an instant the world must needs bee by fatall destiny and necessity and might not bee otherwise Epicuremum The other were the Epicures which taught The world was a thing made at a venture by casual chance and happy hazard by a divine essence the one taught that God could doe no otherwise then but make it the other thought that God did hee could not tell what But Psal. 115. 3. Deus fecit quecunque voluit in Coelo Terra And Revel 4. 11. All things were made for him and by his will And Esai 45. 18. God made not Heaven and Earth in vain to no end but the word fignifieth that hee made it with Wisdome and Counsell Esai 43. 13. God was before any day was and hee asketh Who could constrain him by necessity to make it or not to make it Heb. 3. 4. If a man being in a strange Country shall see a house hee will certainly affirm that there hath a man builded it that it is a mans worke so saith hee when wee see all Creatures Heaven and Earth wee know that God made them all A reason against that opinion of Fortune is this That things done by Chance are without cunning But God with infinite wisdome devised all things the Eye to see Colors to bee seen and the Light as the meanes by which wee see also all things are in such wonderfull order succeeding one another in their course as the seasons of things which shew them not to bee by Chance therefore the Philosophers were glad when they found out that 〈◊〉 intelligentia that was the cause of all so that they confesse all things to bee made by a wonderfull wise Counsell and discourse of an understanding minde So that it was made by another not by Necessity nor Chance Creavit Coelum Terram omnia in illis Gen. 1. vers 1. NOw are wee come to the fourth and last point which wee are to consider in this verse and that is That the things which were Created by God are both Heaven and Earth which here is said to bee his workmanship Which though it be here set downe in two generall things yet are his works manifold yea infinite and cannot be numbred All which Creatures and things Created cannot bee better expressed then in these two which contain all the rest for hee so faith Exod. 20. 11. In six dayes hee made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein So doth David expound his meaning Psal. 146.6 and Revel 10. 6. therefore Job saith 38. 6 7. That God made not only the Starres with the Heavens but also the Angels or Children of God which are in them and Psal. 24. 1. God when hee is said to make the round World he meaneth also all that dwell therein that is Man also yea hee is also the Lord and Creator of the Soules and Spirits of all Flesh as well as their bodies Numb 27. 16. So that to conclude with Saint Paul by these two is understood and comprehended all the Creatures visible and invisible which God made Coll. 1. 16. For the Heavens are the bound upward and the Earth is the bound below which conclude all between them Let us therefore first consider these two joyntly then in the order wherein they stand and in the last place severally Touching the first David saith Psal. 102. 25. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the worke of thy hands Esay 40. 12. It is God that made Heaven and Earth Job 37. 17. 18. Job 38. 5 6. The Heavens doe shew this in that they resemble their Creator because they are moveable and yet subject to alteration and the Earth unmoveable and not subject to motion 2. Point Moses meaning is That not the Earth alone was made by God but also the Heavens that is both of them and all in both were his worke not the Earth only but also the Heavens against the Philosophers which thinke therfore that the Heavens were not made because none can assigne the point where the Heavens began nor in what part God began to make them nor where the Heavens first began to move by which reason they might hold that the heart of man was not made because none can tell how it began its motion to pant and beat whether by sustole or diastole but as the heart was made though unknown where the first motion of it is so were the Heavens That hee made not the Heavens only but also the Earth below against the errors of the Manichees which hold that there were two causes of Heaven and Earth That the good and white God made the Heaven and Man from the middle upward And the black and evill god was the efficient cause of the Earth and of Man from the middle downward but as Gods power and wisedome is shewed and seen as well in an Ant as in an Elephant as one saith as well in the creeping Wormes and basest Creatures as in the Angels and most excellent Creatures So doth his Majesty and Might appeare in the Earth as well as in Heaven 3 Point Now in regard of the order here set downe wee have a consideration first of the Heavens for if there were any Order observed in Gods Creation surely the Heavens were made in the first place which sheweth the glory of the Creator for who ever in building his house would or could begin it at the Roofe first and then afterwards lay the Foundation of the Earth but his omnipotency is such that hee beginneth to make his house from the Roofe downeward as wee see in the second and third verses And this is strange saith Job 26. 7. That hee hath made the Heavens turn round like a wheele without an axeltree and that hee hath caused the Earth to hang and stand without any prop to uphold it When wee therefore consider the Heavens and Earth the worke of thy hands wee must needes know that the corners of the Earth are upholden by his hand 4 Point Let us consider them severally and apart in which wee must regard them after three sorts 1. First in respect of God as they are compared with him 2. Secondly as they are compared to themselves 3. Thirdly comparing them to us 1. Esay 66. 1. Comparing them with God Heaven was made to bee his Seate and Earth to be his Foot-stoole 2. In respect of themselves Heaven was made as the male part of the World by whose influence motion and dewes the Earth as the female part should as it were out of her womb bring forth all living and necessary things Hermes the AEgyptian the Persian wife men and Orpheus the Grecian appoint these two as the matter of all things that are 3. In regard of us our selves Heaven and Earth are the meanes of our moving and rest for the motion of the Heavens is the beginning of our bodily motion and the unmoveable Earth is
first part The first whereof I will handle at this time 1. He perfected all when man was created Moses by way of sequell telleth us by joyning the perfection of things to mans Creation That is a singular and an honourable prerogative in that behalf unto man For recounting the perfection of all Creatures presently after mans making he inferreth that they were not perfect but defective before for untill man was made that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wheel of generation and course of nature whereof St. James spake 3. 6. which never stood still God took no rest before nor made holy-day because there was no end nor perfection of his work untill man was made Insomuch as God may seem to have made such a vow as David did Psal. 132. 4 5. That he would not suffer himself to take any rest until he had found that earth of which he would make man and had placed him in the World which argueth that there was a defect and imperfection and as yet something to be supplyed for the Earth lacked and therefore looked for her possessor which was man who carried therefore the Earth in his name that he might shew that the earth depended on him The Host of Creatures for the perfection of Heaven and Earth is in him who as he was Princeps Terrae A Captain so was he Infans Coeli one born to inherit Heaven also for seeing Heaven is a body and capable of a body it must needs be that it was not made only for spirits but for a body which was to be made Therefore in that he saith Thus were the Heavens and the Earth perfected he sheweth that their perfection was suspended and they held as unperfect and not compleat until man was made Though the Heavens were made 1. 19. yet until now they were not perfected There was Urim as the Hebrews say but there was not Thummim i. there was light but there was not the perfection of light Thus then were the Heavens and the Earth perfected for though there was a power in God to make more Creatures and create more things besides these yet note he maketh his full point and saith all is perfected which is that consummatum est of the Creation Thus much generally for the copulation sic Now to descend to the particulars we see thy are distributed into two joynts 1. First Heaven and Earth which are the Continents 2. Secondly The host of them which are Contents and fulnesse thereof That a thing be made perfect there are required two degrees of perfection which are opposite to the double imperfection spoken of in the former Chapter Barrennesse Emptinesse called Tohu Tobohu the one being an outward perfection opposite to barrennesse and emptinesse without the other is inward opposite to rudenesse and deformity within The one is called perfectio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is integritas partium when all the parts are orderly in a comely proportion framed and well set together The other outward perfection is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a due supply of decent furniture and the accessory of needfull ornaments which being added it is also outwardly perfect both which you may see in a body for when a mans body is rightly knit together in every joynt with good colour and countenance he hath his first inward perfection of nature but so long as there is nakednesse there is yet a defect and want outwardly But being adorned with jewels and apparel it hath then the outward perfection also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see them also in a house for when it is framed and the frame set together orderly and the rooms of the building well contrived and conveyed then it hath the first perfection Integritas partium i. integritatem partium but when it hath the hangings furniture and implements which is called suppellex then it hath also the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for by that means every room is furnished and adorned The like order we may observe in Heaven and Earth First they were imperfect nothing done nor disposed then they were facta that is perfectly made and disposed as great spacious and stately rooms as yet empty and void but now being filled with the hosts of of them then they are perfectly furnished indeed The Septuagint doe translate that which is here called the host 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. the beauty of Heaven and Earth but the propriety of the word in the original tongue importeth Armies or Hosts or Bands Quest. Whereupon the question is Why Moses doth expresse the fullnesse of Heaven and Earth and the furniture and implements thereof by this comparative name of Armies Resp. For answer some say That it may be that the Israelites were then in Camp and Garrison when Moses wrote this which estate of theirs being militarie he useth a military word Indeed if we consider the form of Heaven the Prophet saith It is as a Tent spread abroad Esay 40. 22. In regard of which the furniture which is under it is fitly compared to Armies and Bands or Troops to inhabit it But many other good and forcible reasons there are why Heaven is called a Tent or Pavilion and the furniture in it compared to Squadrons of Souldiers in a Camp 1. As first in regard of the huge multitude of things in them for one cannot say the furniture or implements of a house is comparable to them therefore the furniture of an Host doth best expresse it Every Creature therefore in Heaven or Earth is Gods Souldier in pay with him and hath received some weapons to punish Gods Enemies and the several kindes are as it were the Ensignes of his Army and the company of all are the Host and Army Royall 2. The second reason is in respect of order because no Camp can be more orderly trained than the course of Nature in the order of Gods Creatures The dayes in Winter cast themselves as it were in a ring in the Summer abroad and so come long The Starres keep duly their assigned place time and course without disorder or disturbance to the rest So the Herbs doe in their order and seasons one follow another And so doe the Fish gather together in skuts and squadrons and march about the Sea coasts in their kindes 3. Thirdly There is a respect beyond these which is in regard of their head and Captain for in an Host there must needs be imagined a Leader or head Governour of all which we cannot say of houshold-stuffe or apparel for it implyeth not a head necessarily Man therefore is made the Captain and guide or head of this Host In which regard they are thus called 4. Fourthly There is a higher regard which is of God the chief and supreme head or Emperor in which respect God is called The Lord of Hosts Exod. 15. 3. Therefore as man on Earth is Lieutenant to lead you so in Heaven and
Army of Frogs which God hath in the Waters where you shall see that God hath such great power in these weak things that they can annoy the mightiest Kingdomes upon Earth Exod. 8. 14. Armies of Earth For the Earth it self that can swallow up Gods enemies Numb 16. 32. And on the Earth you may take the Lyons for a strong Army 2 Kings 17. 25. but his power is most of all seen in the weak Host of Grashoppers Exod. 10. 14. and of Locusts and Caterpillers Joel 2. 25. Yea of Lice he can make such an Army that c. Exod. 8. 16 17. If we come to men the Inhabitants of the Earth they are Gods Host but they fight not against other Creatures but with their own kinde not one against one but thousands against thousands even in pitched fields not with natural Instruments as the Boare with his tusk the Bull with his horne but with artificial weapons of divers sorts with whose kinde of forces the World is too well acquainted Thus we see that there is no creature in Heaven or Earth but is a Souldier in pay with God and all these hoasts are in league with us so long as we serve God Job 5. 23. And keep our sacramentum militare which we make in our Baptism otherwise they come upon us like armed men and are prest against us to punish our disobedience And every part of Heaven and Earth then will send out an Army to conspire our destruction and overthrow and this may suffice for a brief view of these Armies A word of the third perfection we have seen perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now we are to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First The World was a great House perfect in respect of the parts but yet the rooms were emptie and unfurnished Then God replenished garnished and furnished it with its hoasts as we have heard But yet there wanted a third perfection which is a head to guide and an owner to possesse manure and occupie all Man the perfection of Gods work God made the Earth as his work-house and shop and Heaven as his chamber and place for a rest and reward and both for one and that is man God made the Earth as the Tent to prepare our selves and to put on our Armour as the Field Lists or Tiltyard to trye masteries or to fight in against Gods enemies 1 Pet. But the Heavens and Firmament he made as locum triumphi that is the Court to triumph in So that when man was made to be a Souldier in the one and a Conqueror in the other all was perfected God made the Earth in its parts absolute and gave it erecta 〈◊〉 depressa vallium densa silvarum and furnished it with beasts and cattell of divers kinds but did perfect all by making man the owner of all In a Battell though the Field be appointed the Ordinance planted and the Souldiers encamped yet all is unperfect till there be a Generall of the field to marshall them and a Captain to lead them so was all unperfect till man was made Object Seeing man was the perfection of all things what ayleth it now That being so many men we can see nothing absolute and in its perfect estate David saith Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Law is perfect as if he should say there is nothing else perfect now the Heavens are called often imperfect Levit. 26. 19. The Ayre is infectious the Seas dangerous the Earth also groweth in her imperfections So the Beasts are unto us In our bodies we finde troops of diseases and in our souls heaps of sorrows and care which shew our imperfections Resp. Perfectio creationis Though the finishing of Heaven Earth and Man be the perfection of Creation Deformatis 〈◊〉 perfectionis Yet now we must understand that the sinne of man brought in death and so an imperfection or deformation Finis peccati mors Rom. 6. 21. Et peccati finis damnatio Phil. 3. 19. verse Thus then standeth our estate and condition Ratio The reason of it is because the Captain and Lieutenant man being set to resist the enemy Satan grew in a league and conspiracy with him against God and so apostatavit non militavit as saith St. Ambrose wherefore seeing he was not content with his estate to be Lieutenant but would be chief generall sicut Deus Gen. 3. Therefore consequently followed his decay And this is the means whereby from perfection he came to desection and so to imperfection for when he which was the perfection of all things became imperfect then all things which were ordeined for and given to him grew subject to alteration and vanity Rom. 8. and so per consequence imperfect And thus saith David we have seen an end of all perfection under the Sunne Perfectio redemptionis Yet that perfection of nature being lost see the unspeakable mercy of God we have another new perfection 2 Cor. 5. 17. in Christ In whom we are made new creatures And that perfection to the which nature would have brought us that is never to dye but to be translated with Enoche to the same will Gods grace through Christ restore us again And as in the sixt day man was here perfected So in the sixt age of the World Christ came and made his Consummatum est which is the second perfection of redemption at which time as St. Peter saith all things lost by nature shall be restored by grace Yet there is another further perfection then this of grace and redemption that is the perfection of glory in the life to come for then shall the last end and perfection come Matth. 24. 14. When that which is imperfect is done away then that which is perfect shall come 1 Cor. 13. vers 11. Quam autem perfecisset Deus die septimo opus suum quod fecerat quievit ipso die septimo ab omni opere suo quod fecerat Gen. 2. 2. vers April 24. 1591. THe other day I shewed you that these two verses doe as links in a chain depend one upon the other for the Holy Ghost telleth us that when he had made man he perfected all his works and here when he had perfected and finished all then he rested It is the right order to work and labour still untill we have attained to the perfection of our work which done it is reason we should leave off and rest For whereas that is perfect whereunto nothing can or may be added and Gods works now being so having that perfection within which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fit joyning and knitting together of parts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the furnishing and adorning of the parts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the setting a head over them there wanteth now nothing else to be added but only an end and conclusion to be
therefore they would have another seed like the starres of heaven such as should have their conversation in heaven it is that which the Prophet tells us there is semen nequam Isaiah the first chapter that is a naughty and corrupt seed such was the seed of Cain and there is semen sanctum Isaiah the sixt chapter such a seed was it that Adam desired Cain was a naughty seed but they would have a holy seed for there is not only good seed but tares as Christ sheweth Matthew the thirteenth chapter Such is the difference that is in seeds A holy seed is such as shall sinne but yet shall not doe sinne in the first epistle of John the third chapter that is not operarius iniquitatis Matthew the seventh chapter because the seed of God is in them but they that sell themselves to all manner of sinne are the corrupt seed such as power out themselves to all wickedness because they have not the seed of God in them but the Serpents seed of whom it may be said verò ex patre Diabilo estis John the eighth chapter Fiftly This other seed might be another seed yet not like Abel that is a seed more civill and temperate in the course of this life than Cain was and his posterity but they desire a seed for Abel that is such another seed as Abel was They desire a Child not simply but pro Abele that is such a Child in whom they may finde the spirit of Abel that they might say here is another Abel that though Abel be taken off yet there might another like Abel be ingraffed The last point is in these words For Abel whom Cain 〈◊〉 There were many things that Cain could endure well enough in Abel but the cause why he 〈◊〉 him was for that he had a desire to please God and to sacrifice to him in the best 〈…〉 could his desire was to offer plurimam hostiam 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse that is a Sacrifice that should be in 〈◊〉 more and in quality de 〈◊〉 of the best of his sheep so they would not only have one religious as Abel but one that should be opposite to Cain and as it were the Heir of Abels 〈◊〉 one that might accomplish that which was lacking on Abels part in the first to the Thessalonians the third chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse 〈◊〉 as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him 〈◊〉 was born after the spirit Galatians the fourth chapter so they might have one to maintain his quarrel and might uphold that holy seed Concerning which as God hath a purpose that the patience of his Saints should appear Romans the ninteenth chapter 〈…〉 patientia Sanctorum for which cause he suffers Abel to be 〈◊〉 so he will have his providence appear too and therefore he sets up Seth so as Tubal-Cain with all his armor shall not remove him So we see in every of these words there is a power They would have this other seed like Abel in all things saving in this that Abel was but shewed only to the world but they would have Seth a permanent seed So doth God make the distinction between his Saints to some he saith as to Peter John the twenty first chapter Follow me that by thy death thou maist glorifie me Of others he saith as of John the Evangelist I will have thee tarry still that is he will have some Saints to be 〈◊〉 as Peter and others he would have to live out all the dayes of their life as John the Evangelist and John that dieth in Domino is no less blessed 〈◊〉 Peter that dieth pro Domino So 〈◊〉 he would have Abel 〈◊〉 taken a way and 〈◊〉 to live out the course of nature yet the one is no lesse acceptable to him than the other Lastly These words contain a plain 〈◊〉 of Eve not only in regard of her stile for of Cain she said I have obtained a man of the Lord but of Seth Deus posuit The one is 〈◊〉 Evae the other positio Del. But in regard of that account which now she makes of Cain Why should not Cain be still her Jewell as before for he lives still and hath a great and mighty seed She faith the cares not 〈◊〉 him for that he is cut off from Gods Church a stranger from the promises of God And as for Abel whom before she 〈…〉 now she desires one like him though he should be 〈…〉 Abel 〈◊〉 So she condemnes her self for having so great a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisedome at last is justified of her Children For a time 〈◊〉 〈…〉 accounted of but at last Abel shall be found to be 〈…〉 case Out of which we see that which the Prophet 〈◊〉 That men must not make too much 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 Isay 〈◊〉 twenty 〈◊〉 chapter if the Lord 〈◊〉 and come not so soon as we 〈◊〉 we must wait and he that 〈◊〉 will come Hebrews the second chapter Give not over if Abel be lost God will provide another seed Secondly We see here the propriety of the Church it is a thing set as the Prophet speakes in the twenty eighth chapter of Isaiah I will lay a Stone in Sion a chief corner Stone upon which Stone the Church is built so as the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Matthew the sixteenth chapter Therefore the Apostle saith Colossians the first chapter the faithfull are radicati fundati in fide whereupon it followeth that as God himself is from everlasting and world without end Psalm the nintieth so he will be with his Church to the end of the world Matthew the eighteenth chapter so we see there is a reward for the righteous though he were killed touching the body yet he lives still in heaven And now in as much as there is one like Abel he revives in earth and so he hath his reward in heaven and earth Howsoever before Cain was preferred before Abel yet now by the testimony of Adam and Eve is counted one not worthy the ground that he treads upon but Abel is acknowledged to be a great blessing and therefore hath his desire one like him Sed ipsi Schetho genitus est filius cujus nomen vocavit Enoschum tunc coeptum est invocari nomen Jehovae Gen. 4. 26. Februar 17. 1599. YOU see here that albeit Moses might have deferred these two verses to the next chapter wherein he drawes down the genealogie of the godly seed yet he could not contain himself but before he concludes this chapter he will make some mention of some that regard the worship of God as well to shew that God did not clean forget his promise and his people as also that he might counterpoise the evill of the wicked that went before as last of all that he might make a good conclusion that as he had a good beginning in Abels oblation so he might end it well in the invocation of Enosh and he doth end
id esse bonum 9.10 And God said Let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and it was so And God called the dry land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas and God saw that it was good p 56 Iterum dixit Deus Her bascat terra herbulas herbas sementantes semen arbores fructiferas edentes fructum in species suas in quibus suum sit semen super terram 11. And God said Let the earth bring forth grasse the herb yeelding seed and the fruit-tree yeelding fruit after his kinde whose seed is in it self upon the earth p. 65 Et fuit ita Nam produxit terra herbulas herbas sementantes semen in species suas arbores edentes fructum in quibus semen suum est in species suas vidit Deus id esse bonum Sic fuit vespera fuit mane diei tertii 12.13 And it was so And the earth brought forth grasse and herb yeelding seed after his kinde and the tree yeelding fruit whose seed was in it self after his kinde and God saw that it was good And the evening and the morning were the third day p. 666 Post dixit Deus Sunto luminaria in expanso Coeli ad distinctionem faciendum inter diem noctem ut sint in signa cumtempestatibus tum diebus annis Sintque in luminaria in expanso Coeli ad afferendum lucem super terram 14.15 And God said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and yeers And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth p. 72 Et fuit ita Fecit enim Deus duo illa luminaria magna luminare majus ad praefecturam diei luminare minus 〈◊〉 noctis atque stellas Et collocavit ea Deus in expanso Coeli ad afferendum lucem super terram Et ad praesidendumdiei ac nocti ad distinctionem faciendum inter lucem hanc tenebras viditque Deus id esse bonum Sic fuit vespera fuit mane diei quarti 16.17.18.19 And it was so And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the starres also And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth And to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness and God saw that it was good And the evening and the morning were the fourth day p. 78 Postea Dixit Deus Abunáè progignunto aquae reptilia animantia volucres volanto supra terram supersiciem versùs expansi coelorum 20. And God said Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving Creature that hath life and Fowl that may flic above the earth in the open firmament of Heaven p. 667 Et creavit Deus coetos maximos animantia omnia repentia quae abundè progenuerunt aquae in species ipsorum omnesque volucres alatas in species suas 21. And God created great whales and every living Creature that moveth which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kinde and every winged fowl after his kinde p. 84 Viditque Deus idesse bonum And God saw that it was good p. 88 Et benedixit eis Deus 〈◊〉 Foetificate ac augescite et implete aquas per maria et volucres augescunto in terra 22. And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiply and fill the waters in the Seas and let fowl multiply in the earth p 89 Deinde dixit Deus Producat terra animantia in species ipsorum Pecudes et 〈◊〉 bestiasque terrenas in species suas et fuit ita 24. And God said Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kinde cattell and creeping thing and beast of the earth after his kinde and it was so p. 669 Fecit enim Deus bestias terrenas in species suas et pecudes in species suas omniaque reptilia terrae in specres 〈◊〉 et vidit Deus id esse bonum 25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kinde and cattel after their kinde and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kinde and God saw that it was good p. 670 Postea dixit Deas Faciamus hominem ad imaginem 〈◊〉 secundùm 〈◊〉 nostram qui dominetur in pisces maris et on volucres coels et in pecades et in 〈◊〉 terram at que in omnia 〈◊〉 repeantia super terram 26. And God said Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the sowl of the aire and over the cattel and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth p. 93 Iraque creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam ad imaginem inquam Dei creavit eum marem et foeminam creavit eos 27. So God created man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him male and female created he them p. 97 Deinde benedixit eis Deus et dixit eis Deas Foetificate ac 〈◊〉 et implete terram eamque 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 in pisces maris es in volucres coeli et in omnes 〈…〉 super terram 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the fowl of the aire and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth p. 100 〈◊〉 dixit 〈…〉 dedi vobis 〈…〉 semen quae sunt in superficie totius 〈◊〉 〈…〉 in quibus est fructus arboreus sementantes 〈…〉 ad comedendum erunt Omnibus 〈…〉 terrae 〈◊〉 volucribus coeli omnibusque 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉 in quibus est animae vivens dedi omnes 〈◊〉 virides ad connedendam et suit ita Tum 〈◊〉 Deus quit quid 〈◊〉 ecce autem bonum erat valde sic 〈…〉 et suit mane diei sexit 29.30.31 And God said behold I have given you every herb beating seed which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree 〈…〉 to you it shall be for meat And to every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the aire and to every thing that 〈◊〉 upon the earth wherein there is life I have given every green hearb for meat and it was 〈◊〉 And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good And the evening and the morning were the sixth day p. 105 Index Concionum in Caput secundum Geneseos The Contents of the Sermons preached upon the second chapter of Genesis ITaque perfecti sunt coeliet terra
audierunt compuncti sunt corde dixerunt ad Petrum ac reliquos Apostolos Quid faciemus viri fratres Petrus autem ait ad eos Resipiscite Act. 2. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and bretheren what shall we doe Then Peter said unto them Repent p. 601 Tum alter ad alterum dixerunt Nonne cor nostrum ardebat in nobis dum loqueretur nobis in via dum adaperiret nobis Scripturas Luc. 24. 32. And they said one to another Did not our heart burn within us while hee talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures p. 607 Etenim per unum Spiritum nos omnes in unum corpus baptizati sumus Judaei Graeci servi liberi omnes potati sumus in unum Spiritum 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are wee all baptized into one body whether we be Jewes or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit p. 614 Ex eo quòd maxima illa nobis ac pretiosa promissa donavit ut per haec esficeremini divinae consortes naturae elapsi ex corruptione quae est in mundo per cupiditatem 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given to us exceeding great and pretious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust p. 620 Ad hoc ipsum verò vos omni praeterea collato studio adjicite fidei vestrae virtutem 2 Pet. 1. 5. And besides this giving all diligence adde to your faith virtue p. 624 Adjicite fidei vestrae virtutem virtuti verò notitiam Adde to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge p. 628 〈◊〉 verò continentiam contincntiae verò tolerantiam 2 Pet. 1. 6. And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience p. 631 Tolerantiae pietatem pietati verò fraternum amorem fraterno verò amori charitatem 2 Pet. 1. 7. And to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity p. 635 〈◊〉 vos O viatores omnes intuemini videte an sit dolor par dolori meo qui factus est 〈◊〉 quam afficit Jehova moerore die aestus irae suae Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me where with the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger p. 639 Nam eratis velut oves errantes Sed 〈◊〉 con vertistis 〈◊〉 ad Pastorem Curatorem animarum vestrarum 1 Pet. 2. 25. For yee were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the Shepheard and Bishop of your souls p. 644 Paulisper non conspicietis me rursum paulisper videbit is me quia ego vado ad Patrem John 16 16 A little while and ye shall not see mee and again a little while and ye shall see me because I goe to the Father p. 648 Adeo provocantes Deum ad indignationem fact is suis ut irrumperet in eos plaga donec consistente Pinchaso judicium exercente coercita esset plaga illa Psal. 106. 29,30 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions and the plague brake in upon them Then stood up Phinehas and executed judgment and so the Plague was stayed p. 652 LECTURES PREACHED UPON the first Chapter OF GENESIS LECTURES Preached at Saint PAULES LONDON In Principio Deus creavit Coelum Terram c. Gen. 1. 1. WEE have heard of the undoubted credit and unquestionable Authority of Moses the writer Now touching his hand-writing hee hath left five Bookes as five fingers of his hand to point at the knowledg of God and heavenly things that so hee might shew them unto us In all which Bookes wee may observe two principall parts of his intent and purpose The one was to deliver to Gods Church the Law and Word of God The other is to write the History of Gods Works First hee sets downe the Creation of the Wold and all flesh that after hee might shew the Lawe which was given to all flesh in the World This Historie of the worlds Creation aptly divideth it self into two parts The first concerneth the old World 2 Pet. 2.5 which was in Paradise The other that World which hath been since and shall be to the end thereof Touching the old World hee considereth it in its perfection integrity and happinesse in these first two Chapters and in its defection decay and misery in the third Chapter For the perfection of it wee are led to consider the Creation of the World in the beginning of this Chapter and the Creation or making of Man and investing him in Paradise to bee the Lord and Governor of all the World and the things therein The sum of these verses is the narration of the manner of the rearing up of the frame of all things wee see in heaven and earth which is a matter of so high huge and infinite consideration that wee should quickly confound and lose our selves in it if God had not given us this thred of direction in our hands to bring us out of this intricate maze which else would astonish us This Creation is divided into six dayes works in which is shewed the six joynts as it were of the frame of the whole World In which six dayes the proceeding of God in this worke consisteth in these three points First the creating of all Creatures of and after an indigest rude and imperfect matter and manner For the first day was made a rude masse or heape which after was the Earth Secondly a bottomlesse huge gulfe which was the Waters Thirdly over both was a foggie obscure myst of darknesse which was the Firmament After that in the second place is set downe the distinction which is in three sorts First Of Light from darknesse Secondly Of the nether Waters from the upper Waters viz. of the Seas and Clouds Thirdly Of the Waters from the Earth After the distinction and dividing of this ensueth in the third place Gods worke in beautifying and adorning them after this order which wee now see First the Heaven with Starres Secondly the Ayre with Fowls Thirdly the Earth with Beasts Herbs and Plants of all sorts Fourthly the Sea and Waters with Fishes And having thus finished this great frame of all the World and beautified the same as wee see Then he framed and made Man the little world after his Image and placed him therein as his Pallace to enjoy and possesse Touching the first part of the Creation it is set downe in the first verse in which are foure workes of great weight and importance 1. The first In principio Second Deus Third creavit Fourth Coelum Terram
