morall lawe and therefore it belonged to man in the state of innocencie This the heathen oratour witnesseth saying All they who are in the handes and iurisdiction of any other doe feare For although they be perswaded of their loue and mercy yea of their owne innocency yet they doe consider not onely what they will doe but also what they may doe The second cause of this feare was the surpassing and incomprehensible glorie and maiestie of God the which being fully reuealed hath force not onely to astonishe and amase but also to confound and consume any creature whatsoeuer yea although the saide creature be not stained with sinne and so not subiect to the anger of God For euen as a brittle glasse being filled with some extreame strong liquor cannot but burst in sunder not because of any antipathie which is betwixt them but because the glasse is not of sufficient strength to containe the liquor So is it with the creature when God doth appeare in perfect glory in regard whereof the Angels themselues are said to couer their faces least they shoulde behold it howe much more then hath man who is but dust and ashes and whose life is in his nosethrilles iust cause of feare Yea the brute beastes and senslesse creatures themselues who neither doe nor can sinne are sayd to be affected with this feare of the glorious maiestie of God Thus we read Psal. 29. The voyce of the Lord shewing it selfe foorth in power and glory doth breake the cedars of Libanus It maketh them skip like young calues yea it maketh the desert to quake the hindes to calue the mountaines to smoke and in breife all creatures what soeuer to melte away before his face And thus did man feare God in the state of innocencie for although he had daily conuersation with God yet he knewe that as a vessel of glasse clay or any brittle matter often meeting with vessels of brasse or yron may easely get a knock and so be broken to shiuers so might he be confounded by the glory of God if God did at any time reueale the same fully vnto him Thirdly man being in his first state had iust cause to feare God in regard of the weaknes and mutability of his owne nature which might easely be ouercome with some temptation and that in regard of the freedome of his will which might easely forsake God and imbrace euill by the which meanes he should not onely be subiect to the anger of God and to eternall death but also displease and dishonor God who had shewed him selfe so louing and bountifull a father and creator vnto him Thus we see the causes of this feare nowe we are to consider the vses of it First it serued as a bridle to restraine man from falling from God by disobedience For although man in this holy estate did obey God more for loue then for feare of punishment yet it pleased God to vse all meanes possible to keepe him from sinne and therefore he propounded not onely the rewarde of life to his obedience but also the punishment of eternall death to his disobedience whensoeuer it should happen as we read Gen. 2. 17. In the day wherein thou shalt eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt incontinently die Secondly this feare serued to keepe man as froÌ„ sin so from all presumptuous bold vndecent behauiour in respect of God For we know as it is commonly saide Familiar conuersation will easelie breede contempt Lastly man was by this feare put in minde and made to acknowledge as the basenesse infirmity mutability of his owne nature so also the infinite power authority and maiesty of God Sect. 2. Of the want of feare THe third heade of mans rebellion is the want of the aforesaide feare of God for since the fall man hath no regard either of the power might and maiesty of God or yet of the weakenesse of his owne nature as he had before but conceiueth amisse both of God and of himselfe But what maruaile is it that man doth not feare in consideration of the weakenesse and mutabilitie of his nature which may fall into sinne when as he feareth not the iustice of God and his eternall anger due vnto him selfe for sinne already committed For if man in his innocencie had iust cause of feare as hath bene declared howe much more ought he being sinfull For if he being righteous is scarslie saued howe shall he nowe appeare before the iudgment seate of God being guiltie of sinne And yet man in this sinfull state hath although greater cause of feare â—et lesse feare then he had before yea in truth â—one at all but is benummed with a senselesse securitie hauing no remorse of conscience nor feare of punishment for sinnes â—ommitted neither standeth in awe of the glorious presence of God This appeareth â—oth by the testimony of scripture in many â—laces as namely Rom. 3. 18. where a carnall â—an is described by this note That he hath 〈◊〉 feare of God before his eyes as also by â—ayly experience which sheweth vs that â—ery few in the worlde doe in their actions regarde whether they be good or bad whether pleasing or displeasing to God and so whether they be such which will bring vppon the doers some heauie iudgement or no whereas if mens hartes were possessed with the feare of God they would thinke him to be alwaies present with them and to beholde their doings and so they woulde be both restrained from euill and pricked forwarde to doe good but we see it to be farre otherwise for in committing sinne men thinke that they are safe and all is well if they can doe it so secretlie as that they may auoyd the shame slaunder reproch and anger of men together with the punishment prescribed by humane lawes But we need not stand in the inlarging