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
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
preachers of the glorie of God and so being admitted into the presence of God are there to beholde his glorie yet with this differēce that the Angels doe behold it more clearely in heauen and man more obscurely in earth Heerein consisteth the good estate of these creatures in that they are thus made partakers of the glorious presence of God and so ioyned to God For heereof it commeth that they are both happy and holy it being impossible that any thing which is ioyned to God who is happinesse and holinesse it selfe shoulde eyther lacke any good and pleasant thing or be any way polluted so that this coniunction of the reasonable creature with God wherein the excellency of this first estate consisteth is of two sortes the first may be called externall personall or locall whereby Angels and men enioying the presence of God are in place and after an outwarde manner ioyned to God this kinde of coniunction is perfect happinesse the other kinde is inwarde and spirituall when as the inwarde faculties of the creature as his minde and will doe wholly cleaue to God alone This kinde of coniunction is perfect holinesse and it is the meanes or the condition of the former coniunction for as soone as the creature ceaseth to be holie in the same moment it ceaseth to be happy and is straight way cast out of the presence of God So that the goodnesse of this first state consisteth in two things happinesse and holinesse from both which it hath the denomination from the first it is called the state of life for the scripture speaking to man speaketh after the manner of men vnto whome nothing is so acceptable as life because in it all pleasures are enioyned From the second it is called the state of innocencie because in it man stoode righteous and free from all guilt of sinne before God Sect. 2. Of the state of sin and death IN the next place we are to consider the seconde state of man as farre different from the first as is death from life sinne from innocencie darkenesse from light wretchednesse from happinesse vsually and fitly called the fall of mankinde Forvnto the absolute perfection o◠the aforesaid felicity this onely was wanting that it was mutable First of the causes authors and workers of this lamentable ruine secondly of the manner of it The actors in this tragedie are three God Sathan and Man all which haue a stroke in this action yet after a farre diuerse manner euen as their natures are diuerse For the first as the holy glorious and happy state of man so this sinful vile and miserable condition commeth from God yet not after the same sort for the good estate is properly directly immediately and wholly wrought by God but he doth onely suffer the euill state to be brought to passe by euill instruments yet this his permission is not idle but effectuall and working for God is not an idle looker on as if he had cast off the care of the world and of his creatures and left all at sixe and seauen as we vse to speake but hee hath a parte in this worke in that he did in his eternall counsell make an immutable decree of this fal of man and the meanes therof and that for the setting forth of his glorie which is the ende of all his decrees and actions whatsoeuer For howsoeuer it may seeme to derogate from the glorie of God that the reasonable creature beeing the fairest floure in his garden and the most excellent parte of his workmanshippe shoulde so soone be troden vnder foote and brought to nought yet in trueth GOD is greatly glorified by this meanes for hereby it appeareth first that God onely is constant eternall and the same for euer in that his most excellent creatures are so variable Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true and euerie man a lyar as it is written that thou mightest bee iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged For the which purpose the consideration of the shortnesse of the first state maketh very much for although it cannot be certainly defined howe long it continued yet this is agreed vpon by all that neither the Angels themselues nor yet man continued many daies in their innocency but fell away from God soone after that they were created Secondly the fall of these creatures doth shewe that God is iust in punishing sinne Thirdly it maketh a way for the state of saluation and so doth illustrate the mercy of God whereby he is most of all glorified yea the power wisedome trueth patience and in briefe the whole glory of God is by this meanes set forth and enlarged Thus much of the first actor The other two are the instruments whereby God bringeth his eternall counsell to passe and yet to all reason of man considering the whole storie of mans fall and the particulars thereof they are the onely agents the first authors and chiefe workers of this woefull state God hauing no hande or dealing in this matter but onely barely permitting them to doe what they list For the further declaration whereof it is needfull that wee make a narration of the particulars of this action and that by supposing GOD to speake to his reasonable creatures to witte Angelles and men in this manner You see howe that I haue made you the most excellent of all my creatures indueing you onely with a reasonable mind and will whereby you may knowe loue obey and honour me and so consequently enioy my presence wherein happinesse doth consist As long as you continue holy by obeying my worde so long shall you continue happie by enioying my presence But if at any time you doe by disobeying my commaundement loose this your holinesse you can no longer haue anie place in my presence or any fellowship with mee no more then darknesse and light can be together but shall incontinently be cast out of my sight and so become most wretched and miserable And therefore looke vnto your selues and to your owne estate beleeue these my promises and threatnings to be true content your selues with that state and degree wherein I haue placed you obey all my commaundements for the perfourmance whereof you are endued with all graces and faculties needfull so shal you be happie otherwise you shall die for euer In this most louing and fatherly counsell which God in the beginning gaue to his children being created after his owne similitude the reasonable creature resteth for some shorte time but afterward maketh this reply although not in word yet in minde and heart yea in deed and in outward action Wee hauing considered your wordes and our present state do see and find that neither the one is wholly true nor the other so happy as you doe make it we confesse that we are in betrer state then other creatures yet we cannot heerein rest for we see a higher degree of honour glory pleasure and happinesse yea a greater measure of knowledge whereof we knowe that
entisements in all things Lastly as touching supplication which we make the third filial duty man is so wholly alienated from God that what necessitie soeuer do pinche him he hath not either the minde or the will and as we vse to speake neither the heart nor the face once to go to God by humble prayer for helpe He flyeth to worldly meanes as to his own wisdome strength riches and friendes and if all faile yet he will rather seeke for helpe by sorcery and witchcraft at the hands of his newe father the diuell then he will by prayer call vpon the name of God Thus are all vnregenerate men affected howsoeuer in a shew of religion or as a common prouerbe they will somtimes say God helpe me or God be mercifull to me whereas in trueth they being destitute of faith haue no confidence in God neither any hope of obtaining any thing at his hand Neither is there any cause why they shoulde thinke otherwise for God doth not heare and helpe but detest and plague vnbeleeuers Sect. 3. Of filiall subiection renewed THus we see how man is altogether spoiled by the malice of Sathan of this excellent dignitie of being the sonne of God but by the mercie of God he recouereth it in the state of regeneration in as ample manner as he had it in his first creation For as all naturall men are in Adam vngratious bastardes so they become the sonnes of God in Christ not by partaking his eternall and essentiall filiation whereof no creature is capable but by being renewed and made conformable to the holinesse of his humaine nature For as man lost this dignitie by loosing the image of God to wit his perfect holinesse by vertue whereof he onely of all earthly creatures was the sonne of God so being nowe by the spirite of God restored to the saide image of God he is together restored to the dignitie of being the sonne of God Ioh. 1. 12. As many as beleeued in him to those he gaue power to be the sonnes of God For as we read 2. Pet. 1. 4. We are made partakers of his diuine nature that is of the image or resemblaunce of the diuine nature in that we fly the corruption of lust which is in the world From this prerogatiue of being the sonnes of God the scripture speaking to men according to the manner of men whose sonnes do in time enioy their fathers possessions stirreth vp the faithfull to an vndoubted expectation of eternall glory Gal. 4. 7. We are no more seruantes but sonnes and the heires of God through Christ Rom. 8. 17. If we be sonnes then are we heires the heires truly of God and the fellow heires of Christ and 1. Iohn 3. 2. We are nowe the sonnes of God although our inheritaunce doth not appeare till Christ appeare Nowe to proceed As the faithfull are restored to this dignitie so they are indued by the spirite of God with the disposition belonging to it being so affected to God as children ought to be to their naturall fathers They reuerence him aboue al thinges in the worlde in worde and deed in minde harte and in all their behauiour The great securitie and certainty which they haue of their owne good estate doth not make them any way presumptuous neither doth the familiarity which God vouchsafeth to haue with them as with freindes Ioh. 15 15. Breed in them any contempt of God but they stand continually in awe of him and of his glorious presence yeelding to him his due honour both in word deed and affection whensoeuer they haue any occasion to deale with him This we may obserue as in the other seruants of God so especially in Abraham who although he was the friend of God as he is called Iam. 2. 