members become sinnefull It is not simply a sinne to looke on a woman for so much as to see is done by the concurrence of a rule of Gods wisdome but in that it is to lust after a woman and so here the eye looking vpon this tree is made sinnefull because inwardly she lusts after it and that is expressed in the next words when shee saies a tree to be desired and the ende of that is to get knowledge This ende is good but will not iustifie the action because the very eating for this end was expressely forbidden The 3. act is taking of the fruit thereof neither can this simply be condemned for it might be they might haue gathered the fruit and I am thereunto perswaded because this tree as well as the rest was for man and some good vse might haue beene made thereof 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 conâ—â—â—ing the first sinne The 4. act And did eate neither here am I of Arminius minde that meant subtilly to crosse an argument in M. Perkins by affirming that the very act was forbidden The natural act was good but onely the morall act which was respectiue and in reference to Gods law that onely was sinnefull The 5. act And gaue also vnto her husband this was likewise a sinne seeing God had made her a helper vnto him to become his ruine this was the breach of charitie The last act and he did eate To this some might reply but how could this bee a sinne seeing he was ignorant of it to which I answer 〈◊〉 present 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 First I doubt not but by that excellent knowledge he had he was able vpon the very sight thereof to know that it was the fruit of the forbidden tree God brought him the beasts of the field and he named them according to their natures he knewe his wife when shee was brought vnto him these were farre more difficult then to know euery seuerall fruit in the garden seeing they are so easily distinguished by many outward appearances therefore questionlesse he knew the fruit But then you will obiect man was more foolish then the woman for shee did it by strong perswasions and he without any more adoe vpon his very wiues giuing it did eate thereof alas neuer thinke so But how then was he tempted surely I thinke it was not a new disputation betwixt his wife and himselfe that as the deuil had dealt with her so she might deale with her husband for if Adam had been absent all the while of that communication and then the serpent and the deuill in the serpent had been departed that Adam would so soone haue yeelded vnto her motion Secondly it is said that as soone as shee desired it she tooke it and did eate if this was done in the place where shee stood then assuredly her eyes would haue been open to haue seene the offence before she could haue brought Adam vnto it Thirdly if she must first haue plucked the fruit and then haue carried it to Adam and lastly haue disputed with Adam for the eating of it it had been too long a time for a woman with child in sinning and longing for an apple or a figge or what else the fruit was to haue staied her appetite so long and therefore as I doubt not but she presently are it so presently her husband yeelded too and so both their eyes were opened together But you will say did Adam stand by all the time of their disputation I know no other meaning of the text but that it should be so and therefore Adam was exceedingly too blame to suffer his wife to haue such communication with the serpent hee should haue shut him out at the first entrance for God set him to keepe the garden that no beasts should come in it Now tell me I beseech you what concourse Gods law had in mans fall and the selfe-same is my iudgement that God had in it Now the lawe stood at hand to haue ioyned with man to haue brought forth his obedience vnto God and haue kept him from all sinnes of omission but man would not heare the voice of the lawe but of the deuill against the law therefore no maruell if he fell So then the Lord concurred by his law I will vse the word of Arminius quantum decuit yea and quantum oportuit as much as was seemely and as much as was expedient and this none of our Diuines denie if I may speake it bona venia with the good liking of all Arminians so that God withheld none of this grace from him but as I said before the deede of his will or that velle quod potuit which was not of such absolute necessitie neither wanted man any concourse if he had been as good as his meanes were But you say further Gods will no irresistable motion to mans â—ill the motion was irresistable and so man was no faultie cause seeing he could doe no better Alas had they all those free actions in sinne and yet did nothing proprijs voluntatibus I see nothing at all done by them but was done most freely But then you say the will of God might haue beene frustrated Alas senslesse creatures when the Apostle saies who hath resisted the will of God at any time is most certaine in very reason it selfe for the superiour cause can neuer suffer of the inferiour cause therefore if mans will should goe about to resist or frustrate the will of God it were euen against reason it selfe for then should Gods wil suffer of mans will And againe with Arminius God forbid it should be otherwise but that consilium Deistaret that Gods counsell should stand and therefore God hath an irresistable will and if that then the motion of his will is also irresistable if this then man cannot resist it and if he cannot resist then is hee mooued irresistably to sinne Fiue propositions to explaine how Gods will cannot be resisted stay there the consequence is false I know you will graunt me these fiue propositions and I know no more that our Diuines defend first that Gods will is the supreame cause secondly that Gods will cannot suffer thirdly that none can resist it fourthly that his motion is likewise irresistable fiftly that neither men nor angels can resist it But tell mee how you can prooue your consequence therefore man in sinning followes Gods irresistable motion I know no such consequence either in the Scriptures or our men for euery motion of Adam and the woman were most free and they followed most willingly their owne motion But you will say God decreed this motion true yet no cause thereof for he decreed man should be the cause of it himselfe But could this be done and yet God be no cause thereof yes assuredly for you are deceiued of Gods decree by putting it into the thing when it is in himselfe And here I will cleare vnto you another way that God takes in his decree then you imagine First Gods decree ariseth from
him how much more horrible is it to curse the King of kings the God of Gods therefore euerie one must labour to know see and discerne this wretched thought in his heart which wee may doe by Gods grace not onely the damnable actions of our times but the inward thoughts of the spirit within vs. A second thought touching God is that the word of God is foolishnesse this must especially be vnderstood of the Gospel 1. Cor. 1.21 Paul calls it foolishnesse according to the opinion of the world not because it is so in it selfe but in the iudgment and imagination of the Grecian and 2.14 that a man should be saued iustified and sanctified by Christ is foolishnes to the naturall man this also in part is to be vnderstood of the lawe Deut. 29.19 Moses bids the people take heed least when they heare the curses c. where hee intimateth that this euill thought is in mens minds to thinke that the lawe is foolishnesse and therefore not to hearken vnto the curses thereof Now this is a dangerous thought as appeares by the fruit 1. Hence riseth that deuillish opinion that religion is but a policie to keepe men in awe from treasons and rebellions Secondly hence springeth all apostasie and all departing from the faith Gal. 1. the Galatians were a worthy Church of God planted by Paul yet there he saith that some of them were departed from the truth the reason is because they thought the word of God to be foolishnes Many in the East countries and in Asia where the Gospel was planted by the Apostles by this damnable thought fell first into the herefie of Arrius and many 600. yeares after Arrius departed to the religion of Mahomet In the West church in Europe and Italio the Gospel was planted by the Apostles yet afterward fell to Papistry and about 600. yeares after Arrius death Papisme ouerspread all Europe except in some little parts of Greece and so hath raigned till this day the reason is plaine in euery mans heart lieth this corruption to thinke the word of God foolishnesse and hereupon men by nature can embrace any religion but the truth And so in England let a man broach an herefie it shall not onely at the first but afterward haue strong and stout patrones When the family tooke shipping and came out of Germany into England though it were but a very brutish herefie yet it was much broached and had beene more had it not beene repressed by the preaching of the word and good order of godly Magistrates The cause why men are so readie to entertaine a schisme