of this point which is so manifest Sect. 3. Of renewed feare THe third head of renewed subiection is the feare of God the which is a singular grace and hath great vse in regeneration howsoeuer it may seeme to fight with fayth and hope morâ— then it did in the state of innocency seeing that the faithfull can not loose that holy and happy state wherein they are placed and therefore need not feare any euill being not only happy but also sure to coÌ„tinue so for euer To this we answere that although the feare of eternall death and misery cannot stand with perfect faith and hope whereby life and happinesse is certainely expected yea although the faithfull neede not feare the mutability and freedome of will beeing certaine of their finall perseuerance in faith yet there are many causes by the which they ought to be moued to feare God Hither we are to referre the causes of feare in the state of innocency whereof the most ought to be of more force to moue the faithfull to feare God then they were to man in his pure estate For shall man
desireth to be laide vp there and preserued But doth the vnregenerate man lay vp in the treasure of his memory that which he hath heard and vnderstood of the word of God surely nothing lesse but as we may plainely see in most men doth straight waies forget and as the prouerbe is he letteth it come in at the one eare and so passing through the minde out at the other without troubling himselfe any more about it Whereby it commeth to passe that many hauing beene continuall hearers of Gods word for the space of many yeares doe not remember any part or iot of it no more then if they had neuer heard of any such matter The reason why the memory is thus wanting in her duety where the minde doth that which belongeth to her part is because diligence care and affection all which are wanting in carnal men in respect of God and his word are needfull for the safe preseruing of things in the memory For as it is truely said by one Senes quae curant meminerunt the oldest man that is doth remember where he laid his golde and no man forgetteth that which he thinketh any way to concerne his good But men thinke that there is no good to begotten by the word of God and therefore as soone as they come from the place where the worde was preached they giue themselues wholly to thinke and talke of worldly matters whereas they should call their memories to account for that which was committed vnto them and so by repeating it and conferring with others about it imprint it firmely in their mindes and memories Sect. 3. Of a renewed memory BVt it is otherwise in the faithfull to whome God giueth as an vnderstanding minde to conceiue so also a firme memory to keepe that knowledge which he doth by any meanes reueale vnto them Hence it is that they are vsually in the scripture distinguished from hypocriticall hearers by this note of laying vp in their heartes that is in their memories For the hypocrite he heareth the worde vnderstandeth it and receiueth it with ioy but goeth no further whereas the faithfull man taketh better holde of it and putteth it into his memory in safe custody as it were vnder locke and key and so maketh it his owne for euer Thus did Dauid remember that God had somtime deliuered him from a Beare and a Lion and hath this ready at hande for his vse 1. Sam. 17. 34. Thus did Mary the mother of Christ lay vp in her heart all the sayings and actions of Christ. Luke 2. 51. And thus ought euery Christian to keepe carefully in his memory whatsoeuer thing he hath seene hearde or red which is of any moment for the increase of holinesse As first and chiefly the whole scripture not the wordes or syllables of it as do the Iewes who greatly brag of their cunning in this behalfe as knowing how oft euerie worde is in the olde testament for that is and endlesse labour and impossible but the chiefe precepts and examples contained in it the which may easely be brought to passe by the daily reading hearing and remembring of some part of it Secondly he ought to keepe in memory all the actions of God which he himselfe or any other hath obserued from time to time as namely his fearfull iudgements vpon sinners his prouidence watching ouer the godly preseruing them from euill yea his fatherly chasticements afflictions laid vpon them in brief whatsoeuer thing may any way further him in the way of godlines For the which purpose he ought to vse all those helpes which are of force for the deep imprinting of these things in his mind as namely the daily remembring of them the applying of them to his present vse the rehearsing of them to others for so they will be made familiar vnto him and his owne foreuer Yea he ought to goe yet further and suspecting the frailty of his memory which being very narrowe and shallow cannot containe many things together and therefore being full it is constrained to let one thing goe as it receiueth another to haue his note booke and therein as in a sure storehouse to register those things which he would remeÌ„ber For if men be so carefull in worldly matters that they wil not trust their memories with their reckonings and matters of moment but wil be sure to note them downe and so make sure worke what a shame is it that we should be so negligent or slothfull in spirituall matters as not to vse this and all other helpes CHAP. V Sect. 1. Of the created holinesse of the will BEsides these faculties of the soule which haue alreadie beene declared and which may be called speculatiue there is an other kinde coÌ„monly called practicall because they