the cause of rest Wherefore saith Job 38. 33. That the Course and Order of Gods Creatures must make us orderly in all our doings In respect of God and us God hath made the Earth to bee our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our work house to doe his will in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made heaven to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Country or pay house where he will reward our good workes Thus we have seen Gods ordinance in these words 1. That Heaven and Earth are Gods handywork 2. That the Heavens by order are first and first of us to be cared for 3. The use of it which we must make both in respect of God of themselves and our selves Now out of this doctrine we frame the first article of our belief thus God in the goodness of his fatherly love made Heaven and Earth and all in them And that he might have a Creature above all others to whom he might impart and bestow them he made Man after his own likeness so he made all things non suo commodo Job 35. 6 7. for we can doe him no good neither did he give them us nostro merito Esay 40. 5 6. For how could we deserve any thing when he gave all things to us before we were and when we were made we were but vanity therefore it was his mere and gratious goodness that brought forth Heaven and Earth for us at the beginning Psal. 115. 15. We are the blessed of the Lord which made Heaven and Earth So in that Psalm is distinguished the true God from all Idolls for they cannot move nor speak nor doe any thing but God did all with his word So St. Paul by the same reason exhorteth the Lycaonians to turn from Idolls to the true God Acts 14. 15. But most plainly Jeremiah 10. 11. teacheth this use to be made of the knowledge of Gods Creation In Captivitie saith he you shall be tempted to serve their Idols but he telleth them what answer they must make which is written in the Caldee tongue all the rest of the book being in Hebrew which answer is this Our God made Heaven and Earth and all in them is but your Gods can doe nothing but their names shall vanish away and not be heard upon the Earth By which we see that this maketh a plain difference between the true God of Heaven and Idols their names shall perish before the earth but as our God was before the Earth was made so the Earth and Heavens shall pass away before him which endureth for ever The Gentils made their gods the ofspring of Heaven Earth but we know that Heaven and Earth are the ofspring of our God which made all and this is the difference to discerne the true God from the false thus we have seen what we are to learn out of this for the grounding of our judgment and sound knowledge and perfecting our understanding in the Creation Usus Now it remaineth to shew out of this four points what is to be learned for the breeding and nourishing of good motions and affections in our hearts For the first If there was a beginning of all things then undoubtedly there will be an end If there be a head though the Image be never so great and tall yet we shall come to his feet at the last Dan. 2. 41 42 43. as the world had its seed time that is its beginning and its Winter time when it was overwhelmed with water and its hot Summer when God rained in it fire so shall it have its harvest time at the last faith Christ Math. 13.30 when the good shall be carried into Gods barn and the evill into Hell fire therefore some have well observed that the Hebrew words which signifie heaven and earth have the first letter of them Alcph and the last letter of them Tau to shew that they shall have an end as they had a beginning both in heaven and earth so faith St. Paul 1 Cor. 10.11 and Dan. 12.12 but as in the beginning the morning had his evening and the evening his morning so shall it not be at the end for then saith Saint Jude in his Epistle there shall be to the godly a morning of eternall life without any dark or dimme evening any more vers 21. and to the wicked an evening of utter darkness without any morning or lightness vers 6. that is as the Angell sware Rev. 10.6 that as God made the beginning of time so there should be no more time nor course nor order of dayes but eternity of all Wherefore saith St. Peter what manner of men ought we to be in all godlyness of life seeing God made the world in love for us and seeing there will be an end of the world and a judgement for us The Apostle Heb. 1. 11 12. citeth Davids saying that the Heavens shall wax old and be folded up as a garment when the full number of Gods Elect are accomplished for whom this garment and covering of heaven was made and who doe bear up the pillers of the earth for if it were not for the Godly and Elect in the world neither of them could continue Esay 51.6 The earth also shall be wrapped up at the time in a word this word Create signifieth to begin with wisdome and judgement and to end with justice and judgement so Elohim the Creator signifieth a Judge and we in our name Creatures carry about us this sentence that we are one day to be judged 2. Point The second point is That the Creation was of nothing then good motions and affections which that knowledge must breed nourish and bring forth in us is to make us learn to know and acknowledge our nihil that each of us in particular are nothing though we in pride so advance our selves here on earth as though it seemed to us that we were something yea that we were made of some more excellent things than others as if we were not as the Publican but saith St. Paul If any think themselves to be ought or if we be any thing now let him know that this is so by God not of himself 2 Cor. 11.5 tametsi nibil sumus in illo tamen sumus therefore if we be nothing that shall condemn us if we be any thing it is not that which can deserve to save us for we are that we are by his grace 1 Cor. 15.10 And if we can acknowledge this with humilitie then we shall know this also to our comfort that he which made us of nothing can and will bring us to be somethings in goodness if we serve him with humble mindes Esay 38.3 And this is the use and fruit of that 3. Point The third point is That God is our Creator whose name Elohim is fetched and derived from this Hebrew preposition el and from the Greek preposition 〈◊〉 by both which God is called which prepositions both doe signifie per propter to
teach us that he is our per quem and must be our propter quem in all our actions therefore as it is he per quem sumus so we must make here his glorie and praise the end of all our thoughts words actions or devises whatsoever Psal. 96. 5. Elohim is said to make all and therefore we must with praise tell it out among the Heathen So there we are taught to remember him in our youth as our Creator to knit our selves and our wills to him as our Governor and in trembling to fear him as our Judge for he commeth to judge the world in truth Psal. 96. 13. for if we shall amend our lives we shall rejoyce and wish for his comming as we rejoyce and praise him for our making and this is the perfection of a Christian man contremiscere when we think how wonderfully God hath made us and with joy and gladness say with David Psal. 119. 52. I remembred thy judgements of old and received comfort and as we know that in him and by him we live move and have our being Acts 17. 28. so we must live move and breath only for him that is so farre forth as may make for his glorie that at last we may with joy commend our souls to him as to a faithfull Creator 1 Pet. 4. vers 19. 4 Point The fourth point was the things made namely Heaven and Earth which comprehended all in them that one being the upper bound above and the other below between both which are all The use is that if we look upward we see Heaven if we cast our eyes down the earth will be seen for our eyes and light are given to see both which two if we ask them they will tell us Job 12. 7. If we will not ask them yet they will preach and declare Gods glorie Psal. 19. 1. that not once a week but night and day not for an hour in the night or day but continually though their preaching doe not trouble our ears being dumb yet they cry aloud and though they speak not English yet their voyce is intelligible to all Nations and Languages in the world wherefore seeing they still cry aloud and tell us of the Creator that he made all these for us it is required of us that we be ready with our tribute and homage which is to yeild due and continuall praise and thanksgiving to God for them for heaven and Earth have a fellow feeling of the good and evill which either we doe or God doth for us Esay 39. 1. and they rejoyce with us when we doe or have any good done to us And so when we offend God in paying our duty Jer. 2. 12. then it is enough to make heaven and earth stand still and be amazed and astonished at it because we forget God and our duty Thus doth our sinne and ungratefullness overthrow and prevent and stain the whole course and order of Nature Jer. 12. 4. so there is a concurrent of them with us in honoring serving and praising the Creator both of them and us Therefore it is our duty and part to give heedfull care to those preachers which preach God without the Church alwayes in silence and so give our duty and tribute to serve and praise God with them amongst his Saints here that we may be glorified with them in Heaven that we may praise and magnifie him with his Creatures in earth that we may be glorified with his Saints in Heaven quod faciat Deus per Christam Terra autem erat res informis inanis tenebraeque erant in superficie abyssi Gen. 1. 2. verse THE former verse was delivered to us an abstract of the whole work of Gods Creation now lest we should think that when he mentioned Heaven and Earth before he should mean that all things in Heaven and Earth were made in the very moment of the beginning even as we see them now therefore Moses 〈◊〉 haste to tell us that though at the beginning and first moment God made quecunque nunc sunt yet he made them not qualia nunc sunt but did that in six distinctions of severall times It had been as easie to him to have created all things even in the perfection and order they are in a moment and instant and in that beautifull form in which they present themselves now to our eyes But it pleased God though in power he could doc it yet in wisdome to proceed after these three degrees mentioned before First to create the beginning both of all times and of all things as the matter and beginning of all superior bodies and the beginning of all inferior bodies of nothing After the work of creation followeth the work of distinction from this 2. verse to the 11. And lastly ensueth the work of persection with beauty to adorn all his works and to finish them which is from the 11 verse to the 16. It pleased God thus to proceed in this work as well that he might shew himself to be the God of order as also to discover to us the mysterie of the Trinity in the three properties of the three persons which appear in the Creation For all was made by his Power which is the property of God the Father By his Wisedome which is the property of God the Sonne by which all things were orderly disposed and distinguished And by the riches of his Goodness which is the property of the holy Ghost by which all things were adorned and made perfect these three properties are remembred in the Revel 5. 12. and Acts 17. 28. We live by his power we and all things move in this order by his wisdome and we have this our being by his grace and goodness by his power we are taught to acknowledge him to be our beginning and originall ex quo sumus by his wisdome we acknowledge him to be the upholder per quem sumus by his goodness we confess him to be the Chief propter quod sumus For considering his goodness we and all Creatures must endeavor to doe all that we can for him and his praise and honour All which three are plainly and orderly set in the 11. Rom. 36. God also took this orderly proceeding partly that we entring into the meditation of Gods works might by this means have as it were a thread to direct us orderly therein for by this means we come to know this difference between Creatum ordinatum ornatum esse as the Hebrews say by this means we shall know not only the beginning and being of all things but also how orderly and excellently all things were made in this Creation And thus much of the reasons of this course of Gods proceeding in this work Moses having therefore in the first verse set down the materials of the World and all in them now to the 11. verse he sheweth the work of distinction And after the work of adorning and perfecting all But first of all he handleth
two things in this verse The rude rudiments of the World First what the things were he made in the beginning before they were distinguished by God for they were void and vain confused things without order or form all covered with obscure darkness Secondly He sheweth how God did first order and dispose these rude things that they might be fit for distinction and perfection Of the first whereof at this time In the first verse we consider God as Deum Theologicum for it is a matter and a mysterie of Faith that God gave all things their being of nothing But now hereafter we shall consider him tanquam Deum Philosophicum for there is no Philosopher if you allow him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this matter of the World but will confess that it was God as they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an understanding Spirit which is his power and wisdome framed all things in this order and forme even common natural reason alloweth and admitteth this rule because our Consciences doe see it That in every excellent work the action must by certain degrees and spaces come to perfection for before fire can burn any other things it must first warm then by little and little make black and parch and scorch the combustible thing after that it inflameth it and at last maketh it perfectly of its fiery nature able to doe that to another thing which the fire did to it at the first so every cause by an orderly course of proceeding doth bring his effect to perfection Moses sheweth therefore that God took that course which is very agreeable to natural reason and therefore first setteth down the imperfection of all things at their first beginning and then the degrees by which they come to their perfection For at the first there was a foggie gross darkness after he made the dawning or morning which is a mixture of some light and some darkness And after he made the perfect light So at the first he sheweth touching the waters that they were a bottomless gulfe afterward he made them quiet waters and at last made them salt Seas and fresh Waters Fountains and Springs in most necessary and orderly sort And for the Earth first the beginning of them which were the matter of all earthly things it was a desolate and disordered rude and deformed mass covered with water After God set it above the Waters and made it dry ground as the word signifieth And at the last he brought it to its perfection making it fruitfull and sanctifying it in all necessary things In the handling of which we will first generally behold them together and then severally and apart Touching the first It is even as if he had said all things in Heaven and Earth were not at the beginning in that comely and perfect order and manner in which you behold them now for now they present themselves to our eyes well fashioned adorned and replenished but then they were without form unshapely and void So the waters now we see serve for Navigation above and within them they are most profitable and fruitfull in bringing innumerable store of fith but at the beginning it was made void rude and raging Now we see the Heavens beautified and adorned with stars and lights but at the beginning it was but a gross mist and confused darkness without any light Wherefore one calleth them the swadling Clouts of the Worlds infancie Psal. 104.6 for the Waters overspread and covered all the Earth and the mist of darkness Job saith was the swadling band of the World 38.9 So the Cloudes were the swadling Clouts of the World in which it was wrapt up and the Seas were his Swathes to binde and swadle it up in its best infancie As the Worlds Creation was of nothing in the work of distinction all things were next kin to nothing for that without was rude and confused and within is void and emptic of any good is as a thing of nothing and such were all things saith Moses The Earth being distinguished from the Waters was somthing indeed but yet so dry and unprofitable that it was to no purpose nor use for any thing to dwell and remain on it Now we see the earth is set first if Moses had observed a curious order he should have placed heaven before earth as in the 1. 6. but the manner of the holy Ghost in the scripture is alwayes to begin to speak of that which is freshest in memory and that is commonly that which one speaketh of last The earth is called Toba Tobohu which hath this signification that it was a thing without shew in sight misshapen and deformed to outward view and within to have no inward vertue of good substance to make amends for Tohu signifieth a thing misshapen without and Tobohu signifieth a thing wanting all goodnesse and substance within to make amends for that and so it signifieth a thing of no commendation or value There are many things which are Tohu that is deformed without as Elisha 2 Reg. 2. 23. who was mocked and derided of the boyes in the street but yet within he had inward vertues which made amends for his outward want And there are some things which are Tobohu that is void and wanting all inward substance and good stuffing within without are very goodly and fair in shew to look too as Absolon which without was a man without blemish but within he had no good stufting answerable to that without but rather fraught with pride murder and disobedience But the earth was both Tohu and Tobohu without deformed and within void and empty not that it had no form for that were against reason but it was such a form as was altogether deformed for there is forma 〈◊〉 forma perfectionis and this deformed form it had which made it loathed having nothing to commend it it had as the prophet Esay 34. 11. speaketh line of deformity and the stones of emptinesse threatning to make wicked Cities such deformed things that is he will make them like the world at this state a confused head and the stones of the heap shall not be sound stones but unprofitable rubbish fit for no use Thus we see what the earth was at the beginning Now God in proceeding did replenish and fill that voyd emptynesse which it had with all good things which it wanted and beautified the deformity of it in this most glorious form as now we see and better shall perceive hereafter so that it is evident that both the fulnesse of things with which now it is replenished and this beauty which it hath it then wanted Et Spiritus Dei incubabat superficiei aquarum 2. SEcondly we are to consider of the deep which is called Abyssum which in the Scriptures is properly applyed unto the waters as in the 7. Gen. 11. and Esay 51. 10. and Luke 8. 22 23. These waters were the matter of which the heavens were made for God spread them abroad
begin naturally a communionibus but there is nothing with which all things doe more commonly communicate than the light of the Son ergo it is first for it is the communication of Heaven because all the Starres doe borrow their light of it and we see by it on earth it is oculus noster by which we see and it is their Cresset to light all them There are some which will have a reason of Gods works and would know how it could be that light should be first made and four daies after the Sunne to be made which was the cause of it But to these I answer that their absurd doubt doth argue small skill in Philosophy for they speak as if the light were an affection and quality only of the Sunne for we see that the fire on earth the meteors and lightnings in heaven the scales of Fishes and a dark wood have also light in them And what doth give light to these I answer not the Sunne But admit the same were the cause of light yet we see that many things have their proceeding in nature before things on which they have after their dependance As all agree that the livor in a man hath the precedence in nature and yet after it hath his dependance on the heart as his chief for though the light hath now his dependance on the Sunne yet then it had his precedence And as Christ was long before he took the body of Flesh so was the light a certain time before it took and was joyned to the body of the Sunne Again we may say that though the Sunne was not created now yet the substance of the Sunne was now made and so we may understand lux for corpus lucidum which after was perfected Last of all this of St. Basill will overthrow their doubt For if a man will grant to God that he made all things without matter of nothing then we must also grant that he can make light without the Sunne for God doth not depend upon ordinary means he is not bound and tyed to the Sunne that by the means thereof light should shew for he can give light without it three dayes by miracle at the beginning and will for ever give light without the Sunne after the end of the world The Hebrews spake of three Creations 1. De nihilo 2. In nihilo 3. Super nihilum All things were of nothing the light was in nothing the earth hanged upon nothing Job 26. 7. Tell me saith Job on what the earth dependeth and I will tell thee on what the light then did depend for it was miraculously giving light without Sunne A word of the second point Job telleth that it is a probleme and a hard question to know from whence the light is Job 38. 19. and in the 24. verse That it is more than mans wisdome to answer it for the very light is darknesse and ignorance to us for all that reason can conceive of it is this that either it must needs be a substance or else 〈◊〉 substantiae that is flowing or proceeding from a substance as a quality or affection of it if it be a substance it must be a spirituall or a corporall substance a spirituall substance it cannot be for it affecteth a bodily substance bodily it cannot be for the motion of it is a moment for with a flash it lighteneth all and also if it were then it must be granted that two bodies are in one place as the ayre and the light at one instant but indeed as they say of the Element that they are next kinne and affinity to accidents so we may say of light Preach 11. 5. there is a light of knowledge and a light of comfort The execution of the Precept The execution of the Precept was of the nature of the Preceptor and Commander 2 Cor. 4. 6. For as by his word he made the Whale bring Jonas safe to land so here he caused light to come out of darkness Rom. 4. 17. calling things that were not as if they were as the motion of the lightning is that is in an instant with celerity comming from the East to the West Luke 17. 24. so was the Creation of it for the facility of making it we know that no work is impossible to God Luke 1. 37. For as casie as it is for man to speak any thing so casie it is for God to doe any thing God 's dictum factum is all one and alike to him Wherefore we may conclude with David that Gods word runneth swiftly to the performance and execution of his Will It is easily and speedily done There is matter to be learned to lead us to good motions But of this hereafter Viditque Deus Lucem illam bonam esse Gen. 1. 4 vers THE meaning of this is That as we have seen Gods wisdome and power in the execution of his Will so now we may see the goodness and mercy of God in the confirmation and approbation of the light which he 〈…〉 allowing it as good for our use Job 28. 3. 〈…〉 God gave not the light to the Moon but to us that the light might arise to us The reference that this verse hath with that which goeth before is this God made things before and here Moses sheweth the quality of it that it was even in Gods judgement very good and perfect that is as the Philosophers say God in all his works limiteth together bonum ens for all that he maketh is passing well made The difference between Gods works and ours which sheweth the difference between Gods works and ours For it is our manner so we doe a thing that God willeth or that we purpose it is no matter we care not how it be done But here God teacheth us by his example that we should in attempting any thing have a speciall care that it be good and welldone Also it is usuall with us that the thing we make in haste is as we say canis festinans that is it is rudely and blindely done and therefore that which a man will doe well he taketh great pains and leasure about it because it is a hard and difficult matter to doe a thing well but God doth and can doe things well and perfectly well with ease with quick dispatch even in a moment with great facility and celerity and yet we see he confirmeth it to be very good in these words Two parts the View and Confirmation to be good Therefore there are two parts First the view which God taketh in beholding the light Secondly his testimony affirming and confirming it to be good The View Touching the first As before we haveheard of Gods speaking so here now we are to consider of Gods seeing Touching both which Moses by Gods spirit is taught to speak after the manner of men in our phrase and dialect that it might be to our capacity for he cannot speak to us as to spirituall but as to
Host and Army of the nether Heavens and the Starres are the Hostes of God which inhabite and are in Garrison in the second Heavens and the Hosts of Heavenly Souldiers Saints and Angells are the Armies of the third Heavens Luke 2. 13. which Heaven is called solum gloriae for Heaven is his throne it is called the habitation of Gods holinesse Esay 63. 15. And God is described by this place Matth. 5. 34. Deus qui sedet in Coelum Psal. 121. 2. so his place is in the third and highest Heavens and from thence cometh the true winde and spirit John 3. 8. and the true rain and dew and water of Grace and life John 4 14. and from thence discended the true bread of life John 6. 32. and the oyle of joy and all good things spirituall whatsoever and from thence we are to look for them Thus we may consider of Heaven though we might here rather know and learn the way thither then curiously to search what it is which we cannot finde nor comprehend 1 Cor. 2. 7. I come to the two other Heavens because this place teacheth and warranteth us only but of these two Touching the second Heaven this we finde that it is a glorious body Exod. 24. 10. though it consisteth of and by the waters as St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 3. 5. as in the water we see no diversity or variety yet in the bodie of the Heavens there is great variety for it is as it is in natural things In a kernel we can perceive no variety but yet it bringeth a tree forth which hath great variety as a body of wood bark leaves blossoms and fruit and by this incarnation we have participation of those graces Heb. 10. 20. and he calleth all to him to buy these waters John 7. 38. 39. and by his spirit he will power them into our souls Rom. 5. 5. Water of Meditation and of these waters the Patriarchs and we tasted 1 Cor. 10. 3. and by these waters of Grace we have passage and navigation from Earth to Heaven Act. 2. 17. 18. by our waters we can passe from one Country to another Waters of Grace These waters of Grace are contained in the clouds of the Law the preaching thereof doth drop gratious words as the dew Deut. 32. 2. and therefore the wiseman saith that the lipps of instruction are a well-spring of life so the preaching and ministery of Gods word is the clouds and bottels which hold this water Therefore Acts 14. 3. and Acts 20. 32. Gods word is called verbum gratiae which doth contain heavenly grace as the clouds doe water which by the inluence of Gods spirit is made aqua vitae vivificans John 6. 35. for the word is as seed but the spirit giveth life and so that is made effectuall in us and we made fruitfull unto God and as a sweet ground whom God hath blessed Gen. 26. 12. Now as God in the name of Heaven holdeth up the finger as it were and saith here is waters to be had and looked for so the same word of God which made the Heavens must give these waters from thence and therefore they which want wisdome and knowledge let them ask and seek them of God Jam. 1. 5. 17. The bucket by which we must draw this water is a true faith Esay 12. 2 3. Prov. 12 17. 19. and then our souls became like a well watred garden Jer. 31. 12. This water it yeeldeth for meditation There is also profitable matter to learn for 〈◊〉 For as we see God doth here we must expresse the like in our actions that we may be like unto God First When we have received our light of knowledge we are taught by the order of Creation that the next course in regeneration is to extenuate our earthly affections and to sublime and elevate and to lift up our mindes to Heaven Phil. 3. 20. So St. Paul willeth us Col. 3. 2. this is the laying up of treasures in Heaven Matth. 6. 20. we must think on Jerusalem which is above if we will be free Citizens in it Gal 4. 26. Secondly for the division As there is a Heaven and Earth the two parts of the world so is there in man two parts correspondent the earthly Adam made of the dust and the spirit and soul which God gave 〈◊〉 12. 7. which is called the Heavenly Adam 1 Cor. 15. 47. 48. God will first say let be a separation our souls must be separated from earth earthly and carnall things as we said before and ascend And as all earthly things which make for the flesh are brought into a narrow compasse of the Earth which is but a prick in a circle whereas God hath reserved the large spatious roome of the Heavens for our souls so must we bring our carking cares of this life into a narrow room of our hearts and let the whole compasse of our souls and thoughts be filled with the study and care of the Kingdome of God Thirdly As the part of waters which ascended became a Firmament and are most sure and immutable unto the end of the World so must our souls having begun in the spirit ascend to Heaven be constant firm and immutable to the end of our lives and never end in the flesh Gal. 3. 3. nor fall to the Earth as those starres did Rev. 6. 13. for it it is the part of a foolish and wicked man that is mutable and wavering Prov. we must not be Rubenites Gen. 49. weak and inconstant as water for a just mans heart is firm and shall not shrink nor be moved but 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in God Psal. And this is the part of Martyrs for though they are by nature weak and fearfull and as waters yet by Gods grace are made as the Firmament more sure against all Gods enimies than a wall of brasse Matter of thankfullnesse The last use is for matter of thankfullnesse and gratefullnesse with which we will close up all For we see that when the Earth sendeth up but a thin and a small myst the Clouds requite it by powring down showers So Cursus Dei gratiae dependet in recursu nostrarum gratiarum actionis for as the Clouds will send no more rain if the Earth will send up no vapours nor breathe up any mists so only Gods Graces will discend into our Souls when our gratefullnesse doth from thence ascend up to God for then they cease distilling down on us when we leave off to be thankfull Wherefore let us be thankfull for Coelo aëreo for without the benefit and purenesse of it we cannot breathe and live Psal. 65. and let us be thankfull pro Coelo aethereo for the comfortable and sweet influence of the starres because the Earth hath no power to bring fruit without the virtue of the Heavens And lastly Let us 〈◊〉 thankfull pro Coelo Coelorum or Coelo Coelesti that is for the third Heavens for as we must praise God for
these sensible and visible Heavens so must we for these invisible and incomprehensible Heavens which we enjoy only by hope and faith for seeing we know that he created them to be a dwelling place for his Saints John 14. 2. we must not only praise God with thankfull hearts for it but also prepare our souls that we may be meet to be received into them with the wise Virgins evermore praising him for that although he hath not made us Haeredes regalis mansionis here on Earth yet he hath called us to have mansionem in regno Coelorum which he send us which hath purchased it for us cui honos gloria in seculum Postea dixit Deus confluant aquae istae quae sub hoc Coelo sunt in locum unum conspicua sit arida fuit ita Gen. 1. 9. THE action of the second day was suspended as I told you the last time and in some sort left undone and unperfect by reason that the Prophet delayed and deferred the approbation of the Heavens untill he should shew us what should become of the nether waters then separated wherefore having declared how the upper waters being lift up were stretched and spread abroad and made a Firmament now he sheweth how the nether waters below were gathered together to make the Seas and withall he sheweth us the Earth which as St. Ambrose saith lay as a wrack in the middest and bottom of the waters was by Gods word drawn up and brought to light and made profitable for man and beast For after the swadling bands of darknesse were removed and the disordered course of waters well ordered and disposed then the eye of Gods providence from which nothing is hid beholdeth the Earth which was covered and swallowed up in the deep Psal. 104. 6. and so he delivereth it of his goodnesse both from the outward impediments of the waters which kept it from the sight of the light and also from the inward and naturall inconvenience of emptinesse by which it was unmect for any living thing to dwell on it which mercy of God because it sheweth it self to Earth we are earth dust and ashes therefore it doth so much the more neerly teach and concern us though light was made and the firmament framed yet both these parts of the world and the world it self was unperfect untill the Earth was discovered Therefore Moses telleth us that God did as it were make haste and speedily passe over the first and second day that he might the sooner come to the Earth which in the next place he frameth partly to shew that he is not bound to any course or frame in building his house as to descend orderly from the cealing of Heaven down to the foundation of the Earth and partly to manifest his spirituall care and providence that he hath for the Earth and earthly things indeed as the Prophet telleth us Esay 45. 18. God made not the Earth in vain but to this end that it might be habitable but it passeth our capacities to think that God would put it to so honourable a use as to be the place on which he would set his chief delight But whereas we would think that God being in Heaven would not abase himself to vouchsafe to look down on the Earth in this miserable and desolate case yet now this third day being come in which the Earth should be made and perfected we see God adorneth this work with a double Precept with two actions and a double approbation to shew his speciall care and delight he had in this work for here is twice dixit Deus and twice fecit and twice dixit Deus bonum esse which repetition of redoubling we only see when there is another revolution and another third day in which God made man of the Earth to be the perfection of the Earth as it was the perfection of the world Therefore we see that though the Heavens were his own habitation and the Earth he meant to give and bestow on men 〈◊〉 115. 16. yet he seemeth to have lesse care and regard of Heaven than of Earth and to bestow as it were double pains and cost on our habitation over he did upon his own which is our great comfort that God rewardeth and esteemeth or respecteth so much this Earth 4 Parts In this dayes work we are to consider four parts each doubled First two Decrees then two Actions performed Thirdly by two accomplishments Fourthly by two approbations On the Earth we see two actions necessarily performed First the emptying and removing of that it should not have which was the outward impediment of a huge number of waters which hindred the sight of it and ability to be inhabited The second the delivering and removing from it his nether and inward inconvenience of emptinesse being void of all things meet for habitation and replenishing it with store and variety of Plants and Herbs c. And so having removed the outward and inward impediment Tohu Tobohu which it had within and without he finished the work of God getteth out a severall warrant to remove both inconveniences to this end that it be habitable and stored with necessaries for them that dwell therein The parts are the Decree and the Action the giving out of the Decree is to be considered in this word Dixit the tenor of the Decree is durable First for the removing of the waters Secondly for the appearing of the Earth The third and last place setteth down the accomplishment of it Touching the giving out of the Decree to omit the things before rehearsed I will deliver these three points First the giving out of it in regard of God Secondly touching the word Thirdly of the number 1. For the first Seeing Abraham maketh it a great matter Gen. 18. 27. that Earth should seem to speak to God we may think it a wonder and a strange thing that God should so abase himself as it were to behold much more to vouchsafe to speak to this rude and poor Creature which lay in worse and baser case than any other for whereas other Creatures in their imperfection had but one inconvenience we see this had two without and within Wherefore if we make this a matter of inquiry the Scriptures shew us this reason that it is Gods usuall custome and nature and delight to shew his goodnesse especially in exalting things humble and most base and to lift the poor out of the mire Job 5. 11. It is a known thing that God Humilibus dat gratiam Pro. 3. 34. which all the Apostles also teach wherefore the Earth being the lowest and basest and most poor and humble doth God of his grace and goodnesse choose to give it this grace and to exalt it thus The Prophet telleth us that God had made choise to dwell in two places Habitat aut in aeternitate or else habitat in humilitate that is he will no where dwell but either in the high Heavens
