and super­naturall way of working, he can pull the knots out of the Timber, and yet the rest of the substance remain. Thus God can cause the Starres to fall from their Orbs, and yet the Orbs remain. And as you have heard, he can more easily do this, then the violent winde can cause the Figges to fall from the Figtree. And if with Musculus, Bu­cer and some others, we should go this way, I cannot conceive the conse­quence [Page 232] in Divinitie to be of any great danger. Now if we go a Philosophi­call and rationall way to work, as do the School Divines, then we must ra­ther incline to their non separation à situ, as keeping us within he sphaer of naturall reason, above which Divinity often goes.

For first, if they should fall, then must their fall of necessitie be towards the earth; and if so, then shall their motus be deorsum, downward, which is contrary to their naturall motion, which we know is motus circularis, a circular motion, as the motion of the Heavens is: from which the Philoso­pher proves, that Coelum est corpus sim­plex, Arist. lib. 1. de Coelo text. 8. because it hath motum simplicem, a simple motion, and that circular, keeping an equall distance from its Center. Not rectus, a straight motion, such as have the Elements, nor compo­situs, [Page 233] a compound motion, such as mixt bodies, and Elementary have. For from the motion the Philosopher would conclude, that the matter of the Heavens is quinta quaedam essentia, a certain quintessence, and not ejusdem materiae cum inferioribus, of the same matter with these inferiour bodies. Indeed many of the ancient Philoso­phers before Aristotles time, were of opinion, that the Heavens were of Elementary nature; he was the first that made this opinion famous in the Schools, that the Heavens were of a quintessence, differing from the nature of the Elementary bodies. And divers Divines there are that opine the hea­vens to be of the same matter with sublunary bodies, as well as did many of the Ancient Philosophers.Averroes lib. 1. de coelo, text. 7. Aver­roes lib. 1 de coelo, text. 7. would needs be so subtile, that he would allow no [Page 234] matter at all to be in the Heavens: but this opinion is so grosse, that its contrary to common experience, and sense. The greatest argument, by which the Philosopher would prove his quintessence, is this, quaecunque ma­teriâ communicant, Arist. de gen. & corruptione lib. 1. cap. 1. text. 1. ea ad invicem transmu­tantur. At coelum, & inferiora ad invi­cem non transmutantur. Ergò. And quae non sic transmutantur, dissimili constant materia: Those bodies that commu­municate in the same matter, may be changed one into another, as Elemen­tary bodies we see are, which are in a capacitie of the successive receiving of more forms than one. But the Hea­vens not so, but their matter is in po­tentia tantum ad formam suam primo à Deo inditam: Onely to their first forme which God first gave them, and this was never changed since the first Creation, as the forms of other sub­lunary [Page 235] Bodies have been, and thus he thought it should still continue, & that the Heavens should be eternall, and immortall, and never be dissolved. Again, it was conceived, that if the matter should be the same both of the Heavens, and the Element of Fire contiguous to it, or next unto the sphear of the Moon, that then the Element of Fire might kindle in the sphear of the Moon, and so Heaven might suffer from the fire, and the fire from it, &c.Scalig exer. 61. To which Scaliger makes answer, Exercitat. 61. Coeli verò forma non agit in haec inferiora per univocas qualitates, cum his inferioribus qualitatibus; The forme of Heaven works not upon these inferiour bo­dies by such qualities, as are univocall with these inferiour qualities. And the naturc of the Elemenrary fire is so pure, that it burns not, nor consumes [Page 236] any part of Heaven, nor is hurt by any part of Heaven, but is rather con­served and nourished by the circular motion of it, therefore need not the contiguitie to the sphaere, or concavo Lunae be feared.Scalig exer. 9. Scaliger exercit. 9. Non enim Coelo inimicus est, cui obesse profectò nequit ulla vi: its no Enemy to Hea­ven, which in very deed it cannot hurt by any force it hath. And he adds, in Coelo nulla est affectio ejusdem generis cum iis affectionibus quae in igne insunt: in Heaven there is no disposition of the same kinde, with those dispositions that are in the Element of fire. Non erit item effectio contrariorum, therefore there is not the effect of contraries: Contraria namque sub eodem genere sunt. Nemo igitur qui sit bonus metaphysicus, dixit materiam coeli ab ignis qualitatibus destrui posse, &c. Contraries are under the same genus, (true say the Logici­ans, [Page 237] either proximo, or remoto) there­fore none (saith he) that are expert in Metaphysicks, will say that the mat­ter of the Heavens can be destroyed by the qualities of fire. The reason the Peripatetiques urge, is, because they are not of the same common mat­ter; but that he sleights, but with no great strength of Argument, as farre as I conceive, yet he will have the reason why the matter of the Heavens is not combustible, or obnoxious to the E­lement of fire, to be, because they dif­fer per corruptibile & incorruptibile, as corruptible and incorruptible; and the qualities of Heaven non sunt eum ig­nis qualitatibus generis ejusdem: they are not of the same kinde with the qualities of fire, as in part you have heard before: but what reall diffe­rence he can assigne between the Phi­losophers quinta essentia, and his incor­ruptible, [Page 238] I have not as yet under­stood, seeing the Philosopher meant, that the matter of the Heavens was in­corruptible, because it was a quintes­sence, the difference is onely verball.

Secondly, we read not that the Sun and Moon shall fall from Heaven, or the rest of the Planets, as Saturn, Iupiter, Mars, or the like; but the Stars, which is conceived to be meant of the fixed Starres. Now when Heaven is shaken, why these should be loosened from their eight sphaere, more than any of the Planets out of their severall Orbs, in nature we can give no reason.

Thirdly and lastly, if what Aristotle writes in l. 2.Arist. lib. 2. de Coelo. de coelo, be true, that stellae coelumque eandem habent substantiam, that the Starres, and the Heaven it self have the same substance, and that they dif­fer but densitate, & raritate, in density [Page 239] or raritie of the parts of that sub­stance; and that as Scaliger speaks Exercitat. 61.Scalig. de sub­ttl. ad Card. exer. 61. de subtilitate ad Carda­num, si sidus be coelum suum densum, & coelum be sidus suum rarum, if the Stars be the Heaven made thick or thicke­ned, and the Heaven be the Starres rarified, or made thinner, (for he likes not the illustration of the old Philoso­phers, who compared them to knots in Timber) Non admittenda veterum Metaphora, qui Stellam in coelo, velut in tabula nodum arbitrabantur: the Meta­phor of the Ancients (saith he) is not to be allowed of, who supposed a Star in the Heavens to be like a knot in a Plank, or in the Timber. Yet may not a man as well say, that nodus is ta­bulá sua densa, and tabula is nodus suus rarus, as he the other, except a man were now and then delighted to make singularitie, a subtiltie; and if [Page 240] so, how that quantum continuum should be so separated, as to have the partes densiores to fall, and the partes rariores of the same substance to remain after them, in natural reason cannot well be conceived; therfore the school-divines were moved to judge, that the Starres should have no reall removeall, by fal­ling (à situ) or from their scituation, but that their falling from Heaven should be after some other manner. And the Scriptures sometimes speak of things, not as they are in them­selves, but as they appear unto men: as Matth. last,Matth. last. 2. 2. an Angel is said to rowl away the stone from the Sepul­chre:Mark last, 5. yet Mark last, 5. this Angel is called a young man, not that the An­gel was so, but because he did appear so unto others, having assumed that shape, and so was in a visible forme. And thus the Schoolmen think, that [Page 241] then shall be such a terrour upon the Creature, and men so perplexed at the comming of this great and fearfull Judge, and the Sea roaring, the earth trembling, the Heaven shaking, that the Starrs of Heaven shall be thought to them to fall; yet not existentiâ, but apparentiâ, say they;Dionysiꝰ Cat­thus. in verb. and so Dionysius Carthusianus upon the place: They shall fall from Heaven, not from their existence in their sphaeres, but in ap­pearance unto the Inhabitants of the Earth. Except you had rather say that the Starres, quoad statum corruptum, according to their corrupt state by the sinne of man, should have their corruption to fall from them, being burned, as the Heavens shall be. And howsoever that of Aquinas in his sense be true, in supplemento ad 3.Aquin. suppl. ad 3. part summ. qu. 74. art. 1. in corp. partem sum. qu. 74. art. 1. in corpore, that res corporalis subjectum infectionis culpae propriè esse non [Page 242] possit, tamen ex culpa quaedam incongrui­tas, &c. that is, infectio, or impuritas, though things corporeall cannot pro­perly be said to be the subject of in­fection by fault, yet by the fault of another, (namely of man) for whose use in some sort they were made, there may be a certain incongruitie, infecti­on, or impuritie from their first estate put upon them, the which if it were not removed, would keep them from a better, & a more perfect estate, there­fore will God purge them in the fire, at the last day. For purgatio mundi ad hoc erit, ut removeatur à corporibus dispo­sitio contraria perfectioni gloriae, quae qui­dem perfectio est ultima rerum consumma­tio, Aquin. suppl. ad 3. qu. 74. art. 4. in corp. &c. Aquin. supplemen. ad 3. partem summ. qu. 74. art. 4. in corp. the purging of the world by fire is to this end, that from the corporeall Creatures may be removed that disposition now in [Page 243] them, which is contrary to the perfe­ction of glory, which perfection true­ly is the last atchievement of things that can be attained unto.

Now come we to the last allegation for the liberation of the Creature, by totall abolition. 2 Pet. 3.10.2 Pet. 3.10. The Heavens shall passe away with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. To which I answer, (as in part before) that though the Hea­vens be thus burned up, yet it will not follow, that the substance of them shall totally be annihilated, but that their esse accidentale tale, their acciden­tall estate be renewed, their corrupti­ble qualities shall be changed, and that impuritie, they became lyable to by the sinne of man, shall be taken away, that so they may be reduced to [Page 244] a better estate. Mettall we know that is melted, or dissolved in the fire, is not totally destroyed, quoad substan­tiam, in the substance of it, but the drosse and baser qualities of it purged out. Thus we conceive it to be with the Heavens, when they shall be dissolved; so that neither will this last allegation evince an asolute abolition of the substance of the Heavens. And thus much in answer to the Arguments or Allegations for the liberation of the Creature from the bondage of cor­ruption, by way of totall abolition.

I now come to the second, which you have heard in part, is sententia communior, the more common opini­on, not onely of the Fathers, both of Eastern and Western Churches, but of Modern Divines, as also of the Schooles. And because I have for­merly referred you to Vossius, where [Page 245] you may see them nominated parti­cularly, as also the places in them, I shall not need here againe, crambem re­coquere, to make mention of them, be­ing so many. But now this puts me upon the fourth point, what Crea­tures are conceived, as most capable of this liberation from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious li­berty of the Sonns of God; for here those that are for liberation by way of repurgation, or the taking out the baser qualities, or impurity, saving the substance from totall abolition, yet they are not all of the same judg­ment what Creatures shall be parta­kers of this liberation.

Give me leave to rank them thus, ei­ther such as were created at the first, in the state of innocency; Or second­ly, those that had existence in the world since; Or thirdly, those only [Page 246] that shall bee found remaining at Christs comming to judgement: Or Fourthly and lastly, the Heavens, the Earth, and mankinde.

Some think, that those Creatures shall be restored from the bondage of corruption, that were made the first subject to vanitie, which were Crea­ted in a pure, firm, and sound estate, and yet lost this integritie by the sin of man, and so became subject to in­stabilitie, vanitie, and slavery, and yet was this no wrong to the Creature saith Chrysostome: Chrysostome. Nam si propter me factae sunt, nihil admittitur injustitiae, si propter me patiantur: If they were made for me, they have no injustice, saith he, if they suffer for me. And then he renders a reason for it; aequi, & iniqui ad res inanimas, & ratione carentes no [...] esse rationem transferendam: There is no reason to be rendred of right or wrong [Page 247] done to any such Creatures as want life, or that wants reason, or under­standing; yet a man may sinne in per­verting the use of the Creature in cruelty towards it, or in the abuse of it, this God permits him not, but he may offend against God who gave him do­minion over it. Hom. 22. in Genesin, Chrysost. Hom, 22. in Genes. he shews, that it is not injustum, or absur­dum, si creatura propter homines aliquas calamitates cogatur ferre, either unjust or absurd, if the Creatures be compelled to beare some calamities by reason of man. And he illustrates it by this si­mile, (for the which manner of teach­ing and writing he is the most excel­lent of all the Fathers] si quis incurrat in iram Regis, ipse non modo supplicio af­ficitur, sed etiam omnis ejus familia op­primitur: homo propter peccatum factus est obnoxius maledictioni, & irae Dei, quare non est mirum si universa Creatura [Page 248] quae hominis familia est, ingemiscat una cum eo, ac doleat: that is, If any man incurre the wrath of his Prince, he is not onely punished, but his whole Family is oppressed; even so man by sinne being made subject to the curse, and wrath of God, what marvell is it if the whole Creation, which is the family of man, do groane, and sor­row together with him: yet of these onely it cannot be said,Rom. 8.22. as Rom. 8.22. that they do travell in pain together, [...], usque ad hoc tempus, even un­till now.

Secondly, some understand all the Creatures the whole Creation, that hath groaned, but that all, and every of the Individualls of every age, mul­tiplyed since the Creation, should be restored, is not probable: Who can conceive that the Earth should contain them? their number would [Page 249] amount as in infinitum, or what use for so many of them?

Thirdly, others therfore who seem to come nearer the mark, rather under­stand it of such onely as shall remain at Christs comming to judgement; but then againe whether onely the species, or severall kindes of every Creature shall be restored, or all of every species then remaining? is ano­ther difficultie, and that which God hath not clearly revealed unto us. But if the Lord deal in the second destru­ction of the world by fire, as he did in the first by water, then the species shall remain, but not all Individualls of those species; for all the individualls multiplyed at the time of the Flood, were not preserved, but onely some of every species; so it may be, that at the second destruction of the world, God will restore some of every species, and [Page 250] yet not all and singular individuals of every species; for as when the species or severall kindes of Creatures are said to groan, the whole Creation may be said to groan; evē so likewise when the severall species, or kinds of crea­tures are delivered from the bondage of corruption, the whole Creation may be said to be delivered from the bondage of corruption; for when Paul saith, [...], that omnis creatura ingemiscit, (or una gemiscit) & una parturit usque ad hoc tempus; that every Creature of the whole Creation groaneth, or groaneth together with us, or travel­leth with us in pain, as a woman tra­velleth of Childe, with great desire to be delivered, yea, even untill now. It is not like that he means every indivi­duall that hath had a Beeing of any kinde, since the Creation, whereof [Page 251] thousands and millions were dissol­ved into their Principles before his time, and had no Being in rerum natura, as we say; that these should groan, and travell, as a woman travelling to bring forth [...], ad hoc usque tem­pus, even unto that time that Paul writ these words, but that the severall species of Creatures, or the Creatures of every severall kinde, did groan and travell in pain, even untill that time, and will do, till the glorious revela­tion of the Sonnes of God, which the Creatures expects earnestly, and longs for, that it may be delivered from the bondage of its corruption. This I con­ceive rationall and probable, and the ordinary glosse understands not singu­la generum, but genera singulorum. Glossa ordin.