23. And had familiar conuersation and talke with God as one friende vseth to haue with another yet he durst not speake the second time to God in the behalfe of the Sodomites without vsing some preface of reuerence saying Gen. 18. 27. Behold I haue taken vpon me to speake to God who am but dust and ashes And againe Vers. 30 let not my lord be angrie if I speake for them This affection of the faithfull is described Psal. 123 As the eyes of the seruant are vpon his lord and as the handmaid doth modestly waite in presence of her mistris so are we affected to God Likewise for the second duty which is Imitation the faithfull man endeuoureth by all meanes to conforme himselfe to the absolute puritie and holinesse of God Whereof the Apostle hauing wise consideration vseth the examples of Christes death and resurrection as most forcible argumentes to enforce the mortification of sinne and the viuification of all holynesse in vs Rom. 6. and Eph. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as beloued children Lastly As a sonne being pinched with any griefe or want doth straight way run to his father for reliefe so doe the faithfull in the manifolde miseries and crosses of this present life seeke for helpe at the handes of their heauenly father For the which purpose they are indued with a notable gift of God called the spirit of prayer that is the grace ability or faculty of praying wrought in them by the holy spirite This grace of God is diligently to be declared and considered for that of all the partes of mans holinesse none is a more vnfallible signe of true regeneration then is this gift of prayer whereby a man is made able willing and ready to pray aright vnto God as the present occasion doth require For this gifte consisteth of many particular graces of Gods spirit the which are needfull for the right performance of this duety and cannot be founde in any carnall man First there is required the true knowledge of those things which belong vnto the good happy state of man which is not attained but by the worke of the holy spirite Rom. 8. 26. We know not for what to pray as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmity For all men generally and naturally feele their temporall wants as pouerty sicknesse shame and whatsoeuer belongeth to the maintenance of this present life but as for spirituall graces as the knowledge and feare of God faith loue patience and the rest which concerne their eternall saluation they neuer trouble themselues in seeking them or are greeued for the want of them nay for the most part they neuer thinke of any such matter or knowe what these thinges meane Besides none can pray aright yea although he be enlightned with some knowledge of the spirituall state of man and haue a glimmering of the thinges belonging vnto it as a carnal man may haue vnlesse he haue true faith wherby he may be assured that god both loueth him and wil graunt his requests Rom. 10. 14. The Apostle maketh it impossible for him who doth not beleeue in God to call vpon him But the
for any to enter who is not perfectly holy then it is for palpable darkenesse to be there whereas the sunne shineth clearely at noone day and therefore seeing holinesse is tyed to happinesse by such an vnspeakable bond it is needfull that wee do heere speake of holinesse wherewith as with a wedding garment euery one must be clothed who desireth to enter into Gods paradise Holinesse therfore is as hath beene before touched The spirituall coniunction of the reasonable creature with God as happinesse is his personall or locall coniunction with him For then eyther Angell or man is perfectly holy when as in his spirite or soule in his vnderstanding will affections and all the actions proceeding from them he cleaueth to God in perfect obedience knowing beleeuing choosing louing fearing and obeying him aboue all thinges so as not onely the outward actions but also the inward faculties yea the whole nature be pure in the sight of God without any spot or blemish of sinne Both which to wit the holinesse of the natural faculties and of the outward actions we will ioyne together in this treatise for the greater euidence of the doctrine This holinesse although it might be handled according to the order of the seuerall partes and faculties of mans soule yet we will rather distinguish it into these two parts Subiection to God and Conformity to God whereof the first containeth all those parts of mans holines which he oweth to God as to his superiour and which haue no resemblance to any part of Gods nature for that God is in no respect subiect to any the other those wherein man is like to God resembling some part of Gods nature so as that he may be said to haue those faculties in common with God although after a farre diuerse manner for man is then truely holy when as he is subiect to God in conformitie and like to God in due subiection For so it pleased God to put in man his owne image or the similitude and resemblance of his own nature yet not making him his mate or equall but euery way subiect and inferiour to him Mich. 6. 8. O man God sheweth thee what is good that is wherein thy holinesse doth consist namely in this that thou humble thy selfe to walke with thy God For the first the subiection which man oweth to God is not of one kind but generall containing in it all kindes of subiection whatsoeuer to wit that which the loyall subiect oweth to his prince the sonne to his father the seruant to his master the scholer to his teacher the creature to the creator in all which respectes man ought to be subiect to God performing all those dueties to him which any inferiour oweth to his superiour as in particular consideration will more plainly appeare Sect. 2. Of the sinfulnesse of man MAn by that one offence committed against God in eating the forbidden fruite did wholly loose both the iustice of his person and also the inherent purity of his nature For the first we knowe that disobedience and rebellion against God appeareth as well in one wilfull transgression as in many for no man is to be counted iust and innocent who is stained with any one grieuous crime and therefore as we read Iam. 2. 10. whosoeuer keeping the whole lawe beside transgresseth any one part or precept he is guilty of the breaking of the whole lawe But the resolution of the other question is much harder for it is not so easy to shew howe that one sinne did cleane take away the holynesse which was inherent infixed and euen ingrauen by the finger of God in the nature of man as we know that the transgression of Adā depriued both him and his posterity of that light of the minde of the actuall in clmation of his will to good onely and of whatsoeuer else was good in him For as the Poets doe fable of certaine men who by drinking a charmed potion were made of reasonable men brute and sauage beasts so we know that the eating of the forbidden fruite did make as great a metamorphosis or change in Adam who by this meanes was stript naked of all and euery parte of that holynesse wherewith he was before endued But whence came this wonderfull altertion whether from God spoling man of all those holy garmentes wherewith he had decked him before or from man himselfe makeing a totall apostasie from God Not from God whose giftes are without repentance and whose nature is farre from any such inconstancie but from man Yet not from any wilfull desire or purpose of renouncing God and all holynesse but by the craft of sathan and the nature of sinne which as leauen once getting place neuer resteth till that it soure the wholle lumpe be it neuer so great So man after that he had once inclined his will to disobey God and admitted vnbeleefe into his minde coulde not keepe his affections and actions from the contagion of sinne Adam perhaps thought that to eate the forbidden fruite was but a single and small offence but sathan knewe very well that it was a grieuous and an vniuersall Apostasie from God as it prooued in the euents For whilest the sweetnesse of the fruite was yet in the mouth of Adam the venim and poyson of it did pierce into the most secret partes of his soule leauing no part vncorrupted or free from the filthynesse of sinne For when as once the light of his minde was darkned by the delusion of the diuell in somuch that he thought euill to be good and the way leading to extreame miserie to be the onelie meanes of the greatest happinesse it coulde not be but that his will affections actions and all the faculties both of body and soule should be corrupted for that one of them doth followe the disposition of an other so that a corrupt minde bringeth a peruerse will and a sinnefull will maketh inordinate affections both which encrease the darkenesse of the minde and also defile all the outward actions Thus Adam lost the puritie of his nature by continuing in his sin whereinto he had fallen adding one measure of sinfulnesse to an other till at length he came to a constant habit naturall disposition of sinfullnesse And as he was himselfe sinfull so he left his sinfulnesse to his posteritie the which in respect of him is called originall corruption Ps. 51. 7. I was fashioned in sinne and in inquitie did my mother conceaue me This originall sinne is that corrupt estate of mans nature wherein all the faculties and powers of it are altogether vnapt and impotent to the doing of any good and wholly disposed and enclined to the committing of sin or more briefly the spiritual separation of man from God whereby it commeth to passe that he neither doth nor can either knowe or beleeue either loue or feare either obey or honour God or be in any respect so affected towards him as he ought to be This spirituall