or heresie is because mans heart by nature is full of blindnes and error and thinkes the Gospel foolishnesse and madnes Examination of our hearts touching this thought beeing seriously performed we shall find it to raigne in high degree for we are all content to come to the assemblies where Gods name is worshipped and submit bur selues to be taught we are content to heare the preaching of the word and herein our personall sinnes displayed the terrible curses of the lawe denounced against them viz. iudgements in this life in death and at the day of iudgement and yet we tremble not at all this our hearts are not amased and affrighted at these thunderbolts of Gods curses due to our sinnes If a man in the streets crie fire our hearts will be astonished but when the fire of heauen kindled by the breath of the liuing God is cried against our sinnes we are not mooued and why surely our hearts are forestalled with a false imagination that the word of God is foolishnes therefore that his plagues and threatnings and curses are nothing Againe when we heare in the Gospel of the pardon of our sinnes by Christ and life euerlasting repentance the kingdome of God few learne this doctrine repent and enter into it because their mind is forestalled and wholly possessed with this false imagination Psa 126. the Israelites deliuerance was a dreame much more then is our spirituall deliuerance from Sathan and no maruell for the Gospel is as farre contrarie to mans reason as light to darknes for that Christ by bearing death and the curse of God for sin should thereby free men from death and the curse is quite contrarie to naturall reason Vse 2. If this be so that all men naturally imagine the word to be foolishnesse then must we followe Pauls rule 1. Cor. 3.18 If any man will be wise let him become a foole first we must renounce our owne naturall reason denie our selues our own iudgement put out the eies of our naturall vnderstanding and suffer our selues wholly to bee guided by the doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Secondly we must all pray with Dauid that God would open our eyes that we may see his wil and vnderstand the words of his law because our reason and imagination is flat contrarie to the Gospel From this second thought ariseth an other viz. that if the word be foolishnes then I will performe no obedience to the word of God That this is mans thought naturally I prooue it thus Iob 21.14 he brings in the sinner saying depart c. there is none so wicked to say so in word but it is their hearts imagination and affection and he that purposeth to walke after his owne wayes he it is that saith who is the Lord that wee should worship him It is a disgrace for me to bee the seruant of God I will not doe it therefore depart from me O God Ier. 6.16 they say so in the purpose of their hearts Luk. 19.14 which place as it is meant of the Iewes so of all other men in the world by nature that are impenitent sinners for so long as a man goes on without repentance hee carries a purpose in heart to liue in his sinnes and so saith in heart I will not beare the yoake of Christ I will be none of his subiects he shall not raigne ouer me Come to an adultreer drunkard c. tell him of his sinne he will straight swell like a toade and shewe the malice of his heart to him that reprooues him reason because he meaneth to liue in his sinnes c. Examination of our hearts touching this thought Most will say they defie and abhorre all such wicked thoughts of not seruing God but after examination had it will be found that it raignes in our hearts We can bee content to heare the word receiue the Sacraments which are the pledges of Gods sauour and mercie in Christ and wee are content to looke for saluation in Christ but what is the cause why after all this there is so little obedience so litle knowledge and conscience so little mercy and compassion so little iustice and loue in our callings surely this because our hearts are wicked deceitful full of guile and what is this guile I will not obey the waies of God Vse If this be the well wished thought of mens hearts then we
children are in sorrow but when they consider how of his owne will he hath begotten them with the word of truth that they should be as the first fruits of his creatures then their hearts doe reioyce and their ioy no man shall take from them Now that compleat ioy may be drawne out of all these arguments it is necessary that the word of God be specially looked vnto for in afflictions it onely giueth vs the liuely sight of our sinne manifests the riches of the mercies of God in Christ Iesus to deliuer vs from sinne and therefore Dauid saies often but for thy lawe I had perished in mine afflictions therfore for further comfort he shewes what is required to make vs profit in Gods word first qualification secondly practise the first the soule the second the life of the soule the qualification v. 19. the reason of it v. 20. and the conclusion out of both ver 21. Wherefore laying apart all silthinesse and superfluity of malitiousnesse receiue with meekenes the word that is grafted into you which is able to saue your soules After this qualification followes the practise that the mercies of God might not be in vaine which he hath bestowed vpon them therefore v. 22. be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues now because this cousening of our selues in hearing of Gods word is a disease incident to the most hee playes the good Physitian first discouering the disease by a familiar similitude laying together these fowre tearms spots and a glasse sins and the law as spots may be seene in a glasse so sinnes may be seene in the law secondly in their qualitie wherein they are laid together and that is beholding considering and immediately forgetting as a man beholding falls to consider something amisse in himselfe yet going his way and other matters possessing his head immediately forgetteth what manner of face-he had So they come to the Church looke into Gods word consider that all is not well yet going their way home againe to their olde courses and now all is spoiled and they are neuer better Secondly hauing discouered the disease by the most familiar fymptomes applyes the remedie and tells them what must be their receit ver 15. the perfect law of libertie must be carefully looked into Thirdly he giues them the manner how it must be receiued first what must be abstained from as deadly poison to the nature of a Christian and secondly the onely hinderer of the worke of all good physicke First therefore v. 26. If any man seeme religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is in vaine Secondly thus must it bee taken according to pure religion and vndefiled before God in visiting the fatherles and widdowes in their necessity and to keep himselfe vnspotted of the world Seeing then that God hath so many comforts patience to possesse the soule when it is at a loffe wisedome to make i◠finde it selfe in the greatest night of trouble contentation to quiet it as well in aduersitie as prosperitie a crowne of glory to recompence it after all combats and such a word as may be a light to direct a sword to defend and teach the true watch word of a Christian when he is readie to be swallowed vp of his enemies it cannot bee but that we should alwaies rest in the hauen of happinesse A recaptulation of all the former heads in a briefe and perspicuous table for the further impression of Christian comfort in the memories of the faithfull Comfort in affliction donation of grace informing the action present patience working v. 4. perfecting v. 4. wifedom giuen freely and liberally receiued by praier faith future true contentation in all things v. 9 the ende of the action blessednes in the crowne of life v. 12. sanctifying causes principall the will of God v. 18. instrumentall the word of truth v. 18. effect first fruits a holy kind of offering taken out of the residue of men v. 18. true application in the qualification manifested v. 19. prooued in clearing the point v. 20. in concluding v. 21. in the practise honest and good hearing and doing v. 22. dishonest and vnprofitable illustrated 23. 