the woman hath threee names in the Scripture as well as man The first is the generall name in respect of the Sex Gen. 1. 27. by which they are called male and female which is given as he is the Stock and she is the Storehouse of all mankinde The second is Adams matter and Eves mold which in him is the name of his and in her is the name of her fruitfulness that she is the mother of all living Creatures The third is the honorable name given in marriage which is Ish and Ishah man and woman which signifieth the dignity to which God exalted them both And this may suffice of their names Idcirco relicturus est vir patrem suum matrem suam ad haerebit uxori suae erúntque in carnem unam Gen. 2. 24. 30. Octob 1491. IN these words God the Author of matrimony setteth out a Law and Statute to all the posterity of Adam to observe concerning the matter of marriage and Adam is here instead of the Clerk to proclaim it unto all which Ordinance of almighty God our Saviour Christ in Matth. 19. 4. sheweth and avoucheth to be the only pattern and plat-forme for all married men for ever to look unto for saith he this is the originall Canon and the Rule to be observed utrum ab initio fuit sic And if we mark the contents of this Rule we shall perceive that it is Gods will that the conjunction of man and wife shall be so neer and dear and the knot of 〈◊〉 so surely knit that rather they should dissolve and break asunder all knots of frendship and bonds of propinquity than either wilfully to untie or violently to break it asunder by separation or divorce after the knot and covenant be once lawfully and solemnly made before God and his Church So that this is made a perpetuall Law not for Adam only and specially but for all Adam's posterity in generall For we see that it respecteth not so much Adam as us which follow him because God doth not direct his speech in the second person as saying thou shalt c. But indifferently to all mankinde as is more apparent thus because Adam and Eve cannot be said to have left father and mother therefore it properly concerneth them which afterwards should have father mother as all his sonnes and posterity had we see then there are two parts of this Law here set down the one is that married folks shall leave all other the other is that they shall cleave fast and inseparably each to other the bond and chain of naturall affection which bindeth fast the parents and children is wonderfull strong and neer and therefore the heathen doe call it vinculum Adamantinum an Adamant chain more strong than Iron we see this love and naturall affection is very great and forcible even in dumb creatures which are led thereto only by the instinct of nature wherefore if it should not be in men indued with reason Moses would have such stoned to death Deut. And Salomon prophecieth of such 〈◊〉 children Prov. 30. 17. That the Crowes of the Valley shall pull out their eyes yet notwithstanding this bond of naturall affection being so great and strong God saith that he would have married folks rather violate and break that then break this bond wherewith man and wife is united and tied together not that God would simply tollerate and alow any breach of duty between parents and children but only in respect of cleaving to his wife and the wife to her husband wherefore we must know and beware that we doe not think it lawfull for us being once married so to forsake our parents which brought us forth and bred us up as to set light by them and not to regard them as many unnaturall children doe under this pretence for to take away that savage and brutish disobedience Quod hoc non extinguit affectionem sed ordinat This freeth us not from our duty which Gods Law and the Law of nature bindeth us unto but it teacheth us how to dispose it aright that is how to cleave to our parents in duty as we 〈◊〉 and how to be united to our wives in love as we ought also By this then appeareth that it is Gods will that the link of love between married folks should exceed in strength and measure if it be possible even the naturall bond of love and affection that is between parents and their children and there may be rendred sufficient reason why it ought so to be first because his wife was made of the very true and reall flesh and bone indeed but children doe come only of the seed of the fathers and blood of their mothers so that it may truely be said that the wife is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone but their children are only flesh and bone of his seed and blood Again children are only the fruit of their loyns which is farther from the heart than the wife which is of the ribs which is most neer and therefore most deer to the heart Lastly because men doe love their children tanquam aliquid sui but they love their wives tanquam semetipsum Ephes. 5. 28. Seeing therefore self love is the greatest and most perfect love we conclude also that that marriage love must be neerest and most like it by the ordinance of God for our use this doth seem to give us a caveat touching the evill and shamefull divorce and separation of man and wife which are too rife now a daies for if so be that Gods knot of marriage should be so surely knit that it must not be broken for our deer parents sake but of the two choose rather to forsake them then no doubt it is not his will that for every sleight and trifling cause and occasion they should sue divorces and forsake one another for this is the divinity which our Saviour Christ doth gather out of this place Mark 10. 4. And thus much of the first part Now touching the other part of the position we are to consider two points first the union and conjunction of their hearts in love which is called their cleaving together The other is the union and combination of their bodies expressed in these words they shall be both one flesh the first is called of some conjunctio mentis the other is copulatio carnis both which are ordeined of God as holy and good for the first we see that this unity of minde by unfeined love and affection is called vinculum perfectionis Colos. 3. 14. So that this spirituall love is the best glue to make them cleave together without separation For so indeed this word signifieth glue or a kinde of glueing and sodering together wherefore as two things are by glue or soder united and made but one so by love ought man and wife which sheweth amor conjugalis must be reciprocus respecting and taking hold of both sides alike as glue doth There must be
〈…〉 all and also 〈◊〉 in such simplicity of words and yet hath such a 〈◊〉 and majestle in every phrase that Eusebius faith well of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 for so we see that God approveth all the names which Adam giveth to the Creatures saying that as the man called them so should their 〈◊〉 and so continue to the worlds end Now we are come from this generall consideration of his tongue and language to consider of the names in particular which he gave Touching it I will give you but a taste of a few because it were infinite to reckon all the excellent significant and most fit names of the Creatures which he gave Adam having first severed the Beasts from the Fowls as being distinct in nature among all the Beasts he seeing a Horse he knew that God had made him for man to ride and trundle upon for his case and better speed doth therefore at the first sight according to the nature of him give this name which in 〈◊〉 signifieth a swift Runner So seeing the Sheep and knowing that God had made them to beare wooll to cloath and keep warm he by and by calleth him the man clothier An Asse he nameth the mase Porter because he knew his nature was to carry mens burdens c. So for the Fowls he seeing the Eagle to be the Prince and chief of Birds giveth him a name of the noblenesse of his nature The Peacock he calleth a pround Bird of that inward property of pride which he knew to be in him The Stork he calleth the gratefull loving or pitifull bird for the dutifull care and kindnesse which he hath of his Damme So for creeping things he calleth the Serpent by the name of subtilnesse or deceivablenesse which knowledge of his dangerous nature might have made him beware and take heed of him The Locust hath his name of going out in swarms The Bee hath his name given him of his artificiall cunning workmanship with which God hath naturally indued him in making his Combes of honey and waxe By all which Adams great wisdome and insight into the nature of things is seen because the name doth so fitly answer the nature of things And thus much of the execution of the Decree concerning the denomination of Creatures Now we are come to the 〈◊〉 of this Writ which is set down in these words He found not a meet help for him Touching which we may observe that he returneth not the answer of this that he had given meet names to all the Creatures by which they should be called for ever But letting this passe he saith that He could not finde a meet help for Man which sheweth indeed that this was the most chief and principall end of the assembling the Creatures before him that he might finde a help and fit companion for him if any were for not finding argueth a seeking and seeking argueth a desire to have a companion like him and that desire argueth a want which want made him to seek diligently but he could not finde therefore here he returneth Non est inventus This is then q.d. somewhat Adam found by search and seeking namely the divers natures and qualities of good Creatures which were made for his good But yet because they were all bruitish and unreasonable he refused them all to be his mate for in Adam God had placed naturally not only appetitus socii sed etiam similitudinis that is to be one of his own kinde nature and disposition but he found none as yet This confession of his want doth argue there this conclusion of his desire to God as Augustine saith 〈◊〉 simile non est simile ergo Domine fac simile Vocavissetque Adam nominibus pecudem quamlibet volucrem Coeli omnemque bestiam agri non aderat Adamo auxilium commodum Gen. 1. 20. Octob. 19. 1591. I Shewed that the Precept was directed to the Beasts and Fowl to come before man Gods Lieutenant whereby he was invested with honour and supremacie above the beasts here Gods generation in the 4. verse is named by man This verse standeth upon the execution and return of the Precept directed to man which commandement as I told you stood upon two parts Seeing and Calling The Hebrews in their tongue call themselves not only men of speculation but also men of utterance and practise adduxit ut videret vocaret It is received as approved in divinity that in Adam are two estates First out of the fourth verse of this Chapter that though God be Pater generationis yet Adam is Pater generatorum the father of the World as in the 20. verse of the next Chapter Hevah had her name for that she was Mater cunctorum viventium Adam pater contemplationis And secondly hence they say he is called Pater contemplationis for by the Divines both ancient and new there are in Adam two perfections the one of Minde and Understanding the other of his Will the one is gratia gratis dats the other is aceepta the one concerneth his Wisdome the other his Justice Hence they gather his Wisdome by the knowledge of natures to give apt names and his Justice out of the last verse of the first Chapter God bash made man righteous but they have sought many inventions saith the Wiseman Preach 7. 29. that is God made mans minde without corruption in the beginning his will was free his thoughts strait his understanding without questions The multitude of Quarists and Quomodists of those that make doubts and questions come from the Devill who saith in the beginning of the third Chapter cur praecepit vobis Deus ut non comederitis Wisdome in contemplation and utterance Tertulltan saith well that the knowledge of man standeth either in scientiis mutis as in contemplation in videre or in scientiis disertis that is in utterance in vocare that is as the School-men say in the science of Reals and Nominals For the first which is to weigh in silence Paul in 1 Cor. 13. 2. saith There is a knowledge of 〈◊〉 and of Mysterie Adam as it were induced with a propheticall spirit in the 23. verse said that she was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh being before in an heavie sleep There was in Adam a science of Mysteries in that he was made in Gods Image the 26. of the first Chapter and by his obedience he knew the Mysterie of the tree of life which was his erernall reward as it is in the end of the 22. verse of the next Chapter Now last for the knowledge of The knowledge of Adam in naural Philosophie Philosophie it was in Adam The knowledge of wisdom is as gold of the Creation as of silver this of nature and of names as pearl Of Salomon Great was the knowledge of Salomon in natural Philosophie who spake of the nature of Trees of Beasts and of Fowls 1 Kings 4 33. Of Moses And Moses he was
from Gods own mouth kils Cain doth deserve a more great punishment But lest any should excuse themselves with ignorance therefore that notice may be taken of Cain God sets a mark upon Cain Signum in Cain fecit Cain insignum This mark gives all men occasion to inquire who he is that so they may be put in minde to hold their hands from off Cain forasmuch as God will not have him to be killed by any man There are two sorts of signes There is Signum in bonum Psalme the eighty sixth sbew us some signe for good Such a signe or mark was the letter 〈◊〉 set in the foreheads of them that 〈◊〉 and cryed for the 〈◊〉 that were done by the which God deliered them from the destruction of the City Ezekiel the ninth chapter and the fourth verse But Cain's mark is Signum in malum The Fathers usually distinguish them into these two Signum annuli such a mark as Christ had set upon him in the sixt chapter of John Him hath God the Father sealed And signum cauterii in the first epistle to Timothie the fourth chapter and the first verse the signe of a brand This figne or mark set upon Cain was outward and visible to the end that he might be discerned from all other men What was Cain's mark Basil 〈◊〉 us when he saith that it is the rednesse of the eyes Proverbs the twenty third chapter and 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 such as 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 of whom he saith that they put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whatsoever it were it is some evident token whereby all 〈◊〉 might see that Cain was not in such good case as he should 〈◊〉 And upon whomsoever God hath set any outward mark it is not in vain But the fetting of marks in the forehead or hands of malefactors hath a ground from Gods practise The use of them is to teach them that albeit they be suffered to live yet they are unworthy of life Such are marks of admonition both to themselves and to others they give occasion to inquire How come these 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 bands Zechary the thirteenth chapter and the sixth verse To the parties themselves such marks 〈◊〉 for conversion that their 〈…〉 with shame Psalm the eighty third for the remembrance of that which they have deserved they may be stirred up to amend their lives and it 〈◊〉 others so to live that they deserve not to be marked in like sort This use the Apostle makes in the second to the Thessalonians the third chapter and the fourteenth verse If any obey not our sayings note him and have no company with him 〈◊〉 he may be ashamed Such marks in others will make men heedfull that they deserve not to be marked To conclude we see Cain is spared but yet so that he carryeth still his sentence and mark Two invisible things of God remain that is his justice and mercy and both that they may move him to repentance but if they prevail not yet he hath a visible sign to admonish him that he repent that so the evill sign may be taken from him and there may be restored to him a 〈◊〉 for good 〈◊〉 is the sign of Gods seal in the second to the 〈◊〉 the seventeenth chapter and the twenty second verse whereby we are 〈…〉 the day of redemption 〈◊〉 the fourth chapter 〈◊〉 〈…〉 to live and so God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 may live Genesis the seven 〈…〉 and the eighteenth 〈◊〉 But the promise of this 〈◊〉 life such as 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 obtained was not 〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 the sixt chapter and the second verse The 〈…〉 hath root in 〈◊〉 it standeth in the bruising of the 〈◊〉 head If by life we procure to our selves the death of 〈◊〉 and make our selves partakers of the divine nature then the promise of such a life is to be desired but if life be used as Cain spent his it is better to die without Cains mark than to live with it Egressus itaque est Kajin à facie Jehovae consedit in terra Nodi ad Orientem Hedenem versus Gen. 4. 16. Septemb. 23. 1599. WE now come to the last part of the History of Cain for in this verse we have his departure from the presence of God and in the next his purpose never to return again The contents of this verse are his departure Gods purpose as we have heard both in Cains punishment as also by granting him so much as he required in the last verse was to give Cain space to repent and yet not withstanding we see plainly that is verified in Cain which the Prophet affirmeth Isaiah the twenty sixt chapter and the tenth verse Let mercy be shewed to the wicked yet he will not learn righteousness For Cain instead of using the goodness and patience and long suffering of God as a means to bring him to repentance Hardned his heart and heaped up wrath for himself against the day of wrath Romans the second chapter and the fift verse This departing of Cain stands upon three parts First his removing he went out Secondly terminus a quo that is from the presence of God Thirdly terminus ad quem that is the land of Nod. Touching the first there is a going out upon distrust when a man hath no hope of favour and another upon contempt when a man thinks he shall have no benefit of tarrying Of which the better is that going out which is upon distrust but so could not Cain goe out for as well by Gods mercifull dealing towards Cain before the sentence was pronounced as also by the gracious grant which God made him he might gather that God was well affected towards him For as the wife of Manoah saith Judges the thirteenth chapter and the twenty third verse If the Lord would kill us he would not receive a burnt offering at our hands so God would not have heard Cains request had he not wished him well And therefore Austin upon the words of David Psalm the sixty sixt and twentieth verse saith quamdiu dominus non amovet orationem a se 〈◊〉 non amovet misericordiam a nobis for that yeelding to Cains request touching his life was an invitation to stir up Cain to desire more Therefore Cain should not have gone out so soon as his suit was heard but still have continued praying to God for more and better things as Abraham Genesis the eighteenth chapter hearing that God at his request was contented to spare Sodom for fifties sake prayeth still in the behalf of the City adding one petition after another Which course the Prophet keepeth in his prayer Psalm the fifty first Cast me not from thy presence neither take thy holy spirit from me Though he durst not pray himself being a sinner yet by others as Miriam by Moses Numbers the tweelfth chapter Pharaoh by Moses and Aron Exodus the ninth chapter and the twenty eighth verse so should Cain have done but in as much as
either promise that which they cannot perform as being weak as Psalm the twenty first and the tenth verse or which they will not perform as Naball in the first book of Samuel and the twenty fist chapter But if we can finde one that is both able and willing to keep his promise that is a great kindnesse not to be distrusted And such a one is God who of his own goodnesse is become indebted to us by making us most great and pretious promises he is true of his word for he is Deus mentiri nesciens Titus the first chapter he cannot lye And for his power and ability Apud eum non erit impossibile omne verbum Luke the first chapter And for his willingnesse the Angels testifie of it that there is in God good milk towards men even the same which he heares to Christ his own Sonne of whom he 〈◊〉 from heaven in the third chapter of Luke This is my 〈◊〉 Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly For the thing promised Though it be God that 〈◊〉 yet if the thing promised be a matter of no great value wee respect it the lesse but this is a great and most 〈◊〉 promise Now that is pretious for which a man will give any thing as for a pearle a man will sell all that he hath to composse it Matthew the thirteenth chapter and what will 〈◊〉 a man give for the ransome of his soul the whole world nay a thousand of worlds is little enough to give for it Matthew the sixteenth chapter and the sixteenth verse So then this promise is pretious in respect of the thing promised Secondly It is pretious in regard that it cost dearly For wee are bought not with corruptible things as silver and gold 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 blood of Christ in the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the eighteenth verse Thirdly It is a pretious promise in this respect because our blessednesse here promised stands not only in having our sinnes forgiven or in being made righteous that is not the thing we are 〈◊〉 with or to be with God which was the desire of our first Parents Genesis the third chapter and of Lucifer Isaiah the fourteenth chapter ero similis 〈◊〉 but it stands herein that we shall be made partakers of the Divine nature and enjoy those things 〈◊〉 eye bath not seen c. in the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the second chapter and the third verse he doth not promise that we shall be partakers of Gods glory joy and felicity as 〈◊〉 sonnes would have been Matthew the twenty first chapter but 〈◊〉 of his nature That as we are subject to sicknesse death and all crosses by being partakers of the nature of the first Adam so we shall be partakers of glory joy and 〈◊〉 And being partakers of the second Adam as the branches receive life from the vine John the fifteenth chapter so it shall be between Christ and us he will derive his benefits to us As the 〈◊〉 is holy so wee that are branches 〈…〉 shall be 〈◊〉 Romans the eleventh chapter and the sixteenth verse As we partake of the miseries of the first Adam so of the joy and 〈◊〉 of the second Adam As we have been partakers of the 〈◊〉 so of 〈…〉 in the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the fifteenth chapter Fourthly If we consider from how base estate we to whom this promise is made are 〈◊〉 not only from the nature of 〈◊〉 Psalm the fourty ninth Of wormes and 〈…〉 17. and which is more base from being the Children of wrath 〈◊〉 the second chapter and Children of the Devil Acts the thirteenth chapter to be partakers of the divine nature that will 〈◊〉 to be a 〈◊〉 promise containing matter of so great comfort whereby that is by the knowledge of God that hath called us to glory and 〈◊〉 or by whom that is by Christ taking knowledge of him as in the fifty third chapter of Isaiah My 〈…〉 by his knowledge shall 〈◊〉 many and in the seventeenth chapter of John and the third verse This is eternall life to know thee and Jesus Christ. The Heathen and Turkes are not capable of this pretious promise because they take no notice of Christ It is a promise made to Christians for because they are partakers of flesh and blood He also took part with them Hebrews the second chapter As Christ took part of our nature so he makes us partakers of his It is the Christian only that beleeves this and therefore he is capable of this so pretious promise for albeit Christ were man yet it pleased God that the fulnesse of the God head should dwell in him bodily Colossians the second chapter and the ninth verse and as he is in us by his humanity so are we in him in respect of his Divinity God partakes with Christ because of his Divine nature and man partakes with Christ in as much as he hath assumed our humane nature He is partaker of our humane nature for he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Ephesians the fifth chapter and we by his Spirit are partakers of his Divine nature for in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter He that cleaveth to the Lord is one spirit Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by the spirit which he hath given us in the first epistle of St. John the fourth chapter and the thirieenth verse Christ imputeth his nature two wayes First by regeneration in Baptisin for except ye be born again of water and the holy Ghost John the third chapter Secondly by eating and drinking in the Sacrament In which respect the Apostle saith that we must bibere spiritum the first epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the thirteenth verse In this life we must seek for Gods grace and glory and he hath promised to give both Psalm the eighty fourth and then we shall Intrare in gaudium Domini Matthew the twenty fift chapter and so we shall be alwaies with him the first epistle to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter and see him as he is the first epistle of John the third chapter and the first verse that is be partakers of his divine nature and which goes beyond all he shall not be glory in one and joy in another and immortality in a third but he shall be omnia in omnibus the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse Now the promise is with a restraint nobis qui that is to us which eschue the corruption The like we have in John the third chapter and the sixteenth verse ut omnes qui credant and Matthew the eleventh chapter Come to me omnes qui And great reason it is that if we will have God to perform his promise to us we keep the condition on our part towards him so the Apostle disputes in the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the
darknesse and on the other side joyn darknesse to light which should be separated not come together Non est aliud Abyssus aliud facies Abyssi they are not two things severed and therefore if it be dark or light in the deep it will appear so in the face of the deep So we must appear and shew plainly and outwardly by our face and deeds what we are within the bottome and depth of our hearts and indeed as the shewing his darknesse over the face of all was a preparation to have light sent to all so when we professe and manifest outwardly how evill we are by repentance it is the very note of reformation and 〈◊〉 we begin to be good Thus we see God is our pattern for imitation to teach us to separate and distinguish good and evill Touching our selves first which thing Gods word also resembling God himself doth teach us Heb. 5. 10. For it discerneth and separateth the will in the hearts and thoughts of men aswell as in actions and setteth his mark on them saying to us this is evill avoid it this is good receive it Two things in light There are two things in light which are the marks and notes of his goodnesse by which it is known that is brightnesse and comfortablenesse So Gods Spirit is called the light and oyle of knowledge for knowledge instruction and direction and in the 45. Psal. 7. He is called the oyle of gladnesse and comfort and consolation so Gods word is a lanthorne and also a joy and comfort Psal. 119. 105. but e contra ignorance and darknesse is melancholy and uncomfortable So we may make our marke of distinction on things for if we see them uncomfortable to the soul and conscience set a mark on it that knowing them we may eschue such things and ensue such things as are good and comfortable And thus much for our selves Now touching others we learn also that in Common-wealths the Magistrate must have his stone of Tynne Zach. 4. 10. that is his marking stone for that is the word also here to set his mark of difference on the evill to discover them from the good The Minister hath belonging to him only vision to discern them Jer. 15. 19. but the Magistrate hath division to doe it so that he may by deed approve and commend the good and reprove and condemn the bad and if all did keep this difference the world would be a light world but because the good and the evill without any distinction or regard are shuffled together 1 Sam. 8. 1. this confusion in Common-wealths is the cause by Gods just judgement of the confusion and renting a sunder of Common-wealths and Churches Dan. 5.18 This just division then looked to in the Governor would avoid confusion in the popular sort as God doth here begin to distinguish light from darknesse so doth he the same continually by his word Heb. 4. 12. separating and marking the works of darknesse from the armour of light for it sheweth to us daily which are ignorant and negligent these things are evill and not to be done that is good and must be done these things the ignorant Gentills and Infidells did therefore thou must not doe the like which hast knowledge these things doe they which are desparate and without hope of comfort therefore thou which hast peace and joy with God must not doe so Thus we must be carefull in separating evill from good untill the great day of separation when God shall sever all evill from good for ever for here God is a Fisher and Common-wealths and Churches are as a Net which hath in them good and bad together children of light and darknesse but then at the last day of separation when a full finall and perfect distinction shall be made all shall not be taken into Gods Boat Math. 25. 32. but the good fish only shall be taken into Gods Boat and the evill shall be cast away Then God will be a Sheepherde Math. 25. 32. and divide the Sheep from the Goats for ever setting this eternall marke venite Benedicti ite Maleaicti Untill the last day of perfect separation there will be still confusion and disorder both in private men and publique Weales but they which cease not to confound themselves in themselves Justice with unrighteousnesse qui confundunt confundentur Thus we have seen the order of separation in God also the manner of it in us both privately and publickly And what confusion will be unto the last day And thus much of the natural separation and the spiritual use thereof Now as here we see divisio rerum so in the next place is set down divisio nominum denominationum which ever ensueth the other for it is the sinne of the world not to divide things in their denominations and names which are perfectly and plainly distinguished in their natures for they call repentance and remorse sullennesse and melancholy and Davids spiritual joy foolishnesse covetousnesse they call honest thrift profuseness providence and riot liberality patience they call cowardlinesse and quarrelling manhood light darknesse and darknesse light So they confound the names when they cannot the natures But such shall give account for it to the great distinguisher in the great last day of division We have in this distinction many things to consider as The names given The Athcists objection And sundry other matters of which the next time Lucemque Deus vocavit diem tenebras verò vocavit noctem Gen 1. 5. verse AFTER God had distinguished and divided light from darknesse as being things in nature opposite and in degree unequall which contrariety and inequality not being separated are the authors of all confusion Now he proceedeth to divide them in name for as the natural division serveth for all things so this distinction of denominations and names in respect of us men serveth for our knowledge to distinguish them which inducement moveth us to think that God had respect to mankinde even from the beginning in all things that he created as if he purposed to make them for men for though light and darknesse affecteth all Creatures even beasts yet the name and title given to them concerneth only man who understandeth and discerneth things by their names and therefore as soon as he made man he gave him a gift to know by what names to call and distinguish one thing from another Gen. 2. 19. for God hath in the Creation ordained things that they should be known and that they might be known he giveth names of distinction which are symbola rerum as it were notes to know them by and because we cannot in this life know all that God made we look for a clearer light after this life by which our knowledge shall be perfect 1 Cor. 13. 12. Touching this division of names we have four things to consider First the manner of denominations Secondly the cause Thirdly the ende Fourthly the dependance of the day on the light and not on
and repell the frivolous and unlearned objections of the Atheists or else if we consider as Nazianzen doth very wisely think and gather that is all things in grosse were created at the beginning in the two generalls Heaven and Earth though the perfecting and polishing of the Creatures in particular were by degrees brought to perfection in the six several dayes so he conjectureth that the Sunne was made when the Heavens were made at the first but after the fourth day it was perfected and had the light annexed to it this giveth them an answer The use Now touching the spiritual use of this knowledge in which we will keep the course of these three things before noted First that a distinction of names of us must be truly kept Secondly that they might be agreeable to the nature of the things Thirdly that we must expresse the nature of things shewed by their names by our right and well usage and practise of them 1. I began to teach the last day that it doth not avail us that things be distinct in nature if there be a confusion of names therefore God in wisdome brought in the right division of both orderly for though names in affirmation and negation cannot change the true nature of things Non amittunt quod sunt cum amissione nominis as in Judaes name and though we call Gold Copper and Lead Silver yet the false name affirmed or denyed hurteth not the nature yet notwithstanding in respect of us except there be a distinction of certain appellations names and titles we shall grow erronious and ignorant of the right natures of things therefore one setteth down this rule that fides nominum est salus proprietatum the right keeping of the names truly discerned is the preserver of the true properties of things Therefore the Divell not being able to alter the nature of things made and distinguished by God he laboureth in the other to shuffle and confound the names of things which ought to be distinguished to deceive men To such God faith Job 38. 2. Who is that which darkneth the Counsell by words without knowledge for giving of ill and wrong names confusedly obscureth the right knowledge of the natures of things to us and Paul complaineth of it 1 Tim. 6. 20. he complaineth I say of things in his time falsly so called So may we now complain of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the false faith zeale sincerity preaching and reformation of many which indeed is but falsly so called for their unfruitfull faith is no faith their blinde zeal is no zeal their reformation is deformation and their preaching is but a 〈◊〉 or pratling though it be falsly otherwise called Wherefore they are in great fault which give one and the same name both rei privationirei to the substance and the shadows of things This then is the first use which by Gods example we are to learn namely to term things by their right names by which God hath distinguished them 2. Secondly As the names must not be in confusion so there must be a fitnesse and stablenesse agreeable and correspondent to the natures of the things for commonly the names and titles of the world are either too bigge or too little in proportion for the nature of things It men be great in authority and wealth we are no niggards in our words but give great and swelling titles to them though they be of small or no deferts as Esay 32. 5. they will not stick to call Naball by the name of Nalath that is a foolish clownish Chrule a right worshipfull man to flatter him withall but God will be angry if we give titles after such a manner Job 32. 22. As we are Parasites to others for favour or gain so we love to be flattered of others and to have a great and glorious name for small and simple gifts though our deeds be very small and few yet we must bumbast our words as great as may be but God observeth agreeablenesse 3. Lastly We learn that if the name be agreeable to the nature then in our life and action we must also expresse the nature of the things by well using as the word teacheth us that is that seeing the day is our being and sheweth that our life and being is laboring and well being in our Calling therefore we must reckon or accompt our selves no longer to live and have the being of a man then we are in the day imployed in such honest and good actions of life and esteem our selves in that respect as dead men or as beasts when we are idle slothfull and given to sleep Prov. 24. 33 34. we must be farre therefore from the speech and saying of the sluggard that is yet a little more sleep and slumber that is delight in idlenesse And so must we be far from it in doings behaviour and custome Prov. 26. 14. which is thus described even as a dore moveth on hinges so doth he in idlenesse one calleth such fungos truncos shewing that we differ not from blocks being idle and sleeping nor from mushromes eating and drinking nor from whelps sporting and playing but then we are men when we doe the actions of men that is to study for knowledge and work and travail for thy living so that the night is our time of non esse so long as we will ociosum esse Wherefore seeing Christians are not of the night but of the day 1 Thes. 5. 5. we must doe the actions of good works which belong to the day and for which the day was made for idlenesse theft adultererie murther c. hate the light because they are works of darknesse 1 Cor. 4. 5. so are there three paire of them set down Rom. 13. 13. So the qualities of our actions must be framed to the meaning of the word and nature of the things which God hath made for us And this may suffice for the second distribution of the names Et dixit Deus sit firmamentum c. Gen. 1. 6. vers IN the second verse these two were coupled together darknesse and the deep and how blessed an exchange of light we had been made partakers of we have already heard Now it followeth to hear the wonderfull works of God in the deep and that not in the face of the deep but in the bowels and middle part thereof God hath before removed the swadling band of darknesse and now he cometh to take order in the deep and hereafter he will come to the earth to order it which as yet lyeth desolate overwhelmed and buried in the midest of the waters and deep Though the deep had but a poor being as yet yet it had cause to praise God for it as simple as it was Psal. 148. 7. But God that it might praise him more being moved with pity to see this poor rude being in great goodnesse swallowed up Abyssum in Abysso to teach us that as there is nothing so
dark and hidden though it be in darknesse it self but his eye of providence can see it so that there is nothing so deeply covered in secret but that he by the same can reach to it In this second work the Prophet beginneth at the third point for the first two which are the materialls and womb and the impregnating making fit or enabling it to receive a better form were things belonging particularly to the first dayes work which in respect of the prerogations it had was called the one day and the day alone For in the first day there was spiritus 〈◊〉 creatio sed varia procreatio for all things being made in grosse at the first and impregnated and conceived in this womb of the waters had afterward in the six severall dayes and times their procreation and were brought forth and therefore the gulph being enabled before is not distinguished and separated into that place which is the upmost Heavens of all above us and the purest and cleerest and best part of the waters The other part which is more unpure is set in that place below under us which reacheth unto the bottom of the deep of the earth Saint Austine saith that this separation was therefore made because God would not trouble the living Creatures of the earth afterward with many waters which were not a meet Element for them to live in but only they should have the impressions of the Ayre to water the earth as rain snow haile and dews Coelum aëreum Touching Heaven which is one part of the division there is varia acceptio verbi it is diversly understood for first it is taken for coelum aëreum which we call the skie as in the 20. verse of this Chap. volucres coeli when Heaven is taken for the Ayre or Skie Jer. 8 7. Milvus in coelo c. that is in the Ayre so Gen 9. 14. nubes coeli that is the Clouds which hang and flie in the Ayre And Christ saith that they are skilfull to discern the times by view of the face of Heaven to know what the day will be by the rednesse or lowring of the Ayre or Skie Luk. 4. 25. he saith the Heavens were shut or locked up three yeers that is the Ayre where the Clouds are So doe Heathen writers take the word coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt that is they change the Ayre not their mindes c. where coelum is taken for that distance of place which is between us and the Moon After we have spoken of this coelum aëreum we will come to the other coelum coelorum but first let us consider the Ayre in the generall and then the true Chambers of the Ayre as David calleth them Psal. 104.2.3 that is of the three Regions of the Ayre In which treatise we will consider Distributio first the matter or argument of these verses Secondly the name of the thing it self in the 8 verse In the first three things are to be noted First Gods Edict Secondly the execution of it in the former part of the 7. verse And the third is the return of the Edict or Writ And it was so Of the first in which we consider the word the manner and the parts to whom the Edict is given and then what wherein and to what end it was namely to distinguish the one waters from the other It pleased God in every daies work to have severall speech and mention made of his Word and Spirit the one to exclude necessity the other to exclude chance or casualty the word is ever named to conclude and shut out that objection quis erat ei consiliarius Esay 40. 13 14. that he had no need of counsell or advise the other to exclude quis dedit illi prior for as he did all things without the advise and help of any by himself so he did it of his meer goodnesse and grace without any motive or perswasion of our deserts Touching the word which I told you was verbum unum increatum aeternum We must consider it abiding in God as skill art and cunning doth abide in a perfect work-man and his proceedings and manifestation in the Creatures as the skill of an artificer proceedeth from him into his work and there is to be seen so the second person the word of God abideth for ever wholly in God and dwelleth and resteth in his bosome Pro. 2. And this by this means passeth from God the Father into his workmanship and Creatures and is to be seen manifestly how wonderfull and glorious Gods word and wisdome and art is by which he made all And so may we say of his spirit which is inseparable and coequall with it for as with our words our breath also proceedeth out of our mouthes in one action and at one time so ever the word and the spirit of God proceedeth from him together to the perfecting of any work So we see they are indivisible Heb. 1. 2. 3. Christ by whom God made the World is there called a stamp or graven form of his Father and the brightnesse of his glory so that now here is shewed the second stamp and impression graven and formed in these works in which the brightnesse of his Image may be seen namely his power and wisdome c. For by the word of God also were the Heavens made Psal. 33. 6. saith David out of which sentence we may learn two speciall points 1. First that the word of God is the generall mediator not only between God and man in the work of redemption but also between God and his works in this Creation for after that the word of God was he by whom all things had their being and were that they are and were set joynt and in order by him then by the same verbum increatum proceeding from God together with that powerfull working of the sanctifying Spirit were all things new created and set in right order and joynt again being by Adams sinne clean out of frame 2. The other point is that whereas it had been all one for Moses to say Deus dixit aut Deus facit he rather causeth this phrase Dixit Deus quia fecit dicendo in men indeed sermo apus are two things of divers natures often separated for commonly the greatest sayers are least doers well the talkative are seldom active but in God they are all one his dictum factum have no difference for as 〈◊〉 saith with God initium sermonis est perfectio operis and this is the prerogative of the supernatural Agent Touching the stile or phrase of the Edict or Mandate it is imperative the Kings of the Earth are glad oftentimes by fair means to entreat that their inferiors and subjects may doe their will as the 〈◊〉 men counselled Roboam 1 Reg. 12. 6 7. And the Apostles 〈◊〉 alwayes use their authority in commanding 2 Cor. 8. 8. 〈◊〉 continually goeth by way of commanding
