Reafon 3. fountaine, that hath water originally, hath not the part, but the whole, though afterwards it runnes into many brookes, and if there were but one fountainc,as there is but one Sunne,then all the water would be in that fountaine,as the light is in the Sunne. Now to apply this, looke upon all the creatures,and you shal find that they have al but part of being, the Angels have one part,men another, and other creatures another part,&c.which is an argument that there is a whole, which is GoD bleẞed for ever. Refides it argues that he hath wholneffe of being from himfelfe; for he that hath but part of a thing,doth borrow it,and therefore muft come to the originall; for nothing is borrowed but it is from another,and not from it felfe; therfore,feeing the creatures have but a part of being, it prefuppofeth that there is a whole, that there is an immense being, that is of himself, and from himfelfe, and hath it not from any creature. Laftly,there is nothing that the eye hath seene or that the care hath heard, but it is poffible not to be; there is almost nothing but is fubject to corruption; but if it be not fo, yet they have a poffibility not to be;as the heavens,though they are not corrupted, yet they may be: now whatfoever hath a poffibility not to be, it is certaine that it was not,& that which was not is brought to a being by him that is: fo that you must come to fomething which is, that is the caufe, and the beginning and ending, that is without cause, that that is Alpha and Omega,he that was and that is to come. Now we come to application. Ve 1. wils not things they are just If the Lord bee without all cause, wee may gather then, that he doth not will any thing, because it is juft, or defire it, because it is good, or love any thing,because it is pleafant; for there is no caufe without him, all perfection is in him originally. The creatures indeed defire things,be-them. caufe they are good; and love them,because they are pleasant, becaufe they feek for perfection out of themselves, because they are caufed by that which is out of themselves: but this is not so in God, who is the firft caufe, because, of the firft cause there is no caufe; and of the first reason there is no reason to be given. Looke whatsoever is in the creature, what juftice or excellencie, it comes from God; and if he should will any thing for this caufe,because it is good, there should be a reciprocation, which is impoffible. I fpeake this for this end; that in our judging of the waies of God, wee should take heed of framing a modell of our owne, as to thinke, because fuch a thing is juft, therefore the Lord wils it: the reafon of this conceit is,because we thinke that God. muft goe by our rule; we forget this, that every thing is juft because he wils it; it is not that God wils it, because it is good or juft. But we fhould proceed after another manner, we fhould finde out what the will of God is; for that is the rule of juftice and equity; for otherwife it was poffible that the Lord could erre,though he did never erre: Vse 2. God may doe all things for himfelfe, and his own glory. erre: that which goes by a rule, though it doth not fwarve, yet it may, but if it be the rule it felfe, it is impoffible to erre. As, if the Carpenters hand be the rule, he strikes a right line. The Angels and creatures have a rule, and therefore may erre: but it is not fo with God,and therefore what God wils is juft,because he is the rule it self: therefore in the mysteries of predeftination, we are to say thus with our felves; Thus I finde the Lord hath fet it downe, thus bee hath expreffed himfelfe in his Word, fuch is his pleasure; and therefore it is reason,and juft,fuch against which there can be no exception. If God be without all causes, then he may doe all things for himselfe, and for his owne glory, because he that hath no caufe above,or without himselfe,he needs not do any thing but for himfelfe. The Angels,they have a cause above, and without themselves, therefore they must doe nothing for themselves, but for another, Rom. 11. laft. Of him are all things, therefore to him bee glory: that place fhewes us a ground of this,why wee must not expect, that Go D fhould doe any thing for any other end,for any other creature in the world; for having no end above himselfe, it is impoffible that he fhould have any end but himselfe, Prov. 16.4. The LORD hath made all things for himselfe; yea, even the wicked for the day of evill. Whereas this objection might be made Will bee caft men to hell? will he damne them for his owne glory? Yes (faith hee) all his actions even that alfo is for his owne fake,Rom.9.22. 7 there there it is more large: what if GOD, willing to fbew his wrath, and to make his power knowne, endured with much long fuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction? &c. This is enough,he hath no end, no cause above himfelfe; and therefore it is reafon enough,he doth it,because he will doe it. The fame thing is to be obferved out of the 19. and 20. Verfes,where the fame reason is given that we now fpeake of, who hath? &c. faith the Apostle, if you looke on God, and the creatures, you shall finde this difference betweene them; all the creatures are made, as Pots are made by the Potters, which having him the author of their being, doe alwayes ferve to the end they were ordained for; so that the Potter may appoint what end he will, which they muft of neceffitic obey: But God, being the firft caufe, may have what end hee will in governing his creatures, and no man can fay, why doeft thou fo? hee may make fome veffels of honour,and fome of dishonor,and all for himfelfe,and his own glory: therefore, when you fee that he did not fpare the Angels, but caft them down into hell,there to be referved in chaines of darkneffe till the last day; when you fee him not fparing the old world, when you fee him fuffering the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes when you fee him fuffer a great part of the world to be infidels and to perish;when you fee him let the Churches to be made havock of, you should fay thus, To him bee glory for ever: that is, you fhould not murmure against him, but glori fie him, and reverence him for ever: for hee may L doe doe all things for himfelfe. And this is the reafon Mat 20.15,16 that is rendred, Mat.20.15,16. May not I doe what I will with mine owne? He gives it there as the reafon,why many are called and few chofen,why the Lewes were firit,and the Gentiles laft: why he lets goc many likely men, and choofeth the worst; faith he, May not I doe with mine own what I will? Beloved this difference is to be obferved betweene the creatures and God; there is no creature can fay of any thing,this is mine owne, because he made it not, they are not the masters of them; but God may doe what he will, what he plea feth, becaufe they are his owne. If God will take a few out of a Nation, and deftroy all the reft, who can fay any thing to him? they are his owne; and as hee is without all caufe, fo he is without all end. Fife 1. nothing for our owne ends but for God. Now as this is of ufe to juftifie God, in that it is his property to be without all caufe; fo it may teach us; That man may not do any thing for his own end, but he is bound to doc all for an highper end, which hee that made us hath appointed, for the efficient can make a thing to what end he pleafe. You fee it is fo with men, a knife is made to cut, a key to open, &c. and yet they are all of iron, the fame materiall: fo the Lord looking downe from Heaven, made of one heape of clay feverall creatures, and appointed to every one his feverall end, which they muft observe and aime at; for if they doe not, they wrong him that made them, and may be fure to finde him readie to deftroy them. So it is with every thing that is made for a certaine end, as a fire that |