of sufficiencie and will also effect that which he hath promised the first makes it possible in the thing the second makes it to exist in me now wee shall finde both these in the Lord which indeede grounds our faith in all particulars But here is neede of particular application and therfore we shall finde them both applyed vnto affliction I may well beleeue God with ease in prosperitie but hoc opus hic labor est this is paine and toyle to beleeue in affliction marke then these two places first for Gods sufficiencie 2. Cor. 12.9 my grace is sufficient for thee secondly for Gods efficiencie Isa 43.2 when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the floods that they doe not ouerflowe thee when thou walkest thorough the verie fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shal the flame kindle vpon thee This is more manifested in the manner of working first in the Father because of his relation a father can do nothing which shall not be for the good of his sonnes Heb. 12.5 in affliction he speakes as vnto children my sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him Hence all is in loue Heb. 12.6 Whom he loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euerie sonne that hee receiueth secondly this loue must purge vs Ioh. 15.2 Euery one that beareth fruit hee purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit for when we beginne to grow wild he correcteth our haughtinesse and cooles our courage by some affliction or other to cut short our hornes least we like bulls of Bashan should push at the godly the Lord sends fire theeues oppression to let vs blood in our riches least we should be too ranke and grow into a surfet Hence we may gather that the Lord hath means to saue vs and giue vs consolation in his good time 2. Cor. 1.4 so that this cannot be in wrath Psal 39.5 and therefore the Father doing this it must needs returne vnto our good Heb. 12.10 The second manner of working is in regard of Christ Iesus for afflictions are indeed curses but Christ became a curse for vs and so as by sinne blessings became curses so by Christ curses became blessings therefore the Apostle calls it a gift a matter of Gods liberalitie to become a sufferer Phil. 1.29 for vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake as though it were a greater matter of commendation to suffer then beleeue hence Paul can be content in all estates Phil. 4.13 The third manner of working is in regard of the holy Ghost who is the comfortet of the faithfull and therefore shall they be sure to want no comfort this makes the bodily absence of Christ better then his presence Ioh. 16.7 These are the principall causes able to support the soule without any more yet God is rich in comfort for the lesse principall causes are waightie and more readie at hand as first the word of God with the ministerie thereof Afflictions worke best in men when they come with the word Iehosaphat was more humbled by the speech of Iehu the seer then he was beeing compassed about with an host of enemies Adde wee vnto these the graces of Gods spirit in the hearts of the faithfull we must ouercome griefe with patience and eate out and burne out the temptation by faith and purge distrust in Gods promises by perseuerance in prayer Griefe naturally is heauie and lies as lead at the heart and consequently presseth vs downeward so that faith and praier must keepe the heart and hands the voyce and eyes vpward if we can call it shewes we are children of hope hanging at the breast for grace is like the stone that Aaron and Hur put vnder Moses that he might sit vpon it and the exercise of it is as Aaron and Hur holding vp Moses weake hands which while they are steadie make Israel preuaile against the Amalakites but when they shrinke downe Amalek preuailes Euen so is it with Christians they sit vpon the corner stone Christ Iesus but their hands and knees fainting in the exercises of prayer and other graces of Gods spirit makes the deuill our cursed Amalek preuaile against vs but the Lord will neuer leaue vs without good Aarons and Hurs to helpe to stay vp our hands vntill the going downe of the sunne and then shall Amalck vtterly be discomfited More specially I bring a threefold combination of grace with one single to runne through euerie one of them The first combination is of knowledge and conscience knowledge 2. Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed because I know whō I haue beleeued secondly conscience which is a continuall feast therfore he that hath a good conscience may alwaies keepe a good house and be a cheerfull man all the dayes of his life The second combination is prayer faith praier as a watchword stirs vp in the soule and musters vp together an army of heauenly souldiers yea and God the cheife generall to send present aid to beat backe all the force of the enemie and all of them fall backward euen as the great multitude that came to take our Sauiour Christ Againe faith staies the hand of God continually it is a most sure stancher of blood so that if any affliction lie vpon vs it is for want of faith Moses was rebuked of the Lord for the not circumcising of his sonne his faith was weake and his wife in performing that duty was almost without faith yet the Lord departed away and spared both Third combination is patience and wisedome Patience Luk. 21.19 by your patience possesse your soules the seruice and worship of God in affliction is patience now wisedome is most excellent for it teacheth vs to descend downe into our owne soules and plead guiltie but there it leaues vs not as foolish persons to lie pleading with the iaylor or hangman for a pardon but presently brings vs vp againe and maketh vs ascend vnto the Iudge in heauen with a pardon receiued at the hands of his Sonne to intreat for mercie and that with full assurance because in the pardon the grant is specified which the Lord will neuer forget This makes vs see the true cause of our miserie 2. Sam. 6.16 what haue I to doe with you yee sonnes of Seruia hee curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid who dare then say wherefore hast thou done it thus our wisedome teacheth vs to see the cause and then looke to his mercy and consider that his hand is not a destroying hand but a sauing A man that falls into sicknesse if it come whilest he is in his calling he is then lesse greiued then if he should haue brought it vpon him by surfeting and haue hatched it by his ill courfes euen so it comes to passe in the sicknesses of the soule If I was vsing the meanes of godlines in sinceritie of heart then shall I
then to thrust in his ship at any cricke for a shelter vntill the storme be ouer-blowne and a man plunged in the water will catch at any rope and hauing gotten hold will part with his life before he will part with his handfast so a Christian being tumbled vp and downe in the waters of affliction labours the more for his shelter and what he layes hold of he will not part with it now whom haue they in heauen and earth to rest vpon beside God and if all the world should counsell them curse God and die they would answer you speake like fooles shall we receiue good of God and not bee content to beare euill seeing we haue descrued it When I vsually come vnto these distressed soules and find them floating vp and downe and crying we are drowned in the deepe ocean of our sinnes and God hath not onely forgotten his mercies vnto vs but remembers that we were made for his wrath Well if it be so then forsake God renounce your faith yet let me heare if you dare open your mouthes to speake against God or euer suffer a cogitation of such blasphemie to enter your soules yea if God himselfe should rap you on the fingers and say what haue you to doe with my mercies yet you will not part with your hold and therefore neuer resolue of this fearefull apprehension vntill you can resolue to curse God and die for euer but this you neither can shall nor will doe But yeeld that a passion hath broken out in in your hot fits Why Lord thou art not my father doe you thinke that God wil be as rash againe to say Away you are not my children Suppose one of your owne children should fall into a burning feuer and in the extremitie of the heat should crie out against his father nay strike him with his fists would the father be as hastie as the child no no but with passion cry and weep alâ—â— my child is distempered with heat I know how he loued mee in health and now is it my part to loue him the more and doe any thing for him passions ought not to bee the rule of my loue but the dutifull obedience of my child So God may euen suffer hard words of his children but not to distast them for any such matter but loue them and care the more to doe them good 1. Kin. 20. Benhadad the King of Aram is lustie against the King of Israel v. 3. thy siluer and thy gold are mine also thy women and thy faire children are mine non victoriam sed insignia victoriae reportauit his hote words are soone cooled v. 31. and he sees his folly yet marke the counsell of his seruants Wee haue heard that the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings we pray thee let vs put sackecloth about our loynes and ropes about our neckes and goe out to the King of Israel it may bee that he will saue thy life this is graunted and they come to the king and say Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue and the king said is he yet aliue he is my brother now it is said they had resolued to take diligent heede if they could catch any thing of him here they haue enough and they make the eccho to ring thy brother Benhadad In like manner if you conceit you haue spoken presumptuous words against the great God of heauen and he hath met with you and now by his hand hath driuen you into a secret chamber remember that God was the King of the kings of Israel and therefore farre more mercifull then Ahab or any king that euer was borne among them put on sackecloth and thrust your neckes into a rope but not as these villaines doe that dispatch themselues and come in all humble manner yet resolue that your faith shall catch hold and that you wil take diligent heed to what the Lord shal answer and as soone as you heare the Lord say beleeue and you shall be saued make a present eccho Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe I haue continued the longer vpon this point because I see poore Christians monstrously perplexed with this sentence of placing sinne before the conscience God graunt it may take place and yeeld them comfort to their hearts desire And thus hauing freed the godly from the application of this fearefull sentence I bring it to