comfort the merits of Christ the ransome and price of my redemption is infinit and doe as farre exceede the number and weight of my sinnes as the goodnesse and power of God exceeds my weaknesse and frailtie the mercie of God is infinite able to couer the whole multitude of my sinnes the hate of God vnto sinne is infinite and therefore he will leaue nothing vnattempted which may serue to cut downe the body of sinne the desire which God hath of my saluation farre exceeds mine owne desire of saluation seeing his glorie and the manifestation of his mercie which was the scope and end of my creation is a farre greater good then my particular soules health The greater my sins are the greater occasion may God take to manifest his mercie for God himselfe hath appointed my saluation not to consist in not sinning or to be free and innocent from all sinnes but in the repentance for sinne and in the satisfaction of his deare Sonne and therefore to assure mee of this mercie it is one of the Articles of my Creed which not to beleeue were not to be saued that I should bouldlie and confidently beleeue the remission and forgiuenesse of sins Yet conceiue me aright for some there are who laying hould to soone on Gods mercy as it were snatching at his mercy do indeed loose the fruits of his mercy when laying the whole burthen of their sins vpon Christ as it were making long and deepe furrowes in his backe themselues continuing in their owne sinnes in the impenitency and hardnesse of their owne hearts do indeed dreame of saluation My sinnes are innumerable yet before I was borne before they could be committed God did foresee them notwithstanding his foresight when hee might haue preuented my sinnes and left me to my first nothing yet in his gratious goodnes and mercie hee made and created me he hath giuen me my life my strength my health my senses my wit and al my temporall blessings together with the knowledge of himselfe the plentifull and powerful meanes of my saluation notwithstanding my sinnes be they neuer so great yet these are the tokens of his fauour the pledges of his loue the assurances of his promises and the earnest of my future happines Why should I then despaire of Gods mercy though I haue lost that sanctitie and holinesse wherewith I might be saued yet God hath not lost that vertue and powe â— wherewith he might saue a penitent sinner and behold the fruit of this power if I do but speake or name God it is God that speakes in my heart ipse praesens facit se quaeri I had thought I had lost him but behold he is present and inuites me to a banquet where he himselfe is the feast conuiâ—a conuinium Lord I am not worthy with the dogs to licke vp the crummes vnder thy table yet giue me O Lord that property of dogs that licking mine owne woundes I might heale mine owne sores that my tongue may serue to cleanse my vncleannes confessing my sinnes I may disgorge and cast out my sins where they shall lie as a heauie burthen vpon thy sonne for he hath taken vp my sinnes and borne mine iniquities my sinnes are no longer mine Mea sunt per perpetrationem Christâ— sunt quoad obligationeÌ„ satisfactionis indeed I committed them and so they are mine but Christ alone hath entred into bands for the discharge of them he hath canceld the hand writing of the lawe he hath satisfied the rigour of thy iustice by the shedding of his bloud by his death and passion and therefore O Lord thou wilt not demand a second payment of vs he hath imputed his righteousnesse to vs and thus euery true penitent stands rectus in curia acquitted in thy consistâ—ry Giue me leaue to compare my selfe that am the meanest of all men to Alexander the great and this my present treatise wherein I labour to shew the fall and corruption of man to the conquest of nature me thinks I haue subdued the little world and brought man as a captiue or slâ—ue through much misery and sorrow at length to the place of his execution and hauing now possest my selfe of the fairest fortresse or tower in nature man that is a little world I cannot here content my selfe but I begin to enquire whether there are as yet more worlds to be conquered and behold in the second place I will fall vpon the great world and I will attempt with Archimedes to shake her foundations to threaten her ruine in this generall corruption and dissolution of man for this punishment morte morieris though it principally concernes man yet the whole world cannot be exempted from it being directed and ordained onely for mans vse containing in it selfe the very same seedes and causes of death and destruction and as it is most fit and agreeable to our present condition that being corruptible in our selues we should likewise dwell in houses of corruption For proofe and demonstration wherof I must ascend from the indiuiduals and singulars to the species and kindes of the creatures and among all other kindes assuredly man is the most noble and therfore best deserues to be the subiect of our knowledge wee should be best acquainted with our selues which makes for the certainty of our knowledge and speaking of things which