Now let us hear the judgements of godly, expert, and pious Divines up­on this point, to which also we will [Page 252] adde the judgement of Aquinas from amongst the schoolmen, though many of them runne upon the last point. Doctor Willet (as you have heard in brief before) in his qu. 27.D. Willet qu. 27. in Rom. expos. quint. upon Ro­manes. 8. expositione 5. hath by dili­gent reading observed, that the most generall and received opinions, by the Creature, to understand corporalia & irrationalia, corporeall and irrationall Creatures, comprehending the Hea­vens and Starres with the Earth, toge­ther with living Creatures of all sorts, Trees, Plants, &c. for this he quotes Ambrose upon the place,Ambros. in loc. Calvin and Peter Martyr, Calvin. with some others. Cal­vin thus: Rursum hinc apparet in quan­tam gloriae excellentiam evehendi sint filii Dei, ad quam amplisicandam & illustran­dam creaturae omnes innovabuntur. Again, hence it may appear into how great an excellencie the Sonnes of God shall be [Page 253] elevated, into how great an excellen­cie of glory; for the amplifying and illustrating of which, all Creatures shall be renewed. Peter Martyr thus,Petr. Martyr in loc. certè videmus omnia ita creata esse à Deo, ut se maximè cupiant conservare [...]itaque plantae, animalia, petrae, metalla obluctan­tur, & resistunt pro se quaeque ne perdan­tur, & esse desinant, &c. Truely we see all things to be so Created of God, that they have a speciall to conserve themselves, therefore even Plants, li­ving Creatures, that have sense and motion, Rocks, Metalls, do wrastle and resist, striving every one of them for themselves against their destructi­on. And a little after, Quumque ea vi­deamus reniti, ne perdantur, & pereant, veniat nobis in mentem, qualis illis insitus sit appetitus, is aurem naturalis est, & ideò in universum frustrari non potest, &c. & when as we may see how they resist [Page 254] destruction, least they perish; we may call to minde what an appetite or de­sire is put into them by nature, and in so much as it is naturall, it shall not lie frustrate for ever.Chrysost. Chrysostome saith, facta est propter nos corruptibilis propter nos etiam immortalitate donabitur; The Creature, became corruptible (saith he) because of us, and it shall also be rewarded with immortalitie, because of the same. And again, saith the same Father, Si affliguntur nostra cau­sà, quum apparebit nostra foelicitas, unà etiam instaurabuntur; If the Creatures be afflicted for our sakes, when our foelicity shall appear, they shall be re­stored together with us.Chrysost de reparand laps. ad Theod. And lib. de Reparandis lapsis ad Theodorum, he shews, that post diem judicii omnia sunt renovanda, after the day of judge­ment all things shall be renewed. And Apoc. 21.5.Apoc. 21.5. & qui insidebat throno dixit, [Page 255] ecce nova facio omnia; and he that sat upon the Throne said, behold, I make all things new. Some suppose this to be meant of the Kingdome of Christ under the new Testament, after the abolishing of the old Ceremonies of of Moses, and to be taken from the Prophet Isaiah, Isa. ult. 22. having foretold the calling of the Gentiles, and how he would take of them for Priests and Levites, he adds, For as the new heavens & new earth which I will make shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed, and your name continue, &c. but as I have said before, this is not the compleate sense of the place, though all this do quadrate to the Kingdome of Christ; for as God will make new his Church here, which is the cheifest part of his Creature next to the Angells, so will he also make the rest of the Creatures [Page 256] new, at the day of judgement. To which Aretius assents upon that place in Apoc. 21.5.Aretius in loc. Loquitur autem Do­minus de totius Creaturae renovatione, in qua principalis habetur ratio Ecclesiae suae. Ideò eandem sententiam Apostolus, 2 Cor. 5.17. ad novam Creaturam in sanctis applicuit. Si quis est in Christo, nova est Creatura, vetera praeterierunt, ecce nova facta sunt omnia; The Lord in this place speaks (saith he) of the renewing of the whole Creature, in which princi­pall respect is had to the Church of God, therefore the Apostle applies the same saying to the new Creature in his Saints,2 Cor. 5.17. 2 Cor. 5.17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new Creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.Meyer. in verb. Meyerus just to the same purpose, having spoken of the forenamed passage in Esay, he saith, Omnia satis regno Christi per Apo­stolos [Page 257] propagato, verum et hic vterquè va­tes altius prospexit, nempè, ad regenerati­onem futuri seculi, quandò plenissimè re­novato homine, omnia restituentur, et in melius commutabuntur; All things here spoken by the Prophet Esay, do fit­ly agree to the Kingdome of Christ propagated by the Apostles, but yet in this saying both prophets (that is, both Isaiah, and Saint Iohn) looked a little higher, or a little beyond this, to witt, to the new birth of the world to come, when as man being fully re­newed, all things shall be restored, and changed into a better estate.Theophylact. in loc. ad Ro­manos. The­ophilact in locum ad Romanos, haec mun­di machina, et creata omnia immutabuntur in melius; The frame of the world, and all things that are created in it, shall be changed into a better condition.Chrysost. Chry­sostome sets it out by two similies, first, thus, Nutrix diù laborat alendo infante, [Page 258] at cum ille adoleverit, et regnum, aut principatum nactus fuerit, illa quoquè prae­claris honoribus afficietur; The Nurse for a long time undergoes great paines in nursing, or nourishing a poor Infant, but when the Infant is grown, & hath obtained a Kingdom, or Principality, then the Nurse also is rewarded with excellent honours; & so the Creature that hath suffered much slavery under us, and for us, when we shall be glo­rified, and brought into a better e­state, they shall be lifted up to a bet­ter estate also; they shall then be de­livered from the bondage of corrupti­on into the glorious liberty of the Sonns of God.

The second simile is this: Reges enim quo die volunt filios suos inangurari, cura­re solent, non solùm ut illi singulari appa­ratu, & pompa prodeant, verùm etiam ut servi illorum quàm honestissimè culti in­structique [Page 259] incedant: In the dayes that Kings would have their sonnes inau­gurated, they take care that not onely they come forth most gallantly appa­relled, and in pompe, but that their servants also that attend upon them be handsomly adorned, and provided for: even so likewise when Christ, which is the King of heaven shall come in his glory to judgment, then the just that are his Sons, shall receive a King­dome, and the Inheritance prepared for them; and then omnes creaturae or­namentis admirabilibus, & insigni splendo­re illustrabuntur: all the Creatures, that as their servants wait upon them, shall be decked with admirable adorn­ings, and goodly beautie. Now we may further know, that the species of of the Creatures may be called All the Creatures, as well as the Indvidualls may of the severall species, Gen. 2.1.Gen. 2.1. [Page 260] when Heaven and Earth were finish­ed, the species of the Creatures, when as yet they had not multiplied, nor increased in Individuals, are called omnis exercitus illorum, all the Host of them.Gen 2.19. And Gen. 2.19. the severall spe­cies of the Beasts of the Earth, and of the Fowls of Heaven, Moses calls, omnes bestias agri, & omnia volatilia coeli, every beast of the field, and every Fowle of the Aire; or all the Beasts of the field, and all the Fowles of the Aire: And in the same Verse they are called [every living creature] & what­soever Adam called every living Crea­ture, that was the name thereof. So I conceive, that all Creatures may be said to be renewed, when their se­verall sorts,Gas. Olevian. in cap. 8 ad Rom. or species shall be re­newed. Gasper Olevianus in cap. octa­vum ad Rom. having made the que­stion [...], what that earnest expectation [Page 261] and hope of the Creature here spoken of, should be, Answers, certum est non esse nihil alioqui spiritus sanctus tot et tam significantibus verbis non esset usus, it is certain that it is not nothing, otherwise the spirit of God would not have used so many significant words as it hath; but seeing that the Creatures some of them want sense, others reason, they cānot properly be said to expect, or to hope, as we do, as you have heard before: but these are metaphoricall speeches borrowed from the reasonable Crea­ture, ad exprimendum occultum illum in­stinctum a Deo inditum, quò feruntur ar­denti veluti quodam desiderio ad sui in­staurationem, qui tamen instinctus cum Dei opus sit, non minus firmus est, et constans, quam si claros gemitus ducerent, adeò ut Creaturae quae tacent, clament, saith he, to expresse that secret instinct that is put into them from God, by which [Page 262] they are carried, as with a certain ar­dent desire to their restauration, which instinct, seeing it is the work of God, is no lesse firm, and constant, then if they plainly groaned; so that the Creature that is silent, may be said to crie out, or utter a sound. And even as the point of a Needle in a Dy­all, being touched with a Loadstone, hath a constant and continuall incli­nation towards the North; yea, though a man be farre remote from it that carryeth it, and in the darkest and lowest Cavern of the earth, and himself knows not which is the North point, yet will the point of the Nee­dle thus touched, still incline that way, by the secret operation of na­ture, though it have no reason. Thus the Creature being touched by an in­stinct of nature, or naturall appetite of liberation put into it from God, it [Page 263] hath a metaphoricall hope of at­taining it, which works constant­ly in it, and in which it remains with vehement desire and expectation, though it want reason; yea, though like the Needle touched with the Loadstone, it want sense. Divers o­thers I might easily produce, who con­curre with the same judgement. And as D. Willet hath rightly observed, (as you have heard before) it is the most generally received opinion. And howsoever Estius argue the point to, and fro, yet he saith,Estiꝰ in cap. 8. ad Rom. Nota est The­ologorum doctrina in resurrectione homi­num futuram renovationem totius creaturae &c. that doctrine or opinion of Di­vines, saith he, is known, that when man shall rise again, there shall be a renovation of the whole Creature.Aquin. in supp. ad 3. part. sum. qu. 74. art. 7. in corp. Aquinas in suppl. ad 3. part. summ. qu. 74. art. 7. in corp. Tota creatura suo modò re­novabitur, [Page 264] The whole Creature in its way, or manner, shall be renewed. And quotes for the ground of his opinion Rom. 8.D. Willet qu. 27. expos. 6. ad Rom. 8. yet D. Willet declines this, in his 27. qu. upon the Romanes, expos. 6. and rather falls in with the last rank of the Creatures before mentioned: his words are these; Therefore it re­mains, that we understand by the Creature onely inanimata, insensata, things without life and sense, as the Heavens, the Elements, and the earth, with the things therein.Oecum. in loc. Oecumenius, sensu carentem creaturam, The Creature that wanteth sense.Beza in loc. Beza (as you have heard before in the Creatures subju­gation) by the Creature understands Coelestem machinam, et elementarem regi­onem, but not animantia, not ejus incolas, the fabrick of Heaven, and the ele­mentary regions [those indeed are in­sensible, and inanimate or without [Page 267] life and soul] but he would not have the living Creatures, or the indwellers of the world included. To the same purpose he quotes Bucan, loco, 37. qu. 8.Bucan. loc. 37. qu. 8. with some others, yet affirming, that the things attributed to the Creature in the context, agree to these; he seeth something in Verse 22. that may breed some scruple in this his 6. exposition, to which he most inclines, for there mention is made of the whole Creati­on, or, every Creature; yea, and Verse 20. these only are not the Creatures made subject to vanity; therefore he tells us he will give reason, or shew why [every Creature] is there named, and yet but these forenamed be par­takers of the liberation, in qu. 32.D [...] 32. but he that reads that will find no great sa­tisfaction from it, for having quoted Ambrose, Origen, Augustine, Ambros. Origen. Augustine. from which he dissents in this point, and I con­ceive [Page 266] upon rationall grounds, proper­ly, and strictly considered and taken, he confesseth Peter Martyr and Calvin are both against his sense,Martyr. Calvin. in exposit. 6. as indeed they are, whose words I have formerly produced. These (as you have heard) with many more, are for the sense, which he confesseth is most generally received; and him­self is not very confident of this his sixt Exposition, to which he most in­clines: and though P. Martyr be not clear, yet is he rather byassed with the generall opinion, and so he conceives of him. We will modestly examine his Arguments and Reasons that move his dissent from the most generally re­ceived opinion. The first is this, the Brute Creatures, which now onely serve for our necessary use, shall not be partakers of the glory of the sonnes of God: whence thus, those [Page 267] Creatures, which are delivered from the bondage of corruption, shall be partakers of the glory of the Sonnes of God. But Brutes shall not be parta­kers of the glory of the sonnes of God.

Ergo.

The major is denyed. Wherein judicious Calvin might have given sa­tisfaction, whose words he also quotes; Porro (saith Calvin) non intelli­git consortes [ejusdem gloriae] fore crea­turas cum filiis Dei, sed (suo modo) me­lioris status fore socios, quia Deus simul cum humano genere, orbem nunc collapsum in integrum restituet: Having conside­red how the Creature shall be delive­red from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Sonns of God, he adds, Certainly he doth not mean that the Creatures shall be partakers of the same glory with the Sonnes or Children of God, but that in [Page 266] their kinde, after such a manner as is sutable to them, they shall be parta­kers of a better estate, because God together with mankinde, will restore the whole collapsed world to its inte­grity, or to that state God Created it in, and in which it stood before man sinned: or into a more excellent estate.Aquin. paul. supra. And you heard out of Aquinas a little before, in suppl. ad tertiam part. summ. qu. 74. art. 7. in corp. that tota Creatura (suo modo) renovabitur; the whole creature, every creature, or the whole Creation shall be renewed af­ter its manner, or in such a way, as is sutable to the nature of it; and yet not be partaker of the same excellen­cie of glory, or unspeakable joy, and ravishment, that the Children of God shall be, as being in the presence of the Lamb, in the Seat of glory, or in the third Heaven, into which other [Page 271] creatures shall not come, neither are capable of it. This well weighed, the Argument will not firmely conclude against the most generally received opiniō. Again, in the forenamed place, which he referres his Reader to for sa­tisfaction, he brings in the glossa ordi­naria, shewing, (as you have heard) that by tota, or omnis Creatura, or Crea­tura indefinitè sumpta, is not meant sin­gula generum, but genera singulorum; not all Creatures of every kinde, but eve­ry kinde of all Creatures.

His second Argument this, (and it is not onely his, but the Argument of divers others,) There shall then be no more any use for any such Creatures. Whence thus, Those Creatures that shall remain after the day of judge­ment, shall be for some use.

But of Brutes, Plants, and such like, there shall be no use. Ergo.

P. Mart. in loc.To the major we say with Peter Mar­tyr, Hoc tamen mihi certissimum videtur, quodque omninò affirmari debeat; istas na­turas rerum non mansuras in extremo die, nist aliquod opus habiturae sint. Pugnat enim & cum natura, & communi ratione, ali­quid constituere quod omninò sit otiosum. Quae autem Deus his rebus opera sit ad­scripturus, facile nos fateamur ignorare: Notwithstanding this to me seems a most certain truth, and such a one as ought altogether to be affirmed, be­cause the natures of those things should not remain after the day of judgement, except there were some use of them: for it is both against na­ture and common reason, to ordaine any thing that is of no use at all. But what imployment God will appoint these Creatures, we may easily grant or acknowledge our selves to be ig­norant; saith he. Lombard lib. 4. sent. [Page 271] dist. 48. in ipso calce, Lom. lib. 4. sent. dist. 33. in calc. answering to that question, what use there shall be of the light of the Sunn, and Moon af­ter the day of judgment, saith, fateor me ignorare, quià in Scripturis non memini me legisse, I confesse my selfe ignorant of that, because I do not remember that I have read of it in the Scriptures. For the which his modesty, and plain dealing in this point, Peter Martyr commends him, and wisheth he had dealt thus in other passages; Vtinam in aliis rebus definiendis, uti voluisset pa­ri modestia, & fide: I would to God (saith he) that he would have used the like modesty and truth in his defining or determining of other points, but this he did not. This for the major proposition.