the wicked and assure them that whatsoeuer fearefull thing they haue heard in all this discourse it of right belongs vnto them and whatsoeuer els can be said of the terrors of conscience Oh therefore consider this ye that forget God for this shall teare you in peices and there shall be none that can deliuer you Alas of all kinds of miserie that can befal vnto man none is so lamentable as this because it riseth of the sense of Gods wrath reuenging hand against the guiltie soule of a sinner Other calamities afflict the bodie and part onely of our nature this the soule which carrieth the whole into societie of the same miserie Such as are of the bodie though they approach nigher the quick then pouertie or want of necessaries for maintenaÌ„ce of this life yet they faile in degree of miserie and come short of that which this forceth vpon the soule the other touch those parts where the soule commandeth pouertie nakednesse sickenesse and other of that kind are mitigated with a minde resolute in patience or endued with wisedome to ease that which greiueth by supply of remedie this seazeth vpon the seate of wisedom it selfe and chargeth vpon all the excellencie of vnderstanding and grindeth into powder all that standeth firme and melteth like the dewe before the sunne whatsoeuer we reckon of as support of our defects and subdueth that wherewith all things else are of vs subdued The cause the guilt the punishment the reuenge and the ministers of the wrath all concurring together in more forcible sort and that against the vniuersall estate of our nature not for a time but for euer then in any other calamitie whatsoeuer Here the cause is neither wound or surfet shipwracke or spoile infamy or disgrace but all kind of miserie ioyned together with a troubled spirit feeling the beginnings and expecting with desperate feare the eternall consummation of the indignation and fierce wrath of Gods vengeance against the violation of his holy commaundements which although it take not away in this life the vse of outward benefits yet doth the internall anguish bereaues vs of all delight of them and better without them then in such sort to enioy them This is not liable to humane lawes and to come vnder the censure of earthly iudges but to the diuine lawes of God and the censure executed with her owne hands which censure is a separation from Gods fauour the creator and blesser of all things the fountaine of all peace and comfort Now what creature beeing the worke of his owne hands dare comfort and cheare vs with
eternal predestination A point that hath troubled the Church of God more then euer the deuill vexed that young man in the Gospel This hath made many no better then lunaticke cast others into the fire of contention and drowned numbers in the waters of euerlasting perdition Now alas what good soule would not downe on his knees cry with all his heart Lord Iesus take pitie on this destressed world restore them to their senses deliuer them from these fierce fiers and pul them out of these dangerous waters often hath it bin in the hands of thy Pastours but as yet they could not heale vp these brawles surely it is because we are a faithlesse and crooked generation Long hast thou been with vs and we haue had a large time of thy patience and it could not be but that thou would haue brought it to passe long before this except our vnbeleife had hindred it Arminius hath taken in hand to worke this cure but I feare he hath raised vp more spirits then can easily be laid againe Questionlesse as our Sauiour Christ spoke of that kind of possession that it could not come out but by prayer and fasting so no more can these dangerous spirits of error be quieted and laid to sleepe but by the prayers and fastings of Gods faithfull people Isa 58.3 condemnes all fasting to seeke our owne wills and require our owne debts it cannot be good to fast for strife and to smite with the hand of wickednesse Surely I haue heard that when Arminius was intreated to defend the receiued opinion of Predestination in the reformed Churches did so distast it that hee broached in his readings the cleane contrarie whereupon strange rumours were raised that he was become a maine hereticke It was Bezas iudgement of him when hee was a young man that hee would either prooue an admirable minister of God or a dangerous enemie to Gods truth These reports are not to be passed ouer without consideration for though he seeme to cry downe the former rumours in a booke now extant yet both the booke and the rumours together demonstrate that he sought an opposite wil to the reformed Churches We denie not but that Gods true Church may erre and so his will might not be against Gods will yet for my part I esteeme so reuerently of my auncients and the truth admitted defended and propagated by them that I dare not otherwise iudge then that Arminius in fasting and prayer sought his owne will and therefore no maruell if he haue laboured to striue with that worthy man M. Perkins In the beginning of his booke he professeth nothing but brotherly loue yet I intreat you obserue but the whole carriage of his booke and see how he scannes euery word exults triumphs ouer him as though he meant to censure him for a blasphemous hereticke against God The man is dead his booke is now his memoriall and to my reading sauours of nothing more but that he meant to smite this worthie man if not with the fist of wickednesse yet of hard censure and iudgement This likewise may appeare in his followers who beare a most deadly hatred to all that professe M. Calvin and his best followers and most shamefully rayle on them the Papists shall find more loue at their hands then a Caluinist Alas my brethren is this the fast that the Lord hath chosen No no the Lord would haue vs loose the bands of wickednesse take off the heauie burdens of sinne and heresie deale the bread of life to the hungrie bring the poore that wander into Gods house not hide our selues from our own flesh If wee would consider this then would the Lord make our light breake forth as the morning our health growe speedily righteousnesse goe before vs and the whole glorie of the Lord embrace vs. The want of this makes the Papists reioyce and triumph to see vs their professed enemies to quarrell and strike at one another Oh that I had a bodie to fast night and day and a heart to pray that the Lord would reconcile vs and make his glorious truth shine among vs to expell that darknesse that makes the diuision When my booke was in the presse I intended nothing but the meere explaining of Gods ordering of sinne and so make vse of it but I could not in my minde be at rest vntill I had attempted some thing in this maine controversie I acknowledge it might haue bin much better atcheiued by some of the Lords great Worthies vnto the least degree of whose strength I haue not attained But being as yet neglected by them I thought it better notwithstanding my great weaknes to say something in the loue of the truth then to passe it ouer with silence I hope it will put others in mind who are of greater abilitie what they ought to doe and I would to God my labours might serue as foyles to shew the greater glory of their surpassing excellencies or as courser wares to make their finer stuffes more saleable and commendable For mine owne part I am so resolute that I put it in my creed as an error that I will neuer beleeue and I hope in God it is now at his height Christian Reader be not offended with my young yeares to make thee distast my timely writing I hope I haue keept me to Gods truth esteeme that and then iudge mee as thou pleasest Consider what is said and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things Thine in the Lord IOHN YATES ¶ To euery godly zealous and sincere Professor of Gods true Religion the wishes of the Author THis vacant white I could not passe away Perchance the blacke is worser thou wilt say The worst is said and better is my creed That thou in this my loue wilt euer read To giue and take is neither more or lesse But loue is more then can our gifts expresse The former tearmes as relates thine and mine Let 's passe proud tearmes and then the gift is thine Thine as his owne if better were his owne Loue is the best hence let the rest be knowne As purest wine runnes from the homely presse So plainest loue giues comfort in dissresse Perfumes haue sweetest smell which fire find And loue the greatest grace which zeale can mind The rose in still is sweeter then on stalke Distill thy loue and sweete shall be thy talke My good to God is none to thee is all Yet both to God must for a blessing call The sillie Bee suckes honie from the weedes But flowers seene full soone on fairest feeds Make some thing of the worst but gaine the best That after death thou may haue happie rest The presse hath stamp'd these lines for thee to presse A deeper stampe then can my lines expresse Presse not my skill for art presume my heart As thine that loues no further for to starte The gift is thine by due the debt is mine God grant thee ioy in reading of each line Amen The generall heads of the