or else in the low and humble Earth Therefore of his goodnesse he vouchsafed to seek a treasure house in the Earth wherein to keep his chosen and so hath made the Earth as it were the ornament of the Heavens Thus we see the Decree in respect of God 2. Secondly for the Word As we saw the word of God to be the piller of the Heavens so here we see it serveth to build and uphold the Earth and as the Spirit then moving by dilatation made and spead abroad the Heavens so here the work and power of the Spirit is seen in contraction for so the Earth was made and the Seas gathering in the waters and as the Heavens were by division so now the Earth and Waters are made by union being joyned together So that as a mans hand is called instrumentum instrumentorum So Gods word is Gods hand by which the Heavens and Earth were made Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord the Heavens were made that is Psal. 102. 25. they are the work of his hands the Word and Spirit and as there he speaketh of them as of a body so here he calleth it Synagoga aquarum a concourse or gathering of waters thereby comparing the Sea to a great Cathedrall Church and the Arms Streams and Rivers to be as it were Parish Churches to that Sea or Diocesse so that as all inferiour Parishes are ordered and depend on their Mother Church so doth this teach us to think of the Seas and gathering of waters Touching the name and title given to them there are divers judgements and opinions but they may be reduced to these four 1. The first hath a denotation and pointing at the properties and qualities of the water and Seas 1. And first from the plenty and aboundance of them in which sense we call any great quantity a Sea as a Sea of People of troubles c. 2. Secondly For the instability in which respect the wicked are compared to the Sea as tossed in trouble and wavering in inconstancle Esay 57. 20. 3. Thirdly In respect of the raging and unrulinesse of the Seas Psal. 65. 7. 2. therefore for these ill qualities of the waters they think that God gave the Sea this name Other think that God gave not that name to signifie any evill but rather the good properties and nature of it and therefore they say that it hath its name because the Seas were as it were the mother out of whose wombe the earth was taken as Eve out of Adams side and it was not only taken e visceribus aquarum as having a wombe as Job saith 38. 8. but also the Earth taketh his nourishment ex visceribus aquarum for of it self it is dry witherly withall Prov. 30. 16. and is as a Child thirsting gaping and opening his mouth for the moisture of the waters to drink and be satisfied with it Psal. 143. 6. so they think that it hath his name hereof and from and out of it issueth the Earth and is nourished also thereby 3. The third sort think that it is nominated from the scituation and place which it hath for if we look in a Map of the World and set our face to the East we shall see that the Seas are placed on the right hand and the Earth scituated on the left as giving it the right hand of fellowship 4. The fourth and last sort are the best who considering the two words which signifie the Earth and the Sea Majim Jamin for the first letter put to the latter end of the other word maketh them all one and the last letter of the second word put before the first maketh the two words to be all one without difference which is done only by a transposition of letters which shew that Waters naturally are above the Earth and yet by Gods transposition the Earth is set above the Waters and so they are without difference joyned as in one Globe This transposition of the things they gather out of the transposition of words for at the first naturally the Seas eat up and devoure the Earth but now being transposed and set aloft it feedeth and nourisheth it at the first it was the grave of the Earth but now it is as a garment to it Psal. 104. 6. and so by Gods spirit it is transposed and God did as it were change and transpose his Decree to have it so Job 38. 10. The third point is That it is set down in the plurall number for though we call all the gathering together of the waters but one body singular yet it hath two shores which are the Seas lips through which he thrusteth forth as it were his tongue by rivers into the land so in his parts it is plurall as in arms and fingers but all this plurality joyneth together in one salt Sea Gen. 14. 3. and we doe call that the main Ocean Sea which is the greatest place whereto is the gathering together of all waters Joshuah 15.7 and 47. Job calleth the Seas the bottom of waters 38. 16. and the other Rivers and streams to be as it were salt tears dropping and distilling from the eyes of the deep Seas which running through the veins of the Earth is cleansed and purified from his brackish and barren nature and so it is made profitable and pleasant and good Now to the second part of this work which is Gods approbation touching which first of Gods view and then of the goodnesse of them This speech is taken from Artificers for as they having made a thing will return to behold and view it either to amend it if it be amisse or to commend it if be well So it is said That God having perfected all waters above and below and the Earth he took a view and consideration of them not to amend or correct them for he needed not because he is so perfect a workman that all his works are most perfect and cannot be amended or made better for though foolish men think this or that evill or imagine how it may be better yet God knoweth all to be most absolutely and perfectly good and therefore it is said that his looking on it was only to approve and allow it as good in it self for us and herein God differeth from men for men are carelesse in their work so they doe it they care not how it be done but God will not doe a thing but he will see it well done and confirm and avouch it to be perfectly good Duplex usus This example teacheth us to have a double use of Gods Creatures The one a naturall use of them as the Earth to tread on the light to see by The other is a spirituall use which is usus reflexus which is the consideration of Gods mercie and goodnesse in making these things and our gratefull acknowledgement thereof for as God would not make them materially but regard and consider them in their qualities
in excellent order The Astronomers doe say that the standing of the Sunne and the course of all the starres is in uneffable wisdome The Sunne riseth and goeth down and draweth to his place where it riseth the winde goeth towards the South and compasseth towards the North the winde goeth round about Preach 1. 5 6. The Starres nor Planets could not be placed neither higher nor lower By the removing of the Sunne the corn when it is sowed receiveth moisture at the spring it maketh the Corn to appear it by its heat ripeneth the same God by making them set them in order he made them after the Heavens He made the Earth first Herbs after and the Sea before the Fishes the leaves are after the Tree All the Host of Heaven saith the Lord shall fall as the leaf falleth from the Vine Esay 34. 4. They lighten the Earth they are called oculi mundi we doe see good and evill and yet we doe doubt but the light giveth discretion to discern but the light of mine eyes is not mine own Psal. 38. 10. By their light we number we measure and order the Earth It receiveth no light by mans industry this light is lucerna pedibus by them God doth impregnate and extracteth the fruits they rule the day and the night and they serve for the use of man Abimelech lay in ambush in the dark night but he rose as soon as the Sunne was up to fight with Gaal Judge 9. 33. So they have imperium ministerium the evening and morning is ruled by the Starres the night by the Moon and the day by the Sunne yet they doe serve the use of man by the devotion of the Sunne the dayes are longer and shorter by them the light is separated from the darknesse by the course of Heaven we have hot and cold dayes the year the moneth the day are reckoned and distinguished by the Hoste of Heaven Ezechiel 31. 1. The Moon in the full is the Summer of the Moneth the conjunction is as it were the Winter They are to divide light and darknesse this is for mans sake in respect of the Creatures The Sunne is the protector of man and when he ruleth it is the time of labour but when the Moon ruleth the night commeth and restoreth strength Who may abide the comming of the day of the Lord Malach. 3. 2. darknesse is as it were the drosse of light the purest metals have their drosse Now of the Approbation and God saw that it was good No evill is to be ascribed to the constellation of any starre for all the starres that God made are good The good of the light is visible there is in it a morall goodnesse for malus odit lucem quaerit tenebras The Adulterer the Theef the Murtherer are the Children of darknesse so that in light there is a morall goodnesse Therein also there is a pleasant good The light is a pleasant thing it is a good thing to the eyes to see the Sunne Preach 11. 7. Herein bonum and jucundum doe meet together Falshood and wickednesse dwelleth in dark places but veritas non quaerit angulos Fear was upon the Mariners when neither Sunne nor Starres in many dayes appeared Acts 27 20. But Sol and solace dwell together they have bonum utile Their use and profit is to light the Sunne is clavus vitae by them we have direction to judge and discerne Hereby is the managing of dayes and of nights alternatio temporum vicissitudo rerum Hereby is a time to sow and a time to reap Hereby is confusion of times avoided So God saw it was good in all goodnesse God maketh his Sunne to arise upon the evill and the good and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust Math. 5. 45. So that the light is an argument of Gods goodnesse The spirituall use For Admonition Now we will give you some small spiritual use Out of them we may learn admonition of our end by their end for the Heavens shall be dissolved and folden like a book all their hosts shall fall as the leaf falleth from the Vine Esay 34. 4. so that out of the book of the Heavens we may learn admonition Admonition Let us not be a disobedient and gainsaying people Rom. 10. 21. but let us doe good under the Sunne sub bono simus boni For the proceeding The course of the Sunne and the Moon is good and still in motion Let not us then be idle non vivamus ignavos annos vanos dies lest that come on us which came upon the AEgyptians Psal. 78. from Heaven God rained down Heavenly Manna the wheat of Heaven the bread of Angels as it is in the same Plalme wherefore cast off lying and speak every man truth unto his neighbour Ephes. 4. 25. Austin saith well Cum occidit visibilis Sol occidat iracundia tua ne occidat tibi Christus Sol invisibilis The Sunne and Starres are wonderfull works of God Ambrose saith Sapientes admirantur magna stulti admirantur nova ut cometas the Starres the Sunne and Moon are the vessels of his goodnesse David saith When I behold the Heavens the works of Gods fingers the Moon and the Starres which thou hast ordeined What is man said I that thou shouldest remember him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest regard him Psal. 8. 3. And as the visible Sunne doth daily arise so saith Malachie Unto them that fear Gods name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise Malach. 4. 2. Christ is this Sunne of righteousnesse And the Church is fair as the Moon pure as the Sunne Cant. 6. 9. The Church is full of spots but cleared by the Sunne of righteousnesse the Church waxeth and waineth and still is renewed as the Moon the words of the Prophet is as a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-starre arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. In the time of the Prophets was darknesse but at Christs comming there was a perfect light The knowledge of faith is as the morning light which groweth lighter the knowledge of reason is as the evening which groweth darker and darker Imitation Out of the Heavens we have an use for imitation The Sunne riseth visibly and continueth his course We must continue in the good we have begun we must learn courage of the Sunne which rejoyceth like a mightie man to runne his race that we may shine among the crooked Nations as lights in the World Philip. 2. 15. that we should not only have light in our selves but learn by the Moon the Sunne and Stars to give also light unto others Men light not a candle and put it under a bushell but on a candlestick to lighten those in the house Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in Heaven Matth. 5. 16. Let the streams of our light succour the poor be you liberal
Stork knoweth her season the Swallow never is seen but in the Summer the Cock croweth certainly at his hours Ex Avihus est praesagium Coeli when the Crane taketh up a stone and flies with it in his foot it is a signe of a storm 4. Knowledge of their Medicines The fourth part of preservation is that they doe know their medicines The Eagle buildeth his nest on high as in a tower the Hawke to get her feathers flyeth with a south winde she stretcheth out her wings to the South Job 39. 29. Plumescit vento Australi the Swallow cureth her eye sight by the Celandine the Ibis teacheth us to take a glister the Sea horse learned us the blood-letting for when he feeleth himself full of corrupt blood he pricketh himself upon a sharp reed 3. The Proviso Now of the Proviso The Fowls only multiply He saith only The fowls should multiply upon the Earth fishes by shoals did fill the waters and the spawn of fishes covered the waters It were dangerous and troublesome if the fowls had so many egges as the fishes have spawns non est tanta volucrum luxuries quanta est piscium God still regarded man he would not have the Aire pestered therefore he restrained them only for to multiply Sol homo generant hominem saith Philosophic but Divinity saith benedictio Dei homo generant hominem illa pisces generant pisces illa aves generant aves Gods blessing It is his blessing that giveth food to the hungrie cloaths to the naked riches to any man It is not labor that maketh rich nor strength that getteth victory Proverbs 10. 22. It is in vain for man to rise early to lye down late and to eate the bread of sorrow for mans state is in Gods providence Psal. 127. Children are the inheritance of the Lord the fruit of the womb is his reward in the same Psal. By study and Gods blessing commeth learning Whether then you eat or drink or beget or whatever you doe you doe it by Gods blessing That this blessing of God toward us may continue let us blesse and praise his name for ever If our blessing of thanksgiving and praise doe ascend his blessings will descend sic crit recursus decursus perpetuus Postea dixit Deus Faciamus Hominem ad imaginem nostram secundum similitudinem nostram qui dominetur in Pisces Maris in Volucres Coeli in Pecudes in universam Terram atque in omnia Reptilia Reptantia super Terram Gen. 1. 26. Februar 4. 1590. IT is St. Ambrose question Quamdiu discimus alias Creaturas ignoramus autem nos Before you see that things created before were for us The Creation of Man And now he createth us The knowledge of names the plenty of all things Ecclesiasticus 17. 2. the tale of dayes numbring the first second and third c. are for reasons capacity This numbring of dayes is the Ephemerides and Chronicle to the Worlds end God hath concealed his strength from the horse yet hath shewed it unto man After God hath compassed about the Heavens after he had ordered the land and the Sea he then created man and then he soundeth the retreat Quod est actione ultimum fuit intentione primum for God had still a regard of him God said thrice in the creation of Man which hath a resemblance of the Trinitie There is conveyance of Gods grace to man here is Gods Counsell for mans care 4. Things In this verse we will consider four things under four causes First Mans efficient Secondly the matter Thirdly the form Lastly the end in the similitude of God and in dominion over the fowls fishes and beasts God hath made him a Ruler Of them in order 1. Mans efficient First There is a partition wall there is a difference between this work of man and all the former Faciamus The stile now is changed fiat sit into faciamus God before was a Commander now he is a Counsellor Quis est saith a Father qui formabitur ut tanta sit opus prospectione Before with saying sit fiat facta sunt but here in faciamus is deliberation for that he now makes him for whom all the former Creatures were made The beasts were made this day with Man but here is the difference creata sunt ambo eodem die non eadem fide eodem loco non eodem modo God said producat terra germinet herba sed dixit faciamus hominem Austin saith well Fecit 〈…〉 ut procul stans at hominem ut prope accedens porrigens manum God framed man out of the Earth as doth the Potter his pot out of the clay As the clay is in the potters hand so is the house of Israel in Gods hand Jer. 18. 6. We are not only the sheep of his pasture but the sheep also of his hands He made us and not wee our selves Let us mark to whom is this Precept directed not the Angels and Elements The Arrians and Jews doe say that in the creating of man God consulted with Angels and had the help of Elements which opinion is without all discretion For who hath instructed the spirit of the Lord or was his Counsellor Esay 40. 13. Nec consilisrium neque auxiliarium habet Deus Men are not the patern of the Angels but the image of God Some Jews say here God speaketh like a Prince in the plural number denying the Trinity but Philo Judeus the best of the Jews disclaimeth that opinion We say therein is expressed the Trinity Princes in giving their Law use most magnificence God at the giving of his Law saith I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but one in the singular number The unity of God-head and the Trinity of Persons In dixit Deus is the unity of substance in faciam us is the trinity of persons In the treble creavit in this chapter in the treble dixit in this sixth day is signified the Trinity of persons In the image and similitude is the unity In nostra is the trinity dicit ad similitudinem non similitudines This is plain both in the creation and in the regeneration by Christ God in unity man in the trinity In creating man is great deliberation it is a joynt work of the Trinity Thus farre of the cause efficient 2. The matter of Man Secondly Of the Matter God created Man or Adam which is nomen collectivum and signifieth Earth the Matter of our creation God in creating the Heavens de profundis abyssi exaltavit altitudinem Coeli And here man a clod of earth before perchance trodden sub pedibus bestiarum collocavit super capita Angelorum ut in Christo. David seeing mans basenesse Psal. 144. 3. saith Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the Sonne of man that thou thinkest upon him and likewise in the 8. Psalme all before
tend to honour and excellency this work of ours sheweth our own basenesse that we are but fimus and limus the creeping worm called in Hebrew Adama hath alliance with Adam which man who is but a worm as saith Job he confesseth himself to be vile Job 39. 37. In the 22. Jeremy 29. the prophet exclameth saying O Terra Terra Terra Adam or Man is not every kinde of Earth he is not sandy but of a serviceable and profitable gleeb for he is for Gods especial use and made to his own likenesse In Gods temple there was no tymber but of fruitfull trees aliquid Deus creavit exnihilo hîc ex infimo maximum at homo malus otiosus ex aliquo facit nihil Though David were an holy man yet did he see corruption Acts 13. 36. For man is of the Earth earthly and born mortal subject to corruption Galen the Heathen saith that the Anatomy of a man is Hymnus Dei He saith to the Epicure take an hundred year to work but one part of a man and thou canst not mend it for in man God hath been so absolutely a work-man that nothing in him may be mended Miranda fecit pro homine sedmagis miranda in homine I will praise thee O Lord saith David Psal. 139. 14. for I am wondrously made 3. The form of Man Thirdly The form of man in our Image juxta similitudinem nostram though man be de terra in terra yet he is not propter terram God created his former Creatures secundum speciem suam according to their kinde God createth man secundum similitudinem suam Man is Microcosmos so say the Heathen but divinity saith he is Imago Dei in omnibus Creaturis vestigia sunt Dei sed in homine non solùm sua vestigia sed imago sua Est enim non solum opus sed imago Dei Miscen upon this place saith upon Imago Dei that in una hac voce innumer as habemus voces Who fo sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed the reason is this for in the image of God hath he made man Gen. 9. 6. So there is no exchange of mens souls in imagine sua we are created without blemish Now when Adam was an hundred and thirty yeers old he begat a childe in his own likenesse after his image chap. 5. 3. that was blemished by his sinne Our perfection in the image of God is esse constmiles filio Dei for we are predestinate to he made like the image of his Sonne that he might be the first born of many Brethren Rom. 8. 29. We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Perfect felicity is the Image of God virtue is the way to this felicity sinne deformeth this Image in us Here is Imago similitudo Similitudo Similitudo is the genus and comprehends both similitudo is as a union in quality here it is added as a perfection to the Image the lineaments hereof by the Fathers are said to be first The essence of the soul is in the body in omni unaquaque parte as God is in the world ☜ Secondly the soul is immortal God is so Thirdly there is a triple power of the soul Understanding Memory and Free-will Understanding is every where in Heaven in Earth in the deep on this side and beyond the Seas there is an ubiquitie of the soul as of Gods presence every where Memory the infinitenesse thereof is as that of God who is without limitation quae est haec immensa hominum capacitas saith a Father the will and conscience cannot be bound but it is free to think so God what him pleaseth that can he doe God by his power createth man and make h a natural World And Man likewise maketh artificialem mundum as ships for carriage temples for service lights and candles as artificial starres creavit etiam homo alteram quasi naturam Imago Dei nata creata There is a primitive Image which is Imago nata that is of Christ the Sonne of God Imago autem creata Dei is of man Christ is the Image of the invisible God the first born of every Creature Coloss. 1. 15. Zeleb in the original tongue is nata Imago quae est Christi Tohar creata Imago quae est Adami In the Redemption Christ made himself as our Image Man planted may fall so did Adam but being replanted by Christ he cannot fall The first man Adam was made a living soul the last man Adam was made a quickning spirit 2 Cor. 15. 45. ad similitudinem nostram Imago Dei est omnium hominum similitudo autem est paucorum the one is the bare face the other is the robe royal the one we have by essence the other by virtue the one by nature the other by grace We ought to put off the old man with his works and put on the new man which his renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Colloss 3. 10. and love is the bond of perfectnesse so that knowledge is recommended in the Image and love in the likenesse which two are as the Urim and Thummim of the Law Our soul is as a glasse to behold his virtues and humble precepts Luke 6. 27. In his similitude to be as he is as farre as we may Hence have we a thankfull remembrance that he will crown us with glory everlasting if we finne not against nature and draw on instead of his similitude larvam Demonis the visor of the Devil but put on the new man which after God is created unto righteousnesse and 〈…〉 and give not place unto the Devil Ephes. 4. 24. We have in us Earth in regard of the body and Heaven in regard of the soul in the one is time in the other eternity Christ calleth the Gospel The Gospel of every Creature Mark 16. 15. Ambrose saith posuit Deus in homine Terram Coelum non ut Terra mergat Coelum sed ut Coelum elevet Terram totum hoc est 〈◊〉 se assimulare Deo Let thy inward thoughts and outward conversation be good and agreeable for this is the end of all Fear God and keep his commandements this is the whole duty of a man for God will bring every work with every secret thing unto Judgment whether it be good or evil Ecclesiastes 12. 13. 4. The end of mans creation to rule other creatures After God hath crowned man with knowledge and love in the latter part of this verse he giveth him a Scepter and maketh him Vicegerent over the Sea the Aire the Earth over all the fishes fowls beasts and creeping things therein bidding him to rule over them He brought before man the beasts and fowls he had created to whom Adam gave their names Gen. 2. 19. The Image is of perfection the Similitude is in wisdome in knowledge in the Sonne in love in the Holy Ghost
in power of the Father Miscen saith Fecit Deus hominem nudum to shew that he needed the help of other Creatures for cloathing and for meat Mans soveraingtie is to have at his command and to serve him the whole earth and the furniture thereof If God bid him to rule over the fowls fishes and the beasts over the better sort then surely over the worser Yea God hath made the Sunne the Moon and Starres with all the hoste of Heaven to serve man and hath distributed them to all People Deut. 4. 19. He hath given him dominion over the beasts that is the priviledge of hunting into what parts he please and dominion over the Earth which is the priviledge of Husbandry Oh let us live after the similitude of him whose Image we are and let us not be like nay worse than beasts pejus est comparari bestiae quà m nasci bestiam For man though he be in honor he understandeth not but is like to beasts that perish Psal. 49. 20. We are here to note the obedience of the Creatures while man was obedient and that the mutinie and discention between them and their disobedience to man did arise by mans rebellion to God his Maker Adams disobedience caused their disobedience When Adam stood then the cattel the fowl and the beasts of the field came and did homage unto man and were content to be named by him chap. 2. 20. But after his fall fugiunt fugant they some of them flie from him and other some make him to flie Now we serve the cattel before they can serve us This commeth to passe by disobedience by blotting as much as in us lyeth the Image of God Let then our own wickednesse correct us and our turnings back reprove us for know and behold that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast for saken the Lord thy God Jer. 2. 19. It is Gods bounty to be created in the Image of God according to his likenesse Let therefore our care be that these his great benefits be not bestowed in vain by our own sensuality lest by that means we be cast from his likenesse for at the first God created man without corruption and made him after the Image of his own likenesse Wisd. 2. 24. Itaque creavit Deus Hominem ad Imaginem suam ad Imaginem inquam Dei creavit eum Marem Foeminam creavit eos Gen. 1. 27. Februar 6. 1590. GODS deliberation was in the former verse Here he entreth into consultation in this image his person is represented this verse is the accomplishment of the former Fuit sic was the return of the other dayes Three creavit's in this verse but he useth another course here the three creavit's iterated thrice is a specifying of great joy of God in this his work it is saith a Father triumphus Creatoris It expresseth the tender affection and dear love God hath to man in a speech of affection Salomon saith Prov. 31. 2. What my sonne and what the sonne of my womb and what oh sonne of my desires Paul likewise ravished and carried away with this fervent affection useth this treble iteration in the 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen yeers agoe whether he were in the body I cannot tell or out of the body I cannot tell I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell which was taken up into thethird Heaven Others doe conceive that God by this treble iteration blew a trumpet to the Waters Earth and Heaven that is to all the World that they should all know that man was their Governor Thus much for creavit in general and the treble iteration thereof Now we will consider the especials Faciamus was a word suspicious so that some thought God had the help of Angels but here by creavit the doubt is answered that is was one by the Deity ☜ Imago nostra was suspicious here ad imaginem Dei ad imaginem suam taketh away the doubt Creavit thrice iterated in this chapter the first is creating essence the other life the other understanding Creavit is here thrice mentioned for that all these three essence life and understanding are in this one Creature Adam He hath being sense and reason est autem ratio anima animae pupilla animae all which three are expressed in chap. 2. 7. God made man of the dust of the ground that is his essence and breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a living soul there is the person of God the Father in the creation All things were made by the word and without it was made nothing John 1. 3. So by this conceit Gods purpose is understood Here the Fathers in treble iteration finde trinity of Person in creavit unity of Godhead The Image is for knowledge the similitude for love and power is given him for execution The minde or heart receiveth Deut. 6. 6. the will affecteth the power or dominion executeth There is contemplation affection and action brought forth by this triplicitie Now of the considerations apart Three parts of this verse This verse hath three parts Two of the soul one of the body the two first concern the soul the last the body as is apparent By the two branches of the soul is signified a double care of the soul and a single care of the body Our soul is coelum our body coenum the one heavenly the other earthly The opinion of the better sort of Interpreters is That God useth this often repetition for the better credence saying ad imaginem suam ad imagine ejus cujus respondet ad imaginem Dei Man carrieth the image of God not of Caesar not of the World Date ergo Deo quae sunt Dei The best sort say it is for the emphasis for our learning and for our memorie alledging the 22. of Proverbs 20. Have I not written unto thee three times in councells and knowledge It is ad perpetuam rei memoriam Jeremy saith thrice Oh Earth Earth Earth in regard of our humiliation Similitude Imago Here Moses sheweth that though in regard of our bodies we are Earth yet in regard of our souls we are Heavenly To the peace of God we are called in one body Colloss 3. 15. Christ took upon him our vile Image to redeem us The woman is of the man the man is by the woman but all things are of God 1 Cor. 11. 12. By sinne we have lost this Image but fear to sinne reneweth this Image which who hath not he is no man But what is become of Gods likenesse the Image is twice mentioned but sometime the Image is taken for the likenesse as in the 3. James 9. Men are made after the similitude of God The Fathers take the similitude for a perfection not a generalitie St. Ambrose saith Est Imago quam babemus est similitudo quam
Corinthians the eleventh chapter and the twenty seventh verse among other miseries rekoneth cold and nakedness and as it is in the fifth of the Lamentations and the tenth the Prophet speaketh heat maketh the skin black as an oven so these clothes defended the skin from the offence of all weather For in nature every one nourisheth and cherisheth his own flesh the fifth to the Ephesians and the twenty nineth he nourisheth his belly with meat and cherisheth his back with clothes We doe account our selves debters to the flesh the eighth to the Romans and the twelfth These two are meant by things needfull for the body the second of St. James Epistle and the sixteenth but as it is in the thirteenth of the Romans and the fourteenth Put you on the Lord Jesus and take no thought for the flesh facere non perficere were vain to make a Creature and not to preserv it God will not but here we must learn to take heed that we make it a defence for necessity and not an offence for superfluity the first of James and the twenty first 4. Of Skins The fourth point is that this apparell was made of skins Herein are two things to be learned first that they were skins of beasts and then that the beasts were destroyed the beast was made to be destroyed but man was to be regarded they must die that man may be preserved from death God hath greater regard of us than of all the beasts we are of more value than many Sparrowes the tenth of Matthew and the thirty first he is allowed here to kill beasts for his apparrell and after to make their Tents of skins God hath given us more understanding than the beasts and more wisedome than the fowles of Heaven the thirty fifth of Job and the eleventh The second thing is the quality of the apparrell which is the first that God gave to Man which they weare for his liverie they are coverings of great frugality they are unlike unto ours which are for shew and not for durance It had been as easie for God to have made them of Silk and of Wool But God regarded not the gorgeous shew This simplicity of apparrell confoundeth the multiplicity of apparrell in these daies which they may well call a world of apparrell The gorgeous attire of the daughters of Zion the third of Isaiah and the sixteenth shall be altered to beggerie so that they shall discover their secret parts Here apparrell was made for the body but we make apparrell for apparrell vail upon vail the frugality confoundeth the riotousness and madness of apparrell and this simplicity our sumptuosness we are ashamed of Adams attire but Adam would be ashamed of us and our prodigality This apparrell was without pride Christ commandeth us not to care for our body what to eat or to put on in the sixth of Matthew and the twenty fifth the body is better than rayment but now mens apparrell is much more worth than the body for as farre as earth is from heaven so farre doe we differ in apparrell from the ancient world and now men consume their daies in vanity as it is in the 78. Psalme and the 33 before plainness was sufficient but now cutting and imbroiderie and needle-work on both sides nothing will suffice Esau for his belly sold his birth-right in the twelfth of the Hebrews and the sixteenth Achan for a little costly apparrell lost his soul in the seventh of Joshua the twenty first and with his 〈◊〉 he went to Hell it was a goodly Babylonish garment the simplicity of apparel was from Paradise but the pride of apparel seemeth by that place to be from Babylon The sumptuousnesse of apparel leadeth men into sundrie tentations the first to Timothie the sixth and the eight verse this is it that makes men to be lovers of themselves as it is in the second to Timothie the third chapter It draweth men to extortion but say rich apparel be worn without extortion or oppression or ill means yet it busieth the minde with vain thoughts and hindereth charitable works for often that too is bestowed upon vanitie which might better be bestowed in charity 5. Adam was content The fifth point and last is Adam looked not scornfully upon his apparel but was content with it which few of his posterity are for still though it be never so well yet one way or other they still mislike that is the first Secondly We must think well of such as weare such simple skinnes and not account vilie of them for having such apparel For those that went up and down in Sheeps skins and Goats skins were such quibus non dignus erat mundus of whom the world was not worthy the eleventh to the Hebrews the thirty seventh But he in the sixteenth of St. Luke the tenth verse that fared daintily that was elothed in purple and fine linnnen every day for all this he was not worthy of the world Salomon in his Canticles saith That the Kings daughter is beautifull within God respecteth the inward heart more than the outward shew the glory of apparel of gold or such like But if the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt and a spirit of humility before God is a thing much more set by the first of Peter the third chapter and the fourth verse Now we desire to be like golden sepulchres if the out side be gorgeous we care not how foul and filthy the inside is well therefore say the Fathers that nimia cura corporis ducit incuriam animae too much care of the body causeth the carelesnesse of the soul. Secondly They came hereby into Gods favour by wearing his liverie they became his servants and so of his houshold They are of the Princes house to whom he giveth bread and cloathing the third of Esay and the sixt verse If they were Gods servants then God was their Master and so it is said the sixt to the Ephesians the ninth that the Master of us all is in Heaven Out of these five clauses for things corporal we learn that out devising without Gods making cannot stand but is vain that God regardeth us more than all the beasts he had made he preserveth our life though by their death hence we may learn frugalitie and to flie vanity we may learn contentment and hate of pride hence we may learn that apparel was first instituted to cover lust not to provoke it Spiritual use And further than these literal points we may gather not only a bodily use but also a spiritual instruction He might have taken the hair of the Cammel or the wooll of the Sheep but the covering him with skinnes doth teach him humility to exalt him to glorie hence then may we gather matter of repentance and of humilitie hereby he hath to deject him in four regards the first is That by sinne he lay open in that he was after thus covered it put him in minde of his sinne though