To the minor, But of Brutes, Plants, and such like, there shall be no use, &c. I answer, that if by [use] he mean [Page 270] usum communem necessitatis, the com­mon use of necessitie, and such as man stood in need of the Creatures for, in the state of his mortalitie and naturall abode upon the earth, then I grant there is no such use for them; as for the Creature to carry burthens for his use, to draw, to runne at his service, &c. to nourish him, to cloath his body, &c. for after this life we shall not stand in need of any such supplies. But if by [use] he mean usum ineffabilis claritatis, an use of inef­fable excellency: he is not certaine that there shall be no such use of them, which God in his wisdome may appoint them for. I make it out thus, he grants that the Sunne and Moon shall remain after the day of Judge­ment, yet shall there be nullus usus com­munis necessitatis, no common use of ne­cessitie for them, such as the Creatures [Page 273] had of them in the state of mortality; neither yet of the earth, which he also grants shall remain after the last day. In his 31. qu. upon Rom. 8.D. Willet qu. 31. in 8. ad Rom. he grants, that the Sunne and Moon shall not then serve to give light unto the world, there shall then be no darkness, &c. true; therefore as I have said, they shall not serve for any common use of necessitie, as now they doe. But whereas it is said, Isa. 30.26.Esa. 30.26. that the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold, &c. Howso­ever this may be meant of the glori­ous restauration of the Church in the time of Christ,Esa. 35.17, 18. compared with Isaiah 65.17, 18. Yet I have formerly shown, that this is not the compleat sense of the words, they stretch to a further thing; as S. Peter shewes, 2 Pet. 3.13.2 Pet. 3.13. therefore S. Hierome saith thus upon [Page 274] the words, Solem tum accepturum mer­cedem laboris sui, that then when the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold, the Sunne shall receive a reward of its labour; or it shall be brought into a more excellent estate, as other Crea­tures shall be; and if so, then it shall shine, though not by way of common necessitie, but for some other use. And then reckoning up some other par­ticular uses of it, hee concludes, But then all the Creatures shall rest, and their ministery and service (such as is now) shall cease. This we grant (such as is now) shall cease, for that is common use of necessity. And whereas its commonly added by divers, that the motion of it shall then also cease, because the Scripture saith, tempus non erit amplius, Apoc. 10.6. Apoc. 10.6. Time shall be no more. Secondly, be­cause the Philosophers say, that motus [Page 275] is causa efficiens generationis & corruptio­nis perpetuae rerum inferiorum, & natura­lium; the motion of the Heavens, or especially of the primum mobile, is the cause efficient of generation and cor­ruption, which is continually amongst these inferiour and naturall bodies: but these shall then cease, there shall then be no more any such generation, or corruptions, or changes amongst the Creatures. To both which we will recite the answer of learned Peter Martyr, P. Martyr com. ad 8. Rom. in his Commentaries upon Ro­manes 8. To the former, Tempus non erit amplius, Ergò nec motus, for time is the measure of motion. Verùm haec ratio non est firma, fieri enim potest ut coe­lum moveatur, sed pro magna illa luce corporis Christi, corporum (que) omnium bea­torum, & Solis, & Lunae, minimè possit observari, quare durare potest motus et si tempus non existat: But this reason is [Page 276] not firm saith he, for it may come to passe, that the Heavens may be mo­ved, and yet the motion cannot be observed, by reason of the great light of the glorified bodie of Christ, of the Saints, of the Sun, and of the Moon; therefore motion may indure, al­though time be not. His reason he gives, is this, Tempus enim non est nisi ex motu observato & numerato: for time is not simply from motion, but from motion observed and numbred, and so are dayes, moneths, hours, years, &c. yet we must know that time is twofold, internum, or exterrum tempus, internall or externall time: internall time is nothing but du [...]atio creaturae à principio ad finem; the duration of the Creature in its being, from the beginning to the end of it; and this internall time, or duration, those Entities have, quae non comparen­tur [Page 277] ad motum Solis, that are not mea­sured by the motion of the Sunne; for the Sunne was but framed the fourth day, as you may see, Gen. 1. from 14.Gen. 1. from 14. to 20. Kecker. lib. 1. System. physici cap. 7. to 20. where Keckerman observes the ground of this distinction of time, and the necessitie of it. Lib. 1. Systematis Physici, cap. 7. for then saith he begun but the tempus externum, which was to be from the Sunne, and that but quoad materiale, neither the forma­le temporis externi, was not to the world, before God made man to observe and number it, which was not till two dayes after. Again, if there be not an internall, as well as an externall time, (in which later sense the natu­rall Philosophers commonly handle time) then he shews, that corpora illa omnia quae erant creata tribus primis die­bus, in tempore non creabantur, quod si, tum ab aeterno, quod absurdum, &c all [Page 278] those bodies that were created in the three first dayes, were not created in time, which if so, that they were not created in time, then it would fol­low they were from eternity, which were absurd to affirme.Arist lib 4. Physic. cap. 11. Aristotle lib. 4. Physicorum. cap. 11. defines, that tem­pus externum, to be mensuram motùs per prius et posterius, for time is suc­cessive, and Ens fluens. If we object with the naturall Philosopher, that tempus est motus accidens inseparabile, time is an inseparable accident of motion, and therefore if motus be con­tinuus, then tempus too; if motion be continuall, then also must time conti­nue too. I answer, as before, it may so continue, quoad materiale, or quoad rem mensurantem, but not quoad formale, or ordinem mensurandi, for it shall not, it need not then to be observed, for any distinction sake, as now by men [Page 279] whilest they are mortall.

But it may be again objected, that tempus propriè dictum habet ut initium, sic etiam finem; [that time properly so called] that is externall time, com­monly handled by the naturall Philo­sophers, as it had a beginning, so should it also have an ending. I an­swer, it is true, [though Aristotle thought it should be perpetuall, be­cause he held the motion of the hea­vens naturally to be so] for if motus, yet not observatus, if there be motion, & yet it not observed time externall hath his end. And in this sense Dr. Willet saith true, for so they shall not be for times, &c. But for motion, I would have this observed, that not e­very kinde of motion, but that which is violent, involuntary, or slavish, or for the benefit of base objects, shall cease; otherwise Apoc. 14.4.Apoc. 14.4. the [Page 280] glorified Saints shall follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, therefore shall have some kinde of motion, but not as opposed to their Heavenly rest, wherein they rest from sinne, death, slavery, and misery. Again, the Hea­vens, the Sunn, and Moon moved in those five dayes, or at least in the time before man was created, and so by consequence before he had sinned.

As then you have heard, there was no externall time observed from their motion, neither then could their mo­tion be any slavery to thē, neither then were they cōpelled to serve any base objects, or wicked, and rebellious men; but their motion was sutable to their nature then, and why may it not also be the like after externall time shall cease? therefore from the cessation of externall time, we can­not infallibly inferre the cessation of [Page 281] all motion, but onely probably, or as a service of common necessity.

To the second, motus est causa effi­ciens generationis, et corruptionis, &c. mo­tion is the cause efficient of genera­tion, and corruption, but when these shall cease, then motion may cease al­so; true, if these were the sole ends of motion; but motion was also for o­ther ends beside these. And to this Peter Martyr answers thus, Ratio qui­dem ista probabilis est, at non necessaria; poterit enim ille Coelestis motus, etsi non generationi, et corruptioni, tamen alii ali­cui negotio, quod nos ignoramus inservire. that reason truly is probable, but not necessary; for though the motion of the Heavens serve not for generation, and corruption, yet may it serve for some other thing unknown to us.

And as a new Heaven, so a new Earth shall remaine, yet not for any [Page 282] common use of necessity, so much D. Willet grants qu. 31.D. Willet qu. 31. in 8. cap. ad Rom. ad 8. Rom. the Earth shall not then yeeld fruite for the use of men, as now, yet may it remain for some other use. For him­selfe grants qu. 34.qu. 34. that the heavens by the continuall sight of their great glory, shall serve to stirre up the Saints to praise and magnifie their glorious Creator; if now the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the fir­mament shew his handy works,Psa. 19.1. Psal. 19.1. much more then, if as the Prophet hath it, and as this Author grants it then also to take place, as well as in the Kingdome of Christ; the light of the Sunne shall be increa­sed seven fold,Isa. 30, 26. Isa. 30.26. yea, and the light of the Moon as the light of the Sunne, as you have heard.

His third Argument, The faithfull wait for the adoption, to wit, the re­demption [Page 283] of their bodies: other Creatures are not capable or parta­kers of adoption; Ergo, neither of the redemption of their bodies to im­mortality. I answer, this is the weak­est Argument brought into form, of any other. Thus all Creatures that shall be renewed, shall be partakers of adoption, and redemption of their bo­dies to immortalitie.

But the irrationall and insensible not so. Ergo.

First, I answer,Rom. 8.23. that this Text is not pertinently alledged, for it makes an expresse distinction between the rest of the Creatures, and the faithfull, that had the first-fruits of the Spirit, Not onely they, but we, &c.

To the major proposition, thus, the major is false, if properly taken, strictly and eminently. For first, adoption (if we take it properly and eminently for [Page 284] adoption spirituall,) is beneficium Dei, per quod nos propter Christum in filios re­cipit, & haeredes Coeli, aeternaeque vitae cum ipso facit,. Amand, Polan. lib. 6. Syntag. Theol cap. 38. Amandus Polanus, lib. 6. Syntagmat. Theolog cap. 38. Adoption is favour or benefit from God, by the which for Christs sake he receives us, to be sonnes and Heirs of Heaven, and of life Eternall, he makes us together with him. Now all Creatures that shall be renewed, shall not have this privi­ledge, this is proper onely to the Sons of God.Rom. 8.15. Rom. 8.15. those that have the Spirit of Adoption can crie Abba, Father: thus cannot any Brutes doe, which are not capable of any such te­stimonie; they are never called chil­dren that God hath given Christ to.Heb. 10.13. Heb. 10.13. as the adopted Sonns of God are: They are never called all one with him, or his Brethren, as the adopted Sonnes of God are. And as [Page 285] no divine, so neither any humane, or civill adoption of any irrationall or in­sensible Creature, between which you may see the difference in Amesius his Medulla Theologiae lib. 1. cap. 28.Amesiꝰ lib. 1. Medul. Theol. cap. 28.

Secondly, redemption, if taken spi­ritually and properly for redemption, by price, or [...], depenso, by a price paid to God, by which we are redee­med from the guilt of sinne, Gods wrath, the Devill, and eternall dam­nation, to be put into the state of grace here, and eternall felicitie here­after, of such redemption they were not the subject, neither could they sinne, nor be subject to Hell fire, and therefore need no such redemption: but there is a corporeall and metapho­ricall redemption, taken for liberati­on or freedome from any state of sla­very, or temporall misery; and for such a redemption the Creature looks, as [Page 286] you have heard before, Romanes 8.21. the Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, &c.

Thirdly, I answer, that if we take the terms of the Proposition conjun­ctim, as thus, [adoption] and [re­demption,] then there may be in it fallacia, [...], or plurium interro­gationum, whether the Creatures may be said to be adopted, and redeemed; the one (you have heard) they cannot, yet thother, in some sense [as put for freedome, or liberation from slaverie, or corruption, or vanity,] they may.

Again, if we consider the word (redemption) sejunctim, in its selfe, then there is in it fallacia homonymiae, as the Logicians terme it, which ariseth, a similitudine significationis in terminis, and therefore is numbred one of the fallacies, [in dictione] for it either sig­nifies redemption spirituall, or corpo­reall, [Page 287] and metaphoricall, as you have heard; and how they cannot expect the former, yet do they the latter in the sense you have heard.

Fourthly, and lastly, if no Crea­tures shall be redeemed, but such as shall be partakers of Adoption, and Redemption in its spirituall sense, then shall neither the Heavens nor the Earth be renewed, which is contrary to what he grants; for these were not capable of adoption, neither of re­demption spirituall, and proper, but metaphoricall, or a kind of freedome, & liberation. And as for the terminus ad quem, or the redemptiō of their bodies to immortality, Chrysostome answers,Chrysost. that as the Creature was made corrup­tible because of us, so propter nos immor­talitate donabitur, as you have heard, thē so for us shall the Creature be reward­ed with immortality.Petr. Martyr in 8. ad Rom. And Peter Mar­tyr [Page 288] denies not, but that there may be, analogia quaedam, a certain analogy, or likenesse, between our glorified bo­dies,Aug lib. 20. de civit. Dei, cap. 16. and the Creatures made immor­tall: For Aug. had said lib. 20. de Civit. Dei cap. 16. that the Elements should put off such corruptible quali­ties, as they had, when our corrupti­ble bodies were framed of them, and should then put on other qualities, which should be sutable corporibus nostris immortalibus, & glorificatis, to our immortall, and glorified bodies. For though they shall not be immor­tall in such a glorious, joyous, com­fortable, and unspeakeable manner, as we shall, that have immortall souls, or spirits by nature, and they not im­mortall by nature, but dono gratuito, yet shall they have such an immorta­lity as is sutable to their nature, as a gift from God unto them, they shall [Page 289] no more be changed, be subject, to vanity, corruption, or the like. This to the third.

His fourth, they were not ad im­mortalitatem condita, made for immor­tality.