according as he had vse of them So God made all these things fit for his glorie this fitnesse was good and absolutely willed of God and the vse that God made of this fitnesse was likewise good but no excuse for mans sinne no more then the fitnesse of an house for habitation an excuse when it is made a denne of theeues whores and prophane persons Of the second speciall booke wherein Sinne is ordered to wit the Morall Law THe Law of the Lord is the perfect Rule of righteousnesse and the forbidder of all vnrighteousnesse it shews vs what ought to be our worship of his sacred Maiestie and the loue we must beare vnto our neighbour In the first Commandement all our sinnes of Atheisme either in not worshipping God or worshipping another god or preferring any thing before him whether it be in thought word or deede In the 2. Commandement we shall haue ordered all our ill worship deuised by others or our selues in the seruice of God In the 3. we shall be condemned for all kind of prophannesse and light estimation of God and his goodnesse and here will come in an infinite number of sinnes called in one word vngodlinesse In proper signification impietie is against the first Commandement superstition against the second and vngodlinesse in this third which was a principall sinne in these hypocrites In the 4. Commandement all imployments of the seuenth day to any other vse then it was appointed of God whereby holy exercises are hindred and here alas a whole yeare would scarse suffice to number them vp but I doubt not but he that said he will order will make a quicke dispatch and yet leaue none out of his catalogue For the 5. in this Commandement shall come in all neglect of dutie toward our superiours In the 6. all want of care and neglect of my brothers life In the 7. all kind of vncleannesse whatsoeuer yea in the very thought In the 8. all corrupt dealing In the 9. all lying yea euery speech that may doe harme vnto my neighbour In the 10. all repining and enuying at another mans prosperitie O Lord thy Law is perfect thy testimonies are sure thy statutes are right thy commandements pure thy iudgements truth but alas who can vnderstand his faults surely thou canst order all our sinnes O therefore for the merits death and passion of thy Sonne cleause vs from our secret sinnes Iames 1.25 teacheth vs how we may be blessed Gods law the true discerner of complexions if we vse the perfect Law of God as a glasse appointed of the Lord and is able to shew vnto vs the good face or the bad face of our conscience what kinde of complexion we beare whether well tempered ruddie fresh and well-liking hauing the blood of Christ sprinkled vpon vs in iust proportion and measure that the King of glorie may be delighted with our beautie or ill tempered with the pale and deadly complexion of our sinnes and transgressions hated and detested of God on which God can shew neuer a good looke It is reported of a certaine fountaine in which a glasse beeing dipped and holden before a man sicke on his bed if it shew him a deadly face then it is a plaine signe he must die but if a cheerefull countenance then he is sure to liue of the truth of this I will not dispute yet this I am sure of take this glasse of the Law and dippe it in the blood of Christ if it shew a pale face then there 's no hope of life because the law shewes nothing but a man looking vpon it with his deadly sinnes hanging vpon him but if it shew a merrie countenance then the law shewes that we haue the beautie of Christ reflected vpon vs and this may assure vs of life and saluation Now as a glasse helps to order men in the cariage of thēselues for their bodies among men so the law of God doth direct and shew vnto vs what course we are to take to walke with God And herein it declares three things The law shewes what is comely and vncomely what apparell must be put on what off and then what must be our behauiour First what is comely or vncomely Eph. 5. To be followers of God as deare children and walke in loue as Christ hath loued vs is a seemely thing but fornication vncleannes couetousnes filthines foolish talking iesting c. are things not comely and rather giuing of thankes then the very naming of these things becommeth the Saints Secondly after it hath shewed vs what beseemeth Saints it teacheth what apparell we must off and what must be put on Eph. 4.22 The old man with his whole conuersation must be cast off the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines must be put on Thirdly after we haue apparelled our selues it will order the behauiour and carriage of our selues all the daies we haue to liue vpon this mortall earth Tit. 2.12 For the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared and teacheth vs to denie all vngodlines and worldly lusts and to liue holily righteously and soberly in this present world Yet may we admire what should be the reason that for all this sinne is no better ordered when the Lord hath left vs so perfect a law The law no false glasse better then all the looking glasses in the world for it tells men most truly their bad faces and their good faces it beguiles no man in making him better thē he is nay it hath a priuiledge aboue all other laws to wit many particular examples which are as little glasses contained in this great glasse wherein men may see their owne faces by the face of another As good Kings may not onely see themselues in Gods law what is to be done and left vndone and what is the reward of both but they may see themselues in Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Iosias Ezekias true reformers of religion euill Kings in Saul Ieroboam and Manasses good rich men in Abraham euill in Dives ambitious persons in Hammon contented in Mordecai couetous in Iudas liberall hearted in Zacheus euill counsellers in Ahitophel good in Samuel 1. king 12. embracers of the world in Demas close stickers vnto Christ and his seruants in Philemon sound friends in Ionathan rotten at the heart in Ioab faithfull children in Salomon rebellious in Absalom good seruants in Abrahams seruant euill in Onesimus obedient and louing wiues in Sara euill in Michal Dauids mocking wife Alas will neither precept nor example deale with man but the Lord must bring in a third bnoke to order sinne and that is to set it in the eyes of the conscience as he doth in this place surely it were not amisse by the way to shew the reason of this last refuge of the Lord and this last appeale to the court of conscience Reasons why Gods law can order sinne no better but the last refuge must be to
setting euen as a false peice of latin is set to the eye of the boy from the master by the rule and both of them corrected the boy by rods the latine by pulling it in peices because it is so farre wanting that nothing can be made of it that will beare good construction Indeede the godly are set againe into the image of their creation by Christ Iesus which hath turned man wholly againe vnto his creator and these haue their faults daily corrected become good proficients in the schoole of Christ and therefore one day shall celebrate the happie day of their commencing where euerie one shall be made an absolute Doctor free of all professions not to teach but read a continuall lecture of the praise of God to rauish his heart with ioy Obs Gods iustice is able to place all sinne in his order and ranke that so it may be easily seene and iudged of all men If I came into a roome and faw al the plate set forth to the view euery dish on the table in his due place all the furniture for the chamber in answerable proportion and euery guest in his due order and place set downe to meat I could easily iudge of the excellencie of the feast So surely the wicked alas they must expect no feast whē God shal haue mustered vp all their sinnes and ranked them vnder their seuerall heads according to his law and Gospel shall be able sufficiently to iudge what they haue done amisse to the great disquiet of their soules First therefore they shall see their apostacie from God that kept them from pleasing of him and made them displease him continually from this will the Lord descend to let him see the transgression in this apostacie with the propagation of it to all posteritie he will shewe him that the trangression in eating of the forbidden fruite was an offence of an exceeding great maiestie because it was a sacrament of the couenant of loue betwixt God the creator and man his creature and God forbad him as he would loue him not to eate thereof The loue on Gods part was extraordinarie because man being by nature changeable had this sacrament as a seale of his constant estate of goodnes and therefore was it called the tree of the knowledge of good Again on mans part it was required that he should loue constantly or if he should leaue to serue the Lord then was affured vnto him by the same sacrament vnder Gods broad seale his change from good to euill therfore was it also called the tree of the knowledge of euil From this trāsgression wil the Lord lead him by the hand to take notice of the causes and the effects that followed vpon those causes In the causes he shall vnderstand that one sort were blameable an other holy good the blameable causes both principall and instrumentall principall the deuill which through pride against God and malice against man became liars and murtherers of man by bringing him into sinne Man the second principall cause by his free receiuing of the deuills temptation and hearkning thereunto contrary to the commandement of god when he might haue resisted the same became a ioynt rebell with the deuill The instrumentall causes first the serpent the instrument of the deuill abused to the seducing of the woman the second instrument was the woman deceiued of the deuill by the serpent became an instrument to deceiue man Then shall he be brought to the vnblameable cause to wit the law and commandement of God for had not this bin their had bin no sinne as the Apostle saies therefore the law which in it self is the sauour of life vnto life through the default of man became the sauour of death vnto death that most iustly for as an earthen pitcher dashed by the hand against a stone wall is truely broken of the wall yet no fault in the wall but in the hand that threwe it against the wall contrarie to the command of his superiour so man like this earthen pitcher beeing dashed by the deuill his owne free will the serpent and the woman vpon the lawe of God and so broken in peices is no fault in the law but theirs that dashed him against the law Therefore the lawe is no faultie cause but a iust and holy cause of mans fall and as the law did it so God did it Now the lawe was no bare permitting cause or a forsaking cause but a working cause euen in that fall of man Who sees not the wall to haue an hand in the breaking of the pitcher and therefore it is idle to say that the Lord was but only a looker on gaue man leaue to transgresse or did forsake him in the act for all these are false therefore that which he did he was able to doe that which he was able to doe he decreed vnto his owne glorie and so it seemed good vnto his wisedome and therefore might absolutely will that as good and iust But God committeth no sinne true as he did all this you see there was no fault for what fault was there in the wal that brake the pitcher what fault is there in the water that drownes a man if he cast himselfe into it in the fire if it burne him surely none therefore that which God did was iust and holy but that which man did was a hainous sinne For God made them the fountaines and beginnings of their owne actions because they were indued with free will to doe well that thereby they might deserue both praise and price I meane ratione pacti non absolutè meriti of bargaine and not of simple merit for that which the law would haue giuen them that we may say was iustly deserued and on the contrarie by paritie of consequence for ill doing they deserued both dispraise and punishment If then you say God might will sinne and not will it which is to defend contradictions in his wil very true is the antecedent God did will and not will yet the consequent is false for contradictions must be of the same thing in the same respect I may say Appius est coecus non est coecus Appius is blind and not blind which are no contradictions for they are not ad idem there is not the same thing affirmed and denied but diuers he is blind in bodie but not in soule so of the Lord that which he doth in sinne he wills because so sinne hath a respect of good and he wills it iustly but that which man doth in sinne he willeth not but is sore displeased with it Thus when the Lord hath let many see their transgressions he will carie them on a long vnto the effects that flowe from these causes as the streames from the fountaine and these are in number three blame guilt and punishment blame the fault of his action in breaking Gods lawe guilt whereby hee is tyed to vndergoe his punishment and punishment which is the iust anger of God
