holinesse of life and all happinesse The second is the estate of the fall of sinne of death and of all miserie The third is the state of regeneration of righteousnesse of saluation and of eternall glory These three estates we desire to declare out of the word of God which entreateth plentifully of the two latter but more sparingly of the first for that it continued a verie short time Yet we may learne the doctrine of it also out of the scripture especially by these meanes first out of the example of Adam Eua and Christ the which three onely of all mankinde liued in this estate Secondly out of the state of the Angels which agreeth with the state of man in many respectes and therefore we doe often in the two first estates speake of the Angels not of set purpose but as by the way and for the further illustration of the state of man who in his creation agreeth with all the Angels and in his fall with the reprobate sort of them Thirdly we may consider the innocency of man in those thinges which the scripture speaketh of God to whom it often giueth the person of man not polluted with sinne but remaining in his first purity and lastly we may gather what was the state of the first creation by the state of regeneration the which being nothing else but the renewing of the first estate will giue vs great light for the vnderstanding of it Further this is to be marked that by the state of innocency we do not meane those fewe daies onely wherein Adam did continue innocent but also the whole progresse and course of this state as it would haue beene if man had not fallen at all the which supposed continuance of the state of innocencie differeth much from that actuall estate wherein Adam was before his fall for he was not at the first endued with any such actuall perfection of holinesse and happinesse but that he was daily to encrease in both these respectes as God should reueale himselfe more more vnto him Lastly this treatise is diuided into three parts each part into diuers chapters which in the two former partes haue each of them three Sections according to the three diuers states of man the which may be considered in the table following eyther seuerally by the reader going downe in the seuerall columnes or in comparison with the other two in the ouerthwarte lines The first part Ch Section 1. Section 2. Section 3 1 Of the state of innocency and life pag. â— Of the state of sinne and death pag. 5 Of the state of râ—â—generation saâ—â—uation pag. 1â— 2 Of the happines wherein man was created pag. 29 Of his miserable estate since the fall pag. 41 Of the eternall happinesse of maâ— pag. â— 3 Of created holinesse pag. 38 Of the sinfulnesse of man pag. 41 Of renewed hâ—â—linesse pag. â— 4 Of faith in generall and of legall faith pag. 59 Of infidelitie pag. 70 Of euangelicalâ— faith pag â— 5 Of hope pag. 106. Of desperation pag. 108 Of renewed 〈◊〉 hope pag. â— 6 Of the feare of God pag. 122. Of the want of the said feare pag. 126 Of renewed 〈◊〉 pag. â— 7 Of filiall subiection pag. 133. Of the want of filial subiectioÌ„ p. 139 Of filial subiect 〈◊〉 renewed pag. â— 8 Of seruile subiection pag. 160. Of seruâ—le rebellion pag. 163 Of seruile subiecâ—â— renewed pag. â— 9 Of mans subiection to God as to his teacher pag. 171. Of mans rebellion against God his teacher pag. 175 Of mans subieâ—â— to God his teaâ—â— renewed pag ◠〈…〉 subiection of the creature pag. 185 Of mans rebellion against his creator pag. 189 Of mans subiection to his creator renewed pag. 192  〈…〉 〈…〉 Of mans subiectioÌ„ to God as to a husband pag. 195  The second part Section 1 Section 2. Section 3. Of the image of God in man in his pure estate pa. 202 Of mans deformity or vnlikenesse to God pag. 213 Of the renewed image of God in man pag. 215 Of the created holinesse of the minde pag. 217 Of the sinfulnesse of the minde pag. 238 Of a renewed minde pag 248 Of mans conscience in his pure estate pag. 252 Of a corrupt coÌ„science pag 254 Of a renewed coÌ„science certenty of saluation pag. 263 Of the holinesse of mans memorie pag. 270 Of the sinfulnesse of the memorie pag. 274 Of a renewed memory pag. 276 Of the created holinesse of the will pag. 279 Of the sinfulnes of the will pag. â—93 Of the renewed will of man pag. 311 Of the affections specially of loue hatred pag. 318 Of corrupt affections pag. 326 Of renewed loue and hatred pag. 330 Of holy ioy and sorrow pag. 336 Of corrupt ioy sorrow pag. 342 Of renewed ioy and sorrow p. 345 The third part Of the chaunges hapning in the three estates pag. 349 Of the changes of created holinesse pag. 353 Of the naturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 358 Of the supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 363 Of the particulars in this supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 374 Of the naturall supernaturall encrease of sinfulnes pa. 380 Of the decrease of renewed holinesse pag. 388 Of the encrease of renewed holinesse pag 414 Of celestiall holinesse pag 424 OF THE THREEfold state of man The first parte of this treatise wherein is handled the first part of mans holinesse and sinfulnesse to wit his due subiection to God with the contrarie rebellion CHAP. I. Section 1. Of the state of innocency and life FOR the enlarging of Gods glory the which is the ende of the creation of the world it was needful that of the creatures some should be indued with vnderstanding For euen as the strength wisedome and beauty of a man cannot purchase vnto him any commendation or credite vnlesse some others besides himselfe doe marke knowe and acknowledge those excellent parts of nature and industrie in like maner the heauens the ayre the water and the earth although they be decked and replenished with starres birds fishes beasts and many other admirable creatures and doe containe in them infinite matter of Gods glorie yet they could not any iot encrease that glory which God had before the creation vnlesse there were some other creatures able to obserue conceiue declare admire and extoll the power wisedome and goodnesse of God shining in these thinges For this cause God after that he had made the higher and the lower world the one consisting of the heauens the other of the elements he sawe it needfull for the illustration of his glory to create Angels and men to be the inhabitants and as his tenaunts of these glorious palaces yea to behold and confesse the excellency of his workemanshippe in themselues and in the rest of the creatures For the which purpose he gaue vnto them faculties of vnderstanding and speaking with many other which he denied to the rest Thus we see the excellent state of Angels and men beeing made to be witnesses and
wholly on God for happinesse if as there is nothing but misery to be seene in this world so there were no good to be hoped for hereafter Where this question may be mooued whether that faith cannot possibly be without hope as if a man should trust in God without regarde had to any rewarde yea tho he knewe neyther of heauen or hell To this we answere that seeing God hath so plainely reuealed his will as touching eternall glory prepared for the faithfull we are not to thinke that he hath faith who is destitute of hope as appeareth 1. Cor. 15. 1. 2. yet if we doe generally consider the nature of these graces we shall finde that if God had reuealed nothing of the life to come a man might haue beleeued not onely without hope but euen against hope seeing no likelihood of obtayning any good as it is saide of Abraham Rom. 4. 18. Against all hope to beleeue in hope In the which wordes we see that Abraham beleeued with hope and against hope That is that he had a generall and confused hope whereby he certainely looked for the accomplishmente of Gods promise although he sawe no particular meanes or manner howe it should be accomplished In like manner faith beeing affiance in GOD for happinesse doth necessarilie imply happinesse eyther present or to come and therefore when it seeth no present happinesse it incontinently bringeth foorth hope to waite for it in time to come yet it is not needefull that this happinesse should be particularly determined and defined what when where and how it is to be hoped for For if it had pleased God to haue appointed it so it had bene sufficient for man liuing in this miserable state to hope that God woulde make him happie although no particular circumstances of his happines had bene set downe But now our hope is not confused for we know when where and in what manner we shall be happy as hath bene heretofore declared So that here we see how fayth and hope doe differ fayth looking at happinesse in generall without minding the particulars of it But our hope teacheth vs to looke for one certaine happinesse which is the inioying of the glorious presence of God of Christ and of the holy Angels in heauen where before many ages passe ouer all the electe shall meete Now we come to the commodities which the faythfull reape by hope and that especially in these respectes First it strengtheneth them against all crosses miseries and euils whatsoeuer may befall them in this life whereby their fayth might be shaken and they ouercome and euen swallowed vp of griefe sorrow shame impatiencie and distrust against all which they are comforted and vpheld by calling to minde that vnspeakable happinesse which abydeth them in heauen euen as the Husbandman indureth all manner of toile in hope of haruest and as the Mariner is not dismayed with any tempest when he seeth his harbour and hauen to be neare at hand In regard whereof the Apostle calleth hope the helmet of a Christian whereby his heade euen his fayth is armed against all assaultes Secondlie hope serueth to preserue and increase in vs all the other partes of sanctification it maketh the faithfull man contemne all the vaine delightes and pleasures of this world all which are not a shadow of that ioy whereof he shall be made partaker It maketh him clense himselfe from all sin that he may enter into Gods presence sit at the heauenly banket in his wedding garment Thus we reade Ioh. 3. 2. 3. When Christ appeareth we know that we shalbe made like to him in glorie and therefore every one who hath this hope purifieth himselfe that he maie be holy euen as he is holy Lastly these vses of hope may be vnto vs true and infallible signes whereby we may try and examine our selues whether this grace be effectually wrought in our hartes or no. For if we be as most men are dismaied vtterlie and euen cleane out of hart when as any worldly euill as pouertie contempt shame slander reproch sicknesse losse of goodes of friendes or any other such crosse doth befall vs it is euident that we haue not this helmet of hope by vertue whereof the godlie doe not onely not despaire but so much the more reioyce in their greatest miseries whereas the vnbeleeuers are stricken dead with the least crosse that doth befall them Againe if we finde in due examination that our minde affections and desires are set wholly or chiefly vpon the pleasures and profites the riches and dignities of this world and that we haue small careof our estate in the worlde to come little or no delighte in spirituall exercises in reading meditating and heareing Gods word in praying to God and in performing the actions which tend to godlynesse let vs not deceaue our selues for we are as yet without hope of eternall saluation yea whosoeuer he be that being thus affected saieth with himselfe or to others that he hopeth to be saued as well as others the which is the common opinion and saying of carnall men his hope is nothing but a vaine presumption the which will not be anie way profitable vnto him CHAP. VI. Sect. 1. Of the feare of God NOw we are to proceed in declaring the subiection which man being in the state of innocencie did owe to God as to his king and liege-Lord who may of right require at the hands of his subiect and seruant as trust and hope so also feare Ios. 4. 14. 2. Kings 8. 40. But it may seeme that fayth feare cannot agree together For how can man both feare to receiue euill at the handes of God and also by faith trust for happines which is all manner of good For answere hereof we are to consider that the feare of mans first estate was not such a slauish feare as rebels and malefactors beare toward seuere and righteous magistrates or slothfull and carelesse seruantes to their masters but that feare wherewith loyal subiectes are affected toward their naturall kings and dutifull children toward their louing parents whome they feare not in regard of any deserued punishment for there is no offence commited but because First of the power and authority which they haue ouer them Secondly in regard of their maiestie compared with their owne meane condition Thirdly in regard of the infirmity of their owne nature whereby they may fall into some offence and so displease and dishonor them and shewe themselues vnthankfull for so many benefits receaued For the first it is agreeable both to the word of God and euen to reason it selfe and to the nature of man to feare all those who haue authoritie ouer them Thus the subiect ought to feare the magistrate Rom. 13. 7. the seruant the master Eph. 6. 5. the sonne his father the wife her husband and thus man is commaunded to feare God Leu. 19 4. the which cōmaundement is a part of the