To which I answer, if we respect their nature, they are not immortall, as are Angels, and Spirits, because their nature is elementary, and being mixt bodies, they consist of contrary qualities, and therefore are corrupti­ble, and dissoluble into their Prin­ciples, and therefore not so made for immortality, as never to have change, or corruption befall them, conditione naturae,

Secondly, Peter Martyr (as he ac­knowledgeth,) saith, that ista immor­talitas liberale, et merum sit donum Dei, non potest pendere à modo & vi aliqua na­turae, that immortality by which the [Page 290] Creature becomes such, is meerly the free gift of God, it cannot depend from any manner,1 Tim. 6.16 and force of nature. 1 Tim. 6.16. [...], God onely hath immortality, &c. dico cam complecti aeternitatem, id est, princi­pium, & finem existendi secludere, as Lambertus Danaeus in locum; Lam. Danaeus in loc. I say that that immortality comprehends aeterni­ty, that is, it secludes both the be­ginning, and the ending of existence: that which is properly immortall from it self, is eternall, as well à parte antè, as à parte post, & paulò post, nec Angeli, nec humanae animae per se sunt immortales; id est, sua vi, & potestate proprià, sed quatenus à Deo in sua natura sustentantur, & conservantur tales permanent: neither Angels, nor the souls of men are im­mortall by themselves, that is, by their owne force, and power, but as they are sustained, and conserved in [Page 291] their nature, from God, they remain such. August. lib. de immortalitate animae: Aug. lib. de im­mortal. animae. And though the Angels and souls of men be immortall by nature, yet this immortalitie, and aptnesse of na­ture for it, we have from God. God onely is immortall, ex se, & indepen­denter, of himself, and independently; Angels, and the spirits of men, secun­dario, ac dependenter, ac ab ipso; se­condarily, dependently, and from God. Iam. 1.17. God is immutable,Iam. 1.17. with him there is no variablenesse; but the Angels lapsed, and the soul of Adam sinned, these were both mu­table. God is immortall, [...], An­gels and men [...], God onely im­mortall by essence, Angels and men by participation, or communication, as they have their nature sustained from a better Principle,Aman. Polan. lib. 2. Syntag. Theol. cap. 16. as Amandus Polanus lib. 2. Syntagm. Theolog. cap. 16. [Page 292] and Peter Martyr saith, Vis enim illa Dei, qua & coeli, & elementa restituentur ad immortalitatem, conservare etiam potest reliquas orbis partes; that power of God by which the Heavens and Elements shall be restored to immortality, is al­so able to conserve the rest of the parts of the world; so that immorta­litie being the meer gift of God, he may bestow it upon other parts of the world, then onely those which that Doctor names. And howsoever many Individuals of every species, have, and shall perish, so likewise have parts of the Elements perished, though not the tota, so the species of severall Creatures shall continue as long, as the Elements that now are, shall; and why then by the gift of immortalitie may not these species continue, of which many Individualls have perished, as well as the Elements from whom parts have [Page 293] so much, and so often perished?

His fifth, Those Creatures that shall be delivered shall be glorified, and immediately passe from their corruptible estate into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God: but the unreasonable Creature not thus.

Ergo.

I answer: To be glorified properly is incident to the rationall Creature, he onely shall enter into the glory of God in the third Heaven, and have the Image of God perfectly renewed in him.

Secondly, the Creature may come into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God, and yet be not thus glorified, but sutable to its nature immortali­zed, dono gratuito, as we have heard, and have an Analogie to glorified bodies.

Again, where he saith, they fall in­to [Page 294] corruption, and their life and spirit is extinguished with them, &c. true, to all that shall not be renewed this shall come to passe; but whether God shall not renew the species of them, is ad­huc sub judice; and to affirm he shall not, is but to begge the question, and to conclude that for a certaintie, which is in controversie. And where­as he renders this reason, why the Hea­vens and earth shall rather be restored then the rest of the Creatures, namely, because they have been from the be­ginning to the ending, subject to va­nitie, after man had sinned, but other Creatures that succeed by generation, but a while.

I answer, this had been some rea­son, against the Individuals of the spe­cies, but against the species none; for the species of the Creatures have been as long subject to vanity, as they, [Page 295] though not their successive indivi­dualls.

His sixth: If any such Creatures re­stored, then either the same that were before, or some other of the same kinde newly created. But neither of these. Ergo.

I answer, this will fall to be hand­led in the fourth, and last ranke of Creatures, but in all probabilty, not those that are already perished in in­dividualls.

Secondly, we say they shall have a renovation, or restauration, not a new Creation for substance, but shall be renewed in their qualities, state, and condition, as we have heard be­fore.

His seventh, and last Argument pro­duced against the most generally re­ceived opinion, is this, Nulla promissio facta est, there is no promise made for [Page 296] the restitution of any such Creatures, as there is for Heaven, and Earth; Er­gò, they shall not be restored.

To this I answer, that there is a promise, as I conceive, in generall, though not so particularly, as for Hea­ven and Earth. For this I conceive a promise, as also do many others, in that the Scripture saith, the Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption,Rom. 8.21. into the glorious liber­ty of the sonnes of God; and before [the Creature] was made subject to vanity. But Heaven, Earth, and man, were not all the Creatures that were made subject to vanity. Peter Martyr to the same purpose in 8.P. Martyr in Rom. 8. ad Rom. quamvis enim Scriptura harum Creaturarum mentionem seorsim, & ex­presse non fecerit, satis tamen est quod in genere Creaturas restaurandas significave­rit, nequè unquàm quicquàm exceperit, [Page 297] saith he, Although the Scripture make no mention of the Creatures severally, and expressely, as it doth of Heaven and Earth, yet its sufficient that it hath signified, that the Crea­tures shall be restored in generall or indefinitly; neither any where hath it made any exception.

Thus have you seen the Arguments, and reasons of that laborious and learned Divine answered, upon which reasons and Arguments he dissented, (as much following Bucan) from the most generally received opinion.

Let us now come to the fourth and last ranke of the Creatures, the Hea­vens, the Earth, and Mankinde, this last ranke many of the School-Di­vines fall upon, which Peter Martyr also mentions, in oct. ad Rom. thus,P. Mart. in 8. ad Rom. Scholastici (saith he) putant, homine, qui praecipua est pars Orbis terrarum, renovato, [Page 298] etiam Creaturas esse restituendas, quae sen­tentia verissima est: colligitur enim ex di­ctis Pauli, quòd autem ad partes attinet, tantum Coelum & Elementa, & hominum corpora putant esse relinquenda. The Schoole-men (saith he) do suppose, that man, who is the chiefe part of the world being renewed, the rest of the Creatures also shall be restored: which sentence is most true, for its gathered from the sayings of Saint Paul; but concerning what Creatures they think that Heaven, the Elements, and the bodies of men, shall be restored, for they thinke that not the Earth onely, but also the rest of the Elements shall remain. Beda indeed saith, glossa in 2.Beda in gloss. in 2 Pet. & ult. Pet. & last. quòdignis duo ex toto con­sumet, duo verò in meliorem restituet faci­em, &c. that the fire shall totally con­sume two of the Elements, and renue, or purifie other two. Others thinke, [Page 299] quod manebunt omnia quoad substantiam, sed mutabuntur quoad imperfectionem, sed duo retinebunt propriam formam substanti­alem, scilicet Aer & Terra, sed in igne, & aqua non remanebit forma substantialis, sed ad formam Coeli commutabuntur, & sic tria Elementa, Ignis, Aer, & Aqua, dicentur Coelum, quamvis Aer retineat e­andem formam substantialem quam nunc e­tiam habet, quia et nunc etiam Coelum di­citur, &c. That all the Elements shall remaine for substance, but shall be changed from their imperfection, but yet two of them, that is to say, the Aire, and Earth shall retain their own substantiall forme, but in the fire, and water that substantiall forme shall not remaine, but shall be changed into the forme of Heaven, and so three of the Elements, Fire, Aire, and Water shall be called Heaven, although one of these, that is to say, the Aire may [Page 300] retaine the same substantiall forme which now it hath, and because now the [Aire] is called Heaven. And this they would collect from Apoc. 21.Apoc. 21.1.1. because mention is made onely of Heaven and earth; but others reject this opinion, because (say they) re­pugnat Philosophiae, quòd corpora inferio­ra sint in potentia ad formam coeli, cum ma­teriam non habent ejusmodi: this is re­pugnant to Philosophie, that bodies sublunary should be in capacity to be informed by the forme of Heaven, when as they are not of the same mat­ter with the Heavens, for so Aristoteli­ans, as you have heard. It may also resist Theologie in the most general­ly received opinion: for if two of the foure Elements should bee taken away, Non salvabitur perfectio univer­si cùm integritate suarum partium; The perfection of the universe should not [Page 301] be safe with the integritie of its parts. Others therefore by Heaven, under­stands quintum corpus, a fift bodie di­stinct from the Elements: and that omnia elementa intelliguntur per te ram, all the Elements are understood by the Earth, and that all the Elements shall remain, both quoad substantiam, & quoad proprias qualitates; both according to their substance and proper qualities, or substantiall forms, and proper qua­lities, because the proper qualities are effects flowing from their forms: it is not like therefore that they should be removed, and the forms remaining, but that they shall be freed from that infection and impurity cast upon them, by reason of the sinne of man, and which by mutuall action and pas­sion hath befallen them; or from those dispositions by which they were lya­ble to corruption, which is conceived [Page 302] to be the meaning of S. Augustine in the place before quoted,Aug. lib. 20. de civit. Dei cap. 16. lib. 20. de Ci­vit. Dei cap. 16.

And for this last rank of Creatures to be renewed, not onely Dr. Willet goes this way, but many Schoolmen, as you have heard; some Protestant Divines, and some Papists also fall up­on this last rank,Buc. loc. com. 37 qu. 8. Rol. Beza. as Bucan, quoted by him locis communibus, loco 37. qu. 8. Roll. locus Scotus in verba Beza to the same purpose, with some others of the Pro­testant Divines, For the Pontificians, I will onely content my self with Bel­larmine, which is known to have been a great & eminent Schoolman amongst them;Bel. Tom. 3. lib. 6. cap. 2. de amiss. grat. & stat pecc. Bellarm. tom. 3. lib. 6. cap. 2. de amissione gratiae, & stat. pecc. tells us, that it is the common consent of such as have writ upon the fourth Book of Lombards sentences, dist. 47. that post di [...]m judicii nullae erunt amplius Plantae, [Page 303] nulla animantia, nulla corpora mixta, homi­nibus duntaxat exceptis; after the day of Judgement there shall be no more any Plants, no living Creatures, no mixt Bodies, except onely men. His reason is this, Neque enim perpetuò du­ratura sunt, nisi quae vel in toto, vel ex par­te incorruptionem ab ipsa natura sortita sunt; ejusmodi autem sunt primùm corpora coelestia, quae & secundum totum, & se­cundum partes incorruptibilia sunt. Dein­de elementa quae secundum totum licet non secundum partes à natura incorruptionem habent. Denique homines qui secundum partem quae est anima rationalis, non secun­dum totum immortales sunt. Caetera corpo­ra sunt omnia, tum in toto, tum in parti­bus corruptibilia, saith he: For there are not any perpetually to endure, but onely such as have obtained incor­ruption, from their nature, either who­ly, or in part; but such especially are [Page 304] the Caelestiall bodies that are incor­ruptible both in the whole, and in the parts of them. Afterwards the Ele­ments that have incorruption from their nature, according to the whole, though not according to every part of them. Finally men, which according to that part which is the reasonable soule, are incorruptible, or immortall though not according to the whole of them. All the rest of the Creatures are corruptible saith he, both according to the whole, and according to the parts of them. This was the way I told you, that many Schoolmen fell into,Comment. in 4 Lib. sent. Lomb. especially those upon Lombard, in librum 4. sen. as he also saith, loco quo supra. To this I need not say much more then what I have said in answer to the Arguments of Willet, who hath produced the most, (if not all) the reasons upon which Bellarm. and the [Page 205] rest dissent from the most generally received opinion. Concerning immortality, or aptitude thereunto by nature. See the answer to Dr. Wil­lets 4. Argument. And I also answer unto the severall instances brought by Bellarmine, first, to the Heavens that are simple, or a simple Body, in which is no contrarietie of qualities: I an­swer with Scaliger, de subtilitate, exerci­tat. 61. lib. 5.Scalig. de sub­til. ad cardam. exerc. 61. l. 5. Omne ens ab alio est per se corruptibile, etiam si nullam habet ma­teriam, est enim finitum: every being from another is corruptible by its self, yea though it have no matter in it, or be not materiall: and therefore shows that the Heavens may be said to be corruptible, though they were im­materiall. Licet enim non habeat contra­rium, non tamen habet causam à se essendi, potest igitur è sua natura non esse, et paulò post, quod enim actus purus non est, com­positum [Page 306] aliquo modo est, ergò et resolubile; Although that Heaven have no con­trary in it, yet notwithstanding it hath no cause of being from it selfe, therefore may it come to a non-being, from its own nature. And a little af­ter he saith; That which is no pure act, in some respect, may be said to be a compound, and by consequence re­soluble, therefore even the Angels that are not such acts, considered in their own nature, might faile, be­cause they may be said to have poten­tiam et actum in them, which are instar materiae et formae, in other Creatures, their gift of confirmation in their in­tegrety, is from God; and that which hath its being depending of the being of another, if that beeing upon whom its beeing doth depend, substract its assistance, then the beeing dependant must needs fail and fall; but such are [Page 207] the Beings of all Creatures upon God, who onely hath immortalitie dwel­ling in himself, as you have heard, The souls of men are immortall, but [as you have also heard] from a bet­ter Principle then from themselves, they are made immortall from God, & being Spirits, & of such an excellent nature, there is no Creature that can change their Being so, as to annihilate it; nay, God hath decreed they shall be to eternitie, but he never did so concerning these Heavens. Yet if we respect potentiam Dei absolutam, and not ordinatam, then there is not any crea­ted Being, but he were able to reduce it to a non-entitie: but having de­creed otherwise, it shall not be in such upon which the Decree is past, but their nature and substance shall re­main for ever; upon which he hath passed such a Decree [take it for gran­ted] [Page 308] that the matter of the Heavens are ex quinta essentia peripatetica; and that the Heavens be not corrupted à contrario naturali, from any contrarie quality in nature, as are the Elements. Yet saith Scalig [...]r, loco quò suprà, Coelum corrumpitur à nutu Divino, Scalig. loc quo supra. the Heavens shall be corrupted from Gods power & command. So then these heavens are not immortall, but shall be dissolved, as well as other bodies, & their nature is not so freed from incorruption, as to exempt them from dissolution; the fire shall fasten upon them and dis­solve them.2 Pet. 3.12. 2 Pet. 3.12. The Hea­vens being on fire shall be dissolved. Therefore the nature of the Heavens simply considered, makes them not of eternall duration, but the gift of im­mortalitie from God, seeing (as you have heard) immortalitie is merum Dei donum, the meer gift of God.

Again as immortality is liberali ac merum Dei donum, the liberall, and meere gift of God, and not simply from any Principle in nature indepen­dently, but as such a Principle im­mortalized, as Angells, the spirits of men &c. which are not defectible in substance from any created nature, as naturall, or sublunary bodies, which are mixt or elementary; so God can immortalize any Creature à parte post, which he would have to endure fore­ver, as well other Creatures, as the Heavens. For he which made the mat­ter of the Heavens, and their forme, to satisfie that matter, and keepe the matter from privation, or ap­petition of any other forme, and thus hath so long continued them, without alteration or corruption; The same God can as well make the matter and formes of other Creatures [Page 310] immortall, sutable to their kinde, and by way of Analogie to glorified bo­dies, and the immortall bodies of men, as before, who are Elevated into a more eminent estate, as also before, and such an estate, as you have heard, that irrationalls, and insensibles [though immortall] are not capable of.

To his second instance in the Ele­ments, that have incorruption from their nature in respect of the whole, though not in respect of their parts,Arist. lib. 3. de coelo cap. 3. Arist. lib. 3. de coelo cap. 3. handles the nature of them; and I conceive of them thus, that they are corpora simpli­cia homogenia, ex quibus alia componun­tur, & in quae resolventur: The Ele­ments are simple Homogeneall bo­dies, of which all other mixt bodies are compounded, and into which again they are resolved; these are al­terable [Page 311] and corruptible, quoad partes, but quoad totum (he saith) they are un­corrupted. I answer, that though they be quoad totum incorrupta, yet are they corruptibilia, though as yet they are incorrupted in regard of the whole, yet are they corruptible, they may be corrupted. 2 Pet. 3.12.2 Pet. 3.12. The E­lements shall melt with fervent heat.