so neerely concernes our selues we should much desire to bee better informed in our owne state and condition now if the whole kinde and species of man seemes daily to decline and decay which shall appeare by the comparison of times past with times present of our selues with our ancestors then assuredly the whole world cannot be excused from corruption but as it dies daily in the singulars so at length it shall faile in the vniuersals and in the kindes of the creatures This truth seemes to relie vpon these three foundations 1. Man as all other creatures being immediatlie created by God as he comes nearer and nearer the first mould so is he more and more perfect and according to the degrees of his distance so he incurres the more imperfection and weakenesse as the streames of a fountaine the further they runne through vncleane passages the more they contract the corruption 2. It would implie a contradiction in nature if the parts and the whole were not of like condition but how wonderfull is the difference if you will suppose a corruption of the singulars and an eternitie of the kinde for whereas the recompence shuld be made by succession or equiualencie we must consider that succession may well prolong the corruption adding more degrees proceeding more leasurely but cannot wholie exclude the corruption 3. The generall intent and scope of nature wholie â—ends to corruption for I would gladly aske why should not nature either renew mans age or preserue him in a state of consistencie the answere is because the iuyce and sap which we receiue from our food or our nourishment is not
cognizance of the sinne so it leaues it not vnpunished omnis qui inuenerit me occîdet me Gen. 4. vers 14. Heere is our feare and notwithstanding that we proue runnagates that we shelter and hide our own lookes yet we carry a worme in our bosomes that accuseth vs and layeth these sinnes to our charge disquiets the thoughts and will not permit the soules rest and hauing thus committed and being thus tormented whereas reason should teach them that the only way to recompence for the sinne were to be sorrowfull and contrite to aske pardon and forgiuenes euen for his sake who died for our sins yet they will rather continue in their own filth and sin against the holy Ghost with a finall impenitency and say with that cursed Cain maâ—us est delictum meum quà m vt possit remitti my sinne is greater then it can be forgiuen And thus wheras before they sinned against the rule of Gods iustice now they begin to sin against the measure of his mercy to dispaire of his mercy as if his mercy were not infinit as well as their sinnes are infinit as if the price of our redemption were not sufficient to recompence for their sinnes though they haue lost all possible meanes wherby they might be saued yet God hath not lost that absolute power wherewith he might saue a penitent sinner This curse of man is so generall that whatsoeuer is or can bee spoken for the misery and punishment of man may well be included within the compasse of this curse peâ—ty Princes may well boast in the number and multiplicity of their dignities and stiles whereas the great Roman Emperour could content himselfe with the bare title of Caesar Augustus Sometimes a plenty breedes want and diuersitie of matter when men seeme to be distracted with multitudes of thoughts imposeth a silence many dishes and much variety of good cheere rather chokes then prouokes the appetite I must therefore limit my speech and setting a side all other fruits of this cuâ—se I will only insist in those two qualities which are proper and peculiar to man his reason which sets him aboue creatures his religion which makes him equall to Angels the one guiding nature the other sanctifying nature mans excellency consisting in both and if in both mans frailtie and corruption shall appeare then needes you must acknowledge the curse and such a curse as cannot descend to the dumbe creatures nor cannot ascend to the Angelicall state and therefore must needes be proper and peculiar to man For reason God hath giuen it man for these two vses first for discourse that men grounded vpon the same principles of reason should concur in iudgement and discerâ—e better see more and search further theâ— for the instant appeares to the outward sight therfore it is a shadow of Gods eternall prouidence and prescience wherwith God creating man made him according to his owne Image but now see the curse that hath befallen our reason quot homines tot sententia so many men so many mindes as if reason were not the same in all but that there were different and distinct rules and grounds of our reason As their are fiue senses according to the fiue seuerall obiects in our sensible nature so our reason forsooth must be infinitly multiplied according to the number of mens braines and the capacity of each vnderstanding our reason serues rather to discouer the diuersitiâ— of our opinions and iudgements then to inforce an vnitie of consent wheras all the rest of the creatures they haue senses alike they see alike feele alike taste alike and for their