great a chaunge in him as if the obiect did lay violent handes vpon his minde in the which respect they are called passions of the mind and therefore were disclamed by those philosophers which professed constancie and exact vertue yet they containe in them a part of mans holinesse and of the image of God who cannot suffer and in whom there is no shadow of chaunge But thus it hath pleased him to shadowe out his owne incomprehensible nature by the likenesse of our nature resembling it as to the other faculties of the soule of man so also to these affections yea so that a greate parte of his glorie reuealed to his church consisteth in them For although he hath manifested himselfe to the heathen in his wisdome and power shining in the creatures yet in his church he is most glorious and renowned in respect of his mercy compassion and loue in Christ. The which affections as also anger hatred and all the rest are euery where in the scripture attributed to God In man they are then holy whenas they are agreeable to the nature of the obiect as when a man loueth that onely which ought to be loued and hateth that which by the will and word of God ought to be hated and that with due measure and moderation Thus they being ordered by reason and the word of God are not contrary to holinesse but a part of it Yea they are as bellowes blowing vp and encreasing spirituall graces and doe cary man forward to a high degree of holinesse Nowe we are to declare these affections in particular but because the former part of this treatise wherin those affections which imply subiection as faith hope feare and reuerence are already handled is growen in length farre aboue our purpose as also that there may be some place left for the third part of this treatise which in no case may wholly be omitted we will omit the seuerall explication and onely choose out some fewe of them which are the chiefe and of most notable vse In the which ranke the first place is to be giuen to loue being taken not generally for that pleasure which is taken in the fruition of some good thing in the which sense a man is said to loue this or that thing this or that kinde of meate as it is said of Isaac Gen. 27. 9. But as the obiect of it is some reasonable thing to wit God Angels or man in the which sense it is vsually called charity and may be described A hearty and vehement desire of the good of an other arising of an inward pleasure taken in some good which we see in him This affection is first and chiefly to be set on God who onely is good in the fruition of whome there are infinite pleasures And therefore man ought to desire his good in the aduancement of his glory aboue all the thinges in the world For he that loueth father or mother sonne or brother or any creature whatsoeuer more then God is not worthy to enioy those fountaines of pleasures which the fruition of God doth yeelde to the hearty and vehement louer Math. 10. 7. From this loue of God proceedeth the loue of the reasonable creatures which being endued with the image of God are for his sake to be loued Euen as we knowe that he that beareth hearty and vehement loue to his friend cannot but loue his friends sonne being a resemblance of his father Hence it followeth that all the reasonable creatures are not to be loued alike but more or lesse as they are more or lesse endued with the image of God And therefore greater loue was due to Angels then to men and among men to those who did excell others in measure of holinesse and of spirituall graces This is the first streame of loue flowing from the loue of God as from a fountaine beside the which there is an other fountaine of loue namely the naturall affection which euery liuing thing in the world beareth to it selfe whereby it taketh more pleasure in it selfe and doth more desire the good estate of it selfe then of any other thing This naturall loue hath place in man who euen in this his innocent estate doth beare a greater measure of loue to himselfe then to any other creature The which selfeloue is not to be reprehended it being not onely in all liuing creatures but also in God himselfe who as good reason is doth delight more in himselfe then in any other thing and doth more desire his owne glory then the good of any creature From this fountaine of selfeloue flow many streames of speciall loue whereby a man is more affected to those who doe anie waie come nearer vnto himselfe then to the common sort of men In this respect he beareth a greater and as it were a partiall loue to his naturall parentes children and kinsfolkes being of the same substance flesh bloud and bone with himself to his wife who by the institution of God is vnited into one person with him Gen. 2. 24 to his speciall friend who is ioyned with him in a perpetuall couenant of loue Iohn 20. â— The disciple whome Christ loued and is to him as his owne soule Deut. 11. 6. To his acquaintance alliance companions neighbours to all those to whome he is bound by any speciall meanes this loue is to be exercised and declared in the performance of all Christian dueties to our brethren in communicating vnto them al those blessings both temporal and spirituall which we haue receaued from God so farre foorth as their necessity shall any way require If these duties be wanting our loue is eyther verie weake or rather hypocriticall and pretended Thus the Apostle saith that he exhorting the Corinthians to contribute to the Church of Ierusalem did thereby trie the naturalnesse and syncerity of their loue 2. Cor. 8. 8. likewise 1. Iohn 3. 17. 18. He that hath thinges pertaining to the maintenance of this naturall life and seeth his brother want how is the loue of God in him therefore let vs not loue in word and tongue but indeede and trueth Thus much of loue whereunto hatred is contrary the which also hath place and some vse in this state of innocency although not so great as loue hath because there were more good obiectes then euill This affection being contrary to loue is in generall an abhorring from any euill but as it is referred to those thinges which are endued with reason it is a desire of euill to happen to that person which is hated arising of some inward griefe conceiued by meanes of him But what vse could there be of this affection in the state of innocency or who was the obiect of it not God for he is pleasure and good it selfe and therefore doth neither deserue to be abhorred being in no respect euill nor yet giueth any occasion of hatred to man by grieuing him not the Angels nor man himselfe who also are
