that thou O God wilt vouchsafe to looke vpon him And so much in breife touching the consideration of the basenesse of man The seauenth Consideration touching the ignominie or defame of man IT is an olde prouerbe and too often true that hee who hath an euill name is halfe hanged and surely that man that delighteth in sinne by the name of a reprobate is more then halfe damned before hee come in hell to bee called a villaine is a name of great infamy and doth not sinne make a man a villaine to God to be called a Dogge is most hatefull to man and is not man called a hell-hound by the hate of his sinne would not man bee loath to be tearmed a Serpent and hath not sinne made man become of a Serpent like nature Oh the filth of sinne how hath it fouled and defiled the nature of man the vtter infamy of his name the election of loue the Image of God the Lord of the best of creatures to become the hated of grace the substance of drosse the worste of creatures and the slaue of hell what a shame is this to man by sinne to fall into so foule an infamy Is it not a name of great disgrace to be called a disobedient Sonne or a faithlesse feruant a rebellious subiect or vnthankfull freinde an vnkinde brother and an vnnaturall childe and is not man by sinne become all this vnto God to bee stubborne to so louing a Father false to so good a maister rebellious to so gratious a King vnkinde to so kinde a brother and vnthankfull to so bountifull a Lorde it is a shame to liue to beare the iust blotts of such blames one of these faults were enough but altogether are too too much The Dogg will follow his maister the Horse will cary his maister and will man runne from his maister the Oxe knowes his stall and the Asse his cribbe and shall not man know his place of rest after his labours then more vile then the Dogg more vnkinde then the Horse more foolish then either Oxe or Asse Fie what an infamy is this vnto man a seruant to entertaine his maister vnkindly to vse him villanously and to kill him shamefully were not this a horrible infamy and did not the Iewes so with Christ to forget a kindnesse to distruste a truth and to abuse a blessing is not he infamous that doth so and what sinner but doth so so that still I see infamy vpon infamy one followeth another by the venome of sinne to the shame of man to leaue robes of silke for rotten raggs sweete wine for puddle water and a pleasant walke for a filthy hole what foole would doe this and doth not sinneful man doe this leaue the rich graces the comly vestures of the soule for the poore fading pleasures of the flesh the sweete water of life for the puddle watter of death the filthy pleasures of this world and the comfortable way to Heauen for the miserable way to hell Oh wretched blinded sencelesse bewitched foole that doost suffer sinne so much to be-foole thy vnderstanding Looke I say what a name thou iustly gettest by yeelding thy seruice vnto sinne a slaue a foole a beast a serpent a monster and of the best the worste creature in the worlde Loose the beautie wherein thou werte created the honour wherwith thou werte intitled the riches whereof thou werte possessed the libertie that thou enioyedst the loue wherein thou liuedst and the life wherein thou reioycedst to put on deformitie in nature basenes in ciuilitie beggery in wante of grace bondage in slauery hate hate wherin thou diest and death wherin thou arte euer accursed and all this through sin who now could in the glasse of truth beholde this vglye obiecte of sinne and would gaine himselfe so foule an infamy as to be called an obiect through the loue thereof hath not Cain from the beginning bene iustly called a murtherer Laban a cozener Sampson a foole Achitophel a knaue Salomon an Idolator Symon magus a sorcerer Diues an Epicure and Iudas a traytor and the Deuill a lyar and wilt thou Oh man that readest and beleeuest all this bee infected nay delighted in all these sinnes to receiue the name of a murtherer acozener a foole a knaue an Idolator a a sorcerer a traytor and a lyar Oh most hellish titles to set out the flagge of infamye which to auoyde seeing thy vildenes and knowing thy weaknesse praye to thy God the God of goodnesse to draw thee from the delight of wickednesse vnto that delight of goodnesse that may recouer thy credit lost blot out the spots of thy shame in thy sinne and through the dropps of the pretious Bloud of his deere beloued Sonne Iesus to wash thee cleane from thyn◠iniquities make thee capabl◠of his graces thankfull for his blessings and ioyfull in receiuing the gratious name of his faithfull seruant And so much touching the consideration of the infamye