outward actions they are all carried with one and the same instinct of nature only in men their wayes are inâ—init their iudgements infinit in so much that you might well doubt whether they all consist of the same reasonable soule and for the dumbe creatures if you wil take their whole kinde together with their naturall actions they are much more reasonable more wise and prouident in their owne kinde then is man notwithstanding his reasonable soule You will suppose that I speake only of the promiscuous multitude and of such only whose wit will serue them to stir vp a difference or doubt but whose iudgement is too weake to reconcile the controuersie or you will thinke that I speake only of neighbours and woemen alwayes iarring and dissenting out of their enuie or of friends and kindred alwayes in suites of law in a point of their profit No verily but I will instance in the thrice renowned profession of learning how many sects of Philosophers haue the schooles afforded what infinit variety contrariety of opinions as among the ancients according to the number of elements there were Aristotelians who out of their puritie their light and eminency aboue the rest did seeme to resemble fier which hath now at length consumed the rest then followed the Platonists who like the element of ayre inclose all their light in the clouds or rather indeed do obscure and conceale it then comes the Stoicke who with the stricktnesse of his life seemes like a sea-â—aring man lies vpon boards and feeds vpon water and fish at length vp starts the Epicure who like a glutton runs ouer the face of the whole earth from market to market to make his best prouision to offer vp a fat sacrifice vpon the all-deuouring altar of his belly-god Heere are the foure first elements and from hence proceedes as great a difference in the opinions of men as there is variety in nature in so much that in the ancient monasteries what iars haue past between the Scoâ—ists and Thomists between the Reals and Nominals c. And at this time it is not vnknowne how Petrus Ramus a man of meane knowledge without any ordinary parts either of nature or learning yet through his owne impudency and pride desiring an innouation of all Arts to cast all things in a new mould to build his own fame in the ruins of others hath opposed himself not against any particular opinion but against the whole streame and current of all ancient learning ouerthrowing the grounds principles and rules of that most illustrious thrice renowned Aristotle whom all ages doe reuerence and acknowledge to haue bin natures chiefe secretary or best counseller of estate the father of all humane knowledge and that which is yet more strange this Ramus hath left followers and Disciples behind him who seeme to be like affected to the ancient learning reducing all things euen the very scope foundation of arts to their own fond inuention and barbarous innouation A shame it is that Colledges and ancient foundations should giue harbour to such a wretched brood who as they are first nourished vp in obstinacy and wilfulnes so they will proue to bee fire-brands in the Church who neglecting the fathers and all ancient orders and decency shall with their owne furious and witles conceits set the whole world in combustion
THE FALL OF MAN OR THE CORRVPTION OF NATVRE PROVED BY THE light of our naturall Reason WHICH BEING THE FIRST GROVND AND OCCASION OF OVR Christian Faith and Religion may likewise serue for the first step and degree of the naturall mans conuersion FIRST PREACHED IN A SERMON since enlarged reduced to the forme of a treatise and dedicated to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie By GODFRFY GOODMAN her Maiesties Chaplaine Bachelor in Diuinitie sometimes a member both of Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge and of Saint Peters Colledge in Westminster Ne laeteris quia cecidi resurgam MICH. 7. 8. AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston and are to be sold by Richard Lee. 1616. TO THE QVEENES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE OVR MOST GRACIOVS Soueraigne Lady and my most honoured Mistris Queene ANNE May it please your most excellent Maiestie THE scope and intent of Christian Religion seemes onely this to raise vp man from the deapth of miserie and sinne to the state of happinesse and saluation from whence he is fallen in effecting whereof the onely powerfull and all-sufficient meanes is Christ crucified God in our nature our nature with God God man reconciled in the person of Christ who was both God and man here is the great propitiatorie sacrifice For particular application whereof there is requisite in euery one Faith which supposing our naturall blindnesse and ignorance takes our selues from our selues placeth vs in God seeing him and beholding him we see no more then he himselfe hath reuealed Hope supposing our naturall distrust and fearefulnes notwithstanding the number and weight of our sinnes yet casts a sure and strong anchor vp into Heauen and there laies holde on Gods promises Charitie supposing mans naturall disobedience and