being in happy innocency the holy Angels being in perfect glory yea the brute and senselesse creatures feare in regard of the glorious maiesty of God and shall the faithfull being sinful and miserable not be affected therewith But we know that the seruants of God haue alwaies feared his glorious presence Thus the people of Israell make it an impossible thing that a man shoulde see the glorie of God and liue And Manach Sampsons fafather saith Iudg. 13. 22. We shall die because we haue seene God Further the faithfull are not freed from the feare which the committing of sinne bringeth with it for although they know that no sin tho neuer so hainous can depriue them of the eternal loue of God in Christ or of eternall saluation yet they ought so much the more to feare to displease or dishonour God then Adam did in his innocency because God hath shewed himselfe more louing gratious and bountifull to them in their regeneration then he did to Adam in his first creation for God sheweth his loue farre more in bringing some fewe from the common death of mankind to eternall saluation then he did in creating all in a common state of life Neyther are we to thinke that the faithfull liuing in this worlde are so exempted from sustaining the punishment of sinne as that they doe not in this regard also feare God for although if we speake properly it cannot stand with the iustice and equity of God to punish the faithfull for their sinnes the which he hath already punished to the full in the death of Christ yet the fatherly chastisements which he layeth vpon them for their great presumptuous sinnes to keepe them and others from committing the like are often so sharpe as that they doe not without cause seeme to be grieuous and fearefull punishmentes Hence it is that this sentence is annexed to those grieuous iudgementes which befell any of the people That all Israell may heare and feare the Lord. The vses of this grace are as before to restraine the faithfull from sinne for although that be true which the heathen poet saith Odâ—runt peccare boni virtutis amore oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae yet two motiues are more effectuall then one especially in this corrupt state wherein the faithfull retaining some reliques of their corrupt nature are often frayed from sinne by feare when as the loue of God is not able to restraine them Pro. 16. 6. and 3. 7. and 14. 16. A wise man feareth and escheweth euil In this respect The feare of God is called the beginning of wisedome that is of an holy and vnblameable life Psal. 10. 10. Pro. 11. 7. because the godly man doth alwaies behaue himselfe as in the presence of the great and fearefull God of heauen Hitherto the rest of the vses mentioned in the first section of this chapter are to be referred which it is not needfull to repeate Yet there is one speciall commodity which the faithfull reape by this grace to wit immunity from temporall plagues for euen as it is said of a fierce and roring Lion that in the heate of his rage he spareth those beastes which yeelding themselues to his power doe by feare and trembling aske mercy at his handes so when as God is so prouoked to anger by the sinnes of his seruantes that no praiers or vowes can pacify him yet this submisse feare of his wrath doth quench the burning heat of it by the which meanes it commeth to passe that this feare of God doth not breed any trouble or disquietnes in the minds of the godly but rather freeth them from the feare of all euill whatsoeuer and therefore to conclude this chapter euery faithfull man ought to labour with all care both to haue in his heart and to expresse in his whole life and behauiour this singular grace of the feare of God that so he may call God his feare as he is called the feare of Isaac Gen. 31. 42. 53. where Iacob doth sweare to Laban by the feare of his father Isaac that is by God whom onely and no other thing in the world Isaac feared Thus we are exhorted Heb. 12. 28. Let vs labour to please God with reuerence and feare For euen our God is a consuming fire CHAP. VII Sect. 1. Of the subiection which man in his innocency did owe to God as to his father THus we see the first part of mans subiection with the particular dueties thereof the second kind of subiection is that which the sonne oweth to the father for God was to man in the state of innocency not onely a liege Lord and soueraigne King but also a gracious and louing father and that by vertue of the first creation the which is a kinde of generation For the creator giueth being and existence to the creature as the father doth to the sonne Yet not all the creatures are in this respect to be accounted or called the sonnes of God no more then men doe account those senselesse things which they fashion and make of clay woode or any such matter to be their children although they be their workemanship and therefore there is somewhat else in man which maketh him the sonne of God to wit the likenesse or similitude of man to God for man doth resemble God so as we see the sonne doth his father not in the outward shape of his body for God hath no shape neyther can be resembled to any thing that either is or can be imagined but in the inward holines of his soule the which is called in scripture The image of God whereof more hereafter Yet this is here to be noted that although man be by his originall and naturall state the sonne of God yet he is not so his sonne as is the second person of the Godhead who partaketh the very essence of the father whereas man hath not in him any part of gods essence but onely a shadow or light resemblance of it So that the second person is the sonne of God as is the natural sonne begotten by any man and therefore is of the substance of his father not differing from him in any respect saue only that the one is the father the other the sonne but man is the sonne of God so as he who is a son by some accidentall meanes as by law by adoption by tuition by susception or by any other way beside natural procreation For these sonnes do not participate the nature essence of their fathers but only do resemble them perhaps in countenaÌ„ce conditions name or in some such outward respect whereas in nature kinde and substance they are far differing from them But to proceed Man being not a senselesse or brutish but a reasonable creature is the son of God not he onely but also all the holy Angels who being likewise indued with the image of God are called the sonnes of God Iob. 1. 6. The sonnes of God came on a