2. I answer, that as the Elements are not corrupted, quoad totum, no more are the species of Brutes, Plants, or inferiour bodies: for though the Individuals and particulars of those severall species be corrupted, as parts of the Elements are; yet the species themselves shall continue as long as the Elements shall; and this aptitude to continue, they have from their ge­nerall nature, given them of God: from this therefore it will not follow that they should continue after the [Page 312] day of Judgement, any more then the severall species of Creatures besides.

To the third, Man, in that he is incorruptible in the one part, though not in bodie.

I answer, that corpus etiam hominis ab initio sic factum fuit, ut potuit non mori, sub conditione gratiae; even the body of man was so made in the beginning, that it might have continued without a death, had a possibilitie of immor­talitie; and he that made it such in the beginning, can make it better, in glorifying it at the ending.

Mart. in loc.Secondly, I answer with Martyr, quôd haec ratio duplici nomine infirma est: this position doth vacillate in a dou­ble respect. First, nulla subnixa authori­tate verbi Dei, à nullis partibus Orbis removet instaurationem: it is made out, or born up by no authoritie out of the Word of God, removing restauration [Page 313] from all the rest of the parts of the world. Secondly, saith he, id quod as­sumit aequè dubium est atque id quod con­cluditur: that which is assumed is equally as doubtfull as that which is concluded on, videlicet, ea tantum im­mortalitate reparanda, quae ex institutione ad eum videantur idonea: to wit, that those Creatures onely are to be repai­red by immortality, which seem fit­ted to it from preparation, or from the appointing such aptitude to it from nature, whereas you have heard that this immortalitie is liberale ac merum dei donum, the free and meere gift of God, and not from any power of nature created, simply considered: but God can as well conserve the rest of the parts of the world, as he can restore the Elements to immortalitie; and by the same power preserve the spe­cies, and make them immortall, or [Page 314] without any more alteration or cor­ruption, sutable to their nature, as well as the Elements. This for di­lution of the Arguments and Reasons to establish the fourth rank of the Creatures, against the most generally received opinion.

Estius in 8. ad Rom.For which the most generally re­ceived opinion, Estius in. 8. ad Rom. writes thus, Certè Paulus in hac epistola cap. 1. creaturam generaliter accepit, semel & iterum, imò & hoc capite generaliter eam intelligit, cum dicit: Neque creatura alia poterit nos separare à charitate Dei, &c. truly Paul in this Epistle,Rom. 5.25. cap. 1.25. and served the creature more then the Creator, hath taken the word crea­ture generally once and again, or seve­rall times, in severall Chapters: Yea, and shews, how even in this eighth Chapter the word is taken generally; as Verse last, nor any other Creature shalbe [Page 215] able to separate us from the love of God. Rom. 8. last.

Now for the species of the Crea­tures, I would have these things taken into consideration by the judicious Reader: First, that in the liberation of the Creature, not onely the terminus à quò is promised, but also the terminus ad quem, not onely from what the crea­ture shall be delivered, but also into what: not onely shall deliverance be from the bondage of corruption, for that might be, (I mean customarie corruption in this life:) by privation of the beeing of the Creature, or by totall abolition: but so it should not be delivered (as I conceive) into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God; for this glorious libertie of the Sons of God, is the terminus ad quem, as well as being freed from the terminus à quo, or corruption and misery in this present life; which miserie and corruption, [Page 316] &c. I say, was but the terminus à quo. If the Scripture had gone no further, but onely promised to the Creature that it should be delivered from the bondage of corruption, then our argu­ment had not been of so much validi­tie: but it affords more, it shall be brought into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God: but that state it cannot, it should not attain to, if it had a totall privation of its essence, and had no more beeing: But being redu­ced into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God, it is made immortall, in that sense you have heard, having this gift bestowed upon it from God. For to what I have formerly said,Aquin. 1.2. qu. 109. art. 2. resp. ad 2. I will adde out of Aquinas in his prima secundae qu. 109. art. 2. respond. ad se­cundum: Vnaqueque enim res creata sicut esse non habet, nisi ab alio, & in se conside­rata nihil est, ita indiget conservari in bono [Page 317] suae naturae convenienti, ab alio potest enim per seipsam deficere à bono, sicut & per seipsam potest deficere in non esse, nisi di­vinitus conservaretur: every created nature, as it hath no beeing, but from another, and in it self considered, is nothing; so it stands in need to be con­served in good, convenient to its na­ture, from another; for by it selfe considered, it may fail from good, as also by it self it may fall into a non-beeing, or fail to nothing, except it be conserved by Gods divine power.

Secondly, let it be considered, that praecipua pars corruptionis est interitus, as Calvin observes upon the place;Calvin. in loc. The cheife, and greatest part of the Crea­tures corruption, is destruction; they have a customary corruption of Indivi­dualls here, but they should have a finall destruction of the speces there, which were worse; for here, as the [Page 318] Individualls of severall species are cor­rupted, so also others are multiplied of the same kinde, and so the species is still preserved: but if all but the Crea­tures of the last ranke, be totally de­stroyed, yea in the whole species, then is the corruption of the Creature, great­er, and more then ever: and how is this a liberation from the bondage of corruption, when the greatest cor­ruption befalls the Creature, that e­ver it had?

Thirdly, consider that the libera­tion which the Creature shall have, shall be such, as is expected with great earnestnesse, and desire to attain unto it, even as a woman in travell, that is in pain, disquiet, and misery, desires to be delivered, and to be in a more quiet, and contented estate, as you have heard. But totall abolition can­not with any vehemency of naturall [Page 319] appetion be thus longed and looked for, because nothing naturally desires the non-being of it selfe; the Crea­ture rather desires a being in slavery, then by a totall abolition to be brought to a non-entitie.

Fourthly, consider what the great searcher into the bowells of nature,Arist. lib. 2. Physic. cap. 8. saith, lib. 2. Physicorum cap. 8. Natu­ra nihil frustrà, & temere agit, sed agit omnia finis alicujus gratiâ; nature doth nothing in vaine, nor rashly, but all things for some end. The tree hath its end in bringing forth leaves, ad te­gendum fructum, to cover the fruit it bears, both from the heat of the Sunn, and violence of the weather. The Bird in building her Nest to keepe Egges, and young. The Spider in making her webbe, to catch Flies for her nourishment, and the like. Now the Logicians teach us, that finis effi­cientem [Page 320] ad agendum movet, the end moves the efficient to worke; if it were not moved with desire of obtain­ing the end, it would not stirre: now we know that in these Creatures that there cannot be appetitus volunarius, but naturalis, a naturall appetition, or desire; yet hath appetitum aliquem intelligentem, ac superiorem à quo regitur, some superior appetite and intelli­gent, from whom its guided, and di­rected. This appetite in the Creature for deliverance is put into it from God, its instinct of nature which is not given it in vaine, neither [as you have heard] shall its appetite be perpetu­ally in vaine. Again, finis est quod maximè volumus, and quod maximè volu­mus, est maximè appetibile, and appetitus sua natura, semper ordinatur ad bonum, as also we are taught from the Logici­ans; the end is that we most especi­ally [Page 321] have a will unto, and that which we are most especially willing unto, is most appetible, or desirable; and appetite from its own nature, alwayes tends to that which is good. And finis per se, & sua natura, tantum est boni, the end aimed at, by its selfe and of its own nature, is onely of that which is good, its evill by accident, when its seemingly good, and not so indeed, the end which the Creatures aime at in such groaning, and such vehement expectation, is their deliverance from the bondage of corruption, at the time of the revelation of the glory of the sonnes of God, as a thing most appetible to them, and if they have an end in their expectation, and that most appetible, and sutable to their nature, and nature desires its being, then surely, a totall abolition cannot be the thing, or end that is so much [Page 322] and so earnestly looked for, by their naturall appetite, as far as reason can leade me.

Fiftly, let it be considered, which Peter Martyr also objects, speaking of the Sunn, and Moon, Non minorem esse reliquis Creaturis propentionem, & naturalem appetentiam ad seipsas conser­vandas, quàm Soli, Lunae, Coelo, terrae, quare si illa suo desiderio frustranda non sunt, ne haec quidem frustrari oportere. There is no lesse propensity to the rest of the Creatures, nor naturall desire to conserve themselves then there is to the Sunn, the Moon, the Heavens and the Earth, and therefore if they be not frustrated of their desires, no more also ought these. So he.

Sixtly, and lastly, consider, Si plu­res Creaturae nostra causâ affliguntur plures etiam unà cum nostra faelicitate instaura­buntur, at plures nostra causâ affliguntur.

Ergò.

The major you have heard is a verred by Chrysostome, that as they are afflict­ed, and made subject to vanity for our sakes, so likewise for our sakes they shall be restored.

The minor we know is most true, that more Creatures then the inanimata, & insensata, the Heavens, Earth, E­lements, are subject, &c. therefore is it not rationall, that the rest of the Creatures, or other species of them be restored, as well as these: Let the judicious reader ponder these things and so judge; these are the Arguments or reasons I would have considered, for the most generally received opini­on, and what have bin produced, for the last ranke of Creatures, you have heard, as also the answer unto them.

But it may be objected, If every Creature that is afflicted because of [Page 324] us, shall also be restored for our sake, then every Individuall shall bee resto­red. But not so. Ergo.

To the major I answer, by denying the sequell, because by every Crea­ture may be meant the species or ge­nerall nature subsisting in some indi­vidualls, or the Creatures of every species, (as we have heard) and not all, & every individuall of those spe­cies, for the Text saith in the Romanes, the whole Creation groaneth, expe­cteth, &c. not the whole multiplica­tion, now the multiplication you have heard was in thousands, and millions dissolved into its Principles, and could not groan or expect in the Apostles time; but the whole Creation may be said to groan and expect, when all the species of the Creatures which God created, do so. And though every In­dividuall be afflicted for our sakes, of [Page 325] the severall species, yet it will not ne­cessarily follow, that every particu­lar should be restored, but the seve­rall kindes, or species in so many Indi­vidualls as God shall think in his wis­dome fitting, for then (I say) every Creature may be said to be restored. Peter Martyr in class. 3.Pet. Martyr. clas. 3. loc. com cap. 17. sect. 24. Idem etiam in 8. ad Rom. loc. commun. cap. 17. sect. 24. as also in cap. 8. ad Rom. when he said, that by (all) sometimes some parts may be synecdochically meant; true, but still the question re­mains, whether it may be so taken here, or no; for the whole Creation, or every Creature groaning, or is subject to vanitie, cannot here be meant synec­dochically: and if the Creature be as large, (as for any thing to the contra­ry in the Text, seems to me) then that will not serve here; for its not said that some creatures shalbe delivered, or some of the whole Creatiō, but having [Page 326] mentioned the [whole Creation,] he adds for a remedy to this, The Crea­ture shalbe delivered: what Creature? that which was made subject to vani­tie, this shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption; not all one­ly of one species or kinde. The in­stances brought by that famous Di­vine,Iohn 10.8. 1 Cor. 6.12. Iohn 10.8. 1 Cor. 6.12. All that came before me, &c. All things are lawfull for me, are meant onely of an (all) in such a kinde: all false pro­phets, not all Prophets: and all things indifferent, not all things in any kind, without exception.

Again, saith he, when Paul saith the Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, posset gene­raliter intelligi de mundo, quod ille non amplius cogendus sit renovare creaturas per novam generationem, non tamen ex eo se­quitur omnes creaturas quod singulas spe­cies [Page 327] attinet esse renovandas, they are his own words; It may be generally un­derstood of the world, that it shall no more be compelled to renew its Crea­tures, by any more new generation; yet notwithstanding it will not fol­low from that, that all Creatures that belongs to every species, should be re­newed. True, I grant, if no more be intimated by the Creatures liberati­on, than a cessation from generation, which is by corruption of some other pre-existent matter: for its a com­monly received truth amongst Philo­sophers. From Arist. lib. 1.Arist. lib. 2. de gen. & cor. text 17. de gen. & cor. text 17. that, generatio unius, est corruptio alterius: yet this axiome is not to be understood formaliter, but causaliter, because these two do tend ad diversos terminos; but the Apostle saith, that they shall have more then a liberation from generation by way of [Page 328] precedanie corruption; for they shall also be delivered into the glorious li­berty of the children of God, as we have observed before. And in the con­clusion Peter Martyr will not absolute­ly determine for the most generally received opinion. Neither yet for the last rank of the Creatures, as Dr. Wil­let inclines to, with some others; but Pii igitur animi esse censeo, neutram partem pertinaciter affirmare, nihil enim habemus alterutram in partem satis certò definitum: I judge it to be the part of a god­ly minde therefore to affirme nei­ther opinion obstinately; his reason is, because we have nothing certainly enough, defined, or determined for either opinion; true, if he mean ex­pressely and in particular, otherwise we might again make use of his owne words in 8.P. Mart. in 8. ad Rom. ad Rom. satis tamen est quòd in genere creaturas instaurandas significave­rit, [Page 329] neque unquam quicquam exceperit: though the Scripture mention not their restauration expressely, or in particular, yet its enough notwith­standing that it hath signified the Creatures to be restored in generall, neither hath any thing any where ex­cepted. And if we demand which of the ranks of the Creatures, or out of which this renovation shall be, he an­swers, loco quo suprà, Hoc tamen ausim dicere, exillis creaturis quae interierint, tan­tum homines esse excitandos à mortuis. De aliis vero creaturis post diem judicii con­servandis à coelo & terra, quarum Scrip­tura non meminit, nihil dicendum arbitror: Notwithstanding this, I dare be bold to say, that of all those Creatures that are already dead, or such as have pe­rished before the day of judgement, onely men shall be raised again from death; but of other Creatures that [Page 330] shall be conserved after the day of Judgement, which Creatures the Scriptures have not mentioned, I sup­pose nothing is to be said. In particu­lar, and expressely they are not men­tioned, as you have heard, but in ge­nerall you have heard himself say, and without exception, which, saith he, satis tamen est, notwithstanding that other Creatures be not so expressely named, as heaven and earth is, &c. yet its enough, they are promised to be delivered in generall, and no ex­ception any where made of other sort of Creatures, that they shall not be restored any more than of heaven and of earth. But how many Individualls God shall renew of every sort, that is left to his wisdom, and good pleasure, as it was when he preserved the seve­rall species at the time of the Flood.Paraeus dubio decimo in 8. ad Rom. Paraeus dub. 10. in octavum ad Roma­nos, [Page 331] judgeth, quòd sit probabile res cor­ruptibiles plerasque omnes abolendas esse: its probable [saith he] that all cor­ruptible Creatures, for the greatest part of them, shall be abolished; for man (as you have heard) shall stand in need of no ordinary use of them, as formerly; but God in his wisdome can preserve so many as may (I say) continue the severall species, amongst which there shall be talis concinnus orde, so fine, so sweet an order, and such a disposall of them, that there shall nei­ther be redundancy, nor deficiencie. Tale fore temperamentum, & concinnum or­dinem, ut nihil deforme, vel fluxum appa­reat, as you have seen before out of Calvin upon the place;Calvin in loc. there shall be such a moderation, and fine order amongst the Creatures that shall be restored, that nothing shall appear either foul, or superfluous, or ill-fa­voured, [Page 332] or unstable, which is enough for us to know in this life.