rebellion desires a conformitie of the head to the members and of the members betweene themselues Thus Faith looks to the wisdome and truth of Gods nature stands astonied at the mysteries and takes all the articles of our Creede for her lessons Hope fastens on the mercy and goodnesse of God by the feruencie of Praier and the strong apprehension of the spirit making the Lords Praier her patterne and president Charitie considers the rule of Gods iustice desires to square all our actions according to leuell and lookes to the tables of the Lawe as her obiects Here is the fabricke of the Church Faith laies the foundation Hope buildes vp the walles Charitie giues it a couering for Charitie doth couer a multitude of sinnes but how shall mans naturall weakenesse attaine to these Theologicall vertues As in all great buildings so likewise here there are instruments and tooles appoynted to supplie our defects and these are chiefely and principally Sacraments and whatsoeuer else God hath commanded for his reasonable seruice This is in effect the summe of Christian Religion this is the summe of our ordinarie Catechisme Thus before wee can raise man he must first acknowledge his fall he that shall intend to make any buildings in Gods Church must lay the foundation in mans fall for this is the porch or first entrance which leades vs to Christian Faith and therefore speaking hereof I thought fit to speake to the capacitie of the naturall man herein I shall not need to straine his vnderstanding to impose a yoake of faith when as his owne reason shall reueale it in the substance though not in the circumstance This fall of man appeares in the miseries of man which being truely discouered may teach vs what wee are in our selues The greatnesse of our woe shewes the large extent of our sinne this world which we inhabit is but a vale of miserie the happinesse of this world is onely a painted miserie in this miserie we may acknowledge the great mercy of God who first created vs in happinesse and notwithstanding our sinnes hath still ordained vs to happinesse and in these miseries he hath giuen vs some ease as much as is befitting our present state and condition in sustaining these miseries hee hath inabled vs with patience and the holy comfort of his spirit and euen our greatest miseries hee hath taken vpon himselfe the more to teach him compassion and with his miseries to satisfie for ours Thus not onely the blessings and good gifts of God but likewise our miseries set forth his goodnes And thus as I haue endeuoured to shew the mercy and prouidence of God in generall to whole mankinde especiallie for our soules health and saluation so here making bolde to write vnto your Maiestie I could doe no lesse then take some notice of the temporall blessings wherewith God hath blessed vs aboue other people This blessing especially consists in gouernment whereby we receiue the fruites of peace of plentie of happines and liue securely vnder the protection of our Princes this blessing seemes to bee proper to this nation proper to this present age wherein wee liue for I will not speake how in former times this our Land was distracted with small principalities and gouernements when it should seeme the greatest part lay waste in borders and confines when the strength was diuided within it selfe I will onely beginne with the last age of our forefathers When as the dissention had long continued between the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster it pleased God so to permit that the house of Yorke staining it selfe with his owne blood when a cruell and mercilesse tyrant did murther most innocent and harmelesse Children and thereby vsurped the Crowne this tyrannie being likewise extended to others and a most reuerend Bishop being committed to safe custodie God remembring Ioseph in all his troubles his prison was his castle of defence and his close keeping did serue as a counsell-Chamber for secrecie where this reuerend Prelate together with the greatest lay subiect as it were a representatiue Parliament consisting of Lords Spirituall and Temporall Church and state together conspiring did there contriue the happy means of their deliuerie to bring in Henry of Richmond to suppresse this tyrant And God blessed the successe accordingly that so still the same goodnesse of God might appeare vnto vs which was once manifested to the Israelites vnder the tyrannie of Pharaoh where the poore innocent children were likewise put to death the crie of my afflicted people is come vp vnto my eares Exod. 3. 7. This Henry of Richmond being descended from the house of Lancaster did therein seeme to promise vnto the world all happie successe for men were well perswaded of that familie being all of them most eminent for great vertues and qualities as may appeare Hen. 4. for his behauiour and courtesie the Fifth for his valour and magnanimitie the Sixth for his iustice and pietie Now in the person of this Henry it is strange to obserue the prouidence of God whereas the Cambro-Britaines whom we improperlie call Welsh were the most ancient inhabitants of this Iland being excluded and exiled into the most remote and barren parts and there not suffered quietlie to rest but brought vnder yoake and subiection
