A day-starre for darke-wandring soules shewing the light, by a Christian controuersie: or briefely and plainely setting forth the mysterie of our saluation. Diuided into principles, obiections, and answeres. By Richard Niccolls, th'elder, of the Inner Temple London, Gent. deceased. Published for the generall benefit of all those who heartily, and with a true path desire their owne saluation: by I.C.

Notes vpon the first Principle.

THE first cause of this our cor∣ruption is, because that euery one of vs who come of Adam, sinned in the same sinne that Adam sinned: viz. In eating the forbidden fruis, and are guiltie thereof before God. Rom. 5. 12. Heb. 7. 9. 10. The reason hereof is, because that Adam (as our common Procurator or Factor, Tam ad perdendum quam ad lucrandum) did beare the person of vs all, being then in his loynes: Therefore looke what hee gained, hee gained for himselfe and vs; and looke what hee lost, hee lost for himselfe and vs, then being in his loynes. 1 Cor. 15. •…•…2. The second cause of this our continually sin∣ning is, because that euery one of vs who come of Adam, are by Gods decree (manifested and pro∣nounced to Adam) fallen into this heauie punishment for our

transgression in Adam, viz. vvee are tainted with originall sinne. This originall sinne is a corruption of the powers of the Soule; and that not in some, or in part, but of all and wholy: and so by this originall sin, first, wee are depriued not of some, but of all good inclination, and doe want not some, but all goodnesse: and secondly, thereby we are incli∣ned and prone, not to some, but to all euill, and not onely inclined and prone, but also naturally fruitfull, not of some, but of all sinnes; as ha∣uing the seeds of all sins bred within vs: so that, although sinnes doe not breake out in all men alike, neither is any man found who putteth all sins in practise. Yet take the most ciuill and best natured man in the World, and by Nature the seeds of all sinnes are in him: but the gene∣rall restraining grace of God doth many and diuers wayes restraine all men from comming into many sins, chiefly for the good and quiet∣nesse

of his Church, and also for the maintaining and vpholding the societie of the world. Which re∣strayning grace of God, if it should be withdrawne, then euery man without exception would breake out into euery sinne, to the vtter ouerthrow of all Societies and Common-weales. The godliest and best men can best testifie of these inbred seeds of corruption, for they best know what a do they haue with their corrupt natures, and how dif∣ficult a thing it is to keepe them within the compasse of obedience, Rom. 3. 9. 10. 11. The third cause of this our continuall sinning doth rise from the consequence of the two former causes, viz. Euery one of vs Man or Woman, high or low, rich or poore, borne in the visible Church, or without, as he commeth of Adam, & is borne of his father and mother, for our transgression and originall sinne from and in Adam, is hated of God, & is Gods enemy, and the bond∣slaue

of Sathan; who vntill the time of regeneration raigneth and ruleth in the heart of euery one of vs, and haleth euery one of vs forward to the height & perfection of wicked∣nesse, so farre as he is permitted by the powerfull hand of God, vvho will suffer neither wicked men, nor the Diuell himselfe, to put in practise euery wickednesse they could and would, if God should withdraw his restrayning hand, Ephes. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 44. 2 Tim. 2. 26.

1 Obiection.

It is against common reason (say the Pelagians) that all men should be made guiltie of one mans fault; and therefore (say they) Adam sin∣ned to his owne proper hurt, and by his transgression hurted not his po∣steritie. And in this that Adams sinne is passed to his posteritie, that is come to passe by imitation, and not by propagation.

Answere.

This Obiection being beleeued,

vtterly ouerthroweth our free Iusti∣fication by Christs righteousnesse, performed by himselfe, and impu∣ted vnto vs, as done by our selues. For if Adams sinne is passed ouer vnto vs, his posteritie, by imitation onely, then also doth it follow that wee haue no other profit by this righteousnesse of Christ performed by him for vs, then that he is set be∣fore vs for an example to follow: for in what sort wee are made partakers of Adams transgression to our con∣demnation, in the same sort we are made partakers of Christs righte∣ousnesse to our Iustification. And so againe in what sort we are made par∣takers of Christs righteousnesse to our Iustification: in the same sort wee are made partakers of Adams transgression to our condemnation. And therefore as we being in Christ as our head and roote, are iustified by the communication of his righ∣teousnesse (it being imputed to vs as done by our selues) because that in

him and by him, by reason of our vnion with him we haue fulfilled the Law, and satisfied Gods iustice. So wee being come of Adam as the roote of all mankinde, originally are guiltie of his transgression, because that in him and by him, by reason of our vnion vvith him see haue all sinned.