orignominy of man FINIS Conclusio TO conclude as a Chirurgian that hath receiued a woūd hath many medicines salues which well applyed might giue him ease and restore him to health though he haue knowledge how to make vse of them yet if he put not his knowledge in practise shall either languish or perish through want of helpe So in this woun◠of the soule made by sinne whereas euery man must b◠vnder God his owne Chirurgian and helper Though hee heare reade beleeue and feele the goodnes of God many wayes in his power wisdome loue grace and glorious mercy towards him yet if hee do not meditate vpon the same thankfully consider and truely confesse his vnworthinesse of the least part thereof hee may either languish or pertish in the consuming paine of sinne or dispaire of grace or mercy Looke then vpon the greatnes of God and the smalnesse of man the goodnes of God and the vilenesse of man the wisdome of God and the folly of man the loue of God and the hate of man the grace of God and the disgrace of man the mercy of God and the tyranny of man and the glory of God and the infamy of man and fixing the eye of the heart vpon the one and the other how canst thou but to the glory of God and shame of thy selfe with ablushing face trēbling spirit falling prostrate at the feete of his mercy in admiration of the greatnesse kindnes and goodnes that the Lord in his mercy hath extended vnto thee but cry with the Prophet Dauid Oh Lord what is man that thou doest visit him Which comfortable visitation when thou findest in thy soule acknowledge in the greatnesse of his goodnesse the wisdome of his loue and glory of his mercy that of so small so vile so foolish so hateful so tyranous so disgracefull so infamous a creature by the infection of sinne his glorious maiestie out of his mere mercy will vouchsafe in the pretious Bloud of his deare and onely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ to wash thee cleane
his grace to liue for euer in himselfe he is onely all goodnesse and from whome onely being onely good we receiue this first good of our election how great a proofe of the glorious essence of the goodnesse in God is this that not by perswasion of Angelles nor the merrite of any power of nature this free election of man aboue all creatures vnder him to be Lord ouer them fell vnto vs by the onely gratious working of his holy wil to his onely infinite glory our vnspeakable comfort Now let vs againe consider a further goodnes that from his grace we receiue in our election not onely to be made the best best of his creatures but to serue him with such loue that wee maic liue with him in glory he hath not onely chosen vs for his best creatures but also for his best seruants yea his beloued sonnes and not onely sonnes but coheires with his blessed Sonne in the heauenly kingdome he hath chosen vs before the worlde to preserue vs in the worlde and to take vs out of the worlde to eternall ioyes aboue the worlde Oh what tongue can expresse the greatnes of this his goodnes towards vs besides the infinite comforts graces and blessings that euer in this life he bestoweth vpon vs hee created all things could giue him nothng to perswade or allure him to make vs to his Image being created we were so poore that wee had nothing but what he gaue vs therfore could giue him nothing for our creation when hee had giuen vs dominion ouer his creatures what could wee giue him but what was his owne and whereof he had no neede but might commaunde at his will naie more what did man giue him but vnthankfulnesse in being disobedient to his commaundement and lastly being fallen through sinne so farre from the state of grace that there was no meanes but the death of his dearest Sonne and our Sauiour for our redemtion what could wee giue him hauing nothing and if we had had al the worlde it was but his owne and as nothing to recompence this admirable point of his goodnes in our redemption Consider then for our election we could giue him nothing and therefore it was only of his grace for our creation we had nothing to giue him for we had nothing but what he gaue vs for our redemtion the least drop of the pretious Bloud of his deere beloued Sonne was more worth then the whole worlde Oh then thinke wee coulde giue him nothing worthy of so greate a loue as to dye for vs with the grace of his holy spirite hee doth sanctifie vs and who can thinke or dare presume to buy that glorious blessing of him shall with Symon Magus perish in the horror of such a sinne the least sparke of his grace being more worth then the whole worlde and the worlde all his and man but a creature in the worlde Againe for our