the consideration of man which consists not only in mans constitution and the view of his seuerall parts but likewise in respect of other creatures his goods or his substance and whatsoeuer else may befall him for euery thing in nature presents it selfe not only in it selfe but likewise in reference proportion to others Thus it is with a Prince or a subiect who must haue an eye both to his owne estate in particular and vpon what grounds tearmes he stands with his bordering neighbours Now giue me leaue hauing thus safely lodged man to take some further account of his life of his actions I will speak of his miseries in himselfe and in comparison with the rest of the creatures Before I dare presume to speake of our miseries I must first apologize for my selfe lest in a blinde deuotion I might chance to offend and seeking to draw others vnto God I my selfe might fall from God Blessed Lord God who seest the secrets of my heart and touchâ—st the strings of my tongue Lord thou knowest I do not 〈◊〉 dislike my present estate and conditiâ—n sure I am that thou hast done and permitted all things for the best I doe not here intend to dishonour thee to disparage the great worke of thy creation to vilifie and abase thy creatâ—res to set all things at nought rather O Lord I shall dâ—eme my selfe the basest worme vpon earth and al thy creatures good in their owne kinde according to thine owne approbation But O Lord thou knowest that I loue thee thou knowest that I loue thee inlarge my poore heart that so thou maist increase the measure of thy loue in my heart O blessed Lord God who art the God of loue and loue in thy selfe and imparting thy selfe doest together impart the loue of thy selfe guide me by the assistance of thy spirit that in relating these miseries thy goodnesse may better appeare hauing first created vs in happinesse our sorrow and 〈◊〉 appeare hauing iâ—stly fallen of our selues whereby sufficiâ—â—â— meanes and occasions may be offered with feare and trembling to work out our saluation Here is my intent O Lord and this thou knowest right well for thou seest my thoughts long before they are hatched forgiue me the 〈◊〉 of my thoughts forgiue mâ— the sins of my mouth and giue a blessing to thâ—se my labours let thy power appeare in my weakenesse thy glorie in my shame Amen Hauing thus made my peace with God I will now fall to my intended taske My second kinde of arguments seemes to be built vpon these three grounds and foundations 1. The mercie of God doth ouerflow all his works and all his attributes like oyle vpon liquours This is plaine for mercie begins his actions God workes vpon nothing therefore nothing could moue him to worke but his mercie Now if all things in man did â—auour of mercy it were a strong presumption that the same mercie still discouers her selfe in the continuance which did first appeare in the creation but if otherwise you discerne miseries and afflictions in man acknowledge the fruits of Gods iustice iustice which must necessarily presuppose some offence or else could admit no difference nor be distinguished from wrong and oppression Now iustice supposing an offence could neuer begin the action for we could not offend when as yet we were not and therefore acknowledge that the fruites of Gods iustice together with mans transgressions are both twinnes borne in one instant or at least producing each other and standing in a mutuall and reciprocall relation to each other the offence to the guilt the guilt to the punishment So that the punishment is not equall in time to the production of man first wee were existing before we were punished Especially considering that Gods intent in the creation was onely according to the nature of goodnesse vt sit communicatina sui ipsius to impart his owne being and attributes to the creatures but when I finde sorrowes and griefes in man I begin to enquire where is the originall for in God there is no sorrow no griefe no maladies no afflictions no diseases no death God did only desire to impart himselfe whence proceedes the malignitie were it not that some after-corruption hath stained mans nature The good wheate was first sowen then came the ill husbandman qui super-seminauit zizania who did abuse the freedome of his owne will to his owne shame chusing rather to die then to liue And here the thistle and cockle first began to appeare making man the creature of Gods mercie the fauourite of those times as I may so speak the obiect of Gods iustice the subiect of Gods punishment My second ground is this If miseries incident to our nature do befall vs in such number and measure as that they do â—arre exceed all our own ioyes in so much that our nature seemes to be ouerprest with their burthen and weight and that our conditioÌ„ should be farre better not to bee then to bee then certainly the state and condition of man is cleane altered and changed from the first institution thereof For it could not stand with the