because none are able to resist his will he feareth none that shall withstand him In this stile and phrase he is in resembling compared to a Prince or King who useth but his commandement and word to have his will in any thing executed if he will have an Host of men in Armor he needeth but send out his commandement and it is speedily done while he sitteth still So doth God here Wherefore if we fear and obey Princes Precepts and if the dumb Creatures execute his commandement How much more ought we which are men to obey and doe that he commandeth us 3. The third point unto whom this Edict is directed is non enti Rom. 4. 17. he speaketh to things that are not as if they were so did he in the first dayes work but now he commandeth the deeps of the waters 2 Cor. 4. 6. touching which God challengeth the greatest Princes in the world Job 38. 8.11 Canst 〈◊〉 command the deeps The proud King of this Island as we read in Chronicles took upon him this authority to command the waters but he was checked by their disobedience but when God commandeth the deeps they obey contrary to their nature Esay 44. 17. Conclusio Thus we see what is taught by the Edict And then to whom it was given As the work to make light of darknesse is past all our capacity so this is as wonderfull a miracle and as great contrariety as the former to make altissimum excelsum coeli ex profundis 〈◊〉 which as the other sheweth the wonderfull power of the Creator that made them Again God in all this work is contrary to the manner of men in their Architecture for men use in making any thing to make their frame in that place where the 〈◊〉 matter may be had neere hand for their work But as this matter is contrary in our reason so he thinketh it all one to fetch the matter of which he will make Heaven out of the deepest and remotest place of all whereas we building Ships doe choose that place where the wood is new and to build houses we seek a place where stones are 〈◊〉 at hand to be had but it is all one with God his arms is long and his power and word able in a moment to fetch and doe it 2. Secondly It is Gods challenge Job 38 8. that 〈◊〉 can make a thing orderly out of a disordered matter but God of the most confused rude raging and disordered 〈◊〉 in the world made the Heavens who are most beautifull and whose course is most orderly and certain 3. Thirdly He is admirable in this that he can make 〈◊〉 ex infirmissimo of the infirmity of the deeps for what more weak than water Ye of it he made the Heaven which is the most firm and stable thing and therefore called the firmament 4. Last of all Men use to begin the frame of their building at the foundation and pavement but God beginneth his house at Heaven which is the roof and cealing Psal. 104.2 and then after maketh the Earth which is the foundation and pavement as it is Psal. 24. 1 2. which consideration maketh David use this exclamation by way of admiration Psal. 118. 23. The right hand of the 〈◊〉 the preheminence it doth bring mighty things to passe 2d part The second part consisteth in three points de quo in quo ad quid De quo We will begin with the Firmament which is called Rachia that is expansio a stretching forth abroad the property of which word includeth the signification of the nature of such actions whereby metals are driven thin and beaten abroad into plates as Smiths with their hammers use to doe in which sense it is taken Numb 16. 38. and Jer. 10. 9. so the expansion or driving out of metals is the original from whence this word is borrowed and being so borrowed it is applied to the spreading or drawing out of any thing what soever as of a curtain Psal. 104. 2. The Firmament of Heaven compared which kinde of phrase by comparison is there given to the making of the firmament as if he had as it were spread the Heavens abroad as a curtain also to the overspreading of a vault to which also the firmament is compared also to the pulling out abroad and expansion of a roll of paper or parchment to which also it is likened Esay 34. 4. likewise to the blowing up of glasse out of a lump into a hollow compasse to which Job resembleth the making of Heaven 37. 18. which comparisons doe yeeld unto us the hidden consideration of this work of God for such a like work was performed here this second day in making Heaven as these handy-Crafts men doe shew Simple comparisons these are to shew such a matter yet sufficient sithence we can conceive no better In quo The two actions of Gods Spirit mentioned before sustole diastole which I said are seen in all works created are no where better expressed than in this work for the dilatation and contraction of the spirit moving in this work was the expansion and stretching out of the Heavens and the compression and drawing in of his force and virtue is and shall be the dissolution of the firmament for then they will run and rowle together as a roll and as molten glasse c. The resemblance and shadow of this work of God we may set before you in a matter of common experience for it is usuall to see a pot of water by the force of the fire to evaporate and so stretcheth forth out of a little pot as to fill the whole room with his moisture extenuated and again being so dilated into a thin vapour we see it drawn in and compressed into little drops of water again which also some explane by the manner of distillation which first riseth as a vapour filling all and then resolveth into drops again and is made the same quantity of water and moisture which it was before So God in this work as a Stiller first by a vapour rising up by the Sunne he stretcheth abroad the waters above us and then the cold congealeth and compresseth that vapour into clouds and after by heat again resolveth and melteth the clouds into drops of rain which return to the Sea So that in creating Coelum aërum the rarefying and extenuating the waters into vapors and so dilating it by expansion was the first beginning of them Gods distinction is taken after the manner of a thinne stone or marking stone with which faith Salomon Prov. 8. 27. circuit Coelum quasi circino suo as if he had a compasse to make a circle for their separation Esay 40. 12. faith that in this separation with one hand God did hold up the upper waters and with the other he depressed the waters below we know it to be a matter of such difficulty to stop the course of waters that it busieth the best and wisest
lights to the glorie and praise of Gods name so shall we come from the light of the Sunne to continue in the everlasting light of righteousnesse Then shall the light of the Moon be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven fold Esay 30. 26. This place hath no need of the Sunne nor the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth light it and the Lamb is the light of it the people which are saved shall walk in the light of it there shall be no night at all Rev. 21. 23. Then shall the just men shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Matth. 13. 43. sic finiamus de luce of the light which light God of his mercy grant us all Amen Et creavit Deus Coetos maximos animantia omnia repentia quae abundè progenuerunt aquae in species ipsorum omnesque volucres alatas in species suas viditque Deus id esse bonum Gen. 1. 21. Preached January 16. 1590. HEREIN is the second part of the work of the fifth day Here is the return of the Precept Creation of Fishes This is Gods water-work first the creating of the great Whale then of the shoale of small fishes It is said creavit and not fecit you shall finde this word creavit in three several verses only of this chapter in the first in this and in the 27. verse Creavit Creavit is applyed in the first to being in this verse to living in the 27. verse to understanding In the holy tongue aget in the first verse is to be Cara is to have life and Sagar in the 27. is to have understanding So that creavit goeth by degrees from being to living from living to understanding which is the perfection of creation the first of the Heavens lacking sense the other of Fishes and Fowls having life the other of Man having understanding Barha in Hebrew in the first verse is not only creare ex nihilo aliquid but ex nihilo magnum quod est miraculum The Master-peece Artificers among their works have one especiall which they call their Master-peece God in his creation hath in the Heaven one especial Master-peece namely the shining Sunne having his being from the Creator he hath in the Water the great Whale who hath life from above He hath in the Earth Man his Master-peece who from God hath his understanding Whales These Whales are the great monsters of the Sea In creating them saith Ambrose Creavit vastitates stupores even at the sight of him shall one perish Job 40. 28. the Tunny is a great fish the Whale is a great tyrant The great Leviathan God hath made even to play in the Sea Psal. 104. 26. He hath made him saith a Father to be vectem maris a barre of the Sea so great is a Whale Sathan the tyrant of the world is compared to Leviathan the tyrant in the Sea Esay 27. 1. AEqualia habent montibus corpora saith Ambrose The nature of the Sea is to be abyssus these great Whales are immensae moles in hoc abysso though he be huge yet the Sea is deep though he be strong yet the Sea keepeth him in warde Job in his 7. chap. and 12. vers Am I a Sea or a Whale fish that thou keepest me in warde the greatnesse and strength of a Whale is declared in the 40. of Job the 20. verse to the 41. chapter He cannot be drawn with an hook neither can his jaws be pierced with an Angle thou canst not fill a basket with his skinne nor the fish-panner with his head And in the 4. chapter God saith None is so fierce that dares stirre him up In the fourth verse of that chapter it is said A double bridle cannot hold him Who shall open the dores of his face his teeth are fearfull round about In the 6. verse The Majestie of his scales is like the strong sheilds In the 9. verse His neesings make the light to shine and his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning out of his mouth goe lamps and sparks of fire In the 11. Smoak commethout of his nostrils as out of a boyling pot in his neck remaineth strength In the 15. verse His heart is strong as a stone and hard as the nether mill-stone In the 18. He esteemeth iron as straw and brasse as rotten wood When the Sword doth touch him he will not rise up He laugheth at the shaking of the speare the Archer cannot make him flie the stones of the sling he accounteth as stubble In the 22. verse He maketh the depth to boyle like a pot and maketh the Sea like a pot of 〈◊〉 when he foameth the depth seemeth to have an hoare and white head He is made without fear he is a king over all the children of pride This Leviathan is left here by Job for an Epilogue of Gods great works He like the Serpent in the 12. of the Revelation the 15. casteth out of his mouth waters as a flood This his greatnesse is an especial and infallible example of Gods strength who created him and his hugenesse Creation af all other Fishes Furthermore he created all living and moving things in the Waters in great aboundance The small fishes are not the superfluity of nature saith Ambrose He shewed as much power in creating the small fishes as the great Whales totidem syllabae ad creandum pisciculos ut ad creandum coetos nec labor at Deus in maximis nec fastidit in minimis both are miraculous there are miracula magna parva sape parva sunt magnis majora saith Austin There is as much admiration in the small shrimp as in the great Leviathan Living Souls Every soul is the matter of this creation but not the body At the resurrection he will doe a strange miracle but this is a greater for plus est ut educat Deus animam viventem quam ut reducat Deus animam viventem this is the miracle in this creation that God gave sense life moving to the fishes Soul The soul is distinct from the body there is a soul and flesh Esay 10. 18. the soul is distinct from life My soul is cut off though I live Job 10. 1. the soul is distinguished from the breath Genesis 8. Moving of Fishes Further every thing moving that moved of it self not one way as heavy things doe downward and light things upward not by any circular motion as doe the Heavens but that moved all wayes every way and that moved as the shell fishes doe by expansion The moving in this place signifieth a gliding applyed to fishes in waters and worms on the Earth there are other motions as the flying of birds the pacing foot by foot of beasts and of men The sense of fishes is dull yet their motion is perfect and swift If they had sense only to feel their hurts and not
which is taxatio diet 1. For the first we see That reason consenteth to that which Salomon saith Preach 8. 6. That there is an appointed time for every action under the Sunne but especially 〈◊〉 it be a matter of weight and serious businesse indeed Then reason wills that we should make speciall choyce of a time when secluding all other things we may intend only and wholly to it alone For if we should not have a certain time appointed to us we of our selves are so carelesse that we would make accompt of very few dayes or none at all to sanctifie unto the Lords worship This matter then of Gods worship and Religion being a matter of our soul is the most weighty and serious businesse that can be in as much as the soul is the worthiest part of us And therefore it concerneth the freehold of our souls so neerly that if we neglect or set light by it Agitur de anima our soul is in jeopardy But if we set light of our soul which being so precious a thing is worth looking to yet in another regard it is a weighty duty and therefore we ought to be carefull of it because God is worthy of this service and duty which is opus Sabati wherefore indeed there is no time of our life but that we should think chiefly of this as the 〈◊〉 held That a man ought perpetually to be present and conversant with God And in our words send up short prayers and praises to God And that this is a bounden duty daily to be performed it is agreeable to the word of God Numb 28. which was shewed in their daily sacrifice every morning and evening offering oblations and incense to God But who is it that is able all the dayes of his life night and day to intend his businesse as he ought for this belonged as a duty not only unto the Jews but unto every Christian now Seeing this one businesse is to be intended above all other and every thing is then best ordered when we appropriate and apply the time and our studies only and wholly to it as the proverb is Quod unice id unum quod solicite id solum agas for this is the wisdome of man in matters of this life Then we must needs hearken to the counsell of the Prophet Psal. 46. 10. Desistite be still or leave off other things that ye may know I am the Lord c. And to the advise of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 5. we may leave off other matters and must consent so to doe for a time that the more fully and wholly we may be given to prayer and fasting This is called of some Induciae seculo a truce taken with the world for a time that not being troubled with the affairs thereof we may only set before us as much as our weak natures can our duty in the service of God which is our sanctification Therefore God appointed to this spiritual work a time at large that is appointed some time in which only and wholy Adam by necessity was enjoyed to this work Wherefore by all conveyance of reason by a much greater necessity must we know that we also must have a time at large for this businesse 2. The second point is That it was necessary not only that there should be a time at large that is some time of our dayes but also a certain set time or day appointed for it for otherwise God should have slender service or scarce any at all for if it were left at our liberty we would take liberty to serve him when we list and when we could intend it and when we had nothing else to doe Therefore one said well according to St. Peter Christiana libert as pallium est pessimis moribus And I referre me to your judgement how well God will be served if there were no time certainly appointed seeing this which is set down is so ill kept Those therefore which urge Christian liberty and would not have a set certain day but every day a Sabath they would have God stand at that portion of time and service which mens devotion and liberality would afford This then would be the inconvenience of uncertainty in this matter that perpetuum Sabatum jejunium would prove none at all And therefore God saw it necessary that we must have a set and a certain time And in this the Law of Nature agreeth with the Law of God for the Heathen had their statae feriae set and appointed holy dayes and the Hebrews call their holy-dayes by the name of Mogne which is a staid certain time still unmovable not at random but set down and appointed firm and perpetual 3. Now we are come to the third point That it must be one of the seven in the week which came not by natures light but by Gods ordinance his word setting it down therefore was it told Adam that he should tell it to the Posterities to come By which means the Gentills came to the knowledge of it and held it by tradition for in their books we shall plainly see it Lucianus testifieth that as the Jews kept their holy-day in which they worship God on the Saturday the Turks on the Friday the Egyptians on the Thursday the Assyrians on the Wednesday the Persians on the Tuesday The Grecians on the Monday And Christians now doe keep their day of worship the Sunday and first day of the week So that in all quarters and parts of the Earth every day and part of time is kept as a set day of divine worship And for the seventh day we shall see that the Pythagoreans had received a glimmering of this knowledge for they called the number of 7 numerum quietis and the number hallowed of God and the divine number or Gods number which they had no doubt not by the light of Nature and reason but by tradition from their Elders and so delivered it to their Posterity It is strange which Eusebius recordeth out of two Heathenish Writers 13. de preparatione Evangelii The one of Linus verse 2. That God made and finished all things the seventh day the other of Hesiod we agreeing to that saith that therefore the seventh day is the Lords holy-day And on the seventh day therefore the Gentiles called on their Gods and had their meetings in it and called the number of 7 Minerva by the name of their God Macrobius affirmeth that the Gentiles did mean by Pan and Jano and all other names of Gods only the great God Apollo as their chief God whom they served the seventh day But this is our rule most plainly revealed from Gods word that it is his will that we should keep the seventh day holy for seeing all the dayes are his he should have done no injurie if he had appointed and dedicated all the dayes of the week to be spent and imployed on his service yet he hath not done so St. Augustine saith That if God had