God seeing man this way to determine his will Mansâ— determination made the determination thereof a iust way for his owne glorie God decreed mans fall and he also decreed that he himselfe would not be the cause but that man himselfe should onely cause his own ruine Thus then God did absolutely decree but not absolutely determine mans wil for that was left vnto man himselfe Determination no impulsion yet the determination of that determination was absolute and that without impulsion or coaction of mans will for determination is alwaies of things vnto their ends therefore is called absolute in regard of the end but coaction is onely of an efficient which is not necessarie for an absolute ende All Gods ends are absolute and necessarie yet the meanes that God vseth are of all kinds contingent necessarie dependent independent Suppose God had decreed to haue giuen man actuall grace as alreadie the angels haue it in heauen had it therefore been necessarie that man could not haue fallen or that God should haue constrained his wil to haue imbraced this grace no assuredly therefore on the contratie God decreed not to giue man this actuall grace of standing is therefore his auersion necessarie and constrained no but God by this meanes gaue way vnto the sinne of auersion and permissiuely yet willingly did suffer it for to enter for otherwise it could not haue entred and by a positiue decree resolued that auerting himselfe from the fountaine of all goodnesse and the rule of all righteousnesse he should runne into innumerable dangerous euills and grieuous sinnes both of commission and omission Omission is alwaies the first sinne Omission a priuation for a man falleth first from the loue of God before he can loue or desire any other thing now this sin beeing a neglect hath no positiue cause it selfe being a priuatioÌ„ neither need we seek any higher spring of it Non 〈…〉 then the will of such a creature as is defectiue and therefore doth not alwaies necessarily attend to the rule it should conforme it selfe vnto and thus of the first sinne we can find no cause in God because hee is no wayes defectiue The second sinne is commission which is a positiue act and therefore hath a positiue cause now God that neuer ceaseth to doe his worke of moouing but alwaies carrieth forward all things with restlesse motions cannot but cause the verie substance of a sinne of commission 〈…〉 of the Schâ—olman neither here am I of the opinion of the School-men that defend the very deformitie of this sinne to be nothing but the act and very substance of it for an act is a generall tearme and hath speciall limitations added vnto it therefore it is said to be well done when it keeps his rule euill when it misseth his rule now the Lord in no action goeth against the rule of his wisdome therefore he can work no deformed act only man that is defectiue may goe against the rule and so causeth the deformitie A cunning artificer makes a clocke but he suffers his apprentice to helpe to ioyne it together the deformitie of the motion is none of the artificers but onely from the vnskilfull apprentice yet will the skilfull artificer haue his praise in correcting of that aberration and turne the motion to his owne ende The causes then why sinne entred as efficient are properly the deuill and man as determined to an ende properly Gods who might well so determine of man seeing he created him mutable But to come more neerly How Gods lawe works sinne we may expresse this most familiarly in a comparison taken from an earthen pitcher dashed by the hand of a man against a stone wall that the wall breaketh it that is no fault of the walls but rather the coÌ„mendation of it working according to his owne nature but the fault is in the partie that dashed it against the wall so man being dashed by the deuill and himselfe and the serpent and the woman vpon the law of God too hard to bee ouerwrastled of man was broken in peices yet the lawe was without all fault onely the fault was in the deuill Adam and the woman the law therefore a most iust and holy cause of mans fall as the law caused mans sinne so I dare boldly say that God cansed it yet most holily and iustly Hence it followeth most plainely that God was no bare permitting cause or a forsaking cause but a working cause euen in the fall of man now as God did it so he was able to doe it and so to decree it to his owne glorie according as it seemed best vnto his own wisdome and so might it be willed as absolutely good and iust and therefore no sinne God made them the beginners of their owne actions beeing indued with free will by well doing they might deserue both praise and prize and by ill doing might deserue both dispraise and punishment But you will obiect then God might both will it and not will it Very true as God willed it it had respect of good and was iust and therefore to be willed but as they willed it it was euill and so God hated it and his law forbad it The sonne may desire the death of his father and so may God too but in so doing the sonne sinnes against God yet God is free from sinne the Iudge desires that a malefactor should die so doth the hangman yet may be the hang-man is guilty of murther when the Iudge is a true executioner of iustice Obserue then for the entrance of sinne these positions Positions for sinnes entrance First that to sinne is directly beside the scope intent and purpose of the law and therefore if the law cause sinne it is by acccident as to the law so to Gods wil which can neither intend purpose or will any impietie and therefore sinne is accidental and externall in regard of God now an accidentall principle is either in regard of necessitie or fortune How a cause by accident may be giuen vnto God now for necessitie to sinne that cannot be giuen vnto God for he can suffer of no causing principle and fortune is too strange a tearme to stand with Gods prouidence where then is this externall principle I answer if wee soberly conceiue of the nature of a cause by fortune we shal not much swarue if we say sinne was chance in regard of Gods will for chance and fortune according to true reason is nothing but the accident or euent of any thing beside his end and scope now only good is the end and scope of Gods will and therfore sinne which is not good is beside Gods scope and ende therefore it is accidentall in Gods scope and end But you wil say then God was ignorant of mans sinne I answer no because sinne is not onely accidentall to a good ende but also an aberration from the true rule of wisdome and must stand to the iudgement and sentence thereof
and were fully determined to cast himselfe downe yet among many passages onely one is open and at that he casts himselfe headlong now why he fell rather this way then another is because the rest were stopped yet he alone is guiltie of his owne death â— Sam. 16.10 Shemei is said of Dauid to curse because God commanded yet did God neither inwardly nor outwardly fill his heart with malice onely Dauid respects the time that God rather suffered it at this time to breake forth then at any other because now Dauid was in extremitie and fit for him to be humbled seeing that Shemei durst not so much as open his mouth all the time of Dauids prosperitie Iob 1.21 Iob was robbed by wicked men yet he confesseth that God hath taken because he directed that for his triall and patience The Iewes crucified Christ yet was it the determinate counseil of God turning their wickednesse and furious malice Acts. 2.23 to the effecting of his owne purposes III. Part answering the places of Scripture that are brought to prooue God the author of sinne Obiect God decreed the selling of Ioseph into Egypt Gen. 45.8 Christ was crucified of the Iewes according to Gods decree Act 2.23 and 4.28 Ans To decree any thing hath a speciall consideration of the end now Gods ende in both these were exceeding good first Ioseph for a temporall deliuerance in the time of famine Christ for a spirituall in the time of sinne for the sinne of their actions God did onely permit and wrought it as before hath bin shewed Obiect 2. Prou. 16.4 Rom. 9.17.26 he that creates and stirres vp men to sinne must needes be the author of sinne Ans God determines the end of all mens sinning that he himselfe will be no cause but leaues man to himselfe yet so as he will limit direct and punish whatsoeuer he shall doe amisse Obiect 3. 1. Sam. 24.1 2. Sam. 16.10 2. Kin. 22.20 11.37 12.15.24 2. King 10.30 Iob. 1.21 Esa 10. v. 5.15 13.17 Ier. 51.1 Ezech. 12.13 Psal 105.25 Matth. 6.13 where God is said to impell men to sinne and vse them as instruments to produce sinfull actions Answ It is one thing to incline the wil an other thing to make the will euill and so to incline it that it is not to sinne but to iudgement and punishment The Iudge inclines the executioner to put away the malefactor but if he doe it of priuate malice it is his owne sinne Shemei sinned in his priuate malice yet Dauid acknowledged Gods secret iudgement There be three things in the workes of wicked men 1. motion secondly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inordination of that motion and Gods hidden iudgement the first the last are Gods by dispensation the second by permission not bare and naked but first in denyall of grace secondly permitting Sathan to worke vpon them thirdly by occasion of some good permitting their euill disposition to abuse it but to incline perswade or impell the will to euill before it haue any thought or inclination is a hellish blasphemie the will beeing euill is driuen like a charet of the deuil and runnes apace and the Lord in iust iudgement blowes vpon it and in their running runnes them headlong into hell fire Obiect 4. Exod. 4.21 Deut. 2.30 1. King 12.15 Iob 12.16.24 Isa 19.14 and 63.17 Ier. 20.7 Ioh. 12.39 Rom. 1.24.26.28 Rom. 9.18 2. Thess 2.11 God is said to harden the heart and blind the eyes Ans God doth this by substraction and deniall of that grace which should lighten the vnderstanding and soften and mollifie the hearts of men this substraction is to be vnderstood of that grace which God might iustly hold from man secondly men beeing hardned in their sinnes and blinded in their minds doe still in crease their hardnes by fighting against God and his law as you haue heard before Obiect 5. 