2 Obiection.

The Soule is newly created, and commeth immediatly from God, who is perfectly righteous, and so the Soule cannot be naturally and originally sinfull as the flesh, vvhich descendeth from Adam. And it being a spirit, and a thing immate∣riall can not be infected of the body being a thing materiall. Therefore it standeth not with Gods iustice, that the soule, hauing no sinne of her owne, should beare the sinne of ano∣ther, namely of Adam, which was committed so long before: neither is it to be thought, that God who forgiueth vs our owne sinnes, will

impute the sinnes of another vnto vs.

Answere.

The cause of our hereditary cor∣ruption, as well of our soules (which by God are into vs infused pure, and by vs from him receiued pure) as of our flesh which descendeth from sinnefull Adam, is not in the sub∣stance of the soule, or in the sub∣stance of the body, but in this that vnto the penaltie of God, the Crea∣tors decree, by Adam wittingly and vvilfully transgressed, Adam and all his posteritie, both in their soules and bodies, were and are to be sub∣iected. For, why should any Pela∣gian thinke of this, as hard and vn∣reasonable, seeing it seemeth vnto our selues iust and reasonable, that the Potter may dispose of his Pots, made by himselfe, to what vse he wil; and seeing it seemeth iust and rea∣sonable to our selues to subiect to lawes made by our selues, both the Parents and the Children vnborne,

and their posteritie long after suc∣ceeding.

3 Obiection.

Against this first principle, the Papists do further obiect, That man hath free-will, which vvhosoeuer de∣nieth (say they) is worthy to be bea∣ten like a Stocke-fish, vntill he con∣fesseth that they who beateth him haue free-will either to beate him or to cease from beating him: for if one doe denie the fire to be hot, the best way to perswade such a one, is to cast him into an hot Ouen.

Answere.

The answere vnto this obiection is this: First that all reasonable crea∣tures haue free-will in morall and ciuill acts: and secondly, that all wicked men haue free-will from co∣action and violence: thirdly, that a∣mong all sinnes wicked men make free choise to put some in practise. But this freedome is wanting to A∣dams posteritie, to wit, by nature, to thinke or doe any thing which is

good before God, and acceptable in his sight, because that by Adams transgression mans free-will is brought into the bondage of sinne.

4 Obiection.

If mans free-will by Adams trans∣gression be in such bondage of sinne that it cannot make no choise of good, then doth free-will lose its owne nature: for where sinne must needs be chosen, there can be no li∣bertie; and consequently all the li∣bertie which mans free-will hath, is freely to giue to the Diuell, and so man is by God punished for that which hee cannot auoid.

Answere.

There be three kindes of liber∣ties or freedomes: the first, is liber∣tie from compulsion: the second, is libertie from sinne: the third, is li∣bertie from miserie. The first kinde of libertie was in Adam, and shall be for euer in Adams posteritie; but libertie from sinne, and libertie from miserie, cannot be had in this life,

but for as much as this bondage of sinne, or necessitie of sinning, is come vnto vs by our owne volun∣tarie acts (for in Adam, by eating the forbidden fruit, wee all being in his loynes voluntarily sinned) wee are all with the bondage of sinne and miserie iustly punished in him for his and our owne disobedience.

5 Obiection.

To feede the hungry, to clothe the naked, to honour our Parents, to serue our Maisters faithfully, to obay our lawfull Gouernours, to dye in defence of our Country, and such like deedes done by Infidels, are good deedes, and no sinnes, and therefore men, by Nature, before regeneration, haue choise and liber∣tie of will to doe some good deeds which are no sinnes.

Answere.

S. Augustine in his fourth Booke cap. 3. against Iulian the Pelagian, an∣swereth that such acts done by In∣fidels are doubtlesse sinnes; not that

in their owne nature they are sins, but because they are not of Faith: for, whatsoeuer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not of faith is sinne, Rom. 14. 23. For that, without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11. 6 Againe, the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whatsoeuer wee doe it must be done to no other end then to the glory of God: and therefore the said acts done by Infidels cannot be said to be done to his glory, because the said acts being done without faith, cannot possibly please God, and therfore such acts, done by Infidels, are doubtlesse sinnes, though in their owne nature they be no sins, but Morall Virtues.

6 Obiection.

If the premisses be true, then may an Infidell as well robbe his neighbour as relieue him with food or •…•…aiment: and so of the rest.

Answere.

God doth deepely graue Morall Virtues, or the workes of the Law, in the hearts of the Infidels, and

thereby they are guided to doe some Morall Virtues, and restrai∣ned from doing many wicked∣nesses: but they being without Faith, doe nothing to the right end. Also the Infidels for Morall Virtues (which beare but a shew of good workes) are by God re∣warded with the praise and fauour of men, and other temporall bles∣sings, for which the Morall Virtues were done, as the principall end of their action.

Notes

• Caluin. Instit. lib. 1. cap. 1. Sect. 7.
• Gen. 2. 17.
• Rom. 5. 17.
• Caluin. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. lib. 1. cap. 1. Septo.