and men of great honour could be content to labour all the day 1 Sam. 11. 5. I trow our World now is wiser in which men hold scorn of work Then Jacob when he saw the money in the sacks thought it some over-sight of Joseph and therefore sent it again Gen. 44. 12. But now men are wiser they count restitution a childish thing and think other mens oversight to be their good gain It had an infancie then at the beginning at which time God by his word conceived three children Deformity Confusion Darknesse of the first he made the Earth of the second the Waters of the third the Lights which may teach us to setch our Pedigree aright by lineall descent from the first beginning for we are all the sonnes of Adam which was the sonne of dust which was the sonne of Deformity which was the some of nothing and this is the first father and beginning of our generation which may suffice against the error of the Heathen Pagans 2. 2. Another error there is which they being forced by reason to acknowledge a beginning yet did with it hold that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it hath been made from everlasting ever since there hath been a God for they say That as the beam had his beginning when the light began and as a shadow hath his beginning with the body so had the World a beginning when God began to be and then by necessity it must needs be Against which Moses saith not only that it was produced but it was produced in die in a certain prescribed day and therefore this proceeding was not eternall And here we must note that in die is not here taken for some one only day as some ground their conceit as if God made all things in one day For the day in which the light was made there was no Earth and when the Herbs were made there was in that day no man untill the sixth day as it is in the fifth verse This therefore overthroweth the second error before because all was made in a certain bound of time 3. Another â—ort there was which granted both these that the World was made and that in die but yet affirmed that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely that it was self borne and made it self or was produced and came of it self as a thing casuall and by chance which foolish and grosse opinion of Epicures was ever for the absurdity thereof hissed out of Schools but Moses meeteth with this also saying that the Lord made it And because it may be thought that there was divers Gods he telleth us by a name which was never heard of before this time by the which he describeth him unto us and that is Jehovah Thus he hath recapitulated all the former Chapter unto these three considerations which is all one with the first use of the first Chapter saving that here is expressed the name Jehovah which is not there for this name of God is the most glorious name Deut. 28. 58. and therefore Moses here reserveth it till every thing in this glorious World be fully accomplished and perfected In the 6. Exod. 3. it is said he was not known by this name before then that is whilest he was bringing any thing to passe and not yet perfected he is Elohim but when he hath fully performed it and set it on foot then he is known to be Jehovah by whom the thing hath his being and is that which it is for he is the essence and being of things that are There are many difficult mysteries in these names which because some are too curious in standing upon and others have itching eares listening too much after curiosities I will omit only this we must needs know which the nature of the word sheweth that God is he which is of himself and by whom all things are move and have their being for seeing we know not nor can see the nature of God we must give him a name according to the greatest benefits which we receive and the greatest works which we have seen But the work and benefit which is most common to all things is being Therefore by that name he is most fitly called for life moving and reason all things have not but every Creature hath his benefit of being and therefore he taketh his name from this general benefit which is seen in all Another reason of this name Jehovah is taken from the perfection of this being Exod. 3. 14. which is set down Revel 1. 4. because he was is and shall be for ever Therefore no Creature but God can ever say I am this is my name for if a Creature of the time that is past should say Before Abraham was I am John 8. 58. he should make himself God So if a Creature should in respect of the future tense say I am with you untill the end of the World Matth. 28. 20. he should therein make himself God who by propriety of nature may still say I am as it is his nature therefore this his name Jehovah signifieth that he hath the perfectest being and only such a being And thus much of the reasons of his name Elohim signifieth Power and Judgement The one sheweth his Might in doing the other his Truth and Justice in judging both which in his name shew that as it was he that did make the World so it is he also which shall judge the World at last for that as the one allureth us to love so the other yeildeth us matter of dread and fear So Jehovah signifieth not only Hagah which is making of things but also destroying and dissolving of things to nothing again Ezech. 7. 26. where it signifieth calamity and destruction So doth his name Shaddi import not only plenty and nourishment but also punishment and undoing of things So that in all his names this nature of Mercie and Justice is expressed There is yet a further thing to observe for whereas before Heaven was first placed and had the precedence of Earth here the preheminence is given to the Earth and the Heaven doth come behinde in the last place Which whether it be the propriety of the tongue which usually beginneth with the latter thing was spoken of before or a mysterie to shew closely that the Heavens were made for the Earth and not the earth for the heavens or whether it darkly shadoweth out to us that in Christ Jesus Adam which is earth that is our nature shall be exalted above the highest heavens in the day of restauration I will not curiously discusse but allow each sense as having a good and a godly use to such as be sober minded Et omnem stirpem agri c. Verse 5. MOses in this verse passeth over the first estate of Creation and cometh now to the state of propagation in which things now 〈◊〉 that we may know that these things were not only made by the power of Gods word Coll. 1. 17. But also
sustained and held up by the same power Heb. 1. 3. So that it is q.d. I must give a caveat to you because you set your eyes too much on nature and art attributing things now to the influence of the heaven or the industry of things on earth that it is none of these means but only God that still 〈◊〉 rule and maintain all for under these two rain above and man below is comprehended all other ordinary means we are wont to ascribe all things to Sol homo Therefore Moses to prevent that evill that we tie not these things either to nature or art but that we may ever in all things look up to God which is before them above them and can doe all things without them and will rule all things after them therefore he doth teach us this point he telleth us that howsoever things doe concurre and meet together in humane matters here below yet we must defie these ordinary means and evermore glorifie God who is able either without rain or the help of man to make the earth fruitfull Now this which Moses speaketh of rain and man holdeth in all other things as in Fish Fowl and Cattell But because it were too tedious to reckon up all the particulars therefore he maketh choice of the earth and the fruits thereof which doth most need the help of man and benefit of rain for other things being put together will alone bring forth and multiply by kinds without mans help But the fruits of the earth are most laborious for before the earth can bring forth it requireth our help both to till and plant it and the influence also of the heavens doe most appear in these things insomuch as the fruits of the earth may seem to reason to be the effect of mans labor and the dew of heaven But Moses by telling us that it is not so in this teacheth us how we may have a right judgment in all the rest for it holdeth in all as in this touching earthly fruits he setteth down two kinds Virgultum agri herbas horti The first comprehendeth all that hath wood in them the other all which have sinowy substance as every green tender herb hath Touching which he reasoneth thus seeing these which need most the labor of man and seasonable rain were brought forth by Gods power before either rain or man ever was Then God is much more able to doe any otherthing without the help of man or any thing else The fruits of the earth doe need two things 1. First a power of being Secondly a power of growing 2. Remove rain and the labor of the husbandman and we cannot see how either they should live or grow yet saith Moses God without either plough or showers did cause all things to grow out of the earth and to bring seed grain and fruit For the meaning of this verse we must mark these three propositions 1. First that the originall fountain of things naturall as now they stand is from God and his blessing not of ordinary means for rain mens art industry though they be naturall yet have they a blessing and virtue from God by which they are available But to speak more specially of rain 38. 28. Asketh Quis est pater pluviae The answer is God for he granted out a writ decree or mandate for rain Job 28. 26. He giveth us rain and seasonable times Act. 17. 26. And as it is his royall power and authority to command it so is it to countermand it and to give an inhibition to restrain it Esay 5. 6. And lest any should make exception against him he saith Amos 4. 6. It is I which doe cause it to rain upon one City and not another It is not Plannets nor nature nor fortune but God himself Judg. 6. 37. We see both set down his giving out a commandement for the ground to be wet and restraint for the flesh contra seeing then it is in his only power to give or restrain therefore there is a prayer made a prayer nominatim for rain 1 Kings 8. 35. 36. And there is a speciall thanksgiving for this benefit Psal. 68. 9. And this is the reason saith St Augustine why God made not the rain as a sweat to evaporate out of the ground and so to moysten the clods but would have it rather to ascend upwards into his place that we might lift up our eyes to know and acknowledge that it cometh only from him 2. The second royall prerogative of God is that though we have never so much rain or men to help yet all is nothing worth and cannot avail without Gods blessing doth accompany it which is shewed 1 Cor. 3. 7. Paul may plant and Apollo may water there is the husbandry and rain but both the tiller and waterer is nothing unlesse God giveth the encrease therefore we must see and behold God in them all for if when God sendeth rain he give not his blessing with it and make it pluviam benedictionis Psal. 80. 19. Or if he send in tempestivam pluviam unseasonable rain nor the first nor the later rain Ezekiell 34. 26. Or if he send it not in plenty Esdras 10. 9. For they had rain yet they wept for want or if he sendeth too much what good will it doe the earth 3. The third prerogative of God is that God without rain can make things fruitfull but the rain cannot doe so without God It is not these means of tillage or rain that can doe it Deut. 8. 3. But God without them can doe it 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is all one with God with a few for quantity yea with no means to doe things a little oyle and meal shall streach it self out and encrease untill rain come So Christ in want can make five loaeves and two fishes to feed five thousand and so for the quality the worst and most unnourishing meat which they durst not give Daniel 1. 〈◊〉 for fear lest they should not look faire by Gods blessing made them look with better countenance than the rest which fared more deliciously Wherefore saith Daniel Try us for we know that God can doe it without means or with base means 2 Kings 4. 40. the Prophet by Gods word without 〈◊〉 quality yea to shew Gods power could make poysonfull meat which is contrary to nourishment to nourish he made Coloquintida to nourish them which of it self would excoriate the intralls and scowre them to death 4. The fourth and last prerogative is not only to doe all this but to make that which is by nature clean opposite and contrarie to a thing that it shall be a means effectually to work his effect as the putting in salt into salt water can make the water fresh which is contrarie to nature for it maketh fresh water salt 2 Kings 2. 20. So Christ by putting clay upon a blinde mans eyes caused him to see which was enough to make him blinde
profit with Herbs Flowres Plants and Trees of all sorts which were proper and speciall to that place alone Gardens as we know are choyce places severed and set apart from common fields in which is store and plenty of many choyce trees and that not in confused sort but digested into a good seemly order that so it may the better serve for pleasure and delight It was a most pleasant place in respect of those tria bonorum genera for he ordeined this place for profit pleasure and piety And thus having made it he appointed it severall for man and therefore put him therein Kings themselves as we see 1 Reg. 21. 2. doe not take so much delight in their Royall Pallaces as in their Gardens of pleasure lying commodiously neer their houses And we read of divers Kings which being weary of their princely estates and delights have chosen rather to live solitarie in gardens and orchards and to bestow their time in trimming and planting them and so to have ended their lives seeming to preferre this life of Adam in a garden before the state of a King in his princely Pallace And let this suffice of the kinde of place Now secondly it was planted by God which tendeth much to the dignity and honor both of the man and of the place for as God is said for our service and good to translate himself into divers shapes As before he took on him the form and behaviour of a Potter and a maker of Glasses so here he is resembled unto us by the name of a Gardiner to plant an Orchard for us and our use to which end Christ represented and shewed himself in that shape and form John 20. 15. for it was he that trimmed up this Garden of Paradise for us Touching this place it is a speciall honour to it that God did plant it for where he planteth he watereth also with the dew of his blessings and causeth it to give increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. and therefore when the Scriptures will expresse a place of dignitie and commendation in this kinde it is said to be like this Garden of Eden as Gen. 13. 10. Esay 51. 3. Ezech. 31. 9. Touching the word we must note that as before God doth 〈◊〉 dicere propter infirmitatem nostram so we say in this place where God is said to plant for we say in divinity that there is opus actûs opus authoritatis In Preach 2. 4 5. Salomon is said to plant such Orchards and Gardens and to build houses not that he did it himself for no man will imagine that he did any part of the bodily work But it is said as we say such Kings builded this Church that is they paid the charge and we at the cost of the founders and by their authority set work-men in hand about it therefore when God is said to plant this Garden we must understand it that God gave order and commandement by his word and power that it should thus be planted why then it is not said as in the 1. Gen. 24. producat terra c. I answer that this exquisite term is set down to 〈◊〉 the exact and speciall workmanship and more than ordinary course of making this Garden as before to shew the extraordinary and speciall workmanship of God in making Man above the rest of the Creatures he changed the term and took instead of fecit formavit not expiscavit he spanned not sed 〈◊〉 breathed So to shew the 〈◊〉 and excellency of this place over all other places in the Earth therefore he altereth the phrase of speech and saith not as before produxit plantas sed 〈◊〉 c. as if he had signified thereby that this only place of all the Earth was with care and speciall skill ordered and disposed for speciall delight as if other places of the Earth did bear and bring forth of their own accord but this was planted and dressed for this more speciall purpose There is no Garden of estate as they say but hath a Maze in it So surely hath this garden of God an intricate labyrinch of difficult questions even Mare questionum a Sea of curious questions as one of the Fathers saith but such idle speculative heads which busie their brains about such needlesse and endlesse questions and curious points as to know where the place is and what is become of it now c. they shall never finde out any good in Paradise but 〈◊〉 and amaze themselves in this Maze There are such and I may say with the Propher I pray God there be not such found amongst us in Israel for there are with us and in our age which draw every thing to a figurative sense and by that means of Gods Paradise they doe make as I may say a 〈◊〉 Paradise expounding every thing in it allegorically in another sense as they doe the book of the Canticles The Fathers distinguish the Scriptures after two 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Chron. Cant. In the Canticles and Scriptures of that nature every thing is to be reduced to a spirituall allusion and reference which it hath to the spousage of Christ and his Church Now they which take the Chronicles containing matter of historie and draw them to like allusions besides that they doe great wrong to those Scriptures they make themselves very ridiculous Such there were in St. Pauls dayes as he testifieth 2 Tim. 2. 18. which made the doctrine of the resurrection an allegorie affirming that if a man doe rise from sinne then all the Resurrection was past already So Origen drew Hell to an Allegorie as if there were no such true and certain place But touching Paradise Epiphanius Chrysostome and all the Writers doe oppose themselves to such Allegorizers and Wresters of the Scriptures to overthrow their fantasticall conceits herein for what say they though other places besides this be called Paradise therefore was there no such place indeed Because S. Paul saith Gal. 4. 24. that by Sara and Hagar are signified the old and new Testament therefore shall we say there were never any such two women 1 Cor. 10. 4. because that rock was Christ was there therefore no such rock as is spoken of Numb 20. 11. Yes no doubt and because they were therefore the Spirit of God doth take a proportion and an Analogie fitly and shew it between these spirituall things and them for our better understanding We doe conclude then that as there is in man two natures as we have shewed before the one consisting of the dust the other Neshema a spiritual separate essence So Christ is a person consisting of two natures God and Man So that the first Adams resemblance to the second Adam which is Christ 1 Cor. 15. 45. And as a man is said to consist of two men the inward and the outward man 2 Cor. 4. 16. So there are two Paradises of Gods planting spoken of in the Scriptures Esay 51. 16. the heavenly and the earthly This is truth there is a
Paradise of Angels Psal. 103. 20. by which is meant the joyes of Heaven of which man also communicating in this life with their holinesse shall be made partaker in the life to come yet notwithstanding it is as true that there is an historicall Paradise on Earth which is truly called the Garden of the Lords planting garnished with all trees for delight and profit It is no question but that man had his Interest then in both these Paradises and that above is farre more excellent and glorious than this below when it was in his best estate wherefore we must so place the one which is spirituall and invisible as that we take not away the other which was visible and temporall For Adams posterity dwelt neere to Eden afterwards and serveth in the Scriptures to describe their certain places by 4. Gen. 16. For Cain dwelt towards the East side of this Garden Eden and the South side of it was a Plot which after the flood Noah chose as the best soyl to dwell in Esay 37. 12. The Merchants which dwelt thereabouts and were planted about Eden had all manner of 〈◊〉 commodities as we read Ezech 27. 23. All which places were in Asia which as we know is the most 〈◊〉 and fruitfull part of all the world being set at the right hand of the earth as having the preheminence of it for our right parts are most apt for motion or doing any action and men doe 〈◊〉 that people were first in Asia inhabiting it and from thence came to all other parts of the earth This also for the certainty of the place is set out by the description of Rivers which have their heads there and flow from thence 〈◊〉 other parts Also by the fruits of the earth which abound there as Gold Precious stones Spices c. Also the certainty of the particular place where this garden was is made known to man by the description of the obstacle and let which keepeth men out of that place for as Pliny and Toletus say in fontibus Paradisi even in the entrance by which we should goe to it even unto this day the place yeeldeth out flames of fire which no doubt is the fierie Sword which God placed there Gen. 3. 24. We finde by writers that it was neer the City called Babilonia 〈◊〉 And that three Cities in the 〈◊〉 of Eden were builded and planted upon three of the Rivers which ran out of the Garden which Cities were called Babilonia 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 which were builded there in Eden for the great store of all fruits which by Gods blessing abounded for it is recorded that they had harvest twice a yeer and before the first harvest they were fain to eat it twice so exceeding fertill it was That which is set down to be the greatest and rare encrease of Gods blessing Gen. 28. 12. Pliny recordeth was an usuall and ordinary encrease in those parts that is to yeeld a hundred fold And whereas it is usuall amongst our husbandmen to hearten and make fat our land their industry and labor was contrary to take away the heart and strength of the ground and to prevent the ranknesse of it for the which they had barren waters contrary to the nature of Nilus wherewith they watered their ground because otherwise the eares of Corn would be so great and waighty that the stalk could not bear it These things remaining as yet in Eden neer about the borders of the Garden by the testimony both of the Scriptures and of all other writers doe prove unto us that there is such a certain and undoubted place upon the earth The word Eden doth signifie pleasure Gen 13. 10. which doth shew us that all the Country was pleasant and delightfull and therefore the Garden of Eden is shewed thereby to deserve the name of pleasure it self as we shall see hereafter both in respect of the pleasant Waters and Rivers as also of the pleasant Ayre for in the 3. Chap. it is said that God did walk in it as also in respect of the most rare and delightfull sent verse 9. not only for Flowers and Trees but for Spices precious Stones and Metals which grew 〈◊〉 of their own accord as also in respect of the pleasant prospect and view of the place being as it were a hollow bottom as Balaam describeth this Garden Numb 24. 6. Thus we have seen the seat of man the kind of place the dignity and scituation of it Secundae pars generalis Now for the placing of man in it Deus locavit hominem quem formavit in horto quem plantavit for after man was made God removed and brought him hither into Eden and put him in the Garden 15. verse God saith Levit. 25. 23. quoniam terra mea est vos Coloni estis c. So this Garden was Gods planting and his ground Adam was a forreiner and brought in to be Gods Farmer and Tenant in it that Adam not being born in it might know that God which placed him there was the right and only true owner of it and therefore all homage was to be performed to him alone for this taught him that Paradise was vos gratiae non naturae for God might have left him in the place where first he made him Seeing then God of his free Grace brought him thither it was not of desert or merit because as yet there was no Law given unto him untill after he was put in possession of it This then teacheth him thankfulnesse and obedience in that it was without any desert of his Secondly it might teach him that as he was in mercy brought in so he might in Justice be cast out if he sinned and became ungratefull Wherefore we see that as it was Gods great favor by which he was brought hither so when he had transgressed there was no wrong or rigor shewed in thrusting him out again God first planted the senses in man Psal. 94. 9. And then he planted a Garden this is the first order and another order he took which is this that they whom he planted in the Garden Psal. 92. 13. 14. might strive with Paradise in fruitfulnesse that seeing God had caused Paradise not to be barren or unfruitfull to us Jer. 2. 27. Therefore we should not be a wildernesse unto God but to be plentifull in good works being thus gratiously planted in Gods Church Concerning Paradise now we must know it was not the deluge but the cause of the deluge that is sinne which took away the excellency of Paradise as is here mentioned But you will ask what is become of it now This question may be well left out because as St. Augustine saith there is no use of it in regard of our habitation but of our instruction this for use we see and learn that Adam did loose that happy place of joy by negligence sinne ungratefulnesse and unbelief therefore let us beware lest the like sinnes make us loose the hope and fruition of our