iustification his onely righteousnesse in his life and death his patience and his Passion is the onely substance of our iustification for as wee are iustified by faith in his Bloud an effect of grace in the inspiration of his holy spirite so is that pretious Bloud of his the glorious ground of our beleife whereby onely wee are iustified our election then from grace our creation in grace our redemption by grace out sanctification by grace our iustification by grace and our glorification by grace what hath the world or man if he had the whole worlde to purchase the least parte of the glory that the onely goodnesse of God hath in his mercie ordained and reserued for the good of man Let then no man be so blinde or blinded with the mist of arrogancie as to runne into merite in himselfe or to mingle our saluation Oh let vs a little consider how many are the sundry yea and infinite varieties of God that by the goodnes of our election wee receiue from the mercie of the Almightie first to be created to his owne Image to be inspired with a Diuine knowledge aboue all his creatures to haue dominion ouer so many creatures to be feareles of damnation by the assurance of our election to saluation to vse the things of the world as if wee had them not to accompt the worlde with all the pompe and pride thereof but as vanitie to haue a loathing of sinne and a loue to vertue to be furnished of what is necessarie to be deffended from euill preserued from hurt to dread no danger to be weary of the worlde and longe to be with Christ To speake of the goodnes of his bountie dayly bestowed vpon his creatures as beautie to some strength to other to other wealth to other wisdome to other honour to other diuine inspirations these I say are no small causes to make vs consider of his goodnesse towards vs but aboue all to giue vs himselfe in his loue to bee with vs with his grace to guide vs with his power to defend vs with his word to instruct vs with his holy spirit to inspite vs to finde the way made for vs to our eternal ioyes that none shall take from vs to which before the worldes world without end he hath only elected vs oh man how canst thou thinke humblie enough thankfully enough and ioyfully enough of the goodnes of thy God in this good of thy electioÌ„ in summe what goodnes can be greater vnto vs then to know y t God to his dearest loue through his beloued only dearly Son Iesus Christ hath elected vs as it were chosen his loue aboue al his creatures in his Son Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour to be bestowed vpon vs iâ— that loue to liue with vs and that euer-liuing loue neuer to leaue vs here on earth with his infinite blessings in his gratious goodness to comfort vs and in heauen to reserue a Crowne of glory for vs to create vs when we were not to redeeme vs being lost to preserue vs from destruction to giue his deerest Sonne to death for our sinnes to assure vs of saluation and to receiue vs to glory All this did hee and all good that euer was is or euer will or can be for vs to shew and make vs consider of his goodnes towards vs for let vs in breefe a littltle consider how freely and onely of his grace hee hath thus made manifest his vnspeâ—kable goodnes in this our election when wee were not wee gle his corrupt actions with the pure merite of Christe Iesus for his saluation but say with Iob all our righteousnesse is as a filthie cloth and with the Prophet Dauid Psalme 116. verses 11. 12. meditating vppon the greatnesse of his goodnes towards him what shall I giue the Lord for all that hee hath done vnto me I will take the Cuppe of Saluation and be thankfull to the Lord see here all that wee are and all that wee can giue him for all the good that wee receiue from him bare thanks
and yet as much as hee requireth and more then from a great many the more their shame hee receiueth But let those that feele these great effects of grace in the goodnes of the liuing God say with the holy Prophet Psalme 136. verse 1. be thankfull to the Lord and speake good of his name for his mercie endureth for euer but since so infinite is his goodnes in all things and to al things and specially to man aboue all things let me onely wish al men for their own good to acknowledge all goodnes onely to bee in the Lord the onely Author and substance thereof whatsoeuer is good in heauen or earth is onely a free guifte of his grace that must onely work to his glory the election of man to be an effect of loue in the grace of his goodnes and not to dreame of merite but to giue glory vnto mercie for the benefit of such a blessing as being freely giuen to man through our Lord Iesus Christ by his merite is onely confirmed to the eternitie of his glory and thus much touching the goodnes of God Touching the wisdome of God the third Consideration TO speake of the wisdome of God is so farre aboue the capacitie of man that it is rather with all humble reuerence to be honored and admired then either to be spoken of or considered yet for so much as the creature doth giue glorye to his Creator in praising and with admiration beholding the excellent workmanshippe in the varietie of his workes and finding it so farre aboue the reach of reason as must noedes proceede from a vertue of diuine grace hee doth in contemplation acknowledge a wisdome of that excellencie that maketh him saie with the Prophet Dauid in the 104. Psalme 24. verse Oh how wonderfull are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them but though the wisdome of God as it is in it selfe is an other himselfe and not to be comprehended of any but himselfe yet the effectes thereof in all things doe giue him so greate a praise as make him aboue all things to receiue the highest of all glory for to enter into particulers let vs beginne to looke into his creation in the power whereof hee sheweth no small parte of wisdome as in the brightnes of the Sun Moon Stars and the cleernesse of the skie the courses of the Planets the motions of the Celestiall powers in the opperations of the elements in the perfection of proportiōs in the diuersity of creatures in the wōder of arte and quicknesse in working what excellent arte hath he taught nature in painting all the Trees fruits and flowres of the earth yea and all the haires skinnes feathers and scales of beasts fowles and fishes the eeuennes purenes of euery one of whome being truly considered wil startle the best witts in the due consideration of that onely point of wisdome Againe what a further secret cunning hath he taught nature in perfuming so many Trees hearbs and flowres all growing out of this darke and dusky earth by what wisdome he doth vnite the people and hauing deuided the languages how hee giues the meanes of vnderstanding how hee makes the fishes paths and the shippes passages through the seas the birds walkes through the ayre and the Salamanders dwelling in the fire and the wormes howses in the earth how admirable is this wisdome that so worketh all things by it selfe To speake of the excellency of Arts in the secrecie of their working what can it finally approoue but an admiration of knowledge in the maister of them But hauing with Salomon found by the light of grace and experience of labor that al things are vanity except onely the vertue of that grace that enricheth the soule with inestimable treasure what a pointe in wisdome is this not onely to instruct the soule of man in knowledge of natures with their qualities and effects but through the power of it selfe to breede a kinde of spirituall knowledge in the apprehension of Faith that in contemplation of heauenly treasure maketh trash of the whole worlde Oh superexellent exllencie in wisdome that frameth the heart vnto the soule to seeke out the waie of life and in the prison of the flesh preserues it from the perill of infection that man being created the Image of perfection can neuer be destroyed by the venome of corruption but in the daies of iniquitie being guided by grace escaping the snares of hel shall fly to the ioyes of heauen Consider that if man by the wisdome of God attaine to this excellent knowledge how to walke through the passages of nature to make vse of them for his seruice to withstand the temptation of sinne to receiue the instructions of grace to dispise the delights of the worlde to bridle the affections of the flesh and ouercomming the power of death to finde the path vnto life if this I say and more then can be said by the instruction of the diuine wisdome man hath power to attaine vnto thinke how infinite is that wisdome from whome only commeth the essence of this and all knowledge in whome it onely liueth and without onely whome all is but meere ignorance And since it is written that the beginning of wisdome is the feare of God learne onely that lesson and feare to be otherwise learned Paule thought he knew enough in Christ him crucified and enough wise shalt thou be if thou canst applie his knowledge to thy comfort But to returne breifely to speake of the wisdome of God it is in the heauens so highe in the earth so large in the water so deep in the aier so secret and in the fire so powerfull in all things so exquisite and in perfectiōs so infinite that I will onely in the admiration thereof giue glory to the same and saie with the Apostle 