are exercised in action as the other are in contemplation This latter kinde is necessarilie in regard of the perfection of mans soule added to the former that as by the one he seeth knoweth what ought to be done so by the other he might moue himselfe to the doing performing of it For howsoeuer they be ioyned to the other not as superiours in authoritie for they are blinde of themselues and therefore must not leade the way or sit at the helme nor as equals for so there might discorde and contention be raised in the soule of man but as inferiours to be guided and gouerned by the light of the minde yet if we speake properly we must confesse that all the outward actions come directly from them and not from the other Whereby it may be easelie gathered that these practicall faculties hauing the greatest stroke in our actions do conteine in them a greate part of mans holinesse and that whereon all the rest doth depend For the will which is the chiefe of these practicall faculties compelleth the members of the bodie to any action but cannot be compelled by the minde For a man doth this or that thing not because he thinketh that it ought to be done but because he will do it so that the will is the absolute monarch in aman and the minde is his wise counseller to whome although this monarch ought to yeelde and in some fort to obey yet he neede not except he list For he hauing the whole authoritie in his owne handes cannot be compelled by any The holinesse of these practicall faculties which is vsuallie in the scripture called loue is their due subiection to the faculties of the mind whereby they are moued to the doinge of those things only which the minde commandeth or rather counselleth For although in the corrupt state of man the holinesse of these faculties cannot be defined by their conformitie to the minde which being it selfe sinfull and out of order cannot be a rule of holinesse to any other part yet in this state of innocencâ—e the minde propoundeth nothing as good to these faculties but that which is indeede good and to be imbraced by them These practicall faculties
this life and partly or rather perfectly and wholly in the worlde to come for howsoeuer it may seeme an impossible thing to finde any felicitie in this vaine and transitorie worlde especially in the godly who of all men are most miserable yet God in his mercie vouchsafeth to his seruantes the beginning and as it were a taste of that endlesse ioy which is laide vp in store for them in heauen by the which they may be comforted and vphelde in the mids of those infinite miseries which accompany them whiles they abide in this world This happinesse is not outward and apparant to mens eyes but inward and spirituall for the bodies of Gods elect are as much subiect to sores sicknesses to death it selfe as are the bodies of the reprobate yea in their wiues children friends kinsfolke goods posterity and in all outward respects they are no lesse yea vsually much more miserable then the reprobate although if wee speake properly these outward euils doe not make them miserable but doe make for their good and eternall saluation and therefore wee are to seeke for this beginning of our happinesse in the soules of Gods children and chiefly in their mindes and vnderstandinges For if happinesse doe consist in seeing God and in beholding his glorie as Christ teacheth vs Math. 5. 8. Then wee are not destitute of a greate part of it euen in this life in the which we doe many waies see God although not so fully as wee shall doe heereafter 1. Cor. 13. 12. For heauen and earth euen all the creatures of God are full of the glorie of God Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible thinges of God to wit his Godhead and his power are seene since the creation of the world being considered in the creatures If by naturall men of whome the Apostle speaketh how much more by spirituall For howsoeuer carnal and worldly minded men beholding the glorious creatures of God are no more affected then are the brute beastes which neuer once lift vp their eies to heauen yet the godly doe heereof conceiue matter of great ioy Besides we see God daily in his actions in his iudgements powred on sinners in his mercies shewed towards the godly yea in his patience and goodnesse towardes all men But besides all this we haue yet another meanes of seeing God so farre excelling the former as the beholding of the kinges owne person is more ioyfull to his naturall subiectes then is the sight of his stately palaces For we haue the worde of God euen the doctrine of the Gospell wherein we see God in his mercy that is in his greatest glorie yea we see God in Christ his onely naturall sonne in whome the glorie of God shineth more clearely then in the heauen of heauens For hee is the expresse and liuely image of the Father the brightnesse of his glory and the engrauen forme of his person and thus we see God plainely as in a cleare cristall glasse with his face open or vncouered yea by this sight wee are transformed into the same image from glorie to glorie euen as from the spiritte of God 2. Cor. 3. 18. Thus all the faithfull beholding God in Christ are truely happie howsoeuer they doe not with their bodely eyes see the heauens open and the sonne of God standing at the right hande of the Father as Steuen did Act. 7. 