good both in themselues and towards man and therefore there remaine the wicked spirites only the deuill with his helhoundes on whome this affection is to be exercised The which thing man might lawfully do requiting their accursed and spightfull hatred of God of his glory creatures and specially of man and his saluation with a vehement hatred desiring their eternall confusion not simply because they are sinfull and miserable for they are in that respect rather to be pittied but because of the nature of their sinne which being a desperate hatred of God hath belonging vnto it the imprecation of the Church of God Yet the deuill himselfe the Captaine of this wicked crewe is not so vehemently to be hated as God is to be loued because he is not so euill as God is good for God is simply infinitely and essentially good but the deuill is not infinitely euill because he is a creature nor absolutely for he hath some good in him as is the created might and power of his nature nor essentially for the substance of his nature remaineth vncorrupt as in the holy Angels Sect. 2. Of corrupt loue and hatred OF all the faculties of mans soule none are so much stained with the corruption of sin as are the affectiōs for as the wil is more froward frō good then the minde is ignorant of it so the affections are farre more outragious then the will is froward and no maruaile for they being of so violent a nature as cannot without much a doe be kept in due order by the force eyther of created or renewed holines how great shall we thinke their disorder sinfulnesse to be in this corrupt state wherin they may runne at random as farre as they list being not restrained by any superiour power Whereof it cōmeth that as they being sanctified and set on good doe procure a great encrease of holinesse as hath bene said so they being in a carnall and sinfull man esspecially where they are strong by natur do encrease his sinfulnesse vnto the highest degree the which as it is strong in the other faculties of the soule so in the affectiōs it may well be compared to a mad man set on horsbacke yea on a wild horse which cannot eyther stay himselfe or be staied by any other means till he haue run himselfe out of breath and life in all outrage of sinne The sinfulnesse of the affections consisteth in this that they are moued by contrarie obiectes for those which shoulde be stirred vp by the euilnesse of the obiect to abhorre it doe in that respect embrace it and moue toward it and contrarilie those which shoulde be moued by the goodnesse of the obiect to embrace it doe in that respect abhorre and auoid it as will appeare more plainly in the particulars as namely in loue and hatred the which affections are both common and strong in carnall men yet not holely rightly disposed in them for they doe rather loue that which they should hate and hate that which they shonld loue then loue and hate that which ought to be loued and hated First as touching God on whome man ought to set his whole loue a carnall man doth not know God much lesse loue him it being impossible that one should loue that which he doth not know as it is commonly saide Ignoti nulla cupido Yea if a naturall man doe by anie means attaine to some knowledge of God yet he is as farre of from louing him as he was before and which is more although God doe bestow neuer so many blessinges and pleasures vpon him as what hath he that he hath not receiued from God yet he cannot by them nor by any other meanes purchase his loue so greatly is the affection of man alienated from God Yet we cannot say that man doth by nature hate God for then his fall were as greate as the fall of the deuill and the rest of the wicked spirites which is not to be thought especially seing that we knowe that all men by the instinct of nature delight to haue a God according to their owne Imagination and him they will loue and honour Yet this may be truly-saide that it is naturall for man to encrease as in all other partes of his naturall sinfulnesse so also and especiallie in the want of the loue of God in so much that although not all yet many become haters of God as appeareth Rom 1. 30. For although men especially liuing in the church be restrained by the shame of the world and the feare of punishment from professing them-selues to be haters of God yet in that they doe hate the ministers and seruants of God which do zealously preach and professe his gospel behauing themselues spightfully contumeliously and malitiously towardes them it is euident that in their harts they doe hate God himselfe As Christ witnesseth Ioh. 7. 