cannot otherwise think but that it should have been father a solace to him than any hindrance of joy For the labor that maketh us miserable now and cometh in as a curse for sinne Gen. 3. 11. 9. it consisteth in three points 1. First urgent necessity is irksome to many when they are inforced to it or else they should not eat 2. Secondly when it is with the sweat of our face above our proportion of strength even to the straining of nature not only to make us warm but even till we sweat again 3. Thirdly so to labor hard as when we have done all that we can there shall come either unseasonable weather or such a barren state of the ground below by reason of the curse that our labor shall take no good effect but shall cause thornes bryers and weeds to grow instead of Wheat which we did sowe But remove these impediments and then labor is a speciall delight Salomon saith that excessive labor is wearinesse and toile to the flesh But when labor is Condimentum volnptatis as rest and 〈◊〉 now to us is Condimentum laboris then such a labor is better than doing nothing at all This then being set down that labor is not simply an inconvenience and hindrance to a good life but rather sometimes a help to it then we infer that amongst all other labors the exercise of dressing and keeping a Garden or Orchard is most pleasant and agreeable to our nature Preach 2. 5. and bringeth greatest delight to our experience and senses in seeing ever some new and pleasant hearb or plant springing up Therefore it seemeth to be even the labor in which Kings have taken delight Preach 2. 5. though of all other men they seem to be exempt most from bodily labor yet they have often used and tied themselves to this labor which God here assigned to Adam his labor being therefore limited and allayed with these considerations there was no abatement of happinesse or joy thereby The other question to be inquired of is whether it may not seem superfluous and more than needs in regard of the Garden for him to dresse or keep it for seeing God made all things to grow in it and the ground to bring forth all things to be defired why should he labor to dresse it and seeing there were no ill things to hurt or annoy it what need he to take care to keep it 〈◊〉 saith that the case standeth alike with God and with Gods Garden in this respect for as man hath more need to be served of God than God hath need to be served of man not wanting his service so Adam had more need to be served by the Garden then the Garden to be served and 〈◊〉 to by him But all the Fathers doe agree in this that it was Gods will that the Garden should bring forth not only opera 〈◊〉 of his own accord but also by the industry and diligence of man it should bring opus voluntarium So that divers other faire and pleasant things should be bestowed on the Garden and caused to grow by his labor and so he should both discere docere how many things by industry might be done above nature Now for the keeping of the Garden it may seem a great difficulty because there being no danger it might keep it self without Adams care labor or looking to But the ancient writers say there is a double keeping the one is from danger the other to our selves for profit And both these kinds are either of the keeping the thing it self or else of the revenues and commodities which come thereby As for example If Adam had not broken the Law and commandement of God then he should have still kept the Garden to himself and for his posterity for ever to all our uses without forgetting our estate or causing a reentry to be made Again He should have kept the fruits of the Garden to his own use moderately and kept them from being wasted lavishly for those things are said to be well kept Quae bene dispensata sunt non male So that by a moderate use he should have kept the fruit from riot and waste Again touching the keeping thereof from hurt God closely telleth him that an enemy should come who by his cautelous wyles and subtill practices should seek to bereave him of his present Garden and therefore that it behoved him to keep it from such an enemy who by indirect and sinister means did seek to defeat him of it And thus we see that this labor is necessary without either inconvenience or superfluity I come now to the first ut for it is of three sorts And this first is the principall and greatest for example 〈◊〉 primus homo est lex posteritatis In what regard In regard of his person in this that seeing labor in a vocation was good and requisite in the first estate of Innocency therefore it must needs be commendable in us and the contrary idlenesse to be condemned in every calling whatsoever In Gal. 6. 10. It is said to be Gods will not only that we should be doing whilest we have time but that we should be doing of good and it is his will that with such things we should redeem the time from idlenesse Ephes. 5. 16. We must not be worse then Ants Pro. 6. 6. Nor like to Snayles Psal. 58. 8. Consuming our time in vanities Psal. 78. 33. These idle ones are called slow-bellies Tit. 1. 12. and such God detesteth because they set themselves in no good way The wise man saith Wisdome 33. 26. That Idlenesse doth not only consume good time and good creatures but also wasteth a mans self For all carnall lusts and desires are but firs pangs and symptomata of this idlenesse As the idle mans Garden is full of weeds so his soul is full of sinne and when our soul is become such an evill and idle mans Garden Esay 5. 1.2 c. then God made our Garden on earth like unto 〈◊〉 namely full of weeds thorns and thistles Amos 5. sheweth what vices doe grow out of this idlenesse For he said of them which fed of the fatlings and drunk 〈◊〉 in full bolls then they gave themselves to 〈◊〉 stretching themselves on Ivory beds and therefore God hated the 〈◊〉 of Jacob Amos. 6. 4 5 6. There is another thing namely that this our labour is to be bestowed and imployed upon paradise and not on ourselves as the Wise man saith Ecclesiastic 33. 16. That he did not only labour for himself but for all such as love nurture and wisdome Many men will be content to labour but it shall be only for themselves for to fill mouths and bellies and purses they will not help their brother scarse with one mite and 〈◊〉 6. 7. they will eat all the fruit of their own labours none else shall fare the better for it but our chief intent must be to bestow our labour and service in dressing and
As if he should say my commandement and will shall be the rule and direction of your will and works so in the new Testament St. Paul saith we must not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. But that we be sober and know and understand according to sobriety which is to prove what every thing is by the perfect will of God Rom. 12. 2.3 This then is the difference between Gods commandements and those which men doe make when men though they be the greatest doe command any thing they therefore doe command things because they be good and lawfull and when we deal with them we therefore obey their Laws so farre forth as the things they command are lawfull and good because their words and commandements have no power to make things good But when we deal with Gods commandements we simply obey all that he willeth because his commandement and word doe make things absolutely good ye though they before may seem to be evill yet after he hath commanded them they are made therefore perfectly good Nos volumus qua bona sunt bona autem sunt quia voluit Deus Gods good will therefore is the best and most beneficiall thing for us and our good and the things he commandeth are the wisest things for us to follow howsoever they seem to corrupt reason and sense which are ill Judges in those matters Thus much then for our application and use that when our actions are agreeable to Gods word and law then they are according to Gods will And therefore we may be sure that it is best for our behoof Nam quo die comederis de eo utique moriturus es Gen. 2. 17. June 22 1591. EVery Law hath in it two principall parts the one containeth the body and tenor of it the other comprehendeth the sanction and penalty Touching the body of the Law we have entrcated already both of the subject and also of the action of it Now therefore we are come to the latter part to consider of the punishment threatned to the breach of it concerning which we say That as there is required necessarily in the Law giver authority and right to command so likewise in him must be a power and ability to correct and punish the transgressors or else his authority is without an edge Both these therefore are seen in the Law-maker by the parts of this Law the one being the directive part serving for direction the other being the corrective part which serveth for execution And every one may be sure that he is subject and under one of these This then is as if Moses had said Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this Non comedes but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this If you will needs eat and 〈◊〉 your will before mine and your lusts before my love then be ye sure of this That in that day thou shalt dye the death for death is the sower and bitter sawce of this sweet meat Rom. 6. 23. Touching the punishment in it self we are to know that in every punishment inflicted for offence there is required Justice to give it in a due proportion that there be an equality between the punishment and offence As in the Law he that will desire another mans Sheep and steal it he in justice is to restore four-fold Again reason and equity requireth that the punishment must be of greater force to 〈◊〉 and discourage from sinne then the sinne must be to perswade and entise us to it Such an equality is in this For because he took liberty to stretch his will and desire further than he should therefore that he should lose the first liberty he had for this is just and equall 〈…〉 etiam poneret modum beneficio and that he that observeth not the manner of using it should lose the right use which he had It is therefore reason and right that either we should Dimittere voluntatem male vivendi aut amittere facultatem bene 〈◊〉 This we say to justifie God because men think that this sinne of eating such a fruit is not a capitall offence and that God was too hard to 〈◊〉 this so sore a punishment on it Touching the second point which is concerning the cause of his death which must not be ascribed to God because the cause is found in our own selves for God saith If you eat you shall die that is you shall be causes and authors of your own death your blood light on your own heads for I am not guilty thereof which we shall the better percive and esteem if we consider that which before I have shewed that Adam was made immortall non necessitate naturae sed vi 〈◊〉 gratiae not by natural necessity but by the priviledge of Gods grace for Adam consisting of contrarie qualities by his own nature they must needs in regard of themselves be the cause of death to them as they were to the beasts But notwithstanding this subjection to mortality and possibility to dye in regard of their nature Gods grace did sustain their bodily life and kept them from death so long as they kept themselves from sinne But now si hence transgression besides the necessity of nature their sinne also did pluck death upon them and was the cause of this curse So long therefore as man kept his first estate he was united to God which was life and had use of the tree of life which then was 〈◊〉 Deo and had this grace to preserve life and by that means so long we had an immunity from death because we were 〈◊〉 with the prop of Gods grace which was the cause of our immortality but when 〈◊〉 did cause that prop to be pulled away which sustained the 〈◊〉 of our nature then we could not choose but dye both by the necessity of nature and desert of our sinne If we had leaned still to the stay of our nature and not trusted so much to our own wills and wisdoms it had gone well with us But this voluntarie forsaking of God and leaning on the broken staffe and reedis stay of our own was the cause of our fall into sinne and so unto death Thus we see God justified in this sentence saying Morieris because he is neither the Author or Cause of Malum naturae which is sinne nor yet of 〈…〉 which is death But man causing both culpam poenam doth both wayes cleer God and condemn us and our selves are proved to be the cause of both 3. Point The kinde of death Now touching the third point which respecteth the kinde of death here threatned for there are several kindes of death Rev. 2. 11. Rev. 20. 6. there is the temporall and eternall the naturall and spirituall the first and second death which of these is here in this punishment threatned St. Augustine answereth that God doth here mean both whatsoever death may be included from the beginning of our life unto the last death all that is here
estate for it is a great point of wisedome so to distinguish the natures of Gods Creatures as to give them fit and proper names expressing their natures he knew as it appeareth not only rerum Idola but also was able to give verborum idiomata that is such a propriety of words and names to each severall thing whereby their divers natures and qualities might be discerned The man therefore gave names to all the Cattell c. The reason of the Mandate or Writ as we have heard was partly to honour man as Gods Lievtenant on earth and as Lord of all his Creatures and partly to express the great and singular wisedome and knowledge which God then had induced him withall The Content of which was to call a generall muster and assembly of all his Creatures before Adam that a survey might be made to see whether any meet help for man might be found to avoyd solitariness because it was not good for him to be alone and it was Gods purpose at this solemne meeting and Parliament to invest man into his dominion and to declare him to be their Lord by giving them names Now in this verse is first contained the execution of the Writ shewing all was so and then in the latter end of the verse is set down the retorn of the Writ in these words he found not a meet help for him As the Commandement had 2. parts namely the considering their natures and giving them names so hath all wise men distinguished by all the ancient Hebrews calling some men of profound judgement and deepe knowledge and others men of eloquence and excellent judgement and utterance Both which gifts of God hardly are found together in any one man 〈◊〉 are given ro divers diversly as it pleaseth the Giver But to Adam at the first both were given in a full and perfect measure and both of them are here gounded upon Gods allowance as being lawfull and good and also upon Gods Commandement as a thing most agreeable to the nature of man namely to spend his time in study for the increase of knowledge and in declaration of his knowledge to others by wise sentences and words for to this end God made man animal rationis orationis particeps with which no other earthly creature is endowed therefore the ancient Fathers have noted in Adam's two estates the one to be pater viventium the other to bee pater scientium that is The Father and teacher of all knowledge for as Tubal is said to be the father and author of Musick Gen. 4. 21. so may Adam be said to bee pater Theologiae Philosophiae Gramaticae Rhetoricae c. hee was the first that practised Contemplation and the first that practised Eloquution by that excellent light of nature which God had given him and the first as here wee see that gave proper sit and significant names and words to expresse the natures of things and hee was not only the father of all the liberal Sciences but also of all mechanical Arts Gen. 3. 19. pater agriculturae c. by all which wee briefly see the perfection of his minde and the excellency of his gifts with which hee was endowed So that Adam then must needes bee granted to bee the first and the chiefest Author of all Knowledge and Learning that ever since in all ages of the world hath beene among men for from him it was derived and spread abroad among his posterity into all parts of the world for Adam's knowledge both of Divinity and all other natural things was derived to the house of Sheth and from him to Noah and so conveyed to the house of Sem and after remained amongst the sonnes of Heber Gen. 10. 21. and from thence was kept and continued in Abraham's family which were called the Children of the East Gen. 52. 6. from which East parts of the world this Knowledge and Learning which was first in Adam was spread abroad among the learned men of Egypt Acts 7. 22. In which learning of the AEgyptians Moses was trayned up and therefore was prepared not only by the instrument of God's spirit but also by the known received truth of the knowledge of these points in all the world to set down unto us these things of our fore-Fathers in the beginning of the world and it may appeare by this that Adam was worthy to be counted the Father of all knowledge and learning because herein is seen the perfection thereof in him for to name all good creatures so infinite in number and so divers in kinde and that to give to every one of them a distinct name and yet so fit and proper to them according to their natures as that God would not change nor 〈◊〉 them but say so shall they be called this argueth in him an absolute perfection of knowledge which hath not since been had As he was the Father of knowledge within so was he of utterance and expressing it by words because we say that he was the first Linguist that was in the world and indeed intelligence and utterance have very neer affinity and friendship as the Latine words shew for Ratio and Oratio doe sound alike and in Greek the word doth signifie not only the act of contemplation for knowledge but also the act of utterance for speech and conference by which it is made known for the one is verbum 〈…〉 the other verbum ore 〈◊〉 and is agreed upon by all learned men that the Hebrew tongue is the originall tongue and most ancient by which Adam expressed his minde Hebrew the the ancient language and therefore it is called of many the holy 〈◊〉 for this tongue went from Adam to Noah from Noah to 〈◊〉 and from thence 〈◊〉 is manifested that it continued as the general tongue and language in all the whole world untill the confusion of 〈◊〉 Eusebius 〈…〉 doth prove this most plainly and 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 tongue was the first and most ancient from the beginding and that which Adam here used in 〈◊〉 names to all the Greatures for he of purpose here confuteth the 〈◊〉 which doe affirm that all knowledge language and learning are derived from Chaldea which he first disproveth by the letters of the Alphabet And that the Greek tongue was derived from the 〈…〉 proveth because 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 which Greek words signifie their men of learning and knowledge are words plainly derived from the 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 they doe borrow their 〈◊〉 and original As therefore 〈◊〉 knowledge and wisdome being 〈◊〉 is most perfect and absolute so is this tongue and language of 〈◊〉 which Adam 〈…〉 rich and sufficient of it 〈◊〉 For whereas all other tongues even the Greek doe shew their beggerlinesse and argue and she 〈◊〉 imperfection in this that they borrow words and 〈◊〉 from their senior tongues and because they are sain to make 〈…〉 pounds to expresse their minds but this Hebrew and holy 〈◊〉 on the other side borrow 〈◊〉 not of any tongue
learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians Acts 7. 22. Yet by the Fathers in this knowledge of the natures of things above both these Moses and Salomon Of Noah Noah is preferred who knew the clean beasts from the unclean which by paires he took into the Ark chap. 7. 2. The wisdome of all the Heathen Philosophers compared to the knowledge of these three Noah Moses and Salomon was but ignorance Adam a greater Philosopher than they Yet Adam was a greater Philosopher than those three The reasons thereof For first Adam was created in wisdome without corruption their wisdome was bred in corruption and the Heathen are destroyed in their own wisdoms Psal. 9. 15. They three and all the wise men of the World had the light of their understanding per scientiam acquisitam by study and former observation Adam had his without observation non per discursivam scientiam sed intuitivam for when he had beheld them he gave them names Others got their wisdome by studie and travell for in the multitude of wisdome is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow saith the Wiseman in Preach 1. 18. but Adam in Paradise had no grief No one of them knew all things but Adam knew all things not only perfectly but exactly whereupon Austin saith well that Ignorantia est paena lapsi non natura originis Adam Magister viventium Lastly Adam is not only Pater but Magister viventium God gave him wisdome he learned it not Doceo requireth a double Accusative in Esay 28. 9. the Prophet faith Quem docebit scientiam Whom shall God teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts But Adam was not weaned from the breasts which had no Mother 〈◊〉 a man of good learning gathereth out of the Greek Fathers Adam sons scientiae that Adam was as a fountain of knowledge From him cometh others wisdome which came from him by tradition and observation unto Noah and so to Abraham and so to his sonnes dwelling in the East Countrie chap. 25. 6. in Chaldea and Persia from thence it came to Egypt Salomon in 1 Kings 4. 30. is said to have excelled in wisdome all the wise men of the East and of Egypt from Egypt it came to Greece from thence to Italie and so to us in this West corner of the World He gave names apt And that the wisdome of Adam excelled all other they ground it upon this for that he gave them names which God approved Non dedit nomina ex suo arbitrio he gave them names not by chance but with discretion the name agreeing fitly with the nature and infinite fit names in one day did he give unto a multitude of Creatures which argueth great wisdome to be in him which he could not have done unlesse he had looked into their natures and the naming is allowed for that God praiseth it as it is in 2 Cor. 10. 18. Rehoboams name unmeet Our names sometime by unskilfulnesse prove just contrarie as Salomon named his sonne Rehoboam a delighter but he was a destroyer of the People Elimas Elymas had his name aright for he was a Sorcerer Acts 13. 9. Naomi Marah Naomi after she was in miserie would no more be called Naomi which is beautifull but Marah which is bitter Ruth 1. 20. This is the ground of Lologie Secondly From hence they gather the institution of Lologie that is of speech both in videre and nominare is great wisdome in silence and speech is a wiseman known the Greeks in logos doe expresse both the Latines in two words differing but a letter the one ratio the other oratio Aaron was wise in speech Exod. 4. 14. Paul in 2 Cor. 11. 6. saith though I be rude in speaking yet I am not so in knowledge Apollos is said to be a man of knowledge an eloquent man Acts 18. 24. The originall tongue hath natural The original tongue by the names expresseth the natures which tongue was the most ancient when all the world were of one tongue And though that in the dayes of Peleg the sonne of Heber the sonne of Shem the sonne of Noah the earth was divided by diversitie of languages chap. 10. 25. yet Peleg kept it Peleg kept the originall The Greeks tongue from it Eusebius saith the Greeks doe boast that their tongue never came from other but from it self But quoth he from whence have they α and ω their first and last letters have they them not from Aleph and Beth of the Hebrews Magus and Sophos wisemen in Greek comes not the one from agath the other from zopho in Hebrew Cadmus from Heber brought Aleph and Beth into Phoenicia It borroweth nothing This tongue borroweth nothing from any other tongue all tongues borrow from it it is the most sufficient tongue Fire and water in Greek have their original from the Hebrew It is without composition All other tongues saith he are full of composition this in simplicitie and majestie excelleth all other for no tongue is so capable of trope and figure as is this as they know well that have skill in the tongue The antiquity qualitie and dignitie of the originall And after that Eusebius hath shewed the antiquitie the qualitie and majestie of this tongue he concludeth thus lingua haec digna est Adamo institutore Deo approbatore The name agrees with the nature Now for the naming the names agree with the nature of the thing named The ignorant man nameth a thing following not esse 〈◊〉 but scire suum not the nature of the thing but his own knowledge But Adam as a man of exact wisdome giveth names according to their nature that have stood since the beginning and shall stand so to the end of the world The name expresseth the propertie The nature of a thing is called the essence or the propertie he gave a name according to the nature not of the essence but of the propertie Gassanus a learned man saith a Creature of it self is nothing but from God all things receive their essence In Hebrew God is called the name The name of God who can tell saith Esay Gods two names God hath two names one qua est which is of his essence incomprehensible the other is qua câ—…sa est this is the name of his goodnesse and so we may conceive him All names man giveth is of the property we say commonly this is the nature scilicet the propertie of a thing Propertie sensible or intelligible The knowledge of which properties is either sensible of outward things or intelligible of inward qualities The names of things after Adam were of properties sensible as Esau was so called for that he was red and rough with haire Jacob was so called for that at his birth he held Esau by the heel his
When a man hath done 〈◊〉 either he shameth which as we say is a signe of grace or else he hardneth his face like a stone and is not ashamed but shamelesse this is objected against the People of the Lord in Jeremie 3. 3. that though they were wicked and punished for their wickednesse yet they would not be ashamed Harlots were wont to cover their faces to cover their shame but now Harlots are become shimelesse this was the reason that Judah supposed Tamer to be an whore chap. 38. 15. for that she had covered her face God cannot abide the sinfull man but he will punish sharply those that will not be ashamed when they have committed abhomination Jeremy 6. 15. Now we are clothed and ashamed for the minde condemneth the deformity of sinne by shame and to be ashamed at our faults now is accounted a virtue shame now bewrayeth the sinne that is covered Adam and Eve were naked in body innocent in minde and were not ashamed of their nakednesse But since the Fall it is otherwise as in chap. 9. 22. Ham saw the nakednesse of Noah his father and was accursed but Shem and Japheth went backward and covered the nakednesse of their father whose nakednesse they saw not and for that they shamed to see their fathers nakednesse they were blessed God in the 20. of Exodus 20. commandeth Moses not to make steps up to his altar lest when he went up by the steps his filihinesse were discovered thereon when the young man in Mark 14. 52. that was clothed in lynnen upon his bare body and they would have caught him he left his linnen cloth and fled from them naked as being ashamed In the 21. of John 7. when Christ appeared to Peter and heard him speak he cast himself into the Sea not naked as he was but gyrded to him his coat But what maketh nakednesse lawfull and laudable what maketh want of shame commendable in Adam and Eve to be now a thing blamable and whereof to be ashamed There were certain Cynical Philosophers and notable Hereticks called Adamites that went naked but at length they were weary of their opinion they were not able long to continue naked and were at last ashamed of their nakednesse But to answer the said question we will consider first Adams original state and then the state of him and of Mankinde by his Fall The 〈◊〉 of Adams Innocencie was when the word of God was above all when mans reason was subject to Gods word when his will was obedient to his reason when his concupiscence to his will and when his flesh was subject to his concupiscence so all in Man was straight and right he was upright within and without his reason was obedient his will was not perverse his concupiscence was chaste the nakednesse of the body corrupted not the soul it was original righteousnesse that was the complexion of Mans soul when Man was innocent there was then no hindrance of good nor any inclination to evill All this while there was no shame for there was nothing whereof man had cause to be ashamed Innocencie and uprightnesse brought forth chastity chastity brought forth courage and this it is that made them though they were naked not to be ashamed But after the Fall when all came out of joynt as Paul speaketh our concupiscence became a Rebell to our will our will to our reason our reason to the Law of God mans body would not yeeld obedience to his soul nor his soul unto God according to that of Paul Rom. 7. 23. I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see 〈◊〉 Law in my members rehelling against the Law of my minde and lending me captive to the law of sinne which 〈◊〉 in my members the corruption of the fleshrebelleth and riseth against our spirit our carnall members doe raise up the flesh against the Law of the minde and against our will and these members 〈◊〉 called the fire-brands of 〈◊〉 It is not the hand not the leg not the arme not the seemly parts but the basest part the unseemliest member that striveth against the spirit Yet by Marriage upon those members of the body which we think most unhonest put we most honesty on and our uncomely parts have more 〈◊〉 for our comely parts need it not but God hath tempered the body together and hath given the more honor to that part 〈◊〉 lacked by this bond of Marriage whereby they two become one flesh Levit. 18. 6. And in diverse other places God faith 〈◊〉 shalt not come neer any of the kinred of his flesh to 〈◊〉 her shame though it be under title of marriage the uncovering of which shame turpe est vobis dicere it is a shame to tell though marriage be honest and honourable yet there is a shame in marriage which is the shame of the carnall members whereof both Man and Woman have their shame Man may be ashamed of his fire-brand of concupiscence all finnes are to be shamed at but lust above all is to be ashamed of which causeth other sinnes as in 〈◊〉 Adultery and Murther and the members of lust and carnalitie we are to cover and so to cover our shame and to this shame of 〈…〉 men are subject which sinne 〈◊〉 us more like bruit beasts than othervices the theef by the Law might make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that committesh adultery destroyeth his own 〈◊〉 the wound and 〈◊〉 of that teacher 〈◊〉 man was death Prov. 6. 33. neither the Law of God nor the Law of Nature admitted any 〈◊〉 for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Amnon committed his inceft 2 Sam. 13. 13. she said to him Commit not this folly how shall I put away my shame and than 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 of the fools of Israel he should be accounted even as a beast that hath no regard of kinred he should for that inoest be esteemed as a 〈◊〉 person He that is inticed by the flattery of an Harlot and felloweth her is as an one that goeth to the slaughter 〈◊〉 7. 22. He is like 〈…〉 neighing after his neighbours wife 〈◊〉 5. 8. 〈…〉 God that begat him and that formed him Deus 32. 18. It is 〈◊〉 begetteth sinne and sinne begetteth 〈◊〉 there was no sinne no filthinesse in Adam and Eve at the first where fore though they were naked yes they were not ashamed But in chap. 3. 7. after their Fall when they knew they were naked they made them 〈◊〉 to cover their privie and incomely parts and yet the covering of their shame takes not away 〈◊〉 shame And we should 〈◊〉 thus of apparel that it is to defend our nakednesse we being passible of weather to cover our shame and we have 〈◊〉 great cause 〈…〉 thereof seeing it is but as a clout wherein we doe wrap and cover our own shame we must take heed that we make not our shame to be our glory apparel should be a covering to shame but alas it is even now become a provocation and an
must be by an excrement bread is the interest of thy continuall labour this is the yoke of the sins of Adam God in punishing the Israelites will remember the land which he gave them Leviticus 26. 42. and they must suffer the punishment of their iniquitie yea when you shall remember your own wickedness yee shall judge your selves worthy destruction for your iniquitie in the thirty sixth of Ezekiel and the thirty first Paul in the first of the Corinthians the ninth and the fifteenth saith it were better for him to die than not to doe his duty The use of the Scripture Now this sentence upon Adam hath this use for us spinae tribuli the thorns and thistles when we walk in the field speak to us as Gods book doth and make us a Sermon telling they should not have grown there but for us the earth should not have been cursed with barreness but for our wickedness if the thorn prick or the nettle sting thee it will say hoc propter te I was first brought and still I grow to make thee remember thy obedience so that the very nettle that is good for nothing shall put thee in mind of thy 〈◊〉 Be not angrie with the earth if it be barren for it will say it was so non propter se sed propter te To conclude this point well saith a Father we must have not only sensum poenae in corpore the feeling of punishment in our body but sensum irae divinae in mente the seeling of Gods wrath in our soul. But now not to leave you plunged in despair with consideration of grievous punishment in a word I will touch the alay of this punishment be comforted though God be just yet he is mercifull non est Crux sine Christo hast thou a Cross then hast thou Christ to comfort thee Mercies in this Sentence are five God hath left five signes of his mercie in this sentence which the ancient Fathers term vestigia miserantis gratiae impressions of Gods mercifull favour 1. The first is non dixit maledictus tu cursed be thou as he said to the Serpent but terra maledicta cursed be the earth the nature that sinned is not cursed nor is it like Cains curse in the fourth Chapter and eleventh verse for there is he cursed from the earth but here the earth of which Adam was made not Adam himself was cursed 2. Secondly he is punished but with a little labour to his great sinne with a watry drops of sweat and the sweat is but an easie sweat of the face not like Christs sweat in his prayer the twenty second of Luke the fourty fourth verse which was like drops of blood trickling down to the ground 3. Thirdly God might have suffered the earth to have been fruitless let man have laboured never so much but that man for all his sinne yet with his labour shall make the earth fruitfull in my opinion is a great mercy which I ground out of the one hundred twenty eighth Psalme when thou eatest the labour of thy hands saith David thou shalt be blessed It is a blessing when the Wife is fruitfull as the Vine upon the house side when thy Children are as the Olive plants about thy Table and it is a blessing that yet with labour the earth shall bring forth fruit It is a comfort that your labour shall not be in vain as St. Paul speaketh the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth and the fifty eighth God in mercy sendeth rain to water the earth what to doe Isaiah telleth you in his 55. chapter and 10. verse to give not only bread to the eater but even seed to the sower It is a comfort when we sowe that we shall reap he that soweth eareth reapeth thresheth doth it in hope the first to the Corinthians the ninth chapter and tenth verse God giveth bread to the hungry and the seed to further increase by labour dat acquisitum that thou hast gained through thy labor 4. Fourthly it is a great mercie to call it panis taus thy bread thou shalt eat of thy own bread this is mercy I say to terme that mans which is Gods Lastly this labour hath a date and an end it hath tempus refrigerii upon the amending your lives God will put away your sinnes and a time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3. 19. Let this be lastly your comfort that though you labour long yet you shall have a resting after your labour In sudore vultûs tui vescitor cibo donec revertaris in human cum ex eâ desumptus fueris nam pulvis es inpulverem revertêris Gen. 3. 19. October 〈◊〉 1598. NOw are we to handle the other part of Adams Sentence and punishment The ground and nature of the Sentence and in the Sentence we are to consider the ground of it and the nature or form of it Disobedience is the ground of this sentence and this Sentence is made even a Law for according to that of Paul Romans 6. 2. The Law of life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death so that sinne is the cause of death Hence sprung the Pelagian heresie condemned by the Councell of Carthage Concil Carth. 7. That said that though we sinned yet we were freed though we lived never so dissolutely yet we were saved After Christs comming death was not the reward of sinne but mark what St. James in his first chapter and thirteenth verse saith When lust hath conceived it 〈◊〉 forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death and St. Paul in the fifth to the Romans the nineteenth and the twenty first saith Death That as by one mans disohedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many were made righteous and further That as sinne reigned unto death so grace by righteousnese might reign to eternall life Truth it is that through sin came death and that death hath rule over all Adam at the first by sinne brought death the last Adam by obedience brought everlasting life and as Paul in the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the twenty sixth verse saith That the last enemie that Christ should destroy was death for as it is in the same chapter As in Adam all die so in Christ all shall be made alive and the very wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life saith Paul in the sixth to the Romans and the twenty third verse The nature and form of sinne Touching the nature and form of the sinne God is not cause of sinne God is not the agent in sinne but the cause of sinne is only from Adam himself And according to that of the Wise man in his first chapter and thirteenth verse Adam and sin cause of death God hath not made death neither hath he pleasure in the
this Judgement here is not only a conjunction of mercy and justice but here mercie triumpheth over justice for though God depriveth us of this tree yet he planteth a better the seed whereof giveth a fruit better than of that that is of eternal life Zecharie in his third chapter the eight verse telleth you that the branch of this tree is his servant He is the green tree spoken of in the twenty third of Luke the thirty first verse And the right of them that doe his commandement is to be ingrafted in this tree of life Revelations 22. 14. and in the second of the same book the seventh verse Christ is called that tree of life in the Paradise of God Ne jam The ancient Fathers out of ne jam lest now he put forth his hand doe gather that though he were now debarred to put forth his hand and take of that tree of life yet God gives him comfort that yet hereafter he should not be debarred of the putting out of his hand to take hold of the other tree of life Jesus Christ. Mans pride God saith here that Man would be like one of us such was his pride and disobedience Christs humility to help that the Sonne of God will be like one of us such was his love and humility The Fathers upon the fiftieth of Esay the sixth verse say that Christ was Vir doloris he was smitten scoffed and spit upon like one of us He was tempted in all things sinne excepted like one of us the fourth to the Hebrews the fifteenth verse though he were not subject to our infirmities yet was he subject to our passions he lived he suffered he dyed like one of us Ecce homo God saith here of Adam in his judgement Ecce homo and 〈◊〉 in Christs judgement saith Ecce homo behold the man So that God became man like one of us to meet with this that Adam would be like God He suffered all miserie like one of us And he himself bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sinne might live in righteousnesse the first Epistle of Peter the second chapter the fourth verse In a word behold the Sonne of God is become like one of us that we may become like unto him and hath sound in himself the tryall of our infirmities He I said is become like one of us according to that place in the 17. of Johns Gospel 21. verse which are Christs own words that as I am in the Father and the Father in me so you all may be also one in us and in the twenty fourth verse there following Christ saith Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me even where I am This then is here the separation of us from God but by Christ we are reunited into Christ as he is into his Father and hereby is a restitution to the place where Christ is there shall we be And to conclude we shall be restored to life to glorie to 〈◊〉 to be indeed like to God by incorporating us into this tree of life Whereby most great and pretious promises are given unto us that by them we should be partakers of the heavenly nature and that we should fly this earthly corruption the second of Peters Epistles the first chapter and the fourth verse And though the miseries of this life be great yet according to St. Pauls words they are not to be compared to the joyes of the next life which are eternall Emisit itaque eum Jehova Deus ex horto Hedenis ad colendum terram illam ex quâ desumptus fuerat Gen. 3. 23. Januar. 21. 1598. THat which was lest before as a broken speech and unperfect is here supplyed and at large expressed The execution of Adams Judgement for in these two are conteined the execution of the former Precept And in these two are the two parts of the Execution His sending out of Paradise In this is the first part the sending him out of Paradise Four parts hereof and this very verse doth offer in it self four several points to be handled First The sending forth Secondly from Eden Thirdly Whither To the Earth Fourthly To what end To till the Earth whence he was taken 1. His sending First then touching the sending Sending as a motion from place to place as an ordinarie moving it is indifferent The Angel in the sixteenth of this Book the eighth verse asketh Hagar from whence and whither she goeth and biddeth her returnback So that we must come to the other part Whither for the sending is known to be good or evill by knowing whether the place whereto they are sent be good or evill as to be sent with the Children of Israel out of captivity is good from bad to better But when the place from whence is good and the place whither is bad the sending from such a place to a worse is a penal punishment as here it was to Adam and Eve 2. To the Earth Secondly then They were sent to the Earth from Paradise To live then in the Earth is the state of us all yet we had no experience with Adam of this blessed state of Paradise but they had tryall and experience of all the pleasures of Paradise so much more penall was it to them to be deprived of a garden of a garden of Gods own planting full of all variety and contentment of a garden the like whereof all the cunning and travail of man shall never make and to come from thence to a ground untilled barren and full of thistles whereof he that had lived before at ease must now be the tiller himself for it shall not be tilled nor dressed to his hand God dealt not here with Adam as he dealeth with the Children of Israel He bringeth them from capativity to a Land filled with Cities which they builded not full of goods which they brought not of wells which they digged not vineyards olive trees which they planted not Deut. 6. 11. There is a great difference from the sending them to a land so dressed and provided and to a place shall bear naught but thistles and thornes which with all his labor and travail he shall not recover to the least part of the excellencie of this garden If Adam had been sent to a place where fruit had grown without labor or fruitfull with labour it had been somewhat but he is sent to the Earth cursed before by God in the seventeenth verse from a place fully blessed from a garden to the ground from pleasure to labour 3. From whence he was taken Thirdly Unto the earth whence he was taken This is not unprofitably added for there is use of this interram de quâ sumptus The ancient Fathers doe gather hence first this use That it is a remedy against pride and for humility hereby they should remember their former and present state they should