who seeing or hearing of Iesus the sonne of Mary liuing in so miserable a condition and dying so shamefull a death as he did would either beleeue him to be the eternall and omnipotent God of heauen and earth or to be able to saue others who did not saue himselfe from death or what man especially if he were indued with naturall witte and humane wisdom would forsake all the commodities profites pleasures and ioyes of this present world and indure the sorrowes reproches troubles losses dangers and manyfolde crosses whereunto the godly are subiect in this life in hope of an other life which is to all reason not onely vncertaine but also incredible Hence it is that the number of beleeuers is as nothing in respect of the infinite multitudes of vnbeleeuers who are almost as many as there are men in the world and that the more a naturall man doth excell in wit and wisdome the more vncapable of faith he is 1. Cor. 1. 27. Brethren saith the Apostle beholde your calling that not many wise men after the fleshe not many noble mightie or riche are called to fayth but God hath chosen foolish and weake things to confounde the wise Yea this difficultie of beleeuing is greater in these last dayes then euer it was before as Christ himselfe teacheth vs Luc. 18. 8. saying Thinke ye that the sonne of man when he commeth shall finde fayth on the earth And to the same effect Mat. 24. 12. 22. Because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall wax colde insomuch that vnlesse those dayes were shortned no fleshe should be saued The cause of this defect of fayth is first the aboundance of sinne before mentioned in that the sinnes of all ages doe euen flow together into the last as into a common sinke Secondly the state of the Church vnto the which God doth not reueale himselfe so manifestly and sensibly as he did in the first ages of the world in apparitions of Angels in visions and dreames invisible formes and sensible voyces speaking familiarly with his seruants as one man doth with another in holy oracles giuing answere to euery question propounded in temporall blessings bestowed on the faithfull and in corporall punishments laid on the wicked in the extraordinary giftes of prophecy and immediate reuelation of speaking straunge languages and working miraculous things By these and diuerse other meanes God did so plainely reueale himselfe to the old world that they who did not beleeue his word may be said to haue bene such as would giue no credence to their own senses But in these last ages God hauing once reuealed himselfe in his sonne in the gospell sufficiently for the saluation of the elect yea in trueth farre more clearely then euer he did before doth not any longer reueale himself by any of the aforesaid meanes but as it were hideth himselfe in secrete insomuch that he seemeth to most men eyther not to exist at all or else to haue wholly cast off the care and gouernment of the world and therefore men cast off all faith beleife and feare of God In regard of the which difficulties it standeth euery one in hand who tendereth his owne saluation to be both watchfull in preseruing faith and also diligent and carefull in seeking for it For howsoeuer no carefulnesse can without the blessing of God work faith in the hartes of men yet it is in the power of man to vse the outward meanes of attaining it the which whosoeuer doth as he ought to doe he neede not doubt of successe for so much as God is neere at hand to al those who seeke him Yea further whenas we suppose that we are indued with a true sauing faith we are to take heede least we be deceaued with that common errour of men who when they are ignorant of God and of his word and haue in their harts scarse any shadowe of true faith yet they are not ashamed to professe that they doe and alwaies did trust in Christ whereof if anie man doe doubt and beginne to examine their faith whether it be true or counterfait then they are grieuously offended thinke they haue great iniury offred But we are to thinke farre otherwise and knowing that true faith is a very rare thing not easelie to flatter our selues in a false opinion of it but rather to take a straite examination of our faith the which that we may the better doe we will now come to the fourth point namely to the signes whereby true faith may be discerned The signes are 〈◊〉 euen so many as there are in a regenerate man spiritual graces and seuerall partes of holinesse all which come from faith as from a fountaine or roote and therefore will certainely declare the sincerity of it as good fruite and sweete water shewe the goodnesse of the tree and fountaine and therefore he that would know â—ow vnfained his faith is must looke at the sincerity of his knowledge loue feare reâ—erence and obedience which he oweth to God if these graces be plentifull in his life his heart is truely replenished with faith but if this fruit doe not appeare his faith is not a liuing tree planted by the riuers of Gods blessings but a dead stocke hauing nothing but the outward forme of a tree But we shall haue better occasion to entreate of the signes of true faith when we compare it with that temporary faith which often hath place in the reprobate The fift question is whether this faith may be lost or no whereunto we answere as hath beene said before of regeneration in generall that where it is once truely imprinted in the heart by the finger of God there it remaineth for euer and although it be subiect to many alteratioÌ„s in regard of the greatnesse or meannesse of it yea although it seem somtimes to be cleane dead at the root bringing foorth little or no fruit yet there remaineth life hidden in the heart as there doth life and sap in trees in the middest of winter when they seeme to be dead and withered For the conuersion of a maÌ„ from infidelity to faith worketh such a total strange change in him that it is impossible that one should become of a faithfull man an vnbeleeuer The last question is how it commeth to passe that of all the spirituall graces which are in the mind will and affections of man and of all the partes of mans holinesse this onely should haue in it this wonderful vertue and force to apprehend Christ and to make a man perfectly iust before the iudgement seat of Christ and why not the true knowledge of God vnfained loue the feare of God or a generall holinesse of life and conuersation should not as well iustify a man as this one affection of confidence or affiance Whereunto we answere that this meanes of iustifying men by faith onely doth most of all make for the glory of God the which is the last end of al the decrees actions
praises of God the godly count the greatest pleasure and happinesse in the worlde Psal. 62. 6. My mouth is filled euen as it were with marrowe and fatnesse that is with the most sweete and pleasant thinges when as I prayse the Lorde saith the prophet and againe Psal. 84. 5. Blessed are they that stande in thy courtes ô God for why they shall euermore be praising thee For although the faithfull might praise God though they liued out of the Church in a wildernesse yet for the greater aduancement of Gods glory they desire and labour that they may praise God not among wilde beastes and trees but in the assembly of Gods people as it were before many witnesses Nowe as touching the second duety of the creature which is to moue onely in the creator and by vertue receiued from him we knowe that as the bodies of the faithfull doe not moue themselues but are moued by the power of the soule within their bodies so neyther their bodies nor soules are moued by any other power but by the holy spirite of God for they doe not thinke their owne thoughtes desire their owne pleasures speake their owne wordes or doe their owne workes but are wholly moued and ordered by the spirite of God Lastly this property of a faithfull man is worthy to be noted that he is not onely patient in regard of the greatest euils which can be laid vpon him in in this worlde as hath beene declared in the chapter of Filiall subiection but also woulde be content if that it shoulde please God to destroy him vtterly and eternally Iob. 13. 15. If God kill me shall I not trust in him so Dauid saith 2. Sam. 15. 26. If I haue found fauour in the eies of God hee wil bring me backe againe to see the place of his worship but if he say I haue no pleasure in him what then beholde here I am let him doe to me whatsoeuer seemeth good in his owne eyes CHAP. XI Of mans subiection to God as to an husband THus wee see the diuers kindes of the renewed subiection of man correspondent to the kindes of created subiection to the which there is one other kinde of subiection to be added the which was not in the state of innocency and therefore coulde not be lost by the fall of man This is the subiection of the wife to the husband by the which bond it hath pleased God of his vnspeakable mercy and loue to tie the faithfull to himself so that they should be to him not onely as subiectes sonnes seruantes schollers and creatures but also as his espoused wife This straunge mariage is celebrated and extolled in that song of songes the which is wholly to be vnderstood of this spirituall mariage betwixt God and the faithfull likewise it is set downe Ephe. 5. verse 22. to verse 33. The husband is the wiues head as Christ is the head of the Church therefore as the Church is in subiection to Christ so ought wiues to be to their husbands This kinde of subiection is called Ephe. 5. 