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 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 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
generall renouation of their mindes and also sin it selfe by the infirmitie of the flesh And therefore they haue an accusing conscience which is nothing else but the sight or knowledge of sinne in themselues Hereof follow diuers effectes in them as namely feare in respect of those temporall punishments whervnto they by their sins haue layde themselues open Secondly an encrease of humiliation in regard thereof And lastly this accusing conscience is as a bit to restraine the faithful from sinne checking them as it were in the teeth with the iudgments of God which they doe by committing sin pull vppon thēselues Thus we see what is the accusing conscience of the faithfull which then worketh when they fall by force of temptation into some greate sinne otherwise it doth not greatly vex and trouble them Yet as sinne is neuer wanting so it is neuer altogether idle Now let vs consider the contrarie worke of the conscience excusing the faithfull before God the which it doth first in regard both of their owne inherent righteousnesse and also of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ. In the first respect their conscience excuseth them not as being perfectly iust but as those who are Gods faithfull seruants performing vnto him tho imperfect yet true vnfained and heartie obedience Thus doth the Prophet Dauid often in the psalmes offer his innocencie and integritie to the triall of God This excusing conscience dare not shewe his face before the iudgment seate of God where it would be found as a filthie and defiled clout but it commeth into the court of Gods mercie and loue who rewardeth the Godlinesse of his seruants with temporall blessinges and security from temporall iudgments But the true excusing conscience loketh on the perfect righteousnes of Christ by vertue whereof it doth iustifie and absolue the faithfull as being fully and perfectly iust and free from all guilt of sinne This excuser is he who only can abide the triall of Gods iustice who maketh the faithfull reioyce in all miseries yea secure in regard of danger It maketh them triumph ouer sinne Sathan hell death and damnation and replenisheth their heartes with such a perfect peace whereby they feele the ioyes of heauen euen whilst they liue vpon earth wherof whosoeuer hath once tasted may counte himselfe thrise happie This kinde of excusing conscience commeth of a true faith as doth the former kinde of the other partes of sanctification and of holinesse of life the one freeth the faithfull from the feare of temporarie euils as the other doth from the feare of eternall death Of both of them ariseth the assurance of saluation which is the vndoubted perswasiō and certaine knowledge of a faithfull man that he is one of those who shalbe made partakers of eternall glorie But against this doctrine many do obiect say that it is impossible for any man to attaine to any such knowledge seing that the eternall counsels and decrees of God are so secret that no man hath at any time knowen the minde of God or beene of his counsell in that behalf Againe that this knowledge is to be gotten if by any meanes then either by immediate reuelation or by arguments drawen from a mans owne estate as from some fayth or holinesse which he fyndeth in himselfe The first meanes is generallie reiected The other being vncertaine cānot be a sure foundatiō whereon to build this certaine perswasions Lastly that by this meanes there would a dore be set open to all licentiousnesse Godlesse securitie For what neede he who knoweth certainly that he shal be saued take paines and sustaine trouble griefe in working his owne saluatiō by a Godly holy life To this we answer confessing that the number of the reprobate or elect cānot be knowen and also that this knowledge is not gotten by any immediate reuelation yet affirming that euery faithfull man may be and ought to be assured of his owne saluation and that by that wounderfull worke of regeneration wrought in him by the holy spirite the which doth euen leade the faithfull man as it were by the hande into the secrete counsell of GODS eternall election and doth there let him see not the state of other men but his owne name written in heauen For they who are truelie regenerate are truely called they who are truely called are iustified they who are iustified are that is they shalbe as certainly certainely as if they were already glorified Rom. 8. 29. 30. And therefore the scripure speaketh of the faithfull as of those who haue already attained eternall saluation Ioh. 3. 