56. To this felicitie of the minde is to be referred the peace of conscience the which being a continuall feast maketh a man happy and ioyfull in the middest of the greatest sorrowes and miseries And to be shorte in the rest answerable to this state of the minde is the will with the affections by the which he cleauing to God louing him aboue all earthly pleasures and delighting in him is replenished with vnspeakable ioy This is the happinesse whereof wee may be made partakers in this life the which eternall happinesse followeth so called because all the partes of it which are nowe to bee mentioned continue and endure for euer without any chaunge or alteration whatsoeuer It consisteth in these thinges First in immunitye or freedome from all daungers troubles miseries calamities crosses sorrow sinne wants imperfections and infirmities whatsoeuer can be named or imagined The body shal not be pinched with hunger thirst nakednesse or disgraced with any deformitie or wearied with labour the darknesse shal not shut vp our eyes and hinder them from seeing for there is continuall light health shal not be impaired by sicknesse or beauty and strength with age the bodie shall not be inflamed by choller or luste or distempered with surfitting and drunkennesse or yet preserued by the corruption of the carkasses of dead beastes It shall not be as it is now of so lumpish and heauy a mould that we cannot without wearinesse and trouble lift vppe our handes or eies to heauen but it shall be a spirituall body that is endued with such perfect strength beauty agilitie lightnesse impassibilitie soliditie and incorruption as if it were a spirite rather then a sensible substance and yet it shall be still a sensible substance endued with the same forme which now it hath but of farre diuerse qualities Likewise the minde being free from al ignorance errour and doubting shall see God clearely and in him all thinges there shalbe no peruersnesse of the will or any inordinate desires no such vncertaine freedome of will as might endanger our estate by drawing vs from God To be short we shall haue daily conuersation in the presence of God Who shall be all in all vnto vs we shall be glorious in bodie and soule euen as are the holy Angels yea euen as is Christ the sonne of God according to his humanitie although not in the same degree but we are not able to declare the particulars of this estate the which then shall be reuealed vnto vs and therefore we must conclude this matter with that saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2. 9. Neyther eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor the minde of man once conceiued or imagined those ioyes which God hath prepared for them that loue him Yet we haue a typicall description of this happinesse Reuel 21. CHAP. III. Sect. 1. Of the holinesse wherein man was created THus much of that happinesse wherein man was created the which was not absolute but conditionall for it was giuen to man with this condition That he should liue in perfect holinesse conforming himselfe to the will of God in all thinges in the performance whereof if hee did faile at any time he was forthwith to be wholly depriued of the said happy estate for euer Where we are not to imagine that God did deale hardly with man in imposing so straite a condition for he could not possibly haue done otherwise as we will easely confesse if we consider that happinesse is nothing else but the enioying of Gods presence and company into the which it is more impossible
affection consisteth in this that it be in greatnesse correspondent to the greatnesse of the euill diligently waied with the seuerall circumstances of it and also moderated and qualified with contentation in respect of the will of God by the which the said euill came to passe Sect. 2. Of corrupt ioy and sorrow THese affections ioy and sorrow doe remaine in the corrupt state of man yet after a farre diuerse manner for whereas before the ioy of man was chiefly in God in spirituall things now it is wholly in carnall sensuall and earthly pleasures before man neuer thought himselfe well but when he was praising seruing God meditating on his loue the manifold blessings receiued from him now man neuer thinketh on God if he by some outward meanes as the lawes of mē or the auoiding of the sham of the world be drawen to some spiritual exercise as is the hearing of the word praier or any other he taketh no manner of pleasure in it Yea it is irkesome tedious vnto him his minde and affections being set vpon worldly pleasures as namely in the abundance vanetie goodnesse and sweetnesse of meates and drinkes in sleepe and idlenesse in carnal and filthy lustes in pastime and merie companie in gorgeous apparrell statelie buildings large reuenewes in health strēgth riches honour and preferment in children friends and prophane knowledge or in some other of the same kind Not as if there might not a lawfull pleasure be taken in corporall and outward blessings as hath beene declared but man passing by God the giuer of all these blessinges placeth his whole ioy and felicitie in the fruition of them and so maketh them his Gods As the Apostle doth plainlie witnesse that the coueteous man is an idolatour He is not stirred vp by the sweetenesse which he feeleth in the vse of the creaturs to reioyce delight himselfe in God the giuer of them but is by them more alienated from God and being euen drunke with sensualitie forgetteth and contemneth God much more in prosperitie then in aduersitie and therefore God doth so often forewarne the people of Israel of forgetting him whenas they come into that pleasant land flowing with milke honny whither they went Hence it commeth that the ioy of a carnall man is vnconstant vncertaine and momentany euen as is the matter of his ioy For as no worldly thing is constant so the ioy which ariseth of worldly things must needes be vnconstant Yea while it doth continue it is not pure and sincere ioy but mingled with much sorrow and vexation of minde it being impossible that any man should haue such perfect ioy in this world in respect of worldly blessings as is voide of all manner of crosses and griefe And therefore Salomon saith Prou. 14. 