hauing greater means of knowing beleeuing and obeying God then man had on earth yea their sinne came from themselues by the suggestion of their owne mindes and the inclination of their wils but man sinned by their prouocation temptation and delusion who as if they had committed a small offence in sinning themselues did adde to their owne sinne the sinne of mankind Moreouer it was not needfull that God should restore these rebels to their former state for the illustration of his loue towardes this creature forsomuch as there are yet in heauen in the state of happinesse many thousands of holy Angels which are so many witnesses and preachers of the endlesse loue of God towards them Againe it was needfull for the working of the saluation of the elect that there shoulde be some aduersarye power opposing it selfe and labouring by all meanes to hinder it that so both the graces bestowed on men might be stirred vp and exercised and the power of God preseruing them from so great danger made manifest Lastly by this vncurable state of these Angels it appeareth that there neither is nor yet can be in any creature any such absolute perfection as that it might be able of it selfe by any proper inherent and naturall vertue and strength beeing not supported by the grace of God eyther to keep for euer or to recouer any good happy estate If it be obiected that the Angels may repente and so obtaine saluation wee answere first that it is vnpossible by reason of the nature of their sinne beeing the sinne against the holie Ghost that they shoulde euer truely repent and secondly that if they coulde after some sorte repente yet they are altogether vncapable of saluation because God hath not taken vnto himselfe the nature of Angels as he hath done the nature of man and so by ioyning it to himselfe who is life it selfe made it a liuing and holy nature the which is needfull for saluation as will appeare more at large in the treatise of iustifying faith Chap. 4. Sect. 3. But to leaue these foule spirits in the bottomlesse pit of hell let vs returne to the consideration of this third state of man the which although in substance it be nothing but the first estate restored yet it is to be preferred before it in these respectes First because it is certaine immutable and eternall it being impossible that any who is once brought from death to this state of saluation should returne backe againe but the first state of man was not onely variable but very short and momentanie as hath beene declared This ariseth not of any naturall and inherent strength of man but of the meere grace and loue of God supporting all his elect seruants in this state and watching ouer them least at any time they should fall away Secondly both the partes of the goodnesse of this estate which are the outward and inward coniunction of man with God or more plainely his happinesse and holinesse are greater then they were before The increase of happinesse the next section doth declare and for the other we cannot doubt but that the loue of man yea all the other partes of his holinesse are increased and doubled towardes God who nowe is not onely his Lorde and creator but also his sauiour and redeemer As he must needes loue more to whome manie sinnes are forgiuen then he who is saued by his owne holinesse for life is not of it selfe so acceptable at any time as it is after death Whereof more at large in the laste Chapter of the third parte of this treatise CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of the happinesse wherein man was created HAppinesse is the enioying of the greatest highest and chiefest good to wit that which is fully perfectly primarely eternally essentially and onely good as is God onely Math 19. 17. There is none good but God onely Thus doe the Angels in heauen enioy God whose face or more plainely whose glory shining as clerely as the grace of a man doth in his face they doe continually behold Likewise man before his fall liued thus happily in the presence of God with whome he had daily and as wee may say familiar conuersation yea God did many waies reueale himselfe and his glory to him especially in the garden wherein he placed him This is perfect felicitie for hee who hath God who is the fountaine of all blessings ioy and pleasures hath all thinges belonging to happinesse Psal. 16 11. Thou shalt make me knowe the path of life for there is fulnesse of ioy in thy face or presence and in thy right hande there are pleasures for euermore From this fountaine of happinesse there flowed many streames euen all blessings whatsoeuer the preseruation or dignitie of the body soule or of the whole person of man did any way require first for his body it was in respect of the outwarde forme and proportion maiesticall beautifull gracious purchasing feare and reuerence of the other baser creatures and fauour euen in the sight of God for whose glory maketh whatsoeuer is any way commendable in the creature this remaneth in parte euen in the corrupt estate 1. Chro. 12. 8. Dauids men of warre had faces like Lyons Act. 7. 20. Moses being new borne was gratious in the sight of God Secondly the body of man was immortall whereof there is no question to be made seing that the scripture doth euery where teach vs that death came in by sinne 1. Cor. 25. 56. the sting whereby death killeth is sinne Rom. 5. 12. by Adam sinne came into the worlde and by sin death If we shoulde examine this doctrine by naturall reason it woulde be found very doubtfull for it may seeme that the body of man being made of earth shoulde of necessitie at length be resolued into earth againe as well as the bodies of all other cretures yea that it consisting of contraries continually fighting and consuming one another coulde not possibly but be at length destroyed For nothing that is deuided in it selfe can continue for euer Yea besides this naturall death mans body may seeme to haue bene subiect to outward violence as if it shoulde haue bene pierced with a sword or throwen downe from a high rocke no reason can shewe howe the immortality of it shoulde be preserued Whereunto we answere first that we are not to doubt of the word of God howsoeuer our shallow heads are not able to sound the depth of it Secondly that we may as wel suppose man to be immortall as to liue almost a thousand yeares as we read Gen. 5. 27. that Methuselā did for we may well thinke that those long liues of the fathers before the flood were euen the reliques of that immortalitie wherewith Adam was endued at the first neither are we to think it impossible to God to endue mans body with such an exact equall temperature as should continue for euer As for violent deaths although we cannot deny but man was
hearing And therefore men muste be taught religion as children are taught to reade learning one letter to daie and another to morrowe one poynte nowe and the rest hereafter as the prophet complaineth of the dulnesse of the Iewes Esay 28. 13. But it may be heere obiected that if naturall men be so dull and vnable to vnderstande Gods worde they are not to be blamed for not learning and for not doing that which they cannot doe Whereunto we answere that this dulnes of men commeth through their owne defaulte in that they cannot by any meanes be brought to bestowe their naturall giftes their time and labour in learning The which thing if they would once carefully and heartely doe and so continue without being wearie in seeking to knowe GOD and in vsing the meanes of their saluation ioyning with their endeuours heartie prayer to God for his blessing they woulde soone see that it is an easie matter to learne these thinges the which are of that nature that one poynt of them being well learned all the reste will followe of their owne accorde so that all the hardnesse is in beginning to learne Yea GOD is harde at hande and easie to be founde of all that seeke him howsoeuer it be impossible for man by his owne wit or industry without the grace of God to attaine the true and sauing knowledge of God Sect. 3. Of the renewed subiection of man to God his teacher In the third place we are to consider the contrary disposition of those who being renewed by the spirit of God giue thēselues vnto his discipline to be instructed by him in all things For although they attaine to their knowledge by the means and ministerie of man whereby it hath pleased God rather then by his owne voice or by immediate reuelation that the saluation of his elect should be wrought yet not man but God himselfe is the author and worker of this knowledge who as he did in the state of mans innocencie so doth he in his regeneration reueale himselfe and his will vnto them by his holy spirit Iob. 32. 8. There is indeede a spirit iu man but it is the spiration of the almightie that giueth vnderstanding Math. 13. 8. 10. Callnot any man Rabbi maister or doctor For you haue one doctor euen Christ and all ye are brethren That is you are not to thinke that because you heare men preach vnto you that therefore your mindes are enlightned by them for they are your brethren that is men like to your selues who cannot without the speciall worke of my spirit learne any thing themselues much lesse teach others so that Christ is the heade maister in the schoole of his Church who although he be absent from it according to his humaine nature yet he is present in it by his spirit by the which he teacheth the faithfull all things needefull and that without any errour or shaddow of any For as hath bene declared it is impossible that God should deceiue or be deceiued and therefore the holy ghost is called The spirit of truth Ioh. 14. 16. and 15. 26. Christ promiseth that When he commeth he shall leade them into all truth Ioh. 17. 13. And as God is the teacher so the faithfull are his scholers as all those who did beleeue the gospell are vsually in the booke of the actes called Disciples 1 Thess. 4. 9. Men taught by God Ineede not saith the Apostle to write to you of brotherly loue for you are taught of God to loue one another That is the spirit of God hath alreadie engrauen the doctrine of loue in your mindes and heartes and ther fore ye haue not so greate neede and vse of my ministery in this behalfe as they whome God hath not taught after this manner Thus the prophet Dauid often praieth to God that it would please him to instruct him in his commaundements as we may reade often Psal. 119. Lastly they performe to God the second dutie of this subiection which is to beleeue his word in all things reiecting whatsoeuer is contrarie thereunto Yea tho an Angel did preach it frō heauen all antiquitie Churches councels all the wise and learned men in the world do maintaine affirme it yea tho their owne wittes and senses do witnesse the truth of it so that the faithfull may in this respect be cōpared to the scholers of a certaine philosopher named Pythagoras who if they once hearde any thing vttered by their maister they held that as a most certain truth without inquiring any further into it And so among the true disciples of Christ his holy word is of so absolute authoritie as that no doubt is made of anie thing therein contained CHAP. X. Sect. 1. Of mans subiection to his creator THe last and greatest kind of mans subiection is that which he oweth to God as to the creator of all things whereof there is no question to be made and therefore we neede not stand to proue it The duties of this subiection are three The first is to glorifie God the second to be wholly moued in him or by him the third to rest contented in his will For the first as the chiefe and last ende of the creation of the world and of al things therein contained is the glorie of God so it is meete and needefull that all creatures iointly seuerally do performe this dutie of glorifying him Yea there is no creature either so base or so excellent that it should be exempted from this dutie The greatest and mightiest creature must stoupe to the performance of it as the weakest and seelyest thing in the world is able to set forth the glorie of God Psal. 145. 9. 10. The Lord is good to all and his mercie is ouer all his workes All thy workes O Lord shall praise thee They shall shew the glorie and beautie of thy kingdome Thus we see that it belongeth to all creatures to praise GOD as they are exhorted particularlie Psalme 148. and as we reade Reuel 5. 13. And all the creatures which are in heauen on the earth vnder the earth and in the sea all thinges that are in them I hard saying praise honour glory and power be vnto him that sitteth on the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore Yet they do not all performe this duety after the same manner for those creatures which are void of reason do it onely by giuing to men and Angels matter of the actuall setting foorth of Gods glory For the reasonable creatures are as it were the trumpeters of Gods glory which they do enlarge and publishe as by all other their actions so cheifly by those which tende directly to God himselfe are vsually called the worship of God For although al the actions of man in his pure estate euen the common actions of life as eating and drinking did make for the glory of God yet these do not make the worship of God because
they do not directly tend to his glory But the worshippe of God in this state of innocencie consisteth especially in cenfession which is an open acknowledging and declaring of Gods glory in regard of his infinite and vnspeakable power iustice wisdome trueth loue and bountie shining in the creation and administration of the worlde and especially in them selues the most excellent and happy creatures Thus do the angels in heauen worship God Reue. 7. 11. 12. And all the Angels stood round about the throne and the elders and the foure beastes and they fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen praise glorie wisdome thankes honour power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen Thus shall the faithfull worshippe God in the state of glory and therefore this was Gods worshippe in the state of innocencie wherein we are not to thinke that Adam offred sacrifices of beastes and other thinges to God as we reade that his two sonnes Cain and Abel did Gen. 4. 3. 4. for there were no types in this state because the mediatour was neither promised nor prefigured yea there was no sinne in it and therefore no effusion of bloud in sacrifices the which two namely sinne and death goe together But the sacrifices in this state were the calues of mans lippes euen his continuall giuing of prayse and thankes to God Yet there was vse also of prayer or inuocation as hath bene declared Chap. 7. Sect. 1. Secondly it is the duety of the creature to moue in the creator that is to feele perceaue knowe and acknowledge that all the motions of it selfe all the mutations which may any way happen to it as the first comming of it into the worlde the encreases which it hath yea all the faculties of performing any action come from God Act. 17. 28. In God we liue moue and haue our being The last duety of the creature is to rest contented howsoeuer it pleaseth God to dispose of it without murmuring or repining no not at the vtter distruction of it selfe This the Apostle teacheth vs not to be so presumptuous as to aske of God for what cause he hath elected some men to life and reiected the rest saying Who art thou ô man that pleadest with God shall the thing formed say to him that made it why hast thou made me thus hath not the potter power ouer his clay to make some vessels to honour some to dishonour Sect. 2. Of mans rebellion against his creator THe last kinde of mans rebellion is that whereby he is wanting in that duety for the performing whereof he and all other thinges in the worlde were created The duety is the aduancing and setting foorth of the glory of God the which man in his corrupt estate doth not onely not enlarge as he shoulde doe but also in all his actions and in the whole course of his life greatly hinder and obscure for although he do in his eternall confusion glorifie God by manifesting his power and iustice yet this glory is not giuen by man but taken and extorted by God and therefore it is no holy duety wherein this is especially required that it be performed voluntarely without compulsion As touching the worshippe of God whereby he is chiefly glorified the Apostle teacheth vs Rom. 1. 