Now for the use of the Creatures that shall be restored, though it shall not be for any common necessitie, as before, yet may it be for an use of in­effable excellency, wherein the mul­tifarious wisdome of God, in regard of the Objects upon which its shown, may appear, and remain, as upon re­cord, in the severall and great variety of the species for ever: Vt delectationi visionis intellectualis, addatur delectatio visionis sensualis; ut Ioan. de combis lib. 7. comp. Theol. veritat. cap. 20. And if the Heavens declare the glory of God, why may not these also, when they are renewed?Aug. in lib de­videndo Deo. August. in libro de videndo Deo, because the corporeall eye non potest ad essentiam divinam per­tingere, cannot reach to the Divine Essence, (though we shall see God [Page 333] face to face, yet when we are glori­fied, we are but still finite Creatures) idcircò ne oculus congrua delectatione disti­tuatur, ornatum Coelorum mirificum, & re­rum jam instauratarum pulchritudinem illi tum esse offerendam, ut habeat non solùm undè se oblectet & gaudeat, sed etiam un­de Dei potentiam & infinitam sapientiam, admiretur: therefore least the eye should be destitute of light congruous or convenient for it, he offers to it the wonderfull adorning of the Heavens, and the beautie or fairnesse of the Creatures that are restored, that man may have not onely wherewith he may delight himselfe, but also may rejoyce, & also whence he may admire the power, and infinite wisdome of God. To which Peter Martyr saith, Probabilia quidem sunt ista fateor, sed ea sacris Scripturis non confirmantur: I grant (saith he) that these things are [Page 334] probable, but are not confirmed by holy Writ. True it is, that they are not clearly, and in terminis confirmed in holy Writ. But first we have seen what hath been alledged for the reno­vation of the Creature. And second­ly, if so, God will have uses for it. Thirdly, if the particular uses be not clearly made known to us in this life, yet it will not thence follow, that therefore God hath no use for them at all; and though it be also true, that they shall see God himselfe face to face, the glorified bodie of Christ, and an infinite company of the glorious bodies of the Saints, brighter then the Sunn, and therefore you may say can­not be so much delighted with the looking upon any of the Creatures re­newed, as with these; I answer, take it for granted, that they cannot be so much delighted, because the objects [Page 335] are not so eminent in degrees, yet it will not follow that therefore they may have no delight by these at all; for this may delight them, that they see the poor Creatures, their old, and quondam servants freed from vanity, slavery, and misery, and now re­stored to liberty, and from that cor­ruption they fell under, by reason of their former disobedience, and im­piety; this I say as rationall, and probable.

But it may be objected, that the Saints in the highest Heaven, or in the Heaven of Heavens, shall have no occasion to contemplate these, see­ing in their Fathers house there are so many Mansions, Iohn 14.2.Iohn 14.2. and joy unspeakable and glorious I answer, it is true, that there is such joy even in that place, yea greater then the heart of man can conceive; for eye [Page 336] hath not seen, nor eare heard, nei­ther hath it as yet ever entred into the heart of man what joy God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. 2.9.1 Cor. 2.9. Yet as when a man would shew his friend some stately fabrick, the manner of the contriving of it, and his severall roomes, he doth not onely show him his treasury of Plate, his lodging chambers curiously adorn­ed with all variety, his bedding, hang­ings, stools, chaires, or such like fur­niture, his severall Cubberds of rich­ly wrought plate, seilings, playste­ings of his Chambers, stately Win­dowes hewne, &c. but for varieties sake, he shewes him such as with which he cannot so much be taken, as his Hall, Buttery, Kitchin and such like places; even so likewise from Heaven God may show the Sonnes of glory, sometimes for varieties sake, the [Page 337] Creature renewed, the severall species of them, the wonderfull order a­mongst them, &c. wherein the great variety of Gods Wisedom may ap­pear; though the somtimes-contem­plation of these be much inferiour for content, to those unspeakable joyes in the seat of the blessed, yet I say the variety of Gods Wisdom may ap­pear in them. This I say, as not irra­tionall, or altogether against reason, but probable, because the Scriptures are not so clear in this particular, ther­fore we may not be so resolute, as to dedicate, or affirme it in any higher nature, or like some Article of faith, of infallible certainty; I may not wade so farre, but onely give a probable conjecture in this speculation, lea­ving the judgment of the rationalty of it to the judicious, and considerate reader: and this I conceive is to deale [Page 338] moderately, and not with so much confidence and resolution, as labori­ous D. Willet [which I name with reve­rence] hath done in his resolve upon this passage, [as God willing we shall shew hereafter] but upon how much better grounds, judicet lector, let the reader judge.1 King. 10.3, 4, 5. 1 Kings. 10.3, 4, 5. When the Queene of Sheba came to the Court of Solomon, she did not one­ly hear his wisdome, and see the house which he had built (with both which she was delighted in an high mea­sure) shee must also have showne unto her the meate of his table, the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparrell, his cup-bearers, and the assent by which he went up to the house of the Lord, and there was no more spirit in her, when shee had seen all this, shee was astonied; now all these things though [Page 339] shee was wonderfully delighted with them, and elevated in her thoughts even to admiration, yet we may con­ceive that the objects were not equally delectable, the meat on his table could not raise her to so high a pitch of admiration, as the hearing of Solomons wisedome in resolving all her hard questions, and the seeing of the house which he had built, and the as­sent by which he went up to the house of the Lord: yet for varieties sake, those of inferior delight were shewed her, as well as those that were supe­rior, or transcendent: Thus God may deale with his Elect, in the injoying of those unspeakable comforts of the highest Heaven, and then sometimes contemplating from thence, objects of inferiour delight here below, for varieties sake, and for the contem­plating of the great variety of the wis­dome [Page 340] of God, in the severall sorts of Creatures, as you have heard.

Again, secondly, let us take ano­ther instance from the Angels, which seemes to quadrate more to our pur­pose, for illustration; they, we all confesse, are in glory, in the seate of the blessed, and in those unspeakable joyes the Elect shall attaine unto; they behold the face of God, and the glorious body of Christ, and the great variety of spirituall delights there to be found, yet do they desire to be­hold also other varieties. Ephes. 3.10. the Apostle having spoken of the Calling of the Gentiles into consocia­tion of one Church together with the Iewes, and those Gentiles out of so ma­ny severall Nations, and Languages, having made a promise to Abraham, & his Seed of the Messiah, having made a Covenant with him, and given him [Page 341] a signe of Circumcision to confirm it, gave a law to his posterity to guide them, and in all these the Gentiles excluded from the Church, as with­out God in the world, and without hope of Salvation. Ephes. 2.12, 13,2 Ephes. 2.12, 13, 14. 14. at that time (namely when you were in your carnall estate of Genti­lisme) ye were without Christ, [name­ly as a mediatour for you] being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of promise; having no hope, and with­out God in the world. As if he had said, Ye had nothing to do with the Laws and immunities which belonged to Israel, nothing to do with the pro­mises made to them. Psa. 147.19, 20.Ps. 147.19, 20. He sheweth his word unto Iacob, his Statutes and judgements unto Israel, he hath not dealt so with any Nation, as for his judgements, they have not [Page 342] known them. But now in Christ Je­sus, saith Paul, ye that were farre off sometimes, are made nigh by the blood of Christ; for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the partition wall, or the middle wall of partition, between us. And that Christ should be the Head to both, being both God and man, that so few of the Jewes should be called to imbrace Christ, and such abundance of these Gentiles, who were without such Covenants, such promises as they had, without Law, without Circumcision, without any good works, &c. and yet by the voice of the Gospell these should be called; & by faith in Christ, & that faith free­ly given from God, these should be sa­ved, and be made fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and one body with the faithfull in Israel; this was such a [Page 343] point of Gods wisedome, and so ad­mirable, and such a way of collecting a Church, and out of so many severall Languages, that the Apostle cries out,Rom. 9.30, 31. O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae, &c. Rom. 9.30, 31. The Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse, have attained to righteousnesse, even the righteousnesse which is of Faith: But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse, hath not at­tained to the Law of righteousnesse, &c. This is that [...], that multiformis, as Beza, with the vulgar, or multivaria, that manifold wisdome of God, which is now made known by the Church, to the Angels: for they see aliquid novum, tanquam in speculo, & priùs sibi incognitum, some new thing, as in a glasse, which for­merly was unknown to them. And they may be said to know this, per [Page 344] Ecclesiam, by the Church; non instru­mentaliter, & subjectivè docentem, sed objectivè indicantem, the Angels seeing such a Church now gathered. Yea, 1 Pet. 1.12.1 Pet. 1.12. this is such an admirable thing, (namely, that the greatest part of the world, that so many Gentiles, that for so many years had lived in darknesse, and in the way to death, should now be called to make up one Christian Church with the Jewes, and be under one Head with them) that desiderant Angli introspicere, the Angels desire to behold it [...], in the Greek, to bow down, so as to peepe into any thing. Now the Angels in Heaven injoy unspeakable comforts, as you have heard, and yet they de­sire to peepe into, or to looke into the manifold wisedome of God showne here upon Earth, in calling the great varieties of Gentiles to make up one [Page 345] Church of Saints with the Jewes; why then may not the Elect in Hea­ven with the Angels sometimes desire to contemplate the wonderfull wis­dome, or [...], multifariam sa­pientiam, the manifold wisedome of God, in the great varieties of the re­newed species of the Creatures, that are below them?

But Thirdly, it may be objected, that it will be ultrà sphaeram activitatis oculi ullius corporei, beyond the ability of any bodily eye, to behold, from the seat of the blessed at any time, any Creatures here upon the Earth. To this I would answer thus, Acts 7.56.Acts 7.56. that if Stephen, here in a mortall body, could from Earth behold Christ stand­ing at the right hand of God, when the Heavens were opened, why cannot the Saints in immortall bodies see from Heaven down unto the Earth, for God can as well make way thorow the [Page 346] medium from Heaven to Earth, as he did from Earth to Heaven.Calvin in loc. Calvin in locum, data Stephano nova a [...]ies, quae per obstacula omnia usquè ad invisibilem regni cael [...]stis glo iam penetraret, a new sight was given to Stephen at that time, by which his eye was strengthe­ned beyond the ordinary ability of nature, so that he could pearce through obstacles, even to the invisi­ble glory of that heavenly Kingdome; otherwise though the Heavens were wide open, yet the ordinary ability of mans fight, or the naturall strength of it, were not of sufficient power, to behold an object at such a distance. Its needlesse therefore to dispute much de visu naturali, of naturall sight, cum facillimum Deo fuit Stephani oculos insolita acie donare, Gualt. Hom. 55. in Apost. Act. as Gualter saith, Hom. 55. in Acta Apostolorum; when as it was an easie thing to God to give un­to the eyes of Stephen a sight above [Page 347] ordinary: such shall the sight of glo­rified bodies be, farre more excellent then that we now have in these frail and mortall bodies. And this shall serve for the fourth point.

I now come to the fift, and last, namely, the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God, or the children of God, into which the Creature is to be re­duced, [...], &c. in li­bertatem gloriae, into the liberty of the glory of the sonnes of God. What we are to understand by the sonnes of God, we may easily perceive by that which we have heard already, the Elect people of God, predestinated to life, called, justified, and glorified; But what we are to understand by the liberty of their glory, that must be inquired into.Theodoret. Theodoret referrs it to the time, in which the Children of God shall come to this liberty, and no [Page 348] doubt but the deliverance shall then be, when they come to theirs. For as Estius observes from Verse 20,Estius in loc. they were made subject under hope: under what hope? sub spe liberationis in illud tempus, quando filii Dei, quibus subservit, suam libertatem consequentur, under the hope of deliverance at that time, when the sonnes of God, to whom they have bin subject, and done ser­vice, shall obtain their liberty, the object of their hope, was this delive­rance into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The time may be granted, and yet this glorious liberty not fully explained, for that is but the circumstance, not the thing it selfe.

Chrysost. Chrysostom, by [...], in the Greek would understand [...], for (in libertatem) propter libertatem, that as they were made sub­ject to vanity, because of man sinning, [Page 349] so should they also be freed by reason of mans freedome: yea, and not one­ly so, but also brought into this glori­ous liberty, ut gloriam filiorum Dei cu­mulet, atquè illustret, as Paraeus; Paraeus in loc. that thereby he may add to, and more il­lustrate the glorious liberty of them, which liberty of glory shalbe so great, as that for their sakes these shall be set at liberty also.

I close with the judgment of those which is also related by Estius, who say, that they shall be delivered, in imitationem gloriosae libertatis filiorum Dei, vel ad exemplum, to an estate imi­tating the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God. For as their glorious liberty exempts them from any more corruption, toil, misery, or the like; so likewise shall their delive­rance exempt them; so that it may be called deliverance into their glorious [Page 350] liberty, because it shall be a liberty suting to their nature, or analogically a glorious liberty, as the liberty of glory properly is sutable to the ratio­nall nature of the Children of God. As the liberty of the glory of Gods sonnes shall exempt them from the fore-named vanities, so also shall their libertie exempt them; so that thus they may be said to be delivered in­to the libertie of the glory of the sons of God, though not into the glory of their libertie, properly, and eminent­ly so called, as you have also heard. Thus by the help of that good hand of God upon me, I have finished this fift and last Point also, which is all I pro­mised in the Frontispiece of this Work. And if I may have leave to speak without prejudice, experience hath taught me thus much, that it is opus arduum, ac dificile, hard in its [Page 351] selfe, and painfull to me, and trouble­ous, what it might have bin to great wits, I dispute not, only I dare avouch it for a speculation worthy of such.