13. That the hart of the wicked man is heauie euen while he laugheth and that sorrow is the end of his ioy Thus we see the sinfullnesse of mans ioy in this corrupt state Likewise his sorrow is not such as it ought to be he is indeede often grieued but not for the want of the fauour presence and grace of God not for his sins by the which he doth displease dishonour God not for the miserable estate of his soule rotting in ignorance atheisme infidelitie These things neuer trouble him but if he be in anie worldly miserie if in pouertie sicknesse danger prison in the displeasure of any greate and mightie man then he is ouerwhelmed and euen stricken deade with sorrow As for the miseries wherein he seeth other men to be the scripture doth often teach vs and daily experience doth testifie the same that a carnall man is cruell mercilesse voide of all pittie and compassion Sect. 3. Of holy ioy and sorrow IT now remaineth that we declare the holines of these affections in the state of regeneration wherein both ioy and sorrow haue so greate and continuall vse as that they may seeme to striue for the preheminence whether of them should beare the greater sway in the faithful Renewed ioy ariseth of the inward sense and feeling of the loue and mercie of God in Christ whereby a faithfull man knowing assuredlie that he hath attained remission of all his sinnes safetie and freedome from the anger and iudgements of God eternall happinesse with all spirituall and temporall blessings tending therevnto is and that not without good cause replenished in his soule with an exceeding and vnspeakable ioy in regard of this his happie state the greatnes whereof no man either knoweth or can expresse but he in whome it hath pleased God to worke it by his holie spirite Yea if we shall compare this renewed ioy with the ioy which man had in his first estate we shall see that the faithfull haue both greater cause of reioycing and greater ioy then man had in his perfect happinesse in that he hath not only attained to a more perfect absolute and certaine happinesse but also hath escaped the contrarie miserie euen the eternall wrath of God due vnto him for his sinnes whereof man had no taste in his first estate This ioy differeth from the ioy of the carnall man in many respectes the one reioyceth in God the other in the creatures the one in temporal vaine and momentanie the other in spirituall heauenlie and eternall things the one in the good estate of his bodie the other in the good estate of his soule The one sheweth his ioy in the vse of carnall pleasures the other in spirituall exercises Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the spirit speaking to your selues in psalmes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord in your heartes And lastly the one is continuall constant abiding yea florishing so much the more in the middest of the greatest afflictions Rom. 5. 3. Act 16. 15. The other is short and vncertaine being cleane dashed with the least crosse that doth happen This renewed ioy although it be so exceeding great as hath beene saide yet it is mixed and indeede tempered with much sorrow so it hath pleased God in great wisdome and mercy to giue to his children in this life not the absolute perfection of that ioy and happinesse which he hath prepared for them but rather to temper the exceeding sweetnesse of it with sorrow and afflictions that so the bitternesse of the one might make the other the more welcome and acceptable vnto them The causes of this sorrow are diuerse some in the faithfull themselues some in others in themselues first and cheifly their sinnes whereby they doe displease and dishonour God who hath shewed himselfe to them so gratious bountifull and mercifull Secondly the manifolde temptations crosses and afflictions which doe daily befal them these howsoeuer by the gratious assistaunce of Gods spirit they doe often encrease this spirituall ioy yet being bitter and oftentimes intollerable to flesh and bloude they doe preuaile against
suspected to be vneffectuall This the Apostle doth plainely testifie 1. Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies that those who are approoued may be made manifest that is God doth suffer schismes and diuisions to be among you that by this meanes it may appeare whose holinesse is sounde and whose is hypocriticall or at the least light and ineffectuall Secondly men truely regenerate receiue a greater measure of particular graces as of faith loue and patience then the other doe Yea they doe daily increase in grace whereas the other doe commonly stand at a stay neuer attaining to any great measure of godlinesse but abide in a certaine indifferent kinde of mediocrity being neither hotte nor colde Besides true graces are fruitfull but the shadowes are barren eyther wholly or in part as the faith of these men doth not worke and shewe foorth it selfe by loue their loue is without workes of compassion and Christian communion their good works without alacrity Lastly the shadowe of regeneration doth often come to nothing and is turned into meere Atheisme and want of all religion but true regeneration can neuer wholly decay as Math. 3. 