7. The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the workes of it are euil From this fountaine of the want of the loue of God commeth the want of loue towardes men For if the carnall man doe not loue God himselfe surelie it is not like that he loueth man for Gods sake because he is created or recreated after the likenesse of God What then doth sinfull man loue For we haue saide that this affection hath a strong and common vse in this corrupt estate surely he loueth himselfe if that may be called loue and not rather hatred which bringeth to euerlasting destruction and all manner of worldly and fleshly pleasures soft apparrell and to goe brauely sweete meates and to fare daintily faire buildings for outward pompe and vaine-glorie riche coffers without anie scarsitie new pastimes mery cōpanie sleepe ease idlenes warmnes whatsoeuer may please the minde or tickle the outward senses that is the thing which man loueth But what say ye to the streames which come from this self◠loue Doth not man in this sinful estat loue his parentes children wife friends and acquaintance We answere that he loueth all these by the instinct of nature and yet by the encrease of his naturall corruption it doth vsually come to passe as experience doth teach that most naturall men loue neither father nor mother sonne nor daughter sister nor brother wife nor friend kinsman nor neighbour nor any other saue only themselues So that man maketh himselfe an Idol loueing hinselfe wholly and only as he should doe God and bearing no heartie affection either to the godlie for gods sake or to his owne for his owne sake Sect. 3 Of the renewed holinesse of the affections and specially of loue and hatred AS the created so much more the recreated holinesse of man admitteth all the kindes of affections by the violence whereof as it is somtimes hindred and impaired so vsually it is set forward and augmented for euen as a shippe houlding her right course and hauing her sailes filled with a greate gale of wind
who is notoriously vnnaturall vnthankfull and vnholy For if a man loue the houses and places wherein he hath beene and liued sometime shall he not much more loue his parentes from whose bodies he came Secondly the loue of children with the loue of whom he that is not touched and enflamed may be accounted lesse affectionated then God himselfe and more senslesse then are the brute beastes An example of this fatherly affection we haue in Iacob of whom it is saide that he did loue his son Beniamin so dearly that his soule was so tied to the soule of Beniamin that he could not liue but would incoÌ„tinently dy for sorrow if so be he were taken from him Ge. 44. 36. This fatherly affection is so strong by nature that if it be not wel looked vnto it wil as a great riuer or streame rise aboue the bankes and due limites of it and cary a godly man beyond all due regard eyther of reason or of religion as appeareth plainely in that notable man of God king Dauid of whom it is said 1. King 1. 6. That he did cockour his sonne Adonia and could not finde in his heart to grieue him no not with a sharpe word And we know how he loued his vngratious sonne Absalon being more sorrowfull for his death who for his monstrous vnnaturalnes was not worthy to liue on the earth then he was glad for the victory which he himselfe had gotten and for his owne safety And therefore he did so bitterly lament his death saying O Absalon Absalon O my son Absalon would to God I had died for the. Thirdly from this fountaine commeth the speciall loue of those who are tied with the faithfull man in any outward bonde as in mariage or speciall friendship for the first â—o the mutuall loue which ought to be beâ—wixt the husband and the wife the scripture doth often exhort by arguments drawen from the institution of God who hath made them one person and one flesh Thus Ephe. 5. 29. No man euer hated his owne flesh but doth nourish and cherish it And therefore a man ought to loue his wife euen as his owne bodie and as Christ hath loued his Church Yea there is great reason and necessity of a great measure of mutuall loue betwixt man and wife For seeing they doe forsake their fathers mothers and kindred not dwelling any longer with them but betaking themselues to their owne house and to each other as to a perpetuall companion and partner in good and euill in ioy and misery how should not their loue be exceeding great The seconde outward bond of loue is friendship whereby we doe not meane any common good will and acquaintance but a speciall contract of perpetuall loueâ— such an one as was betwixt Ionathan anâ— Dauid whereof it is saide 1. Sam. 18. 1â— That the soule of Ionathan was tied to thâ— soule of Dauid And Dauid himselfe whâ—â— had best experience of it witnesseth thâ—â— greatnesse of Ionathaens loue 2. Sam. 1â— 26. Saying how am I grieued for thee 〈◊〉 brother Ionathan thou was sweete pleasaâ— vnto me thy loue was wonderfull to me passing the loue of women Lastly from this fountain of selfeloue commeth the loue of kinsfolks alliance acquaintance companions neighbours and of all whome God hath ioyned more nearely to vs then he hath done others CHAP. VII Sect. 1. Of ioy sorrow and pittie in the state of innocency BEside the foresaid affections of loue and hatred there were many other created in man as namely to let the rest passe ioy and sorrow which is contrary to it The first is a delight or pleasure conceiued by the present enioiing of some good thing whereby a man is mooued to seeke and embrace the said good as sorrow is the abhorring of some present euill as being bitter and vnpleasant Both these affections had place and vse in this first estate yet not equally for a great part of happinesse consisteth in ioy yea happinesse may be said to be nothing else but the ioyfull fruition of good and pleasant thinges whereas sorrowe is contrary to happinesse howe great cause and continuall vse of ioy man had in his innocency we may easely gather by those infinite blessings wherewith he was euen compassed about liuing not onely free from all troubles crosses afflictions daungers wants incumbrances and whatsoeuer thing might any way grieue or hurt him but also in abundance