shall leave a seed behinde him Cain and Abell resemble all mankinde Elect Reprobate as the variety in names so in natures and dispositions Secondly you heard that from this tree doe sprout two branches that is a pair of brethren to whom all mankinde may be reduced from whom both Sion the City of God and Babell the City of Satan take their beginning concerning whom in the variety of their names we observed the variety of their natures the one called Cain that is a possession sets out those people whose felicity is to get and which count it the only misery to lose the things of this life the other called Abell that is vanity doth set out unto us those which reckon all things in this life to be vanity as the Preacher teacheth us to value them thereby we considered what account we made both of the one and the other In the world Cain is called a great Jewell and Abell despised as a thing of naught Second and third Division Now we are come to a second and third division 1 In their Trades For in this verse they are divided by their trades and calling 2. In their Religion in the next by their religion and profession in the service of God both which divisions have their ground the second chapter and the seventh verse Man consists of Body and Soul to fill both Earth and Heaven For where man is said to consist of two parts body and soul the one formed of the dust of the earth the other breathed by God that is to shew that as according to Gods commandement the first chapter of Genesis and the twenty sixt verse He hath a care to fill the earth by bringing forth children so he must be as carefull to fill heaven by a second generation that as he was to till the earth from whence his body was taken chapter the third Mans vocation maintain life and religion a spirituall life So he must imploy his study in Gods service from whence he received his soul his care must be not only to leave behinde him a long generation but semen sanctum Mal. the second chapter as they must have a vocation whereby to maintain naturall life So they must be religious and offer sacrifice that leading a spirituall life here on earth they may obtain eternall life in heaven 1. The naturall life then the spirituall and why But as Cain was first born after the flesh and then Abell So alwaies flesh goeth before the spirit nature before grace as the Apostle witnesseth the first of the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall Therefore God was first to feed the Israelites with Manna and to give them water out of the rock the sixteenth chapter of Exodus before they would receive the Law which after was published upon mount Sinai the twentieth chapter of Exodus For as the Apostle sheweth there is a debt due to the flesh Rom. the eight chapter which must be paid before the spirit can with quietnesse attend upon Gods service which being provided for the spirit is the fitter to attend upon Gods worship Children are not to be trained up in idlenesse and why Before we come to their severall vocations we have first to consider in generall that Adam would not have either of his children trained up in idlenesse and therefore he sets not only his younger sonne But to labor in a vocation but even his heir to a trade and occupation knowing that whereas God hath ordained that man shall live by some painfull vocation chapter the third there is a thing that both touched him and his the necessity whereof is such as Job saith Man is born to labor even as a bird to flie the fifth chapter of Job and the seventh verse And as he imployeth in trade as well the eldest as the youngest So Abell the good no lesse then Gain the wicked sonne for the godly have no liberty to live without some honest calling and therefore the Apostle saith Let a man abide in that calling wherein he is called the first of the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the twenty fourth verse If the godly may not live idlely much more ought wicked children to be set to some trade of life The second point to be observed is that there is no sooner mention made of the birth of these two brethren but presently the Holy Ghost setteth down their trade commending unto us from Adams example that which Salomon after teacheth the twenty second chapter of the Prov. Teach a childe in the beginning of his waies and he will not depart from it when he is old Seasonable instruction in youth and why for without seasonable instruction children and youth are but vanity the eleventh chapter of Eccle. and the third verse All are not fit for one and the same calling and why Both these sonnes are not set to one vocation to shew that all men are not fit and meet for one and the same calling for as there is this diversity in the earth out of which man is taken that one part of it is sandy some clay and some gravell And as in the heavenly light there is that diversity which the Apostle speaks of the first of the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the fourty first verse one star differing from another in glory So the like variety appeareth in the dispositions of men in so much as we see all men are not meet for one thing Fourthly from hence we learn that albeit the labors and trades of men be diverse Callings must be such as God alloweth and are serviceable to the Common-wealth and why yet they must be such as both God alloweth and such as are serviceable to the publique wealth we may not say because Cain a reprobate was a husbandman that therefore God dislikes husbandary for God affirmeth of Noah that he was a just and upright man and yet he was an husbandman Genesis the ninth chapter nor that the office of keeping sheep is therefore lawfull in Gods sight because Abell the just was a sheephcard for Juball the sonne of wicked Lamech was the father of them that dwelt in tents and kept Sheep Genesis the fourth chapter and the twentieth verse and yet himself a wicked man the person doth not make the calling lawfull but it must be taken from God himself and be such as God alloweth touching husbandry Christ saith My father is the Husbandman the fifteenth chapter of John and the first verse and you are Gods husbandry saith the Apostle the first of the Corinthians the third chapter and the ninth verse Therefore the calling of an husbandman is allowable for the other calling God himself is called the Shepheard of Israel the eightieth Psalme and the first verse and Christ saith of his Church I have other sheep which I must gather under my government
of his sinne is dispatched in a word My sinne is greater but he takes his punishment in pieces and thinks of it particularly whereupon one saith of Cain and the wicked that the repetition which they make is eorum quae ferunt non quae fecerunt they are generall in their sinne but particular in their punishment For as of the abundanee of the heart the mouth speaketh Matthew the twelfth chapter so we may gather by Cains words that he thinks more of his punishment than of his fault that which offends him stood more in his sight and grieved him more than that which offended God but the godly are of another minde for they will be content to have the punishment remain upon them so that the guilt may be taken away But there is a third point in this repetition which is a perverting of the order which God set down in giving the Sentence God began with the curse ended with casting out of the earth but Cain beginneth with his casting out of the earth wherein he sheweth what is his greatest grief for if a man suffer many pains he will speak of that first which doth most pinch him and complain first of the losse of that thing which he doth most of all affect in that he first complaineth he is cast out from the face of the earth he sheweth he took more care for the face of the earth than the face and presence of God and it grieved him more to be deprived of the good will of men than of the favour of God It is otherwise with the Saints of God for they crie Psalm the seventy third and the twenty fift verse Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none in earth whom I desire besides thee Psalm the 〈◊〉 third Thy kindness is better than life it self and when they come to make composition between heavenly things and earthly we see what David saith in the second of Samuel the fifteenth chapter and the twenty fift verse If I finde favour in Gods sight I will see the Ark again that is the presence of God and makes choice of that as his greatest felicity not to enjoy his Scepter or to be restored to his Wives and Children which earthly men would make most account of so the Apostle Philippians the third chapter and the eighth verse Esteeming all things as dung in respect of Christ. Whereby we see that as Cains punishment grieved him more than his sinne so the earthly part of his punishment offends him more than the heavenly One thing more is to be added that is Cains Commentary or interpretation of Maledictus for he saith that to be cursed is to be cast out from Gods presence The presence or face of God hath reference to the power of God or to his favour from the presence of Gods power knowledge or spirit there is no escaping Psalm the one hundred and thirty ninth If I climb up to heaven 〈◊〉 art there if I goe down to hell thou art there also of which the Prophet saith Jeremiah the twenty third chapter and the twenty fourth verse coelum terram ego 〈◊〉 but that is not his meaning but that he is cast out from the presence of Gods favour so are 〈◊〉 words to be taken to Moses Exodus the tenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse Get thee from me and look thou see my face no more Rsalm the thirty first and the twenty second verse I said in my half I am cast out from thy presence and Psalm the eightieth Turn again O Lord cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved so that we must know that albeit God be present every where with his power yet he is not present with his favour and not only that but it signifieth the place where the favour and grace of God is intailed that is his House and Church of which the Prophet saith Psalm the ninty fift Let us come before his presence or face with thanksgiving When shall I come and appear in the presence of God Psalm the fourty second of which presence Christ saith Matthew the eighteenth chapter When two or three be gathered together I am amongst them and the Apostle in the second to the Corinthians the second chapter In the presence of Jesus Christ forgive I them that is in the Church where God speaketh to us in his word and we again speak to him by prayer so Cains punishment is both spirituall and ecclesiasticall for that he is not only shut out of Gods favour but cast out of the place where the presence of his favour and grace is shewed and the punishment was justly inflicted upon Cain that durst commit so great an offence in the presence and sight of God and when it was committed feared not Gods presence but denyed it as if God knew not of it The second point is Cains admonition wherein the first thing to be observed is how in this repetition it comes to pass that Cain saith whosoever shall finde him will kill him seeing in the sentence there is no mention of death the reason comes from the guiltiness of his conscience severiorum seipso Judicem habet 〈◊〉 whereupon it falleth out that though the Judge absolve yet the party guilty addeth a sentence of condemnation upon himself so doth Cain condemn himself as worthy of death God indeed afterward saith He 〈◊〉 shedeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Genesis the ninth chapter but seeing Cain 〈◊〉 God hath uttered his opinion of murther that it is a sinne mortall it may be said to him ex ore 〈◊〉 te 〈◊〉 Luke he 〈◊〉 chapter that men may know that wisedome is justified of 〈◊〉 children 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter so 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 of her children Secondly Where he saith he shall be killed with a 〈◊〉 and bloody death this is secundum dictamen rationis ut 〈…〉 fecit expectes Cain is told by his own conscience that 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 murthered Abel so himself must look to be murthered This is that Lex 〈◊〉 written naturally in the hearts of all men which made the bretheren of Joseph to say Genesis the fourty second chapter and the twenty first verse We have sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear him therefore is all this come upon us By that Law it was just that as Hammon had made Gods people afraid so he himself should fear and be dealt with as he had purposed to deal Esther the seventh chapter and the sixt verse therefore the Prophet saith Isaiah the thirty fift chapter and the first verse Woe be to them that spoile for they shall be spoiled and our Saviour Christ saith agreeably Matthew the seventh chapter With what measure ye meat the same shall be measured to you again Thirdly He saith Omnis qui inveniret there could but one kill him and yet his 〈◊〉 tells him he deserveth to die at the hands
there is an Angel under Christ which takes charge for the defense of the Church on earth which is Michael your Prince Dan. 10. 21. Secondly Out of Judes epistle verse the ninth the ancient Fathers prove that by Michael we are not to understand Christ for that which he affirmeth that Michael durst not check the Devill with cursed speaking cannot be ascribed to Christ which not only dare but hath trodden down Satan under his feet much more dare he check him which unlesse he could doe it were a plain signe that he is not Omnipotent Therefore by Michael here we are to understand some other and not Christ. Thirdly Out of this place Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the fift verse In as much as the Child that was born was Christ it is not like that this Childe should suddenly be translated into an Archangel and fight with the Dragon And therefore both Theodoret and others say that Michael is a chief spirit among the created spirits that then took care of the Church in Jury and still is carefull of Christs Church unto the end of the world And to this we may add the judgement of the Church which on this holy-day doth thank God for the service of the Angels but makes no mention of Christ that it is he that in this place warreth with the Dragon and his Angels For the Dragon there is a farre more easie passage so as we may soon guesse what is meant by him for in this chapter he is called the Devil and Satan whereof their name signifieth a slanderer and he is justly so called for that he both slandereth God to man as if God did envy mans prosperity Genesis the third chapter and slanders man to God as he did Job whom albeit he were a blessed Saint yet he accuseth before God as an Hypocrite Job the first chapter The other name Satan signifieth a great enemie not only to the good whom he hath most cause to hate as being contrary to him but also to the bad That he is an enemy to the good it appears by this That he persecuted not only the child that was new born but the woman also and because he cannot shew his malice upon him he makes warre with her seed Apocalyps the twelfth chapter the thirteenth seventeenth verses That he persecuted also an enemie to the bad appears verse the ninth where he is called The seducer of of the whole world and the accuser of the brethren for that he first brings them to commit grievous sinnes and then pleads against them that the plague of God may come upon them These are the Leaders The Bands and Souldiers under their conduct are Angels on both sides The Angels that serve under Michael are they that excell in strength and doe the command of God in obeying the voice of his word Psalm the hundred and third and the twentieth verse they that the Apostle calls elect Angels the first epistle to Timothy the fift chapter and the twenty first verse The Angels that warre on the Dragons side are the evil Angels Psalm the seventy eighth and the fourty ninth verse The Angels that sinned the second epistle of Peter the second chapter And they that kept not their original as Jude saith these fight for the Dragon and he is their Captain as Christ saith The Prince of the Devils is 〈◊〉 Matthew the twelfth chapter For as among the good Angels there is principatus primus principatus so it is among the wicked Angels for there must be order in all companies Touching the Battail it self we are first to remove some things of offence not to think it strange that the Angels are here said to move battail For albeit they be called Angeli pacis Isaiah the thirty third chapter and the seventh verse because they bring peace yet in many places they are called Gods Hosts as Jacob seeing the Angels of God called the place where they were Nahanaim Genesis the thirty second chapter and the second verse and they magnisie God by that title Isaiah the sixt chapter Lord God of Hosts Luke the second chapter the Angels are called Heavenly Souldiers And where Christ saith If I pray to the Father he will give me more than twelve 〈◊〉 of Angels Matthew the twenty sixt chapter He compareth them to Troops and Bands of Souldiers for that they are not only Angels to Gods friends and servants but souldiers fighting against them that oppose themselves against God Further where their state is in a continual motion that must not offend us for the Angels themselves are not yet in the perfection of their felicity for we see they are imployed in doing service for us they continually aseend and descend from Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven for the good of the godly for God saw it good that as well they as the Saints departed out of this life should not be made 〈…〉 Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the fourtieth verse which is illistrated Matthew the thirteenth chapter where the Angels are called Reapers giving us to understand thereby that as the 〈…〉 is not at rest till the Harvest be all in so it is with the Angels they must continually be imployed in doing service for them that shall inherit Salvation till the number of the Elect be accomplished So neither needs that to offend any that the Dragon is 〈◊〉 to have fought in Heaven for so he is said to have appeared before God among the sonnes of God And when Ahab was to be deceived a lying spirit stood before God the first book of the Kings the twenty second chapter All this was only by Gods permission For all this doth no make the Devil blessed no more than Adam was blessed being in paradise For having sinned and being thereby out of Gods favour he no more enjoyed that comfort of Paradise which he took before his fall but quaked and hid himself from the presence of God for tear Genesis the third chapter The Dragon is no more blessed for being in Heaven or appearing before God than a prisoner that for a time is brought out of prison into the Court to be arraigned for he takes no delight of the pomp and glorie of the Court knowing it is not for him but he must return to the 〈◊〉 from whence he was taken So it is with the Devil These offences being removed we come now to the Fight it self which was not in any bodily manner for they are spirits 〈◊〉 the hundred and fourth and therefore their fight is a spiritual fight Ephesians the sixt chapter And their 〈◊〉 not carnal but spiritaul the second epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter That as the Angels fight by temptations on the one side and by resistances on the other they fight by agonies and inward conflicts which is more truly called conflicts than any combat The other fight with bodily enemies for as some note Abraham would rather fight wich five Kings than abide that conflict
Horses c. must first be served and 〈◊〉 and tendded by us before they can attend to serve our turnes The second sort are Worms or creeping things called Reptilia because they crawl upon the ground and therefore they are said natare super terram as it were to swim or glide upon the ground and so they are distinguished by their motion And these are of two sorts either they have no feet or leggs at all crawling on their belly or else very short feet creeping low by ground The third kinde are wilde beasts which doe live alone in terra inculta as the word signifieth in the waste wildernesse and in the unprofitable and barren Land which is desert and 〈◊〉 of men In which they live for the most part by blood preying on the spoyle one of another and therefore to some of them is given strength to some swiftnesse to some 〈◊〉 and craft by which they know how to get their prey And lest these savage wilde and cruel beasts should annoy hurt or destroy Mankinde we see the Lord hath provided for us divers wayes allotting to them only the barren Wildernesse giving to us the profitable ground appointing the night for them to goe abroad whereas the day is specially granted to us Psalm the hundred and fourth and the twenty second verse Besides God hath not made them so fruitfull they doe not multiply as other profitable and meek Cattel doe which will not hurt us And thus much for the special kinde of things which the Earth bringeth forth Now for the performance of Gods Precept it is generally set down in the end of the twenty fourth verse as in other places that it was so even as God had commanded which general is more particularly set down in the twenty fift verse ensuing Fecit enim Deus bestias terrenas in species suas pecudes in species suas omniaque reptilia terrae in species suas vidit Deus id esse bonum Gen. 1. 25. THE first part of this verse is the performance of his word and Decree in every point the end of it is the approbation thereof For the execution of all that God said because as he said so it came to passe and was truly and fully performed and done we note how true and certain and undoubted Gods word is Shall he speak the word and shall it not come to passe Surely Heaven and Earth may passe away but not one jot or title of his word shall fail Which as we see in the word of Creation so shall we finde it in the Gospel the word of Salvation And here we may observe that God will be made known not only to be the maker of the Lyon and the Elephant those great and goodly beasts but also of the poor creeping Creature and the Ant Qui fecit Angelos fecit vermiculos saith Augustine Neither is it any disgrace or dishonour to God because there is no lesse power wisdome shewed and seen in these than is in the greatest and hugest beasts that be 〈◊〉 for the most part the excellencie of Gods handy work is more admirably 〈◊〉 in the least and smallest living things that are As strange things are known of the poor Shrimp as of the Whale More virtue is to be found in the silly Bee than in the Eagle So as great art may be seen in the Ant as in the Elephant Which may be known if we observe the great providence and forecast of the little Ant his great industry and diligence in laboring without 〈◊〉 while the Summer doth last and the great strength this little Creature hath which is able to carry a corne farre greater than himself Wherefore these small creeping Creatures which God hath made are not to be passed over without regard but to be considered to his glory and praise which made them The last part of this verse is the liking and 〈◊〉 of this work for this censure is given of this as of the rest that it was right good and therefore very well done Which must teach us this lesson That if we will have the like praise and commendation of all works they must be 〈◊〉 so answerable to Gods will and word in every point so diligently and speedily and perfectly done as these things were But here God doth not purpose so much to commend the manner of doing his will as the works themselves and the things that were done that is the goodnesse of these natures which are made and brought forth And if we enquire of the goodnesse of these things particularly the Wise-man will tell us 〈◊〉 the thirty ninth chapter and the thirty fourth verse Every thing in his time place and kinde is profitable and good For touching the Cattle which are servants and helpers to us Who knoweth not how good and beneficial the Oxe the Cow the Sheep and such things are both for work and food and cloth But you may ask Wherefore are wilde beasts which 〈◊〉 devour one another and oftentimes kill men For answer whereto we must consider That God made these before sinne was in the world and therefore in that estate and time of 〈…〉 God did commend them we must not doubt but 〈◊〉 were good without any evil or hurt at all Quamdiu 〈…〉 in Deum nihil peccabat in eum while we were good servants to God they were good servants to us It is our 〈◊〉 and sinne therefore which causeth them to be evil and hurtfull to us And as in our first holy estate they were good so if we be converted to God 〈◊〉 his Image again they will be good and doe us 〈…〉 Job the fift chapter the twenty second and twenty third verses for then the beasts of the forest shall be in league with thee as they were with Daniel in the Lyons den Daniel the sixt chapter and the sixteenth verse Super ventrem tuum ito pulverum comedito omnibus diebus vitae tuae Gen. 3. 14. Jun. 25. 1598. Place this and the two following Sermons betwixt pag. 〈…〉 THESE words with those that went before contain that Sentence that was given by God upon the Serpent whom the Devil the invisible Serpent used as an instrument to deceive Adam and Eve and as we have heard it hath three branches That which we are to consider in this Sentence is first That he is condemned to be under the curse of God Secondly To creep upon his belly Thirdly To eat the dust all the dayes of his life Which three punishments are 〈◊〉 to that three fold fault which the Serpent committed and whereunto he perswaded our Parents that was the sinne first of Malice Secondly of Pride Thirdly of intemperate desire to eat of that which was forbidden The Curse of God hath relation to the Serpents malice the creeping upon his belly was inflicted as a punishment for his pride and the feeding upon the dust hath a correspondencie with his inordinate desire These three sinnes are necessarily to be
because none are able to resist his will he feareth none that shall withstand him In this stile and phrase he is in resembling compared to a Prince or King who useth but his commandement and word to have his will in any thing executed if he will have an Host of men in Armor he needeth but send out his commandement and it is speedily done while he sitteth still So doth God here Wherefore if we fear and obey Princes Precepts and if the dumb Creatures execute his commandement How much more ought we which are men to obey and doe that he commandeth us 3. The third point unto whom this Edict is directed is non enti Rom. 4. 17. he speaketh to things that are not as if they were so did he in the first dayes work but now he commandeth the deeps of the waters 2 Cor. 4. 6. touching which God challengeth the greatest Princes in the world Job 38. 8.11 Canst 〈◊〉 command the deeps The proud King of this Island as we read in Chronicles took upon him this authority to command the waters but he was checked by their disobedience but when God commandeth the deeps they obey contrary to their nature Esay 44. 17. Conclusio Thus we see what is taught by the Edict And then to whom it was given As the work to make light of darknesse is past all our capacity so this is as wonderfull a miracle and as great contrariety as the former to make altissimum excelsum coeli ex profundis 〈◊〉 which as the other sheweth the wonderfull power of the Creator that made them Again God in all this work is contrary to the manner of men in their Architecture for men use in making any thing to make their frame in that place where the 〈◊〉 matter may be had neere hand for their work But as this matter is contrary in our reason so he thinketh it all one to fetch the matter of which he will make Heaven out of the deepest and remotest place of all whereas we building Ships doe choose that place where the wood is new and to build houses we seek a place where stones are 〈◊〉 at hand to be had but it is all one with God his arms is long and his power and word able in a moment to fetch and doe it 2. Secondly It is Gods challenge Job 38 8. that 〈◊〉 can make a thing orderly out of a disordered matter but God of the most confused rude raging and disordered 〈◊〉 in the world made the Heavens who are most beautifull and whose course is most orderly and certain 3. Thirdly He is admirable in this that he can make 〈◊〉 ex infirmissimo of the infirmity of the deeps for what more weak than water Ye of it he made the Heaven which is the most firm and stable thing and therefore called the firmament 4. Last of all Men use to begin the frame of their building at the foundation and pavement but God beginneth his house at Heaven which is the roof and cealing Psal. 104.2 and then after maketh the Earth which is the foundation and pavement as it is Psal. 24. 1 2. which consideration maketh David use this exclamation by way of admiration Psal. 118. 23. The right hand of the 〈◊〉 the preheminence it doth bring mighty things to passe 2d part The second part consisteth in three points de quo in quo ad quid De quo We will begin with the Firmament which is called Rachia that is expansio a stretching forth abroad the property of which word includeth the signification of the nature of such actions whereby metals are driven thin and beaten abroad into plates as Smiths with their hammers use to doe in which sense it is taken Numb 16. 38. and Jer. 10. 9. so the expansion or driving out of metals is the original from whence this word is borrowed and being so borrowed it is applied to the spreading or drawing out of any thing what soever as of a curtain Psal. 104. 2. The Firmament of Heaven compared which kinde of phrase by comparison is there given to the making of the firmament as if he had as it were spread the Heavens abroad as a curtain also to the overspreading of a vault to which also the firmament is compared also to the pulling out abroad and expansion of a roll of paper or parchment to which also it is likened Esay 34. 4. likewise to the blowing up of glasse out of a lump into a hollow compasse to which Job resembleth the making of Heaven 37. 18. which comparisons doe yeeld unto us the hidden consideration of this work of God for such a like work was performed here this second day in making Heaven as these handy-Crafts men doe shew Simple comparisons these are to shew such a matter yet sufficient sithence we can conceive no better In quo The two actions of Gods Spirit mentioned before sustole diastole which I said are seen in all works created are no where better expressed than in this work for the dilatation and contraction of the spirit moving in this work was the expansion and stretching out of the Heavens and the compression and drawing in of his force and virtue is and shall be the dissolution of the firmament for then they will run and rowle together as a roll and as molten glasse c. The resemblance and shadow of this work of God we may set before you in a matter of common experience for it is usuall to see a pot of water by the force of the fire to evaporate and so stretcheth forth out of a little pot as to fill the whole room with his moisture extenuated and again being so dilated into a thin vapour we see it drawn in and compressed into little drops of water again which also some explane by the manner of distillation which first riseth as a vapour filling all and then resolveth into drops again and is made the same quantity of water and moisture which it was before So God in this work as a Stiller first by a vapour rising up by the Sunne he stretcheth abroad the waters above us and then the cold congealeth and compresseth that vapour into clouds and after by heat again resolveth and melteth the clouds into drops of rain which return to the Sea So that in creating Coelum aërum the rarefying and extenuating the waters into vapors and so dilating it by expansion was the first beginning of them Gods distinction is taken after the manner of a thinne stone or marking stone with which faith Salomon Prov. 8. 27. circuit Coelum quasi circino suo as if he had a compasse to make a circle for their separation Esay 40. 12. faith that in this separation with one hand God did hold up the upper waters and with the other he depressed the waters below we know it to be a matter of such difficulty to stop the course of waters that it busieth the best and wisest
we must pray not only for the blessing of the earth but also of the heaven as Jacob Gen. 49. 25. Deut. 33. 13. Not only for the blessing of the wombe of the earth which being a fruitfull soll quickly conceiveth and bringeth forth fruit but also the blessing of the breasts of the Clouds without which the fruit will very soon perish and wither Job 38. 8. For it is Gods blessing both to make a land a fruitfull and fertill soil apt to conceive and also to send seasonable rains to it that it may grow and be ripe and good for mans use These all doe likewise serve for the execution as well of Gods justice to correct us as of his mercy to doe us good For when we displease him with our sinnes he maketh these things his rods by causing the Heavens and Clouds to be as Brass and the Earth as Iron thereby and on the contrary side when he in justice will set wide open the windows and fludgates of heaven to drown the earth with floods and inundations as he did the old World Usus And this is that use and instruction which we are to learn out of this division to pray if it please God for his blessings and not to sinne for fear we be scorched with droughts and over whelmed and drowned with floods Fecit ergo Deus hoc expansum quod distinguit inter has aquas c. Gen. 1 7. vers THe treaty concerning the second dayes work is divided according to the work it self and the name given to it the work is set down in the sixth and seventh to the manner of it in the eighth verse In the work we observed three points according to the three severall verbs Dixit fecit sit The first containeth the precept or warrant for the making of the work The second the workmanship and going about to doe or make it The third the return and certificate to signifie that it was fully executed which three are in Dixit fecit factum est With man it often times falleth out that dixit is without fecit that is it is too usuall that men promise and say much but doe it not and many times we see his fecit to be without perfecit that one may say factum est it is fully and perfectly done the first we see Mat. 21. 30. he said but he did it not the other custome of men is exemplified Luc. 14. 30. for as he did it not so on the other side This man began to build a house but did not finish it So none can say that his fecit was factum est 3 the first also we see 1 Sam. 18. 17. Saul said he would give Michol to David but did it not but it was not so with God for he is not yea in saying and nay in doing and performing but as certain as he saith a thing so surely it is done for his word is truth and that his deed declareth and on the other side it is farr otherwise with God than it is with man for if God begin a good work he will surely finish it throughly Phil. 1. 6. perfecit quod facit if he be the beginner and author of any thing he will also perfect it and finish it Heb. 12 2. so that we shall confesse as here that quod fecit factum est So that that is the first consideration in God that these three severall things saying doing and perfecting are inseparable in him joyned and linked together as a chain that one ensuing the other and all following the first The first of these hath been shewed before the two last the Work and the Certificate are now to be handled in order The Work in this seventh verse touching which we see that it doth stand on two points and parts First He made it Secondly He separated it Concerning the making the word gnasha signifieth to make which hath an opposite and divers sense from two words which may seem to be the same too meaning Esay 45. 7. there is these three words formavi creavi feci of these three severall words the first is common to the other two for all that is made of somewhat or nothing hath a form and therefore is formed Distinctio but facere creare are distinguished thus To make presupposeth a matter subject but to create is to make of nothing in the first day God created of nothing but now in this work he is a maker for Coelum aëreum was made of something the Heavens were planted Esay 51. 16. and therefore there was something which was as it were the seed kernell or science or 〈◊〉 of which it was planted It is true that in respect of us it is more admirable to see a thing made of nothing because we cannot conceive it then to see or heare of a great thing made of a small matter because it is familiar experience with which we are acquainted to see a little child prove a great man and a seed 〈◊〉 kernell proves mighty tree but in respect of God both works are like strange and also in the respects of the works themselves to make a tree of a kernell and to make 〈◊〉 tree of nothing is alike though the one we approve because of common experience as a matter usuall and nothing strange for Gods power is miraculous in both though in the one now it be made naturall and usuall it was strange to sea it to turne water into wine and to feed five thousand with five 〈◊〉 and two fishes yet the strange miracle is wrought by 〈…〉 yeare as we see but we consider it not for God sendeth the watery moisture of the Earth to be conveyed into the Vine tree which sap God turneth into Wine though it seem naturall and with as few Corns of grain as will make five loaves being sowed in the Earth will multiply and increase to as much as will seed five thousand with bread and two fishes will bring so many fishes as may suffice so many fer meat so that we have these wonderfull miracles amongst us every day Now touching the Heavens the science kernel or plant of which they were planted and made was the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3.5 The other words to which this word in nature is opposite and 〈…〉 sence is oper are which signifieth with ones hand to work with tools and instruments with laborious pains But God doth not so make the Heavens but he doth it with as much ease as it is for a man to breath Psal. 104. 30. emitte spiritum creabunter 〈◊〉 besides the facility with such speed and celerity that in the space of time that one can say fiat with the festination he doth his works which is divers from the custome of men in making or doing any thing for they commonly take great pains and spend much time in work to no purpose and can doe nothing as Peter Luke 5. 5. he laboured all night and caught nothing but it