24. by tearms spots a glasse sin and the law qualitie beholding forgetting applyed first in the prescript v. 25. in the vse vnlawfull v. 26. lawfull v. 27. Seeing then that this is the course that the Lord will take let no man think to be Diues all his life time in this world and Lazarus after death If God promise riches the way thereunto is pouertie before loue correction before exaltation deiection whom he saueth first he damneth he bringeth not to heauen but by hell if he promise life hee slaieth first Ioseph sawe the sunne moone and starres worshipping him neuertheles yet that could come to passe God laid him where he could see neither sunne nor moone nor any starre of the skie and all that many yeares and also vndeserued yet all this while to nurture him vp against the time of honour God promised Israel a land of milke and honie yet for the space of forty yeeres they went through a land not only where there were no riuers of milke and honey but not so much as a droppe of water to refresh them withall yet all this was done of God to doe them good at the latter end God promised Dauid a kingdom yet immediatly he stirred vp Saul against him to hunt him and ferret him out of euery hole and that many years Thus he that will weare the crowne of glory must weare the crowne of thornes he that will haue all teares wiped from his eyes must first shed them Reu. 15.3 the children of God before they can sing the song of Moses the seruant of God and the song of the lambe Christ Iesus must first swim through the glassie sea mingled with fire and brimstone It is not the way to heauen to liue in this world in perpetual ease rest quietnes in body soule goods and good name therefore as the end of all afflictions is full of ioy and comfort so is the way seeing it is appointed of the Lord most comfortable because euery steppe brings vs towards Gods kingdome and I may tearme afflictions markes in the way to tell vs we are to keepe on that way they lead vs. A man inquiring his way and is told he hath no plaine way but by desolate woods hills and mountaines very stony and troublsome to passe by when the trauailer seeeth these marks he saies vndoubtedly I am right but if he find all to be plaine presently stands still lookes about and saies I see neuer a one of my directiōs therfore I am assuredly wrong this way will neuer bring me to the end of my iourney So the Lord hath told vs that this is the way to heauen to passe by many crosses we run a long and find no such matter well may we suspect that we are out
the sheild of faith nor fierie darts peirce the soule or drie vp the waters of the spirit but faith hath such a riuer flowing vp and downe the soule to eternall life that euery dart be it neuer so red and scalding hote is presently quenched The helmet of saluation wil be sure to saue the head for which the hand would be content to be cut off before it should receiue the least blow therefore the head beeing free we need lesse to feare the danger and for our hands we haue the sword of the spirit which is the onely weapon that the deuill may not endure buckle on this armour by prayer and watchfulnes and still looke the deuil in the face and we shall neuer receiue hurt by him but if we turne back then shall we haue not any peice of armour to saue vs from danger They are princes but we haue the Prince of peace and angels their superiours and I doubt not but as many in number as they to fight for vs and these haue gotten the vpper ground of the deuills and for spirituall wickednesse we haue gotten the spirit of grace and goodnes that can mooue swifter then the deuils to stand by vs and assist vs in all our infirmities let them all make vp a god in this world yet he that rules heauen and earth will laugh them to scorne trust therefore in Gods power and his aids and be quiet a little and these enemies that you see and feele in this world yee shall neuer see them or haue cause to seele them hereafter The three children Dan. 3. tell the King they care not for his command and why because they know that the God whom they-serue can deliuer them and if he will not death shall be as good to them Christ saies his sheepe heare his voice and follow him none shal take them out of his hands the reason is because God that gaue them him is stronger then all Be of good comfort little children yee haue ouercome the world because he that is in you is stronger then he that is in the world 1. Ioh. 4.4 The leper cries if thou willt thou canst make me cleane many be our leprosies and happie are we that we haue so good a remedy We pray for many strange things but if we obserue but the conclusion of the Lords prayer we may soone gather vp our spirits seeing we knowe that power belongs vnto God thine is the kingdome power and glory We beleeue a resurrection and many other strange things but our faith needs not to fall seeing we say and beleeue that God is almightie I beleeue in God the Father almightie this made Paul to challenge principalities and powers height and depth c. Rom. 8. neuer had he the least feare that they should euer be able to separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Let vs see what comforts in speciall may be giuen to Gods children in affliction for surely euery soule shall find with Elijah 1. kin 19. fleeing from Iezebel comfort from the verie angels of God yea when they are brought to stand vpon the mount before the Lord they shall see the Lord passe by and a mightie strong wind rend the mountaines and breake the rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the winds and after the wind came an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake after the earthquake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire came a still and foft voyce and in that was the Lord found Oh the goodnesse of the Lord that in all the winds earthquakes and fires that he makes to passe before his children will not be seene in them for then should euery one of vs be consumed and vtterly confounded yet will he be found in the still and soft voyce It is an vsuall custome before great Potentates come vnto their palaces to haue a peale of ordinance to be shot off before their approach so the Lord by this feare makes way that the King of glorie may come in and dwell with the soule God hath diuerse meanes to bring vp his children lawe and gospel iudgement and mercie in the giuing of the lawe there was thunder lightning and earth quakes yet the Lord was heard in a stil voice to deliuer his law Gods schollers must stand as well at the foote of mount Ebor to heare the curse as at mount Gerison to heare the blessings the one prepares the other enters more easily to giue the heart her due comfort Moses Deuter. 28. is full of curses and blessings God hath many a good Dauid to rule ouer his people as wel as hard hearted Pharaoh to schoole them he hath more good Prophets to blesse them then wicked Balaams to curse them he hath an euangelicall Isaiah to lift them vp with promises of the Gospel as a lamenting Ieremiah to cast them downe with woes and lamentations he hath an Hosea and Zechariah to teach them in Enigmaes and darke sentences and many other to bee as plaine as heart can wish he hath many a Paul I beseech you brethren as wel as sons of thunder to make vs quake and tremble yea and alwaies this is the ende of all afflictions a gracious sufficit 2. Sam. 24.16 it is sufficient hold now thy hand Now what the Lord doth either in prosperity or aduersitie often wee see not and therefore we loose the comfort of it The birth of an infant borne and encreasing is not apprehended presently euen so is it with vs in our heauenly birth spirituall regeneration the spirit worketh without our leaue and acquainteth vs not with his maruailous working more then is expedient at his pleasure when and in what measure for our comfort Therefore let vs take heed that God say not vnto vs as he did vnto Iob cap. 38.2 who is this that darkeneth the counsell by words without knowledge who are you that interrupt the wayes of God and labour to preuent his counsels be sober and patient and you shal in the ende receiue the cuppe of saluation instead of these bottles of vineger and teares and in stead of the bread of affliction the heauenly manna and the bread of life from the table of God and of Christ In the meane time I commend vnto euerie soule in affliction these heads of comfort which I will shewe vnto him in all the causes First in the efficient causes principall lesse principall Principall first the promise of God 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull therefore will he suffer no temptation to be aboue our abilitie but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it Secondly his promise is grounded vpon his power Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long-suffering with ioyfulnesse which power is manifested in those two things which grounds the confidence of al in the world and that is that the promiser bee a man