and superfluity of al pleasures belonging both to his body and soule in perfect strength and health in wealth peace and liberty in honour and glory and which is all in all and in trueth the fountaine of all true ioy in the fauour and loue of God The holinesse of this affection consisteth in this that it be correspondent and proportionable to the goodnesse and excellency of the obiect and that the ioy which man conceiueth by the fruition of any thing be greater or lesse as the thing it selfe is more or lesse excellent a greater or a lesse good and therefore man was chiefly to delight himselfe and to reioyce in God who is the chiefe and first yea the onely infinite goodâ— in the fruition of the presence and fauour of God in seruing praising God in meditating on the creatures workes wisedom power mercy and goodnesse of God Secondly as God hath put into euery one of his creatures a finite and proper goodnes so it was lawfull for man to be affected accordingly with the pleasure flowing from the said thing For example God created for the vse of man great variety of trees bearing sweete and pleasant fruite all which man might lawfully vse with ioy and pleasure Yea this ioyfull vse of the creatures was not onely permitted to man but also comaunded by God for so we read Deut. 26. 11. Thou shalt bowe thy selfe before the Lord thy God and thou shalt reioyce before him in all the good thinges which he hath giuen vnto thee thou and thy whole family For why he that reioiceth aright in the fruition of the creatures reioyceth in God the maker and giuer of them and by them is stirred vp to greater alacrity in seruing and praising God Now as touching sorrow it had also place in the pure nature of man which was subiect to this passion howsoeuer he being in perfect felicitie had not any great vse of it yet we may suppose some causes of sorrow euen in this happie estate both in man himselfe who might be moderately grieued for the want of some particular good and in some other respects as also in other creatures for the miserable estate of the wicked Angels hauing beene so glorious and happie especially the dishonour which they did many waies procure to the name of God could not but worke sorrow in the heart of man So that the sorrow of man in this first state being rather in regarde of others then of himselfe ought to be called pitty rather then sorrow The holinesse of this
hauing greater means of knowing beleeuing and obeying God then man had on earth yea their sinne came from themselues by the suggestion of their owne mindes and the inclination of their wils but man sinned by their prouocation temptation and delusion who as if they had committed a small offence in sinning themselues did adde to their owne sinne the sinne of mankind Moreouer it was not needfull that God should restore these rebels to their former state for the illustration of his loue towardes this creature forsomuch as there are yet in heauen in the state of happinesse many thousands of holy Angels which are so many witnesses and preachers of the endlesse loue of God towards them Againe it was needfull for the working of the saluation of the elect that there shoulde be some aduersarye power opposing it selfe and labouring by all meanes to hinder it that so both the graces bestowed on men might be stirred vp and exercised and the power of God preseruing them from so great danger made manifest Lastly by this vncurable state of these Angels it appeareth that there neither is nor yet can be in any creature any such absolute perfection as that it might be able of it selfe by any proper inherent and naturall vertue and strength beeing not supported by the grace of God eyther to keep for euer or to recouer any good happy estate If it be obiected that the Angels may repente and so obtaine saluation wee answere first that it is vnpossible by reason of the nature of their sinne beeing the sinne against the holie Ghost that they shoulde euer truely repent and secondly that if they coulde after some sorte repente yet they are altogether vncapable of saluation because God hath not taken vnto himselfe the nature of Angels as he hath done the nature of man and so by ioyning it to himselfe who is life it selfe made it a liuing and holy nature the which is needfull for saluation as will appeare more at large in the treatise of iustifying faith Chap. 4. Sect. 3. But to leaue these foule spirits in the bottomlesse pit of hell let vs returne to the consideration of this third state of man the which although in substance it be nothing but the first estate restored yet it is to be preferred before it in these respectes First because it is certaine immutable and eternall it being impossible that any who is once brought from death to this state of saluation should returne backe againe but the first state of man was not onely variable but very short and momentanie as hath beene declared This ariseth not of any naturall and inherent strength of man but of the meere grace and loue of God supporting all his elect seruants in this state and watching ouer them least at any time they should fall away Secondly both the partes of the goodnesse of this estate which are the outward and inward coniunction of man with God or more plainely his happinesse and holinesse are greater then they were before The increase of happinesse the next section doth declare and for the other we cannot doubt but that the loue of man yea all the other partes of his holinesse are increased and doubled towardes God who nowe is not onely his Lorde and creator but also his sauiour and redeemer As he must needes loue more to whome manie sinnes are forgiuen then he who is saued by his owne holinesse for life is not of it selfe so acceptable at any time as it is after death Whereof more at large in the laste Chapter of the third parte of this treatise CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of the happinesse wherein man was created HAppinesse is the enioying of the greatest highest and chiefest good to wit that which is fully perfectly primarely eternally essentially and onely good as is God onely Math 19. 