8. Yea this is done not without good cause For the regeneration of this life and the eternall glorie of the life to come are not two diuerse states or conditions but onely diuerse degrees of the same condition eternall saluation being nothing else but the perfection of holinesse and happinesse whereof the faithfull haue in this life receaued some parte as a pledge and earnest-pennie of the whole So that they hauing alreadie as we say one foote in heauen and gotten possession of it neede not doubt of their saluation but may confidently say as it is 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We knowe not we hope or gresse that we are translated already not that we shalbe hereafter from death to life not by any immediate reuelation but because we loue the brethren that is because we feele our selues endued with renewed holinesse whereof the loue of the Godly is a notable part And with the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither death nor life neither Angels nor principalities neither thinges present nor thinges to come can separate me from the loue of God in Christ. But it may be further obiected that although true regeneration be a certaine signe and forerunner of saluation yet it is hard for a man to knowe whether his regeneration be true or onely a shadow and resemblance which is often in the reprobate and although he haue true faith and holinesse at one time yet he may loose and lack them at an other and so dispossesse himselfe of that estate of saluation wherein he was In both which respectes He that thinketh that he standeth ought to feare least he fall rather then to boast of the certaintie of his saluation We answere that true regeneration is not so small a matter neither maketh so light a chaunge in a man but that it may be plainely discerned where it is present Neither is it any vncertaine thing which may be lost but wheresoeuer it is there it doth euidently appeare at one time or at an other and where it once appeareth there it alwaies abideth For regeneration being a totall and a supernaturall change of the minde will affections thoughtes wordes and dedes of a man cannot be hid or doubtfull for any long time but will shewe it selfe both to the eyes of other men and much more to the conscience of the beleeuer himselfe For all though it commeth
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
in the minde knowledge being put for affiaunce as the cause is often put for the effect Thus Coll. 2. 2. Faith is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance and certaine preswasion of the vnderstanding and so throughout the wholle scripture faith is made nothing else but beleefe and to haue faith nothing but to beleeue that the worde promises and threatnings of GOD are true But in trueth to make vp the full nature of fayth there must be added to this action of the minde an action of the heart and will to wit affiaunce We confesse that there is a kinde of faith which is a meere perswasion of the minde as namelie that which is called the fayth of miracles whereby a man being perswaded of the power and will of GOD for the effecting of strange thinges doth by vertue of that knowledge worke miracles but this fayth doth not concerne the saluation of man and therefore doth not belong to our purpose In the second place the definition giueth vs to vnderstand that the obiect or thing whereat fayth aimeth and where about it is conuersant is not anie particular blessing or good whatsoeuer but full and perfect happinesse which containeth in it all graces blessings pleasures and ioyes whatsoeuer doe anie waie make for the good and excellent estate of man Likewise the promises of GOD whereon faith relieth are those which are made concerning happinesse Yet sometimes it pleaseth GOD to make some one particular and temporarie blessing a signe and pledge of eternall and vniuersall happinesse and then the faith of the beleeuer relieth it selfe first and immediatly vppon the saide particular promise and on the blessing therein contained but it doth not rest there but through that particular obiect doth see and take holde of eternall happinesse Thus GOD promised to Abraham being nowe stricken in yeares a sonne this promise Abraham did fully apprehende by faith and by this meanes became happie and was accounted iust before GOD. Rom. 4. 22. Abraham beleeued God promising a sonne vnto him this his particular faith was accounted to him for righteousnesse for that in that one blessing he saw the infinite treasures of Gods mercy loue and bountie propounded vnto him Although we might answere another way saying that the obiect of Abrahams faith was not onely Isaac but also Christ the sauiour of the worlde who was to come of Isaac and to make all the nations of the earth happie Likewise Math. 9. The man sicke of a palsey vnder his bodily and temporarie health looked for eternall saluation as Christ the searcher of the harte doth witnesse saying to him thy fayth hath saued and purchased to thee thy former health withall pardon of sinnes vvhich is euerlasting happinesse Heereof ariseth a third point to be considered to vvit that this faith doth after a speciall manner both tie man to God and so bring forth all the rest of the partes of holinesse for as this is ingrafted into the nature of all liuing creatures to preserue themselues in a good estate so especially those vvhich are indued vvith reason namely Angels and men as soone as the exist they do in the first place bend all the force of their mindes to seeke out some meanes of continuing and increasing their ovvne happinesse The meanes vvhich doe in this consideration offer themselues are of tvvo sorts the first is the onely true meanes euen God the fountaine of all happines on whose word promises made touching their happy estate they by faith depend and rely themselues and so they are ioyned to God for euer The other means is the creature it selfe trusting not in God but in it selfe vvhereof hereafter Thus faith in that it ioyneth vs to God it conueyeth from God to vs as all happinesse so also all spirituall graces and holinesse the meanes of happinesse in the vvhich respect it may be called the fountaine of all the holinesse follovving euen as vvhen vvater is brought from a fountaine or spring to any place somewhat distant by pipes of wood lead or clay the first pipe which ioyneth all the rest to the fountaine may be said