denying graunt the one and graunt the other denie the one and denie the other Secondly because it is not onely the part of a wise man to produce his worke but also to direct it to his ende therfore most absurd to denie it of the wisest Thirdly because it is impossible that a thing should be produced by one wisdome and gouerned by another thus things would not serue the ende of their creation but another Observ 6. According to this wisdome euery nature worketh and to this he ought to obey Reason 1. Because they are Gods effects and therefore obeying the cause must needs obey the wisdome that ordered the causes sinne therefore beeing nothing obeies not God neither any sinner as he serues sinne Secondly this wisdome carries to the ende and euery thing obeies his ende and inclines bends and bowes vnto it Observ 7. This obsequie or obedience of the creature is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or true impression of this producing and gouerning wisdome This first wisdome is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gouernement of the Creator the obedience of the creature or liuely seale that stamped that marke vpon the creature therefore the stampe is the liuely effigies or impression of that first wisdome and the obsequie or obedience of the creature is nothing but to imitate his gouernour A familiar example of this you may see in the seale and the impression vpon the waxe the seale leaues his marke and the marke is a plaine representation of the seale though the seale it selfe could be seene of none but him that stamped his marke vpon the waxe The waxe sets forth the creature the stampe the obedience and the seale Gods wisdome and this is that Idaea which is so much dreamed of whereof the creature is not capable yet the reflexion of it may be in the creature As for example sixe or seuen men may see their faces all in one glasse yet the glasse is farre lesse then any one of their faces for the naturall face of a man can not be put into the glasse but the image of his face reflected and that in most liuely proportion so Gods face no man can see yet his backe parts may be seene Exod. 33. now this face as I may say of Gods wisdome beeing stamped vpon his creatures carrie them in all their motions to their ends appointed of his Maiestie These things beeing well conceiued of wee finde two things most necessarie to concurre to the producing of any act 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 First facultie or power which God giues the creature when he giues them beeing 2. a rule of Gods wisdome to bring that facultie into exercise and so carrie it along vnto his ende The rule is the principall cause the facultie the instrumentall or ministeriall cause to ioyne with the principall neither alone can doe any thing but both together can doe any worke that the Creator would haue to be done To come then to our purpose God created man a reasonable creature indued with two most excellent qualities will and vnderstanding so that man was made able to vnderstand his Creator and will him as his onely good Yet man could not actually will God except God had giueÌ„ a rule to haue taught him so to doe the Lord bad man loue him with all his heart soule minde and strength and then to loue his neighbour as himselfe And for the effecting of this he gaue him a perfect rule of righteousnes to ioyne with his will in the performance of any dutie neither did God withhold this rule from him at any time and therefore God gaue man by creation power to will and rule sufficient for to haue taught him how to will so that neither for power or act any thing was wanting Let vs see then how these two things concurred in mans first fall How rule and facultie meet together in the first fall The deuill comes in the serpent and he beginnes to withdraw man from his rule knowing if man and woman had sticked close thereunto sinne should haue had no entrance He beginnes first to propound a question that so he might bring the woman to dispute with him and the question is made about the rule of obedience Hath God indeed said Ye shall not eate of euerie tree of the garden To this the woman answers first by affirmation we eate of the trees of the garden secondly by negation from the sentence of the law of the fruit which is in the mids of the garden God hath said not onely I The dispuâ—â—â— on of the 〈◊〉 man and 〈◊〉 deuill but neither I nor my husband must eate of it neither shall ye touch it and to the prohibition she laies the curse least ye die So then the rule would haue made his part good against the Deuill and haue taught the woman to haue holden this conclusion against all the deuills arguments The deuill replies againe vpon the woman and first he begins to take away that which might feare her in breaking the law yee shall not die at all and then to her negation brings a testimonie first from God God doth knowe secondly from contradiction to the law when ye shall eate therof thirdly a threefold reason to perswade them to that act of eating first knowledge your eyes shall be opened secondly the measure of this knowledge it shal make you like God himselfe thirdly from the kinds of their knowledge knowing both good and euill As yet no hurt was done Let vs now see how the Law concurres in the next The conâ—â— of the 〈◊〉 and we shall easily see both Gods and the lawes confluxe with Adams fall The 1. act of the woman was approbation of the deuills reasons so the woman here 's consent against both God the law The 2. act was seeing here God concurred naturally and that by the rule of nature in optickes neither was this the breach of that rule but presently the will wheeles or turnes it selfe vpon the obiect and saies the tree was good and that approbation was also good for the tree was good by Gods creation but this goodnesse did so affect the will that Gods law must be forgotten and the tree beeing made good for that which the law forbad to wit that it was good for meat when before out of the sentence of the law she had saide the law and God himselfe hath saide ye shall not eate and to say it was good for meate was a direct affirmation against both God and his law and so could not haue their concourse and this was her internall iudgment The next is her externall iudgment in regard of the tree obiected to her eyes in these words and that it was pleasant to the eyes Now this was no where forbidden but that they might looke on it and it may be she said too much when she added we may not touch it yet this likewise is made a sinne for after the will is spoyled then all the other
cognitione secondly in manifesting his desree it is done cognitione indirecta first generall in his creation for from his efficiencie and omnipotencie potuit he could reueale it hence in respect of himselfe being meere acts he could not haue any such attribute for potuit may be or could be can neuer be said of him that euer was actu therfore must it respect the things that may be may feele the act of God hence qua potuit efficit as he could bring them forth so he did it most effectually Now because omnipotencie and efficiencie respects both posse and efficere to be able and to doe Constanter verâ— sideliter and what God can doe and will doe that must he needs decree constantly truely and saithfully Now because this decree of God cannot but be brought to passe after the best way and manner therefore must he decree by counsell if by counsell then must the scope be prefixed therefore must the ende of it manifest his glorie therefore all his goodnesse therefore his vertues which are his attributes and if them then his iustice and mercie To doe by counsell is to haue some expresse forme of working the plot whereof makes euery thing agreeable to his counsell this plot seemes good vnto his wisedom and this the Lord wills and that with a most free will arbitrio iudicij libertate voluntatis wit and will Out of these grounds we easily answer the doubt Application to the doubt that God did neither omit or commit any thing in mans fall he did not omit for the rule was at hand and mans facultie to doe well was sufficient the concourse was not in man therefore did he omit denying the law that due respect that it challenged I told you before that neither the law alone nor the facultie alone was able to produce the act of obedience therefore the law alone could not do it not that it was an vnsufficient rule but because man would not practise this rule Now you know it is said to be impossible vnto the law not in regard of it selfe but in regard of vs that cannot concurre with it to that righteousnesse which it exacteth which we might haue done by creation For commission it is plaine that the Lord did no otherwise concurre with mans fall then the law did which you haue heard in explication of the causes of the first transgression was no causa perse but causa per accidens and therefore an vnblameable cause If man will rush against it what fault can he finde with the lawe if it doe mischiefe him Hee that takes a sword by the poynt is sure to wound himselfe which if he had taken by the handle might haue been vsed both for defence and offence But it is further replied the motion of man to finne followed Gods motion which was irresistable True it is the will of God is irresistable when it is opposed and therefore in resisting the will of God he followed an irresistable motion in opposing the law of God he suffered his owne ouerthrowe So that resistentia beeing only of enemies that suffer mutably and God beeing sine passione resistentia without passion or resistence and therefore cannot be resisted Then your meaning is this that man was a resolute enemie to sinning and fought with God about this action but God would haue man to sinne and so man should not resist But alas it was cleane contrarie Gods will was not to haue man to sinne and mans will was to sinne and therefore hee fought against Gods wil yet could he not resist Gods will or falsifie the least of