20. Some receiue the worde with ioy and afterwarde fall away and Heb. 6. 4. 5 we reade of those who being once made partakers of the holy Ghost doe afterwardes fall away from Christ yea while they doe retaine this resemblance of true sanctification they are not constant but variable in doing good Iam. 1. 8. A double minded man is vnconstant in all his waies that is a man halfe carnall and halfe regenerate doth not keepe throughout the course of his whole life a constant tenour of godlinesse but often changeth his minde opinions affections and practise By these and such other notes which may be obserued in the scripture and by daily experience this shadowe of holinesse may be discerned from the trueth yet we ought not peremptorely to iudge or rashly to condemne any man for there may be found euen in men truely regenerate many wants errours sinnes and alterations as afterwards will appeare Therefore we ought to thinke the best where we see any likelihoode of good and where there is none to hope for better in time to come and so leauing other men to Gods iudgement to censure our owne profession and regeneration by these rules Yet it is both lawfull and needfull that we shoulde knowe howe to distinguish trueth from falshoode right from wrong good from euill the shadowe from the bodie in the professions of our brethren The which it is the parte of euerie Christian to marke and consider to trie and thinke of it according to the trueth of the worde of GOD but in iudging and speaking to vse greate moderation and wisedome CHAP. V. Of the particulars in this supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse THe first and most vsuall part of this supernaturall decrease of sinne is the illumination of the minde whereby a carnall man who before did not beleeue the doctrine eyther of the law or of the gospell is brought to see and acknowledge the trueth of the one or of both To beleeue the law of God to be true is to haue a sight and a sense of sinne to see sinne is for a man to know himselfe to be so sinfull in nature in soule body in life and actions as indeed he is To feele sinne is to know that for his sinne he is subiect to the wrath of God which is eternall death This first part of illumination is far more easely oftē wrought in a naturall man then is the other because by the light of nature man hath some knowledge of good and euill and that the righteous are to be rewarded as the wicked are tobe punished Hence it is that many make this first step in this shadow of regeneration and goe no further Thus Cain and Iudas with many others did see their sin the punishmēt due vnto it but yet had no beliefe of the doctrine of the gospel for remission of sinne The second part of illumination is to thinke the doctrine of the gospel to be true namely that remission of sinnes and eternall glorie is to be had by faith in Iesus Christ. Heb. 6. 4. This knowledge GOD worketh by his spirit and word in manie reprobates Act. 8. 13. Simon magus beleeued and was baptized of whose reprobation although we can affirme nothing because the Apostle doubteth of it Vers. 22. Yet it is plainely out of the 21. verse that he was not as then truly regenerated Yea many carnall men attaine to so greate a measure of knowledge that there is no point or heade of christian religion which they doe not in some sorte conceiue vnderstand and beleeue although not fully for that is impossible yet so as that they are able to performe the duty of teachers in the Church in laying open plainly and euidently to the capacitie of the hearers the mysteries of the gospel in resoluing al doubtes cōtrouersies questions obiections and arguments which are moued about anypoint of doctrine Thus did the teachers at Corinth of whome the Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 13. 2. Though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and knowledge and haue not loue I were nothing So Math 7. 22. Prophecie in Christes name whome he doth not acknowledge as his This knowledge is commonly called an historicall faith a gift common to the elect and the reprobate yet not so common as it seemeth to be Yea in truth more rare in respect of the greate multituds of professours and christians then it is common in respect of the small number of true beleeuers For to let passe those who know nothing of religion we are not to thinke that all they who are learned and as we say great clarkes in diuinitie and profound schoole-men do in their mindes and iudgments hold these things to bee true Yea it appeareth plainly in the example of Iudas who although he did preach the gospell with his tongue yet he did not beleeue it himselfe as Christ witnesseth Ioh. 6. 64 that manie doe goe about to perswade others that to bee true which they them-selues thinke to be false And no maruaile for why should it bee thought easie and common for a naturall man to beleeue that which is contrarie to naturall reason we se Ioh. 3. 12 that Christ could not or rather did not make Nicodemus a teacher in Israel beleeue the doctrin of spirituall regeneration And so we may well thinke that many otherwise learned thinke that it is no such supernaturall work but that it may be attained by natural means Likewise how many thinke wee are perswaded in their heartes that this worlde shall neuer haue an ende or that there shal be a new world wherein the bodies of men which were consumed to nothing many thousand years before shalbe raised vp liue for euer But to proceede of the decrease of ignorance commeth the decrease of infidelitie For as