21. that although man haue some little knowledge of God by nature yet he doth not glorifie him as God neither is thankefull vnto him but becommeth extreamely foolish in turning the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of corruptible thinges and as of beasts birds yea of creeping things the basest of all other And so doth dishonour God more then can be spoken Thus do all carnall men worshippe God for although they be not all so mad as to cast them selues downe before stocks and stones yet they are all Idolatours making either their monie their belly their honour or some other worldly thing their God whom onely they serue in deed and heart Likewise as touching the other duety whereas they shoulde be wholly moued and ordered by God as by the fountaine and beginning of all thinges and directed by his spirite in euerie thing that they do they are moued by the spirite of Sathan by his suggestions and by the corrupt lustes and desires of their owne flesh to all euill Likewise for the last dutie namely contentation men are contente that God should do good to them but they take it in snuffe that he shoulde dispose of them otherwise then they thinke is for their good whereof to let other instances passe it commeth that the doctrine of Gods eternall reprobation is so curiously scanned so hardly receaued yea oppugned and reiected by many Sect. 3. Of the renewed subiection of man to his creator BVt it is farre otherwise with the faithfull who as soone as they are renewed by Gods spirite and so made newe creatures doe foorthwith make the glorie of God the square and rule of all their actions alwaies doing that whereby it may be most aduaunced yea they make it the last marke and end whereat the whole course of their liues shall wholly aime insomuch that they make this account with themselues that if they can hit this marke by procuring Gods glorie in any good measure yea tho it be with the losse of their owne liues they thinke that they gaine much by the bargaine They glorifie God first in the common actions of their life for they meet with nothing so meane and base which will not afforde them some matter to acknowledge the wisdome and goodnesse of God Secondly in giuing to God his due worshippe by praying vnto him as to the onely giuer of all good thinges by giuing thankes vnto him from whom they haue receaued all those blessings whether temporall or spirituall which they enioy and lastly by praising God as in all other respectes so especially for that great and vnspeakable mercy which it hath pleased him to bestowe vpon his elect seruants In the state of innocency man praised God for his wisedome power and goodnesse shewed in the creation of the worlde for his iustice in rewarding the holinesse of his reasonable creatures with life and happinesse but now God hath put a new song of thankesgiuing into our mouthes wherein the faithfull sounde out the praises of that most louing gracious mercifull and pittifull God who hath forgiuen them all their sinnes and pardoned their iniquitie who hath redeemed their soules from the pit of euerlasting confusion and hath crowned them with mercy and compassions Psal. 103. 3. 4. And therefore this was an vsuall forme of thankesgiuing vsed in the Church from time to time Confesse vnto the Lorde or praise him and why because he is good because his mercy endureth for euer and euer As we may see Psal. 136. in euerie verse 2. Chro. 5. 13. and 7. 3. 6. and 20. 21. 1. Esd. 3. 11. This celebrating of the
power of God Againe some man may obiect if all thinges be infinite in God and finite in the creature there can be no proportion or similitude betwixt them We answerâ— that there may be tho no proportion yeâ— similitude betwixt an infinite and a finitâ— thing as for example one drop of water iâ— like to the great Ocean both being of thâ— same matter and of the same forme both being water and rounde Againe to take our first similitude the body of the sunne may be said to be of an infinite greatnesse although no creature be simplie infinite for philosophers doe teach that it is far greater then the whole earth and yet a man may see the likenesse image of it in a little dishfull of water Lastlie not all the attributes of God but onely some of them can be giuen to the creature for no creature is eternall infinite or existing of it selfe In the which respect we call this resemblance which the creature hath to God rather a likenesse then an image for we know that an image is like to the thing it selfe in euery respect as the image of a man seemeth to be a man the image of the sunne or moone in the water seemeth to be the sunne or moone it selfe But no creature seemeth to be God because it is vnlike to God in moe respects then it is like for a beast may be like a man in many respects as is an Ape yet we doe not say that it is the image of man because the vnlikenesse and difference is greater then the likenesse But to applie these thinges to the matter in hand It will be here said why then doth the scripture say that man was created according to the image of God we answere that the holy Ghost in enditing the scripture hath more regard to our capacitie then to the exact proprietie of speache and therefore calleth the likenesse of man to God by the name of Gods image that he might distinguish it as being farre greater from the likenesse which other creatures haue to God For as a man speaking of beastes may say that a horse or any other beast is like to a man because it hath a heade eyes mouth breast and bellie as a man hath but when he commeth to the Ape or to the Satyre there he findeth so great likenesse that he sticketh not to call it though vnproperly the verie image and picture of a man So the scripture sayeth that euerie thinge hath some likenesse to God For the starres are glorious the heauens are simple the fire is pure the ayer is subtill the thunder is fearefull the winde is mighty the raine is good the rockes and many other things in a manner eternall the birdes of the aire and the beastes of the field are carefull to preserue those which they bring into the worlde and are louing and pittifull towards them as God is affected towardes all his creatures and therefore euerie creature hath alikenes to God Whereof it commeth that God doth often in the scripture compare himselfe euen to his senslesse and brutish creatures as may be seene Esa. 5. 29. Hosea 5. 14. yea we read Gen. 1. 31. That God looking on his creatures saide That they were all good Whereof it followeth that they are all like to God who is goodnesse it selfe and is saide to be onely good Math. 19. 17. But when as the holie ghost in the scripture commeth to speake of a man being endued with reason vnderstanding knowledge wisdome and memory with iustice equitie courage temperance chastity loue pitty and all manner of holynesse with a beautifull proportion of body and excellent giftes of the minde yea with lordshippe and dominion ouer all these earthly creatures he sayeth of him that he is the very image of God as if he were a finite and a created God And yet he doth not meane that man is either a God or the image of God for there can be no image of God eyther found in any creature or imagined by the minde of any man or Angell onely Christ the eternall and essentiall sonne of God is the expresse character and engrauen forme of the father being so much more his image then any man or Angell is as a naturall sonne begotten of the body of his father being of the same substance flesh bloud bone stature colour and conditions with his father is more his image then is an ape horse or any other beast Thus we see that the image of God in man is that greate similitude which he hath to God whome he doth resemble not onely in one or in a fewe respectes as other creatures doe but in many yet not in all In this sense God after that he had made all other creatures saith Gen. 1. 26. Let vs make man in our owne image according to our owne similitude Where we see that the image and similitude of God are all one both signifying the difference of excellencie which is betwixt man and other creatures there named In like manner if we compare man with the Angels we shall finde that as he doth farre exceede the other creatures so the Angels doe farre exceede him in bearing the image of God For they are indued with a greater measure of vnderstanding knowledge wisedome strength purity holinesse and of all goodnesse then any man is capable of and so they approach nearer to the nature of God and are liker to God then man is Againe of men they who haue a greater measure of the aforesaid attributes haue more of the image of God as the magistrate who hath greater power and authoritie then priuate men therefore are in the scripture called Gods the man who hath greater strength then the woman and therefore is said to be the image of God whereas the woman is made the image of the man 1. Cor. 11. 7. and so the rich noble learned wise aged man in respect of him who hath a smaller measure of these giftes may be called the image of God So that if we goe from the basest worme creeping on the earth to the most glorious Angell in heauen as each one is more excellent then other so it is liker to God yet the scripture vouchsafeth this title of Gods image to none saue onely to man and Angels This is the generall acception and in this sense the image of God is also vsually taken by diuines writing of mans holinesse Thirdly it may be vsed yet more specially to signifie not all the holinesse of man but onely that part of it whereby he resembleth God more notably then in the other for as touching all those partes of mans holinesse which haue beene declared in the first part of this treatise they cannot be properly said to be any part of the image of God because there is no such thing in God he being ouer all and therefore ackngwledging no manner of subiection to any neither any duety of subiection as affiance hope feare
that seeketh for it in this world doth no otherwise then if he shoulde labour to finde out in some parte of the earth a mine of so pure golde as is not mixed with earth base mettall or any manner of drosse And therefore we are with the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. to thinke that the grace of God is sufficient for our saluation although it be not altogether free from sinne And as for this angelicall purity it is to be hoped for not in this worlde but in heauen where all the faithfull shall both in happinesse and in holinesse be made like to the angels yet it being reuealed in the worde of God may be knowen of vs in this life yea it being the marke whereat we must ayme in this life although we are not to hope to hit it it is needefull to be knowen And lastly it is to be handled in this place because it is nothing else but the absolute perfection and highest degree of renewed holinesse For as the bodies and the soules of the faithful shallbe the same in the world to come that they are in this world so also shall their holinesse Neither can it be otherwise For God is the same both in earth and in heauen to day and to morrow now and for euer The subiection of the creature to God and the image of God in the creature is the same at all times in substance although some particulars haue not so greate vse in the state of perfecte happinesse as they had before to wit all those the obiectes whereof are either future or euill as namely hope sorrow pittie and such other affections yet these also shall haue both place and vse in the world to com although not so greate as the other In the which respect we may declare this celestiall encrease of renewed holinesse by comparing it with the created holinesse of mans innocent estate the which commeth verie neare vnto it and is as a mean betwixt the greatest abundance of holines which can be had in this life and this celestiall holinesse for as it is greater then the one so it is lesse then the other So that if we would know what is the holinesse wherewith the faithfull shallbe endued in the world to come and shall shine as the glorious Angels in heauen let vs haue recourse to all the first Sections of the two former parts of this treatise For al the parts of the holinesse of mans first estate as well of his subiection as of his conformitie to God belong to his last estate in heauen wherein man is not exempted from subiection to God but still remaineth first his subiect and therefore ought to trust and hope in him yea to feare him secondly his sonne and therefore he ought to reuerence imitate and seeke vnto him and so in the other kindes of subiection there declared Where this is to be noted that of the two kindes of faith legall and euangelicall handled in the first part of this treatise not the latter but the former is part of this celestiall holinesse For in the life to come the elect shall be restored to that perfect inherent holinesse wherein Adam was created by vertue whereof without any inputed righteousnesse borrowed from anie other they shall looke for happinesse euen as the holie Angels doe Likewise for the other part of holinesse which we call the conformitie of man to God we are not to doubt but that the faithfull shall in the world to come haue the faculties of minde memorie will and affections so disposed as hath beene declared For all these are common to all thinges which are indued with reason Now as touching the difference it is this celestiall holinesse is more excellent and exceedeth the other for as the bodies of the faithfull shalbe more glorious pure and after a sort spirituall then was the bodie of Adam in his innocenceie as we reade 1. Cor. 15. 48. So also shall the faculties of the soule and bodie be more able readie quicke in performing their seuerall duties and functions We shal haue more full and certaine affiance in him as in our King be more like to him as to a father more quick in obeying his commaundementes as seruants ought to be to their maisters our mindes shalbe more capable of knowledge and more enriched with actuall knowledge 1 Cor. 13. We shall see God face to face that is we shall haue familiar coÌ„uersation in the presence of God as full perfect a knowledge of God of his will word actions and creatures yea greater then that which man had by his first creation Likewise the will although of it selfe it shalbe as it was before free either to good or euill yet it shalbe by the grace of God continually enclined only to good and preserued from vsing the naturall freedome in choosing euill Whereof it commeth that this celestiall holinesse is not mutable and vncertaine as was the created holinesse of man but immutable and the same for euer and therefore much more excellent FINIS REade if thy copie haue it otherwise Pag. 9. lin 28. would beleeue and pag. 30. 2. set the comma before Often and lin 3. read former safetie pag. 31. lin 14. miseries happening in this pag. 43. 6. in the euent p. 65. 11. they existe pag. 82. 29. that so he might pag. 108. 24. when faith faileth pag. 190. 24. things â—s of beastes pag. 226. 12. 13. 14. so also in the minds of men yet their actuall knowledge was lesse or greter as men did giue themselues pa. 303. 9. will for although a carnall man pag. 314 2. a senselesse lumpe pag. 315. 11. he createth 22. to that only pag. 364. 6. effectuall to saluation and 27. of whome Of the state of innocency and life Of the state of sinne and death Rom. 3. 4. Mat. 25. 41. Of the state of regeneration saluatioÌ„ Mat. 19. 17. Psal. 16. 11. Of the happinesse wherein man was created 1. Chro. 12 8 Acts. 7. 10. 1 Cor. 15. 56 Rom. 5. 12. Gen. 5. 27. Of the miserable state of man since the fall of Adam Gen. 31. 24. Of the renewed happinesse of mn Math. 5. 8 1. Cor. 13. 12. Rom. 1. 20. Heb. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 3. 18. Act. 7. 56. Reuel 21. 3. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 28. Ioh. 3. 2. Phil. 3. 21. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Reuel 21. Of the holinesse wherein man was created 1. Cor. 6. 17. Mich. 6. 8. Ia. 2. 10 Of the sinfulnesse of man â—â—salm 51. 7. Of the renewed holynesse of man Ioh. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Mah. 19. 26. â—â—hn 3. 4 Gal. 2. 8. Iohn 3. 8 1. Sam. 10. â— 2. Cor. 13. 5. 1. Ioh. 3. 10 Of faith in generall and of legall faith Heb. 11. 11 Iam. 1. 19. Coll. 2. 2. Rom. 4. 22. Mat. 9. Of legall faith â— Iohn 3. â—xod â—â— Rom. â— â— Of infidelâ—â—â— Ephes. 4. 18. â— Tim. 3. 8. Heb. 3. 12. Of iustifying faith Heb. 10. 4 Mich. 6. 7. 2. Sam. 21.