his decrees Rom. How God concludes hiâ— mercy and iustice not ex prâ—uâ—sa fidâ— or ex pecâ—ato bâ—t from the promise which was his meere good will and pleasure 9.19 the conclusion in the 18. verse is the manifestation of Gods mercie and iustice by what argument you shal conceiue if you looke from the 6. verse it is drawne from contraries mans infidelitie and Gods fidelitie the infidelitie of man cannot frustrate the promise of God first because his promise is either generall or speciall generall as it respects the roote speciall as it respects the branches therefore hee saith all are not Israel that is the true liuing branches which are of Israel that is the root vnto which the promise was made it was made to Abraham it was made to Isaac c. Abraham the roote and some of the seede of this roote were indeed the seede of Abraham but yet in Isaac must the true seed be called this second promise is the effectuall promise which must stand v. 8. for there be some the children of the flesh hauing Abraham for their root but others are the children of God which haue God for their father and therefore must needs effectually be made partakers of the couenant and these say the Apostle are properly counted for the seed this hee shewes first because of the time appointed ver 9. secondly from the paritie of coÌ„ception Sarah had a sonne but the other was by her maide and therefore no maruell if God sanctified the true seed the other was bastardly borne yet v. 10. the matter was brought to more equall tearmes euen Rebecca she conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac therefore this conception would admit no exception for the parents Nothing either in the parents or children why God should purpose one to life the other to death but yet it may be the exception is to be made in the children themselues therefore v. 11. he proues Gods purpose to exclude all outward or inward considerations that might be found in them First from the constancy of his purpose that it might remaine secondly from the forme of his purpose according to election a setled decree thirdly from the eternitie of it yer the children were borne fourthly from the deniall of all causes out of himselfe first by an ennumeration either good or euill it was neither the goodnesse of Iacob nor the euill of Esau that caused the Lord to purpose any such thing secondly from the practise of good or euill done that distinction of facta and facienda of done or to bee done is idle for the fifth and last argument knocks it in the head which is drawne from the remotion of a false cause and the position or laying downe of the true cause not by workes generally done or to be done but by him that calleth if this be the true cause then say the other and you oppose Gods call for workes and Gods call be membra diuidentia therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cannot stand together This cause is proued to be the truth First by Gods oracle Gen. 25.23 the elder shall serue the younger this is against the ordinarie course of nature but God that calleth will haue it so Secondly from a testimonie Mal. 1.2.3 as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau that is I haue called Iacob to the feeling
the coâ—rt of conscience First is an euill conscience it selfe that may not indure the Law to rubbe on that sore as timorous patients had rather die and rotte away then that either bitter purgation should be inwardly taken or any corasiues applied outwardly or like bankerupts hate nothing worse then to looke vpon their bookes of accounts or like the Elephant least he should see his foule great bodie muds the water that he may drinke So these in like manner had rather rot away in their sinnes then that the purging physicke of the law should be administred or the corasiues of Gods curses should be laid vpon their sores the soule bankerupt of grace may not indure to heare of the accounts and reckonings that it must make with Gods law and the bodie of sinne is so foule that he would not looke vpon it and therefore by his pleasures and pastimes he laughs sinne out of countenance but woe be vnto him when he shall be pressed of God to confesse his sinne vpon the racke of his conscience 2. is continuall liuing in darâ—nesse The second reason is the loue of darknes and the hatred of the light A man that hath a long time bin shut vp in close prison and kept from the light of the sunne when he is drawne into the open aire his eyes are so dazeled with the bright beames thereof that he cannot looke about him but desires to be in his denne againe and with the owle had rather put his head into a hole then haue the sunne shine on it his time is with the Bat to flie abroad when the night is come therefore Gods law beeing as the shining of the sunne and his life lead in darknes he will not to the light least his workes should be reprooued Thirdly 3. Negligence men are either so lasie in themselues that they will not goe to the glasse of Gods law or els they can indure no smart because the law would haue them wash and be cleane like little children though they see their spots in a glasse yet they may not indure the cold water Fourthly 4. Lusts men are not ordered by Gods law because they will attend vpon their lusts Like schoole-boies that see their foule faces yet because they are giuen to play runne away from the water so many a man by the cares of the world as of pleasure profit honour or such like cannot stay to make any vse of the beholding of themselues in Gods law Iam. 1.24 For straight way he is gone and so forgetteth what manner of person he was Our Sauiour Christ when he inuited his guests to his marriage-feast found many idle excuses returned vnto him One hath bought a farme and he must goe see it others a yoke of oxen and they must goe trie them others haue married a wife and they desire likewise to be excused Euery one hath something to doe to keepe them from God and his law it were well if they knew how faithfull reckonings make long friends and therefore it were very good not to delay the time with God for he will not be mocked Christ hath stood a long time knocking he is standing if we put off to answer he may soone be gone away from vs. We vse Christ as he was vsed in his birth no roome for him in the Inne if he please he may haue the stable and the manger and good reason for great personages and vsuall guests haue taken vp the inner roomes so deale we with our Sauiour our soules are taken vp with great personages as lords and commanders whome we cannot but obey as lord couetousnes ambition pride selfe-loue pleasure and many vsuall guests with which we haue had great custome so that Christ beeing an vnknowne guest vnto vs it may be for meere pitie we will bestow vpon him our worst roomes if he please to goe into the stable and will not vexe vs in the inner roomes of our soules he shall haue a nights lodging and we will bestow vpon him some of our refuse such as our great lords care not to meddle withall This I tell you is a strong meanes to keepe vs from Christ and his law when like slaues we will be at the command of our base affectons Fiftly disordered callings take away the ordering of sinne as what law can order our commoÌ„ beggers stage-players fidlers and such like so many a wretched calling into which men thrust themselues takes away all ordering by Gods lawe and makes them runne head-long into all shame and confusion nay further many callings from God by the wickednesse of mans heart are become exceeding sinnefull when indeede Gods callings are all happie orders for our good As for example shop-keepers they cannot liue except they sell their wares vpon the Sabbath day how should Gods lawe order these persons in the sanctification of the Sabbath for it is in vaine for that person to wash which presently after hee hath washed his hands must foule them againe so Ale wiues how should they sanctifie themselues when they are readie to serue euery filthy puddle and durtie foule it is hard to ride with an other in fowle way and not be plashed by him for one to be at the mill and not to be dusted to touch pitch and not be defiled to carrie burning coales in his bosome and escape the burning Sixt is a misconceit of the word of God and his ministers 6. Want of loâ—e that they would make him worse then he is We see a man when the glasse doth discontent him throwes it away and will not beleeue that he is so deformed and therefore that glasse shall not teach him to apparell himselfe so men deale with Gods word and his ministers as Ahab dealt with the Prophet Shall I seeke vnto him he neuer prophecied any good vnto me wherefore hast thou found me O my enemie thou art the troubler of my state and therefore shalt haue no hearing Seuenth inquirie of their companions 7. Mis information of others whether the matter be so hainous as the word of God and his ministers would haue it What is good fellowship for halfe a douzen of ale so great a matter Is playing a game or two at the cards on the Sabbath day so great an offence as nothing will pay for it but damnation Alas he surely is too precise and denies all libertie truely truely as long as one slovin inquires of another there is like to be no handsomnesse so as long as one drunkard will be resolued by another one whoor-master by another one swearer by another one beastly companion by another the law of God shall appease no tuinults among them Eigth 8. Habit of finning the habite of vndecencie hence no care to looke into the glasse he applauds himselfe in that profession would haue the world so account of him he laughs at his own foule face and this vnhandsome apparell so the habite of sinne makes men laugh at reformation Ninth