to giue the water to the rest so doth faith conuey the graces following to vs and that both by the immediate extraordinary blessing of God who multiplieth his graces vpon the creature cleauing vnto him in ful affiance as men vsually giue howses land and all thinges needful to those that rely themselues vpon them as also by meanes inherent in the reasonable creature the which loueth honoureth and serueth God not for nought but as the giuer of all happinesse and so doe all the rest of the affections and faculties of mans soule follow both that light of the minde which faith bringeth with it or rather which bringeth forth faith commonly called beliefe and also faith it selfe The last words of the definition which mentiō the perfect holines of man giue vs to vnderstād that the only means of being happy is to be first perfectly holy as hath been heretofore often declared Thus much of the generall doctrine of faith now we come to the kinds of faith the which are two in number the first is the faith of the first estate to wit that wherewith Adam was indued in his creation the second is the faith of the third estate to wit that wherof all the regenerate are made partakers so that the first is a created the second a recreated faith The which two kindes as they do agree in all those pointes which haue beene declared in the former section so they differ in that which followeth The difference ariseth of the diuers kinds of that perfect holines which is mentioned in the generall definition of faith For the faith of the first estate looketh for happinesse by righteousnes inherent in the person of the beleeuer and by his own natural holines but the faith of the third estate maketh men happy by imputed righteousnes supernatural holines The cause of this difference is this God created man perfectly holy therefore he might wel looke that he should retaine that holines which was bestowed vpō him but man by his fal lost his holines therefore being now sinful vnrighteous must in this third state cloth himself with the righteousnes of some other So that in both states perfit holines is the means of attaining happines but in the first state this holines is inherent in Adams person in the second it is had from another And therefore the first kind of faith is to be defined affiance in Gods promises propounding happines to the natural proper or inherent holines of the reasonable creature whether man or Angell This faith is vsually called legall faith although not properly seing that this name agreeth also to the euangelical faith the which doth require perfect obediēce the absolute fulfilling of the morall lawe for whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ fulfilleth the lawe and hath legall iustice by the death of Christ
they do not directly tend to his glory But the worshippe of God in this state of innocencie consisteth especially in cenfession which is an open acknowledging and declaring of Gods glory in regard of his infinite and vnspeakable power iustice wisdome trueth loue and bountie shining in the creation and administration of the worlde and especially in them selues the most excellent and happy creatures Thus do the angels in heauen worship God Reue. 7. 11. 12. And all the Angels stood round about the throne and the elders and the foure beastes and they fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen praise glorie wisdome thankes honour power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen Thus shall the faithfull worshippe God in the state of glory and therefore this was Gods worshippe in the state of innocencie wherein we are not to thinke that Adam offred sacrifices of beastes and other thinges to God as we reade that his two sonnes Cain and Abel did Gen. 4. 3. 4. for there were no types in this state because the mediatour was neither promised nor prefigured yea there was no sinne in it and therefore no effusion of bloud in sacrifices the which two namely sinne and death goe together But the sacrifices in this state were the calues of mans lippes euen his continuall giuing of prayse and thankes to God Yet there was vse also of prayer or inuocation as hath bene declared Chap. 7. Sect. 1. Secondly it is the duety of the creature to moue in the creator that is to feele perceaue knowe and acknowledge that all the motions of it selfe all the mutations which may any way happen to it as the first comming of it into the worlde the encreases which it hath yea all the faculties of performing any action come from God Act. 17. 28. In God we liue moue and haue our being The last duety of the creature is to rest contented howsoeuer it pleaseth God to dispose of it without murmuring or repining no not at the vtter distruction of it selfe This the Apostle teacheth vs not to be so presumptuous as to aske of God for what cause he hath elected some men to life and reiected the rest saying Who art thou ô man that pleadest with God shall the thing formed say to him that made it why hast thou made me thus hath not the potter power ouer his clay to make some vessels to honour some to dishonour Sect. 2. Of mans rebellion against his creator THe last kinde of mans rebellion is that whereby he is wanting in that duety for the performing whereof he and all other thinges in the worlde were created The duety is the aduancing and setting foorth of the glory of God the which man in his corrupt estate doth not onely not enlarge as he shoulde doe but also in all his actions and in the whole course of his life greatly hinder and obscure for although he do in his eternall confusion glorifie God by manifesting his power and iustice yet this glory is not giuen by man but taken and extorted by God and therefore it is no holy duety wherein this is especially required that it be performed voluntarely without compulsion As touching the worshippe of God whereby he is chiefly glorified the Apostle teacheth vs Rom. 1. 