2. Sam. 12.11 Luk. 2.34 Rom. 9.33 Esa 8.14 Ese 18.16 45.7 Amos 3.6 God in all these places is said to doe euill Ans Here is to bee vnderstood the euill of punishment which is an act of Gods most pure and vnblameable iustice Here likewise in fewe words may we cleare Calvine and other of our orthodoxall writers from Bellarmines calumniations Caluin and the rest seeme to digest all their iudgement in these fewe positions concerning Gods simple determination of man First what he meant to bestowe vpon him to wit so much perfection that both in dutie hee ought and in respect of ability he might if he would haue continued in his integritie and therefore his creation was his happinesse and there was found no necessitie why he should fall into miserie this is the first The second is what hee meant to denie vnto him to wit that free confirmation of his estate without which God saw he would not continue but most certainely fal away from God his creator now if God had bestowed this vpon him then had there beene no way for eating and dying for then would God haue kept away the deuil confirmed his wil put that feare into his heart whereby he should neuer haue departed from him And that this is the truth we may see it by comparing of our estate in innocencie and in grace in the estate of innocencie God made with man the couenant of workes and so tyed man vnto himselfe by the bond of loue Loue the bond in creation which he left in mans nature man brake this bond hence came in religion properly so called Faith in redemption a tying of man againe in a second couenant not of workes but of faith now if this bond were no surer then the former it should argue God of the want of wisdom therefore God giuing man this second bond meant to tie him more infallibly vnto himselfe this feare beeing put into his heart shall make him neuer depart from God Thus then the Lord intended to denie man such a confirmed estate as now he hath obtained in Christ Thirdly that God did foreknowe most certainely In things possâ—ble but not to be done there is a bare prescience but 〈◊〉 things possible and to be doâ—â— both prescieâ—â—â— and purpose what would fall out vpon the bestowing of such benefits onely the denying of others namely sinne and Apostasie neither was this in their indgement a prescience presupposing no purpose nor decree for then would not God so haue bestowed and denied except according to that proportion he had intended a further end in man For I would aske this question Why did God bestowe so much as was sufficient to set him in state of happines and denie him that which should haue confirmed him in the same except he intended a further ende by his fall consider well the ends of man and we must now vpon the euent be constrained to graunt a further ende then either Papists or Lutherans do professe For I constantly affirme Man hath a more generall end then that of
punishment on them which do ill as it burnes more remissely against sinne it is called anger as more sharpely wrath as it doth giue sentence iudgement as it doth execute vengeance Thirdly he shewes mercie not that which is properly vnderstood in Christ but that which is vnderstood in my text compassion gentlenesse patience longanimitie bountifulnesse c. and these most properly appeare in the fall yet the fall beeing more generall then all that follow hath his vse in them all and is subordinate with all the rest to the decree of God And euen here God manifests his decree of election euen before the sending of Christ Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 1. Ioh. 4.9 In this appeared the loue of God toward vs because God sent c. in both these places the loue of God is the cause why Christ was giuen and sent and therefore this loue went before Christ else should the cause followe the effect this loue was decreed So then God loued the world before he either gaue or sent his Son actually he loues none but in Christ neither doth any feele his loue but he that is in Christ and therefore for the comfort of the Church the fittest place to teach the decree in is application of Christ yet the determination of his loue was before all this and the onely cause why Christ was sent into the world 6. Hâ—mo ad imaginem dei gradus 6. Steppe is a man according to Gods image and in this estate man was holy and righteous and to this image we are restored againe in Christ Rom. 8.29 and therefore God decreed to maintaine this image in some of his creatures that so he might haue the glorie of his creation maintained for euer and this is the thing that made God haue a Church from the beginning of the world and no Church wherein there is not Gods election and the decree of his euerlasting saluation Hence man in his innocencie was of Gods election such a one as then was ordained of God could not die without the renouation of his image therefore our euerlasting saluation was decreed in the estate of our integritie 7. Steppe is man made Homo creatus aâ—â— per creatâ—onem se ctus gradn 7. and this is the first manner of consideration that we can find in a man and in this likewise appeares the decree for God made man for the manifestation of his glorie not onely in regard of generall goodnesse wisedome and omipotencie seene in all the creatures neither of that which was seene in the angels to wit goodnesse communicated from an infinite good to which being ioyned their obedience brought Gods rewarding iustice to confirme them in an euerlasting estate and this is called bonitas cum iustitia coniuncta goodnesse conioyned with iustice wherein appeared the election of the good angels Againe disobedience to dissolue and breake off the coÌ„munication with that infinite good brought in punishing iustice euerlasting and eternall wherein appeared the reprobation of the bad angels Thus farre then it pleased God generally to shewe his goodnesse omnipotencie wisedome c. Secondly more specially his goodnesse and rewarding iustice vpon the blessed Angels and the losse of his goodnes with the inflicting of his punishing iustice vpon the accursed angels but as yet no subiect to shew goodnes iustice and mercie and therefore man must bee made the subiect on which he will shew all his goodnes in what order you shall heare when I come to shew the ends in Gods decree 8. Is man more generall then all these For man made Homo generale subiectum oâ—â—i bus adiunctis praesuppositum grad 8 hath a speciall ende to wit happinesse of creation man made holy happinesse with the creator man made vnholy miserie with himselfe man redeemed saluation by Christ and so of all the rest speciall ends may be assigned which can be nothing else but the manifestation of Gods glorie in his iustice and mercie 9. Mundus exnihilo gradus 9. A world made of nothing exceeding good whereof man is a part and the most principall and therefore made for man Now euen before this subiect was election Come receiue the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world So then God intended a kingdome for his elect before he made this world 10. Creatio omnium or goad extoriora grâ—dus vlâ—â—mus supâ—â—mus Creation the originall of all things and before which there was nothing without this man could not be so then when they say man was by creation it is true that man there tooke his originall and creation is more generall then man but so creation is taken actiuely but passiuely as in man it is more speciall therefore man created is a speciall consideration of man but man in Gods creation is more generall Hence the Lord in making of him appointed him all his ends To conclude the creation of man was for the manifestation of all Gods diuine attributes as wel iustice and mercie as the rest And now beeing come to the highest staire in creatures wee slippe presently out of them and lay all the rest on Gods will as the onely subiect This is as it were the bodie of Gods decree the rest is as the soule this externall that which followeth internall in this is manifested Gods indirect knowledge in the other his direct and proper knowledge the lowest steppe of this is iustice and mercie and the subiect in which these two rest is his will I will haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie and compassion on whom I will haue compassion Rom. 9.15 and v. 18. He hath mercie on whom hee will haue mercie and whom he will he hardeneth 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 re 〈…〉 2. â—irtus morâ—â—s 3 intellectuals 4 〈◊〉 5 bo mitas 6. Gloria 7. Deas ipse â—l pha omâ—ga Second head we call morall vertues whereby God willeth euery thing most readily that is good and is most prompt in the performance thereof so that iustice and mercy comming vnder this head according to our capacitie are moued to nothing but that which is good third intellectuall virtues whereby God is most prompt in the performance of euery act of vnderstanding fourth vertues whereby God is knowne vnto vs to bee absolutely good fifth goodnesse the head and fountaine of all these sixt glorie the perfection of goodnesse seuenth God himselfe which is knowne vnto vs by all these That this is the Scripture see all in the 33. of Exod and also in the 34. Chap. 33. ver 18. I beseech thee shewe me thy glorie v. 19. God answers Moses my glorie is too excellent for thee but my glory which is seene in my goodnesse shall goe before thee I will make all my good goe before thee that is thou shalt see the backe-parts of my glorie these backe-parts are Gods