32 A great mysterie and therefore it needeth to be explained after this manner The riches of the loue and mercy of God redeeming man from sinne and death is so exceeding great as that he thinking it a small matter to restore him to that perfect and excellent estate from the which he fell doth aduance him to a higher degree both of holinesse of happines Hence it cōmeth that man is more nearely ioyned to God then he was before both in subiectiō in conformity But what bond of subiectiō can ioine man more neerely vnto God then the sonne is to his father after the which manner man was before ioyned to God as hath beene declared We answere that although this coniunction which is betwixt the sonne and the father be verie great yet the worde of God teacheth vs that a greater may be giuen to wit that which is betwixt the wife and the husband for this coniunction maketh two distinct persons to become one person and one flesh Mat. 19. 5 but that other coniunction hath no such strange effect And therefore it hath pleased god in mercy to tie knit man to himselfe not only with those bonds of subiection wherewith he was tied to him in the state of innocency but also with this newe and most straite bonde taking all the faithfull vnto himselfe not onely as his loyall subiectes as faithfull seruantes as toward schollers as orderly creatures and lastly as naturall sonnes but also as a most deare and beloued wife ioyned to himselfe with such an indissoluble bond of loue on his part and such loyall affection on their partes as shall neuer be broken euen as the husband taketh to himselfe his beloued spouse on whom he will bestowe all his loue riches care and whome he will defend against all euils and dangers whatsoeuer This contract made betwixt GOD and his Church is set downe Ezech. 16. the wordes are many yet worthy to be remembred Nowe when I went by thee and looked vpon thee behold◠thy time was come yea euen the time to wooe thee then spred I my clothes ouer thee to couer thy dishonesty yea I made an oth vnto thee contracted my self with thee saith the Lorde God and so thou becamest mine owne Then washed I thee with water and purged thy bloud from thee and I annointed thee with oyle I clothed thee with broidred worke and shodde thee with badgers skinne and I girded thee about with fine linnen and couered thee with silke I decked thee with costly apparrell I put braselets vpon thy handes a chaine about thy necke and I put a frontlet vpon thy face and earings vpon thine eares and a beautifull crowne vpon thine head Thus wast thou decked with gold and siluer and thy raimente was of fine linnen and of silke and of broidred worke thou diddest eate fine flowre home and oyle marueilous wast thou and thou diddest luckilie prosper into a kingdome and thy name was spread among the heathen forthy beautie c. For the further declaration hereof if we do consider the notable resemblance which is betwixt mariage and this new coniunction of man to God we shall haue greate cause to admire the wisdome of the holy ghost who in enditing the scriptures doth paint out such darke mysteries with so liuely colours and doth so fit earthly types to spirituall thinges The grounde of this newe coniunction whereby man is more nearely firmely and surely tied to God then he was before is the incarnation of Christ wherein our nature was inseparably vnited to the godheade in one person euen as the wife which before was of a diuers kinde bloude and name being now espoused to her husband becommeth one flesh bloude and bone with him yea one person called by one and the same name so that as the wife being thus as it were incorporated to her husband is more nearely
ioyned to him then anie other whosoeuer whether sonne kinsman orfriende and may more confidently looke to be enriched and protected by him so the faithfull being now in the humaine nature of Christ thus espowsed made one person with GOD are more nearely ioyned to him then man was in the state of innocencie wherein God did not take vnto him selfe the nature of man and therefore did not acknowledge man to be as his beloued spouse and a part of his owne person but only as his subiect seruant scholler creature and sonne All which are distinct persons from the King maister teacher creator and father and so may more certainly and vndoubtedly looke to be not only protected and saued from death by the strength of God their new husband but also to be enriched by him with all spirituall and heauenly blessings belonging to a holy and happie estate Thus we see the manner of this new subiection the duties belonging to it are all those which a dutifull wife oweth to her husband as namely that she please him and cleaue inseparably to him For the first as the Apostle writeth 1 Cor. 7. 34. As she that is maried careth for worldly things how she may please her husband so ought the faithfull endeauour by all meanes to please their heauenly husband by being pure both in bodie and soule doing all those things which they know are acceptable in his sight especially by performing the second duty to wit that they renounce all other things in the world and cleaue fast to God without separation euen as the wife forsaketh father mother sisters brethren kinred acquaintance and betaketh her selfe wholly to her husband This dutie of the church to Christ is notably described Psal 45. 11. 12. Heare ô daughter encline thine care forgette thy people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lord and worshipp thou him Yea there can no wife haue so good cause to performe all loyall dutie to her husband as the faithfull haue in respect of God For if it should please some greate prince to aduance some base poore and miserable woman to the dignitie of being his wife all men would say that she could not by any duties of subiection shew her selfe sufficiently thankfull how then shall sinfull man who of himselfe is the most wretched creature in the world but is now espowsed to God the King of Kings behaue himselfe in any measure so dutifully as he oâ—â—ht The second part of this treatise wherein is handled the second part of mans holinesse and sinfulnesse to wit his conformitie or likenesse to God with the contrarie vnlikenesse or defermitie CHAP. I Sect. 1. Of the image of God in man in his pure estate IT hath bene declared that the good estate of the reasonable creature whether man or Angel consisteth in this that he be ioyned to God the fountaine of all goodnesse both personally or locally in happinesse and also spiritually in perfect holinesse The which holinesse hath two partes Subiection and Conformitie For so it hath pleased God in greate wisdome to ioyne these two together in his reasonable creatures least that they should be too much either debased by the one or lifted vp by the other For if they had beene made like to God without subiection they woulde easely haue bene brought to thinke theÌ„selues â—quall to God and if they had bene subiect to â—od without any likenes or reseÌ„blance to him â—ey should haue lacked that wherein their â—hole excellencie and dignitie doth consist â— haue bene in the same condition with the â—ute beastes Thus God hath created the â—ule of man in an equal temperament â—f contrarie qualities that so the one might â—ualifie and preserue the other The subâ—ection of man is already declared nowe â—olloweth his conformitie which is that â—arte of mans holinesse wherein he resembleth God or is like vnto God vsuallie â—alled in scripture the image of God for as there is a likenesse and similitude betwixt â—n image and that whereof it is the image so there is in respect of this parte of mans holinesse a likenesse betwixt God and man For the better vnderstanding of this matter and the easier resoluing of those manifolde doubtes which are moued about it it is needfull that we declare what God is to whom we make man to be like The essence of God is so infinite secrete and hidden that it cannot be conceaued in our mindes much lesse expressed in words to the capacitie of others For whereas it is saide Iohn 4. 24. That God is a spirite the meaning is that the nature of God is not visible and sensible but mysticall and wonderfull as are spirites For otherwise the name of spirite as it is giuen to Angels is too grosse to expresse the essence of God Yet it hath pleased God in mercie to make himselfe knowen vnto vs by his properties vsually called by the diuines the attributes of God as his knowledge wisdome iustice mercy loue power eternitie and such other For as we in common speache going about to describe any man doe mention his vertues qualities and conditions saying that he is honest gentle faithfull liberall iust and learned so we haue reuealed vnto vs in scripture no other essence or nature of God but the aforesaide attributes and therefore if we woulde describe God we must say that he is a certaine essence most simple without any manner of composition existing of it selfe and from whom all creatures and actions doe exist being eternall without beginning or ending infinite in knowledge wisdome iustice mercie loue strength power and in all goodnesse holinesse and puritie Thus we see in part what God is now the image of God in the creature is whenas it is like to God in some of the aforesaid â—espectes as when the creature is endued with knowledge wisdome iustice power â—oue mercie or any other of the attributes of God But it may be here obiected that â—f the attributes of God which are his essence may be giuen to any creature then â—t shoulde be partaker of gods nature and so be a God We answere that the attributes of God may be in the creature although not so as they are in God for example God hath strength and the creature hath strength euery one more or lesse Yet there is this difference that the strength of God is essentiall vnto him and a part of his nature but the strength of the creature is a qualitie or accidental thing which may be spared as when we see two sunnes the one is a true substance but the other is onely the reflexion of the beames of the true sunne In God it is primarelie as in the fountaine but the creature hath his strength from God in God it is infinite in the creature it is finite God hath all strength the creature hath but some yea the strength of the mightiest creature is great weakenesse in comparison of the