21. that although man haue some little knowledge of God by nature yet he doth not glorifie him as God neither is thankefull vnto him but becommeth extreamely foolish in turning the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of corruptible thinges and as of beasts birds yea of creeping things the basest of all other And so doth dishonour God more then can be spoken Thus do all carnall men worshippe God for although they be not all so mad as to cast them selues downe before stocks and stones yet they are all Idolatours making either their monie their belly their honour or some other worldly thing their God whom onely they serue in deed and heart Likewise as touching the other duety whereas they shoulde be wholly moued and ordered by God as by the fountaine and beginning of all thinges and directed by his spirite in euerie thing that they do they are moued by the spirite of Sathan by his suggestions and by the corrupt lustes and desires of their owne flesh to all euill Likewise for the last dutie namely contentation men are contente that God should do good to them but they take it in snuffe that he shoulde dispose of them otherwise then they thinke is for their good whereof to let other instances passe it commeth that the doctrine of Gods eternall reprobation is so curiously scanned so hardly receaued yea oppugned and reiected by many Sect. 3. Of the renewed subiection of man to his creator BVt it is farre otherwise with the faithfull who as soone as they are renewed by Gods spirite and so made newe creatures doe foorthwith make the glorie of God the square and rule of all their actions alwaies doing that whereby it may be most aduaunced yea they make it the last marke and end whereat the whole course of their liues shall wholly aime insomuch that they make this account with themselues that if they can hit this marke by procuring Gods glorie in any good measure yea tho it be with the losse of their owne liues they thinke that they gaine much by the bargaine They glorifie God first in the common actions of their life for they meet with nothing so meane and base which will not afforde them some matter to acknowledge the wisdome and goodnesse of God Secondly in giuing to God his due worshippe by praying vnto him as to the onely giuer of all good thinges by giuing thankes vnto him from whom they haue receaued all those blessings whether temporall or spirituall which they enioy and lastly by praising God as in all other respectes so especially for that great and vnspeakable mercy which it hath pleased him to bestowe vpon his elect seruants In the state of innocency man praised God for his wisedome power and goodnesse shewed in the creation of the worlde for his iustice in rewarding the holinesse of his reasonable creatures with life and happinesse but now God hath put a new song of thankesgiuing into our mouthes wherein the faithfull sounde out the praises of that most louing gracious mercifull and pittifull God who hath forgiuen them all their sinnes and pardoned their iniquitie who hath redeemed their soules from the pit of euerlasting confusion and hath crowned them with mercy and compassions Psal. 103. 3. 4. And therefore this was an vsuall forme of thankesgiuing vsed in the Church from time to time Confesse vnto the Lorde or praise him and why because he is good because his mercy endureth for euer and euer As we may see Psal. 136. in euerie verse 2. Chro. 5. 13. and 7. 3. 6. and 20. 21. 1. Esd. 3. 11. This celebrating of the
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
affection consisteth in this that it be in greatnesse correspondent to the greatnesse of the euill diligently waied with the seuerall circumstances of it and also moderated and qualified with contentation in respect of the will of God by the which the said euill came to passe Sect. 2. Of corrupt ioy and sorrow THese affections ioy and sorrow doe remaine in the corrupt state of man yet after a farre diuerse manner for whereas before the ioy of man was chiefly in God in spirituall things now it is wholly in carnall sensuall and earthly pleasures before man neuer thought himselfe well but when he was praising seruing God meditating on his loue the manifold blessings receiued from him now man neuer thinketh on God if he by some outward meanes as the lawes of mē or the auoiding of the sham of the world be drawen to some spiritual exercise as is the hearing of the word praier or any other he taketh no manner of pleasure in it Yea it is irkesome tedious vnto him his minde and affections being set vpon worldly pleasures as namely in the abundance vanetie goodnesse and sweetnesse of meates and drinkes in sleepe and idlenesse in carnal and filthy lustes in pastime and merie companie in gorgeous apparrell statelie buildings large reuenewes in health strēgth riches honour and preferment in children friends and prophane knowledge or in some other of the same kind Not as if there might not a lawfull pleasure be taken in corporall and outward blessings as hath beene declared but man passing by God the giuer of all these blessinges placeth his whole ioy and felicitie in the fruition of them and so maketh them his Gods As the Apostle doth plainlie witnesse that the coueteous man is an idolatour He is not stirred vp by the sweetenesse which he feeleth in the vse of the creaturs to reioyce delight himselfe in God the giuer of them but is by them more alienated from God and being euen drunke with sensualitie forgetteth and contemneth God much more in prosperitie then in aduersitie and therefore God doth so often forewarne the people of Israel of forgetting him whenas they come into that pleasant land flowing with milke honny whither they went Hence it commeth that the ioy of a carnall man is vnconstant vncertaine and momentany euen as is the matter of his ioy For as no worldly thing is constant so the ioy which ariseth of worldly things must needes be vnconstant Yea while it doth continue it is not pure and sincere ioy but mingled with much sorrow and vexation of minde it being impossible that any man should haue such perfect ioy in this world in respect of worldly blessings as is voide of all manner of crosses and griefe And therefore Salomon saith Prou. 14. 