Conscientia in effectu affectu â—uâ—nâ—u vel pro effectu praeterito vel pro affectu presente vel pro eueÌ„tu futuro for the fact past that is either in regard of God or man of man it either absolues or coÌ„demns in regard of god a witnes either to excuse or accuse for the affection that followes vpon this it is either ioy or sorrow ioy vpon absoluing and excusing sorrowe vpon accusing condemning and for the future euent it is either the expectation of reward or the feare of punishment That this may a litle the better appeare let vs see how the coÌ„science is locked or vnlocked this eye is alwaies as a booke that is both clasped and open at the same time or els wholly clasped and locked vp The claspes that doe all this are in number three goodnes Claspes of conscience 1. Goodnesse sinne and punishment Goodnesse clasps vp the accusation of the conscience but alwaies leaues open the conscience for excusation therefore a good conscience will open for no accusation nor shut for any vaine excusations Secondly 2. Sinne. sinne is either the clasper and vnclasper together or the clasper alone the clasper and vnclasper by excusation or accusation as in our first parents it is said when they had sinned their eyes were opened not that they were blind before but that now the eye had lost the power of excusing and therefore in that was shut vp and blinded but was altogether vnlocked for accusation and condemning of themselues yet by reason of custome and long continuance in sinne that verie selfe same thing which opened the eies of our first parents hath wholly seared vp the eyes of some that their consciences neither accuse nor excuse except you will say they falsly excuse when they make vs cry peace peace and all is well with vs. Now this for the most part is the claspe of mens consciences so that except God bring iudgement the conscience will neuer be awaked from his securitie 3. Punishment Therefore the third claspe of the conscience is punishment this holds most surely in excusation in so much that none can either vnclaspe it or by any meanes be able to mitigate the strait holding of punishment from all comfort so that neither angels nor men nor any other creature can giue a dramme of comfort but for the vnclasping of the conscience it wil do it most forcibly and exceedes all other meanes and therefore is to bee vnderstood in this place Hence ariseth a fourefold distinction of conscience the first that is at peace with it selfe Conscience quiet but not good quiet nor good but not with God and that is the conscience that is wholly locked vp the second that is neither at peace with God nor it selfe and that is the conscience vnder the horror of the punishment of sinne good not quiet the third conscience which is not at peace with it selfe but with God and that conscience hath two claspes in it goodnesse and sinne goodnes from God sin from it selfe good and quiet The fourth that hath peace with God and with it selfe and this is a conscience that feeles a claspe of Gods mercie to bind vp the broken heart and make it breake forth with ioy and gladnesse So that now if we looke into the world wee shall find that euerie man is either a Prince or a peasant either the basest among the sonnes of men and most ignoble or els couragious as a lyon and stout hearted as a gyant If a man were as poore as Lazarus and as naked as Iob yet if he bad a good conscience he would be higher then Princes and scorn to yeild a foote for the proudest but on the contrarie if hee were as stout as Alexander as merry as Belshazzar as wise as Ahithophel as proud as Hammon and as rich as Nabal yet hauing an euill conscience he would tremble with Alexander for the touch of an ague quiuer with Belshazzar for the appearance of a finger hang himselfe with Ahitophel for that his counsell was brought to nought mourne with Hammon vpon his bed for the losse of his honour or his heart would die within him as it did within Nabal for the losse of a field or in a word hee would tremble at a very leafe and therefore fearfull shall bee the estate of these men when the Lord shall thus vnlocke their consciences as he hath promised he will doe in this place Now this vnlocking is threefold Keyes to vnlock conscience 1. Amazement First by a generall amazement when a man is suddenly stricken but he knowes no particular cause as Belshazzar was in the 5. of Dan. the writing on the wall vnclasped his conscience by a sudden amazement Secondly 2. Particular knowledge by a particular knowledge of the sinne that they haue commited as it was with Indas who said Phaue sinned in betraying inocent blood this did strike so deepely into his conscience that be departed and hanged himselfe and for verie greife the rimme of his bellie rent in peices Thirdly and lastly 3. Gods departure by a most lamentable farwel in hell when the Lord shall say O my creature I made thee glorious but thou hast spoyled all thy glorie and lost my fauour farewell my creature I the fountaine of liuing water I the liuing God I thy life and length of dayes thy verie breath must leaue thee and come vnto thee as a consuming fire as a roaring lyon heape vpon thee all torments in bodie and soule Again thou shalt say Farewell creator farwell louing wife farewell my children and all my freinds farewell my pleasures prosits and all my worldly lusts Alas will none of you pitie mee wilt thou O Lord looke on and take no compassion and will you my freinds if with me curse me and cry A vengence on me will you thus reward my loue vpon earth If in heauen will you crie with father Abraham Remember that you had your pleasure when many a Saint starued at your doore and therefore iustly art thou tormented and we most mercifully rewarded you did vs much hurt in your pretended loue and blessed be God you preuailed not in your will Alas is it so why then O worme of conscience doe thy worst burne fire that can not be quenched I gnash with my teeth to see the prosperity of my freinds blaspheme God with the rest of my freinds here in hel not as sinning for that we did in brauery vpon earth to teare God in peices was our credit but now we together see all to be our punishments and we can take no sweet solace in our companie as we did vpon earth Thus the wicked goe downe to hell to see their sinnes set in order before their consciences to their euerlasting shame and confusion that could not see it vpon earth the deuill hath lead them into the mids of hel as the Prophet the Aramits that came to take him into the mids
of hypocrits in this place Absurditie of Atheisme is nothing but a thought and a conceit of their owne for so the words runne plainely therefore thou thoughtest and this will bee plaine if we examine it in all the former opinions First Atheisme there is no God Of God because they thinke he seeth them not euen as if the owle or woodcock when they haue gotten their heads into a hole should thinke no body seeth them because they see nobodie or like the blind man in Athens which going to bed with his eye-sight and admiring at the extraordinarie length of the night crieth out against the gods that they kept the day so long from appearing when alas in the night time hee fell blind and therefore thought that all the world was blind as well as he when indeed other men had beene vp and at their workes now readie to sleep againe So deale these men with God they blind themselues and therefore God must be blind too but he will find them out and then they shal know that this was but a conceit Againe nature and fortune are the two supreame causes I would that these men had stood by the ouens mouth in Daniel cap. 3. and had seene the three children in the middest of the fire bound in their coates their hosen and their cloakes with their other garments and yet not an haire of their heads to be burnt neither their coats changed nor any smell of fire to be vpon them and yet the flame of the fire issuing out of the ouen to haue slaine those men that brought them forth what reason would they haue giuen of this I feare not but with the king they would haue made a decree that they would neuer againe blaspheme against this God because there was neuer God that could deliuer after this sort we will therefore declare his signes and wonders and confesse that his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdom and his dominion is from generation to generation The conceit of the Epicures No world Creation because no instruments nor matter is a fond conceit for the best workeman in the best worke is able to worke without any of these and to worke by any of these is imperfection for who goeth to the market to buy instruments to make him reason with all yet to reason is a more excellent worke then to build a stately pallace therefore God beeing most perfect could not worke by instruments for then should be haue been imperfect Againe for his prouidence Prouidence if a man see a father whippe his child and spare his seruant and should say he loued his seruant better then his child euery man would laugh him to scorne so if the Lord whip his children spare the wicked it is not for want of loue to the one or manifestation of loue to the other So for the last iudgement Peter telleth them 2. Pet. 3.5 Last iudgment That this they willingly knewe not how all things were by the word of God and by the same word are still kept in store against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men for one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeres and a thousand yeeres as one day no slacknes with him onely the creature must haue his time and then shall be perish or be saued The conceits of partiall Atheists Partial atheisme It is too base for the Lord to take care for base creatures they might as well say to haue created them for the Lord made nothing which his prouidence did not guide and if he be the first and last of all creatures then as all creatures are from him so all must be vnto him and that by his owne wisdome It is the cunning Musitian that must haue the handling of an instrumēt composed of many strings and in nature dissonant to make it sound foorth his skilfull praise and therefore to keepe that excellent harmony among the creatures must needs be the hand of God alone He can make lice swarmes of flyes and an host of grashoppers fight most stoutly against Pharaoh now no generall was able to order the battell but the Lord of hosts and this is no base thing for hereby would the Lord get him a name for euer Of sinne Againe for the decree of sin cannot the Lord bring good out of euill light out of darkenes health out of sickenes glory out of shame and therefore may he decree sinne and yet be no author of sinne for hee hath goodnesse enough out of sinne which shall serue his turne and the rest he will leaue to the first inuenters Of Vbiquitie The conceit of the Aramites shall appeare when they come to fight with Israel in the plaines then shall they know that God is as well the God of the plaines as of the mountaines For Physitians that faine would exercise their wits in the wonders of the Lord. Of extraordinary prouidence If reason may be giuen for fourteene yeares fast surely Christs fasting fortie dayes shal be worth nothing I had rather say as Christ did to the deuil after his fast Man liues not by bread alone