1. 26. Brethren you see your calling that not many wise men are chosen the reason heereof is euident for it is needful that he who would beleeue the word of God should renounce his own knowledge so farre as it is contrary to the other But the more wit and learning a man hath the more he attributeth to it to himselfe to his own strength Whereas they who haue a small measure of these giftes doe not trust so much vnto them as the wise man witnesseth saying That there is more hope to win a foole to wisedome then one who thinketh or knoweth himselfe to be wise and so is wise in his owne eyes Thus we see the great ignorance of God which is in all vnregenerate men nowe for the knowledge which man hath of the creatures we may say with the prophet Ier. 2. 13. Man hath forsaken God the fountaine of wisedome and then what wisedome can be in him For as he is ignorant of God so is he of the creatures of God being naturallie so void of all manner of knowledge as that he seemeth not to differ from a bruite beast but onely in the outward proportion of his body and the faculty of speaking Nay he is more ignorant then are the brute beasts whereof there are almost none which knoweth not and that without any teacher euen by the secrete instinct of nature what is good and euill for it selfe yea the secret vertue of some hearbes or of other things which may stande them in stede but man being anie way distressed knoweth not how to goe either to God or anie naturall thing for helpe being so farre from knowing other things that he knoweth not the partes temperamentes frame disposition infirmities and diseases of his owne bodie or anie thing belonging to it or the preseruing or healing of it saue only the outward members and fashion of it Neither is there any cause why man should bragge of that greate knowledge which he is able to attaine vnto whenas he giueth himselfe to search it out We do not denie but that God graunteth thus much to the labour of industrious men that they attaine to knowledge some more others lesse but the learnedest philosopher in the world cannot denie but that he is not only actually ignorant of many things but also naturally vnable to pearce into the depth of the wisdome of God in the creatures that by reason of the dulnesse shallownesse of his wit which cannot finde out the true causes formes reasons and vertues of naturall things as why the load-stone draweth iron to it of the which kinde infinite instances might be brought And if they chance to finde out the vertue and qualitie of anie thing it is done not by considering the causes but by marking the effectes and so not by knowledge or anie good cunning as we say but by chance and by experience the schoole-maister of fooles Sect. 3. Of renewed knowledge IT remaineth that we consider how God of his greate mercie and goodnesse doth renewe in all his faithfull seruants this first and chiefe parte of his glorious image We call it the first and chiefe part because that in the worke of regeneration the illumination of the minde with the true knowledge of God both hath the first place and also is the cause of all the rest of mans holinesse For as Christ doth teach Math. 6. 23. If the eye haue light in it it doth enlighten the wholle bodie but if it be darke there is nothing but darknesse in the bodie That is if the minde of man which is the eye of the soule be trulie sanctified and renewed with knowledge there followeth holinesse in all the faculties of the soule and in the whole man But if there be darknesse and ignorance in the minde there is nothing but sin in all the partes of man Neither can it be otherwise for as it is impossible that a man should either trust or hope in God or loue feare obey him or performe any dutie of holinesse vnto God whome he doth not know in his mercie loue goodnesse promises power iustice and the rest of his attributes so is it no lesse impossible that any man should know and be fully perswaded that God is true in his promises mercifull bountifull and iust and not be affected to him accordingly And therfore the first action of the holy spirit framing the new man in the elect is to take out of their mindes their naturall dulnes vnbeleefe and ignorance and to make them able to conceiue vnderstand beleeue and know God Thus the Apostle teacheth Rom. 12. 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mindes that ye may approoue the good and acceptable will of God so Eph. 4. 13. Be renewed in the spirit of your mindes and so put on the new man Thus he praieth for the Colossians Col. 1. 9. That they might be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdome and spiritual vnderstanding And thus it is saide Act. 16. 14. That whilst Paul preached the gospel although the reprobate did not conceiue or vnderstand it Yet God opened the hart that is the minde of Lidia to beleeue his word This illumination of the minde is the most sensible and euident thing in regeneration and that whereby they that denie the work of the holy spirit in renewing the faithful may most plainly be conuinced for what is more wonderful then that men who before were dull rude simple and vnlearned yea vncapable of any kinde of knowledge should on a sudden become able to comprehend in their minds most stedfastly to expres in words very sēsibly the hiddē mysteries of christiā religiō Yet this experience teacheth to be true the Apostle witnesseth the same The spirituall man discerneth all things This commeth not by anie naturall strength but by the worke of God yet he doth not inspire this knowledge immediatly but by the meanes of the ministerie of his holy word And therefore it behooueth euerie one who would feele in himselfe this wonderfull worke of God in changing his minde to giue himselfe diligently and continually to the hearing reading and meditating of the word of God Lastly this renewed knowledge is not either so greate or yet so generall as was the knowledge of man in his pure estate wherein he knewe God and all other things perfectlie but the faithful know God his word will actions so farre forth only as is needful for their saluation As for the knowledge of the creatures that is to be hoped for in the life to come wherin we hope for our ful adoptiō euen the redētiō of our bodies the senses faculties wherof are whilst we remaine in this life as dul and weake in the faithfull as in the vnbeleeuers And therefore they remaine as ignorant as touching this secundarie knowledge of the sensible creatures as doe the other Yea the knowledge of God as all other partes of
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
true and only happinesse appointed by God for man This holinesse is the only way which God hath appointed that man should walke in as in the way leading to that happinesse This is the onlie happinesse which I do of my selfe propound to my selfe that in this way of true holines I will walk all the daies of my life I will by cōtinuall studying and hearing the word by restraining my owne desires and auoiding all occasions of sinne and by such meanes as I can vse get the true and sound knowledge of God true faith and hope of eternall glorie and of the resurrection of the deade true repentance mortification of sin and of all my corrupt affections yea an vnfained loue of God and of all goodnesse and in summe all the spirituall graces which are the partes of mans holinesse and the means of saluation This I haue resolued with my selfe to doe not that I thinke that I am able to attaine the perfection of these things but yet my whole will inclination affection desire care studie indeauour and labour shalbe set on these things This is to haue free will to good not for a man to say I desire to be a holy man and to be in heauen after this life but to incline and bende his wholle bodie soule and all the faculties of them both to holy and heauenly things The which thing is as impossible for a naturall man to doe as it is for him to flie vppe to heauen But how can this be proued First the scripture saieth Gen. 6. 5. All the motions of the thought of man are onlie to euill 2. Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are able to think any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God Ioh 6. 44. No man can come vnto me vnlesse he that sent me doe draw him For the which doctrine of the impossibility of naturall inclination to good it is said Ver. 4. 66. of the saide Chapter that many left Christ as dispairing to attaine to that which he affirmed to be impossible in respect of the strength of man And Ioh. 8. 43. Ye do not know my doctrine because ye cannot heare it That is because ye cānot of your selues vnderstand beleeue Rom. 8. 7. The cogitations of the flesh neither are subiect to the lawe of God neither can be they that are in the flesh cannot please God And Rom. 9. 16. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man doth not perceaue spirituall things for they are folishnesse to him neither can he perceaue them because they are spiritually discerned Gall. 2. 