generated from pure ayre whereby the heart and the braine are preserued in their functions so that what shall bee without reason to deny God his prouidence 3. In Iudiciall Astrologie Neither would I haue the Astrologians to thinke themselues free from this conceit when they make the starres the rule to square all actions as well voluntary as naturall and to determine of the ends and issue of them both Secondly it is strange Idolatrie that there should be any conceit of idolatrie seeing that nothing can be like God either in beeing or doing Isa 40. Againe all the idols of the heathen are known by their causes which to imagine of God is absolutly impossible The smith Isa 44. taketh an instrument worketh in the coales euē with the strength of his armes is an hungred his strength faileth he drinketh no water and is faint the like is said of the carpenter ver 13. and therefore verie strange that such feeble creatures as these should bring forth their creator nay stupid blockishnes that the workman should esteeme the worke of his own hands better then himselfe that made it The like may be said of the matter which is as fit in his owne conceit to warme his body and prepare his meat as be an idole for his soule folly incomparable that fit matter for the fire in his chimney should be as fit for the kindling vp of the fire of his zeale and deuotion in his heart strange againe that the picture of a man beast or the foules of the ayre should be counted better then the liuing man himselfe nay alas then the liuing God Lastly that whose ende is vanitie to be counted the felicitie of the soule is most shamefull and intolerable yet for all this Iere. 44. v. 17. We will burne incense to the queene of heauen and powre out drinke offerings vnto her haue they not reason for this yes assuredly they haue a double reason First losse in that they haue not done it ver 18. Since we left off this worshippe we haue had scarcenesse of all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine A second reason is the profit of idolatry v. 17. when we did this then had we plentie of victualls and were well and felt no euill Thirdly Heresie Transubstantiation Consubstantiation no heresie but some reason for it as Transubstantiation must needes bee true because Christ hath said this is my body and consubstantiation must be as good as this because of the personal vnion of man-hood with the deitie A pretie dispute we haue in the 12. Christ not the Messias of Iohn betwixt Christ and the people concerning the Messias In the 32. v. Christ layes downe this proposition If I were lift vp from the earth I would drawe all men vnto mee this Christ meant of his death and so the people vnderstood it but he hath put an argument into their heads whereby they will conquer him ver 34. We haue heard out of the law that Christ bideth for euer therefore by thy owne confession thou art not Christ because thou saiest thou must die And I pray you consider how they triumph in this their argument How sayest thou now that the sonne of man must bee lift vp who is that sonne of man Fourthly Prophanation for prophanation see how the Apostle labours to preuent the wicked conceits of man concerning the abundance of grace 1. Of grace where sinne abounds there grace abounds much more a good reason in the conceits of wicked men to make them sinne the more that grace may abound Againe for Election and Reprobation see how men profane them If I must be saued let me doe what I will and I shall not be damned 2. Election Reprobation and if I must bee damned let mee doe what I will and I shall not bee saued Now should I come to discouer that the ground of all these opinions is nothing but thou thoughtest or it was thy conceit but because this is the last obseruation in the conclusion I wil put it off vntill I haue briefly giuen the reasons and made the vse of this point Reason 1. No man will denic himselfe and therefore though oftentimes he denie the rule of reason yet neuer will be absolutely denie reason because reason is one of the principall faculties in man and therefore must it trudge to make vp his broken conclusions Reason cannot act without reason and therefore men will haue false reason before they will haue none Reas 2. Is the simplicitie of truth and multiplicitie of errour From errors multiplicity and therefore though men cannot bring in truth to maintaine falshood yet may they haue many falshoods to make a faire shewe for one falshood Reas 3. Is the nature of opposition From opposition which on both sides is to defend his own Truth and falshood are deadly enemies and therefore as truth laboureth to confirme himselfe by all those that loue him so falshoold laboureth to gather together all his forces by those that maintaine him Hence it comes to passe that heretickes will neuer be coufuted but as long as they can breath they will vent what they haue conceiued Vse 1. reprehension First confutation of the wicked in that they adde sinne vnto sinne First to poyson themselues with strange opinions and secondly to enquire for reasons whereby they may ground themselues in these poysoned errors so that from errors they grow to heresie from simple ignorance to that which we call affected ignorance ignorance is so good a mother to deuotion that she will nource vp error and error will grow vp to heresie a child of rebellion Secondly correction of the godly that they yeeld not at any time to the least motions of errour least they become disputers for errors and opposers of Gods truth Many honest and well-minded persons haue gotten such familiar acquaintance with hereticks that they haue beene poysoned by them and so haue come to hate the truth which once they imbraced Vse 2. instruction First an admonition of the wicked that they be a little more sober in broaching of their errors least that the Lord seeing their malice against his truth come with a sharpe reproofe and cut them off suddenly Secondly direction for the godly to keepe themselues to Gods word and neuer labour to wrest it either to the right hand or to the left for the vpholding of any conceits that the deuill their owne flesh or the wicked world shall suggest vnto them Vse 3. consolation First in prosperitie to remember that euerie good thing we enioy shall willingly bee spent for the maintaining of the truth and the opposing of error euen vnto the death Secondly in aduersitie to consider how wee haue vsed no indirect meanes to bring our purposes to passe but still haue rested vpon the Lord for the reuelation of his will and the time of our deliuerance Obser 7. The ground of all wicked mens opinions and likewise
our eyes into our owne bosomes Ier. 8.6 4. Is want of thinking of this duty toward God Ierem. 5.24 so the foolish virgins contented themselues with their lampes vnprepared neuer thinking of the oyle till the time of grace was past thus hardnesse of heart and securitie bring forth these wicked thoughts Hence obserue the strange opinion of the world men haue good hearts meanings intents and purposes howsoeuer the actions of their liues be faultie Hence learne that the Scriptures are no policies of men for nothing could reueale these wicked thoughts but the diuine truth Angels and men know not the thoughts Secondly learne that thoughts are not free though they neuer come into consent or action therefore repentance of thoughts is necessarie Ioel 2.12 Act. 8.22 1. Thess 5. Paul requires that they be sanctified in bodie soule and spirit Reas 1. Because a man is cursed for his thought Pro. 5.26 2. Because actuall sinnes proceed of euill thoughts 1. the thought thinketh it 2. after thought comes delight 3. after delight consent of will 4. after consent an execution or practise of the sinne 5. after practise comes custome in practise 6. after custome and practise death and damnation for thoughts the old world was destroyed Gen. 7.21 For repentance of euill thoughts Remedies of euill thoughts vse 1. examination 2. praier 3. reformation In examination first we must remember that all thoughts are in euery mans minde by nature therefore the least occasion turnes the mind to think them secondly we must heare the word of God attentiuely we must lay open all our senses to the hearing thereof and let it goe thorough them all 1. Cor. 4.25 2. Point Prayer A man must pray for the pardon of his thoughts Act. 8.22 3. Point Reformation of the