13. That the hart of the wicked man is heauie euen while he laugheth and that sorrow is the end of his ioy Thus we see the sinfullnesse of mans ioy in this corrupt state Likewise his sorrow is not such as it ought to be he is indeede often grieued but not for the want of the fauour presence and grace of God not for his sins by the which he doth displease dishonour God not for the miserable estate of his soule rotting in ignorance atheisme infidelitie These things neuer trouble him but if he be in anie worldly miserie if in pouertie sicknesse danger prison in the displeasure of any greate and mightie man then he is ouerwhelmed and euen stricken deade with sorrow As for the miseries wherein he seeth other men to be the scripture doth often teach vs and daily experience doth testifie the same that a carnall man is cruell mercilesse voide of all pittie and compassion Sect. 3. Of holy ioy and sorrow IT now remaineth that we declare the holines of these affections in the state of regeneration wherein both ioy and sorrow haue so greate and continuall vse as that they may seeme to striue for the preheminence whether of them should beare the greater sway in the faithful Renewed ioy ariseth of the inward sense and feeling of the loue and mercie of God in Christ whereby a faithfull man knowing assuredlie that he hath attained remission of all his sinnes safetie and freedome from the anger and iudgements of God eternall happinesse with all spirituall and temporall blessings tending therevnto is and that not without good cause replenished in his soule with an exceeding and vnspeakable ioy in regard of this his happie state the greatnes whereof no man either knoweth or can expresse but he in whome it hath pleased God to worke it by his holie spirite Yea if we shall compare this renewed ioy with the ioy which man had in his first estate we shall see that the faithfull haue both greater cause of reioycing and greater ioy then man had in his perfect happinesse in that he hath not only attained to a more perfect absolute and certaine happinesse but also hath escaped the contrarie miserie euen the eternall wrath of God due vnto him for his sinnes whereof man had no taste in his first estate This ioy differeth from the ioy of the carnall man in many respectes the one reioyceth in God the other in the creatures the one in temporal vaine and momentanie the other in spirituall heauenlie and eternall things the one in the good estate of his bodie the other in the good estate of his soule The one sheweth his ioy in the vse of carnall pleasures the other in spirituall exercises Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the spirit speaking to your selues in psalmes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord in your heartes And lastly the one is continuall constant abiding yea florishing so much the more in the middest of the greatest afflictions Rom. 5. 3. Act 16. 15. The other is short and vncertaine being cleane dashed with the least crosse that doth happen This renewed ioy although it be so exceeding great as hath beene saide yet it is mixed and indeede tempered with much sorrow so it hath pleased God in great wisdome and mercy to giue to his children in this life not the absolute perfection of that ioy and happinesse which he hath prepared for them but rather to temper the exceeding sweetnesse of it with sorrow and afflictions that so the bitternesse of the one might make the other the more welcome and acceptable vnto them The causes of this sorrow are diuerse some in the faithfull themselues some in others in themselues first and cheifly their sinnes whereby they doe displease and dishonour God who hath shewed himselfe to them so gratious bountifull and mercifull Secondly the manifolde temptations crosses and afflictions which doe daily befal them these howsoeuer by the gratious assistaunce of Gods spirit they doe often encrease this spirituall ioy yet being bitter and oftentimes intollerable to flesh and bloude they doe preuaile against
long in these sinnes without repentance Yet no man denieth but that he was at that time and long before truely regenerate and endued with true faith But heere Sathan will reply and say if it be so that sauing faith may be ioyned with a sinful life what difference is there betwixt the elect and the reprobate who may haue a barren faith yea a faith which will bring foorth the fruite of an vnblameable life how knowest thou that the tree hath life but by the fruit or that thou art in any better state then a reprobate or then I my selfe who doe beleeue and tremble To this he maketh answere in this wise I know and confesse that no true faith is fruitlesse neither is my faith so For first I doe remember the time when as my faith did bring forth plentifull fruites in all respectes both towardes God and my brethren my life being free from the least spot of any greate sinne and I trust to see that time againe ere long Yea euen at this time wherein it hath pleased God to humble me by giuing thee power to tempt and ouercome me there is difference betwixt me and any hypocriticall reprobate whatsoeuer for my life is not defiled with many sinnes seeing thou canst not charge me with any saue only this or that sin to the which I doe giue place not alwaies but seldome not of any obstinate wilfulnesse but of humaine infirmitie not of set purpose but against my will my flat resolution hauing often fully determined with my selfe neuer to commit it Yea I will neuer cease frō vsing al meanes possible of being freed from it neither will I euer thinke my selfe in good case or that I can stoppe thy mouth till by the mercie of God that be fully brought to passe Thus much of the temptations of faith the which because of the great danger wherevnto the faithfull are brought by them are called by the Apostle Eph. 6. 