8. Ye are saued by grace in faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Besides this euident voice of the scripture the authoritie whereof ought to be sufficient without any other proofe we see this error of freewill to be plainly confuted by the experience of all times and places For if man were by nature free to choose either good or euill why shoulde not the choyse of good of holinesse and of the way which leadeth to saluation be if not as common as the other yet a very common and ordinary matter But we see that of the naturall men which haue liued and doe liue in the worlde not one of a thousand haue once set foote in the right way of regeneration and saluation And no maruaile for howe shoulde a man choose that as the onely good which he did neuer knowe and whereof he neuer dreamed or hearde in the which state all men are by nature being altogether ignorant of the true God his worde worshippe and religion and so hauing no meanes of knowledge but their owne senses which doe reiect that God worshippe and religion which is not agreeable to the iudgement thereof the which doth plainely shewe the impossibilitie of this freedome of will For nothing hath freewill to that which is against the nature of it as God hath not freewill to euil a man to flie a horse to speake If it be obiected that a man may haue a desire inclination and will to that which is impossible for him to doe and accomplishe We aunswere that this is nothing to the purpose For when we deny that there is in man any freedome of will to good we doe not deny that a carnall man may wish that he were holy and happie but that he cannot accomplishe or begin the worke of his regeneration and saluation The which beginning and working of grace commeth from the will which is the fountaine of action enclining men with all the faculties of soule and body to any thinge Now regeneration is a thing contrary to the corrupt nature of man for that faith and humaine reason do fight together no lesse then doe wisdome and foolishnes 1. Cor. 1. 18. And so in all the other partes of holinesse This is confirmed also by continuall and daily experience For if regeneration were agreeable to mans nature it woulde be common and ordinarie whereas it is and alwaies hath bene a rare miracle not to be founde among many thousandes of men Nay which is more men doe neither of themselues and their owne inclination seeke after it nor can by any meanes which they can vse be brought vnto it In other studies faculties and exercises men doe daily profite and go forwarde none being so dull and blockish but that he may with paines in continuaunce of time be brought to knowledge But no paines no time no excellency of giftes in the minister can make men religious or to be endued with the true knowledge and obedience of God Yea for the most part the more that men are taught religion the more blockish and backwarde they become and so continue all their life time We confesse that God doth sometime bestow on carnall and reprobate men spirituall graces yea a shadowe of regeneration whereby both the mindes of men are inlightned to see the trueth and also their wils and affections lightly enclined to loue and embrace it As we are to declare in the last part of this treatise But this chaunge commeth not of man but from God neither is it an effectuall and totall inclination to good and therefore not that which is ment in this question of freewill But the maintainers of freewill will perhaps yeeld to this that no man can choose the right way before he doe deliberate of it and that nothing is deliberated of which is not first knowen And therefore that freewill is not actually in an ignorant man but being as it were fettered and chained by ignoraunce is stirred vp and set loose by the knowledge of the worde of God with the which whosoeuer is endued hauing the right and the wrong way propounded vnto him by the preaching of the gospell the same man hath freedome of will either to choose or to refuse eternall saluation with the meanes of it yea
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
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
affection consisteth in this that it be in greatnesse correspondent to the greatnesse of the euill diligently waied with the seuerall circumstances of it and also moderated and qualified with contentation in respect of the will of God by the which the said euill came to passe Sect. 2. Of corrupt ioy and sorrow THese affections ioy and sorrow doe remaine in the corrupt state of man yet after a farre diuerse manner for whereas before the ioy of man was chiefly in God in spirituall things now it is wholly in carnall sensuall and earthly pleasures before man neuer thought himselfe well but when he was praising seruing God meditating on his loue the manifold blessings receiued from him now man neuer thinketh on God if he by some outward meanes as the lawes of mē or the auoiding of the sham of the world be drawen to some spiritual exercise as is the hearing of the word praier or any other he taketh no manner of pleasure in it Yea it is irkesome tedious vnto him his minde and affections being set vpon worldly pleasures as namely in the abundance vanetie goodnesse and sweetnesse of meates and drinkes in sleepe and idlenesse in carnal and filthy lustes in pastime and merie companie in gorgeous apparrell statelie buildings large reuenewes in health strēgth riches honour and preferment in children friends and prophane knowledge or in some other of the same kind Not as if there might not a lawfull pleasure be taken in corporall and outward blessings as hath beene declared but man passing by God the giuer of all these blessinges placeth his whole ioy and felicitie in the fruition of them and so maketh them his Gods As the Apostle doth plainlie witnesse that the coueteous man is an idolatour He is not stirred vp by the sweetenesse which he feeleth in the vse of the creaturs to reioyce delight himselfe in God the giuer of them but is by them more alienated from God and being euen drunke with sensualitie forgetteth and contemneth God much more in prosperitie then in aduersitie and therefore God doth so often forewarne the people of Israel of forgetting him whenas they come into that pleasant land flowing with milke honny whither they went Hence it commeth that the ioy of a carnall man is vnconstant vncertaine and momentany euen as is the matter of his ioy For as no worldly thing is constant so the ioy which ariseth of worldly things must needes be vnconstant Yea while it doth continue it is not pure and sincere ioy but mingled with much sorrow and vexation of minde it being impossible that any man should haue such perfect ioy in this world in respect of worldly blessings as is voide of all manner of crosses and griefe And therefore Salomon saith Prou. 14. 13. That the hart of the wicked man is heauie euen while he laugheth and that sorrow is the end of his ioy Thus we see the sinfullnesse of mans ioy in this corrupt state Likewise his sorrow is not such as it ought to be he is indeede often grieued but not for the want of the fauour presence and grace of God not for his sins by the which he doth displease dishonour God not for the miserable estate of his soule rotting in ignorance atheisme infidelitie These things neuer trouble him but if he be in anie worldly miserie if in pouertie sicknesse danger prison in the displeasure of any greate and mightie man then he is ouerwhelmed and euen stricken deade with sorrow As for the miseries wherein he seeth other men to be the scripture doth often teach vs and daily experience doth testifie the same that a carnall man is cruell mercilesse voide of all pittie and compassion Sect. 3. Of holy ioy and sorrow IT now remaineth that we declare the holines of these affections in the state of regeneration wherein both ioy and sorrow haue so greate and continuall vse as that they may seeme to striue for the preheminence whether of them should beare the greater sway in the faithful Renewed ioy ariseth of the inward sense and feeling of the loue and mercie of God in Christ whereby a faithfull man knowing assuredlie that he hath attained remission of all his sinnes safetie and freedome from the anger and iudgements of God eternall happinesse with all spirituall and temporall blessings tending therevnto is and that not without good cause replenished in his soule with an exceeding and vnspeakable ioy in regard of this his happie state the greatnes whereof no man either knoweth or can expresse but he in whome it hath pleased God to worke it by his holie spirite Yea if we shall compare this renewed ioy with the ioy which man had in his first estate we shall see that the faithfull haue both greater cause of reioycing and greater ioy then man had in his perfect happinesse in that he hath not only attained to a more perfect absolute and certaine happinesse but also hath escaped the contrarie miserie euen the eternall wrath of God due vnto him for his sinnes whereof man had no taste in his first estate This ioy differeth from the ioy of the carnall man in many respectes the one reioyceth in God the other in the creatures the one in temporal vaine and momentanie the other in spirituall heauenlie and eternall things the one in the good estate of his bodie the other in the good estate of his soule The one sheweth his ioy in the vse of carnall pleasures the other in spirituall exercises Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the spirit speaking to your selues in psalmes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord in your heartes And lastly the one is continuall constant abiding yea florishing so much the more in the middest of the greatest afflictions Rom. 5. 3. Act 16. 15. The other is short and vncertaine being cleane dashed with the least crosse that doth happen This renewed ioy although it be so exceeding great as hath beene saide yet it is mixed and indeede tempered with much sorrow so it hath pleased God in great wisdome and mercy to giue to his children in this life not the absolute perfection of that ioy and happinesse which he hath prepared for them but rather to temper the exceeding sweetnesse of it with sorrow and afflictions that so the bitternesse of the one might make the other the more welcome and acceptable vnto them The causes of this sorrow are diuerse some in the faithfull themselues some in others in themselues first and cheifly their sinnes whereby they doe displease and dishonour God who hath shewed himselfe to them so gratious bountifull and mercifull Secondly the manifolde temptations crosses and afflictions which doe daily befal them these howsoeuer by the gratious assistaunce of Gods spirit they doe often encrease this spirituall ioy yet being bitter and oftentimes intollerable to flesh and bloude they doe preuaile against