preachers of the glorie of God and so being admitted into the presence of God are there to beholde his glorie yet with this differēce that the Angels doe behold it more clearely in heauen and man more obscurely in earth Heerein consisteth the good estate of these creatures in that they are thus made partakers of the glorious presence of God and so ioyned to God For heereof it commeth that they are both happy and holy it being impossible that any thing which is ioyned to God who is happinesse and holinesse it selfe shoulde eyther lacke any good and pleasant thing or be any way polluted so that this coniunction of the reasonable creature with God wherein the excellency of this first estate consisteth is of two sortes the first may be called externall personall or locall whereby Angels and men enioying the presence of God are in place and after an outwarde manner ioyned to God this kinde of coniunction is perfect happinesse the other kinde is inwarde and spirituall when as the inwarde faculties of the creature as his minde and will doe wholly cleaue to God alone This kinde of coniunction is perfect holinesse and it is the meanes or the condition of the former coniunction for as soone as the creature ceaseth to be holie in the same moment it ceaseth to be happy and is straight way cast out of the presence of God So that the goodnesse of this first state consisteth in two things happinesse and holinesse from both which it hath the denomination from the first it is called the state of life for the scripture speaking to man speaketh after the manner of men vnto whome nothing is so acceptable as life because in it all pleasures are enioyned From the second it is called the state of innocencie because in it man stoode righteous and free from all guilt of sinne before God Sect. 2. Of the state of sin and death IN the next place we are to consider the seconde state of man as farre different from the first as is death from life sinne from innocencie darkenesse from light wretchednesse from happinesse vsually and fitly called the fall of mankinde Forvnto the absolute perfection o◠the aforesaid felicity this onely was wanting that it was mutable First of the causes authors and workers of this lamentable ruine secondly of the manner of it The actors in this tragedie are three God Sathan and Man all which haue a stroke in this action yet after a farre diuerse manner euen as their natures are diuerse For the first as the holy glorious and happy state of man so this sinful vile and miserable condition commeth from God yet not after the same sort for the good estate is properly directly immediately and wholly wrought by God but he doth onely suffer the euill state to be brought to passe by euill instruments yet this his permission is not idle but effectuall and working for God is not an idle looker on as if he had cast off the care of the world and of his creatures and left all at sixe and seauen as we vse to speake but hee hath a parte in this worke in that he did in his eternall counsell make an immutable decree of this fal of man and the meanes therof and that for the setting forth of his glorie which is the ende of all his decrees and actions whatsoeuer For howsoeuer it may seeme to derogate from the glorie of God that the reasonable creature beeing the fairest floure in his garden and the most excellent parte of his workmanshippe shoulde so soone be troden vnder foote and brought to nought yet in trueth GOD is greatly glorified by this meanes for hereby it appeareth first that God onely is constant eternall and the same for euer in that his most excellent creatures are so variable Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true and euerie man a lyar as it is written that thou mightest bee iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged For the which purpose the consideration of the shortnesse of the first state maketh very much for although it cannot be certainly defined howe long it continued yet this is agreed vpon by all that neither the Angels themselues nor yet man continued many daies in their innocency but fell away from God soone after that they were created Secondly the fall of these creatures doth shewe that God is iust in punishing sinne Thirdly it maketh a way for the state of saluation and so doth illustrate the mercy of God whereby he is most of all glorified yea the power wisedome trueth patience and in briefe the whole glory of God is by this meanes set forth and enlarged Thus much of the first actor The other two are the instruments whereby God bringeth his eternall counsell to passe and yet to all reason of man considering the whole storie of mans fall and the particulars thereof they are the onely agents the first authors and chiefe workers of this woefull state God hauing no hande or dealing in this matter but onely barely permitting them to doe what they list For the further declaration whereof it is needfull that wee make a narration of the particulars of this action and that by supposing GOD to speake to his reasonable creatures to witte Angelles and men in this manner You see howe that I haue made you the most excellent of all my creatures indueing you onely with a reasonable mind and will whereby you may knowe loue obey and honour me and so consequently enioy my presence wherein happinesse doth consist As long as you continue holy by obeying my worde so long shall you continue happie by enioying my presence But if at any time you doe by disobeying my commaundement loose this your holinesse you can no longer haue anie place in my presence or any fellowship with mee no more then darknesse and light can be together but shall incontinently be cast out of my sight and so become most wretched and miserable And therefore looke vnto your selues and to your owne estate beleeue these my promises and threatnings to be true content your selues with that state and degree wherein I haue placed you obey all my commaundements for the perfourmance whereof you are endued with all graces and faculties needfull so shal you be happie otherwise you shall die for euer In this most louing and fatherly counsell which God in the beginning gaue to his children being created after his owne similitude the reasonable creature resteth for some shorte time but afterward maketh this reply although not in word yet in minde and heart yea in deed and in outward action Wee hauing considered your wordes and our present state do see and find that neither the one is wholly true nor the other so happy as you doe make it we confesse that we are in betrer state then other creatures yet we cannot heerein rest for we see a higher degree of honour glory pleasure and happinesse yea a greater measure of knowledge whereof we knowe that
downe with a nette to entangle him man flyeth from sathans nett as from a most hurtfull thing in that he resisteth his temptations for a while But he commeth willingly to Gods baite yea not only vncalled but also flatly forbidden eateth of it greedely for he being once caught and entangled changeth his minde and will thinkeing that to be good and holsome which before he knewe to be hurtfull by al meanes to be auoided So that the fall of man came as hath been declared of the freedome or rather of the preuersnesse of his owne will according to the eternall decree purpose of God by the malitious instigation of sathan who hauing before fallen himselfe did vehemently desire the fall of man that for these reasons First for that he had now coÌ„ceaued a vehemeÌ„t desperate hatred of God hauing iustly for his sin cast him out of his presence the which before his fall he enioyed in heauen And for so much as he did easely see that his malice could not reach to God himselfe therfore he thought that the next way was to despite dishonor him in his creatures by defacing maÌ„ who only of al the creaturs in this world was made according to Gods owne image yea further to depriue god of al that glory ship that man should performe vnto him Secondly Sathan desired to effect the fall of man that so he might haue the more company both in his sinne and in his punishment He being thus affected towards Gods glorie and mans saluation ceased not till that by his faire promises and plausible pretenses he brought man out of the true paradise into a fooles paradise making him beleeue that the â—ransgression of Gods commaundement was the onely way for him to become a God and so he perswaded Eua in the forme of a serpent and Adam in the forme of Eua to eate of the forbidden fruite It is doubted how Adam being in the state of innocency and knowledge could be so palpably deceiued as to beleeue such a notorious lie especially seeing the Apostle saith that Adam was not deceiued but Eua. But he meaneth that Eua was first yea more easely and grosly deceiued for as her knowledge was lesse so we must thinke that her infidelitie was greater then was Adams who although he was made to distrust in part the word of God yet he was not nor could be so blinded by Eua as she was by the delusion of the diuell and therefore he sinned more of wilfulnesse then of blindnesse choosing rather to disobey God then to displease Eua by reiecting her importunate request and refusing to take such part as she tooke who being his wife yea his onely companion was no doubt a great pleasure ioy and delight vnto him Thus much of the fall of Adam which is the fall of all mankind For Adam being the father of al men did sustaine the publike person of mankind both in his innocencie and also in his fall in his happinesse and in his misery If it be asked why all mankind fell seeing not all but some of the Angels did fal wee answere that all men were in the very moment of the fall in Adams loynes and therefore did both stande and fall with him but the Angels doe not be get one another being all created immediately by God himselfe and therefore the sin of one Angell doth not take holde of another vnlesse that one by consenting to the sinne deuised by another doe make himselfe sinful as it was in the fal of the Angels wherin one or some few were the chief authors of this conspiracy the rest approued it took part with them as may be gathered by that distinction which is made of them one being made chiefe or head the rest his inferiours Mat. 25. 41. Goe ye into eternall fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Sect. 3. Of the state of regeneration and saluation THE third state followeth which is the recouering of the first state of life wherein man was created in the beginning For God in suffering man to fall did not purpose the finall ouerthrow and destruction of so excellent a creature but rather the illustration of his owne vnspeakable mercy and goodnesse towards man in pardoning his sinne and in restoring him to life This state we call the state of saluation for that man in it is not onely indued with life as he was before but also saued and deliuered from eternall death whereunto he fell by his sinne Yet not all mankind is restored to life but onely a fewe that it might appeare both how vnapt man is to do any good how vncapable of saluation he is made by sinne in that he cannot attaine vnto it no not now when as God hath appointed the meanes and the way of it and as it were setting heauen gates wide open doth offer saluation to all men and lastly that the iustice of God might be declared in punishing the reprobate for their sinne And yet the state of mankind is happy in respect of the Angels which fell for none of them are or shal euer be restored to their former state and that for these causes First and chiefly because their fall was so great as that it is impossible that they shoulde recouer their first estate the greatnesse of their fall commeth of that greate measure of knowledge light and grace wherewith they were endued and the which they did tread vnder their feete and despise for if they had fallen onely from some small measure of grace a greater measure would haue recouered them but they hauing alreadie reiected and made of no force so much grace as any meere creature is capable of haue no remedy left for their saluation And as they fell from the highest degree of grace so they fell into the lowest sinke of sinne euen to the highest degree of sinne that can be imagined which is a most desperate deadly cruell fierce contumelious shamelesse open professed wilfull and spitefull hatred against God and all goodnesse yea against all his creatures both good and euill This came of the exceeding great strength of their nature which being once let loose to sinne coulde not stay or rest but in the highest degre of it Like vnto this remedilesse fall of the wicked Angels is that sinne which is in the scripture called the sin against the holy Ghost when as one being endued with a great measure of grace doth fall into this fearefull and desperate hatred of God and of all goodnesse for as hee who falleth from a steepe and high rocke into a deepe pit or gulfe can not possibly escape death whereas one whose fall is lesse may haue hope of life so it is with these wicked Angels whose sinne we may truely call that vnpardonable sinne committed against the holy Ghost Further the sin of the Angels deserued more seuere punishment in that they were better able to resist it seeing the glory of God in heauen therefore