is otherwise with God whose word without instrument or pains or without any delay 〈◊〉 throughly effect his work which he will have done And thus we see the reference this word hath of these two words and what we learn by it The third thing is a matter of inquiry because in the former work only these two fiat factum est and nothing between saying and it was done but here is put in fecit as by way of Parenthesis between them in this work which surely we must know is not idly set down but to great purpose and therefore not curiously of us to be inquired of why it is so placed to answer which we must know that it was for our sake simul fieri 〈…〉 it was all one to God saying and finishing at one time but it was meet for us to have his action and work expressed herein Therefore Moses dealing here as a Prophet doth foresee some danger and error which might arise by leaving of this clause fecit Deus therefore he betimes doth labour to prevent it by setting it down for he knew that God would not have his truth sown among thornes of Errors Jer. 4. 4. therefore Moses here before hand endeavoureth to stubbe them up Error Timaei Platonis For Time us the Pythagorean and Plato that great Philosopher holding the truth of the Creation doe notwithstanding advise this rooted thorne that they suppose God only but to give out the Edict and direction how and what should be done and to make certain Demones Intelligentiae to be the workers doers and bringers to passe of the work and so in that respect ascribing worship and honour to them as the Instruments and Agents in this action But God is here set down not only as the Master Builder to oversee and give direction but also he was the only Agent and Workman which did make it himself he both gave out the Edict with his word and with the same did fulfill and bring it to passe So that there was but one Commander who the self same was the Maker also Esay 40. 13 14. Dixit non fuit ei consiliarius fecit non fuit ei auxiliarius So that this excludeth any Copartner with God in this businesse for then he was alone and alone of himself did make it not caused it to be made Angels Created for the Angells and celestial Spirits were created when God said fiat lux for then not only all light things in mundo sensibili were made as starres c. but also all things in mundo intelligibili as 2 Cor. 11. 14. which also may appear by the order and placing them first in Psal. 148. 2. so that they could not be created before for then they should be eternall nor after for then there is nothing to insinuate it and indeed there is no danger thus to understand it but there is great danger of error to hold the contrary that they were created before for then they may think that as Hiram sent the matter of the Temple and Salomon gave the form so God gave the matter of the world and the Angels the form and fashioning of it But God in this work is alone for his work standeth not as ours doth that is that the matter and the form of the work should come from divers Authors as before we can come to Iron plate we must fetch the matter from the Ironmonger and the form from the Smith before we can have a Garment we must have the matter from the Draper and the form from the Taylor But with God it is not so for from him proceedeth both the matter and form of all Creatures creat facit format This is the first resolution of this question to which there is a second answer which is good for instruction Gnasha taken out of the nature of the word gnasha for the Hebrews use it in their phrase not only to make a thing but also to trim up and to give a better form to any thing in which sense it is said 2 Sam. 19. 24. that Mephiboseth had not made his beard nor his feet by which is meant had not trimmed his beard nor washed his feet which he had made to him before So God in this place is said by this gnasha to give the outward form to these Heavens and so to trim and perfect them up as they should be for they being made before in gross now he stretched them out after a circular form Job 9. 8. as having made a Curtain should spread it abroad and set it up whereas before it lay wrapt up rudely together Job 22. 14. tendit Coelum that is now he did bend and bow the Heavens compassed as a bow which was made before but not half round but circular round and sphericall and not only did he set this form to them but also gave them a circular sphericall motion to turn round in their course about the Earth Psal. 19. 6. it doth goe in his compasse in gyra sue Preach 1. 5 6. the Sunne and Windes doe goe a circuit in circuttione vel circuitu suo Thirdly He in this kinde of making them did now add to them a virtue force and heavenly influence Job 38. 31. which heavenly and comfortable influence is called the sweetnesse of the Heavens Deut. 33. 13. Therefore we are willed to praise God in firmamento virtutis suae Psal. 150. 2. by which virtue the Heavens have a comfortable and reviving force an action influence and dominion as the word sign fieth in these Creatures below And thus much of fecit Now of the things which he made First We see that whereas the Heavens before were compact and entire Now by Gods workmanship they are scattered and spread round about and divided for being made it was Gods purpose that it should be to this use to be parted asunder into two parts The Heavens by some is called tenue expansum that is a thing thinly spread abroad In the making of it we consider the Maker and the manner of it which is both simply and plainly and also comparatively by way of resemblance set down in the Scriptures The Spirit of God for the power force by which it was made was the Spirit of God The Word of God the Executionâ—r and Minister of that thing was Gods Word the second person who willed and commanded it to be done Psal. 104. 30. He sendeth forth his Spirit and they were created Job 34. 14 15. If he draw or gather in his Spirit they perish again So that all that is made is ascribed to the expansion and motion of the Spirit going out and the undoing or marring any thing is attributed to the drawing in of it again The breath of Man hath a divers force and nature as it is drawn in or out Warm and hot for as it â—s with open mouth breaâ—hed out which is halitus it is warm and being drawn in it
is cold again if it 〈◊〉 mildly and naturally expired and breathed out as then it is warm and hot so being violently and forcibly with a blast puffed our it is dry and cold of which two sorts of motions of Gods Spirit is the Aire made the moist moderate showres and rain by the one Psal. 147. 18. and windes and frost by the other Job 37. 10. So it is 〈◊〉 vis caloris which warmeth rarefieth and maketh thin everything living so that power moving on the waters made them grow into a thin body where of the Aire was made Now for the comparison this work of the Spirit is compared to an Eagle or any other bird in sitting on the egges to hatch their young For so God having made a nest and layed or brought forth his young as it were unperfected doth now by his spirit incubare that is sit and spread his wings over them and so giving vitall life and power break the shell sic pullulavit mundum Thus we see the power of Gods Spirit in the nature of the Word and the resemblance of the comparison here used The matter For the matter we see that the waters are the seed of the Heavens which receiving a power by the operation of Gods Spirit proceed into a thinne vapor which is partly Aire partly water and not perfectly either which mist or vapour God lifteth up and sublimateth Jer. 10. 13. and by that means made it Coelum aëreum There are four comparisons in Scripture to set out this work To a Stil the first Job 36. 27. being lift up in vapor he doth in the middle Region by cold cruddle and condensate it as in a still Psal. 18. 12. to a Glassman The second to a Glassman Job 37. 18. for so he seemeth to blow up the Heavens round to a Goldsmith The third to a Goldsmith which is in the word Raha Exod. 39. 3. for so he beat it out abroad to an Upholster The fourth to an Upholster Psal. 104. 2. for so as a Curtain he unrowleth it and extendeth the Heavens abroad Esay 40. 22. thus you see the workmanship of the Heavens in the Agent in the Matter and the Manner of the Work The end why God made the Heavens Now the end why he made them was That it might be a Pavilion or Tent Esay 40. 22. or a Curtain Psal. 104. 2. over our heads where the word used is the same which is set down in the making of the Tabernacle which signifieth either pellis or cortina a covering or curtain of skinns The Heavens were made thin to the end there might be a space for motion and operation therefore it is driven thin above and divided from the nether waters Dan. 12. 3. and therefore it is thin here below that both the lights of Heaven might have passage to us through the Aire being corpus transparens translucidum Dan. 4. and also that the comfortable influence virtue and force of the Heavens might have free and easie passage to us by and through the thin Aire It is not a disordered confusion Now for the dividing The word here used is not Babell which Gen. 11. 9. signifyeth division for that word noteth such a division which is a disordered confusion of things as it were renting or tearing or breaking a thing in divers peeces without order or regard but Gods division is not such for as he made all things well so he divideth all things well Jer. 10. 12. Pro. 8. 27. for this word signifieth that it was an apt and fit division so artificially and orderly done as if it were divided by line and rule Secondly Gods division is not a scatterring of things being divided as it was in Babell but such a division which hath a conjunction and unity and agreement of parts which are divided which is best expressed in the division of eares eyes and nostrills which being separated doe notwithstanding meet in one nerve as one and the same so it is in all things that God divideth as the fingers and toes c. they meet in unity at some one point So where the waters are divided it is with agreement quasi rota in rotam Ezek. 10. 10. having a mutuall unity entercourse and reciprocation one to the other for the Aire is the means whereby the upper waters are knit and united to the nether Gen. 7. 11. The Airie Airie is as it were the windows of Heaven and dores through which is passage for light and rain Gen 8 3. so this division 〈◊〉 to this end 〈◊〉 the thing divided The upper Waters we are to consider now but of the upper waters above the lower waters we shall speak of hereafter We see here God divideth the Clouds from the Channels which upper Waters he divideth into several chambers or stories called contignationes Psal. 104. 3. which we call the three Regions of the Aire in the uppermost of which is snow and hail in the middle one rain in the lower dews Another division is this God made not the upper waters entirely on compact substance but bound them up in divers bonds of clouds that through them being divided the light and influence of Heaven might passe down to the earth through them which else could not There are three things of which we read in the Scripture which are raised out of the Earth and doe concurre and meet in the Aire of which two have names and by them we may give a name to the third the first is the Clouds which are called his Chariots and the second are the Windes or horses that draw them Psal. 104. 2. therefore the third which is the Waters must needs be the Carriage which is in the Chariots The Windes four The windes he draweth out of the deep Psal. 135. 6 7. and so are the Clouds taken out of the deep Psal. 33. 7. for a vapour being drawn up the watrynesse of it being dryed up it becometh of a windy nature Touching the division of the Winds that principally they be four Zach. 6. 5. The use of Windes which have their use in the four quarters and parts of the firmament which use is Job 37. 21. vis purificandi to cleanse the Aire and Waters which else would corrupt and 〈◊〉 Also the Windes have a necessarie use in respect of the Waters for the South and West Windes bring rain moist and warm weather and the East and North Winds serve to bring cold and dry weather and frosts Luke 12. 54. The Clouds the matter the use of them In the second place for the Clouds they rise also out of the waters and deeps Psal. 33. 7. and as it is plain 1 Reg. 18. 44. for the Clouds rose out of the Sea of which Clouds came the rain They serve in regard of the firmament for a shadow to cool us and keep us from parching in the time of Summer and Harvest Esay 18. 4. And in regard of
hour every day to perswade us that are men which are farre more beholden unto God than any Creature else and yet it will not avail to make us obedient to his word As for conformity to his word it was sic even after the manner and form in all respects as he would have it But if we doe a thing it is lame and unperfect in some respect and not conformable to his will Last of all constancie and perpetuity Psal. 119. 91. they continue still according to their ordinance for all things serve thee He hath set thee a Law which shall not be broken Psal. 148. 6. For it is a wonder that such Seas of waters which hang and fly over our heads daily doe not fall on us and with their weight destroy us for we see what a bucker of water is for heavinesse in his fall yet the pillers of God uphold them that they fall not which pillers one would think should be aere that is made of brasse but they are aëreae airie pillers and yet last longer and are more durable then the greatest brasen pillers that we can imagine for in time they would corrupt and be eaten up of the waters but yet the power of God hath so strengthned the Aire that being the weakest thing that is as our Proverb saith As weak as Water not being able to sustain it self no not to be a piller to hold up a feather from the ground yet it is made a Firmament that is a most firm sure and durable piller to uphold all these Clouds and bottels of water above they move motu immobili varietate invariabili and so they continue after Gods ordinance even unto this day as the Psalmist saith Expansum autem hoc Deus Vocavit Coelum sic fuit vespera fuit mane diei secundi Gen. 1. 8. WHich words contain in them the second principall part of the second dayes work which is the word of denomination and entitling the Firmament thus with a new name When God made Abraham the Father of the faithfull he exchanged and gave him a new name Gen. 17. 5. When Jacob was exalted to the like dignity his name was also changed and he called Israel Gen. 32. 28. So here having made ex abysso Coelum that is as some say Coelum a coeno of the dreggs of that gulfe then he vouchsafeth according to the dignity of 〈◊〉 to give it a name agreeable thereunto Touching the denomination in general I shewed four things before which I will not repeat now but only call to your remembrance The first was The name of things are of freehold and therefore must move us to attention because though these works are beneficiall to all Creatures yet the apprehension of their names belong only to man at whom God did aime and levell in this work The second That the things which are divers in nature must be distinguished in name The third The manner of giving names must be in proportion agreeable to the nature of them And lastly What the significations of the names are Not repeating this generality we will now descend to the particularity of this name and see by the notations of the word what is signified thereby The old English called the Heavens aloft as though it were lifted up as it was out of the deep The Latines call it Caelum quasi caelatum that is embroidered and garnished as it is The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi terminus mundi as it were the border and bound of the World The Hebrews call it Shameshe Concerning which word there is three several opinions all which may be well and to good purpose received There are of the Hebrews which deduce the word from the verb Shama which is to wonder because of the admiration which all men have of this glorious World especially if we consider with David Psal 8. 4 5. that God having such excellent and glorious Creatures in Heaven should so notwithstanding regard man which is but a clod of earth as to endue him with these divine graces and with a reasonable soul The admirablenesse of this work consisteth first In that they being made of the dreggs of the deep are notwithstanding the most splendent and glorious Creatures of God Also in that they moving continually are immobilia and varying and changing in their courles alwaies are notwithstanding invariabilia for they move motu immobili varietate invariabili Also in that they consisting of water which is most weak and infirm are nothwithstanding most sure and firm of all other things The other opinion taketh it from the verb Magam and the adverb Iham as if God had appointed with his finger to the Heavens and said Here are all things if you want light waters either for soul or bodie here they are to be found and here you may have it as indeed all good graces come from above from our Father in Heaven Jam. 1. 17. The second note touching the word is in that it is of the duall number which implyeth that the Heavens are double and two fold which is apparent in the 17. verse where it is said that the Starres are in Heaven and in the 26. verse it is said that the Fowls also flye in Heaven Now this is plain and sensible in every mans eyes that the starres are not where the Birds doe flie neither doe the Fowles flie where the Starres are Out of Psal. 68. 33. the ancient Hebrews doe note to us that there was a former and later Heaven a higher and a lower Heaven made by God the lower Heavens in the Scriptures are usually termed and called Coeli Psal. 148. 4. and the upper Heavens which is the Seat of God is called Coeli Coelorum 1 Reg. 8. 27. and in other places for as there was in the Temple of Salemon Sanctum Sanctum Sanctorum so in the the great Temple of the world there is Coelum Coelum Coelorum to answer to it in the upper and higher Heavens as was shadowed in the Temple is the mercy Seat the Altar and the Propiciatory but in the nether is atrium I. Benjamin c that is a division of severall Courts for Starres Clouds Fowls Men c. Between the higher and the nether Heavens as it was in the Temple there is a Vail or Curtain spread Heb. 6. 19. which doth part the one from the other Besides these two Heavens we read of a third Heaven 2 Cor. 12. 2. which is the highest number we read of in Gods word so that besides the Merchant mans Heavens which is prosperous winde and besides the Husbandmans Heaven from whence commeth seasonable weather in Summer and Winter there is a third Heaven which we must seek for which is Regnum Coelorum for the Fowles doe flie per medium Coelorum 17. and 26. verses as the Angell did Rev. 8. 13. therefore there is a Heaven on both sides of this middle Heaven The impressions of the Aire are the
of time for there is no beauty without order The day and the night were before divided what needeth God now to make a second division here You must understand that there are two dividings the one is a division in duo into day and night the other is inter duo the day is assigned to the Sunne the night to the Moon When the whole is parted it is divided The man in the 12. Luke 13. said to Christ Bid my brother divide the inheritance with me So that a thing is divided tum separatur cum separatum diversis assignatur The Sunne is as it were the surveyor of mens worke the Moon and Starres are our watch-men when we doe take our rest The Lord giveth the Sunne for a light for the day and the courses of the Moon and Starres for a light to the night Jer. 31. 35. By the ascending and descending of the Sunne we have our hours our dayes our seasons hereby we have dayes shorter and longer and for that the Sunne had so many good qualities and was so worthy a Creature men of other Nations and in times past gave glory and worship to the Sunne to it they did erect Altars build Temples and offered sacrifice But non dominium sed ministerium dedit Deus Soli. The second use is for signes Homer did say so much that they were as signes to admonish us It is good for Star-gazers and out of this place they doe gather that by the Starres they may foretell things to come Ambrose imputeth no fatall destiny that cannot be shunned to these signes but rather that they are signes for direction The Chaldees and the Persians did foretell by the conjunction of Starres that there should be inundations and that such things are inevitable but for the most part even then when they said should be wet there was the greatest drought Hereby they cast figures and shew mens Nativities but the Lord saith Jeremy 10. 2. Learn not the way of the Heathen be not afraid for the signes of Heaven though the Heathen be afraid of such Most excellently saith the Lord in the 44. Esay 25. I destroy the tokens of the Soothsayers and make them that conjecture fools and I make their knowledge foolishnesse Their knowledge is foolish vanity it is inutiles querenti and impossibilis profitenti No inevitable destiny is to be ascribed to the Starres for all that is is in the hands of God They are signes to the Husbandman by them God giveth him discretion to sow and to reap in season Esay 28. 26. They are signes to the Mariners to them which sailed with Paul toward Rome nor Sunne nor Moon appeared for many dayes Acts 27. 20. They are signes to the Physition for his criticali dayes The Sunne is a signe and as trumpet to the Beasts which when it riseth they doe retire to their dens and then goeth man forth unto his work Psal. 104. 22. They are also spirituall signes and holy signes they that dwell in the uttermost parts of the Earth shall be afraid of thy signes Psal. 65. 8. The Sonne of man at the latter day shall be as the light of the Heaven Luke 17. 24. God will then shew wonders in Heaven and tokens in the Earth blood and fire and vapours of smoake Acts 2. 19. So that these lumina when we behold them and think of the later day are signa poenitentiae they are buccina poenitentiae from whence are certain influences the Moon to the waters the Sunne to the Earth If God be pleased sweet is the increase of the Sunne and sweet is the increase of the Moon Deuteronomy 33. 14. But if God be angry then is it otherwise And they are for seasons they are signes for place Deut. 4. 47. Moses bids the Israelites to remember the signes and Acts that God did in AEgypt Deut. 11. 3. They are for times to every purpose there is a time Preach 8. 6. for oportunity is the very bud of time They were for seasons inrebus sacris in Gods feasts and holy-dayes God hath appointed the Moon for certain seasons the Sunne knoweth his going down Psal. 104. 19. By the Sunne the dayes are hotter and colder The Moon is made to appear according to her season the feasts are appointed by the Moon the moneth is called after the name thereof Ecclesiasticus 43. The Moon is a direction of the Passover every seventh day is the Sabbath state tempora sunt a Sole in things civill Faires meeting and ordaining Magistrates is by ordinata tempora The Moon hath a short motion the Sunne hath a great wheele for his whole course in a year for his compasse by dayes There is the morning Starre shining from the end of the night to the beginning of the day the evening starre the end of the day to the beginning of the night The Sunne in the day the Moon in the night are for their seasons the revolution of the Sunne is in a year of the Moon in a moneth The Sunne did rise to Jacob after he had wrastled with the Angell chap. 32. 31. The Passover was to be offered at Even at the going down of the Sunne in the moneths of Abib Deut. 16. begin So that the Sunne and the Moon are for seasons as it is in the 104. Psal. God saith Job in his 26. chapter 13. Hath furnished the Heavens and framed the crooked serpent which is taken for the Zodiack God saith to Job Canst thou bring forth Mazaroth in their time Canst thou guide Arcturus with his sonnes Job 38. 32. The Sunne runneth about in a day and in a year it goeth to each Tropick In accessu begins the Spring in decessu the Winter For themselves They are for illumination to be a light that is to give light to be a light even at midnight The Sunne is a light perpetually when it is absent from us it giveth light elsewhere to us it giveth light while we doe need it It is for us so that we may say to the lights sit vos non vobis they are for the Earth and for the Heavens they are for lights in the Firmament and to give light upon the Earth Sol est propter terram this is an honor to us and humility in them The Sunne commeth forth as a Bridegrome out of his chamber and rejoyceth like almighty man to runne his race Psal. 19. 5. So that it is for the Earth it was made to serve and lighten the earth take thou therefore heed lest thou lift up thy eyes unto Heaven and when thou seest the Sunne and the Moon and the Starres with all the hoste of Heaven thou shouldst be driven to worship and to serve them Deut. 4. 19. It cutteth off their adoration for creavit eos in ministerium cunctis Gentibus Sol o Deus est famulus Luna est ancilla tua ambo sunt in ministerium homini Non sunt conservi sed servi hominum Non sunt cum terra sed propter
Earth God is Chieftain and highest Commander of them For if God send out his swift watch-word all Creatures doe carefully obey and muster themselves to doe his will Psal. 147. 15. If he doe but hisse or whistle they come out and set forward Esay 7. 18. And for retreat Mark 4. 39. if he say Peace and be still the windes cease are still and goe no further 5. Last of all because if they had been expressed by the term of apparel or furniture it might have been thought that all things had been made for pleasure but by the comparison of Soldiers they are made known to be made for service also as Soldiers are All other kindes of service are but for one use as a Servants service is only obedience either to doe or not to doe but there is a double use and service of a Soldier Miles pro contra The one is to apply himself to the good of his Captain and Country The other to be ad oppositum against his enemies to defend his Captain and to offend his Adversarie So mans life is called a Warfare and Christians are Soldiers in both virtues endeavoring to doe good and to resist evil and to throw down all that doth oppose it self against God Also wheresoever mention is made of an Army there is implyed an Enemie which therefore giveth some occasion out of this to gather the fall of Angels which Heavenly Creatures are made not only to serve ad muniendum sed ad puniendum for the benefit of the good but for the punishment of disobedient and disloyal servants for against such all things in Heaven and in Earth doe arme themselves for revenge and oppose them selves against them We may if you please muster these Armies in their several ranks and orders Armies in Heaven celeftiall Spirits as the Angells And first concerning the Armies in Heaven they are of two sorts The first are in the uppermost Heavens in which are the Angels which being spirits are called by implication Heavenly Souldiers or Gods host as Jacob in the old Testament called them Gen. 32. 2. and St. Luke in the new Testament 2. 13. These are the first order which have the name of an Host concerning which celestial Creatures we read that they are 〈◊〉 Psal. 104. 4. Called Souldiers in respect of their ministery and fitly compared to Soldiers in respect of their service and ministry Heb. 1. 14. Multitude and also in respect of their multitude Psal. 68 17. and Dan. 7. 10. And in the New Testament Matth. 26. 53. Christ speaketh of twelve Legions which surpasseth the greatest Host that ever was Power Also in respect of their power they deserve the same name 2 Thes. 1. 7. Also in respect of their wisdome for policie 2 Sam. 14. 20. these are continually present and affistant with God Job 1. 6. 1 King 22. 19. And God doth send and imploy them to our service Gen. 28. 12. and are often messengers between God and man Their care and charge and their care and charge is not only to look to whole Countries and Nations Joshua 5. 14. as of Israel and Dan. 10. 13. of Persia and Grecia but also of singular persons as St. Peter had his Angel Act. 12. 15. So had Agar Gen. 16. 7 8. And little Children had their Angels Matth. 18. 10. Abrahams servant an Angel Gen. 24. 7. and Tobias an Angell Having their charge generally of Countries and especially of several men They are present with us it followeth consequently that they are present with us and about us Preach 5. 5. In which regard we must take heed to our behaviour propter Angelos 1 Cor. 11. 10. To guide and direct us They are not only present but also doe goe before us as guides for directions in good matters as Abrahams servant Gen. 24. 40. To hinder some in bad matters And as they serve to further us in good things so doe they hinder some men in bad courses and enterprises Numb 22. 31. as they did Balaam And they doe rejoyce if we prevail in that which is good Luke 15. 10. And the last service they perform is to carry and convey us into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. The Militarie service of Angells Now touching their militarie service they doe pitch their Camp about the Godly ad muniendum for defence Psal. 34. 7. and ad puniendum they doe pursue and scatter the wicked They are in Cherubins spreading their wings over the good Exed 25. 22. and 〈◊〉 out a fiery sword against the evill Gen. 3. 24. There is friendship and fidelity to the one and opposition and open hostility with the other So they served for Elishaes protection and defence 2 Kings 6. 17. and for opposition and defiance to the Enemies of God Esay 37. 36. We see both together Gen. 19. 15. they defend Lot and 〈◊〉 Sodom And Acts 12. 7 8 9. the same Angell which delivered 〈◊〉 out of 〈◊〉 smote Herod with the disease of the worms that he died In the Firmament the Stars Touching the nether Heavens The Host of the firm ament is the celestial bodies Deut. 17. 3. for so are the Starres and the Planets called Act. 7. 43 44. And their Militarie service is Judg. 5. 20. to fight in their courses against Gods enemies Armies in the Aire For the lowest Heavens which is the Aire There God hath his Host viz. the Winde for the Winde though it be but a puffe of Aire yet when God doth stirre it it hath such a militarie and violent force both on the Seas Psal. 48. 7. and also on the Land 1 Kings 19. 11. Job 1. 19. Leave the body of the Aire and goe to the furniture of it There shall you see that God hath his store-house of Snow and Hail Job 38. 22. both for reward of the good and revenge of the wicked for from thence came fire and brimstone on Sodom Gen. 19. 24. and from thence came the storm of Haile upon the Egyptians Exod. 9. 22. c. If you come to the fowls of the Aire they are Gods Armie for our good to feed us 1 King 17. 6. or else for our punishment to feed upon us Ezech. 39. 4. And Gods power doth not shew it self in the great Fowls as Ostriches and Eagles but in his Army of little poor Flies which are in the Aire Exod. 8. 24. and his swarms of Hornets Deut. 7. 20. for by them he can compell People to forsake and leave their Land and dwelling places Armies in the Earth Let us come to his Armies on Earth and Waters And first concerning the Waters doe not we see Gen. 7. 21. that there were such huge Armies thereof that at Gods commandement they overflowed the whole Earth That they drowned the Egyptians Exod. 14. 27. And the Whales in the Waters are Gods Host to devoure Jonas Jon. 1. 17. Yea to leave the great Army of Whales and come to the
without any help of the body or power thereof separately of himself yea it causeth a man to believe and know many things of it self even against the bodily senses and contrarie to them as that the bignesse of the Sunne and Moon is of a huge greatnesse though it seem to our sense but two foot yea the same power of the soul causeth us to desire many things contrarie to the outward sense as that it is healthfull sometimes to fast eat nothing c. Now of this they conclude that of these things there must needs be principium agendi where there is potest as agendi therefore a separate essence and being of the Agent Cause Thus by this separate action the Heathen rose up to this notice of the separate essence of the soul. Again the moving of this question Whether there be a God and eternity and a Heaven and spirits This we know that there is no outward thing which giveth occasion to our senses to move this question therefore the principium movendi is the power of the soul in reason who alone by his own light according to the state of his own nature moveth these things for a blinde man that never saw nor heard of colors can never in reason make question of colors So for as much as there is nothing without to tell or move him to this they conclude that the soul only was the cause and beginning of it within Touching the coupling of soul and body together into one living Man we know that Gods purpose and meaning in it was that the soul should rule the body and be a means to lift it up to Heaven and to God that it might so be made of the same excellent nature and estate which the soul had But now it is perverted and by sinne the course of nature and ordinance of God is changed and naturally our body doth labour to pull down the soul and make it earthly base and miserable But by grace we must endevor the contrarie it is Gods will it should be so and no reason to the contrarie But men seem by the care and cost they bestow on the body that the soul is worthy no care or cost at all But we must remember that many things and much time must be bestowed in seeking to garnish our souls Matth. 6. 20. We must lay up treasure in Heaven Matth. 19. 21. We must make friends of this Mammon put out our money to the Exchangers Luke 16. 9. for it is to lend to the Lord and if there be any truth in him he will repay it to their soul Prov. 19. 17. If we sow in the flesh the fruit of all that is but corruption but that which we sow in the soul and spirit hath his fruit to be glory and immortalitie and this is the point which we are to cleave unto and hold You know how little we bestow on spirituall uses for the soul and how much daily we spend on our bodies therefore I am an Intercessor to you for poor men made de eodem luto de 〈◊〉 imagine beseeching you that it may please you both in regard of the honour of God who made us and them to this end that we which have should doe good to them which have not and in regard of Gods Image in them of whom we should have a care and also in regard of our own duty of imploying our goods of which God hath made us Stewards and of the reward and gain which God will repay for it That therefore you would extend your liberalitie to their relief Our Doctrine is rain Deut. 32. 2. If you as barren ground drink in the rain and yeild no fruit you may fear a curse Heb. 6. 7 8. But if you yield the fruit of righteousnesse then Gods blessing in this life is still to minister food and all other things to you and at the last the end of it is everlasting life Wherefore to the end we may shew our selves not altogether earthly and carnally minded minding only earthly and bodily things and things which make only for this short life let us in the fear of God and love of our Brethren put on the tender bowels of compassion for their relief Ornaverat autem plantis Jehova Deus hortum in Hedene ab Oriente ubi collocavit hominem illum quem finxerat Gen. 2. 8. June 5. 1591. FRom the 7. verse of this Chapter unto the 18. thereof Moses as I have said before doth deliver and add a supplement unto the historie of man for having first Gen. 27. briefly dispatched the Creation of Man under these short terms Marem Foeminam creavit eum he lightly passed it over there purposing here in this place to handle it more at large and therefore he divideth the treatie here into two parts First prosecuting the Historie of Man from the 7. verse to the 18. verse and then of the Woman from thence to the end of the Chapter he left out many things there which he expresseth here As in the 7. verse he sheweth the matter of his body and the pattern after which he was made and the separate substance of his soul The manner of making of his body was as the Potters frame the vessels and the manner of making the soul was by inspiration breathing it into him Now in this verse unto the 15. verse he describeth and setteth down the place in which he was setled and from thence to the 18. verse delivereth the end to which he was made And thus are these verses touching the glosse or Commentarie of the historie of Man reserved Touching this 8. verse it consisteth of two parts 1. The first respecteth the place 2. The second the placing or bestowing man in it The place containeth three parts 1. First The kinde of place a Garden 2. Secondly The dignity of the place as I may tearm it in that it is said God planted it 3. Thirdly The scituation of the place which is also described in the 6. verses following Concerning the first of these three we see the place wherein this Creature of excellencie is to be seated we must needs conceive it to be some place of excellency meet for him and that either to be some place of pleasure within dore or else some place of pleasure without but there was no need for him to have any place of covert or defence within because there was no such distemperature of aire then but that they might well enough yea best of all endure naked therefore God resolveth to appoint and prepare a meet place without Certain it is that all the Earth at that time was in comparison of this as it is now vallis lachrimarum a paradise of pleasure yet God made this paradise and speciall place of the Earth a more excellent place of pleasure than any other in so much that it farre exceeded any other place wheresoever in Earth both in pleasure and