17. There is none good but God onely Thus doe the Angels in heauen enioy God whose face or more plainely whose glory shining as clerely as the grace of a man doth in his face they doe continually behold Likewise man before his fall liued thus happily in the presence of God with whome he had daily and as wee may say familiar conuersation yea God did many waies reueale himselfe and his glory to him especially in the garden wherein he placed him This is perfect felicitie for hee who hath God who is the fountaine of all blessings ioy and pleasures hath all thinges belonging to happinesse Psal. 16 11. Thou shalt make me knowe the path of life for there is fulnesse of ioy in thy face or presence and in thy right hande there are pleasures for euermore From this fountaine of happinesse there flowed many streames euen all blessings whatsoeuer the preseruation or dignitie of the body soule or of the whole person of man did any way require first for his body it was in respect of the outwarde forme and proportion maiesticall beautifull gracious purchasing feare and reuerence of the other baser creatures and fauour euen in the sight of God for whose glory maketh whatsoeuer is any way commendable in the creature this remaneth in parte euen in the corrupt estate 1. Chro. 12. 8. Dauids men of warre had faces like Lyons Act. 7. 20. Moses being new borne was gratious in the sight of God Secondly the body of man was immortall whereof there is no question to be made seing that the scripture doth euery where teach vs that death came in by sinne 1. Cor. 25. 56. the sting whereby death killeth is sinne Rom. 5. 12. by Adam sinne came into the worlde and by sin death If we shoulde examine this doctrine by naturall reason it woulde be found very doubtfull for it may seeme that the body of man being made of earth shoulde of necessitie at length be resolued into earth againe as well as the bodies of all other cretures yea that it consisting of contraries continually fighting and consuming one another coulde not possibly but be at length destroyed For nothing that is deuided in it selfe can continue for euer Yea besides this naturall death mans body may seeme to haue bene subiect to outward violence as if it shoulde haue bene pierced with a sword or throwen downe from a high rocke no reason can shewe howe the immortality of it shoulde be preserued Whereunto we answere first that we are not to doubt of the word of God howsoeuer our shallow heads are not able to sound the depth of it Secondly that we may as wel suppose man to be immortall as to liue almost a thousand yeares as we read Gen. 5. 27. that Methuselā did for we may well thinke that those long liues of the fathers before the flood were euen the reliques of that immortalitie wherewith Adam was endued at the first neither are we to think it impossible to God to endue mans body with such an exact equall temperature as should continue for euer As for violent deaths although we cannot deny but man was
hearing And therefore men muste be taught religion as children are taught to reade learning one letter to daie and another to morrowe one poynte nowe and the rest hereafter as the prophet complaineth of the dulnesse of the Iewes Esay 28. 13. But it may be heere obiected that if naturall men be so dull and vnable to vnderstande Gods worde they are not to be blamed for not learning and for not doing that which they cannot doe Whereunto we answere that this dulnes of men commeth through their owne defaulte in that they cannot by any meanes be brought to bestowe their naturall giftes their time and labour in learning The which thing if they would once carefully and heartely doe and so continue without being wearie in seeking to knowe GOD and in vsing the meanes of their saluation ioyning with their endeuours heartie prayer to God for his blessing they woulde soone see that it is an easie matter to learne these thinges the which are of that nature that one poynt of them being well learned all the reste will followe of their owne accorde so that all the hardnesse is in beginning to learne Yea GOD is harde at hande and easie to be founde of all that seeke him howsoeuer it be impossible for man by his owne wit or industry without the grace of God to attaine the true and sauing knowledge of God Sect. 3. Of the renewed subiection of man to God his teacher In the third place we are to consider the contrary disposition of those who being renewed by the spirit of God giue thēselues vnto his discipline to be instructed by him in all things For although they attaine to their knowledge by the means and ministerie of man whereby it hath pleased God rather then by his owne voice or by immediate reuelation that the saluation of his elect should be wrought yet not man but God himselfe is the author and worker of this knowledge who as he did in the state of mans innocencie so doth he in his regeneration reueale himselfe and his will vnto them by his holy spirit Iob. 32. 8. There is indeede a spirit iu man but it is the spiration of the almightie that giueth vnderstanding Math. 13. 8. 