1. Corin. chapter 3. verse 19. The wisdome of the worlde is foolishnesse before God And againe with the Prophet Dauid Psalme 104. verse 24 Oh Lord how excellent are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all Psalme 139. verse 6. Such knowledge is too excellent for mee O all ye workes of the Lorde praise him and magnifie him for euer but since so many and so infinite are the praises that may worthyly bee giuen vnto it I cannot so leaue off but I must speake a little more of the consideration of it for the power of it It maketh all things for the knowledge of it it knoweth all things for the direction of it it ordereth all thinges for the goodnesse of it it is good in and to all things for the greatnesse of it it comprehendeth all things for the grace of it it is gratious in all good things and for the maiestie of it it is glorious aboue all things for in the power of it is the life of vertue in the life of it is the mercie of loue in the loue of it is the blessing of grace and in the grace of it is the eternitie of
except one Tree with a sharpe warning of death in the touching of the same when neither his loue in his creatiō his bountie in his possession nor his care in his commaund regarded but either carelesly forgotten or wilfully disobeyed Oh what greater vilenes could be shewed then in such vnthankfulnes and what greater greater wickednesse then to shake handes with the Deuill to offend the God of so much goodnesse but more to make him blush at his owne shame in beholding the foulenesse of his abhominable filthynesse let man in the glasse of truth see the leprosie of his soule by the infection of sinne Pryde hath defiled humilitie couetousnesse charitie lecherie chastitie wrath patience sloath labour enuie loue and murther pity so that whereas man was before in these vertues a creature of Gods loue and in whose presence hee tooke pleasure now through these vices is hee become a most vglye and hatefull creature in the sight of the Creator what Peacock more proude of his taile then man is of his trumpery what Tyger is more cruell to any beaste then one man to another what Goate more lecherous then the licentious Libertins what Dogge more couetous in hiding of meate then the dogged miser in hoording vp of money what Snake more venemous then the tonge of the enuious and what Dormouse so sleepie as the slouthfull Epicure Consider then if there bee a vile nature in any of these how much more vile is man that hath the condition of all these Oh should a man haue his Image or proportion drawne according to his condition how monstrous would he finde himselfe with a Tygers head a Goates bearde a Snakes tong a hogs belly a Dormouse cie and a Beares hand But let the Image goe and looke into the vilenes of man and see if it bee not such as passeth the power of discription when God is forgotten the Deuill shal be remembred when grace is forsaken sinne shal be entertained and when Christ shal be crucified Iudas shal be monyed A Dogge will fawne on his maister Oh how much worse then a Dogg was man that was the death of his maister an Elephant is a monstrous beast and yet is pitifull to man wil lead him out of the wildernes but man more monstrous then any beast will leade man into wickednes the Goate hath his time wherin to shew the heate of his nature but man spareth no time to follow the filthinesse of his lust the Dogge will bee satisfied with a little that hee hath hidden but the vsurer is neuer satisfied till hee bee choaked with his Golde the Lyon will not praie vpon the bloud of a Lambe when the murtherer will not spare the bloud of the infante the Ante will worke for prouision for his foode while the Epicure will burst in the bed of his ease See then oh man the vile substance of thy condition whereby of the best creature in thy creation thou art become the worst in thy corruption therfore looking on the goodnes of thy God and the vilenesse of thy selfe Thou maiest well saie with Peter Luke chap. 5. verse 8. Lord come not neere mee for I am a poluted creature and with the Prophet Dauid Psa 44. ver 16. Shame hath couered my face yea and beholding the leprosie of thy soule by the spottes of thy sinne stand without the gates of grace that the Angells may not abhorre thee nor the Saincts be infected by thee till thy heauenly Phisitian with the Bloude of the Lambe haue cured thee of thy corruptiō Look I say oh vile man vpon the wickednesse of thy will to offend thy good God to bee a seruant to sinne the ruine of thy selfe and the plague of thy posteritie In thy riches see the rust of coueteousnesse in thy pryde see the fall of Lucifer in thy lechery see the