Paradise in Heaven but let us detest such detestable vices which will cause men to lose such excellent glory yet though we have all lost these pleasures of Paradise by Adams fall we need not with too much sorrow lament it because that was temporall and not permanent and we are put in assurance through Christ of another Paradise much better being eternall In respect of which this below was a shadow and nothing else but quasi vestibulum and this first Paradise was but a shew of such store of earthly pleasures and blessings which God is able to bestow on his servan 〈◊〉 in this World So Luke 23. 43. the second Paradise hath in it a shew and view of heavenly pleasures and delights spiritual which he will bestow on us in the world to come And as by the default of the first earthly Adam we lost earthly Paradise which was temporall So by the second Adam which is heavenly and his rightcousnesse we have hope of that heavenly Paradise which is eternall Again as the sinne of the first Adam did lock and chain up the first Paradise So the second Adam shall open the gate of Heaven and make an entrance of free passage thither As this Paradise past was a bodily place for bodies so the other to come is the spiritual Paradise for our souls This is Paradisus veteris Testamenti but that to come is foederis novi And thus we must understand all the places of the new Testament which speake of Paradise now for by it are meant the joyes of Heaven Seeing then we are not left destitute of a Paradise but have the promise of one which is more excellent than that let us not fall into the same sinnes of ingratitude and infidelity which we see was the cause of driving Adam out of that Paradise and will be the cause to keep us out of the second which is to come for no unclean person shall enter into it 1 Cor. 15. for Christ will say to such Depart from me yee workers of iniquity Matth. 7. 23. Wherefore these sinnes must be detested and infidelity as the root of all for his beleeving the Devills nequaquam moriemini before Gods morte moriemini was the cause of his fall and of his losse Thus if we beware of this fall and losse we shall at last not only come to that Sabbatum cum intermissione which was but once a week but to that Sabbatum sine intermissione which Christ hath appointed for us and then by Christ we shall be brought and placed not in Paradise cum amissione but sine amissione which is eternall in Heaven In which place we shall enjoy an everlasting Sabbath of repose and rest without any ceasing and of such a Paradise of pleasures as are without fear or danger of losing as these earthly ones were All these things are provided for us all if we demean and behave our selves holily in the faithfull steps of the second Adam Feceratque Jehova Deus ut germinaret è terra illa quaevis arbor desiderabilis ad adspectum bona ad cibum arbor quoque vitae in horto illo arbor scientiae boni mali Gen. 2. 9. June 8. 1591. AFter the more particular setting down of the essentials of Man being created in the 7. verse I told you that Moses proceedeth to set down the place in which man was seated from the 8. verse to the end of the 14. And the vocation in which he was to be imployed from the 14. to the 18. verse 2. Touching the place we considered two priviledges expressed c. 1. One in regard of the scituation of the Garden being in the East or right side of Eden 2. The other in regard of the Gardiner which was God Now he goeth forward to commend the Garden in another respect namely of the Trees and Plants which were in it set down in this 9. verse And also in respect of the waters in the 10. and 11 verles by which he telleth us that it was both a well planted and a well watered Garden and therefore could not choose but be pleasant and profitable Concerning the plants and trees in it first he propoundeth it in general and then in special marking out two kindes of fruits by name as the tree of life and the 〈◊〉 of knowledge Here are two kindes of commendations of the trees and planting it 1. The first respecteth the excellency of the fruit that were both pleasant to the eye and good for taste 2. Secondly In regard of the plenty and variety in that there was of every kinde and sort that nothing might be missing in it God made it Nemus a grove of pleasant trees good for shadow and also Hortus an Orchard of good trees for our use and service that we might not only rest under the shadow but reach out for the fruit to taste thereof Both these degrees of excellencie are applyed and attributed to this Garden and to the trees thereof Touching pleasure and delight we know that there is voluptas remota voluptas conjuncta the one removed farre off but being 〈◊〉 unto us applyed to the sense is very good and that is the delight of raste for the eye hath its delight though the object be remote but the taste hath no pleasure if the object be not applyed The one delight is transitory for that which is pleasant for taste when we eate it it is consumed and wasted away in the use of it but the other pleasure of the eye is perdurable and lasteth not only while we look on it but remaineth long after as delightfull still God then in this Garden joyned both these delights and excellencies together making both concur that evermore the trees should be speciosae fructiferae Jer. 11. 16. Thus much of the excellency Now I come to the plenty and variety of trees for it is said that out of the ground God made to grow every tree that is every kinde of tree pleasant to the sight and good for meat which is a speciall commendation for as the Heathen man saith Non omnis fert omnis tellus Therefore Salomon was fain to send to Hyram for Cedar trees which his Country afforded not and Hyram was fain to send to Salomon for Wheat and Olives because his Countrie either wanted that or else it bare not plenty that year 1 Reg. 15. 10. So that all Countries even the best and most fruitfull have not all sorts of commodities but are driven to have enterchange for supply Only this place of Paradise had plentifull store of all kinds of fruit and wanted nothing So that we may truly say of this garden as it is said of Salomons time there came never in any place such trees and such plenty of all as was here 1 Reg. 10. 12. This then sheweth the bounty and liberality of God for he dealt not with us sparingly nor with any envious eye but poured out the aboundance
it became a great stumbling block to many in Religion and Divinity for where they compared this with the history of other writers and seek for a place where are four such great rivers coming from one head and fountain they died in it And again missing also in the knowledge of the Land of 〈◊〉 taking it for another Land it grew to a marvailous difficulty that they could not tell how to reconcile this part of holy 〈◊〉 with the histories of other men But I will come to the particulars and touching the first River it is 〈◊〉 after three names first by name it is called 〈◊〉 Secondly by the 〈◊〉 and compassing of it about havilah Thirdly by the commodies of that Country ophir which being taken by 〈◊〉 is included by gold 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 for by Gold is understood all kinde of metals by 〈◊〉 all kinde of Perfumes and Spices by the 〈◊〉 all kindes of Jewells and pretious Stones Touching the name it 〈◊〉 in Hebrew the rich and plentifull River which name 〈◊〉 giew to be called Armelcha the 〈◊〉 call it the kingly 〈◊〉 or stately River if we compare this River to Saul 1 〈◊〉 10. 23. We shall see it well called so For as he was taller by the head and shoulders then all the men in Israell so was this river 〈◊〉 longer and did passe with more state then all other The second is the circuit and compasse by the coast for it compasseth and runneth along by the Country Havilah the name of which Land and Country made the doubt amongst writers because in the 〈◊〉 we read of two Countries of that name the one in 〈◊〉 10. 29. For the sonne of Heber which is called Havilah did 〈◊〉 and it is sure that one of his sonnes also did plant himself in Ophir The other is 〈◊〉 Kings 10. 22. which is in the 〈◊〉 parts of the 〈…〉 of India And the old writers taking it for this which is very 〈…〉 from that did 〈◊〉 in the matter There was another Havilah which came from 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Gen. 10. 7. which dwelt in that Country where the river 〈◊〉 is of which now some are called 〈…〉 In Strabo this Land is called Chavilah 〈◊〉 which as you see is very like 〈◊〉 and in this place was the Kings royall place and seat in the citie of Shushan 1 Hester 2. 5. Which for the commodities of it was called the citie of joy or pleasure as indeed Chavilah signifieth for in Hebrew it importeth most fruitfull rich and plentifull as if it were ever bringing forth and yet ever with childe This is the Country then that is next neighbor to Paradise bordering neerest upon it Touching the third point we necessarily infer and prove by the fruits and commodities which are here named that it must needs be this Havilah of which we have spoken for only it hath store of 〈◊〉 things as Plinie and Strabo doe witnesse The particular fruits here specified be those which in the opinion of all ancient writers are set down figuratively namely one chief for all of that kinde for it was the infinite store of all these rich commodities which made the King of Persia so proud in the City Shushan as we read in the 1 Hester First for Gold we see that it had not only store but also store of the best Gold for there were divers sorts as we doe make difference of ours here though there was great plenty of base and common Gold which came from Ophir yet the best and purest Gold came from Havilah For the other kinde of Bdelium some take it for a precious stone but indeed it is a tree and not a stone by which rare and excellent tree all spice and sweet perfumes which did there abound are comprehended and understood The third fruit is of jewels and precious stones where the best of all is specified for all the rest namely the Onyx stone for the Sardys is but a compound of it and of this kinde of stone we read was set in Aarons breast plate and also we read it to be one of the gates of the City and the Caldees doe call this stone the mother and seed of all other precious stones whatsoever and therefore doth contain all the rest And thus yee see what he meaneth by the fruits and commodities of this land by which Moses thinketh he hath sufficiently described unto us the place where Paradise was Now we must note and understand that all these commodities are in Havilah which is without Paradise and as it were in the backside and out-houses for these are not the things which doe principally commend Paradise but by this Moses is willing to shew the difference between the worldly Paradise and the Godly Paradise For worldlings when they come to Havilah and whilest they are amongst the gold and sweet perfumes and spices and precious stones which is before they come to Paradise they sit down there as if they were at their journeys end and had found the Paradise and happinesse which they looked for But Gods Children never stay nor rest themselves in Havilah amongst these earthly things but goe on still till they come to the tree of life which is in the mid'st of Paradise And as it is erronious to think that Gods Church is where all these earthly things are So on the the other side were it erronious to conclude that that could not be Gods Paradise where gold and silver and prosperity is Because Havilah and this 〈◊〉 is without the circuit and compasse of Paradise for though indeed the tree of knowledge and of life be the works of it yet the other trees of pleasure and profit are not denyed alwaies to the Church of God For God willed the People 〈◊〉 offer all their treasures Exod. 35. 4. And yet though these outward things doe accompanie the Church and profession of the truth yet we are not to rest in them as the true works of Paradise but as things adjacent and as part of the world in the outside thereof yet it is the property of our earthly nature more to admire these things than the true treasures of Paradise For when the Israelites saw 〈◊〉 first they asked what it was for they were ignorant of it they could not understand it nor tell what to make of it comming from Heaven but when they first saw gold glistering they called it by this name give it me There is no comparison between lignum vitae and lignum Bdelii nor between a wedge of gold and the tree of knowledge so saith Job 28. 16. yet the world thinketh that Job was in an error for they think all knowledge nothing in comparison of a wedge of gold But remember what our Saviour Christ saith Though we could get all the world what would it avail if we lose our souls Matth. 26. 15 16. wherefore we must remember to say as Eusebius reporteth of one Arcelius who being busie about worldly 〈◊〉 was wont often to say to
great regard in times past not to abuse anothers Concubine 2 Sam 3. 8. In several there are in them two other Duties In the man understanding and wise government there is I say in the husband direction and there must be in the woman subjection to be subject to his direction And here I am to admonish women of seven things to make them to honor their husbands First they must consider that Adam was formed first and then Eve 1 Tim. 2. 13. Secondly Man was not created for the Womans sake but Woman for the Mans sake 1 Cor. 11. 9. Besides he was wounded that she might be made She was taken out of him She was brought unto him She was made to help him She received her name of his name his name was Ish her name Ishah She had in her name a letter of five in number lesse than man to shew she was but a diminutive All these doe imply womans subjection There are two other Duties several of the man and wife The Man must protect his Wife in danger chap. 20. 11. Providing is required of the man to provide for his houshold and family 1 Tim. 5. 8. And the woman is to preserve and enlarge that her husband hath provided the domesticall duty of preserving the house and houshold pertaineth to her as it is in Proverbs 31. 21. She should be of the property of the Snail still at home but a foolish Woman is troublesome Proverbs 9. 13. The house in holy Scripture is taken for the Children whom she must bear and bring up in the fear of God The Wife through bearing of Children shall be saved saith Paul 1 Tim. 2. 15. The house is taken for the Servants whom we must govern well And the house is taken for the implements which she must order and enlarge She must be not as Ivie which cleavth to the tree and is not profitable though green but as the fruitfull Vine on the sides of thine house she shall bear Children like to the Olive plants round about thy table Psalme 128. 3. 3. No divorce after marriage And this cleaving of each to other implyeth a perpetuity of this bond out of the 2 of Kings 18. 6. Man shall leave father and mother to cleave to his wife And in 1 Cor. 7. 10 and 11. Paul saith I command those that be married not I but the Lord Let not the Wife depart from her Husband and let not the Husband put away his Wife It is true Quos Deus conjunxit homo non separabit whom God hath joyned let no man separate Yet God himself may sever them either by death for when the Husband is dead she may marry to another man Romans 7. 3. or God may sever them by divorcement for lewdnesse and whoredome not for every light matter but for a very weightie cause as it is in the 24. of Deuteronomy 1. Divorcement is called in Hebrew a sawing and the divorce of man and wife should be as the sawing a 〈◊〉 from the body If a man have the dead Palsie in some part of his flesh he will not presently have it cut off unlesse it 〈◊〉 some other part Divorces for two causes The Wife so long as her Husband liveth is bound unto him 1 Cor. 7. 39. But if the flesh be not only dead but corrupted then may there be a proceeding to divorces and that upon two causes as the ancient Fathers doe say out of the Scripture The one is for Fornication and Adulterie And who so putteth away his Wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit Adultery Matthew 5. 32. except it be for Whoredome Matthew 19. 9. And as I told you adulterous flesh is rotten 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 flesh in the thighs and this divorcement for carnall copulation in Adultery they doe gather quia adherebit uxori 〈◊〉 out of suae to his own wife and she to her own husband must cleave The other cause of divorce is for spiritual Adultery which is 〈◊〉 as it is called in the Scriptures If thou have an unbeleeving Wife if she be content to dwell with thee for sake her not for in that she is an Infidell she is dead flesh but in that she is content to dwell with thee she putrifieth not but if she seek to draw thee to Idolatry in such things thou mayst not yeeld but there may be a departure 1 Cor. 7. 15. God suffereth separation and apostacie for spiritual Fornication which is Idolatrie and where God doth make separation there his Deputies which are his Priests for Incontinencie and Apostacie may suffer divorcement for that the People committed Fornication both bodily and spiritually with the daughters of Moab Moses in the name of God ordained they should be slain and Phineas with his spear appeased Gods wrath Numbers 25. In Ezra 10. 4. after they had resolved to put away their strange wives they came to Ezra the Priest saying Arise for this matter belongeth unto thee who bid them in verse 11. to separate themselves from their strange wives as you may see there at large But Pauls counsell in the 1 to the Cor. 7. 11. is my counsell here that but for argent occasion a man should not put away his wife but if she depart let her remain unmarried as if she did retain only to her Husband or let her be reconciled to her husband and this reconciliation maketh no new marriage but by repentance she if she have offended must renew her life in honestie and holinesse and this reconciliation must be a renuing of their love and the man must heartily forgive her as he would have God forgive him then there must be a forgetting of any sepatation as though there had been no breach at all that so faith and love may ever after be preserved that so their love may be not only more dear than that to Parents but that it may grow daily more and more that God may blesse them and their Children that their union in the flesh may breed the unity of their mindes that they may be united each to other as Christ and his Church we in him and he in us who by his Incarnation became our flesh and he is one body with his Church who was tormented and scourged who dyed whose very heart was pierced with a spear whence his Church was taken he forsook his Father in the Heavens and was incarnate he forsook his Mother and suffered death that he might cleave to the Church and the Church to him that so they might be one spirit that so this bond might continue perpetually and that this knot that joyneth Man and Wife might be indissoluble Erant autem illi ambo nudi Adam uxor ejus ae non erubescebant Gen. 2. 25. Novemb. 〈◊〉 1591. THis verse at the first sight may seem 〈◊〉 and to small purpose but the wisdome of the Holy Ghost did add the same to the rest for good purpose If it be referred to that which went
what I have said Thus the devill magnifyeth his word and her sense that so by the eating and seeing his dixit might receive their Sentence of allowance Thus much may serve for the withdrawing of Eve from her beleefe by a matter of sense Seeing Now for the manner of alurement Shee seeing the Tree was good for meate and pleasant to the eyes though the eare by hearing of excellency and knowledge doe move her yet hearing these things doth but warme her desire and concupiscence to transgress it is the eye and the beholding of the pleasant fruit which setteth the concupiscence on fire to eate thereof It is the eye that maketh the heart like a bakers Oven that maketh concupiscence to burne as a flame of fire Osee 7. 6. Seeing moveth much more than hearing when we tell you of the joyes of Heaven which are inestimable of the paynes of hell which are intollerable by our speeches you are nothing moved but if you might see with your eyes the joyes of Heaven you would be enamoured of them might you see the paynes and torments of hell which sinners have you would abhorre sin and tremble at the torments Eve was moved more by seeing than by hearing In chap. 45. 28. Jacob was moved with joy to heare the report of his sonnes that Joseph was alive but yet he beleeved them not but when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to carry him then he was revived and he said My sonne Joseph is yet alive it was the seeing of the 〈◊〉 not the saying of Israel that made Jacob say descendam videbo illum antequam morior that kindled his desire to say I will goe and see Joseph before I die The desire of the buyer and of the seller is moved by the sight the buyer is desirous of the ware not because the seller sayeth it is good but for that he seeth and discerneth the goodness of the cloth or other thing by his eye and the seller is moved the more when he seeth ready money laid forth before his eyes seeing in things lawfull is much more effectual than hearing and seeing is much more dangerous than hearing of things unlawfull the Serpent thinketh he cannot bring his temptation to full effect unlesse he bringeth her videre lignum and therefore the Serpents petition as it were to Eve is but this I will not bid you so much as touch the Tree nor eate only vide ne comedito Heare me what I shall say doe but behold how pleasant the fruit is and see if you can abstain it is expedient to see that which we may not eate and to know sin that we may avoid it But seeing the Tree is an occasion to eate of the fruit the occasion of sinne which is the seeing of the fruit is to be cut off hearing was an occasion to make Eves heart proud and beholding the Tree caused her haughtie lookes and as it is Prov. 21. 4. A haughtie looke and a proud heart is the plowing of sinne they had liberty to stand or to fall but we must not use our libertie as an occasion to sinne Galat. 5. 13. S. Chrysostome upon that place saith That not only sinne but the desire and the occasion of sinne by all means is to be cut off Though that the seeing the forbidden Tree were not semen peccati the sowing of sinne yet it is like plowing of sin it is a meanes to perswade us to eate by seeing to take an occasion to offend without regard of Gods commandement not being warie when we have forsworne sinne if we retaine the occasion of sin we may easily be caused to sinne Exod. 10. 7. Pharaoh was content the Israelites should depart yet he would have their beasts remain behinde which were an occasion of offence neither sin nor occasion of sin must be left but must be cut off the eye is an occasion to desire and a means to discover 〈◊〉 There are two waies to convey sinne into us by the eare and by the eye and there are two waies to discover sinne the mouth and the eye because the eye is a way both in the conveyance and in the discoverie of sinne therefore say the Fathers God hath placed lachrymas the teares of 〈◊〉 which are the blood of the soule and by the eyes the yellow-Jaundis is discovered by the eyes wherethey doe insinuate That the eye is the broker to all sinne In chap. 6. 2. for that the children of God did see the daughters of men to be farre they tooke unto them wives of all they liked And chap. 10. 13. Lot lifted up his eyes and for that he saw the playne of Jordane was well watred and very fruitfull he chose it for his dwelling It is the eye that provoketh to lust and to pleasure it is the eye that provoketh to 〈◊〉 Ahab desired Naboths Vineyard because he saw it did adjoyn to his pallace He that beholdeth the clouds and observeth the windes shall nor sow nor reap Preach 11. 4. The eye is a mean to make the man idle seeing provoketh to covetousnesse Joshua 7. 21. Achan by his seeing among the specil a goodly Babylonish garment and a wedge of gold he covered them and took them Sathan when he saw that Eves concupiscence was loose he knew she would easily yeeld to the temptation if she might but see the fruit the jaundise of concupiseence might be perceived in her eyes In 1 Sam. 18. 9. When Saul saw how David was esteemed it is there said that he had one eye on David as if he looked asquint in that he looked on David with a learing eye for that he envyed and hated David So a learing eye is the jaundise of a dogged nature He that winketh with the eye worketh sorrow Prov. 10. 10. for often a fair countenance covereth a mischievous heart So in such an eye is the jaundise of deceit Salomon Prov. 30. 13. there are those whose eyes are haughtie and whose eye lids are lifted up There is the jaundise of pride Esay 30. 16. the daughters of Sion are said to walk with wandring eyes wherein is the jaundise of lust Prov. 17. 24. The eyes of a fool are in the corners of the world saith Salomon By such a foolish eye you may know the jaundise of foolishnesse An unchaste eye is the signe of an unchaste heart The Devil saith a Father well by the eye conveyeth the nose of his bellows to set her even in a fire to eat of the fruit Visus solet excitare somnientem quod incautus aspicit invitus despicit he that unwarily beholdeth the fruit perforce shall look into it They served the Lord at first in fear and 〈◊〉 in trembling Psal. 2. 11. But the seeing the fruit did not only stirre up but also increased sinne Amos his continuall seeing of his sister did increase his love to Thamar and when sinne is banished away yet seeing recalleth sinne And therefore that all may be well not only
the 14. of the 11. Thy pompe and pleasure is brought down to the grave the worms shall cover thee then with Job 17. 14. 〈◊〉 maist say to corruption thou art my Father and to the worm thou art my Mother and Sister and as it is in the 26. of Isaiah and the 19. the dust must be our dwelling joy not then in the joyes of this world which are but dust and corruptible they are as Austin saith gaudia privanda but sorrow for gaudia aeterna privanda sorrow lest 〈◊〉 be deprived of eternall joyes 3. Our life unconstant or death uncertain The third use for instruction is out of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The state of our life is alwaies in motion and in revolving like a Ship a sailing Job in his 14. chapter and 14. verse called the resurrection after death a changing it is like a shadow it is still turning and returning Paul saith in the thirteenth to the Hebrews the fourteenth verse Wee have here no continuing City but wee looke hereafter for one our life is unconstant our death uncertain alwaies changing this the inconstancie of mans life is the motive to good as the other is the retentive from evill Paul saith hee dieth daily from sin here on the earth wee must not seeke for the hill of certain repose but look in heaven for a perpetuall City The Tents and Tabernacle are taken away therefore with Abraham Wee must looke for a City having a foundation whose builder and maker is God the eleventh of the Hebrews and the tenth verse 4. A time to return The fourth use is out of donec revertêris untill thou returne a time of returning where wee must learne to returne by repentance unto God before wee returne to dust that so wee may returne againe from dust 〈◊〉 God let men bee alwaies ready spend not thy daies with the wicked that goe suddenly down to the grave the twenty first of Job and the thirteenth the fourty fifth of I saiah and the eighth And as they live so they die like beasts the third of the Preacher and the ninteenth 5. We must return to God The fifth and last is that we must return to God For shall the dust give thanks unto thee the thirtieth I salme and the ninth verse The godly shall be delivered out of temptation though the unjust be reserved to judgement the second of Peter the second and the ninth We must return to God per poenitentiam Let it not be thought incredible that God should raise again the dead the twenty sixth of the Acts and the eighth the first of Jea and the eighth So a man shall return to God very well by due consideration of these things from the first pulvis es thou art dust to return to God by humility by the second not to joy in this world but in God by the third to rest our turning and returning in God and by the fourth to comfort our selves that out of the grave we shall rise to live with God Abraham addeth ashes to dust But what made Abraham to add ashes to dust the eighteenth of this Book and the twenty seventh he saith I am O Lord but dust and ashes The Fathers upon this place say that dust is our beginning and if we doe not obey God by fire we shall be turned into ashes ashes will be our ending We are all naturally dust and we are all by desert also but ashes and although by no means you cannot avoid to be dust yet by an upright life you may avoid to be ashes though we cannot but incurre the first death let not the second death take hold of us Though the grave inclose us let not hell swallow us All we eat all that we care for in this world is but for dust and for that will turn to dust If we be nothing but dust if we hope for nothing but dust if we care for nothing but dust we shall be swallowed up in dust Let us remember we are clay but God is the Potter Isaiah 64. 8. Above all regard thy soul. Above all regard thy soul then shall thy body of dust return to dust and from dust shall return again to God that made it and thee thou and thy body shall return to glory Vocavit autem Adam nomen uxoris suae Chavvam eò quòd ipsa mater sit omnium hominum viventium Gen 3. 20. December 10. 1598. ADam here calleth his Wife by a new name not by the former name in the 23. of the former which was Woman The mysterie of this name compared with the former Sentence is great she is called here Hevah she hath no name of dejection and despair but of life and of comfort Hereby is to be gathered that notwistanding the sinne committed and sentence pronounced yet there was in Adam some matter of hope for he beleeved the promise made in the 15. verse before that the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head This was as it is in the 〈◊〉 to the Corinthians 2. 16. The savour of life unto life Abraham beleeved in Gods promise the 15. of this book the 6. by this Scripture Adam left a Monument of his beliefe as in the other Abraham left a Monument of his faith The seed of Abram in his age was promised to be in the 5. verse of that chapter as the starres of heaven Abraham desired to see the day of Christ and he saw it by faith Herein we will consider these two things first the imposition of a name and then of this name For the first the imposing of names is an argument of superiority and power in the 19. of the former chapter it is shewed in the naming of all the Creatures by man which names were properly given by him In the thirty fifth chapter and the eighteenth verse Jacobs Wife before her death called her sonnes name Ben-oni but his Father changed that name and called him Benjamin from the sonne of sorrow to the sonne of 〈◊〉 Jacob was after called Israel the tenth of the same chapter the name of Sarai was turned to Sarah the seventeenth of Genesis and the fifteenth verse as of Jacob by the Angell into Israel the two and thirtith chapter and the twenty eighth verse and out of these new names is taken matter of great mystery And Adam before called her Ishah woman as another from man but here hee changeth that to Hevah which is a name of life to others Now then touching the imposition of this name wherein wee will consider the signification of this name and then the qualitie thereof In the seventh of the former chapter God 〈◊〉 into man the breath of life and man was a living soule and here her name is a name of life now life is two fold either for a time or for ever shee is a mother of life in regard of this life for that her birth is not of an abortive it is a blessednesse production and education are in