but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The Israelites apparell and the shooes on their feet as new at the ende of fortie yeers as they were the first day they entred into the wildernesse was the worke of this word and no naturall reason can bee giuen for it Astrologians are well answered euen by their owne lyes Astrologie An Astrologian comming before a Bishop to be made Minister professing this art the Bishop askes him if he could tel by the starres whether he should be made Minister or no Hee answers he could tell for hee had alreadie calculated that hee should Then saies the Bishop I will see whether I can oppose the starres or no and thus the simple Astrologian was made a lyar Againe Idolatrie for idolatrie a meere conceit they had plentie and felt no want therefore idolatrie was good the world is all secure therefore the deuill is very quiet The shippes can not passe ouer Goodwine sands as in times past therefore the old-mans iudgement was better then all the rest because he neuer knewe it vntill Tenterton-steeple was built a reason of a doting foole Tenterton-steeple is built therefore no shippes can passe ouer Goodwine sands baculus stat in angulo ergo coelum mouetur the staffe is in the corner therefore the heauens are mooued See it in the children of Israel Vp Aaron make vs gods to goe before vs for we knowe not what is become of this Moses euery word a strange absurditie first make a god a meere contradiction that a creature should make his creator secondly gods that was a calfe which is a blockish creature and more foolish then any now that the foolishest creature should become the wisest of all beeings is as strange as the other thirdly to go before vs all Israel were
pure life and he that is not this puritan shal neuer see God and let them know that the seruants of God are of the blood royal to wit Christ Iesus and therefore haue Dauids heroicall spirit durst meet them on the field and shew as good courage for a good cause as the best of them But the seruants of the Lord his faithfull ministers haue told it to the Church that her faithfull friends haue beene abused by many a Churle vnto whom they haue stood as walls of defence and therefore their affections are vp in armes against them But the Church will find cakes bottles of wine sheepe readie dressed measures of corne clusters of raisins and abundance of figs to meet all that loue her to giue them kind intertainement Bid them not regard these Nabals for as their names are so are their natures Nabals they are and folly is with them and so shall they perish for the Lord will not suffer one of them to liue that pisseth against the wall But your soules shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord and the soules of these your enemies shall God cast out as out of the middle of asling Thus shall euerie faithfull soule praise God that hee is preserued by the Church and therefore when they shall see that the Lord hath dealt well with them they shall be mooued to remember the Church as Dauid remembred Abigail with the best bond of loue Secondly correction of the godly that learne not to thinke basely of the thoughts of wicked men they dishonour God by them and therefore into their secrets let our soules neuer enter Vse 2. Instruction First an admonition of the wicked to shewe them that they haue alwayes false reasons for their thoughts Indeed it is true that we can no sooner haue sinne in our heads but the deuill will find a reason for it but alas when we bring it to our question it makes vs presently make a fallacian against our soules Silence beats vpon the minds of these hypocrites but alas the image in the glasse shall not looke to him from whom it was reflected Moses face shines but he sees it not so these men haue Gods sunne to shine vpon them his raine to fall vpon them but they perceiue neither Thus they become like wine vessels that sends out all the wine againe but keepes in the dregs God doth much good vnto them but they neuer thinke rightly of it for as infants new borne are kept from fire and water laid to sleepe shifted in their scapes but they knowe not who doth all this for them so God brightnesse it selfe shuts in heauen and earth yet our eye cannot looke against it no more then the batâ—e or owle at the bright beames in the firmament and therfore no maruell if wicked men after all Gods silence looke amisse therefore as the fountaine and all the water that springs out of it haue the same qualities so the heart and the thoughts words and deeds are all of the same nature if one filthy all filthie and purge one and purge all Now the fountaine in a wicked man beeing corrupt no maruell that these thoughts issue out of it Eccles. 8.11 Because sentence against an euil worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill here is the verie selfe-same conclusion God defers therefore they are fully purposed to sinne against God Let them therefore be admonished to looke better to their thoughts for they are in a miserable estate that makes euerie thing turne vnto their hurt Secondly a direction to Gods children that they learne not to thinke their owne thoughts speake their owne words or doe their owne actions but onely that which shall be approoued by God and his word and then shall their praise not be of men but of God Vse 3. Consolation First in all good wayes when I can say I haue serued God with a good conscience for that shall be the miserie of the wicked when the Lord shall say who required these things at your hands Secondly in their trouble to say with Hezekias Remember Lord how I haue walked before thee this is better then all the riches in the world or the vanities wherein he hath placed all his thoughts this shall stand by him in this world to iustifie him because God speakes for him in the ende of this world to free him from hel death and damnation because he hath built vpon the rocke and hath in his thoughts highly valued the blood of Christ to purge him from all sinne when all the rest of the world shall be accursed for that they haue put their trust in the arme of flesh 2. Tim. 4.6 7. Pauls ground of comfort when he is readie to be offered is this I haue fought the good fight of faith finished my course I haue kept the faith therefore he expects a crowne of righteousnesse this is no phansie but a grounded perswasion from his practise Sect. 4. Of awicked mans conceit of God Like thee The fourth thing is in the forme and manner of their thoughts and that is by drawing a paterne of God out of themselues to limit him by their owne limits and measure him by their own measure First for qualitie and condition the only patrone and fauourer of their courses one that did esteeme and approue most highly of all their waies Where we may see that hypocrits as proud Pharisies thinke themselues not like other men and therefore needes must they be like God himselfe not knowing that a third may be giuen to wit that they are so like themselues that a man cannot paralell them with any other They haue looked into the fountaine of Gods silence and surely like Narcissus they are fallen in loue with their owne shadow or like children they are so delighted with their image that they must needs kisse the glasse and thinke no babie like to that which they haue seene of themselues and thus like apes are gotten so farre in loue with their owne brood that with ouermuch embracing of themselues they kill all they touch and thus while they wil set as Queenes and ladies bragging they shall neuer be widowes presently the Lord brings vpon them both pouertie and widow-hood because they themselues haue pressed euerie thing they were in loue of vnto death so that being wise in their owne conceit we may be assured that there is more hope of fooles then of them and that drunkards and vile persons shall sooner inherite the kingdome of heauen then any proud person of them all the Publicans and grosse sinners shall sooner go into heauen then these Scribes and Pharisies Secondly this must yet be strained higher euen to the verie being and essence of God God must be altogether as they are extraordinary neere fellowship It was one of the greatest prerogatiues that was euer giuen to Abraham to be called the freind of God but what shall these be called
surely if all were true they should bee the verie naturall sonnes of God Thirdly this great acquaintance must be perpetuall Aristotle makes three bonds of freindship 1. pleasure 2. riches and both these are soone ended because in laughter the heart is heauy for such pleasures as are but of things transitory and for riches they take their wings and flie away but the third bond which is vertue and honesty is of long continuance and I know no freindship that hypocrits professe with God that sauours of honestie and vertue Indeede the other two are in high account with them for they will seeme to doe any thing for pleasure and profit Saul loued God but it was for a kingdome Ahithophel because he was aduanced counseller Iudâ—s because an Apostle bare the bag yet Saul a little afflicted forsakes God Ahithophel crossed hangs himselfe Iudas for gain betraies Christ Iobs wife seemed to goe farre as long as she could wash her paths with butter but when affliction is vpon her husband curse god die Many hypocrits are like Rebecca Gen. 25.22 who wished to haue children but when they stroue in her womb then she brast forth into words of impacience so God giues a desire to some to be borne againe who when they see their conception to be painfull and the spirit and flesh striue together desire to be in their old estate againe they seeke the kingdome of heauen but not the righteousnes thereof and therefore it will appeare verie easily how like they are vnto God for Saul and Pharaoh had some good motions by fittes and vpon occasion could play fast and loose beeing of a strange complexion and verie aguish hote and cold in a moment Sea faring men who when the seas doe rage and the tempest begins feele themselues sea-sicke and haue a desire to cast but when they are gotten to the land and haue smelt the cleare coast are as merrie and ioyfull as heart can wish the reason is because now being without hope sense and feeling of the sweet ioyes to come doe die thus by their flesh pots of Egypt so they shew in affliction that their flesh pots and their health though in bondage doth more please them then the goodnes and louing countenance of the Lord. Want of bread makes some despise their great wonderfull deliuerance out of Egypt the want of riches is greater trouble theÌ„ the want of grace and the possession of riches greater ioy then the fruition of Gods countenance The