fire of lust in thy wrath see the bloud of murther in thy sloath see the filth of drosse and thus beholding thy besmeered soule see if thou canst see so vile a creature vile in vnthankfulnes vile in haughtines vile in coueteousnes vile in sloathfulnes vile in furiousnes vile in filthines and so vile in all vilenes Thus I say looke into thy selfe and see what thou arte and if such thou be not think of the greatnes of the goodnes in thy God that by the vertue of his power in the mercie of his loue hath healed thee of thy sinne made thee fit for his seruice which till thou findest in thy selfe thinke there is not so vile a creature as thy selfe And thus much touching the vilenes or wickednes of man The third Consideration touching the folly or Ignorance of man THe smalnesse and vilenes of man thus considered we are now to looke a little vpon the folly or ignorance of man not a little needfull with the precedēts what shall follow to be considered First to the first point of folly could there bee a greater folly thought vpon then to lose the benefit of Paradise for the bit of an Apple for touching one tree to loose all to loose the plesure of ease to labor for food to forget god to listē to women to distrust God and to beleiue the Deuill to loose the beautie of perfection for the foulnesse of corruption and as much as in him lay to leaue heauen for hell are not these without comparison so high pointes in ignorance as make a ful point in folly But leauing the first folly of the first offender Oh what a swarme of follyes hath this ignorance begotten in the worlde which like Snakes in a Bee-hiue sting the takers of misstaken hony what a folly is it in man to worship a golden calfe which at the houre of his death can giue his body no breath but in the time of his life may hasten his soule into hell For example reade the history of Diues and see the fruite of such a folly Againe what a follye is it for man to make an Idoll of his fancie when Sampson with his Dalila may shew the fruite of wantonnesse Againe what a folly it is to execute the vengeance of wrath Let the murther of Cain speake in the bloud of his brother Abell what a folly is enuie let the swallowing of Coran Datha◠and Abiram speake in their murmering against Moses what a folly is pride looke in the fall of Lucifer But as there are many great follyes in the world so there are many and great fooles but aboue all one most great foole which wee may iustly call foole by the word of God Psalme 53. verse 1. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God This foole doe I holde the foole of al fooles who hath ben so long with the Deuil that he hath forgotten God for he is more foole then the Deuil who will acknowledge God tremble at his Maiestie and be obedient to his commaund therefore I may well say that he is not only a deuilish foole but worse then a Deuill foole
and so the foole of al fooles Now to speake of follyes in particular nor of a number of Idle fooles such as when they are gay thinke they are rich or when they can prate they are wise or when they are proude they are noble or when they are prodigall they are liberall or when they are miserable they are thriftie or when they can swagger they are valiant and when they are rich they are honest These and a world of such idle fooles least I should be thought too much a foole for standing too much vpon the foole I leaue further to talke of hoping that the wise will confesse that all the wisdome of the worlde is foolishnesse before God and therefore man finding in himself so little touch of true wisdome as may make him then confesse all the wit hee hath to be but meere foolishnesse without the grace of God in the direction thereof I will leaue what I haue written vniustly to the correction of the wise and for the vnwise to the amendement of their indiscretion and thus much touching the consideration of the folly of man The fourth Consideration touching mallice or hate in man NOw hauing spoken myne oppinion touching the foolishnes of man I finde that follye or ignorance of better iudgement to haue begotten in him a kinde of malice or hate as it were opposite or contrary to the loue of God or at the least contrary to that loue which God commaundeth to bee in man where hee saith Iohn chap. 13. verse 34. Loue one another as I haue loued you for in some wicked people it is too apparant which I may rather terme Deuills then men those Atheisticall villains that if they haue not their wills will not onely murmure against God but with Iobs wife seeme to curse God and with the Deuill blaspheme God may not these iustly be called the reprobate that but looking