there is faith to bee taken so out of this name is a worke of charitie to comfort us and Eve her selfe that was dejected and miserably plunged in sorrow by seeing shee had cast downe her selfe and all mankinde by her sin making her by her new name partaker of Gods love and charity this Charitie is not conteined in Eve alone but continued in her posteri ie unto the end of the world Abraham had great comfort the twelfth chapter and the third verse that omnes gentes all the Nations of the earth in him should bee blessed the eighteenth of the same chapter and the eighteenth verse and the two and twentith chap er and the eighteenth verse but this promise of all blessednesse was that in her omnes viventes all living should bee blessed for all that have beene all that are and all that shall bee are partakers of this promise for it reacheth from Eve to the end of the world In the first name Isha shee is the mother of nature of them that live and then die but by this name shee is the mother of Grace of them that though they are dead yet shall live for ever by the one the mother of mankinde by the other of the Church Job in his tenth chapter and twelfth verse saith vitam gratiam tribuisti mihi which life is the life of God eternally Therefore Adam by this name did comfort himselfe his wife and all others in their miseries in that wee must bee not only the seede of nature by her first name but the seede of Eve of Grace of the Promise and of Hope and so children of the Church of the holy seede to obtain the life of God eternall And lastly according to that of the second of Malachy Wee shall bee partakers of the Covenant of Peace and Life Fecitque Jehova Deus Adamo uxori ejus tunicas pelliceas quibus vestivit eos Gen. 3. 21. Dec. 7. 1598. THIS verse is as it were the opening of Gods warehouse and giving thence his liverie and aparrell wherein is mercy and favor even in judgement for after the Sentence God promiseth life and here giveth aparrell so that as Abacuck speaketh this commendeth Gods mercy in his anger as there was a mercy precedent in the Promise so here is a mercy subsequent in this provision and God mingleth mercy with judgement and joyneth Provision with punishment according to that of the seventy eighth Psalme and the twenty ninth verse this favour God vouchsafeth before hee ends his Sentence hee giveth hope of life everlasting and here addeth aparrell as the signe of his favor for all the care of this world is for foode and the back but seeke the kingdom of God and these things shall bee ministred unto you the sixt of Matthew and the three and thirtith verse Five parts of this verse This verse doth offer in it self five parts as they lie in order The first is the persons of Adam and his Wife The second is that God made The third is aparrel The fourth is of Skins The fift is that therewith they were arayed Out of each of these there is a double consideration of good use To begin then in order 1. Out of the persons of Adam and Eve we learn that though they were sinners yet God gave them his providence and provision The Sun shineth on the good and on the bad the rain falleth on the just and the unjust the fifth of Maithew and the fourty fifth he is kinde nnto the unkinde in the sixth of Luke and the thirty fift If God then give not over the wicked much more he will not leave the faithfull Secondly he extendeth his providence not only to sinners but even to the bodies of sinners which is shewed in his providence before for the bellie and here for the back both these are expressed in the tenth of Deuteronomy and the eighteenth Food and rayment is all we should desire in this world the first to Timothy the sixt and the eighth yea Gods providence goeth further than for the bellie and back for by it all the hairs of the head are numbred the tenth of Matthew and the thirtieth his providence watcheth over the soul and the body over the wicked then much more the good 2. God made The second point is God made he arraied the Heavens with starres and the Earth with grass and here he arraied Man with skins Here let us not search into the curiosity of the Jewes how God made them and what skins they were It is said in the holy Scriptures that God builded an house it is not meant that he was a Carpenter and here it is to be understood not that God was their Taylor but that God gave them power to kill beasts and capacity to make and shape apparrell he was not the Workman himself In the seventh verse before they made themselves Breeches of figge-leaves to cover their nakedness they were for no use nor continuance they were but vain God must teach them and direct them their clothing Mans reason without God hath a shew of wisedome but is without understanding the second to the Colossians and the twenty third In the first of Samaell 15. 15. Saul in his own conceit thought he had done well to save the best of the Sheep and Oxen. That apparrel that Adam made was cold and could not hold 3. Coats The third is Clothes or Coats in the originall tongue it is expressed that which is to cover and to defend Before Adam in Paradise had a care to have a Cover ad honestatem for shame there is a Commandement against the uncovering of shame in the eighteenth of Leviticus and the sixth which Paul in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twenty third verse calleth our uncomely parts Sem and Japhet will cover shame though wicked Cham will discover it The bruitish Savages respect not their nakedness The Sect of the Cynicks and the Adamites were shameless of their shame in the sixth of the Revelations shame must not be seen Adam by the light only of reason covered his shame that so this covering might be Velam verecundiae a Vail of shame fastness We must beware that we change not our clothing in vexillum superbiae to be the standard of pride at the first it was ordained for a covering for lust we must not then make it a provocation for 〈◊〉 it is made by God to suppress lust we must not then make it as a procurer of sensuality Such is the attire of an enticing Woman in the seventh of the Proverbs and the nineth St. Jerome upon this place saith that it is opposite unto this use or first institution of apparrel to make it nidum luxuriae a nest for lasciviousness The second reason why God made them apparrel was for defence both of the cold of Winter and the heat of Summer to save them from the weather St. Paul in the second to the
crieth for vengeance for as the Prophet saith Our strength is in silence and quietness Isaiah the thirtieth chapter Though we possess our souls in patience as Christ willeth Luke the twenty first chapter yet God will say mihi vindicta Deuteronomie the thirty second chapter and as I am Judge of the world so I will be revenged of them that doe wrong Therefore the Apostle willeth not to seek revenge because God challengeth that as a thing proper to himself Romans the twelfth chapter Hebrews the tenth chapter taceat os loquitur sanguis which is a point necessary to be urged and teacheth us that we need not to be Gods remembrancers in this point for the revenge of injury Our teares and sighs crie for vengeance for as he heareth the voice of blood so the voice of our weeping and teares Psalm the fifty sixt and the eighth verse he heareth the sighes and griefs of the heart Psalm the thirty eighth and the ninth verse and the inward desire of the heart though it be not uttered Exodus the fourteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse as in Moses Note Therefore Job saith terra ne operiat meum sanguinem neque clamores meos intercipiat Job the tenth chapter and if he keep a vessel to put our teares in much more may we perswade our selves that our blood is pretious in his sight Psalm the one hundred and sixteenth and the fifteenth verse which point ministreth great comfort to them that suffer wrong Secondly Hence we learn what is the nature of sinne before the Holy Ghost called it 〈◊〉 cubans that is sinne fast asleep but here is peccatum clamans not only sinne awake but crying out and warning for sinne 〈◊〉 gently at the first but after it will pull a man by the throat Even as the Devill is tentator Matthew the fourth chapter he tempteth men to sinne by all the pleasant means he can and when he hath prevailed with them then he is accusator fratrum Apoc. the twelfth chapter Sinne is like the wife of Potiphar which tempted Joseph by all fair means to folly and as if he had been guilty did first accuse him Genesis the thirty ninth chapter And as one answered Joab when he would have had him smite Absalom If I had done it it would have been the danger of my life yea thou thy self which 〈◊〉 me to doe it wouldest have been the first that should accuse me in the second book of Samuel the eighteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse so sinne hath no sooner with its deceitfulnesse allured a man to doe evill but it will straight way call to God for vengeance against him Which thing ought to make it odious in the eyes of all men Though Abel complain not Cain 〈◊〉 not and Adam accuse not yet we cannot so escape for our own sinne is as a Serjeant that will finde us out Numbers the thirty second chapter and the twenty third verse and when it hath found us as a Goalor it will hold and binde us with cords Proverbs the fifth chapter and the twenty second verse And as the Prophet speaketh in the second chapter of Habakkuk and the eleventh verse The stone out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shall cry to God for vengeance upon 〈◊〉 though the poor whose faces they have ground say nothing Esay the third chapter and the fifteenth verse Touching which pursuit of sinne the Wise-man saith in the tenth chapter of Ecclesiastes Curse not the King no not in thy thought neither curse the rich in thy bed-chamber for the fowls of heaven shall disclose it Yea a mans own spirit will make him to confesse his own sinne and if all means fail yet the stones in the street will cry for vengeance And we see that there is vox non solùm oris sed operis as the Prophet speaketh of Gods works that the very heavens have a voyce wherewith they doe enarrare gloriam Dei Psalm the ninteenth And therefore the Heathen say Res ipsa loquitur Which as it ministreth fear to Cain and to the wicked so comfort to the Godly For if as we see in Cain sinne have a voyce to plead before God against a man Good works crie to God then no doubt but the good works that a man doth will speak to God for him and are remembrancers to put God in minde to be gracious unto him As God heareth rears and putteth them in a bottle as he heareth sighes and inward desires of the heart which speak to him the Almes that Cornelius gave had a voyce to plead unto God for him so that of a heathen he was made a Christian Acts the tenth chapter For as the concupiscence of evill is sinne so the very desire of good is a virtue that pleaseth God And if the taking away of a mans life doe pull down the vengeance of God then the saving of a mans life or of his soul will be a forcible means to procure Gods favour To conclude The last point to be observed from hence is That if the blood of Abel had a voyce to speak unto God then the blood of Christ Jesus must needs have a more powerfull voyce because it speaketh better things than the blood of Abel Hebrews the twelfth chapter and the twenty fourth verse for the blood of Abel cryed for Justice but Christ's blood cryeth for Mercy If when we doe evill it will plead to God for vengeance then if wee doe any good work much more shall it speak to God for us And God as he is inclined to mercy rather than to vengeance will rather hear the voyce of our good works than of evill because our good works speak better things than our wicked actions Nunc itaque tu maledictus esto exsul ab ista terra quae aperuit os suum ad excipiendum sanguinem fratris tui è manu tua Quum humum ipsam colueris ne pergito edere vim suam tibi vagus infestus agitationibus esto in terra Gen. 4. 11.12 Aug. 26. 1599. IN these two verses is contained the sentence pronounced by God against Cain for God having performed that which the Holy Ghost telleth us in the thirty third chapter of Job and the twenty ninth verse that God will deal twice or thrice with a man that he may turn back his soul from the pit First in his examination Where is thy Brother Abel Secondly in his second question What hast thou done Thirdly in laying open before Cain his sinne Behold the voyce of thy Brothers blood cryeth to me Having spared him for three 〈◊〉 he will no longer bear with him but proceedeth to sentence against him for the fourth in the first of Amos and the third verse shewing that as he gave sentence against Adam confessing to assure us that we may proceed likewise upon confession so we may doe in case of conviction And that it is a good ground to pronounce sentence not only
with Enoshes invocation with respect partly to Seth his Father and partly to Enoch Cains Sonne As Cain and Seth matches so doe Enoch and Enosh On the behalf of Seth we say that Moses having laid a foundation which was posuit deus in this verse he adds roof for invocation is not made till the Temple be finished and so in these two verses he comprehends the state of the Church In the first is the promise of God in the second the name of God In which two is contained the duty of the whole worship of God On the other side that there might be a counterpoise and opposition between the contrary parties as Seth is opposed to Cain so Enosh stands against Enoch For as we see there was a City built on the one side so on the other side there must be something built for the defence of the seed of the Godly There must be some fence for Seth and his seed as Cain and Enoch had theirs Therefore here is that which is called turris fortissima Proverbs the eighteenth chapter that is nomen domini and it stands in opposition not only against him but against all the rest to counterpoise Jabal Jubal and Tubal Cain First against the wealth that Jabal brought in here is the fear of the Lord as Abraham Genesis the twentieth chapter whereof the Prophet saith Isaiah the thirty third chapter and the sixt verse Timor Domini the saurus Secondly Against the pleasures and delights of Jubals invention of musick we have another pleasure in the Psalmes Psalm the sixty third My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips Thirdly Against the strength and power of Tubal Cain that deviseth weapons for warr we have another kinde of armor Psalm the twentieth Illi in curribus in equis nos autem in nomine domini dei nostri invocabimus So we see that which is ascribed to Enosh doth answer not only Enoch but all the rest As on the one side in respect of Seth when we read that God gave him a seed we shewed that it was a holy seed that he was the first that called on the name of the Lord so on the other side in respect of Enosh and Enoch as we see a City so a Church as in Enoch a state civill so in Enosh a state ecclesiasticall as there we had a company of men that placed their vocation in things of this life so here we have another company whose vocation is an invocation that is to adore and call upon the name of the Lord. As if Moses should say by way of apologie that they were not a seed alone but there is another seed and as Cains posterity boasted themselves in earthly matters so Seths seed was imployed in the service of God which Moses opposeth against Enoch and the rest For when as the Prophet speaks there is more spent in the making of Mattocks and Swords that is a state civill but when more time and pains is bestowed in the safegard and protection of the Church than upon Lawyers and that shewes a state ecclesiasticall This shall suffice for the dependance of this verse I come to the verse it self consisting of two parts First the birth and name of Enosh Secondly the invocation of the name of the Lord. First the name Enosh signifies a man according to the four words in the holy tongue and it gives us to understand thus much that the conceipt of the Holy Ghost is that that party that hath sense of God and his worship and of spirituall things as the invocation of the name of God is to be called a man otherwise he is like a beast Psalm the fourty ninth and no man for that the God of heaven should receive no more honour and service from men than from bruit beasts it is too unreasonable seeing God hath endued man with reason and therefore that which offereth it self here is that Enosh from his invocation of the name of the Lord took his manhood that thereby it appeared that he was a man and not a bruit beast But as he signifies a man so not every man but as Adam is a person taken out of the molde of the earth so Enosh is a name pertaining to humility and signifies a person that is lowly The one was manipulus terrae the other cumulus miseriae so that there is a name from the molde whereof man is made and into which he is cast the consideration whereof is able to take down our pride or if not that of Adam The other name Enosh whereby we see that this man that is made of the molde of the earth is subject to so many miseries sicknesses sorrowes and calamities For the occasion of this name giving there was a kinde of emulation between the one side and the other as on the one side the one called his Sonne Enoch so the other Enosh the one Irad the other Jerad the one Mehujael the other Methushael which was done in this respect to shew that another manner of contemplation occupies the heads of the Children of God then the terrestriall dedication of the seed of the wicked But especially this was done in respect of the Prophesie to shew how Seth did see that the Serpent slept not but was hewing out a crosse and calamities for the Godly and that Enoch had built a City and walls against the Church and Tubal-Cain had invented weapons of warr and prepared armor against Seth. Therefore as Genesis the tenth chapter and the twenty fift verse Eber calls his Sonnes name Peleg because the division of the earth was in his dayes so here Seths Son is called Enosh in respect of the crosses and tribulations that the Sonnes of men are subject unto and that is one mysterie that the Fathers make of this place that none should imagine Seth to be without his Enosh that upon the godly the surges of the Sea shall arise but not overwhelm them and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them Matthew the sixteenth chapter but that he that grounds himself upon the worship of God by true invocation shall be immoveable and yet not without persecutions And that is the first point that to Seth is born Enosh The reason why God sends crosses and afflictions to men is to try them whether they be rooted and grounded in faith Colossians the second chapter and the twenty seventh verse and as in the first to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter and the ninteenth verse He suffers heresies that they which are approved may be known as also because if men were not sometime perplexed and prest down with afflictions so as neither reason can releive them nor the hand of flesh able to deliver them when they cannot help themselves but as past hope of remedy they may ascribe their deliverance to God and not to their own counsels or force Secondly That it hangs well together that this
and though they had yet this reward doth not last for ever Honor fugientem sequitur sequentem vitat We see Saul Judas 〈◊〉 and Saphira while in hypocrisie they made a shew of good works to procure themselves glorie were disappointed and they 〈…〉 of God upon them But though it have a 〈…〉 yet not 〈◊〉 Patrem vestrum 〈◊〉 Which is 〈…〉 That if they have glory yet it is not God 〈◊〉 gives 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 And as the 〈◊〉 of Manna was a figure that it came not 〈…〉 blessing of God Exodus the sixteenth chapter And when the Manna of the wicked 〈◊〉 it is a signe that it was not Gods gift 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter So in that the glorie of hypocrites doth not 〈◊〉 it is a token that it is not a praise given them of God Again it 〈◊〉 That though 〈◊〉 have a reward in earth yet not in 〈◊〉 for then to hypocrites that say we have cust out Devils and preached in thy name he shall say Depart from me I know ye not Matthew the seventh chapter Secondly Note how powerfull this perswasion is to make us avoid vain glory and the desire of it Here Christ saith non habet is mercedem ye have no reward In the next verse he saith you have your reward habet is mercedem to shew that the worldly reward is nothing in respect of the heavenly reward that God will give Gods reward is by grace in this life for to them that forsake father and mother he promiseth an hundred fold Matthew the nineteenth chapter and the twenty ninth verse Then by glory in the world to come the glory of a Kingdome Luke the twelfth chapter It is my Fathers pleasure 〈◊〉 give you a kingdome Than which glory none is greater and therefore he will say Come ye 〈◊〉 possesse the kingdome Secondly such a Kingdome as shall be void of all affl ction that might take away the glory I know the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory to come Romans the eighth chapter And howsoever no Kingdome is so glorious but either eye hath seen or care hath heard or at least the heart may conceive of a Kingdom of more glorie yet such is the glory provided for them that by well doing seek the praise of God and not of men as neither eye hath seen the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the ninth verse So that if we knew the gift of God John the fourth chapter if it would please him to open the eyes of our minde that we might see the excellencie of the Heavenly reward Ephesians the first chapter and the eighteenth verse and the basenesse and uncertainty of the worlds gift we would not only not desire but even carefully avoid and be afraid of the worlds glory and would abhor the desire of it as a thing not only injurious to God but hurtfull to our selves Operemini non cibo qui perit sed cibo illi qui permanet in vitam aeternam quem filius hominis dabit vobis hunc enim Pater obsignavit id est Deus John 6. 27. Novemb. 6. 1598. THese words are the beginning of that long Sermon which Christ made concerning the bread that comes down from Heaven the occasion whereof was the flocking of the multitude to Christ for that they had been partakers of the feeding of the loves and for that Christ saw them so earnest in seeking after material bread he takes occasion to put them in minde of a more excellent bread which they should labour for For whereas the names of the good things in this life were given to spiri ual things As that godlinesse is gain the first epistle to Timothy the sixt chapter That to 〈◊〉 in good works is true riches the first epistle to 〈◊〉 the sixt chapter and the eighteenth verse That to be decked with virtue is the beauty that doth indeed adorn both men and women the first epistle of Peter the third chapter and the fourth verse It appeareth that howsoever these corporal blessings doe carry the names of good things yet they are not so truly called but the truth thereof is comprehended in spiritual good things whereof the good things of this life are but shadows Christ by that water which the Samaritan came to draw took occasion to speak of the water of life whereof whosoever drinketh shall thirst no more John the fourth chapter and the fourteenth verse And by the bread which the Capernaites sought after took occasion to stirre them up to seek for the bread of life So should we from the outward things which we enjoy for the maintenance of the life present gather spiritual meditations of true good things necessary to the life to come Secondly These words depend upon the former verse Wherein Christ seeing them flock unto him said reseek me not because ye saw the miracles but for that ye eat of the loves Upon which words as he concludes with this exhortation Labour not for the meat c. So before he gives them this counsell he sets down the reproof Where Booze chargeth his servants concerning Ruthe that they should let her gather and not rebuke her the word signifieth to confound or put to shame Ruth the second chapter and the fifteenth verse the reason is because we are all ashamed of reproof Christ though he had no wounds by sinne was contented to be baptized as if he had been a sinner but we that have the wounds and sores of sinne cannot abide the plaister of reproof but think it a shame to be rebuked when we offend But Christ before he counsels them doth think good first by reproof to put them to shame And it is a shame to them in two respects First That in the heat of their Religion and devotion when they would seem most devout Christ chargeth them with hypocrisie Ye seek me not for the miracles that by them ye may beleeve but for the meat Secondly They are put to shame the more for that he doth not lightly touch them and glance at their hypocrisie but doth accuse them in vehement and earnest manner Verily verily I say to you the twenty sixt verse but Christ doth rebuke them for another end Howsoever it be a good effect that men be made ashamed of their sinne by reproof yet is it not the last end Christ doth it not to confound but rather to amend them and therefore exhorts them that they should chiefly labour for the meat that perisheth not as the Apostle in one place saith hoc loquor ad pudorem the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixt chapter and the fift verse doth elsewhere say I write not these things to shame you the first epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter So Christ to these men saith I speak not this for your confusion but for your amendment So that albeit they were guilty of hypocrisie yet not desperate hypocrites for Christ had some hope of them and therefore ceaseth
is the fountain of joy and life Therefore howsoever we labour in this life to lay up treasure for our outward maintenance yet we must chiefly take care for the life to come and lay up for our souls a good foundation the first 〈◊〉 to Timothie the sixt chapter but the following of the good things of this life doth hinder us from this care We are like the Israelites that cared not for the promised bread because they had the flesh pots in Egypts so as they could be content to have turned thither So it was with the two tribes and half who for that they had convenient pasture for their Cattel on the other side of Jordan cared not for travelling into the land of Canaan Numbers the thirty fift chapter Another hindrance is the labor and trouble that must be suffered for the purchasing of eternal life We have a spiritual sluggishnesse like the sloathfull person whom Salomon speaketh of He would fain have had bread but was loth to labour for it It was cold and there was a Lyon in the way Proverbs the twenty second chapter So the great trouble and danger that must be born doth keep us from seeking the bread of eternall life as the Israelites said The Land is a good Land but the People are many and strong Numbers the thirteenth chapter and so had no lust to seek to enter into the land of Canaan So we confesse that eternall life is the better but we have so many comforts in this life and finde it so troublesome to attain to the other life that we leave off all care for it and content our selves with our 〈◊〉 state The trouble and danger that stayeth us from seeking life eternal is that which the Scripture setteth out All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution the second epistle to Timothy the third chapter By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of Heaven Acts the fourteenth chapter And the way is narrow and the gate streight that leadeth to life Luke the thirteenth chapter To take away the first hindrance the holy Ghost sheweth that there is a better life and greater joyes reserved in the life to come The eye hath not seen the eare hath not heard the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter And that the other should not hinder us he saith All the afflictions in this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed Romans the eight chapter In both which places we see God would kindle in us a desire of eternal life As there is a life that endureth so there is a meat for it We know the body needs bread therefore we seek for bread for it so must we seek for the food of the soul. The joy of the body must be a memorial to stirre us up to provide food for the soul. Fourthly This food we doe not seek We are so intangled in the pleasures of this life that we think not of eternall life the pleasures of this life while we enjoy them doe quench the care of the life to come But being once past they are as nothing and we are never the better for them though we desire eternall life yet we perswade our selves we shall have it without feeking the food for it We think it necessary to seek bread for the body but not for the soul though we doe think it necessary yet we neglect it and deny in our works that we think it needfull We doe not labour for it as we are here commanded The sluggard would fain have bread but shall want it because he labours not for it in temporal things as riches honour preferment a great deal will not content men But in Religion and matters spiritual they are of Agrippaes minde aliquantulum persuades Acts the twenty fourth chapter great store of worldly goods is nothing but a few good works are sufficient If we sow to the spirit in never so little measure we think we have done a great deal but if we sow never so much to the flesh upon apparel and vanity all is too little if we spend all the six dayes about our own profit yet it is not enough but we will encroach upon the Sabbath therefore the people ask When will the Sabbath be ended Amos the eighth chapter But if we spend but one day in the week or one hour in Gods service it is tedious to them We take part with Martha and as for Mary that was occupied about Gods worship we think not so well of her though Christ testifie of her that she chose the better part Luke the tenth chapter If we vouchsafe once in seven dayes to come unto Gods house yet it shall be late before we come and we think it long till we be gone Operemini non cibo qui perit sed cibo illi qui permanet in vitam aeternam quem filius hominis c. John 6. 27. Novemb. 19. 1598. AFter the four points of accusation before handled now follow two more for direction First That we must seek for the bread of life that endureth rather than for that which perisheth Secondly That we must seek for it of the sonne of Man whom God the father hath therefore sealed that he should give us the bread of life In the first part we have two parts to observe First That we must labour for this meat Secondly We must labour for it more than for the other When Christ saith labour he means not that they should only desire it It is a good thing to desire the bread of life as they desire it Da nobis semper panem hunc John the sixt chapter and the thirty fourth verse Those sodain flashings that arise are not to be despised for they are the seed of greater virtues God begins with a little seed of Godlinesse and proceeds till he have wrought men to some perfection Zacheus at the first did but only desire to see Christ but from this little seed proceeded great fruit of Justice and mercie towards the poor so that he not only restored but gave to the poor Luke the nineteenth chapter Therefore the seed of repentance and faith if it be never so little is not to be rejected if it be but as the grain of mustard seed He that doth not quench the smoaking flax though it doe not flame Matthew the twelfth chapter will not despise the least desire of Gods grace but that we should not content our selves only to desire the bread of life he wills us not only to desire but to labour for it It is not enough to long and desire for the bread of life but we must labour and take pains for it The desire of the sloathfull shall slay him Proverbs the twenty fourth chapter The sloathfull would fain have bread to sustain life but he saith There is a Lyon in the way Proverbs the twenty second chapter he is afraid of labour and danger but we must not refuse to take
any pains nor fear any danger to obtein the bread that endureth for ever In other things of this life we doe not only desire that which seemeth good to us but we seek for it till we have it So the Prophet speaks Cupiunt rapiunt Michah the second chapter and the second verse So we must not only desire the Kingdome of God but must violently seek after it for The Kingdome of God suffereth violence Matthew the eleventh chapter Secondly this word labor is opposed to seeking for Christ saith here Matthew the sixt chapter Seek the Kingdome of God but labor for the meat that endureth This labor is that work of God which is ascribed to faith John the sixt chapter by which we labor for the bread of life we must use an excessive kinde of labor in this work of God for that to labor for the bread of life is no bodily labor and therefore we must work for it earnestly for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jeremiah the fourty eight chapter Therefore when Christ pronounceth them blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse he commands us not only to seek and desire it in our hearts but to hunger for it as we doe for the food of our bodies Matthew the fifth chapter and as he commands us to doe so so he hath left us his example for as it becomes him to fulfill all righteousnesse so he protesteth that it was his meat and drink to doe the will of him that sent him John the fourth chapter so did Mary earnestly labor for the meat that perisheth not when she was sitting at the feet of Jesus for though her sister called upon her to help her yet nothing could draw her from this spirituall labor Luke the tenth chapter and the fourty second verse So did the people labor that pressed to hear Christ Luke the eighth chapter they laid violence to the Kingdome of God as also they that hearing Paul preach would needs have him preach the same thing again to them and for that end came together in great companies to hear the next Sabbath Acts the thirteenth chapter If we thus seek the bread of life striving and wrastling with God in our praiers as Jacob did with the Angell then we doe indeed labor for it as Christ willeth us to doe The second sense of laboring is that we must labor for this bread more than for the other and not at all for the other in comparison of this All grant that we must labor for the bread of life but not for it more than for that which nourisheth this life we must observe in what manner we ought to labour as well as that we are to labour for the excessive desire of this life makes us defective in the desire of the life to come The desire of this life is not oppofice but subordinate to the desires of the life to come But we must desire this life so farre as it may further us to the other life Some doe make this life the end of all their desires and doe heap up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath 〈◊〉 the second chapter But the care and indeavor of the Saints of God is that in this life they may lay up for themselves a good 〈◊〉 for the life to come the first epistle to 〈◊〉 the sixt chapter Men are bound to be carefull to make honest provision for this life and not to be idle and burdensome to the earth For when Christ willeth us not to be carefull for this life yet from the example of birds we may learn that we must not be negligent for they are made to flie as it is in the Provarbs And so we are by Gods appointment to provide for our maintenance in this life Matthew the sixt chapter When Christ saith We shall give account for every idle word he means we shall be called to account That we have not spoken the good words that we ought Matthew the twelfth chapter The Apostle 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 stote to steal no more but to labour Ephesians the fourth chapter and the twenty eighth verse The reason is that for want of labouring in some honest calling for our outward maintenance we shall fall to poverty and Poverty will make us steal and use unlawfull means Proverbs the thirty chapter Though a man were able to live without labouring yet remembring Gods sentence that we 〈◊〉 eat in the sweat of our faces we shall say 〈◊〉 tram Domini 〈◊〉 the seventh chapter and the ninth verse And that made the Apostle say That if any will not labour let him not eate the second epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the third chapter And the blessed man shall 〈◊〉 of the labour of his hands Psalme one hundred twenty eighth Thus we are to provide for this life But if comparison be made we are to labour more for the life to come and for the food that belongeth to the maintenance of it It were a thing hard enough for us if Christ should command us to labour for the heavenly food as we doe for the earthly but yet it is necessary that as the soul is more excellent than the body so we should be more carefull to maintain the life of the soul than of the body The excellency of the soul made the learned Philosophers to 〈◊〉 from many bodily pleasures which otherwise they could not have forborn but that they knew the life and felicity of the soul is 〈◊〉 better than all the profits and pleasures of this life Of the good things of this life Christ saith What shall it profit a man to 〈◊〉 the whole world and lose his own 〈◊〉 Matthew the sixteenth chapter So we are to seek the good of the next life rather than of this Touching our defence from bodily miseries Christ saith 〈◊〉 not him that 〈◊〉 kill the body and not the soul but he that can kill 〈…〉 Matthew the tenth chapter that is if he that 〈◊〉 not a due care to provide for the soul rather than for the body Some use the soul is if it were to serve the body whereas the body ought to serve it But seeing our body is Corpus mortis Romans the seventh chapter because either it shall be destroyed by death or while it liveth is under the dominion of death Romans the sixt chapter Therefore whatsoever care is bestowed upon the body shall perish with it for they that sow to the flesh as it is corruptible shall reap corruption but as the spirit is immortal so they that sow to it shal reap immortality and life ever lasting Galatians the sixt chapter The good estate of the body will not make the soul the better but rather the worse but the souls estate being provided for the body shall be farre the better If we seek Gods Kingdom first then that care will cause all other things to be added Matthew the sixt chapter If our conversation be in Heaven it shall cause our