this life and partly or rather perfectly and wholly in the worlde to come for howsoeuer it may seeme an impossible thing to finde any felicitie in this vaine and transitorie worlde especially in the godly who of all men are most miserable yet God in his mercie vouchsafeth to his seruantes the beginning and as it were a taste of that endlesse ioy which is laide vp in store for them in heauen by the which they may be comforted and vphelde in the mids of those infinite miseries which accompany them whiles they abide in this world This happinesse is not outward and apparant to mens eyes but inward and spirituall for the bodies of Gods elect are as much subiect to sores sicknesses to death it selfe as are the bodies of the reprobate yea in their wiues children friends kinsfolke goods posterity and in all outward respects they are no lesse yea vsually much more miserable then the reprobate although if wee speake properly these outward euils doe not make them miserable but doe make for their good and eternall saluation and therefore wee are to seeke for this beginning of our happinesse in the soules of Gods children and chiefly in their mindes and vnderstandinges For if happinesse doe consist in seeing God and in beholding his glorie as Christ teacheth vs Math. 5. 8. Then wee are not destitute of a greate part of it euen in this life in the which we doe many waies see God although not so fully as wee shall doe heereafter 1. Cor. 13. 12. For heauen and earth euen all the creatures of God are full of the glorie of God Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible thinges of God to wit his Godhead and his power are seene since the creation of the world being considered in the creatures If by naturall men of whome the Apostle speaketh how much more by spirituall For howsoeuer carnal and worldly minded men beholding the glorious creatures of God are no more affected then are the brute beastes which neuer once lift vp their eies to heauen yet the godly doe heereof conceiue matter of great ioy Besides we see God daily in his actions in his iudgements powred on sinners in his mercies shewed towards the godly yea in his patience and goodnesse towardes all men But besides all this we haue yet another meanes of seeing God so farre excelling the former as the beholding of the kinges owne person is more ioyfull to his naturall subiectes then is the sight of his stately palaces For we haue the worde of God euen the doctrine of the Gospell wherein we see God in his mercy that is in his greatest glorie yea we see God in Christ his onely naturall sonne in whome the glorie of God shineth more clearely then in the heauen of heauens For hee is the expresse and liuely image of the Father the brightnesse of his glory and the engrauen forme of his person and thus we see God plainely as in a cleare cristall glasse with his face open or vncouered yea by this sight wee are transformed into the same image from glorie to glorie euen as from the spiritte of God 2. Cor. 3. 18. Thus all the faithfull beholding God in Christ are truely happie howsoeuer they doe not with their bodely eyes see the heauens open and the sonne of God standing at the right hande of the Father as Steuen did Act. 7. 56. To this felicitie of the minde is to be referred the peace of conscience the which being a continuall feast maketh a man happy and ioyfull in the middest of the greatest sorrowes and miseries And to be shorte in the rest answerable to this state of the minde is the will with the affections by the which he cleauing to God louing him aboue all earthly pleasures and delighting in him is replenished with vnspeakable ioy This is the happinesse whereof wee may be made partakers in this life the which eternall happinesse followeth so called because all the partes of it which are nowe to bee mentioned continue and endure for euer without any chaunge or alteration whatsoeuer It consisteth in these thinges First in immunitye or freedome from all daungers troubles miseries calamities crosses sorrow sinne wants imperfections and infirmities whatsoeuer can be named or imagined The body shal not be pinched with hunger thirst nakednesse or disgraced with any deformitie or wearied with labour the darknesse shal not shut vp our eyes and hinder them from seeing for there is continuall light health shal not be impaired by sicknesse or beauty and strength with age the bodie shall not be inflamed by choller or luste or distempered with surfitting and drunkennesse or yet preserued by the corruption of the carkasses of dead beastes It shall not be as it is now of so lumpish and heauy a mould that we cannot without wearinesse and trouble lift vppe our handes or eies to heauen but it shall be a spirituall body that is endued with such perfect strength beauty agilitie lightnesse impassibilitie soliditie and incorruption as if it were a spirite rather then a sensible substance and yet it shall be still a sensible substance endued with the same forme which now it hath but of farre diuerse qualities Likewise the minde being free from al ignorance errour and doubting shall see God clearely and in him all thinges there shalbe no peruersnesse of the will or any inordinate desires no such vncertaine freedome of will as might endanger our estate by drawing vs from God To be short we shall haue daily conuersation in the presence of God Who shall be all in all vnto vs we shall be glorious in bodie and soule euen as are the holy Angels yea euen as is Christ the sonne of God according to his humanitie although not in the same degree but we are not able to declare the particulars of this estate the which then shall be reuealed vnto vs and therefore we must conclude this matter with that saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2. 9. Neyther eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor the minde of man once conceiued or imagined those ioyes which God hath prepared for them that loue him Yet we haue a typicall description of this happinesse Reuel 21. CHAP. III. Sect. 1. Of the holinesse wherein man was created THus much of that happinesse wherein man was created the which was not absolute but conditionall for it was giuen to man with this condition That he should liue in perfect holinesse conforming himselfe to the will of God in all thinges in the performance whereof if hee did faile at any time he was forthwith to be wholly depriued of the said happy estate for euer Where we are not to imagine that God did deale hardly with man in imposing so straite a condition for he could not possibly haue done otherwise as we will easely confesse if we consider that happinesse is nothing else but the enioying of Gods presence and company into the which it is more impossible
sonne who is of his owne nature and essence euen bone of his bone flesh of his flesh and bloud of his bloud who is a liuely picture yea a liuing image of his owne person representing after a most plaine manner his stature forme beauty strength complexion behauiour and conditions yea who doth raigne ioyntly and equally with him being partaker of his riches treasures glory maiesty power office and authority This death of this prince being decreed by the king his father it is needfull that for the suffering of the course of the law together with the sentence and punishment of death he should debase him to the condition of a subiect yet retaining the aforesaid prerogatiues So that there is in one person the condition and as it were the nature both of a king of a subiect the one maketh that he may be put to death the other maketh that this death tho it be the death but of one person is more then a sufficient ransom for the offence of ten thousand of his subiectes as the people of Israell doe confesse 2. Sam. 21. 17. That it were much better that ten thousand of themselues should perish then that King Dauid whome they call the light that is all the glory of Israell shoulde be in danger of death In like manner there was no way whereby God the glorious monarch of heauen and earth could preserue both his owne iustice and man but that he should giue his owne onely naturall and eternall sonne the brightnesse of his glory the expresse forme and charecter of his Godhead beeing partaker of his owne essence glory maiestie power authority wisedome iustice mercy and in breife of his whole diuine nature to be a ransome for the sinne of man For the which purpose it was needful that he should to his kingly and diuine estate take vnto himselfe the base condition of a subiect and creature and in that condition submit himselfe to the law of God and to the sentence of death pronounced by God the father as by a most iust seuere and righteous iudge By faith in this death of the sonne of God saluation is brought to mankind For it freeth the beleeuer from all manner of guilt of sin whether original or actual whether past present or to come And further as this mediator doth redeeme vs from death and indue vs with perfect righteousnesse by his death so by the vertue of the holy spirit proceeding from his diuine nature the beleeuer is endued although not at the first with perfect holinesse and preserued for euer from falling from this estate Thus wee haue summarily declared the doctrine of fayth as it hath beene published to the worlde by the ministery of the Apostles whose doctrine we doe hartely embrace and openly confesse professing that there is no other name meanes nor mediatour in heauen or earth which can giue saluation then Iesus the sonne of Mary Now that we see what is the obiect of this iustifying fayth we are in the next place to gather out of this doctrine the difference betwixt legall and euangelicall fayth betwixt that fayth wherewith Adam was indued in the state of innocencie that which hath place in this state of regeneration Both kindes are affiance in god for happinesse to be had by the meanes of perfect holynesse but the first kynde looketh directly on the godheade without any mediation the second beholdeth the godheade through the humanitie of Christ as through a vaile or couering for man being now polluted with sinne dare not looke on god without a mediatour as he did before the fall Secondly euangelicall fayth coÌ„teineth in it forgiuenes of sin which was not in the first estate Thirdly the righteousnesse whereby legall fayth trusteth for happinesse is naturall to man inherent in the person of man and his owne but the righteousnesse of the other kynde is borrowed from an other The first kinde maketh man trust in himselfe but the secoÌ„d maketh him to renounce him selfe and to fly to Christ for righteousnesse The first kinde relyeth it selfe on the equity and iustice of god the which rewardeth the righteousnesse of the creature with life But the other flyeth to his loue and mercy in Christ the which pardoneth and saueth a sinner Rom. 4. 5. Legall fayth cannot of it selfe iustify a man it being but one part of mans holynesse called by the diuines Sanctitas Fiduciae that is the holynesse of the affectioÌ„ of trust or coÌ„fideÌ„ce or a holy confidence besides the which there is required for perfect holynesse the holynesse of hope of loue of feare of reuerence and of all the affections yea the holynesse of the will and of the mynde and to be shorte the holynesse of the wholle nature and of all the actions of man so that if we should suppose that Adam did euen in the very moment of sinning and also after he had transgressed gods commaundement still retaine this part of his holinesse to wit affiance in god yet we coulde not thinke that he did continue in the state of life which is lost by one sinne but not kept by one part of holynesse But it is farre otherwise with this euangelical fayth the which although in the owne nature it be but the holynesse of one affection namelie of confidence or affiance as legall fayth is yet it bringeth with it perfect righteousnesse or iustice making the righteousnes of Christes death to belong to the beleeuer In the which respect it is called iustifying fayth not that â—his fayth can be without some measure of â—he other parts of holynesse or giue the possession of eternall glory without perfect â—olynesse but that in the matter of our iuâ—â—ification onely faith hath force in so much â—hat he who beleeueth in the last moment â—f his life as the theefe on the crosse did Luc. â—3 42. hauing neither time to doe any one â—ood worke nor yet strength to speake one â—ood worde or yet almost to thinke a good â—ought is as surely and as fully purged â—â—om all his sinnes as he who hath liued a â—ousand yeares in the greatest measure fayth godlynesse zeale loue patience soâ—ietie chastitie humilitie and of all other â—â—rituall graces whereunto any man can atâ—â—ne in this life For inherent holynesse comâ—only called sanctification be it neuer so â—at is imperfect and therefore as little auailable for our iustification as if it were none at all For imperfect holines doth no more iustify then no holinesse doth neither is there any other account made of it before the iudgment seat of God in the matter of our iustification howsoeuer there be necessary vse of sanctification for saluation as we are hereafter to consider And yet although this one part of mans holynesse doe serue for our iustification we are not thereof to gather that we are saued by it as a parte of inherent holynesse for faith doth not iustifie vs as it is a parte of holynesse but because this affection hath by the
yea tried to be sound in the profession of the faith and corrected for their former misdemeanour Nowe these afflictions are of their owne nature as bitter as galle vnto vs and therefore it is impossible that flesh and bloude being not strengthened with some speciall grace of God shoulde receaue this loathsome potion without repining murmuring distruste despaire and many such inconueniences For the auoiding whereof it hath pleased God to giue vnto his faithfull seruantes this gift of patience whereby they do quietly constantly yea chearefully and ioyfully suffer any affliction as comming from God who is not to them a cruell enimie but a louing and tender hearted father remembring mercie in the midst of anger euen as a father spareth his owne naturall sonne making his mone vnto him This doctrine is declared at large Heb. 12. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. the wordes are many but being very fit for this purpose it shall not be irkesome to sette them downe Forgette not the exhortation which speaketh to you Prou. 3. 12. as vnto children My sonne despise not the correction of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him For whome the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth and scourgeth euerie sonne whom he receaueth If you endure chastening God offereth himselfe to you or declareth himselfe to be your father for what sonne is there whom his father doth not correct But if ye be without this chastening then truly ye are not right sonnes but bastards Moreouer we haue had our carnall fathers our correctours and haue stoode in awe of them shall we not then much more obey our spirituall father and so liue for they chastised vs for a few daies according to their pleasure but God chasteneth vs for our profit that so we might be made partakers of his holynesse Nowe all chastisement bringeth with it for the present time sorrowe not ioy but afterwarde it giueth the fruite of peace and righteousnesse to those who are exercised with it And therefore let vs lift vp our faint handes and our weake knees c. Lastly as touching this dutie of filiall subiection it had not so greate vse in the state of innocencie in the which man was not subiect to crosses afflictions and miseries so as the faithfull are in the state of regeneration Yet man in his innocencie was not altogether destitute of this grace or without some vse of it For it was his duty to take in good parte whatsoeuer it pleased God to do vnto him if not in laying any euil vpon him whereof his happy estate was not capable yet in withholding or withdrawing from him some particular blessing whereof he had great desire and which woulde be very pleasant vnto him CHAP. VIII Sect. 1. Of seruile subiection BEsides the aforesaid kinds of subiection man oweth to God all such duties as the seruant is bound to performe to his lord or maister as namely to obey to serue or minister vnto him and lastly to profit him for man according to his first creation is Gods seruant the which is not to be accounted a base condition derogating from the dignitie of this his glorious estate seeing that the holy Angels which doe farre excell man in glory are not ashamed to weare Gods liuery and to be called his seruantes The first duety is obedience the which is to be performed of all inferiours to those who haue any authority ouer them whether kinges magistrates fathers or teachers but especially it is to be performed by seruantes to their masters Ephe. 6. 