16 The fierie dartes of Sathan Now to proceed from this decrease of faith whether it be lesse or greater commeth the like decrease of euerie part of renewed holines euen as the distēperatures of the heart and the hurt of the roote of a tree haue place in all the members of the bodie and in the whole stocke and euerie seuerall branch of the tree For as where there is no faith there is no holinesse so where there is litle faith there is litle holinesse as hath beene declared more at large in the chapter of faith There remaineth the other kinde of generall decrease to wit that wherein first the inferiour partes of sanctification are diminished and afterwardes faith it selfe the which way although it be not so readie and dangerous as the former yet it is more vsual for as whē a theife goeth about to spoile any mā of his goods if he offer to break in at the broadside of his house he is streghtway espied receiueth the repulse but if he vnder mine the house he may be within it and on the dweller before he be aware so when as Sathā cōmeth as it were blūtly to a christian and doth at the first dash moue him to forsake and renounce God by infidelitie his malicious purpose is soone espied for the most part so carefully resisted that he hath not any hope euer to preuaile by that means and to robbe the regenerate man of his renewed holinesse so that he is driuen to take an other way by the end for he will neuer giue ouer to go more closely to work First therefore whereas the faithfull man is not only godly after the vsuall and ordinarie manner in abstaining from grosse sins and performing those duties which are loked for at the handes of euerie Christian but also is verie forward and zealous in seruing God in setting forth his glorie in procuring the good of his Church and the edification of his brethren he maketh him to be wearie of this kinde of life and at length to giue it quite ouer yet so as that he yet remaineth as sincere a Christian as vnblamable in life and as diligent in seruing God as neede to be only whereas before he was more forward then was needfull as Sathan will make him beleeue and too busie in setting forth the gospell of Christ by all means so farre as his calling did permit now he imployeth all his time and care in procuring his owne safty ease pleasure wealth and honour all which he did verie much neglect before yet not by any euill means but so far forth as a Christian may do lawfullie and with a good conscience Afterward the same temptation cōtinuing the loue of God and the practise of godlinesse doth daily decrease till at length he become after a sort benummed dead euen keycold in matters of religion giuing himselfe wholly to the seeking and inioying of worldly pleasures so as if he looked for no other happinesse whereby it commeth to passe that his faith and affiance in God doth greatly decaye Thus the Apostle writeth 1. Timo. 5. 11. 12. That many younger widowes did shew the decrease of their faith loue and holinesse by leauing off to minister to the Church as they had done somtimes And this he plainly affirmeth of Demas 2. Timo. 4. 10. That he had forsaken him and the affaires of the Church and had embraced this present world And this may be seene in many Christians whose faith loue godlinesse and zeale compared at one time with that measure of grace which sometimes appeared in them will seeme to be nothing at all This kind of decrease happeneth especially in the time of prosperitie and of age For as affliction and miserie doe strike at the fayth of a Christian so the inioying of worldly pleasures in the time of prosperitie doth diminish the other partes of sanctification by the immoderate and vnlawfull seeking and vsing of earthly pleasures Likwise although this decrease may happen in any part of the life as hath beene declared of the younger widowes yet most commonly it is seene whenas Christians are somwhat growne in yeares haue gotten great wisdome and experience in the worlde the which doth by litle little steale away the heart of man from God to it selfe if great watchfulnesse and care be not had and are more linked and wedded to it then younger men although in all reason they should esteeme lesse of it This appeareth in the examples of the kinges of Iuda of whom many did in their age loose their first loue of God and of his worshippe Thus did Salomon Rehaboam Asa Ioas Achasia and Huzzia Lastly this kinde of decrease although it be not so violent as is that other which beginneth at faith yet in this one respect it is more daungerous namely because it cannot so soone be amended and repaired For as it vseth to be many yeares in growing before it come to the full so it gathereth to it selfe the strength of many reason pretenses defenses