faith by means whereof that was made present to Abraham which otherwise was absent The fathers by faith beheld this promise afarre off Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the seventh 〈◊〉 c. And were as sure of them as if they were performed Thirdly He rejoyced It is said that God gave charge touching the Patriarchs and ancient Fathers Nolite tangere unctos 〈◊〉 Psalm the hundred and fift and the fifteenth verse Which 〈◊〉 was Abraham who was 〈◊〉 with the oyle of gladnesse Psalm the fourty fift By which the conceived joy when by faith he saw the day of Christs 〈◊〉 Here we are to inquire of the matter and words of this joy The 〈◊〉 and cause of Abrahams joy was deliverance which is a great cause of joy When the Lord brought again the captivity then was our mouth filled with laughter Psalme the hundred twenty sixt So Abraham 〈◊〉 to think that he was delivered from being dust and 〈◊〉 that now be might say with David They 〈◊〉 not leave my 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 nor suffer me to see 〈◊〉 Psalm the sixteenth and the tenth 〈◊〉 Secondly He rejoyced considering that by means of Christ his 〈◊〉 he should not only 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 which is death of body For dust thou art and to dust 〈…〉 Genesis the third chapter And the death of the soul which is the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 the sixt chapter But should have 〈…〉 and that not temporal but spiritual in 〈…〉 the first chapter and the third verse For as the 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 not earthly blessings but heavenly For 〈…〉 had been mindfull of earthly blessings They had 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 and had 〈…〉 them Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the 〈…〉 But the matter of Abrahams joy was the hope of a 〈◊〉 blessing 〈◊〉 Christ. This God 〈◊〉 when he promised That his seed should not only be as the dust of the earth which is an earthly 〈…〉 the thirteenth chapter but As the starres of Heaven Genesis the fifteenth chapter By which is meant the blessing of Heaven This blessing was That he should enjoy those things which the eye bath not seen the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the ninth verse Thirdly That this blessing should come to him per semen suum not by a strange or foraign means this did increase Abrahams joy to think quod Servator Abrahae est semen Abrahae And that he whom David called his Lord was his sonne Matthew the twenty second chapter Fourthly His joy was the greater considering that this benefit was not appropriated to the Jews only that were of the stock of Abraham but that in him all Nations should be blessed not only he and all his children but as many as were to be blessed should obtain this blessednesse in him So say the Angels that the birth of Christ is matter of the Peoples joy because it belongs to all People Luke the second chapter That in this life all that are blessed with faithfull Abraham Galatians the third chapter And after this life shall be blessed by being received into Abrahams bosome Luke the sixteenth chapter For the manner of his joy As his desiring sight was spiritual so his joy is not carnal as ours but spiritual We desire to see the feast of Christs nativity and we joy when it comes but in a carnal manner but it must be spiritual as Mary saith My spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Luke the second chapter There is a joy of the countenance which is outward but the true joy is of the heart and conscience To desire Christs dayes before he come and to joy when he is come are the true touchstones of our love to him When our Parents heard God was come they hid themselves Genesis the third chapter So he that is in state of sinne desires not Gods comming or presence neither rejoyce at it They say Let the holy one of Israel cease from before us Isaiah the thirtieth chapter and the eleventh verse So farre are they off from desiring his comming And for joying when he is come they will say with the Gergasites Depart out of our Coasts Matthew the eighth chapter and the thirty fourth verse But contrariwise the godly to testifie their desire say Break the Heavens and come down Psalme the hundred fourty fourth 〈◊〉 So for joy The hope that is deferred makes the heart to faint but when it comes it is as a tree of life Proverbs the thirteenth chapter and the twelfth verse Therefore we must proceed from desire to sight and by it as also by our joy we conceive at the day of Christs birth we may examine whether we be the children of Abraham and so may conceive hope to be partakers of blessing with him But if we rejoyce as the carnal Israelites did of whom it is said The People sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play Exodus the thirty second chapter and the sixt verse If we testifie our joy by eating and drinking that is no true joy Our 〈◊〉 day shall be 〈◊〉 Malachie the second chapter This joy is the Heathens joy whose hearts are filled with food and 〈◊〉 Acts the fourteenth chapter They eate cakes and drink wine and make themselves 〈◊〉 therewith Jeremiah the fourty fourth chapter But that is not Abrahams joy it is spiritual wherein is blessednesse For blessed are the People that can rejoyce in thee Psalm the eighty ninth We must learn to rejovce a right at the day of Christs birth If we will rejoyce as Abraham did we must pray with David Remember me Lord that I may see the 〈◊〉 of thy chosen and bee glad with thy people and give thanks with thine inheritance Psalm the hundred and sixt and the fourth and fift verses Abraham knew a day would come that should take away all his earthly joy and therefore desired the day of Christs birth which might make him to rejoyce in 〈…〉 the fift chapter And rejoyce in afflictions the first epistle of Peter and the fourth chapter such a joy as na man shall take away John the sixteenth chapter As we must rejoyce at this day of Christ after Abrahams example so Christ hath a second day wherein he will give to every man according to his works Romans the second chapter If we rejoyce at this day when it comes and desire it If we love the glorious comming of Christ the second epistle to Timothy and the fourth verse If we look for the appearing of the just God Titus the second chapter and the twelfth verse then shall we shew our selves the Children of Abraham Of that day to see it he saith it shall be matter of joy Lift up your heads Luke the twenty sixt chapter and the twenty first verse For your redemption draweth neer To others matter of sorrow They shall hide them in the rocks Revelations the third chapter but we must say with David I remembred thy judgements and received comfort Psalme the hundred and ninteenth Principes populorum congregantur
child and the woman to be in his Throne the Angels are ready to fight for them In that it is said The Dragon prevailed not it may be gathered that for all that he might begin again but where it is added And their place could no more be found in Heaven thereby we learn that Michael and his Angels set upon the Dragon and his Angels and drave them out of Heaven That which ariseth from hence on our parts is of two sorts First The thankfulnesse we are bound continually to render to God that we are of such regard in his sight that in Heaven they fight for us the elect angels with the evil angels Michael with the Dragon and his companie It is that which Christ tells us Luke the eleventh chapter When the strong men keep the Palace all things are in peace but then comes a stronger c. Man is even in the estimation of the Devil a Palace howsoever we by our sinnes make our selves a Hogstie therefore both Christ and the Devil esteeming so highly of us we may not esteem basely of our selves The angels have charge not only to keep us Psalm the ninty first but to wage battail about us and therefore it is plain the soul of man is no mean thing The Angels as we see are ready to enter field with the Dragon and his Angels Neither doth Heaven only take this care of us but the Earth also is ready to help us and openeth her mouth and swalloweth up the flood which the Dragon casts out of his mouth Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the sixteenth verse Therefore if they have such care of us it is reason we should have care of our selves if they take such care for man that is but earth then ought we for Heaven to be carefull If no man be crowned no not the Angels themselves except they strive aright the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter no more shall we be crowned unlesse we be as carefull of our selves as the Angels If the Angels were so busie to defend the earth we must be more diligent to fight for Heaven Again here we see that to come to Heaven is a matter of fight and wrastling Ephesians the sixt chapter If we look upon Christ and the Apostles we will say it is Lucta a wrastling but if upon common Christians it is but Ludus a pastime and sport And he that stirrs up this warre and conflict is not dead howsoever he was put to the worst but only driven out of Heaven That battail which was in Heaven among the Angels is come down to men on earth and now the Dragon fights with the womans seed and therefore it imports the womans seed to fight with him For the warre we have is not only with flesh and blood that is with our own passions and affections which is the philosophical warre though we must fight with them also because fleshly lusts fight against the spirit the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the eleventh verse But our wrastling is chiefly with the spirits with spiritual wickednesse in heavenly places Ephesians the sixt chapter And what is this enemy the Dragon foolish and weak after his conquest had over finne No he is the old Serpent therefore full of experience These enemies or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephesians the sixt chapter therefore they want no power But are they discouraged upon this overthrow No but he is the more fierce and his wrath kindled knowing his time is but short Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse Then seeing we have such an enemy we must strive rightly if we will be crowned si place at Corona place at studium we must take the more heed to our selves because as Gregory saith Magis est fortis nostrâ negligentiâ quà m 〈◊〉 potentiâ Secondly As we give God thanks that he makes this account of us so are we to thank him that he hath created and commanded such excellent spirits to fight for us and to pray that they which have thus fought for us in Heaven may in earth fight with us to help us that as they have cast him out of Heaven so 〈…〉 come him in earth We are to thank God that we which by our sinnes have made our selves like the beasts that perish 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke the twentieth chapter and to 〈◊〉 that we may drive the Dragon into the bottomlesse 〈◊〉 Thirdly we are to take heed that we provoke not the Angels with our misdeeds Exodus the twenty third chapter and twenty first verse nor alienate them from us with the wicked words of our mouths Ecclesiastes the fift chapter and the fift verse If we suffer our selves to sinne by filthy words and speeches we make them turn their favour from us When we come into the Church we must come with a due regard and reverence propter Angelos the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter for by rude and uncomely behaviour in the Congregation and by suffering our mouths to utter offensive speeches we offend the Angels and deprive our selves of their favour so as they will not care for our safeguard But if as the Angel tells Danil Daniel the tenth chapter and the twelfth verse We set our hearts to understand and to humble our selves by fasting before God that may draw their affection towards us for repentance is that which doth minister joy to the Angels in Heaven Luke the fifteenth chapter Lastly By this means though we obtain not such a perfect conquest over the Dragon as the Angels did yet we shall attain to the first degree though we cannot drive him out of earth as they did out of Heaven yet we shall obtain thus much That he shall not prevail against us no more than he did against them We see it in Paul though he fought never so much yet he could not avoid it but sinne would dwell in him Romans the seventh chapter but this victory he obtained that it did not reign in his natural body Romans the sixt chapter Though till our corruption be dissolved we shall not drive him out we shall so be armed That he shall not prevail against us We must indeavor our selves that by thankfulnesse to him for vouchsafing to us this help and by intercession to continue the same we may still resist the Dragon not suffering our selves to take the soyl howsoever we cannot utterly drive him out And in this respect when we shall be like the Angels then shall we tread Satan under our feet then shall the Dragon be bound in chains and cast into the bottomlesse pit so shall we have a final conquest over him Now we must labour to 〈◊〉 to the first degree of the Angels victory and so shall we be crowned Quicquid dat mihi Pater ad me veniet eum qui venit ad me nequaquam ejecerim foras John 6. 37. Octob 7. 1559. THE words are Christs and are
because he of all others began with the beginning of all John the first chapter This order we see he took of Moses who first telleth of things past from the Creation till his death and foretelleth of things which were to come to passe in the latter end and which the new Testament doth say is fulfilled The knowledge of both these things past and to come God promised to shew to his Church and after it must we seek Isaiah the fourty first chapter and the twenty second verse and these secrets are no where so fully shewed as by Moses in this book If then we intend to get knowledge and with that key to open Heaven dores and to see the glorious Majestie of God let us take this book in hand which hath in it both leaves at large both the knowledge of the Creation of all Gods works and the knowledge of the wisdome and the true word of God But some may demand What will become of Christ and of his Gospel all this while that we are meditating of Moses and Gods works I answer That if Moses did not testifie and teach us of Christ we would account the time lost which we spend in reading him Philippians the third chapter and the eighth verse and we would leave Moses learning that we might only finde Christ. But St. Paul doth assure us Acts the third chapter and the eighteenth verse that all the Prophets from the beginning of the world did speak of him and among all the Prophets it is said We have found him of whom Moses spake John the first chapter and the fourty fift verse even Jesus the sonne of Joseph And more plainly Christ saith John the fift chapter and the fourty sixth verse Moses doth write and testifie of me And this we shall see plainly in all his books to be true both in evident and direct Prophesies and also in dark and mysticall types and figures The second question is touching Moses himself How he being but a man could come to the knowledge of such secret things which were hidden from other natural men besides being supernatural and beyond mens reach I answer As we cannot have knowledg of a strange Country where we never were but by report or by Letter or relation sent from some which dwell therein so we can have no notice or certain knowledge of God and his kingdome unlesse God first by his letter written make relation thereof to us Has quidem literas dedit Deus Moses attulit God was the writer Moses the Messenger of these holy Writts many things no doubt were taught by instruction and received by tradition from the Patriarchs before as wee see in the fift chapter of Genesis and the twenty ninth verse for so Lamech knew from his fathers that the Earth was accursed by God as it is in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis and the twenty seventh verse Abraham knew from his Ancestors that he was made of dust and ashes Adam leaving it to his posterity as Abraham did teach his family that God revealed to him Genesis the eighteenth chapter and the ninteenth verse But though many things came to knowledge by this meanes yet de eo tempore scribere de quo non erat is a strange matter some may say but wee answer that this was done either knowing it by that pattern which hee saw in the Mount or else by the voice and spirit of God speaking and talking with him to teach him the so things that is hee must needs come by it by the Eye that is by vision or else by the Eare that is by Revelation For as all Scriptures came by inspiration the first of Peter and the first chapter so 〈◊〉 this booke of Moses who writ it not of his own privat motion but by the heavenly direction of the spirit of God And therefore Moses might say as Daniel did Daniel the second chapter and the twenty eighth verse It is not I that can reveal secrets but there is a God of Heaven which declareth them Moses was but the pen of that God did speak If any then shall move that question Matthew the twenty first chapter and the twenty fift verse The Doctrine of Moses whether it is from Heaven or of men We answer That it is of God and from Heaven 〈…〉 hereby appear because he was so publickly and manifestly 〈◊〉 with God and had often and long company and conference with him all Israel seeing him to goe up to the Lord. If any object that Heathens have pretended as much of their Laws and 〈◊〉 they have delivered Moses is able to 〈◊〉 him self from 〈…〉 because this thing was not done in a 〈◊〉 but in the view and before the face of all Israel and that not in a Cave or Den as they but in the top of Mount 〈◊〉 which made that 〈◊〉 of all Israel 〈◊〉 his time ever made any doubt or question 〈◊〉 but still 〈◊〉 him the servant of God 〈…〉 he called them 〈◊〉 and rebellious men Deuteronomie the ninth chapter and the ninth verse And as none durst call his truth in question so they which resisted as Korah and Dathan did were grievously punished by the hand of God And so were Appian and Julian plagued for their blasphemy which scoff and deride these holy Books For so saith Moses to his accusers Numbers the sixteenth chapter the twenty eigth and twenty ninth verses Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to speak these words if these dye not the death of all men c. Another reason to prove that his writings came from Heaven is his Rod and the miracles which God caused him to doe to confirm these things which he spake and wrote which miracles even the Heathen Chronicles doe confesse to this day Last of all Mens writings and books savour of passions and imperfections incident to men Moses is not of self-love partial to himself nor vain-glorious seeking any praise For in his writing he spareth not his own Father Exodus the thirty second chapter and the twenty seventh verse he spareth not Idolatry in his brother nor his sister Cozbies fault no nor his own fault of unbelief for which he confesseth that he could not enter into the promised Land Deuteronomie the thirty second chapter Seeing then all that is of the flesh and earth is flesh and savoureth earthly things this sheweth that Moses writing came from Gods spirit For Moses in all the warres he waged and in all the Laws he wrote he never ascribeth any thing but to the glory of God which gave them by his means exhorting to nothing but this That by holy obedience we should seek his praise The conclusion therefore must be this That seeing it is the infallible word of God sent from Heaven and not invented by men Why doe we not then with all reverence hear him and with all diligence beleeve him as a Prophet sent from God especially seeing it is threatned concerning him by name That whosoever
called a Serpent of creeping but other beasts though they have their brests between their leggs yet they doe not creep as the Serpent doth Another question is How this creeping can be a punishment to the Serpent seeing from the beginning they were created without feet The solution is That that which was natural before the fall after the fall became a punishment Nakednesse before the fall was no matter of shame for The man and his wife were naked and were not ashamed Genesis the second chapter and the twenty fift verse but since the fall it is a disgrace to be naked So now the creeping of Serpents is a signe of Gods 〈◊〉 inflicted upon visible Serpents because of the sinnes of him that is invisible whereas in the beginning it was no punishment Another question is How the third part of this Sentence is verified of the visible Serpent That he eats dust For one Prophet saith of him To the Serpent dust shall be his meat Isaiah the sixty fift chapter and the twenty fift verse And another saith The Serpent lick the dust Michah the seventh chapter and the seventeenth verse and yet in the Creation Moses recordeth that the Serpent hath the like food that other Creatures have of whom God saith To every beast of the earth fowl of the aire and to every creeping thing upon earth I have given every green hearb for meat Genesis the first chapter and the tenth verse The answer is That whereas at the first the Serpent had food in common with other beasts now he is excommunicated and is appointed only to feed upon the dust not upon the earth for that hath a moisture and so is apt to nourish but God did not allot unto him so much but only to feed upon the dust which is dry and altogether without moisture So that all men may evidently see both by the motion and feeding of the Serpent that the Curse of God is upon him because the Devil that old Serpent did use him as a means to perswade man to sinne against God As for the invisible Serpent these punishments pronounced by God are verified in him also but not literally for he hath no 〈◊〉 of body and therefore cannot creep but as he is a spirit so we must judge and discern spiritual things spiritually the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter for he hath a spiritual brest and belly he hath a spiritual creeping and feeding For his moving we are first to consider the motion as it offereth it self First It is the basest and vilest motion that is to signifie unto us that the dejection of the Devil is a more 〈◊〉 dejection and overthrow than any can be For where at the first he was an Angel of light appointed to be a Minister in Heaven now he is cast down into the deepest Hell and is there occupied in all base and vile service Now he doth busie himself in nothing so much as how to work wickednesse and to destroy the souls of men Of this dejection our Saviour speaks I saw Satan as it were lightning fall down from Heaven Luke the tenth chapter and the eighteenth verse And of him to his shame it is said How art thou fallen from Heaven that said I will ascend into Heaven and exalt my throne above the starres of God Isaiah the fourteenth chapter and the twelfth verse For it is a great shame for a Prince and noble person that hath been occupied in matters of State to be thrust into the Kitchen to be a drudge So is it with the Devil the invisible Serpent who having been before a Minister in Heaven doth now creep upon earth and compasse it Job the first chapter And as Christ saith He walks through dry places Luke the eleventh chapter and the twenty fourth verse that is he delights to be in souls that are defiled with all manner of sinne and if he cannot be received there he will enter into the Swine Matthew the eighth chapter And then doth he creep when he makes men to minde earthly things Philippians the third chapter and the second verse As this word sheweth that the reward of pride is and shall be basenesse so from his creeping we are taught what is his fraud and deceitfulnesse These things that have feet and goe cannot move without some noyse but the way of the 〈◊〉 doth passe mans understanding for that it leaveth no impression Proverbs the thirtieth chapter In this sense the Apostle saith Some false brethren have crept in Galatians the second chapter and the fourth verse and these creep into widows houses the second epistle to Timothy the third chapter This kinde of creeping is nothing else but a privy kinde of beguiling and deceiving such as we finde to have been used by the Devill the second epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter Therefore we must have a special regard of the Devil when he comes to us in this manner for then is he more to be feared than when he seeks about like a roaring Lyon whom to devour the first epistle of Peter the fift chapter and the third verse The Devil is said to creep to signifie thus much That as creeping things doe not fly about our heads nor keep even pase with us so the old Serpent is alwaies aiming at our lowest part as it were at the heel tempting us by sensuality to the sinne of uncleannesse and intemperance Secondly We are to consider the manner of this motion which is expressed by the original word to be upon the brest and belly whereby we have shewed to us two main 〈◊〉 For when he creeps upon his brest by the listing up of himself he brings the temptation of the brest that is he would have us 〈◊〉 up with pride and exalt our selves When he creeps upon his belly he tempts us to desire the forbidden fruit and apple that was so goodly and pleasant to look upon and under this is comprehended both the sinnes of 〈◊〉 and lust In this manner we are to observe the means whereby he perswades men to these sinnes In the breast is the heart and when he labours to take the possession of the heart by corrupting our inward thoughts then he creeps upon his brest And his creeping upon his 〈◊〉 betokens the actual accomplishment of sinne So we see that albeit the Devil be a spirit yet by a spiritual analogie he creeps upon his breast and belly no lesse than the visile Serpent Thirdly After the casting down of Pride we come to consider the sinne of Lust and the punishment laid upon it which is To eate the dust The invisible Serpent doth not eate only corporally but spiritually he may be said to eate for in spiritual matters there is a thing answerable to eating We say in regard of the delight we take in somthing this is meat and drink to us And so the Holy Ghost also speaks I esteem of thy word above my appointed food Job the twenty third chapter
And Christ saith My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me John the fourth chapter by which is signified the delight and contentment of the minde So whatsoever the Serpent delights in that he may be said to eat and seed upon Secondly this word implyeth not only a delight but a devouring and a destroying as in the Prophets it is said The sword and famine shall devour the second book of Samuel the third chapter and the twenty sixt verse not that it can devour but is a means to consume and destroy This eating the Apple ascribes to the Devil when he saith of him That he goeth about seeking whom he may devour the first epistle of Peter the fift chapter and therefore he is said to stand by ready to devour the child so soon as it should be brought forth Apocalyps the twelfth chapter that is there is none so soon born anew in the Church of spirit and water but the Devil seeks presently to kill it And in 〈◊〉 two points standeth the spiritual eating of the invisible Serpent For the dust which is appointed for his food there is a spiritual thing correspondent also to it for where God promiseth unto Abraham Thy seed shall be as the dust Genesis the thirteenth chapter and as the starres of Heaven Genesis the twenty second chapter upon these places the Fathers gather That of Abraham should come both a dusty and earthly generation not expressing the faith and obedience of Abraham and also a heavenly generation that should shine and give light to the world as it were starres with the purenesse of their life And David saith plainly That the ungodly art as dust Psalm the first for whatsoever lyeth along upon the earth will 〈◊〉 dust the earth it self being without moisture turneth to dust so that the least winde that comes bloweth it away So the idle person that lyeth along and hath no vocation to follow doth gather dust and is subject to be scattered with the wind And they that somtime had some moisture and dew from Heaven if they lose it so as their soul waxe dry Numbers the eleventh chapter the Devil will send them a winde that shall carry them away for his delight is to be in dry places Matthew the twelfth chapter and in places without moisture Luke the eleventh chapter The winde wherewith they shall be carried away is every winde of doctrine Ephesians the fourth chapter Therefore we must beware that we be not clouds without water as Jude calls the wicked verse the twelfth and that we fall not from our own stedfastnesse the second epistle of Peter the third chapter and the first verse which we cannot chuse but doe if we loath prayer and other spiritual exercises whereby the dew of Heaven doth descend upon us And as it is in Religion so also in matter of the Common-wealth wherein we shall finde that this drynesse is a cause of much evil for those light and idle persons which Jerohoam took unto himself turned to his destruction the second book of Chronicles and the thirteenth chapter Seeing the Devil delights in these dry souls and loose parts of the earth how is it a punishment laid upon him to feed on them It is indeed a punishment he would have other meat for so soon as 〈◊〉 is borne anew by regeneration the Devil is ready to devout the childe Apocalyps the twelfth chapter So he would have devoured Christ himself Matthew the fourth chapter So he desired to have sed on Job and all other godly men which are the starres of Heaven But he is excluded from that food and is to feed only upon the wicked who being dry and destitute of the grace of God are fitly compared to the dust And as the Devil himself is accursed so they that are allotted to him for food are cursed Children the second epistle of Peter the second chapter Thirdly It is said all the dayes of thy life This punishment is laid upon him as God speaks here because thou hast done this upon him not as he is the red Lyon but the Tempter as he is a spirit he is immortal and hath no end of life but the dayes of his temptation shall have an end at the comming of Christ to judgement as he is the red Dragon condemned in Hell he hath no end but shall goe into everlasting fire where he shall have no end of torment The Dragon the old Serpent is loose but for a little season but after he shall be bound and cast into the bottomlesse pit Apocalyps the twentieth chapter the second and third verses Here is matter of admonition That we avoid those sinnes which we see so severely punished by God in the invisible Serpent especially Malice in speaking evil of God and hurting our neighbours Then to beware of Pride which God doth punish with basenesse Lastly to detest the prosecuting of our own inordinate lust because that will deprive us of the blessed food so as we shall have nothing to feed upon but the dust We must not putrifie in idlenesse but get up and take our strength unto us and cherish the moisture and dew of Heaven which we have received Isaiah the fifty second chapter So here is matter of faith and comfort for this Curse pronounced by God upon the Devil turns to a blessing to us For Adam and Eve had cause of comfort seeing that God took their fall wrought by the Devil so grievously God here professeth himself an enemy to the 〈◊〉 that was and is our enemy and so giveth us hope that howsoever we by his perswasion are fallen from our first estate yet he will be mercifull to us Praeterea inimicitiam pono inter te mulierem hanc similiter que inter semen tuum semen hujus Gen. 3. 15. Jul. 2. 1598. IN this verse we have the second part of the Sentence given by God upon the Serpent The former part concerned the Serpent himself but this part hath respect also to us and is much more grievous unto him than the other three branches And it is that which he doth most hardly digest Concerning which as it directly containeth a Commination and Curse so as we must acknowledge it to be Gods doing and to be marvellous in our eyes Psalm the hundred and eighteenth In this Curse is 〈◊〉 a singular Blessing and in this 〈◊〉 we have a great and pretious promise the second epistle of Peter the first chapter and the fourth verse Touching this verse nothing can be spoken good enough seeing upon it the new Testament hath his foundation and that all the rest or the Scripture is nothing else but a Commentary upon it for there beginneth a new creation of all things and the new 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speaks of in the second epistle to the 〈◊〉 the fift chapter and the sevententh verse For seeing the world which was lately created by God was presently corrupted by the malice of the Serpent it hath pleased God
sound of voyce Psal. 14. 1. So there is a double word speaking the one is verbum vocis the other cordu But to speak truly and properly there is but one word which is in our hearts as our word is first cloathed with aire and so becommeth audible to mens eares so faith one Christ the word of his Father being cloathed with 〈◊〉 was visible and manifest to all men So to conclude the word is that he conceived first in the Closer as I may say of his 〈◊〉 and then doth make it plain here by Creation and after by redemption And here we may learn the difference between us and God In us there is one thing by which we are and another thing by which we understand and conceive things but in God both his being and understanding are of one and the same substance And this substantial Word of God is that where with St. John beginneth his Gospell God created that which was not but the word was in the begining Therefore it is verbum increatum it made all things at the beginning Coll. 1. 15. 16. Therefore it was before the beginning John 17. 5. Thus we see as Christ saith how Moses scripsit de me John 5. 46. this word of God is proceeding from God John 8. 42. as the holy Ghost doth also John 15. 26. The proceeding of the Sonne is four folde But Christs manner of proceeding is determined after four sorts First as a sonne proceeding from a Father Secondly as an Image from a Picture Thirdly as the light from the Sunne Fourthly as a word from the speaker as a Sonne from the Father Psal. 2. 7. this day I begot thee this day that is from all eternity for to God all times is as one day also he begot him in respect of the connaturality and identity of nature and substance that he hath with God the Father As an Image from a pattern that is in likeness and resemblance to the Father Coll. 1. 15. for he is like God in property and similitude of quality and therefore is called the lively and express character and graven Image form and stamp of his Father Heb. 1. 3. Thirdly in respect of Coeternity For as the light proceeded from the Sunne so soon as ever the Sunne was so did Christ the word from eternity Heb. 1. 3. and therefore he is called the brightness of his Fathers glorie So at what time God was at that time the brightness of his Sonne appeared and shone from him Last of all in regard of the immateriality 1. John 1. For as a word conceived in us is no matter or substance so this was Coemateriall but an incorporeall generation Thus we see that his proceeding is foure fold Christ distinct in person one in substance Now this word is distinct from the Father in person and one with him in substance That he is distinct from him it appeareth Gen. 19. 24. Psal. 110. 1. the Lord said to my Lord 30. Prov. 4. what is his name and what is his sonnes names Esay 36. 9. the father brought forth a sonne ergo divers from himself Touching the Godhead of Christ Job saith surely my Redeemer liveth and I shall see God with these eyes Job 19. 25 26. Psal. 45. 7. God even thy God shall annoynt thee There is God annoynting God for he is called thy God also whom wee must worship Esay 9. 6. Jer. 63. 6. his name is the righteous God In the new Testament Rom. 9. 5. even as he was verbum incarnatum 〈◊〉 Tim. 3. 16. and John 17. 2. this is eternall life to know God and him whom he sent Jesus Christ. I have made it plain before that the Heathen had notice of his second person As the Persian called him the second Understanding The Caldeans called him the Fathers Understanding or Wisdome Macrobius a Counsell or Wisdome proceeding from him so may we say likewise of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is attributed to Christ for they seem not to be ignorant of that name Some called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is verbum Hermes calleth him the Naturall Word of God Orpheus the Word of the Father And Plato most plainly in his Epistle to Hormias But most strange is that which 〈◊〉 writeth inlib de preparatione Evangelii scited out of AEmilius and Heraclitus and let this suffice for the distinction of the duty and notice of Christ which is Verbum Dei Now this word hath a relation to him that speaketh it and also to the things Created therefore it is called verbum expressivum in respect of God and verbum factivum in regard of his works for his Precept did in respect of himself express his Will but in respect of us it had a power to Create and make things that were not Therefore 1. John 3. he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the 15. verse he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that both in regard of his Father and us he is a word Little divinity and much danger is in those late Divines which say that this was but a temperarie word which God used in Creating all things for we see this is verhum increatum and the very root of which all that is said after are but as branches derived therefrom And thus much for the authority of this Word Fiat lux Now to the Creation of light Moses maketh plain mention That the first several thing which God perfectly made was Light Wherefore we will first speak of the Order then of the Nature God is Pater Luminum Jam. 1. 17. Therefore first he brought forth light as his sunne But some having little Philosophie in them doe reason against this work of God very impiously as if it were not to be said that light was made three dayes before the Sunne which is the cause thereof But if we respect God the Father of lights or the Sunne which is the light of the World or the necessity of light for Lux est vox verum because that which things cannot express by voyce and words they doe plainly shew by the comming of light which manifesteth all things Again God being about the work of distinguishing it was necessary first to make the great distiuguisher of all things which is light for in nocte est color omnibus idem tenebrae rerum discrimina tollunt but the light distinguisheth one thing from another Again of the three beginnings we shew that the first beginning was of time but we could not have a morning to make a first day without light of it was first made for the naturall common Clock of the world to distinguish times is the course of light and darkness which is the essence of day and night Furthermore we have seen that the Heavens were the first and most excellent therefore the light being the first quality and affection of the the Heavens the first body made must by right order be made first Last of all we