5. Seruantes be obedient to your maisters in simplicity of heart as vnto Christ. So was man affected to God in his innocent state as doth euidently appeare in that his innocencie is nothing else but perfect obedience to God to his word lawes and commaundements Whereof it followeth that he did performe vnto God the second duety to wit faithfull seruice in performing with all care and diligence whatsoeuer worke it pleased God to imploy him in Thus did Adam before his fall serue God in doing those thinges which were enioyned him and thus do the Angels in heauen continually waiting and attending in the presence of God ready to goe whither he sendeth and to come when he calleth as we reade Heb. 1. 14. They are ministring spirits sent out for the electes sake and more plainely Psal. 103. 20. Blesse the Lord ye his Angels which excelling in strength doe his commaundement and obey his voice blesse the Lord all ye his hoastes his seruants which doe his will But there may some doubt be made as touching the last duety how man should profit God we answere that Gods riches consist in his glory the which the more that it is encreased and enlarged the more is Gods aduantage procured This we may see in the parable of the talents Mat. 25. 14. the meaning whereof is this that God giueth his graces to men to this ende that they should vse and encrease them for his aduantage Yea God there compareth himselfe to a couetous vsurer that is so greedie of gaine that he reapeth where he did not sowe and gathereth where he did not scatter that is he laboureth by all meanes to gaine glory to himselfe But what shall we say to Elephaz Iob. 22. 1. 2. who seemeth to deny this saying shall man profit God is it any gaine to the almighty that thou art iust and walkest in a perfect way The meaning of those wordes is this that God is not so tyed to man but that he can set forth his glory without him or his righteousnesse yea he can glorifie himselfe in the vnrighteousnesse and destruction of man but mans goodnesse it doth profit himselfe and other men like to himselfe as we read Psal. 16. 1. My goodnesse doth not extend it selfe to thee O Lorde but to the saintes heere on earth And yet it pleaseth God in mercy that so he might stirre man vp to all holinesse to count only that glory gained which is gotten by the obedience and saluation of his seruantes Sect. 2. Of the want of the aforesaid subiection MAN by falling from the obedience of God became a fugitiue and as it is saide of Cain the first of this sinfull generation Gen. 4. 14. being cast forth from the presence of God for his sinne is now a vagabond on the earth And as is this his miserable and viâ—e condition so is his disposition For he hath cleane lost all the properties of a good seruant and all abilitie of performing any acceptable duety to God In steede of obedience he doth continually breake all Gods commaundementes in all his thoughtes wordes deeds and in the whole course of his life Neither doth he waite on God to doe seruice vnto him for he serueth Sathan sinne and his owne corrupt desires Iohn 8. 34. Verely I say to you saith Christ that euery one who committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne in that he doth not
reuerence imitation inuocation seruice worship thankes or any other of that kinde But if we speake of mans vnderstanding knowledge wisedome loue hatred or any other of the faculties of his minde or will we may call these very fitly the image of God because man doth in these pointes resemble God in whome the like thinges are founde Yet the scripture those learned men which follow the phrase of the scripture doe not speake improperly in calling the whole holinesse of man by this name seeing that holinesse in generall is gods image who is perfectly holy and therefore he that looseth the first part of his holinesse namely the due subiection of man to God or is wanting in the performance of any duety belonging vnto it as the wicked Angels rebelling against God and yet keeping a great part of their conformitie to God in knowledge and wisedome strength and many other respectes haue done he is vnlike to God who is not perfectly holy hath lost the image of god So that to conclude we are in this seconde parte to entreate of the image of God in this third sense it signifying the second part of mans holinesse wherein he doth more specially resemble God and which for the excellency of it hath the name of the whole giuen vnto it But because the image of God is vsually taken more generally therefore we will call this second part of mans holinesse the likenesse similitude or conformitie of man to God the which is the right and orderly disposition of those faculties of mans soule wherein he doth resemble God to wit of his minde and will whereof hereafter in particular Sect. 2. Of mans deformity or vnlikenesse to God AS God created man so like vnto himselfe in perfect happinesse and holinesse that he might in some sorte be said to beare about with him the image of the great and glorious God of heauen so man by his fall lost that pretious iewell which was vnto him as a chaine of golde about his necke yea as it is called Psal. 8. 6. A crowne of honour and glory And so became miserable and vnholie as vnlike to God as darknesse to light and hell to heauen And yet the image of God is not so cleane abolished but that there are some reliques of it to be seene in man for looke in how many respectes eyther of happinesse or holinesse man since his fall doth excell the rest of the creatures so much of the image of God doth remaine in him As for example one part of mans happinesse was the outward dignity of his bodie the vse of Gods creatures in the which respectes man hath euen in this his corrupt estate euident reliques of Gods image Likewise for the other part of Gods image there remaineth in the minde of man some small knowledge of God of good euill the which if it were perfect were the holinesse of the minde Yet these reliques doe not make that any one part of Gods image doth remaine the which is wholly defaced although not vtterly abolished It may now be compared to a fayre picture of some beautifull mā whereof euery part is blemished stained and mangled Yet not so but that the proportion of it may be discerned and each part distinguished from other or as it is commonly to the ruines of some stately pallace or lastly to a dead childe wherein although we may discerne the likenesse and image of the Father yet it is but a vile lothsom rotten carcasse Therefore these reliques do not make man to be eyther happie or holy in part only they serue for these vses First to be monuments of the great bounty and goodnes of God shewed to man in creating him after his owne likenesse Secondly to be as meanes whereby God might worke the saluation of his elect and suffer the reprobate who by this meanes become inexcusable to work their own eternal damnation Thus we see the general deformity of man consisting in wretchednes and sinfulnes the particulars whereof we are not here to declare because the former part hath shewed both the wretchednesse of man and the first part of his sinfulnesse onlie we are here to entreate of that speciall deformitie of man wherby some partes of his holinesse are defaced namely those wherein he did so resēble God as that he might haue bene said to haue thē in cōmon with God as are the minde memorie will manie of the affections and in briefe the chiefe faculties of the soule of man all which are strangelie corrupted whollie peruerted from that good holie and orderly disposition wherein they were created Sect. 3. Of the renewed Image of God in man AS the fall of man defaced the Image of God in man so the grace of God doth wholly restore the same both in happinesse and also in holinesse as hath beene declared in parte alreadie onlie there remaineth that part of renewed holinesse to be handled which may most properlie be called the image of God consisting in the renouation of the reasonable minde and will euen the faculties of mans soule not that God hath a soule or any such faculties of a soule as man hath but only it hath pleased him to resemble his incomprehensible essence to our nature for our capacitie for the faculties of a reasonable soule being in due order doe greatly resemble the nature of God which is reasonable or rather reason it selfe And therefore although in truth not like to any created nature yet liker to reasonable creatures then to any other Yet we haue rather chosen to call it the conformitie of man to God because the image of God is vsually taken more generally sometimes for the wholle coniunction of man with God both outward in happinesse and spirituall in holinesse And sometime only for one part of it namely for renewed holynesse Col. 3. 10 and for renewed happinesse 2. Cor 3. 18. But the image of God is taken more specially for the speciall coniunction of man to God in holinesse especially in the writings of the Apostles who doe not speake so much of the renouation of mans happinesse because that is not present but to come in the world to come as of his holinesse the renouation whereof the faithfull are to labour for in this life leauing their happinesse to the time appointed by God CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of the created holinesse of the minde Among the faculties of mās soule the first and chiefe place is giuen to the mind or vnderstanding parte it being the first both in nature and also in dignity for it is the beginning and fountaine from the which the other faculties yea all the motions and actions of the whole man do flow and is of so greate dignitie that by reason of it man doth not only farre excell all other visible creatures without comparison but also approacheth very near to the excellencie of the Angels and doth in some sort resemble the all-knowing essence of God This
did Sathan know verie well that man was like to God in nothing so much as in his vnderstanding therefore he perswaded Eua to eate of the forbidden fruite by promising that by that meanes shee should attaine to a greater measure of knowledge and so consequentlie greater likenesse to God then she had For so he saith Gen. 3. 5. God knoweth that when ye shall eate of this fruite your eyes shalbe opened and ye shalbe as gods knowing good and euil But to leaue the dignitie of the minde to them who take in hand the naturall description of man we are here to consider the spirituall state of it in respect of God to wit the holinesse of it That the minde was created holy no man can denie but he who sticketh not to reproch his maker as hauing erred in the most excellent part of his worke and therefore it is more needfull that we declare the particulars of this holinesse First what it is or wherein it consisteth secondly the seuerall partes of it for the first The holinesse of the minde consisteth in the perfect knowledge of God and so it may be briefely defined Where we saye perfect we meane that perfection measure of knowledge whereof the nature of man is capable for there is a more perfect and excellent knowledge in the Angels then can be in any man Againe there is more perfect knowledge of God in God then in any Angell For God is knowen perfectly and essentially to himselfe only These transcendent kindes of knowledge which are without the compasse of humaine nature are not required at the handes of man and therefore he wanteth them without sinne Againe we doe not meane by perfection the highest degree or the greatest measure of knowledge which may be attained vnto by man for in this innocent estate one man may want that great measure of knowledge which an other man hath and yet want no part or iot of the holinesse of his minde onely by perfection we meane that knowledge wherein there is no parte wanting which is any way needfull for the holy and happie estate of man that is whenas a man knoweth all those duties which he oweth to God and whatsoeuer thing belongeth necessarilie to his owne good estate The second worde of the definition is knowledge whereby we meane both actuall and potentiall knowledge Actuall knowledge is that which is already really in the minde Potentiall knowledge is that vertue or facultie which conceaueth thinges offered to the minde by any meanes The first is to haue knowledge or the habite of knowledge the second is to be able to gette that knowledge which as yet is wanting of these two heereafter in particular Lastly by the knowledge of God we meane all manner of knowledge whereof although there be diuerse kindes as there are many thinges in the worlde besides God to be knowen yet the holines of the minde consisteth in this that it knoweth all thinges in God and nothing any otherwise then as it commeth from God and hath relation to him For God is all things in all and all thinges do exist in God and therefore euerie thing may be knowen in God and God knowen yea seene and felte in euerie thing euen in the least and basest creature The wicked Angels are in this their corrupt estate endued with a great measure of knowledge but this their knowledge is voide of all holynesse because it hath no relation to God and his glory for this onely is to be accounted the holinesse of the minde not barely to knowe the natures properties and differences of thinges but to see and acknowledge the wisdome power goodnesse and glorie of God in them For holinesse hath relation to God onely it seeth God through the meanest thinges and doth not rest in any thing till it come to God Yet we are not to thinke that the minde of man is in this his innocencie a confused chaos or heape of knowledge for God the maker of man is not the author of confusion And therefore we are to distinguish this knowledge into the seuerall kindes and partes of it whereof the first and cheife is the knowledge of God that is of the proper nature attributes and actions of God the second is the knowledge of the creatures The first kind may be called diuine be cause it tendeth directly and immediatelie to God himselfe Where we doe not meane that man could possiblie comprehend within the narrow compasse of his shallow braine the infinite and vnsearchable essence of God the which thing the Angels cannot doe Yet we are not to doubt but that he did thinke aright without any errour of the nature of God And no maruaill seing he did see God face to face as the scripture speaketh that is was daily conuersant in the presence and company of God as the Angels in heauen are although not in the same measure from this knowledge as from a fountaine springeth the knowledge of the creatures commonlie called humaine knowledge because all the creatures belonging to man and seruing for his vse are knowen for his good onely For as a man may easely see all thinges being there where the sunne shineth clearely so man liuing in Gods presence coulde not haue the nature of any creature hid from his sight From both these kindes of knowledge came the knowledge of euill for Rectum est index sui et obliqui a streight rule or line sheweth the crokednesse of any thing and so all trueth good and right shining in God and in his creatures did shewe to man what was false wrong hurtfull vnlawfull or any way euill for although Sathan did promise to man a greater measure of the knowledge of good and euill then he had Gen. 3. 