suspected to be vneffectuall This the Apostle doth plainely testifie 1. Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies that those who are approoued may be made manifest that is God doth suffer schismes and diuisions to be among you that by this meanes it may appeare whose holinesse is sounde and whose is hypocriticall or at the least light and ineffectuall Secondly men truely regenerate receiue a greater measure of particular graces as of faith loue and patience then the other doe Yea they doe daily increase in grace whereas the other doe commonly stand at a stay neuer attaining to any great measure of godlinesse but abide in a certaine indifferent kinde of mediocrity being neither hotte nor colde Besides true graces are fruitfull but the shadowes are barren eyther wholly or in part as the faith of these men doth not worke and shewe foorth it selfe by loue their loue is without workes of compassion and Christian communion their good works without alacrity Lastly the shadowe of regeneration doth often come to nothing and is turned into meere Atheisme and want of all religion but true regeneration can neuer wholly decay as Math. 3. 20. Some receiue the worde with ioy and afterwarde fall away and Heb. 6. 4. 5 we reade of those who being once made partakers of the holy Ghost doe afterwardes fall away from Christ yea while they doe retaine this resemblance of true sanctification they are not constant but variable in doing good Iam. 1. 8. A double minded man is vnconstant in all his waies that is a man halfe carnall and halfe regenerate doth not keepe throughout the course of his whole life a constant tenour of godlinesse but often changeth his minde opinions affections and practise By these and such other notes which may be obserued in the scripture and by daily experience this shadowe of holinesse may be discerned from the trueth yet we ought not peremptorely to iudge or rashly to condemne any man for there may be found euen in men truely regenerate many wants errours sinnes and alterations as afterwards will appeare Therefore we ought to thinke the best where we see any likelihoode of good and where there is none to hope for better in time to come and so leauing other men to Gods iudgement to censure our owne profession and regeneration by these rules Yet it is both lawfull and needfull that we shoulde knowe howe to distinguish trueth from falshoode right from wrong good from euill the shadowe from the bodie in the professions of our brethren The which it is the parte of euerie Christian to marke and consider to trie and thinke of it according to the trueth of the worde of GOD but in iudging and speaking to vse greate moderation and wisedome CHAP. V. Of the particulars in this supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse THe first and most vsuall part of this supernaturall decrease of sinne is the illumination of the minde whereby a carnall man who before did not beleeue the doctrine eyther of the law or of the gospell is brought to see and acknowledge the trueth of the one or of both To beleeue the law of God to be true is to haue a sight and a sense of sinne to see sinne is for a man to know himselfe to be so sinfull in nature in soule body in life and actions as indeed he is To feele sinne is to know that for his sinne he is subiect to the wrath of God which is eternall death This first part of illumination is far more easely oftē wrought in a naturall man then is the other because by the light of nature man hath some knowledge of good and euill and that the righteous are to be rewarded as the wicked are tobe punished Hence it is that many make this first step in this shadow of regeneration and goe no further Thus Cain and Iudas with many others did see their sin the punishmēt due vnto it but yet had no beliefe of the doctrine of the gospel for remission of sinne The second part of illumination is to thinke the doctrine of the gospel to be true namely that remission of sinnes and eternall glorie is to be had by faith in Iesus Christ. Heb. 6. 4. This knowledge GOD worketh by his spirit and word in manie reprobates Act. 8. 13. Simon magus beleeued and was baptized of whose reprobation although we can affirme nothing because the Apostle doubteth of it Vers. 22. Yet it is plainely out of the 21. verse that he was not as then truly regenerated Yea many carnall men attaine to so greate a measure of knowledge that there is no point or heade of christian religion which they doe not in some sorte conceiue vnderstand and beleeue although not fully for that is impossible yet so as that they are able to performe the duty of teachers in the Church in laying open plainly and euidently to the capacitie of the hearers the mysteries of the gospel in resoluing al doubtes cōtrouersies questions obiections and arguments which are moued about anypoint of doctrine Thus did the teachers at Corinth of whome the Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 13. 2. Though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and knowledge and haue not loue I were nothing So Math 7. 22. Prophecie in Christes name whome he doth not acknowledge as his This knowledge is commonly called an historicall faith a gift common to the elect and the reprobate yet not so common as it seemeth to be Yea in truth more rare in respect of the greate multituds of professours and christians then it is common in respect of the small number of true beleeuers For to let passe those who know nothing of religion we are not to thinke that all they who are learned and as we say great clarkes in diuinitie and profound schoole-men do in their mindes and iudgments hold these things to bee true Yea it appeareth plainly in the example of Iudas who although he did preach the gospell with his tongue yet he did not beleeue it himselfe as Christ witnesseth Ioh. 6. 64 that manie doe goe about to perswade others that to bee true which they them-selues thinke to be false And no maruaile for why should it bee thought easie and common for a naturall man to beleeue that which is contrarie to naturall reason we se Ioh. 3. 12 that Christ could not or rather did not make Nicodemus a teacher in Israel beleeue the doctrin of spirituall regeneration And so we may well thinke that many otherwise learned thinke that it is no such supernaturall work but that it may be attained by natural means Likewise how many thinke wee are perswaded in their heartes that this worlde shall neuer haue an ende or that there shal be a new world wherein the bodies of men which were consumed to nothing many thousand years before shalbe raised vp liue for euer But to proceede of the decrease of ignorance commeth the decrease of infidelitie For as
men outwardly and ciuilly honest may be reckoned yet there is no age country or story which doth not aford many examples of men who haue exceeded in impietie against God and in iniustice towarde men and in all manner of wicked behauiour the ordinarie and common sorte of sinfull men by manie degrees The cause of this encrease of sinne is the crooked and corrupt diposition of mans wil which is wholly bent and set vpon sinne and doth so greedely and insatiably pursue after it as that vnlesse it be restrained by some meanes it can not rest till it come to the highest degree of wickednes For the which purpose it imployeth all the partes and faculties of the body and soule yea all inwarde and outwarde blessings what soeuer it maketh the minde deuise newe wayes of commiting sinne newe excuses pretenses coulours and defences for it being commited so that the greater gifts of the minde and of body that a man hath ceaued the fitter instrumentes hath his will and his corrupt desires to encrease sinne Here of it commeth that not idiots simple and vnlearned men not the weakest in body or the basest in condition not the poorest nor the youngest but the most witty learned strong noble rich aged are these notorious wicked ones The most horrible monsters in all outrage of sinne which any story doth mention were greate Emperours and mighty men as Nero Caligula and such other and who are so wretched couetous worldly so peruerse and obstinate in ignoraunce superstition infidelitie yea in hatred of all goodnesse as are they who by yeares haue gotten wisedome experience riches and honour so that we may easely acknowledge the trueth of that the Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 1. 26 Not many noble wise riche or great men are called to the sincere obedience of the gospell Hence it is that sinne doth more abound in this last age of the worlde then it did in old times wherein men were more rude simple and ignoraunt then children are in these daies who are so soone ripe and expert in all wickednesse as if they had bene borne perfect men not weake infauntes and no maruaile seeing that this last age is as it were a common sinke wherein all the sinnes errours heresies superstitions all the shifts craft deceipte yea all the wicked inuentions and practises of all ages are gathered together And therefore it bringeth foorth so great multitudes of expert practitioners in sinne who besides that which their owne inuention doth afford are furnished with the examples tryed experiments of all ages This the spirit of God hath foretold in the scripture as we see it is come to passe Math. 24. 12. Because iniquity shall abound in the latter times the loue of many shall waxe colde 2. Tim. 3. 1. This knowe that in the last daies shall come perilous times for men shalbe louers of their owne selues coueteous proude cursed speakers disobedient to parentes vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce hauing no loue to those who are good traitours headie high minded louers of pleasures more then of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof And againe 2. Pet. 3. 