act of creation or the goodnesse of the Deity to make of nothing that which in effect is worse then nothing So God should descend lower then himselfe not perfiting but confounding the creatures and that nothing which was before the creation should not only beare comparison but likewise be preferd before the state of some creatures Now indeede the thought of mans miseries here in the course of this life seemed of that moment to the ancient and heathen Philosophers that it was generally held and concluded among them for a truth that melius est non nasci quà m nasci it were better not to be borne then to be borne So that a wise man might be excluded from sorrow he would neuer thirst after ioy to be dead we regard it not but to dye here is the torment For the beleeuing man and the true Christian who besides the miseries of this life which he acknowledgeth to be the rod of Gods wrath for the punishment of sinne is likewise perplexed with the feare and terror of hell where that rod shall bee turned to a serpent How many of them haue cursed the day of their birth How earnestly haue others besought their speedy dissolution Doth not Christ witnesse of that sonne of perdition that it were better for him if he had neuer been borne or that a milstone were chained to his neck and both cast into the bottomlesse Sea Is this a priuate and particular case and doth it only concerne Iudas Is not the number of the elect very small while whole troupes and infinite multitudes of reprobates though neuer so bold and confident of their owne righteousnesse are daily reiected And in the elect people of God what strange agonies and conflicts appeare betweene the flesh and the spirit Doth not the way to heauen lie by the gates of hell when men with
wee doe not speake of the absolute power of God whereby all things were created of nothing we doe not dispute of the absolute will of God who might haue vsed many infinite meanes and might haue appointed many infinite kindes and infinite degrees of the creatures but of the conformitie which creatures had in the beginning to the following and succeeding course of their nature as for example that the heauens and the earth should first seuerally be created how the confused elements were diuided wherefore was light first ordained and in the fourth day the celestiall bodies appointed and such like Vpon due deliberation and examination hereof I dare confidently auouch that to the iudgement of an heathen man who hath any knowledge of Philosophie there could not possibly be a more orderly and methodicall course obserued in the creation such as might well argue one and the same wisdome power prouidence in the producing or birth which now appeares in the continuance and preseruation of nature then is here recorded by Moses Supposing the necessitie of a creation there can bee but one Creator for all nature is directed to one end the World is circular which best resembleth the figure of one all the streames are reduced to one head all the degrees of things still tend to the highest there being in nature a prioritie posteriority euery gouernment tends and ends in a Monarchie Nature will not indure many Competitors order and decencie requires as much in effect all heate is reduced to one first heate all bodies to one first bodie Philosophie beates vpon this axiome that nature desires to worke with the fewest instruments and therefore euery thing is to bee reduced to the fewest principles in the constitution of any thing she requires but a couple for the effecting of any thing one will suffice to admit of more would rather hinder and distract the worke then any way further or helpe the action Thus to acknowledge one God the workemanship and fabricke of the whole world will testifie as much in effect wherein the footesteps and impression of one and the same God doe most eminently appeare all of them giuing sufficient demonstration of one and the same wisdome and prouidence which appeares alike in all grounding all his workes and all his actions vpon the same principles and rules of his owne wisdome There are not gods of the mountaines and gods of the vallies gods of the Land and gods of the Ocean for the fishes of the sea the birds of the ayre the beasts of the fielde haue alike fashion and forme for their outward feature and a like inward instinct and prouidence for their course and direction which similitude of nature must needes proceede from the same grounds of wisdome the voice and verdict of nature will likewise testifie as much which being to admit some infinite power transcending reason and the course of all creatures will therefore tie it selfe to admit of the least inconuenience rather of one then of a multitude From the generall creation of all things I come vnto man that he was created in a more excellent manner then now he is it shall not here neede any proofe for it was the principall intent and scope of my whole speech I will forbeare to speake of originall grace vntill I come to our sanctifying grace which supplies her want I will passe ouer the degrees of his sinne vntill I come to the