5. as if his knowledge had bene imperfect in that behalfe yet he knewe what was euill better before his fall then afterwarde although by his fall he gottâ— the sense and experience of euill which he wanted before Thus much in general of mans knowledge the which is nowe to be considered more particularlie in the two kindes of it Potentiall and Actuall Potentiall knowledge is the aptnesse and abilitie of the minde to conceaue and comprehende whatsoeuer it shoulde please God to reueale Here iâ— may be asked by what meanes man in his innocent estate did attaine to knowledge We answere that Adam the first man was created in perfection as of body and soule so also of actuall knowledge not gotten by sense experience obseruation and by his owne industrie and yet it was afterwarde to be encreased by these meanes but engrauen in his minde by the finger of God and inspired by God together with his mind But his children were not to come so lightly to knowledge to whom he could not propagate his actuall knowledge but onely his potentiall for they were to be borne as in weakenesse of bodie so with mindes voide of all actuall knowledge not hauing the formes similitudes and vniuersall notions of thinges called
Ideae or species engrauen in them by nature but being appointed by God to seeke for knowledge by some outward meanes and so to replenish these emptie roomes with all varietie of knowledge The which thing was done in this state farre more easely certainlie and sooner then any man can get knowledge in the sinfull state of man First for humaine knowledge it was to be gotten by the aforesaide meanes of sense experience obseruation and collection For the which purpose man had great subtilitie and quicknesse of outwarde senses arising of the exact temperament of his bodie and being able to receaue aright without errour the impression of any obiect And accordingly were the faculties of the minde disposed the which as it is commonly saide followe the temperature of the body and by the which man was able with great quicknesse facilitie certainety and trueth to conceaue and vnderstand to imagine and inuent to compounde and deuide to collect and inferre to reason and discourse to iudge and determine and in summe to performe all the duties actions and motions in any naturall and finite obiect without failing or erring in his worke Thus we see that man was to come to the knowledge of the creatures called humain knowledge not by immediate inspiration or any supernaturall reuelation from God but by the meanes of the naturall faculties of his body and minde for as it is in the corrupt estate so in the state of innocencie the outward senses of the body did let knowledge into the minde as light commeth into a house by the windowes of it Yet man did not gette knowledge onely by opening his eyes but by diligent vsing and imploying all the faculties of his minde in this worke Hereof we may inferre these things First that man knewe not any thing which might not be knowen by the aforesaid meanes of his naturall faculties As for example he could not giue any certaine iudgement of the effect where the causes were contingent as in his owne actions he coulde not foresee his owne fall whether he shoulde resist or giue place to temptation because the trueth hereof did depend on the extemporall motion of his freewill which might encline it selfe to eyther part Secondly that he knew not any particular thing which had not at any time beene apprehended by his outward senses and therefore he could not know the secret thoughtes of another man nor define the number of thinges infinite as to tell how many stones or fishes were in the sea these thinges he did not know neither was it needfull for him to know them Againe hereof it followeth that man in his innocency had not any perfection of knowledge till he were come to ripenesse of age for that during the time of his infancie and childehood the faculties of his bodie and minde were weake and therefore not able to performe their seuerall functions in any perfect manner Yea further that in his youth he was to be trained vp in learning and in vsing all the meanes of attaining knowledge Wherein we are not to thinke that he was so slow dull and vntoward as are the wittiest and most forward ones in this corrupt estate but that he did profite in knowledge farre more easely then any can doe in this sinfull time Lastly in that man was to get knowledge by the aforesaid meanes it appeareth that all men were not endued with the like measure of actual knowledge for howsoeuer the naturall faculties of the minde seruing for the getting of knowledge were much alike in all without any great differēce for it could not be but that there should be some difference as in the tēperament of the bodies so also in the minds or greater their actual knowledge was lesse of men yet as men did giue thēselues more or lesse to the vse of the meanes and to the searching out of the trueth of thinges Thus we see what was the meanes of mans humane knowledge but how shal we think that he came to the knowledge of god who is not subiect to sense therfore to be knowē by some other meanes For the answere hereof we are to distinguish the knowledge of God in to two parts The one is the knowledge of gods nature the other is the knowledge of his actions counsels decrees and will this latter part was altogether vnknowen to man but so farre foorth as it was extraordinarily reuealed to him by God otherwise no man yea no Angell in heauen knoweth the minde of God or is admitted into his secrete counsell as no Angell knoweth when the worlde shall haue an end Math. 24. 36. Thus man in his innocency was ignorant of his owne fall and of the whole worke of our redemption by Christ for these thinges were not reuealed vnto him neither had he any neede of this knowledge Yet God did from time to time reueale his counsels vnto man so farre foorth as was needfull and that by visions apparitions dreames ◠ectasies inspirations by the ministerie of Angels but most commonly by a created voyce as he spake to Adam in the garden This parte of diuine knowledge being reuealed by God might easely be attained to by man who was able to conceiue vnderstand and remember that God had decreed and would doe this or that thing But for the knowledge of Gods essence and nature which is euery way infinite howe shall we thinke it possible to be comprehended by man although the same were reuealed by God seeing that it is impossible for God himself to make a finite thing cōprehend that which is infinite Againe whatsoeuer man knoweth or conceaueth in his minde he conceiueth it by a similitude or image of the saide thing abstracted from it by his outwarde sense but whereunto shall man resemble or compare God who is not like to any thing eyther truely existing or which can be imagined We answere confessing all this to be true and agreeable to the worde of God for it is impossible for a man to knowe GOD fully as a man may knowe the whole nature forme force matter vertue and abilitie of a tree beast or any other creature But howe much soeuer we doe giue to God in our mindes yet there is more due vnto him And yet man may in some sort comprehend the nature of God euen by knowing it to be incomprehensible and get a likenesse or forme of it by knowing it to be incomparable to any thing and vnlike to all thinges Whereof ariseth this knowledge of God in the minde of man God is a certaine thing or nature incomprehensible and incomparable But this is nothing to the purpose for it is not sufficient for man in regarde eyther of his happinesse or of his holinesse to haue a generall and confused knowledge of God that he is a certaine thing or nature there being innumerable natures beside his in the worlde or to haue a priuatiue knowledge that God cannot be comprehended of any creature or resembled to any thing for this knowledge
is nothing but a confession of ignorance and therefore it is needfull to search out not only what God is not but also what he is but this cannot be done by any creature and therefore let vs aske counsell of the scripture and learne the nature God of God himselfe to whome onely it is fully knowen This may be done Iohn 4. 24. where it is said That God is a spirite But so are the Angels also Heb. 1. 7. howe then shall we thinke that God and the Angels which are creatures are of the same nature God forbid for that thought were no holy knowledge but a blasphemous errour yea the scripture meaneth no such thing as that God is a spirite but onely that he is of an inuisible subtile and pure nature as are the Angels and as is the winde and ayre from the which the name of spirits is taken or as is the flame of fire which is made the synonymum that is of the same signification with the name of spirite Heb. 1. 7. He maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers flames of fire If this be true as it is most true then we are but where we were for hereby we learne onely that GOD is not a visible or sensible thing And therefore we must haue recourse againe to the mouth of GOD and with Moses aske boldlie what he is and desire to haue his true name and nature reuealed vnto vs. The answere which GOD giueth is this I am that I am or I will be that I will be that is I am no chaungling but the same for euer But neyther these places nor any other in the scripture doe flatly define what the essence of GOD is what then is to be done in this case shall wee thinke that GOD who made man so happy and was so bountifull vnto him did enuie to him the knowledge of his owne nature that cannot bee Wee are rather to gather by the silence of GOD in this behalfe that this is too high a pointe of knowledge for man to reach vnto yea such an one whereof the minde of man is not capable And therefore man in his innocencie was not to busie his heade in sounding the bottomelesse depth of Gods essence or to thinke that the tongues of all the Angels in heauen were able to vtter so significant a word as shoulde containe in it the forme and substance of Gods nature How then may man knowe God or at the least come neare to some manner of knowledge of him We answere that neither God nor anie other thing can possiblie be conceiued by man but by some resemblance or Image and therefore the only way to attaine to this light and imperfect knowledge is to imagine of God by that which is of al other things most excellent in nature and so approacheth nearest to the nature of God and which all men know to be the most excellent of all others In this contemplation the nature of the reasonable creatures doth first offer it selfe as farre excelling all other natures and therefore man must be faine to gather out of himselfe or else from the Angels if they were so well knowen vnto him an Idea Image or notion of God not by thinking him like to anie creature for that were idolatry but by appyling the best highest greatest most excellent things which he findeth in himself to the nature of God This meanes of attaining to the knowledge of God is so naturall to man that it remaineth euen in his corrupt estate wherein nothing is more cōmon then to thinke and speake of God as of a man for ignorant men knowing nothing more excellent then themselues doe thinke their owne nature to be likest to the nature of God Well then let vs vse this meanes seeing we haue no other and see if we can conceiue of the greate ocean by a droppe of water What then is counted most excellent in the nature of man what but his vnderstanding knowledge wisdome counsell his reasonable wit and orderlie affections his loue fauour mercy pittie his iustice purity such other vertues his strength and power his Lordshippe ouer the creatures and his glorie arising thereof In these things doth the excellencie of man consist and therefore man as it were putting his owne coate on God is to conceiue of him in his minde as of a nature surpassing yea infinite in knowledge wisdome counsell in will loue hatred fauour and reuenge in mercie and compassion in puritie and iustice in might power dominion and glorie and no maruaile that man doth thus conceiue of God seeing GOD in regarde of the weaknesse of mans capacitie hath reuealed him selfe to man in this and in no other manner euen in the person likenesse and nature of man and yet this is the onelie nature of GOD which is reuealed Now as touching the meanes whereby man in this his innocencie attaineth to the knowledge of this nature of God which being after a sort his owne nature is familiar vnto him and may easilie be conceaued they are two The first are the naturall faculties of his soule and bodie to wit his senses outward and inward by the which he did plainly and certainly gather out of the creatures the actuall knowledge of gods attributes wherein as hath bene saide his nature being otherwise incomprehensible is reuealed as namely of his infinitenes eternity wisdome iustice power loue all which do shine so clearelie in the creatures that man euen since his fall doth by this meanes attaine to some knowledge of God as we read Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible things of God to wit his eternitie power godheade are plainele seene since the creation of the world being considered or vnderstoode in the creatures If by man being sinfull how much more by him being in his pure estate For what maruaile is it that one who hath both his eyes and is cleare sighted doth see the light of the sunne shining in his eies which is so cleare of it selfe that a blinde man maye perceiue it The second way or meanes of knowledge was immediate reuelation for as it shalbe in the seconde so in the first state of innocencie GOD did reueale himselfe and the glorie of his power wisdome loue and of the rest of his attributes immediatlie by himselfe and that diuers wayes as it seemed best vnto him vouchsafing to haue familiar conuersatiō with his reasonable creatures and to speake with them face to face as one friende vseth to doe with another This second meanes did make perfect the actuall knowledge gotten by man himselfe out of the creatures encreasing it to a farre greater measure then can be attained in the state of regeneration Thus much of the meanes whereby the potentiall knowledge of man is made actuall whereby it appeareth that there was no ordinarie ministerie appointed by GOD in the handes either of Angell or of man as it is in the state of regeneration as hath bene declared in the first part