10. Callnot any man Rabbi maister or doctor For you haue one doctor euen Christ and all ye are brethren That is you are not to thinke that because you heare men preach vnto you that therefore your mindes are enlightned by them for they are your brethren that is men like to your selues who cannot without the speciall worke of my spirit learne any thing themselues much lesse teach others so that Christ is the heade maister in the schoole of his Church who although he be absent from it according to his humaine nature yet he is present in it by his spirit by the which he teacheth the faithfull all things needefull and that without any errour or shaddow of any For as hath bene declared it is impossible that God should deceiue or be deceiued and therefore the holy ghost is called The spirit of truth Ioh. 14. 16. and 15. 26. Christ promiseth that When he commeth he shall leade them into all truth Ioh. 17. 13. And as God is the teacher so the faithfull are his scholers as all those who did beleeue the gospell are vsually in the booke of the actes called Disciples 1 Thess. 4. 9. Men taught by God Ineede not saith the Apostle to write to you of brotherly loue for you are taught of God to loue one another That is the spirit of God hath alreadie engrauen the doctrine of loue in your mindes and heartes and ther fore ye haue not so greate neede and vse of my ministery in this behalfe as they whome God hath not taught after this manner Thus the prophet Dauid often praieth to God that it would please him to instruct him in his commaundements as we may reade often Psal. 119. Lastly they performe to God the second dutie of this subiection which is to beleeue his word in all things reiecting whatsoeuer is contrarie thereunto Yea tho an Angel did preach it frō heauen all antiquitie Churches councels all the wise and learned men in the world do maintaine affirme it yea tho their owne wittes and senses do witnesse the truth of it so that the faithfull may in this respect be cōpared to the scholers of a certaine philosopher named Pythagoras who if they once hearde any thing vttered by their maister they held that as a most certain truth without inquiring any further into it And so among the true disciples of Christ his holy word is of so absolute authoritie as that no doubt is made of anie thing therein contained CHAP. X. Sect. 1. Of mans subiection to his creator THe last and greatest kind of mans subiection is that which he oweth to God as to the creator of all things whereof there is no question to be made and therefore we neede not stand to proue it The duties of this subiection are three The first is to glorifie God the second to be wholly moued in him or by him the third to rest contented in his will For the first as the chiefe and last ende of the creation of the world and of al things therein contained is the glorie of God so it is meete and needefull that all creatures iointly seuerally do performe this dutie of glorifying him Yea there is no creature either so base or so excellent that it should be exempted from this dutie The greatest and mightiest creature must stoupe to the performance of it as the weakest and seelyest thing in the world is able to set forth the glorie of God Psal. 145. 9. 10. The Lord is good to all and his mercie is ouer all his workes All thy workes O Lord shall praise thee They shall shew the glorie and beautie of thy kingdome Thus we see that it belongeth to all creatures to praise GOD as they are exhorted particularlie Psalme 148. and as we reade Reuel 5. 13. And all the creatures which are in heauen on the earth vnder the earth and in the sea all thinges that are in them I hard saying praise honour glory and power be vnto him that sitteth on the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore Yet they do not all performe this duety after the same manner for those creatures which are void of reason do it onely by giuing to men and Angels matter of the actuall setting foorth of Gods glory For the reasonable creatures are as it were the trumpeters of Gods glory which they do enlarge and publishe as by all other their actions so cheifly by those which tende directly to God himselfe are vsually called the worship of God For although al the actions of man in his pure estate euen the common actions of life as eating and drinking did make for the glory of God yet these do not make the worship of God because
maketh a speidie gainfull and happie voiage howsoeuer if that she chaunce to meete with a rocke or to runne vpon some sand she is in greater danger then if she had made lesse hast and borne a lower saile So where the strength and force of these affections is wanting there is as lesse danger in respect of sudden falles so lesse abilitie of aspiring to any high degree of holines for that the graces of the holy spirit wanting their sailes or being be calmed for want of winde often lie floting vp and dowen and doe not make so euident or notable progresse in their course Of these renewed affections the most notable is called loue an affections so often commended vnto vs and so highly extolled in the scriripture as if it contained not one part onely but euen the wholle substance of created holinesse in the which respect it is saide to be The fulfilling of the lawe Math. 22 40. Rom. 13. 8. and the one halfe of renewed holinesse the which is vsually cōprised in these two words Faith and Loue which is sayde 1. Cor. 13. 