steps in his regeneration I will not open the wound vntill I haue already prouided the salue and this I haue reserued for the third branch of of my text Here let vs consider the wisdome of God that hauing giuen an vndoubted token of his mercy in the creation of man imparting himselfe according to the nature of goodnesse calling those things which were not as if they were inlightening their darkenesse â—with the infinite lampe of his owne light it stoode with the same wisdome to appoint a law since his glorie our obedience was the end and scope of our creation for himselfe being the chiefe and greatest good all must be directed to him neither could hee bereaue himselfe of that honour no more then he could alter or change his owne nature and thorough the obseruance of that lawe either to multiplie and increase his owne mercies in a further confirmation of our blisse and happinesse or by the breach of that lawe to giue vs some taste of his iustice yet so that the miserie of our fall might be some further occasion to manifest his goodnesse And to this end some things were adioyned as necessarie and essentiall to our nature whereof God in his mercy and in the constancie of his owne will would neuer bereaue vs some things againe were added onely as gifts and as ornaments without which our nature might subsist and these we holde durante benè placito during his good pleasure and liking that as our sinnes or deserts should require wee might haue them enlarged or diminished or indeede might bee wholly depriued Againe the condition of man is such that being a creature he could not be independent as not in his beginning so not in his continuance for God cannot impart this his owne royal prerogatiue and being a creature made of nothing there still remained in this creature a power to returne vnto nothing being made a reasonable creature and hauing a spirituall soule he had likewise a libertie and freedome in his own choice either to stand or to fall And thus the wisdome of the maker and the state of man did require as much in effect that man might haue a mutable and changeable condition whereas all other creatures which were at first determinated by God as they are only carried by a naturall instinct so in themselues they are of an inferior degree directed for the vse and seruice of others and are therefore wholie vncapable of any further blisse Herein did appeare the rule of Gods mercie lest man in the pride and presumption of his owne heart might obiect against God that he was created indeed but onely created for Gods seruice and therein God might seeme to intend onely his owne honour therefore God hath appointed all other creatures to serue man that so there might be some kinde of recompence or restitution made vnto man while hee himselfe with his continuall prouidence and power intends the protection and preseruation of man and that it might for euer appeare that the seruice of God is more honorable to man then was the first appoyntment of his state and condition for herein consisteth the height of mans happinesse Triall being thus made of mans obedience before I come to the sinne I must first speake of the tentation the nature of man was innocent and incorrupt as being Gods owne immediate workemanship his condition was great his vnderstanding perfect and pure where then shall we finde the first roote seede and occasion of this corruption to make two different gods
man especially being tempted by others laying hold on Gods mercie hee might receiue the full satisfaction for his sinnes by the meanes and passion of another I doe not heere purpose to speake of the creation of Angels their nature their office their blessings their cursings I wil only speake of them so farre forth as they concerne man Supposing then that some of them fell and some of them stood some reprobated and cast into darkenesse some sealed and confirmed in goodnesse most certaine it is that all creatures in generall as they haue what they haue onely from God so are they tied to his seruice and ministerie now in the good Angels God requires not onely the free oblation of themselues but likewise as they are vessels of mercie in themselues so they should be Gods instruments of mercie to others but in the euill Angels as the power of Gods iustice appeares in their reprobation so hee ordaines them to bee the fire-brands of his iustice onely with this difference God stirres vp the good Angels ioynes with them in the action and giues them the high dignitie to bee his fellow-workemen and labourers but in the euill Angels there is sometimes onely a bare permission of God sometimes a power inforcing the execution of iustice but alwaies a prouidence so to limit and bound the actions that it might appeare that the iustice proceeds from God the malignitie from themselues Thus the execution of iustice the torturing of others discouers their owne crueltie their vncompassionate heart their malice their enuie against God and his creatures and these are sinnes which must be punished againe in the instruments and therfore according to the rule of Gods iustice these