Chap. 8. Sect. 1. For if we shoulde suppose that some one man in this state of innocency did liue solitarelie by himselfe not hauing the companie or helpe of any other yet we are not to thinke that he woulde haue bene ignorant of God but rather to be perswaded that howsoeuer he might want the knowledge of some particulars the which doth not make an imperfect knowledge also be inferiour to others in measure of knowledge yet he shoulde haue bene endued with the perfect knowledge of God For as hath bene said this state of happinesse is of the same kinde with the happinesse of the Angels in heauen although in degree of knowledge and all other graces it be farre inferiour to it For this is a certaine and generall rule that in all states of innocency whether they be in heauen or on earth whether in this world or in the worlde to come God doth reueale himselfe to his reasonable creatures face to face that is immediatlie without the mediation of any creature as God saieth Numb 12. 8. That he spake to Moses face to face mouth to mouth But he spake to the people by the mediation of Moses Thus 1. Cor. 13. 12. To see God face to face as the Godly shall in the worlde to come is opposed to the knowing of God by the ministerie of man as the faithfull doe in this life wherein God doth reueale himselfe to them by his ministers as one man speaketh to an other by an interpreter or messenger not in personall presence Yet this immediate teaching doth not hinder but that in this state of innocencie one man might haue his knowledge encreased by an other as God did reueale some particulars to one more then to another or that the weakenesse of mans infancie and childehood shoulde not be supported by teachers as hath bene declared Thus much of the potentiall knowledge called by philosophers the suffering vnderstanding or facultie of the minde the which in conceauing any thing doth suffer the impression of knowledge as waxe doth suffer when as any forme is imprinted in it Nowe we come to actuall knowledge called the agent facultie because knowledge being once gotten is not idle but working in the minde and doth not onely moue it selfe but also is the beginning of motion to all the other faculties of the bodie and soule As touching the measure of mans actuall knowledge in his innocencie the which poynt onely resteth to be considered it is to be defined by his happinesse and by comparison made with the knowledge of the faithfull in their regeneration For first man knewe whatsoeuer might any way make for his good and happie estate as namely he had the perfect knowledge of God which is a great parte of happinesse beholding him daily and continually although not in his essentiall forme which is incomprehensible yet in the cleare euidence of his glory Besides he had the knowledge of all the creatures whose formes kindes natures properties vertues qualities and commodities he did perfectly comprehend as appeareth in that Adam gaue to euery beast a name agreeable to his nature He knew howe to gouerne families and common-wealthes with meete orders and lawes and in generall whatsoeuer thing did any way belong to the necessitie vse pleasure or commoditie of humaine life Secondly we may gather the measure of the created knowledge by comparing it with renewed knowledge For if we should put together in one man the knowledge of the best most learned diuines politicians physitions logicians mathematicians philosophers and of all that are most excellent in any kinde yet it is not so great sound pure subtil perfect as the knowledge of mā in the state of innocencie And no maruel seing he had far more excellēt meanes of knowledge whether we regard his own nature therein the puritie and integritie of all his senses and faculties both outward and inwarde or yet his scholemaister and teacher who was Godhimselfe Sect. 2 Of the sinfulnesse of the mind or of the ignoraunce of man in his corrupt estate THus much of mans knowledge in his pure estate from the which we come to his corrupt state as out of the cleare sunne-shine into a darke dungeon for as before the fall of man his minde was enlightned with the perfect knowledg of God of al things in the world so since the fal it is ouercast euen wholly possessed with palpable darknesse being destitute not onely of all actuall knowledge but also of all abilitie of attaining the true knowledge of God by any facultie vertue industrie or any meanes inherent in himselfe the which in the former section we call potentiall knowledge for the first kinde of knowledge namelie actuall reall or that which is already gotten it is euident to the eyes of all that list to consider it that the naturall knowledge of man is mere darknesse and ignorance By naturall knowledge we meane that knowledge which is◠and may be seene in all vnregenerate men who are come to yeares of discretion and haue neither encreased nor decreased that knowledge which they haue of themselues Both which accidentes may happen to carnall men as we are to declare in the third part of this treatise Chap. 6. In this sorte of men we are to account all ignorant people who hauing beene brought vp in rudenesse and ignorance not vsing the meanes of getting knowledge as the heareing reading and learning of the worde of God haue no other opinion of God and of religion then those rudimentes and beginnings which they brought from their mothers wombes and which they haue gotten or rather which haue crept into their mindes by little and little they not seeking or looking after any knowledge not out of the bookes of the scripture but out of the creatures The which being dayly beheld felt and enioyed can not but leaue some impression of the knowledge of God in the mindes of those who haue any sparke of reason remaining in them Hence it is that man euen in this his corrupt estate thinketh that there is a God that this God is of great power and therefore to be feared that he is the giuer of all good thinges and therefore to be worshipped honored in way of thankfulnesse that he is iust and there fore will punishe sinners and rewarde good and innocent men Likewise he hath some knowledge of the second table yea more then of the first whereby he can decerne right from wrong honest thinges from vnhonest so that he condemneth theft oppression incest adulterie murther and such like grosse sinnes For although many doe diminishe this light of nature and become such detestable atheistes as to fay in their heartes that there is no God yet man naturally thinketh otherwise as appeareth plainely both by the word of God and by common experience For the first we haue this doctrine Rom. 1. 19. 20. that which is knowen of God that is so much as God hath made knowen to all
For as he did cary about with himselfe the infirmity of humane nature consisting of flesh and bloud and was outwardly subiect to the temptations of Sathan so we cannot doubt but that by these meanes his faith and withall all the other partes of holines might receiue some wounde although not be cleane ouercome and mingled with doubting wauering although not wholly turned into it Likewise the loue of God and of his glory might be abated for some space of time by force of temptation and he made lesse zealous of Gods glory and lesse chearefull in seruing him yea dull and lumpish and without his wonted alacrity The trueth hereof appeareth in the example of Christ whose humane nature although it were endued with farre more firme and plentifull holinesse then was man in his innocency yet in that it was a humane that is a created and weake nature it could not be freed from this mutabilitie whereunto all creatures are subiect Whereof it came that the vnspeakable force of his last agony wherein he felt the infinite anger of God due to the sinne of mankinde did giue his faith a great blow yea it made an euident decrease of it for a short time insomuch that he burst foorth into these wordes My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Where we are not to thinke that his faith did faile which appeareth plainely in those wordes my God my God But as the most valiant champion receiuing a mighty blow is made to reele and stagger by the force of it so was the faith of Christ shaken by this temptation as is a strong house by a greate blast of winde yet without daunger of being ouerturned now to proceede As mans holinesse might haue beene diminished in regard of the measure of particular graces so it might also haue beene encreased in the same respect not that we suppose it to haue beene imperfect but for that that which is already perfect may become more perfect As namely that we may make instance in some particular the knowledge wherewith man was endued in his innocency was exceeding great as hath beene shewed yet no man can doubt but that the same would in processe of time haue beene continually encreased as God did reueale himselfe his word counsels and actions daily more and more This encrease of holinesse in the vnderstanding all the otheir faculties do follow for the more that man knoweth God the more he trusteth loueth feareth obeyeth worshippeth and honoreth him the oftner that man were deliuered from danger by the goodnesse and power of God the greater woulde be his affiance in God the more blessings that he doth receiue the greater is his thankfulnes So that the life both of man and of the Angels in their innocency being a continuall exercise of holinesse cannot but haue a continuall encrease of it Yea we may well thinke that both many of the Angels and all mankinde were so easelie drawen from God and brought to a fearefull ruine because they were tempted to this Apostasie in the beginning of their liues immediately after their creation before they could encrease and confirme their holinesse by obseruation and holy experience By the which meanes we are to thinke that euen the holy Angels themselues which doe continually behold the face of God in heauen haue since their first creation continually encreased their holinesse and so are a great deale further from falling and sinning against God then they were in the beginning being vpheld in all temptations suggested eyther by their owne thoughtes or by the wicked Angels although by the supernaturall grace of God yet not without the means of this naturall encrease of their created holinesse Againe this encrease of holinesse hath place as in particular men so also generally in the ages of this innocent state for as in this sinfull estate wherein we liue the latter ages are more sinful then the former because they partake the sins of all the former ages so if the state of innocency had continued the latter ages being taught by the first would haue exceeded them in knowlege in all other partes of holinesse Lastly this is to be noted that we do not here speake of that increase of holinesse which was in the childhood of man in his innocency during which time he did grow both in stature of body in holines of soule as it is said that Christ did in his innocency infancy Luke 2. 25. But of the progresse in holinesse after that he was come to ripenes of age the ordinary state measure and degree of holinesse to wit that wherein Adam the first and the last man of this innocent generation was created Chap. 3. Of the naturall decrease of sinfulnes IN the next place we are to consider the changes which happen in the sinfull state of man the which being the worst of all states ought not in constancy to excell all other First of the decrease then of the increase of sinne By the decrease of sinne we meane the increase of the reliques of Gods image and so consequently the decrease of the corruption of sinne which is contrary thereunto as namely when as the light and knowledge remaining in the minde of man after his fall is by any meanes encreased and so the contrary blindnesse and ignorance in part expelled This decrease may happen in al the parts of mans sinfulnesse for by it the dulnesse and ignorance of the minde the peruersenesse of the will and affections the wickednesse of life in outward actions may be diminished For the better vnderstanding of this point it is needfull that we set downe what is the naturall state and degree of sinfulnesse the which is sometimes diminished and sometimes augmented in men that by the mediocrity the extreames may be knowen It is hard to giue any real example of it because the nature of man being in continuall motion is alwaies either vnder or aboue this state of sinfulnesse yet it may be described after this manner Suppose a man of ripe yeares of a soft and simple disposition the which is to be founde in men whose bodies are of some cold complexion for hote and fierie natures haue strong quicke vehement and vnconstant motions able to change themselues without any outward meanes and therefore doe alwaies runne into the one or the other extreame hauing liued in some solitarie place not acquainted with the fashions corruptions and sinnes of the world not hauing giuen himselfe either to continuall meditation or beene instructed by others in the knowledge of religion looke what measure of sinfulnesse is in this man the same or there aboute is the naturall sinfulnesse which all men take from Adam and bring with them out of their mothers wombes into the world Againe suppose or rather beholde with your eyes for the liuing examples of the encrease of sinne are infinite one brought vp in the companie of lewde and wicked men and indued with wit beutie strength of nature riches