reason is plaine because in temporall things our ioy is greater then the cause but in spiritual the cause is greater then our ioy Againe they loue not God for himselfe but for his blessing and therefore all the similitude that wicked men haue of God is more in the loue of the creatures then of God himselfe and when the Lord shall bring his fanne and make cleane his floare you shall see him send away this chaffe but still keepe his corne for the naturall children of God loue their father naturally doe he what he will they will still loue him though thou kill me yet still will I trust in thee saith Iob. Thus shall the Lord trie his owne image and see who will endure the fire which shall be knowne by these foure properties first as fire burnes straw stubole stickes to ashes and makes them as though they had not beene so shall the fire of Gods affliction wast all those things which are of this weake nature Secondly as fire purges that which can abide him and makes it purer and finer so shall the triall of the spirit wast all the drosse in Gods children and purifie the rest as a temple for the holy Ghost Thirdly as fire giueth light in the most dimme and darkest place so shall the fire of Gods spirit become a shining lampe burning continually Fourthly as heat putteth life into those things which are capable of life though frozen and starued for cold and as they were without life yet touching them maketh them reuiue become nimble and actiue so the spirit of God heating and inflaming our hearts kindleth our zeale quickneth our deadnes puts life into vs maketh vs nimble and actiue in a care of our dutie loue of all mankind and the glorie of God this alone will prooue whether we beare the image and stampe of God in vs or no when all the rest is no better then that conceit which the Deuill put into the heads of our parents Gen. 3. Ye shall be like God surely it prooued like the god of this world for euen that conceit tooke away the image of God and brought in a worse euen the image of the deuill Observ It is the nature of euery wicked man especially of an hypocrite to haue an high conceit of himselfe and in this high conceit to thinke God like vnto him 1. Reas First blindnes of vnderstanding Rom. 1.21 22 23. Vaine imaginations and follie of heart full of darknes makes professours of wisdome become starke fooles and so turne the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure footed beasts and of creeping things 2. Reas Is the euill disposition of nature which turneth all things into his owne temper and therefore it can not be but the silence of the Lord should be abused by our thoughts 3. Reas Selfe-pleasing our selues Herod will part with all before he will part with his brothers wife the young man will leaue Christ before he forsake his riches and therefore before the silence of the Lord shall crosse our natures we must either crosse it or els restraine it vnto our selues and giue it that limitation which shall best agree with our pleasures 1. Vse reprehension A confutation of the wicked for the abuse of their reason in that they will become absolute Iudges of Gods wisdome it is enough for the seruant to become as the master Gods truth will haue no controller and therefore must he command or els he will testifie against vs and accuse vs for the breach of his prerogatiue royall Secondly a correction of the godly that any waies subiect themselues to the iudgement of wicked men their fountaine is naught therefore their streames can not be sweete 2. Vse instruction First an admonition of the wicked to be more carefull for their thoughts Indeede we say thoughts are free but yet let them know that there is a word which is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart and therefore what they haue spoken in the theeuish corners of their hearts shall be plainly detected euen vpon the house toppes Secondly a direction to the godly that is a deniall of themselues and of their owne thoughts and wholly yeilding themselues vnto Gods truth 3. Vse Consolation to all them that see the want of Gods image and desire it more then they presume they haue it This will take away our owne conceits and breede in vs the cleare
are in danger but it lights but vpon the pate of one of them and he falls to the ground wounded and yeelds vp the ghost all the rest quake and tremble at the sight and are speechlesse So the Lord is daily shooting forth his arrowes he neuer misseth his aime the watchmen of the citie tell the people the arrowe of God is among them and for all this no man is afraid it strikes downe some of the stoutest of them but alas all is giuen to some surfet or weakenesse in the man which they finding themselues free from thinke it is impossible for them to die as he did because they haue not his disease as though there were no more diseases to cut off life then that one If a messenger knocke at the doore and answer be giuen him presently hee is gone without delay so beloued Gods plagues would not still rage at our doores if we gaue God his answer yet still the Lord rings the bel at our doore Secondly a direction to the godly to watch continually that so they may escape the iudgements of the Lord and mourne for his iudgements vpon others for these April dewes will bring forth in them the May flowers of Gods spirit and in weeping stil respect our selues more thē other for that alone makes God carie handkerchifes to wipe away our teares and this sowing in teares will bring vs a speedie haruest and when the rod is vpon others let vs take it to our selues for is it not better to take the rod into our owne hands and beate our selues gently then the Lord who is a consuming fire should wast vs with it Bones out of ioynt the longer they goe they prooue more painfull betimes they are set more easily therefore let vs betimes set our selues in the waies of the Lord least he rebuke vs sharply We physicke purge sweate and all for the bodie can we indure nothing for the soule the vomite of the soule is the greife of repentance and tell me I pray you who euer repented him of repentant sorrow In these reproofes we are worse afraid then hurt rising out of a soft bed is exceeding tedious to a sluggard yet our vp doth not dare vs at all so is the awaking from the sleepe of sinne and slumbering in the reliques of sinne which still haue dwelling in the best of vs. To see a souldier wounded is no newes but to goe with it is desperate follie so our sighting in this world is no newes if it bring knocks and maimes vnto vs yet to let them goe and ranckle and fester is forlorne negligence therefore let this direction take his impression in our soules that we may make excellent vse of all Gods reproofes Vse 3. Consolation in trouble because the Lord will reward vs but punish them that cause vs affliction 2. Thess 1.6 7. For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs. Secondly in prosperitie to reioice that we can sorrow that the Lord reprooues any of our brethren to be grieued for the afflictions of Ioseph Daniel could find no comfort in his priuate prosperitie and great authoritie because he knew that the Church of God was in great miserie the like affection was in good Nehemiah so likewise on the contrarie to reioyce when we be reprooued to see Gods church to flourish so Paul beeing in prison was not so much grieued at his own bonds as he reioyced at the libertie of the Gospel of Christ Sect. 3. Of the obiect Thee God in his owne children loues the person and accepts of them in Christ and onely hates their sinne and reprooues that but in an hypocrite he hates both the person and the sinne for if he should onely bee offended with the sinne then should there be no difference betwixt the godly and the wicked for he hates sinne equally in them both and yet they are not both equally hated and therefore some thing more in an hypocrite is the obiect of hatred then his verie sinne But it may be obiected that nothing can be hated but that which is euill The obiect of Gods hatred now the persons of wicked men are good the sinne is onely euill therefore onely hated Answ Euill is considered two wayes First in the abstract as beeing not considered with the subiect in which it is and so it is equally hated of God euery where Secondly in the concrete when the euill and the subiect are put together euill absolutely taken and an euill man are diuers considerations the same cause of hatred in both but not the same manner for a godly man is of an other condition seeing sinne in him is but a tyrant and he is none of his lawfull subiects and therefore though sinne fights to subdue him vnto his kingdome yet the spirit of God resists and will be the ruler Therefore as the loue of the subiects stand toward their king so doth the king loue them Now the loue of sinne and wicked men is naturall and so is the loue of God and his children spiritually naturall and therefore must he needes loue his owne subiects and hate all his enemies for if an enemie should captiuate a loyall subiect the king would presently require him againe when he is content to let his enemies haue their owne libertie ouer their owne slaues Therfore the children of God lose not the name of righteous persons because they sinne for it is rather sinne in themselues then themselues that offend God Rom. 7. Paul saies It is no more I but sinne that dwells in me Therefore in a wicked man there be three considerations first of his euill 2. of his sinnefull person 3. of his personall beeing the two first are hated the third is loued of God so a godly man first his euill secondly his righteous person thirdly his personall beeing the first is hated the two last are loued of the Lord. Observ 1. A Reproofe must be passed vpon sinne Euery thing that is secret must be brought into light Eph. 5.13 All things when they are reprooued of the light are manifest for it is the light that maketh all things manifest Ioh. 16.8 And when he is come he will reprooue the world of sinne and of righteousnes and of iudgement So that this point is generall to the sinnes of all men especially to the wicked for they haue neuer desired by heartie repentance to bring their sinnes vnto the light and therefore because they would not iudge themselues by it it shall iudge them to their woe Indeede to behold the light is a comfotable thing but for sore eyes it is verie troublesome and therefore those that doe euill hate the light because their works are euill and so the Lord must needs araigne them euen in the cleare sunne-shine to the view of all men euen of their verie consciences Ioh. 3. Reas 1. Because sinne is the violation of Gods law and therefore must