towards heauen dare stirre vp athought against the glory thereof and being themselues but earth dare mooue against the Great or of heauen and earth Oh how hath the Deuill had power with man so to poyson his soule with the venome of temptation as by the power of the corruption to bring him to etrrnall confusion but as the Deuill through his malice at the greatnes of God was cast downe from Heauen so hath hee euer since and during his time will by the same poison in as much as he can keepe man from Heauen but leauing to speake of the vngratious vngratefull and malicious nature in some man towards God most grieuous to be spoken of let me come to y e malice or hate of man to mā when there were but two brethren in the world Cain and Abel one so maliced another that he sought his death not for the hurt he did him but for that God was pleased in his brother and not in him Oh pestiferous poison to wound the soule vnto eternall death Gen. chap. 4. ver 8. what need I to alleage examples either in the booke of God or wordes of bookes in the worlde touching that vile hellish nature or humor of malice in the corrupted nature of man when it is dayly seene euē almost in al kingdōes Countries Cyties and Townes to be an occasion of ciuill discorde yea and sometime of greate and long warres to the vtter spoile of many a common wealth doe not wee see euen sometime before our eyes how many are hated euen for the good that is in them and for the good that they intend to them that hate them when a wise man reprooueth a foole of his folly will not the foole hate him for being wiser then himselfe or for telling him of his folly yea will he not carry it in minde many a day and worke him a mischeefe if hee can for his good and as the Iewes did with Christ put him to death for teaching them the waie of life hate him for his loue and kill him for his comforte Oh malicious nature in the hearte of man if the lawe giue land to the right heyre will not the wrong possessor hate both the heyre for his right and the lawe for giuing it him though himselfe would be glad if the case were his own to haue it so if two freindes bee suiters for one fortune if the one carry it is it not often seene that the other will hate him for it yea of a friend become a foe for enioyning that he should euer haue had if the other had missed it is it not often seene that vpon a humor of ielouzie a man wil hate his wife and the wife her husband the sonne the father and the mother the daughter brother and sister neighbor and neighbor and al one another sometimes for a tryfle that with such a fire of malice as is almost vnquenchable Oh how too full are the Chronicles of the worlde of the horrible and miserable Tragedies that haue proceeded out of that hellish spirite of malice that hath spit her poyson through the hearts of a great part of the whole worlde to the destruction of a worlde of the inhabitans therin Let me a litle speake of this wicked spirite and how it wrought the fall of Lucifer from Heauen through his malice at the Maiestie of the Almightie againe being falne from Heauen how it wrought in him the fall of Adam enuying his blessed happines in Paradise and therefore by temptation sought in as much as hee could his destruction In Cain it wrought an vnnaturall hatred to the death of Abell in Esawe it wrought an vnbrotherly hatred to the great feare of Iacob in Pharaoh it wrought an vnkindly hatred to the poore Isralites because they throue by their labors vnder him increased in his kingdome it wrough a hate in the children of Iacob to their brother Ioseph because their father loued him in breife you shall finde in the whole Scripture the hate of the wicked vnto the godly because God blesseth them and as in the diuine writ euen in these our daies do we not see the good ha ted of the euill which being the spirite of so much wickednesse as worketh so much mischeefe what doth it differ from the Deuill Truly I thinke I may well say that as it is written God is charity and hee that dwelleth in charity dwelleth in God and God in him so contrarily the Deuill is malice and hee taht dwelleth in malice dwelleth in the Deuill the Diuill in hlm But where God entereth with his grace the Deuill hath no powre with his malice and though hee droue Adam out of Paradice yet hee could not keepe him out of Heauen and therefore of greater power is the mercy of God then the malice of the Deuill but seeing such is the vile nature of malice as doth figure nothing more truly then the Deuill let no man that can truly iudge of it but hate it as the Deuill which maketh a man in whom it is hatefull vnto God wicked vnto man throwen