minde for wicked thoughts Ephe. 4. be renewed in the spirit of your minds wherein thoughts and imaginations are conceiued and framed Rule 1. All thoughts must be in obedience toward God Prou. 20.18 15.22 he must not conceiue a thought in his mind before he haue consulted with the word 1. Cor. 10.4 5. Phil. 4.8 2. Rule Prou. 4.24 to keepe and counter-guard our hearts aboue all watch ward men dovsually guard their cities houses and their treasures now Salomon teacheth that the heart must be guarded more then any citie house or treasures because from it proceed the actions of life 1. Therefore make a couenant with thy senses that they be no occasion or prouocation to any manner of sinne this did Iob cap. 31. and Dauid Psal 119. Turne mine eies from beholding couetousnesse the senses are the windowes of the soule and if God enter not sathan will creepe in at them into our hearts 2. At the beginning checke an euill thought for the thought beeing checked the affections will be quiet 3. Labour with all care to cherish euery good motion of Gods spirit 1. all good cogitations by the ministerie of the word or good counsell hence quench not the spirit 3. Rule We must often vse eleuation of the heart and mind vnto heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father Psal 25.1 Paul bids the Philippians haue their conuersation in heauen Iam. 4. drawe neere to God Hence the Lords Supper is a principall meanes of the eleuation of the heart and mind vnto God this eleuation must be continually practised such as are appointed to keepe clockes doe often euery day pull vp the waights because they are alwaies going downeward Pray continually 1. Thess 5. There be three speciall times the beginning of the day the first good thought affection euerie day must be the Lords The 2. time the end of the day commend our soules vnto God The 3. time receiuing of blessings or feeling the want of them to praise God for the one and call vpon him for the supply of the other 4. Rule The meditation of some speciall matters whereby saluation may be furthered which is either concerning God or our selues concerning God his presence this made Dauid to drawe neere vnto God Psal 139. Psal 19. his heart is purified by seeing God in his lawe Psal 23. in the shadow of death he wil not feare 2. Consideration of Gods iudgments not old but late and particular vpon persons cities townes we should lay these to the heart Ier. 12.11 Here we must practise three things 1. wee must obserue and carefully marke and remember Gods iudgements 2. wee must apply them to our owne persons in particular that they may make vs afraid Thus Habacuk when he heard of Gods iudgement his knees beate one against another Hab. 3. If in a familie one child be beaten others will take heed 3. We must make vse of them Luk. 13.3 Third consideration is of Gods word Psal 1. It is the propertie of the righteous man to meditate in Gods lawe day and night Luk. 2. Marie hid all those things in her heart 1. we must consider the sence of the Scriptures 2. what experience we haue had of the truth of the word of God in our own liues and consciences 3. how farre forth we haue swarued in the practise of the word or how farre forth we haue practised it Fourth consideration is of Gods works in vs and vpon vs this will make vs consider the workes of creation preseruation prouidence Isa 5.12 he pronounceth a woe to them that forget this 1. Consider the work of creation God hath made vs men when we might haue beene beasts that of nothing he made vs to be something 2. for preseruation and prouidence we must consider how he hath preserued vs from time to time from all dangers and hath giuen vs all things necessarie for this life and the life to come 3. for his patience that he hath not cast vs into hell but hath giuen vs a long and large time of repentance 4. that wee are not borne among the heathen but in the bosome of the church where hee hath giuen vs his word reformed our iudgments mollified our hearts and prouoked vs to euerie good worke Eccles 7.13 Psal 77.12.13 Second consideration of our selues 1. of our owne particular sinnes whether they be corruptions of the heart or sinnes of our liues Psal 119.59 Lam. 3. Come let vs search and try our wayes 1. In what manner we haue sinned against God whether of ignorance or knowledge of presumption or weaknes of constraint or wilfulnesse 2. The greatnesse of euerie sinne yea of the least sinne how the infinite maiestie of God is offended and his iustice violated 3. The number of them and here we shall find them with Dauid more then the haires of our head or the sands of the sea Must a man consider them whē he is sure they are pardoned yes so did Dauid Psal 25. Hee praied for the pardon of the sinnes of his youth That this may take the deeper impression let vs consider of the degrees of our misery 1. A separation from all fellowship with God Isa 59.2 2. a
against poyson therefore if we haue made the word of God a Scorpion to sting vs yet let vs now make it a lenitiue to cease the paine if we like beasts haue poysoned our selues yet now like men created for God let vs recouer our selues againe by this word of life But to proceed Thou thoughtest this is the consequent of Gods silence not proper but by accident forced and befide the scope of it therfore this wicked thought of an hypocrite argueth strange corruption of heart that can frame no obiect vnto it selfe that shall make good thoughts Surely affections haue gotten the masterie ouer the mind so that now it must become a slaue to serue them and dispose it selfe that all his iudgments may aime at their satisfaction and thus the good word of God by accident becomes the cause of sinne Gen. 3. hath God said Yee shall not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill the Lord by this law debars you of great good for it is certaine when yee cate yee shall beas gods knowing good and euill therefore the law is too strict and rather an hinderer then furtherer of your good Men we see are very quiet vntil they be prouoked by the preaching of the lawe Steuen Act. 7. shall be stoned for his good sermon Christ shall be an enemie to church and common-wealth because he speaks against the Scribes and Pharisies Moses Aaron shal be hated of Pharaoh for preaching a deliuerance Iohn Baptist for telling Herod his sinne Elias shall be Ahabs enemy for telling him the truth and Paul shall become an enemie to the Galatians for telling them of their apostacie from Christ thus lawe and Gospel mercie and iudgement are abused of the wicked yet for all this the law is holy and iust as for example a man that holds a glasse in his hands as long as it â—ests there is safe but if they throwe it against the wall the wall will breake it but the sault will rest in the hands so when we take our selues dash our selues against Gods law the law breaks vs but the fault is in our selues the bankes are no cause of the furie and rage of the waters but the waters themselues so the lawe of God that banks in our corruption is no cause why it rageth but the nature of it which can indure no limits Reasons 1. Because sinne will indure no law There be three effects of the law that sinne cannot away withall First it stoppeth corruptioÌ„ hence the irritation of the law Secondly it terrisieth the conscience and that cannot be indured they that liue like gallie-slaues and are whipped euerie day will doe nothing but by force and are glad any waies to rid them-selues of such a burden Thirdly it exacts perfect obedience which our nature can not away withall to loue God with all our hearts with all our soules with all our minde and our whole strength is a lesson that will neuer be learned or practised Reas 2. A misconceit as a medicine against which the stomack ariseth will not be indured a plaister which stings at the heart must be throwne off and a glasse that sheweth vs an vgly face cannot be looked into so the misconceiuing of Gods silence makes it that it can neither become meate or medicine to our soules Thirdly the diuersitie of subiects the selfe same seed is sowne in all the foure grounds yet takes but root in one the hammar beats vpon all but it makes not all pliable to Gods worke the axe hewes at all but it timbers but some for building the rest it hewes downe for firing the fire burnes all but only the the gold loseth his drosse the light shines to all but only they that haue eyes behold it the salt seasons all but in some it cannot enter to the bone and therefore they putrifie and rotte away foode would feede all but some want stomacks appetite and digestion therfore they pine away with the best nourishment the goad prickles all but some are hardned that it cannot enter and therefore no maruell that the mercies and filence of God should worke no good effects in the wicked Fourthly the curse of God is vpon them therefore they shall eate but not be satisfied drinke but not to quench their thirst sleepe but not to take their rest for God alone giues rest vnto his welbeloued nay let them doe what they will