we were like to perish till he provided for us so we must give him a present even the first fruits of that we have acknowledging that all came from him in the twenty sixt chapter of Deuteronomie The ground of our oblation is to testifie so as the ground of our oblation 1. our thankfulness is the testifying of our thankfulnesse 2 our subjection to God Another end is the testifying and acknowledging of our subjection to God that as he gave us our souls so we confesse we ought to bestow our souls on God And that we shall doe if when our own reason cannot attain to see how that should be just which he requireth 1. to give and subject our souls to God yet we be content to make our souls subject to him and to bring them into the obedience of Christ in the second of the Corinthians and the tenth chapter If as we have grieved the spirit of God with our sinnes so we be content to grieve our souls and to break them with sorrow which is a sacrifice to God in the fifty first Psalme and the seventeenth verse 2. to subject our bodies to God Secondly as we have received our bodies from God so we must make them subject to God by abating the desires which our flesh delighteth in that we may delight in that which God requireth and that we be content to impoverish the body to chasten it and bring it under by fasting in the first of the Corinthians and the ninth chapter From both soul and body our mouths must shew forth Gods praise that it may be more fit for his service we must not only acknowledge in our soul that we owe our selves both soul and body to God but we must open our lips and shew forth his praise with our mouthes in the fifty first Psalme 3. We must honour God with our substance And lastly we must honor God with our substance in the third chapter of the Proverbs And not content our selves with the oblation of the lips as a sacrifice that cost us nothing in the second of Samuell and the twenty fourth chapter The sacrifice also hath two grounds The sacrifice also hath two grounds 1. The confession of our sins aud why First The confession of our sinnes for in that the poor Lamb or other beast whatsoever hath his throat cut what is it else but a confession that what the Lamb suffereth the same we our selves deserved to suffer As the Lamb dieth so we deserve the death both of body and soul And as the Lamb was burnt to ashes so we deserved to be burnt in the lake of sire and brimstone in the twentieth of the Apocal. and the tenth verie For sine effusione sanguinis non est peccatorum remissio in the ninth chapter of the Hebrews And so in that the poor beast hath his blood poured out we doe thereby confesse that we cannot have remission of sinnes without the shedding of blood if we seek it in our selves 2 The confession of our faith in Christ which maketh the other perfect and why But there is a second ground of the sacrifice and that is the confession of our faith which maketh all the other confessions perfect for how is it possible that a Lamb should be worth a Man and that the death of an unreasonable creature should be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of a reasoable soul the Apostle saith It is impossible that the blood of Lambs and Goats should take away sinnes in the tenth chapter of the Hebrews and the fourth verse It cost more to redeem souls then so vise a price or the price of the most pretious things in the world in the fourty ninth Psalme Christ the Lamb slain by whose blood we have remission of sinnes and why Therefore the reason why they offered sacrifice was to make confession of their faith in Christ whom they confessed to be the Lamb of God slain from the beginning of the world by whose blood we have remission of sinnes So the Lambe which Abel offered in the fourth chapter of Genesis which Esay foresaw should stand before his shearrer in the fifty third of Isaiah whom John Baptist pointed at John the first chapter and the twenty ninth verse Ecce Agnus Dei is Christ the Son of God slain from the beginning of the world to take away sinnes Apoc. the thirteenth chapter And in the blood of that Lambe are the sinnes of the whole world purged as it is in the first Epistle of St. John the first chapter and the seventh verse 4. The warrant whereby they offered oblations and sacrifice Fourthly The warrant whereby they offered their oblation and sacrifices was not any expresse command of God in the Scripture and God only knoweth what kinde of service best pleaseth him and of themselves they were not to devise any thing 1. Adam was instructed by God and they by Adam but they were taught by Adam and Adam was instructed by God As Adam had experience that God was able to bring light out of darknesse so he taught Adam by his spirit that as by the tree of life he would give life so by death he would give life For as in the Sacrifices of the Law the Jews were taught that out of death God would give them life We by our Sacraments so now in our Sacraments Christians are assured that by the death of Christ whereof the Supper is a commemoration the faithfull obtain life Made known 1. By the light of nature The meanes whereby God made this known to them was first the light of nature That they had offended God which told them that seeing so many infirmities and sicknesses lay upon them it was for that they had offended som body 2. That they owe thankfulness for all they had to be acknowledged in heart word and works Secondly that all they possessed was from some superior power to whom they ought to be both thankfull and dutifull and to acknowledge both these in words as well as in heart and to expresse this subjection by works that is by offering somthing to God 2. For the confession of faith no reason or light of nature taught but by Gods spirit But as for confession of faith no reason of man no light of nature that could apprehend that but as Christ saith in the sixteenth of Matthew it was the Revelation of Gods Spirit which taught them that Christ the Lambe of God should be offered as a Sacrifice for sinne of which all the sacrifices that went before were types Concerning Cain and Abell we are to observe two points First what they had in common Secondly what severally All both poor and rich must offer For the first As we learn that all must offer both in the Law in the thirtieth chapter of Exodus for God will have his offering be we rich or poor and in the Gospell where Christ alloweth
more than his providence for as he seeth the sacrifice of both so in justice he respects the good and rejects the evill Cain said as the wicked doe in their heart God doth not regard Psalm the tenth but if Cain desires that God should not regard Abel nor his good service he desires a thing unpossible for God is not unjust to forget the labour of our love Hebrews the sixt and the tenth verse Shall I justifie the wicked ballance and the bag of deceitfull weights the sixt chapter of Micha and the eleventh verse therefore whether we respect God or Abel this cause of Cains sorrow is unjust and his envy is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore whereas other sinnes are punished only in the world to come and have pleasure in this life as if that future punishment were not sufficient for envy The envious man is a torment to him self God takes order that it shall have punishment in this life for the envious man is a torment to himself as the Wise man saith the fourteenth of the Proverbs and the thirtieth invidia est putredo ossium The degrees of Cains heaviness were that he was iratus valdè It was not one of the first degrees of anger which the Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are passions which are no sinne at all as in the fourth chapter of the Ephesians irascimini nolite peccare and the Lord saith dost thou well to be angrie Jonas the third chapter meaning there is some anger that is good so there is an anger that is no sin for the first motions of anger are not so hainous for the nature of men cannot keep away these passions no more than birds may be kept from lighting upon trees The Preacher saith Ecclesiastes the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse ira nidificat in sina 〈◊〉 whereupon one saith that although anger will light upon our nature whether we will or no yet we may keep it from making a nest in our hearts and so long it is no sinne therefore Cains sin is great in respect it was not only without a just cause but for that he suffered anger to rest in his heart Note The tongue the trumpet of the minde The falling down of his countenance is a fruit of the abundance of his heart as our Saviour Christ saith Matthew the twelfth chapter and the thirty fourth verse ex abundantia cordis os loquitur the tongue is the trumpet of the minde The countenance the glass of our affections and the countenance is the glass wherein we may behold the affections of the heart as the Preacher saith heaviness will appear in the countenance Examples so it did in Labans countenance Genesis the thirty first chapter no lesse than it doth here in Cain so in the Bretheren of Joseph Genesis the thirty seventh chapter Hatred cannot speak peaceable in so much as they could not speak peaceably to him so Saul ever after looked asquint on David after he conceived displeasure at him the first of Samuel and the eighteenth chapter Pride of heart appeares by proud looks so the Scripture sheweth that the pride of the heart appeares in the countenance by the proud look the one hundred and first Psalm and the high looks Proverbs the sixth chapter the adulterous minde is shewed by eyes full of adultery the second of Peter and the second chapter Countenance cast down a sign of ill when the minde imagineth evill then the light of the countenance is turned into darkness and the countenance which should be upright is changed in ruinam vultûs with casting down of the countenance because it is both an effect and sign of ill and the Apostle willeth that we abstain from any appearance of ill the first to the Thessalonians and the fifth chapter therefore we are to avoid it tristitia vultûs est hostilis tessara the outward badge and token of some inward evill conceived in the heart abscedendum est non 〈◊〉 a malo sed ab omni specie mali For the conclusion as we have already once seen the way what it is that we might not follow it Jude the eleventh verse so here again we are to consider his way which is of three sorts Note First not to rest and be content with that which God will have come to pass he was displeased because God respected Abel and not him Be content when God respected and contrary whereas he should have said with Eli the first of Samuel and the third chapter Deus est faciet quod bonum videtur in occulis ejus and with David the one hundred and ninteenth Psalm and the seventy fifth verse I know Lord thy judgments are right and that of very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me but to stomack God for any of his doings is a thing that every one must avoid that will not walk in Cains way Fret not thy self because of the ungodly saith the Prophet Psalm the thirty seventh and the first we may not think much that God doth respect the wicked and blesse them with temporall blessings much lesse are we to repine at the good of the godly Fret not at the prosperity of the wicked The Prophet affirmeth that he was offended at the prosperity of the wicked in so much as he said I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Psalm the thirty seventh he could not tell what to think of it till he went to the 〈◊〉 and there he learned that albeit they flourish in the world yet he sets them in slippery places that they may fall down to their distruction therefore we may not fret our selves considering that those things prove to Gods providence This was Davids meditation on the Sabbath Psalm the ninty second and the sixt and seventh verses That albeit the unwise know it not and fools doe not understand so much yet he was assured that when the wicked did grow as the grosse and all the Workers of wickedness did flourish then they should perish so that we have no just cause to be displeased with God if he respect the wicked seeing it is for his hurt but if he respect Abel and his good service we are to be glad When righteous men are in authority then the people rejoyce Proverbs the twentieth chapter and the second verse 〈◊〉 it is he joy of the world that the godly are respected of God and enjoy his favourable countenance and he that will not follow Cains way must confidere virtuti suae alienae non invidere Some rise not by virtue but by others fall when men doe not labour to exalt themselves by their own virtue but rise up by the fall of others that is Cains way which we must carefully avoid as we will ascape the wrath of God Thirdly the example of Abels good service and the favour which God vouchsafeth to
the Carinthians the sixt chapter and the first verse If wee receive not this grace in vain or if we be wanting to it by falling away from the grace of God in the twelfth chapter to the Hebrews and the fifteenth verse then shall we be able to have dominion over sinne As this is true and cannot be denyed that God hath shut up all under sinne to have mercie over all so he will pour out his spirit upon all flesh in the second of Joel and the twenty eighth verse What spirit The spirit of grace and prayer in the twelfth chapter of Zechariah that is Psalm the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 verse He faileth none that seeke him and call upon him that is he offereth grace to all if they put it not away from them by strength of which grace they may resist sinne and bear rule over it Then we must goe to Christ and as he saith in the sixth chapter of John and the thirty seventh verse venientem ad me non 〈◊〉 wee offering to him our prayers he will not be wanting to 〈…〉 us that when sinne comes to us which is occursus poccati 〈…〉 ad Christum we must nunne to Christ the seed of the Woman As the seed of the spirituall Serpent is sinne so God hath made it here saying Sinne lyeth at the dore so the seed of the woman is Chist to whom we must have recourse for help and say as the spouse doth in the first chapter of the Canticles and the third and fourth verses Trahe nos nam curremus ad te We will run to those persons in whom we feel the sent of their oyntments such as shall be able to give us good counsell instruction Albeit it is certain we shall not need to run to Christ for he saith Revelations the third chapter verse the twentieth Ecce sto ad ostium pulso it is but to open the dore and let him in When sinne lyeth at the dore Christ lyeth there too so that it is but to open to him when he knocketh and sinne will away For let Gideon arise and his enemies will fly So will sinne fly if Christ come and we shall come safe out of our dores if we let Christ in To conclude Then seeing we see our estate by nature and what Gods will is who hath left us a means whereby we may bear rule over sinne we must take notice of it that is run to the promised seed of the woman It is needfull that we know the sense of dominion that is that we have a sense of those contrary sollicitations to sinne as Paul saith I delight in the Law of God touching the inward man but I have another Law in the seventh to the Romans and the twenty second verse There is a continuall combat and strife between the flesh and spirit the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh the fifth chapter to the Galatians and the seventeenth verse When we cannot tell what sinne is nor what be the effects and fruits of it and how it solliciteth and desireth when it reigns we are ready to meet it and runne as fast to sinne as sinne cometh to us and that is dangerous Therefore we must take notice of his conflict and know that between the heel and the head this conflict shall for ever be Genesis the third chapter and the fifteenth verse and every man shall have either peccatum habitans vel occurrens but which shall have dominion whether flesh or spirit nature or grace it is excellently said by Salomon in the sixteenth chapter of the Proverhs He that ruleth his own minde and lusts hath a greater victorie than he that winneth a City for they that winne Cities are oftentimes slaves to their own lusts and a small appetite overcometh them This is not the conquest here spoken of but the masterie over our sensualitie is it that God meaneth and he that overcommeth it shall receive a crown at Gods hand as the Apostle saith I have fought a good fight hence forth is layed up for me a crown in the second epistle to Timothie and the fourth chapter Now every man is not in case to goe into the field to encounter with his enemie and to winne Cities but every Christian is in state to strive against his own lusts and to fight with sinne which is the Serpents seed There must be a bruising between the heel of Adams seed and the Serpents head this combat we must all undergoe whereof we have matter of comfort if wee overcome in this conflict and also of instruction and admonition that seeing God mislikes sinne promising reward to them that doe well and threatning them that doe evill saying that sinne lyeth at the dore that as one day shall come when this condition shall be as between the Creditor and Debtor between the Judge and malefactor But withall he sheweth that howsoever our nature be inclined to sinne yet as Gods conclusion to Cain is that sinne shall not get dominion over him but he shall rule over it by grace offered to him so if we by prayer be earnest Suitors to God for grace and take hold of it being offered we shall be conquerors over sinne in Christ and bear rule and in the end we shall obtein the reward promised which is eternall happiness in the Kingdome of heaven Post colloquebatur Kajin cum Hebelo fratre suo evenit autem quum essent in agro ut insurgens Kajin in Hebelum fratrem suum interficeret eum Gen. 4. 8. July 29. 1599. HItherto we have heard Gods Sermon preached to Cain and in this verse is set down the successe and effect that it took and it sheweth that it was in vain in regard of the effect for which it was preached though it were uttered by God The end of hearing Gods word For the end both of this and all others is that the Auditors might be drawn to repentance but we see that Cain becommeth more obdurate and hardened in his sinne And where the end of hearing the word is that sinne might not have dominion over us but we bear rule over it we see Cain is not the better for Gods Sermon but like Ahab sells him to be the bond-slave of sinne Not to harden our hearts Now in the hearing of Gods word the chifest matter required at our hands is That we harden not our hearts Psalm the ninety fifth but if a man be of Cains minde if he shall harden his heart as 〈◊〉 Exodus the eighth chapter and the fifteenth verse If he shall say the word that thou hast spoken to us we will not hear it but will doe whatsoever goeth out of our mouth Jeremiah the fourty fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse In such Gods word taketh no effect Now it is plain why Cain was not moved at the word preached by God for there is no means ordained by God more effectuall to work repentance than the word of