Two things more there are upon which I would gladly expresse my thoughts, as being appendices, or pertaining to the fore-going Argu­ment. The former, what Heavens they are, which are to be burnt, and purified by fire? The second, [which I conceive more difficult] which as yet I have not seen clear satisfaction in, is this, in what sense righteousnesse may be said to dwell in the new Hea­ven, and in the new Earth, which God shall make? The former questi­on I move, because I find divers of the Pontifician Divines [binding too much upon Aristotle, in his dispute against Plato, and upon Gregory the great,] that hold stiffely, that the Coelum Ae­reum, [Page 352] not Aethereum is it that shall be burned with Fire, the Airie, Heaven, not the Sidereall, Sphaericall, or that above the Element of Fire, because this they conceive to have bin more corrupted then the other: for this Ae­reall Heaven,Bellar. tom. 3. lib. 6. de Amiss. gratiae cap. 3. not the Aethereall, you have Bellarm. pleading Tom. 3. lib. 6. de amissionè gratiae, &c. cap. 3. Nequè enim de Coelo sidereo, sed de Aereo sermo est. Estius in 2 Pet. cap. 3.Estiꝰ in 2 Pet. cap. 3. Aqu. in 2 Pet. cap. 3. Aquinas in eundem locum, who also fore-seeing the objection (of Heavens) whereas the Aire is but an Heaven, answers, that by the Heavens in Peter is meant the Aire, et dicitur Aer Coeli pluraliter propter diversas regiones Coeli Aerei, & propter ejus plura hemisphaeria: And the Air is called heavens, in the Plu­rall number, because of the divers Regions of it, and because it hath more Hemisphers in it than one, as na­turall [Page 353] Philosophie teacheth; yet in Scripture we read but of three Hea­vens. 1. The Coelum Aereum, Matth. 6.26. as Mat. 6.26 Volatilia Coeli, the Fowls of the Aire. 2. Coelum Aethereum, or the Heavens sidereall, above the Element of Fire, Deut. 17.3.Deut. 17.3. or any of the host of Heaven. 3. Coelum altissimum, or sub­limissimum, or beatarum sedium, the highest Heaven, or seat of the blessed, Esa. 66.1. Coelum ipsum mihi solium, Isa. 66.1. Heaven it self is my Throne. Now the sidereall Heaven is often called Coeli, or Heavens, in the Plurall num­ber, as Matth. 3.16. [...],Matth. 3.16. et aperti sunt ei Coeli, and the Heavens were opened to him. Thus Acts 7.Acts 7.56. 56. Stephen saw the Heavens opened. Psal. 8.1.Psal. 8.1. who hast set thy glory above the Heavens. Psal. 19.1.Psal. 19.1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, &c. The highest Heaven above all these is [Page 354] called Coelum tertium, 2 Cor. 12.2. the third Hea­ven. 2 Cor. 12.2. this is Gods division of the Heavens, who made them. Now for as much, as I remember, the Coelum aereum, or Airie Heaven, is still called (Coelum) in the singular number, when it stands in oposition to the rest,Matth. 6.26. Psa. 104.12. as Matth. 6.26. and Psal. 104.12. Volatilia Coeli, the Fowls of Heaven.1 Kings 18.45. 1 Kings 18.45. the Hea­ven was black with clouds;Levit. 26.19. and Levit. 26.19. your Heaven, &c. and not Heavens.

And though it be true that Philoso­phers do place the meteora aquosa, as nubes, &c. the watery meteors, in me­dio Aere, in the middle region of the Air, such meteors as are the Clouds, &c. and so might be called Heaven, in regard of that region, yet that re­gion which is infimus Aer, the lowest region, in which the Birds do fly, is [Page 355] also called Heaven, &c. but the Scrip­ture terms but the totum corpus Aereum by the name of Heaven, for as farre as I can remember; therefore when (Heavens) are mentioned, somewhat more then the Aire onely is to be un­derstood. Again, both the fore-nam­ed regions may be termed (Heaven,) because they are partes similares ejus­dem Aeris, or Coeli Aerei, simular parts of the same Aereall Heaven, and there­fore receive eandem denominationem cum toto, the same denomination with the whole.

Secondly, Saint Peter, speaking of the world to be destroyed by fire, makes a difference between the Hea­vens, and the Elements, whereof the Aire is one. 2 Peter 3.10.2 Pet. 3.10. the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise, or with a great hissing; and then it followes, The Elements shall [Page 356] melt with fervent heat, the Earth al­so with the works that are therein shall be burnt up. Where we see a plaine difference made between the Heavens, as one thing, and the Ele­ments as another;Aquin in loc. Estius in loc. neither can the skill of Aquinas, or Estius upon this place, by all their evasions, avoid it. The for­mer, by saying that since the world was destroyed by water, Aer erat spis­sior, &c. the Aire was thicker, and therefore stood need of purging; as the other did not. The latter by con­sidering with Augustine, that a compa­rison is here made between the Hea­vens that now are,Aug lib 20. de civit. Dei. cap. 24. and those that pe­rished, lib. 20 de civitate Dei. cap. 24. and those were the Aereal Heavens, or the regions of it. To which I answer, that the comparison in Peter is not be­tween the Heavens that then perish­ed, and these that now are, being in­deed [Page 357] for substance still the same: but between the world that then was,2 Pet. 3.6. is qui tum erat mundus, 2 Pet. 3.6. that is, as Beza well hath it,Beza in loc. aspectabilis ille terrae decor, & quaecunque animantia in terra degebant, iis duntaxat exceptis quae in arca erant inclusa, nec enim aquae in coelos redundarunt; imò ne ipsa quidam terrae substantia periit, sed futurae conflagratio­nis longe alia erit ratio, ideò coelum & ter­ram, id est, rerum universitatem, distinctè nominavit in proximo versu: that visi­ble comelinesse of the earth, and whatsoever living Creatures then was upon it, except onely those that were shut up in the Ark; neither did the Waters then reach unto the Heavens, yea, not so much as the ve­ry substance of the earth perished: But the matter shall be farre otherwise about burning of the world by fire; therefore in the next Verse he distinct­ly [Page 358] named the Heaven, and the earth, that is the whole world, to which the forenamed world was opposed. And Beda by the Elements understands all the four Elements,Beda in verba. yet thinks two onely shall utterly perish, that is, Fire, and Water; and other two remain renewed, that is, the Air and earth, called the new Heavens, and the new Earth. Yet what hath been said against this before, shall suffice; nei­ther doth this pl [...]se the Pontificians. Others thinke onely three here meant, Water, Earth, Aire, because they cannot see how the Element of fire should be consumed by fire.

To which I would answer with Aquin in suplem. ad 3.Aquin in sup­plem. ad 3. part sum qu. 74. art. 3. partem summarum qu. 74. art. 3. respond. ad 1. having shewn, that the fire, that shall burn the world, shalbe of the same species with ours, he adds, non tamen est idem numero, [Page 359] notwithstanding its not the same in all respects with ours. And we see (saith he) that in two fires of the same species, one may destroy the other, major scilicet minorem, the greater the lesse, consumendo materiam, by con­suming the matter of it, &c. Again, loco quo supra, Respond. ad secundum, Loco quo su­pra Resp ad 2. the fire, that shall burn and purge the world, shall not have its calefactive power, ex principiis essentialibus, sed ex divina vir [...]ute, vel operatione, out of its own essentiall Principles, [as usually it hath, but from the Divine power, or operation of God in it, as his Instru­ment, inabled from him to produce this effect. And actio instrumenti magis manifestat virtutem moventis, quàm vir­tutem moti; the action of the Instru­ment rather manifests the power and efficacie of the Mover of it, or Wor­ker by it, then of it self: and the fire [Page 360] which God shall stirre up to purge the world, shall have such efficacie in it from him, that it shall work beyond the ordinary course of nature, and shall be able to melt the Elements, and that with fervent heat, as S. Peter speaks: yet non ad eorum funditus consum­ptionem, sed solum usque ad eorum purga­tionem; not to the totall, or utterly abolishing of their substance, but to the purging of them from their gros­ser attracted qualities. Neither will that of Gregory hold,Greg. magnus. who saith, in tantum accendet ignis Judicii, in quantum ascenderunt aquae diluvii: the fire shall burn as high towards heaven, as the waters of the Flood ascended; but that should be no higher than fifteen Cu­bits above the high Mountains, which would not extend to the melting of all the Elements, much lesse to the burning of the Sphaericall Heavens. [Page 361] Dr. Willet, qu. 29. in 8.Dr Willet. qu. 29. in 8. ad Rom. ad Rom. there is not any visible thing, that had a be­ginning, but shall also have an end­ing. In which he saith truth, and for which the Psalmist will warrant him, Psal. 102.25, 26.Psal. 102.25.26. The Heavens are the works of thy hands; they shall perish, but thou shalt indure: they [all of them] shall wax old like a gar­ment, as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. If any visible thing should escape change, these were likest; but not these must escape. And Heavens are here taken as opposed to the Earth: as Gen. 2.1.Gen. 2.1. Thus the Heavens and the earth were finished, and all the Host of them. Psal. 8:3:Psa. 8.3. When I con­sider thy Heavens, the work of thy Fingers; the Moon and the Starres which thou hast ordained. Even these heavens, in which are the Moon, and [Page 362] the Starres, shall perish, shall be bur­ned with fire. Thus much briefely for the former point, that Aethereall Heavens shall burn, as well as the Ae­reall.

But as we have seen what Heavens shall burn, let us a little consider what Heaven shall not burn. When I say the Aethereall heavens, I mean, the Sy­dereall, and all the sphaericalls under the highest, or third heaven, as the primum mobile, and the coelum crystalli­num, &c. but the third heaven I mean not, which is the Seat of the Blessed, and which was a Creature created the first day;Gen. 1.1. Gen. 2.4. Gen. 1.1. and Gen. 2.4. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth,Heb. 11.10. when they were created. Heb. 11.10. Abraham looked for a Citie which hath Foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. This Hea­ven is corpus supremum, immobile, incor­ruptibile, [Page 363] amplissimum, ac totum lucidum, &c.

First, it is a body, and a substance, though most subtile; for that in which bodies are contained, its neces­sarie that that should be corporeall; for inter locatum & locum, inter contentum & continens, there must be aliqua proportio, some proportion, between the things contained, and the thing containing. Now the bodie of Christ is alreadie in the highest heaven, and ours shall be; howsoever the bodies of Enoch and Eliah now be.

Secondly, quicquid est apertibile est corpus: But so was the highest hea­ven, Acts 7.56.Acts 7.56. otherwise Stephen had not seen Christ standing at the right Hand of God, if that Heaven had not been opened: for howsoever I know that some think there was nulla scissura in coelis, no division at all in the [Page 364] Heavens, and that miraculum non fuit in coelis, sed in Stephani oculis: not in the opening of the Heavens, but in the eyes of Stephen: Others, that he saw this in a Vision, &c. or mentall contemplation, not with bodily eyes; yet,Gual. hom. 55. in Act. saith Gualter, Hom. 55. in Acta, Ego haec illi revera visibiliter, apparuisse, nec mentis duntaxat contemplationi objecta fu­isse intelligo; I do think that these things appeared unto him visible in very deed, and were not onely represented to the contemplation of his minde.

Damas. lib. 2. orth. fid. cap. 6.Again, Damascene lib. 2. orthodoxae fidei cap. 6. [...], Coelum est ambitus visibilium, & invisibilium creaturarum, Heaven is the compasse or circuit both of visible, and invisible Creatures. Keckermannus lib. 2.Kecker. lib. 2. Syst. Phys. cap 1. Systematis Physici cap: 1: Spiritus non potest corpora ambire & concludere, A Spirit cannot compasse about, or shut [Page 365] up bodies within it. This is that which the Philosophers call Coelum Empyraeum, which is suprema, & excel­lentissima illa Coelorum series, Thronus glo­riae divinae, & domicilium electorum An­gelorum, atque hominum, as the same Author lib. 2. cap. 5. de partibus Coeli: Idem Auth. lib. quo supra cap. 5. This is the highest and most excel­lent order of the Heavens, or rank of them, the Throne of Gods glorie, and the abiding place of the elect Angels and men. And presently after he calls it partem corporis coelestis, part of the bodie of Heaven. See the like from Augustine lib. 22. de Civitate Dei, cap. 4.Aug. lib 22. de civit. Dei cap. 4 shewing, Coelum beatorum esse corporeum, the heaven of the blessed to be corpo­reall. This is called coelum coelorum, the Heaven of Heavens, Deut. 10.14.Deut. 10.14. and is farre above all other Heavens, Ephes. 4.10. that is above all the sphae­ricalls: This is immobile, ac incorrup­tibile, [Page 366] immoveable, as seated above the primum mobile, and is the place of ease, and rest of Gods Elect. Incor­ruptible, as having no privation to concomitate that most pure, pleasant, and exquisite matter of it, or no con­trarietie of qualities to make opposi­tion, or corruption in it, full of light also, and therefore is called of the Graecians [...], ob plurimum splendo­rem, aut plurimam lucem, because of the abundance of light that is there, farre above that of fire. Some do think that Aristotle had a glympse of this,Arist lib. 1. de coelo cap. 9. because 1 lib. de Coelo cap. 9. he men­tions quaedam entia collocata supra mun­dum, ac Coelum, eaquè immutabilia, et impatibilia, beatissimam vitam sempiterno aevo degentia, &c. certain beings pla­ced above the visible Heaven, and vi­sible world, being immutable, and impassible, living there for ever a [Page 367] most blessed, and contenting life: yea, and some also do think, that the anci­ent Poets had learned somewhat con­cerning it, when they so often speak of the Mansions of their gods, [...], that they had such shining and glorious Mansions, full of light. But of this no more, save only that we may conceive, that it is the most am­ple of the Heavens, and yet cannot contain its Maker. 1 Kings 8.27. The Heaven, nor heaven of Heavens cannot contain him.

I now come to the latter point, how righteousnesse can be said to dwell in the new Heavens that he shall make, and the new Earth. For this passage hath matter worth inquiry in it. Some interpreters do with such places as travellers do with deeps, or boggs in high-wayes, when they come at them, they wisely passe by them, or say lit­tle [Page 368] to the openings of them, to give the reader satisfaction. Others that note some-what, yet come not home to the mark. Others perceiving this, have taken up more resolution, and I much doubt if they have not over shott the marke. To let passe those of the first ranke. For the second I will mention Musculus, Musc. in loc. in the which nullum peccatum, nulla injustitia locum habebit, no sinne, no unrighte­ousnesse shall have any dwelling in them; which is true: but the text seemes to aime at some what more, as not onely negatively, not to dwell, but positively, for righteousnesse to dwell in them.Bullin. in loc. Bullinger thinks per [...], or alterationem, that justitia, is put for justi, righteousnesse for righteous men; this we grant for two Reasons. First, because righ­teousnesse, as inherent, is a quality, [Page 369] and therefore cannot be supposed without some subject. Secondly, be­cause the new Heavens and Earth, are subjecta insensibilia, insensible subjects, and therefore not inherently capable of such qualities, therefore some other subject, and what but just men? but how these can be said to dwell in the new Heavens, which are sydereall, and in the new Earth, is more difficult to conceive. Dr. Willet qu. 34.Dr. Willet, qu. 24. in 8. ad Rom. in Oct. ad Rom. is bold to affirme, that though the Heavens onely are now the seat of the blessed soules, yet both the new Heavens, and the new Earth, shall be then the habitation of the righteous, and so righteousnesse may be said to dwell in them; for which opinion he quotes Bucan loc. 39. qu. 17.Bucan loc 39. qu. 17. by which Author he is much ledd in this point; as also Origen. in Matth. 5.5. the meeke shall inherit the Earth, not this [Page 370] visible Earth; but the other, which eye hath not seen, his reason is, because he there speaks of a blessednesse which is not to be found in this Earth;Psa. 114.16. he might also have alledged, Psal. 114.16. the Heaven, even the Heavens are the Lords, but the Earth hath he given to the children of men. But to this last, Bellarmine answers truely, and herein agrees with our Orthodox Divines, lib. 6. de amissione gratiae cap. 3. he gave the Earth to the children of men,Bellarm lib. 6. de Amist. grat cap. 3. dum mortales sunt, et egent Aere ad respirationem, et fructibus terrae ad alimen­tum, whilst they were mortall, and stood in need of Aire to breath in, and nourishment from the earth to live up­on. For the other, that the meeke shall inherit the Earth, we know it may befall them in this life as a tem­porall blessing, though not without some intermixture of disturbance, [Page 371] this place seemes to me to have bin taken from Psal. 37.11. the spirit of God being pleased to make use of it again by the Evangilist, But the meeke shall inherite the Earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace. And verse 9. Evill doers shall be cut off, but those that waite upon the Lord, they shall inherite the Earth: whereupon Calvin notes the Antithe­sis between the two members,Calv. in loc. the wicked that shall be cut off, and the Godly that waite upon God, to be delivered from under the Crosse, he assignes the haereditary right of the earth, so to them that intellgit sic victu­ros, ut Dei benedictio ad mortem eos us (que) prosequatur, he understands they shall so live, that the blessing of God shall follow them even unto their death; this then he understands of a tempo­rall inheritance, when they are mor­tall. [Page 372] And though they be often dri­ven from place to place in the Earth, in hac tamen inquietudine non eripitur ista terrae possessio, cujus meminit David: quià et certò sciunt se legitimos esse mundi haeredes: unde fit ut tranquilla conscientia pane suo vescantur, et quamvis inopia la­borent, Deus tamen ipsorum necessitatibus in tempore succurrit, &c. Yet in this their unquietnesse that possession of the Earth which David mentions is not taken from them, because they know assuredly that they are the law­full Heires of the world [viz. in a spirituall right] whereupon it comes, to passe that they eate their bread in quietnesse of conscience; and though they be sometimes in want, yet God in good time sends supply to their ne­cessities. So then these grounds in the judgement not onely of the afore­named Authors, but of divers others, [Page 373] will not clearly bear out his opinion, to hold the new Earth for an habitati­on of the righteous, as well as the Heavens, seeing it is verified of a tem­porall inheritance here, and therefore onely, and necessarily cannot involve that sense, he would put upon it by Origens astipulation.