worldly polices and shifts by the which a man flattereth himselfe in that palpable decrease as if he were in as good an estate as euer he was So that we may compaire the decrease of faith to a violent feuer the which as it may soone kill a man so it may soone be amended but this latter kinde is like vnto a lingering consumption wherein as a man pineth away by little and little not on a suddaine but liuing in it for the space of many yeares so he cannot be cured of it but in some longe space because it is so confirmed in all the members of his body Yet both these kindes of decreases are most fearefull conditions and those from the which it standeth euery Christian in hande dayly to desire the Lorde for his mercy sake in Christ to deliuer him and rather to take him out of this world being in the state of perfect godlinesse then to suffer him to fall so grieuously as no doubt he doth to many of his deare seruauntes Lastly it may here be asked what is the issue of these great falles which happen to the faithfull whether they continue in them till death or else recouer their former estate We aunswer that God as he doth for a time humble them vnder the tiranny of sinne Sathan and their owne corrupt fleshe so he doth in his good time shewe forth the powerfull and mighty vertue of his holy spirit which all this while lyeth lurking in the heartes of the faithfull being in the first moment of their regeneration giuen vnto them as an vnseparable guide and ruler to bring them through the manifolde temptations of Sathan and the hinderaunces of their saluation to the glorious presence of God in heauen By this meanes it commeth to passe that the faithful man doth after long struggling with his enimies yea after that he hath bene a long time in bondage vnder them yea cleane dead in outward appearaunce not onely recouer his former degree of holinesse but also become more strong in all spirituall graces then he was before as we reade Es. 40. 29. God will giue strength to him that is cleane wearied so that he shal goe from strength to strēgh renew his age as doth the eagle he shall bring fourth more fruite in his age and become more zealous in seruing God then he was at any time before Yet sometime it pleaseth God to make an end of these spirituall conflictes not by withdrawing the force of the temptation from the faithfull but by taking them frō it out of this worlde which is the kingdom of sathan to that state wherein they shall no more be troubled with any such temptation as may endaunger their saluation So that the faithfull doe sometimes departe this life as in the middest of temptation so in the decrease of holinesse Yet we are not to doubt of their saluation for he that is once engrafted and vnited to Christ by a true faith as all the regenerate are whether he dy in a holy life or in some sinne whether in repentaunce or in impenitency whether in full assuraunce of faith or in much doubting yea although he seeme to despaire of himselfe alwaies he dieth in Christ and therefore in the fauour of God and in the state of eternall life For in the greatest decrease of holinesse which can befall to a faithfull man there remaineth some sparkes of grace but especially the loue of God of his glory and of his children will shewe it selfe and also the roote of faith otherwise perhaps inuisible in the greatest agonie or tempest of temptation whatsoeuer CHAP. VIII Of the encrease of renewed holinesse AS in the naturall birth of man his body commeth into the worlde not so greate and strong as afterwarde it becommeth but little weake and impotent so in the spirituall birth of regeneration the soule of man is not in the first moment indued with perfection but with a small measure of renewed holinesse from the which it is to growe and goe on forwarde to a perfect estate For the first act of regeneration doth put into the faculties of the soule not the actuall habit of spirituall graces but the seedes and beginning of them which are continually to be increased by the worde and spirit of God Hence it is that the newe man in the faithfull hath his infancie wherein the graces of gods spirite are as yet in small measure In the which respect it is compared to a graine of mustard seede which being at the first the least of all seeds becommeth verie great and to leauen which at the first is in some one parte onely of the dowe but in time spreadeth it selfe ouer the whole lump This meannesse of spirituall strength appeareth euen in the Apostles themselues whome being as yet his disciples and schollers Christ doth often put in minde of the weakenesse of their faith Ioh. 6. 12. I haue many thinges to say vnto you but ye can not beare them now And Act. 19. 2. There were at Ephesus certaine beleeuing disciples who were so weake in knowledge that they were ignoraunt of the holy Ghost Likewise the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3. 1. 2. That he coulde not speake vnto them but as vnto babes in Christ not in knowledge but in practise and there fore coulde not giue vnto them any stronge meate but onely milke to drinke Of this weakenesse in capacitie and knowledge there is mention made Gal. 4. 19. Rom. 6. 19. Hereof commeth weaknesse in faith Rom. 14. And also necessarily the weaknesse of all the other partes of holinesse wherein no Christian ought to rest as contenting himselfe with that small measure of grace but ought rather to be caried forwarde to perfection Especially seing that this state of spirituall infancy is easely ouerthrowne and brought to nothing by the malice of sathan it being weake and not able to resiste the force of temptation And therefore although some doe abide longe in this weake estate and perhaps end their dayes in it yet vsually God giueth to those who are truely regenerate a daily increase a newe supply of grace insomuch that in a competente time they become of ripe age and of perfect strength in Christ. Wherevnto a christian is then come when as he is not destitute of any grace needfull for the performance of any christian duty but leadeth a life in euery respect holie and vnblamable proceeding from those spirituall graces which haue bene described in the third Sections of the first and second partes of this treatise And yet this perfect estate of a christian is not the highest degree of grace which may be attained in this life for besides and beyond that measure of grace which the faithfull doe ordinarely attaine vnto it pleaseth God to endue some of his seruantes with a more plentifull abundaunce of all spirituall graces as he promiseth Math. 25. 29. That to him that hath there shall more be