13. To be greater then faith But that we giue neither more nor lesse to this affection then is due vnto it this is to be held that holinesse whether created or recreated doth not consist either in any one or in a fewe but in many graces amongest the which loue hath the first place assigned vnto it yea often the denomination either of the wholle holinesse of man or more commonly of the holinesse of all the practicall faculties Not as if it were the only grace for there are many distinct graces euen as many as there are distinct faculties of mans soule required in perfect holinesse or yet as if it were the chiefe grace for faith hath the first place although in nature it be not so excellent as loue which is an heroicall grace being the foundation and as it were the subiect and ground-worke not onely of loue but also of all other graces and of all holinesse whether created or renewed Why then is loue more spoken of and inculcated in the scripture then faith or any other grace We answere that the spirit of God hauing continually in enditing the scripture respect to the capacitie of men propoundeth and commendeth vnto them holinesse not so much in grosse and in generall as in some particulars which are more easely surely and certainly conceaued then the generall in the which respect loue is preferred before faith as being more euident apparant and sensible and therefore a more sure and infallible marke and note of generall holinesse The great appearance of loue ariseth of these two causes First because whereas faith hath relation to God onely loue extendeth it selfe both to God and men Secondly where as faith lieth hidden in the heart and minde loue is outward practical and therefore more apparant and sensible Againe loue is preferred before all other practicall graces because holinesse consisteth as partly in duties to be performed in respect of our selues so cheifely in duties to be perfourmed to others namely to God and to men the which a man cannot performe as he ought vnlesse he beare a loue and a harty desire of the good both of God and of man Thus much of loue in generall The particulars of it are these First the regenerate man loueth God aboue all the thinges in the worlde desiring his good in the aduancement of his glory much more then his owne saluation From the which fountaine of the loue of God springeth the loue of all men but especially of the Godly who are renewed according to the image of God in holinesse and iustice Psal. 16. 3. All my delite is in the holy ones which are here on earth and cheiflie in those which excell in vertue This loue of the saintes is an infallible signe of true regeneration and of the true loue of God namely whenas a man loueth an other hartelie and vehemently euen as it were his owne naturall sonne or brother for this cause onely he being otherwise astraunger vnto him for that he seeth in him manifest signes and argumentes of true and vnfained godlinesse 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren And Ioh. 13. 35. By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye loue one another Nowe we come to the other fountaine of loue namely self-selfe-loue the which also hath place in the regenerate although in an other manner then in carnall men For they loue themselues yet so as that they loue God more by infinite degrees and their brethren as themselues Againe they doe not shewe or vse this self-selfe-loue in prouiding earthly and sensuall pleasures for their bodies but in procuring the eternall saluation of their soules and yet they doe and ought to loue themselues more then they doe any other yea to be more carefull for the good estate of their owne bodies and soules then of the bodies and soules of their brethren Yet this must be vnderstood in equall comparison for a faithfull man ought not to loue his owne bodie and to desire the safetie thereof more then the eternall saluation of his brother the which ought to be procured yea with the losse of our owne temporall liues Ioh. 3. 16. As Christ laide downe his life for vs so we ought to lay downe our liues for our brethren Yet a man neede not depriue himselfe of life for the safetie of the temporall life of his brother being a priuate man nor of eternall life for the procuring of his eternall saluation If any man doe here obiect the examples of Moses Paul of whom the one desired to haue his name blotted out of the booke of life and the other to be accursed from Christ for the good of the Iewes We āswere that the Iewes were then to be cōsidered not simplie as mē but as the whol visible church of God the confusion whereof coulde not but be a great hinderaunce to Gods glory the which ought to be procured euen with the eternall confusion of our owne soules if the case doe so require For so Moses alledgeth that if God did destroy his owne people the Egiptians who were spitefull enimies to God and his worshippe would laugh at their distruction and blaspheme God himselfe And so we cannot doubte but that the glory of God shall be wonderfully enlarged by the conuersion of the Iewes and therefore it may be more desired then our owne saluation From this fountaine of selfe loue flow the afore saide streames of speciall loue whereby the faithfull man is affected more to those who doe any way come neare himselfe then to those who are estraunged from him This partial loue is good and lawefull for why shoulde not man encline and cleaue more to those whom God hath ioyned more nearely vnto him Hence commeth the speciall loue due to parentes which cannot be wanting but in him
giuen and hee shall haue abundaunce And it is said of diuers in the booke of the Acts that they were full of faith and of the holy ghost This abundance in the minde is called Plerophoria a certaine and vndoubted perswasion said to be in Abraham Rom. 4. 21. Hereof cometh abundaunce of faith of loue Rom. 5. 3. and 15. 13. and of all graces as 1. Thess. 1. 3. the Apostle mentioneth the worke of their faith their laborious loue and their patient hope And 2 Thess. 1. 3. that their faith superaugescit that is encreaseth aboue the common and ordinarie measure and that their loue did abounde accordingly This aboundaunce of grace is to be seene in the prophets Apostles martyrs and many other of the seruantes of God who therefore are made types and patterns for vs to imitate and set before our eyes as lanternes full of light and as shining and blazing starres that we might both admire and labour to ouertake them in their excellent graces and especially in their particular vertues For thus the scripture mentioneth the vprightnesse of Enoch who walked with God in all his waies the patience of Iob. Iam. 5. 