euill spirits in tormenting others themselues are likewise tormented This diuersitie of Angels some good and some bad the generall consent of the whole world seems to confirme which hath alwaies acknowledged and put a difference betweene bonus genius and malus genius But hearke doe you not heare the Oracles speaking so doubtfully yea sometimes so maliciously as may well argue the truth of a spirit though otherwise the spirit of vntruth falsehood and wrong If your hearing faile you then behold the strange delusions and strong apparitions which from time to time haue been discouered to all nations whereof the naturall Philosopher can assigne no reason and therefore must vndoubtedly flye to causes beyond the precincts of nature If sight and hearing faile yet life cannot subsist without touch neither is there any sense of that certaintie I pray' let vs trie this truth by this touch-stone let vs haue a feeling of other mens miseries some there are which are possessed with diuels others bewitched if any one doubt of this truth let him know that Scripture doth warrant it reason and experience confirmes it how is it possible that the body of man should be heauier then if it did only consist of pure lead can the spirits be so dull the heate so allaied and that onely by the ordinarie course of nature how should the minde presage euil to come without the helpe of some diuining spirit how should they speake languages wherein they were neuer instructed All natiōs in the world can testifie this all the lawes in the world whether amongst Iewes Gentiles or Christians doe witnesse it daily experience confirmes it and for any man to embrace his owne priuate and particular opinion before the generall receiued truth of the whole world it is to play the pure Sectary c. Thus by the meditation of Gods iudgement as likewise by outward and more manifest signes and tokens appeares the truth and certaintie of these euill spirits Now for the tentation I will first lay downe this for a ground-worke that as all bodies are contained within the circumference of one first bodie all the elements adiacent and contiguous together the fire it selfe next and immediatly vnder the spheare of the Moone and therefore this world carries a round figure the forme of a Globe that all things might be better prest and compacted together so it stood with the vnitie and identitie of one the same God that all his creatures should be linckt and tyed together to betoken and point out one workman Thus he himselfe sitting aboue and insfinitly transcending all creatures the holy Angels as they draw neerer and neerer his throne so doe they admit degrees in their order and make one perfect Hierarchie The Angels are knit to this visible world by the mediation of man who consists of spirit and flesh man here conuerseth with the dumbe creatures takes them for his foode vseth them for his labour Now beneath all these creatures as it is credibly supposed in the heart or center of the earth there is the place of Hel where the euill spirits are tormented as in their owne habitation and dwelling God hauing excommunicated thē he appointed a place best befitting their pride most remote and in the furthest distance from himself to teach all the creatures that notwithstanding their naturall right and dignitie yet it lies in his power to cast them downe to deiect them and to make them the basest in degree and condition Here then you see all the creatures knit together now this order appeares not onely in place and precedencie as I may so say but likewise in the mutuall actions receiued from each other In the visible world it sufficiently appeares for al are directed to man now in respect of the Angels as it hath pleased God to appoint the good Angels to bee our guardians and protectors so in his iustice hee permits the euill Angels to bee the tempters and tormenters of man for thus it stoode with the wisdome of God being dishonored by the Angels to make a new triall of mans obedience whom he created in place of the Angels to accomplish the number of his elect to see whether man would grow wise by their fall and for default of mans strength hee purposed to ingage himselfe in the quarell Thus he suffers man to be tempted vntill in his due time hee shall set a wall of separation betweene both by a definitiue sentence or a iudgement past for the setling and establishing of his creatures Here you see a commission graunted and a power giuen vnto Satan to tempt man and that in the time of his innocencie for innocencie is best discouered by the triall of tentation thus Christ was likewise tempted in the wildernesse but Satan had not such an absolute power as was giuen him ouer Iob 1. 12. Loe all that he hath is in thine hand or as it followes in the next chapter verse 6. where his commission is renewed and enlarged and power is giuen him ouer the bodie and person of Iob Loe hee is in thine hand but saue his life Here rather we may admire the wonderfull goodnesse of God that had set such a separation betweene man and the diuell that they could not outwardly conuerse together as being