Yet this I will say, that if the new Heavens be to be an habitation for the righteous, this would, in my judge­ment, be a better Argument against the motion of the Heavens, that they should no more move after the day of judgement, then any he hath yet pro­duced.

Secondly, I will say, that if by the Creature to be delivered, we were sure that onely Heaven, and Earth were to be understood, &c. then may these be said to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the Children of [Page 374] God, when they shall have liberty to live in these, both in the new Hea­vens, and in the Earth: and then need not the most accurate, and pearcing Interpreters so much perplex them­selves about the understanding of this place. But this is to be delivered into the liberty of their glory, passivè, passively, to be injoyed of them; not activè, actively, for the Creatures to injoy it.

He urgeth also Revelations 14.4. they shall follow the Lamb whither­soever he goeth, shall visite the Earth also, and shall go and come, as it pleas­eth God.

I answer, that though they follow the Lamb whithersoevever he goeth, yet except it can be proved, that he goeth on to the earth, as well as in Heaven, the quotation will not help him; and Verse the 5. these are said [Page 375] to be without fault before the Throne of God, absolved by divine judicature; & these followed the Lamb in this life, in persecutions, troubles, afflictions, yea many of them unto death it self, hunc eundem sequuntur in vitam aeternam quò prior ipse abiit, as Aretius in loc. this same Lambe they follow also into ae­ternall life, whither he himselfe is first gone before them.

Aretius upon the place in Peter thus,Aret. in. loc. Nova habitatio, novos requirit incolas, these Heavens being made a new ha­bitation, they require the Inhabi­tants also to be new. And a little af­ter, Nova terra mansio erit justorum, the new Earth shall be a dwelling place for the righteous.

And Bullinger in 1 Pet. 3.13.Bullin in 1 Pet. 3.13. No­vi enim Coeli parantur justis, justitiae er­gò studendum est iis, qui novi Coeli velint esse incolae, the Heavens are prepared [Page 376] for the righteous, therefore it behoves them to study righteousnesse, which would be the inhabitants of these new Heavens; these men seeme to me to be of this judgement, that when the sphaericall Heavens shall be made new, they shall also be for the righte­ous, as well as the highest Heaven is now, and that their glorious habi­tation shall then extend as low as the face of the Earth: but whether the new Heavens, and the new Earth, which God shall make after these be burnt up, shall have eundem situm, the same situation, or place, that they have now, is questioned by some. Dionysius Carthusianus in 5.Dionys. Carth. in Matth. 5.18. Matthaei, verse 18. thinkes that they shall be changed, not onely quoad qualitatem, but also quoad situm, &c. not onely in their qualities, but also in their situa­tion; yet alledgeth no reason for it.

But this I would observe by the way, that if they shall go, and come from Earth to Heaven, and from Hea­ven to Earth again, as God shall please, as saith Dr. Willet. loco quo suprà, Dr. Willet loc. quo supra. then may the Creatures upon the Earth, serve for some use of contem­plation, for the which he would find no use before. Now this I say, that if God shall enlarge the seat of the blessed, and shall make the new Hea­vens a like glorious to the highest Hea­ven, to contain all the bodies of his Elect, as well as the soules, (though its very probable, that the highest Heaven is more spacious for those, then Hell for the innumerable num­ber of the bodies of the damned,) though there shall want no compasse for either, but both shall have such confines, as God in his wisedome shall appoint, the one for joy, the other [Page 378] for pain and misery, then may the spacious liberty of the saints glory ex­tend to the earth, as to the one term of their continent, as the top of the high­est Heaven is the other; and so righte­ous mē may be said to dwell in both, as living within the scituation of both, as thē in part of their glorious liberty. D. Willet concludes thus,Dr. Willet loc. quo supra. But here we must not be too bold, to wade without ground, how the Saints shall be dis­posed off, whether some to heaven, some to earth; whether the same shall be sometime in heaven, sometime in earth, or how else as it pleaseth God, we leave these as great mysteries, not revealed: yet thus he adds, But that the Saints shall then be upon the earth, we are certain out of Scripture, as hath been shewed. But I should ra­ther conceive it within the Continent of these, as parts of their libertie, if [Page 379] inlargement of their glory be granted, then upon the Earth, as upon the sub­ject matter; if the site of it remain where now it is: and to the places he grounds upon, I have answered, and will adde to them one more:Apoc. 5.10. Apoc. 5.10. And hast made us unto our God, Kings, and Priests, and we shall reign upon the earth; not corporeally, with the Geneva note.Nota Genesis. Others of our modern Divines conceive it of the spi­rituall reign in this mortall life over sinne, Sathan, persecuters, opposers, and the like. Rom. 6.6.Rom. 6.6. Our old man is crucified with him, that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed. And Vers. 12,Vers. 12. let not sinn reign therefore in your mortall bodie, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof: No, but reigne you over it upon the earth, and not it over you.Aretiꝰ in loc. Aretius upon the place thus, Commemoratis Christi beneficiis pol­licentur [Page 380] gratitudinis ergò constantiam in confessione, intelligo enim haec ab eis dici in persona militantis ecclesiae, quae regnat super terram, praestando Deo constantiam sub cruce, mortificando carnem suam, op­primendo peccati concupiscentiam, praescin­dendo peccandi occasiones, &c. having re­hearsed the benefits of Christ, in token of thankfullnesse, they pro­mise constancy in their confession. For I conceive these things to be spo­ken of them in the person of the mili­tant Church, which Church reignes upon the Earth, in performing con­stancy to God under the crosse, by mortifying their flesh, by oppressing the concupiscence of sinne, by cut­ing off the occasions of sinning, &c. Thus (saith he) they reign.

1 Thess. 4.17.That passage in 1 Thess. 4.17. hath holden many off from falling in so fully with the Doctors resolve, as [Page 381] to set it down for a certainty. And therefore Aquinas upon the place in Peter, Aquin. in 2 Pet. 3. [with some of the School-Di­vines,] considering this of Paul to the Thessalonians, will by no meanes fall in with his resolve, nor such as pitch up­on it. Non quòd justi habitaturi sunt in mundo inferiori post judicium, sicut nunc, not that the just shall dwell in this in­feriour world after the day of judge­ment, as they do now, but it shall be pars habitationis, saith he, a part of their habitation, sicut Rex non manet in coquina, & tamen dicitur pars habitati­onis suae, even as a King abideth not in his Kitchin, and yet notwithstand­ing its called a part of his habitation.

To which I say thus, that though his resolve may have some ground of reason, yet his instance doth not well quadrate to the matter in hand; For if a King should build a Pallace and [Page 382] have a Kitchin in it, and then it be said, [in quibus] it would conclude both.

Others therefore thus, In which dwells righteousnesse, that is Jesus Christ, say they, who is called our righteousnesse.Ier. 23.6. Ierem. 23.6. and this is his name by which he shall be called, Dominus, justitia nostra, the Lord our righteousnesse; but to this I say, that where he is, there shall his elect be also; Iohn 14.2.3. I goe to prepare a place for you. And if I goe and pre­pare a place for you, I will come a­gain, and receive you unto my selfe, that where I am, there ye may be also: as if he had said, if I goe, I mean not to reign alone, but I will also receive you that have suffered with me, that ye may also reign with me.2 Tim. 2.12. 2 Tim. 2.12. Christus non discessit a nobis ut nos desereret, sed potius ut nos secum in Coelos [Page 383] tandem attolleret, as Iunius: Iun in suis Annot. Christ did not depart from his to that end, that he might forsake them, but rather that at length he might take us up into Heaven together with him; quae doctrina ad totam eccl [...]siam pertinet, as Beza, Beza in loc. which doctrine belongs to the whole Church. Hic de extremo judicii die loquitur, quo tandem veniet ad suos colligendos, as Calvin, here saith he, he speakes of the last day of judgement, in the which at length he shall come to gather up all his, &c. and then shall they all be both in body, and soule, where he himself is. And Apoc. 3.21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sitt with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his Throne. Sedere cum Christo, est regni illius esse consortem, saith one, to fitt down with Christ on his Throne, is to be [Page 384] partaker of his kingdome with him: so that if he dwell in the new Heavens we shall also dwell there with him, as in the inlargement of glory, or the place of his glorious presence.

Beza in 2 Pet. 3.13.Lastly, Beza resolves thus upon the words, Neverthelesse we according to his promise, looke for new Hea­vens, and a new Earth, wherein dwells righteousnesse. Having mentioned o­ther expositions, he concludes thus, vel deniquè supplendum est [ [...],] nos ut ita convertas, sed Coelos novos, et terram novam expectamus (nos) (in quibus habi­tat justitia nimirum Christi, ut explicat Paulus, Phil. 3.9. Phil. 3.9. or else, finally, saith he, we must supply the sense, with this word (we) that thou mayst thus read, But we look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, (in which we) righ­teousnesse dwells, even the righte­ousnesse of God by faith, Phil. 3.9. [Page 385] as Paul hath it; and Ephes. 3.17. that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. 1 Thes. 4.17.1 Thes. 4.17. Paul speak­ing of the resurrection, and the order of it, saith, verse 16. The dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, In ae­terna beatitudinis gloria, Hemingius in loc. as Hemingius hath it, in eternall glory, and blessed­nesse. Aquinas, long before him, gave the same sense, ostendit beatitudinem sanctorum, Aquin. in loc. quià semper erunt cum Domino eofruentes, here he shows the blessed­nesse of the Saints, because they shall alwayes be with the Lord, & injoying of him. Theophylact to the same sense,Theophylact. in loc. perpetuò sunt apud hunc mansuri, they shall continually abide with Christ, whom they shall meete in the Air. [Page 386] Estius to the same sense,Estius in loc. speaking of meeting Christ in the Air, he saith, indè in Coelum cum eo subvecti perpetua praesentia fruituri sumus, semper cum eo regnaturi; from thence we shall be carried with him into Heaven, where we shall injoy his perpetuall presence and reign with him for ever.

To which I will adde, that not the Earth, but the Heavens are the place, where our inheritance is described to be, and that by him that purchased it, and best knew the scituation of it. 1 Pet. 1.18.1 Pet. 1.18. &c As ye were not redeem­ed with corruptible things, neither were ye born of corruptible seed; verse 23. so neither is there provided for you a corruptible inheritance. 1 Pet. 1.4.1 Pet. 1.4. God having begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrecti­on of Jesus Christ from the dead, he adds, to an inheritance incorruptible, [Page 387] and undefiled, and that fadeth not a­way, reserved in Heaven for us; that fadeth not away like flowers or gar­lands, so that we shall never be weary of the joyes of Heaven, though they indure for eternity, but they shall be as fresh and new; and Ephes. 2.6.Ephes. 2.6. he hath raised us up together, and made us sitt together [...], in caelestibus, as the Vulgar, in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: we have the like word Eph. 1.3. [...],Ephes. 1.3. in coelestibus in Christo; in Coelis, Beza in loc. as Beza hath it in both places. But to the for­mer, And made us sitt together, in coe­lestibus, id est, l [...]cis, as Beza, in Hea­venly places, yet our selves as yet actually sitt not in those places in person, but in our Head, Cujus spiritu coepimus peccato mori, vivere Deo, donec in nobis opus suum perficiat idem qui in­choavit, by the power of whose Spirit [Page 388] we have begun in this life to die unto sinne, and live unto God, whilst the same that hath begun the worke, per­fect it in us; we sitt with him now in spe, afterwards in re, he being our head, he will draw up all the mem­bers to him. But in none of these places is any mention made of the Earth,Zanchiꝰ in loc. as for the Saints to have any inheritance on it. Though vertually we be risen, & are in heavenly places, in our head Christ Jesus, yet in us these benefitts of resuscitation toge­ther with him, and this sitting in heavenly places, suum habebunt complementum cum nostra corpora resumptis animabus excitabuntur à mortuis, ac resurgent ad vitam immortalem, vita (que) fruentur sempiterna; shall have their full ac­complishment when our bodies resu­ming their souls, shall be raised up a­gain from the dead, then shall the [Page 389] whole man sitt together with Christ in Heavenly places, such places shall be their aeternall inheritance, not upon the Earth. Neither would the Patrons of that opinion, a constant dwelling upon it, but at sometimes. But if we respect these new Heavens, and Earth, for the place where the righteous shall dwell, as a part of their inlarged in­heritance, yet I conceive, that the Earth is more fitly put here, for the terminus, or boundary of their li­berty, than the subject, upon which they shall trample a live. And to me that place in Peter is very considerable, 1 Pet. 1.4. where the inheritance is set out by many excellent Epithites, and the place of it described to be Heaven, and not any part or portion of it mentioned to be upon the Earth. Thus have I expressed my thoughts upon this point also, according to [Page 390] that small Talent God hath given me, and have also made answer to such places where the Earth is mentioned, in which it will appear, that they are not so clear for the opinion for which they have been quoted, as the quoters of them have opined, I will therefore at length wind up all with that saying of Bellarmines, lib. de amissione gratiae, cap. 3. Non est de rebus quae pendent à divina voluntate al quid esserendum, nisi Deus ipse in Scripturis sanctis tale aliquid revelaverit; we may not affirme any thing in those matters that depend up­on Gods divine will, except God himselfe have revealed some such thing unto us in the holy Scriptures: so farre as they have given me light, I have gone, and as farre as I could wade upon the firme bottom of reason, I have adventured.

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