all shall be nought pray or not pray sacrifice or not sacrifice come to church or not come to the church for they cannot lay aside their wicked thoughts and therefore according to our prouerb all is marred in the making Deut. 28.16 cursed shall they be in the towne and cursed shall they be in the field they shal make no good markets of that which god hath giuen them in the field cursed shall they be in the basket and in their dough bad prouision shall be in their houses when the Lord will not become both the master and the steward cursed shall be the fruite of his body and the fruits of his land the increase of his kine and the flocks of his sheepe extreame pouertie in the middes of all his wealth cursed shall he be when he comes in and cursed also when he goes out ill successe in his interprises neither will the Lord here make an ende These be foure great curses First he shall make no good market in buying and selling Secondly from this shall follow he shall haue no good prouision in his house Thirdly from this shall rise the next that he shall haue no true riches Fourthly to make that good fortune shall alwaies crosse him Fiftly to proceede yet further God will make him cracke his credit for trouble shame shall be vpon all that he sets his hand to do euerie man shall call him banke-rout neither shal he haue any law against theÌ„ for with God he hath lost his credit and therefore shall he perish quickly Sixtly that he may make his word good in all these the pestilence consumption feuer burning ague sword blasting mildew the heauens aboue shall be brasse and the earth vnder iron for raine dust and therefore no staie but perish thou must in bodie goods and good name Seuenthly to make the finall vp-shotte of his bodie he shall fal before his enemies and his carkeis shal be without all burial the foules of the ayre and the beasts of the field shall haue him for their pray and none shall rescue him if the enemies spare him God will smite him with the botch of Egypt with the Emorods with the scab with the itch euen worse then he hath done Egypt for he shall not be healed neither will God be defectiue in his methode for from these more sensible torments vpon the bodie he will proceede to greater iudgements vpon the soule which though least felt yet more fearefull madnes blindnes astonying of heart with all their ill consequents to grope at noone day to be oppressed powled and
thee but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and light are both a like Secondly correction of the godly that are troubled about this point more then any thing in the world Psal 37. and Psal 73. and Psal 77 Vse 2. Instruction first admonition of the godly to consider what is the cause of all disorder and the true rule of all reformation he ought to correct his heart in iudging so hardly of religion for that often is made of him the cause of all trouble Again to reforme that general crie the poore they cry against the rich and the rich against the poore the prodigall person against the couetous the couetous against the spend-thrift the man of pleasure against the stupid person and the stupid person against the man of pleasure all crie out against sinne and if euery mans cry were true then no man should prooue a sinner but the cry plainely shewes that totus mundus positus est in maligno the whole world is ouerflowne with sinne but no man will see it in himselfe Well a good method would remedy all this Thirdly this may admonish the wicked that they haue variety of sinnes because method is a disposition of varietie for what order can be seene in one thing Fourthly that sinnes are linked together for methode is of one thing vnder another and so drawes in another and therefore it were good they would consider of that drawing of sinne as with cart ropes Fiftly to take notice that God can make his light shine vpon their dunghills euen to reueale them and set them in open view therefore let them be more wary for the least of their secrets shall not escape this light Sixtly let them know that they shall haue their sinnes propounded to their owne view and to the view of the whole world for methode propounds euery thing to be veiwed Seuenthly that this shall open the whole mysterie of sinne for there is one word more that sets forth the verie forme of methode and that is an orderly placing of all things for a man may be a long time setting on the score but neuer in any good order for our frequenters of Ale-houses set on a pace but neuer in any good order so sinners set on a pace they drawe many a score for future payment but their lines are so confused that if they would at any time cast vp their accounts it would be impossible for thâ—â—â— therefore hath the Lord well put in those words in order so that now they may he assured that the reckoning shall come to some yssue surely setting much on the score among men often times makes broken reckonings and so they fall together to quarrelling and spend much more at the lawe but this shall be remooued by the Lord for this placing in order shall be done presently for the Lord in a briefe table will bring vnto remembrance all his sinnes I said in my lawe thou shalt haue none other gods before me now know that before mee were all things and mine eyes saw all things in a moment and therefore from this lawe I shewe that thou hast had many thousand gods before me which now I set before thee Secondly I commanded thee to take heede of making any image or similitude of me but thou hast made as many of me as thou hast thought thoughts for euery thought of thee was to make me like thy selfe and therefore if in an howre thou can thinke multitudes of thoughts then conceiue that in thy whole life thou hast had a world of idolatrous thoughts Thirdly I said that my name was a glorious name and therefore bad thee be exceeding carefull of it yet many waies hast thou taken it in vaine in thought word and deede In thought thou hast tashly conceiued of me how often hast thou aduisedly and with great deliberation prepared thy selfe to speake of me nay alas how often hath there started out out of thy mouth O God O Lord O Iesus O Christ c. if thy mouth when thou wast an infant can testifie of this that thou neuer shed a teare without O Lord in thy mouth then wast thou vnwise and knew not the value of this name and since thy infancie thou hast turned thy facultie and abilitie in this thing to an exquisite habite and readie promptnesse so that without either sâ—utting or stammering thou can at euerie word fling out a Lord haue mercie vpon vs but with what aduisednesse all that heare thee may easily iudge Secondly how often hast thou set thy thoughts aboue Gods giuen more honour vnto thy owne name then vnto Gods surely thy trust and confidence in thy selfe will be a plaine argument for this For words first for idle words what swarmes of them hast thou brought forth secondly profane speeches blasphemous oathes cursing of Gods prouidence in wishing mischeifes and plagues vpon thy poore creatures whether men or beasts and many rotten words which this my lawe will presently reckon vnto thee For my Sabbaths how hast thou sanctified them in thy selfe and all that belong vnto thee hast thou not profaned them thy selfe and set all thy seruants to do the same wel in a word there was neuer a Sabbath spent in the whole course of thy life that I had any glorie at all by and looke thou not for any iot of glorie with mee Fiftly for thy father and mother and all thy superiours how hast thou honoured them let thy conscience tell thee how often thou hast cursed the King in thy priuie chamber how often thou hast contemned my Magistrates how often rebelled against father and mother For murther my law is but a word thou shalt noâ— kill yet how often hast thou murthered thy brother in thought word and deede Thou shalt not commit adulterie but often hast thou runne in consent with adulterers and when thou could accomplish thy desire thou wast not wanting in the practise For stealing how often hath thy neighbour suffered wrong by thee For false witnesse thou hast not ceased to slander and falsely to accuse thine owne mothers sonne For coueting that which is not thine owne thou hast not ceased night nor day from this offence And therefore thinke of this order and thou shalt haue a volume of sinnes come into thy mind For I may tearme thy conscience nothing but lex applicata for when these things shall be applied vnto thy conscience thou shalt sufficiently be resolued of this setting sinne in order Many admonitions more might be giuen but these shall suffice The second instruction is for the godly that they walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wife redeeming the time because the dayes are euill and so much the rather because by this means God shall bee more glorified in the condemnation of the wicked for it is naturall vnto men to excuse themselues by others Why are you so strict in our accounts with vs you can winke at othâ—rs that haue beene as backeward as wee haue beene and therefore