11 the faith of Abraham the meeknesse of Moses the courage of Iosua the faithfulnesse of Samuel the absolute perfection of Dauid being a man according to Gods owne hearte the wisdome of Salomon the zeale of Phinies Iosias and many others Thus Paule mentioneth his owne painefulnesse in preaching the gospel to be farre aboue the labours of the rest of the Apostles Thus he sayeth Rom 16. 7. That Andronicus and Iunia were men notable among the Apostles and of Timothie that none was like to him in faithful labour and care for the good of the church Philip. 2. 20. The notes and markes whereby this abundaunce may be knowen are these a burning zeal of gods glorie of setting forwarde his worship and gospel a vehement hatred of idolatrie and all shadowes of superstition a tender and bountifull loue toward the godly a minde vndaunted with any torment death or miserie a constant course of godlinesse in all outward chaunges whatsoeuer as the Apostle sayeth of him selfe Philip. 4. 13. That he coulde want and abounde be full and empty and that he coulde do all thinges a life free from any grosse sinne an extraordinary contempt of all worldly pleasures Lastly a manner of freedom from being either ouercome or almost tempted by any grosse sinne For although the corruption of flesh and the impudencie of Sathan who was not ashamed to tempt Christ to commit sin be so great that no man be he nener so holy may lay away his weapons and be secure in respect of temptations yet by the blessing of God and a long practise of all godlinesse the faithfull come sometimes to such a surpassing strength in grace that as the couragious horse going into the battel scorneth the feareful sounds noyse of the trumpets so this godly man wherof we speake in this chapter laugheth at the temptations of Sathan and the entisementes of the world yet not presuming on his owne strength but relying himselfe wholly on the mighty power of the spirite of God The meanes of attaining to this high degree of holinesse is to seeke it by earnest prayer at the handes of God from whom onely commeth euery good and perfect gift But the meanes which God vseth in giuing it are diuerse some good some euil in themselues and therefore not to be vsed by vs of the first sort are all holy exercises appointed by God for the begetting continuall encrease of grace to the carefull diligent long and continuall vse whereof God doth often graunt this happie successe euen as he blesseth the diligent and painfull hand with greate plenty in temporall thinges Of the second sort is the abundaunce of sinne before regeneration the which it pleaseth God some time to chaunge into this abundaunce of grace as we see that the highest floudes follow the lowest ebbes This God doth to make manifest the great power and efficacy of his spirit in renewing the elect which is able to bringe the greatest measure of holinesse out of the greatest wickednes as cleare light out of palpable darkenes This Christ teacheth vs. Luk. 7. 41. In the parable of the two debters whereof the greater had greater cause and also a greater measure of loue And in the example of the woman verse 47. Who loued much because many sinnes were forgiuen vnto her sowhere sinne doth abound there grace aboundeth much more Yea for this purpose God doth sometimes vse the hote fiercenesse of affections and the violent disposition of nature the which as of it selfe it carieth a man headlong into the most outragious sinnes so being sanctified by Gods spirite it becommeth the whetstone of holinesse Thus was the Apostle Paule both naturally and spiritually affected and therefore being an infidell he was a most superstitious pharisie more then mad in persecuting the church and becomming a faithfull man passed all others in vnquenchable zeale of Gods spirite Lastly as touching this abundance of grace no man can attaine so high a degree of it as that he may sitte downe as being at his iorneis end but as the greater riches that a man hath the greater is his gaine desire and encrease of riches so the more holinesse that any man hath the more carefully ought and the more fruitfully may he laboure in encreasing it Phil. 3. 13. Brethren saieth the Apostle I count not that I haue attained vnto any such perfection But still I doe forget that which is behinde and endeuore my selfe to that which is before That is I doe not minde that holinesse which I haue already receaued but doe continually thinke on that which I doe want as yet CHAP. IX Of celestiall holinesse ALthough we haue now gone as far in declaring the renewed holinesse of man as any man can in this worlde either in hauing or in practising it yet we are not here to rest as being come to the end of our iorney For if the aforesaid aboundaunce of spirituall graces which be it neuer so great cannot possibly be voide of sinne be absolutelie the highest degree this inconuenience which is in no wise to be admitted would of necessitie follow that man doth not in regeneration recouer as good a state and as great a measure of holinesse by the mercy of God in christ as he had in his first creation and lost by his owne sinne in Adam And therefore we are to goe on a little further in this treatise and in our desire till we come to such an absolute perfection of renewed holinesse as is free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer This perfection may without all question yea must necessarely be attained vnto For man can not be perfectly happie by enioying the presence of God into the which nothing being sinfull can enter as long as he is imperfectly holy Yet he