3. This first vnderstand that in the latter daies shall come mockers walking after their owne lustes saying where is the promise of his comming In these and other places of scripture the spirite of God hath foretolde and euen painted out the great corruption and sinfulnesse of these daies that we might beware least that we be drawen away by the infidelity and other hainous sinnes which raigne euerywhere so saue our selues as out of the fyer from this froward godlesse generation wherein we liue Lastly as the excellencie of naturall giftes and outward blessings being abused is the meanes of the excessiuenesse of sinne not of it selfe but by the corrupt disposition of our nature so the spirituall graces of God bestowed vpon men liuing in the Church doe often by the iust iudgement of God worke the same effect and that in far greater measure For as it is impossible that among heathen men they who are of smal wit capacity knowledge strength and riches should be wicked in so high a degree as they who excell in the foresaid respectes so it is not possible that any who hath not receiued some of the spirituall graces of God shoulde come to so high a degree of sinne as they in whome it hath pleased God to worke that shadowe of regeneration which hath beene declared in the former chapter Hence it is that none can fall into that extreame impiety which is the highest degree of sinne euen the sinne of the deuill and his Angels called in scripture the sinne against the holy Ghost which can neuer be forgiuen but they who did sometime before receiue grace from God to see loue and obey the trueth Heb. 6. 5. It is impossible that they who were once made partakers of the holy Ghost if they fall namely into this sinne which is an open wilfull and desperate hatred of God of his glory of his religion of his feruants and of all good thinges as many of the hebrewes did to whome this was written should be renewed by repentance This excellency of spirituall graces abused was the meanes whereby the wicked Angels fell into that extreamitie of sinne wherein they are and so it commeth to passe in men in whom this sinne by reason of the monstrous hugenesse of it is rare and happeneth not but in those who for their cruell spitefull desperate and malitious hatred to God and to the godly are rather to be counted diuels incarnate then reasonable men For it is harde for a Christian who hath once knowen God to cast away all feare of God and shame of men and for to burst forth into such outrage Yet as the scripture hath not for nought taught vs it so it commeth to passe although seldom yet oftner then it is well marked This encrease of sinne called supernaturall because it cannot happen but in a man after a sorte regenerate is taught by christ in the parable of the euil spirite which retourning to the place out of the which he was cast goeth not alone but taketh with him seuen other wicked spirites euerie one worse then himselfe and so the ende of that man is worse that is farre more sinfull then the beginning Euen as we see it commeth to passe in naturall thinges as namely in water which after it hath bene a little warmed becommeth more colde then if it had neuer had any heate in it And so men who haue had some heate of religion kindled in their heartes by the spirite of God if they contemne and abuse the saide graces become more wicked and irreligious then they who neuer knewe what religion ment CHAPTER VII Of the decrease of renewed holinesse ALthough the faithfull man being nowe truely regenerate by the spirit of God may boldely boast and
giuen and hee shall haue abundaunce And it is said of diuers in the booke of the Acts that they were full of faith and of the holy ghost This abundance in the minde is called Plerophoria a certaine and vndoubted perswasion said to be in Abraham Rom. 4. 21. Hereof cometh abundaunce of faith of loue Rom. 5. 3. and 15. 13. and of all graces as 1. Thess. 1. 3. the Apostle mentioneth the worke of their faith their laborious loue and their patient hope And 2 Thess. 1. 3. that their faith superaugescit that is encreaseth aboue the common and ordinarie measure and that their loue did abounde accordingly This aboundaunce of grace is to be seene in the prophets Apostles martyrs and many other of the seruantes of God who therefore are made types and patterns for vs to imitate and set before our eyes as lanternes full of light and as shining and blazing starres that we might both admire and labour to ouertake them in their excellent graces and especially in their particular vertues For thus the scripture mentioneth the vprightnesse of Enoch who walked with God in all his waies the patience of Iob. Iam. 5. 11 the faith of Abraham the meeknesse of Moses the courage of Iosua the faithfulnesse of Samuel the absolute perfection of Dauid being a man according to Gods owne hearte the wisdome of Salomon the zeale of Phinies Iosias and many others Thus Paule mentioneth his owne painefulnesse in preaching the gospel to be farre aboue the labours of the rest of the Apostles Thus he sayeth Rom 16. 7. That Andronicus and Iunia were men notable among the Apostles and of Timothie that none was like to him in faithful labour and care for the good of the church Philip. 2. 20. The notes and markes whereby this abundaunce may be knowen are these a burning zeal of gods glorie of setting forwarde his worship and gospel a vehement hatred of idolatrie and all shadowes of superstition a tender and bountifull loue toward the godly a minde vndaunted with any torment death or miserie a constant course of godlinesse in all outward chaunges whatsoeuer as the Apostle sayeth of him selfe Philip. 4. 13. That he coulde want and abounde be full and empty and that he coulde do all thinges a life free from any grosse sinne an extraordinary contempt of all worldly pleasures Lastly a manner of freedom from being either ouercome or almost tempted by any grosse sinne For although the corruption of flesh and the impudencie of Sathan who was not ashamed to tempt Christ to commit sin be so great that no man be he nener so holy may lay away his weapons and be secure in respect of temptations yet by the blessing of God and a long practise of all godlinesse the faithfull come sometimes to such a surpassing strength in grace that as the couragious horse going into the battel scorneth the feareful sounds noyse of the trumpets so this godly man wherof we speake in this chapter laugheth at the temptations of Sathan and the entisementes of the world yet not presuming on his owne strength but relying himselfe wholly on the mighty power of the spirite of God The meanes of attaining to this high degree of holinesse is to seeke it by earnest prayer at the handes of God from whom onely commeth euery good and perfect gift But the meanes which God vseth in giuing it are diuerse some good some euil in themselues and therefore not to be vsed by vs of the first sort are all holy exercises appointed by God for the begetting continuall encrease of grace to the carefull diligent long and continuall vse whereof God doth often graunt this happie successe euen as he blesseth the diligent and painfull hand with greate plenty in temporall thinges Of the second sort is the abundaunce of sinne before regeneration the which it pleaseth God some time to chaunge into this abundaunce of grace as we see that the highest floudes follow the lowest ebbes This God doth to make manifest the great power and efficacy of his spirit in renewing the elect which is able to bringe the greatest measure of holinesse out of the greatest wickednes as cleare light out of palpable darkenes This Christ teacheth vs. Luk. 7. 41. In the parable of the two debters whereof the greater had greater cause and also a greater measure of loue And in the example of the woman verse 47. Who loued much because many sinnes were forgiuen vnto her sowhere sinne doth abound there grace aboundeth much more Yea for this purpose God doth sometimes vse the hote fiercenesse of affections and the violent disposition of nature the which as of it selfe it carieth a man headlong into the most outragious sinnes so being sanctified by Gods spirite it becommeth the whetstone of holinesse Thus was the Apostle Paule both naturally and spiritually affected and therefore being an infidell he was a most superstitious pharisie more then mad in persecuting the church and becomming a faithfull man passed all others in vnquenchable zeale of Gods spirite Lastly as touching this abundance of grace no man can attaine so high a degree of it as that he may sitte downe as being at his iorneis end but as the greater riches that a man hath the greater is his gaine desire and encrease of riches so the more holinesse that any man hath the more carefully ought and the more fruitfully may he laboure in encreasing it Phil. 3. 13. Brethren saieth the Apostle I count not that I haue attained vnto any such perfection But still I doe forget that which is behinde and endeuore my selfe to that which is before That is I doe not minde that holinesse which I haue already receaued but doe continually thinke on that which I doe want as yet CHAP. IX Of celestiall holinesse ALthough we haue now gone as far in declaring the renewed holinesse of man as any man can in this worlde either in hauing or in practising it yet we are not here to rest as being come to the end of our iorney For if the aforesaid aboundaunce of spirituall graces which be it neuer so great cannot possibly be voide of sinne be absolutelie the highest degree this inconuenience which is in no wise to be admitted would of necessitie follow that man doth not in regeneration recouer as good a state and as great a measure of holinesse by the mercy of God in christ as he had in his first creation and lost by his owne sinne in Adam And therefore we are to goe on a little further in this treatise and in our desire till we come to such an absolute perfection of renewed holinesse as is free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer This perfection may without all question yea must necessarely be attained vnto For man can not be perfectly happie by enioying the presence of God into the which nothing being sinfull can enter as long as he is imperfectly holy Yet he