verse Fourthly he breaks the bond of nature for the party murthered is his brother and so he becommeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans the first chapter Fiftly he feares not to kill him though he know it will be to the great grief of Adam and Eve his Parents wherein he deals worle than Esau who would not utter his hatred against Jacob till the dayes of mourning for his Father were past Genesis the twenty seventh chapter Sixtly it was not done ex irae impetu but ex odii habitu and against such the Prophet prayeth be not mercifull to such as sinne of malicious wickedness psalm the fifty ninth Seventhly his hatred was not open Cloaked hatred under colour of friendship but cloaked and hidden under a shew of love which makes it more grievous It was not mine enemie that did me this dishonour for then I could have born it It was not mine adversary that exalted himself against me for I would have hid my self but it was thou my companion my guid and familiar friend therefore let death seiz upon him Psalm the fifty fifth and the twelfth thirteenth and fifteenth verses Eighthly this sinne is committed after Gods admonition who had uied all means to draw him to repentance Ninthly not only being admonished but seeing his Father made an example of Gods wrath whom he saw daily labouring and moyling in the earth for his disobedience to God Tenthly that which makes Cains sinne out of reason sinfull Romans the seventh is the cause not for any offence that Abel had committed but for doing his duty in Gods service as the Apostle noteth in the first epistle of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse Wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers good Cain Patriarch of hypocrites and persecutors of the Godly As before he was the Patriarch of all hypocrites so here Cain is the Patriarch of all persecuting Tyrants for that he slew his brother for no other cause but for well doing and for this good sacrifice whereby he pleased God Abel the first righteous Martyr And as Abel is said to be the first of all righteous men Matthew the twenty third chapter and the twenty fifth verse so here we see him the first Martyr wherein we see the works of the Devill who is a mutherer from the beginning John the eighth chapter and the fourty fourth verse Anger conceived hatred is murther of the soul. for he did not only murther our first 〈◊〉 in Paradise but he makes Cain a mutherer first of his own soul by conceiving hatred against his brother and purposing his death and then by killing the body of his brother Envy the meanes As this is the effect of the Devill so he makes the sinne of envy the means of which sinne the Wise-man saith Proverbs the twenty seventh chapter and the fourth verse Who can stand before envy there is no way but death with them that are envyed Examples The Bretheren of Joseph were content with nothing but the death of their brother but that two of them did withstand it Genesis the thirty seventh chapter It was envy that made the Scribes and Pharisees crucifie Christ Matthew the twenty seventh chapter Of hatred 〈◊〉 murther We see how Cain proceeded against his brother from envie to anger from anger to hatred and from it to murther these degrees must be observed Note that we may avoid them in our selves because there is no man but may sall as well as Cain except the grace of God doe stay him To conclude It is a necessary point that we consider aright of of this matter for the Prophet complaineth in the fifty seventh chapter of Isaiah and the first verse The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it So it is a fault if we do not consider the death of righteous Abel The Wiseman complaineth in the seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes and the seventeenth verse In the dayes of my vanity I have seen a good man punished in his justice and a wicked man continue longer in his malice This was Abel's case but when a man shall consider that death was at the first inflicted upon sinne because it is the wages of sin Romans the sixt chapter and the last verse and that 〈◊〉 is the means by which death entred into the world Romans the fift chapter and yet that Abel a righteous man is the first that drank of this Cup in the old Testament as John Baptist was in the new it will make him say Hoc est onus Jehovae as it is in the twenty third chapter of Jeremiah and the thirty fourth verse and hic est durus sermo John the sixt chapter The Apostle saith Godlinesse hath promises both in this life and the life to come in the first epistle to Timothie the fourth chapter and the eighth verse and among the promises of this life long life is one in the sixt chapter to the Ephesians and the third verse which God promiseth to them that honour their Superiors On the other side God threatneth that the blood thirsty and deceitfull man shall not live out half his dayes Psalm the fifty fift And yet Cain lived long and Abel a godly man dyed soon Therefore when we see the righteous dye quickly and the wicked live long we must take heed we stumble not at Gods doings but justifie God and acknowledge that he is just and true and every man a lyar Psalm the fifty first Romans the third chapter Therefore to make this point plain it is true long life is promised as a blessing of God which he promiseth to the observers of his command but withall we must know there are certain causes wherein this rule holdeth not true that the dutifull and holy man shall live long in this world The exceptions are First in respect of the parties themselves to whom this blessing is promised It is with a Godly man as with the fruit of trees if after it is once ripe it besuffered to continue on the trees it will be rotten so it is with good men in this world And therefore the Wiseman saith of Enoch that because he lived amongst sinners God translated him and he took him away least wickednesse should alter his understanding and deceit beguile his minde Sapi. the fourth chapter In such a case it is not a benefit but a detriment for a man to live long And there is no man but in such a respect will be content that God shall break promise with him Secondly Another exception is in respect of the punishment of sinne If a party that pleaseth God should by living long become miserable he would not think long life a blessing and therefore God in mercy took away good Josiah that he should not see the miseries that were to come upon the Jews by the captivitie in the second booke of Chronicles and the thirty fourth chapter this favour he vouchsafed to that godly King
when Parties are convicted upon witnesses which is the more usuall way but when by manifest arguments and proofs they are proved guilty For so in Cain The falling down of his countenance His going into the fields with his Brother And he being found slain thereupon are manifest tokens that he slew Abel for there was none else to doe it Upon those grounds God proceeds to give sentence against Cain In which sentence we have an Ecce of Gods Severity in his Justice and of his Bounty in Mercy For first This is a great mercy to Cain that where God did not take this judiciall course with Korah for resisting the Magistrate of Gods people but caused the earth presently to swallow him up in the sixteenth chapter of Numbers and punished Ananias with sudden death for that he lyed not to men but to God Acts the fifth chapter and never stayed either to see whether he would confesse or to convince him yet he will not proceed against Cain till he have proved him guilty and condemned him accordingly Of Gods proceeding in justice against Cain there are three parts First the spirituall part against his soul. Secondly the Oeconomicall part against his labour bestowed in tilling the earth Thirdly his Politicall punishment which standeth herein That he shall be an exile and Vagabond on earth The first part of his punishment is in these words Cursed art thou from the earth for Gods meaning herein as Cain himself doth apprehend it verse the fourteenth is that Cain is cast out from the earth and from the presence of God that is God doth inflict upon him an Ecclesiasticall severing from Gods presence not from the presence of his Providence for of that Psalm the one hundred thirty ninth Whither shall I goe from thy presence Presence of Gods favour but from the presence of Gods favour and grace of which the Prophet prayeth Cast me not from thy presence Psalm the fifty first from the fellowship of the Saints as in saying Cursed art thou from the earth he pronounceth upon him the sentence of Banishment out of the society of men As God doth separate Cain out of the family of Adam which was an Image of the Church wherein he heard Gods word so also he doth baniish him out of the company of men Touching the first point we know that it is the highest punishment that can be inflicted to be cursed of God for in the third of Genesis and the fourteenth verse the sentence pronounced upon the Serpent was Cursed art thou if there had been any punishment more grievous doubtlesse God would have laid it upon him And in the end of the world the last and most fearfull punishment or sentence upon the Devill and his Angels is Ite maledicti Matthew the twenty fift chapter Especially when the curse is directed to the person maledictus tu as if it were shot out of purpose against him so he directed the curse to the Serpents person Genesis the third chapter and the fourteenth verse Cursed art Thou above all cattel But when God came to Adam he spared his person and laid the curse upon the earth Maledicta terrapropter te Genesis the third chapter and the seventeenth verse But here we see the sentence is pronounced against Cain's person as it was against the Serpent Cursed art Thou from the earth Wherein we may see that Cain's sinne is another manner of sin than Adam's and therefore is more grievously punished as it standeth with justice 〈◊〉 ad rationem peccati 〈◊〉 plagarum modus Deuteronomie the twenty fourth chapter But Cain's sinne is greater than Adam's five wayes First Adam's sinne proceeded out of concupiscence but Cain's came of malice which deserveth no mercy as the Prophet sheweth Psalm the fifty ninth Be not mercifull to them that sinne of malicious wickednesse Secondly Adam's sinne was committed upon a sudden and did not take root as Cain's did for his sinne was a long time hatching and breeding for all Gods preaching to him yet he went forward in sinne albeit he had long admonition from God to keep him from it Thirdly Adam having committed his sinne was taken with fear and fled to hide himself if he could but Cain was not a whit afraid but faced it out and never shewed any sorrow for it Fourthly when Adam was examined he confessed his sinne willingly but Cain obstinatly denyed it and would not be brought to confesse it though God had three times laboured to make him confesse He denieth his fault non tam audacter quam procaciter Wherefore Adams sinne and Cains are not both of one regard or nature and therefore must not be punished alike but the one more grievously than the other So yet we see here is a great correspondencie between the Serpents sinne and Cain's for as the Serpent of envy murthered our first Parents so Cain is here the instrument of the Serpent to kill Abel for that he envyed him And therefore the Wise-man said Invidiâ Diaboli intravit mors Fiftly As the Devils sinne is pride Ero similis altissimo Isaiah the fourteenth chapter the fourteenth verse so Cain shewed his pride by his contempt of Gods word command who forewarned him not to kill his Brother as also by his saucy answer to God Am I my Brothers keeper Wherefore as Cain's sinne is equall to the Serpents sinne so he hath the same punishment that the Serpent had Maledictus tu In regard of which likenesse of their sinne the Apostle saith Cain is ex maligno illo in the first of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse that is rather the Son of the Devill than of Adam and therefore the Son is punished with the like punishment that was laid upon the Father For the contents of the word Maledictus The nature of a curse is That the party upon whom it is pronounced must be evill as the Prophet saith Isaiah the third chapter and the eleventh verse Dicite justo quia bene vae autem malo quia male especially that party is cursed that hath no good in him for wee see in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis if there had been any good in Sodom but five persons the Lord would have spared it but because there was no good in it it was plagued with fire and brimstone which doth most of all resemble hell But on the other side because there was wine found in one cluster the Lord said destroy it not Isaiah the sixty fifth chapter and the eighth verse In the new Testament God promiseth mercy to the Church of Philadelphia quia modicam habes virtutem in the third of the Revelations and the eighth verse The goodness of a sinner But Cain had no goodnesse left in him for whereas the goodness of a sinner is fear shame compassion and repentance Cain had none of these Adam was afraid when he had sinned but Cain was 〈◊〉 little afraid that he faced out his sin and as for shame it was
of every man even of every beast in as much as he hath first taught beasts to kill men by his own confession it is just that as the Prophet speaks Micah the seventh chapter and the fift verse The Wife of his bosome and the Children of his loyns shall break the bonds of nature with him as he before hath thewed himself unnaturall to his brother And this is a great part of Cains punishment that albeit there be none to kill him yet he shall be in continuall fear of death that a man shall not only fear Gods threatning but his own fancy that he shall fear not one but every one that meets him as if every one knew his fault that he shall fear not only where there is cause of fear as wilde beasts but tuta timere and this is a part of Gods curse that God will send faintness into their hearts so as they shall be afraid at the shaking of a leaf Leviticus the twenty sixt chapter and the thirty sixt verse at every shadow as the Midianites were of their dreams Judges the seventh chapter and at every noise and rumor in the second of the Kings the seventh chapter and the sixt verse These feares are great punishments and arguments of a guilty conscience and this sheweth that albeit wickedness be secret yet it will not suffer a man to be quiet Wherein we are to observe how Cain de scribeth the state of them that are out of Gods favour and cast from his presence that they fear either no fear as Psalm the fifty 〈◊〉 If the Prince frown upon a man there is no hope of favour any where else so if God be once offended so that a man despair of his favour he will fear every creature the starres of heaven fought against Sisera Judges the fift chapter and the twentieth verse The stones in the street will cease to be in league and peace with him Job the fift chapter therefore when God saith quaerite faciem meam Psalm the twenty seventh our soul must answer thy face Lord will I seek For if we seek the Lord our God we shall finde him Deuteronomie the fourth chapter and the twenty ninth verse and that is so necessary that the People say If thy presence goe not with us carry us not hence Exodus the thirty third chapter and the Prophet speaketh Cast me not from thy presence Psalm the fifty first for without the assurance of Gods favour and protection we shall fear every shadow every noise that we hear Secondly Cain in these words sheweth what was his chief fear and what did most grieve him that was that he should die not the death of the soul but the bodily death by the hand of man he feares the shadow of death but not the body of death as the Apostle speaks Romans the seventh chapter but eternall death is that which he should have feared most of all for it hath a body and shall be found though the bodily death is often sought and cannot be found Job the third wherein Cain shewes what he is that is animalis homo in the first to the Corinthians the second chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phillippians the third chapter not having the spirit so was Saul afflicted in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter Honour me before the people he respected worldly honour more than Gods favour whereupon saith Augustine quid tibi honoratio haec proderit miser If 〈◊〉 death fall upon Cain what shall it profit him to live on earth but this sheweth plainly that the life of the body was Cains chief felicity and that the greatest grief he had was for the death of the body as if he should say let me live though it be but in fear and sorrow This is the affection of flesh and blood as the Devill saith of Job Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job the second chapter that is so long as life is not taken away man is well This being Cains complaint it is an implied petition and the request is Quasi pro magno beneficio ut non 〈◊〉 which request may be well uttered if it be rightly taken for not only the wicked feare death but the godly say themselves we sigh and would not be uncloathed but cloathed upon in the second to the Corinthians the fift chapter they would passe to immortality without the dissolution of the body and soul. That prayer for life is well if it be for a good end as Hezekiah praieth he may live to the end he may bewaile his sinnes in the 〈◊〉 of his soul Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter repentance is the end that he sets David saith I will not die but live and praise the Lord Psalm the one hundred and eighteenth the Apostle Paul albeit in regard of himself he desires to be dissolved yet because it is profitable for the Church that he should still remain in the flesh he desires to live Philippians the first chapter and the twenty second verse so life may be sought if it be for this end to doe good but if our end be the escaping of death for a time the case is otherwise Touching the end of Cain's desire It may be he 〈◊〉 life that he might repent and praise God and doe good for charity 〈◊〉 the best in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the thirteenth chapter But we see what doth continually vex Cain and all the wicked that is the doubt of the forgivenesse of sinne which is the worm of the spirit and a continuall fear of death which they know they have deserved at the hands of all Gods creatures Dixit verò Jehova illi Propterea quisquis interfecerit Kajinum septuplo vindicator imposuit Jehova Kajino signum ne eum caederet ullus qui foret inventurus eum Gen. 4. 15. Septemb. 26. 1599. CAINS chief complaint and petition therein implied was handled verse the fourteenth This verse contains Gods answer which is a yeelding or granting to that petition of his and that effectuall for God provideth for the safety of Cain's life not only by his word and command but by a visible mark which he set upon Cain Wherein we are generally to observe First That as the Prophet tels us in the one hundred and tenth Psalme God dealeth not with any sinner according to his sinnes and deserts for if God did not in wrath remember mercy 〈◊〉 the third chapter he should not in justice have suffered Cain to open his mouth for it is just that he which turneth away his car from hearing the law when he prayeth should not be heard Proverbs the twenty eighth chapter and the ninth verse That he which will not hear Gods Prachers shall not be heard of God when he prayeth And the Lord in the Propher saith more plainly in the second chapter of Zechary and the thirteenth verse that as he by his Prophets cried unto the people and they would not
Christ which wee should chiefly desire to see is that joyfull day of his birth whereof the Angels brought word a day of great joy to all the people that this day is born a Saviour Luke the second chapter In the desire it self we are to consider two things First the Degree Secondly the Manner of this Desire First for the Degree It is noted in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is leaped for joy of that day in regard of the great benefit which should come unto the world by Christs birth Which joy the babe John Baptist expressed who before he was borne leaped in his Mothers womb Luke the first chapter and the fourty first verse The joyfull desire here mentioned is as St. Peter speaks a joy unspeakable and glorious the first epistle of Peter and the eighteenth chapter To teach us that the day of Christs comming in the flesh is a day most of all to be desired and a matter of the greatest joy that can be Secondly For the Manner of this Desire It was a desire joyned with trust and confidence without which our desire is in vain be it never so hot Abrahams desire of seeing Christs day was joyned with hope that he should see it which he so much desired The Creatures desire to see the day of their redemption for they groan Romans the eighth chapter but this desire is without hope These desires are both to be seen in Jacob For when his sonnes being sent from Joseph told him that Joseph was alive and was Governor in the land of Egypt his heart wavered Then he had a desire to see Joseph but it was not joyned with hope for he beleeved them not But when they told him Josephs words and shewed him the Chariots that were sent for to bring him then he had a desire with hope and his spirit revived within him Genesis the fourty fift chapter and the twenty sixt verse The hope that he conceived of seeing him whom he desired to see made him rejoyce Touching the Reason of this desire he had sufficient matter of present joy for he was exceeding rich in Cattel and Silver and Gold Genesis the thirteenth chapter and the second verse Why then doth he long after a joy to come The reason is though God had blessed him with aboundance of temporal blessings yet he considered a day would come when his present joy should be taken from him John the sixteenth chapter Therefore he desires a joy that had a foundation that is not earthly but heavenly joyes Hebrews the eleventh chapter Such as should not be taken from him John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse as Job knew that his Redeemer lived Job the nineteenth chapter So Abrabam desired a Redeemer and such a one he had For thus saith the Lord which redeemeth Abraham Isaiah the fourty ninth chapter and the twenty second verse That might redeem his soul from Hell Psalm the fourty ninth And his body out of the dust of death Psalm the twenty second for he confessed himself to be both dust and ashes Genesis the eighteenth chapter Dust in regard of his nature and therefore subject to corruption but ashes in regard of his sinnes by which he is subject to everlasting condemnation in respect of both he desired a Redeemer that might deliver both his body from death and his soul from destruction that might say revertite silii Psalm the ninetieth and the third verse He considered he needed a Redeemer for his soul and body that he might not be dust and ashes and therefore exceedingly desired one that would deliver his soul from being ashes and his body from the dust Secondly It is said of Abraham that he saw Christs day the notice of Gods eternal mercie herein was Abrahams desire by whose example all that will see Christ must first desire the sight of him as he did Et desiderium sit eum spectare Though Abraham did not actually see Christ in the flesh yet he had a desire which was all one as if he had seen him with bodily eyes For if the concupiscence only of evill be sinne though the act follow not then desire of that which is good is accepted albeit it be not actually performed therefore Nehemiah prayeth Hearken to thy servants that desire to fear thy name Nehemiah the first chapter and the eleventh verse The very hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse is effectual to blessednesse Matthew the fift chapter When we can say with David Coepit anima me a desider are justitias tuas Psalm the hundred and nineteenth We desire to be more desirous of it as a thing acceptable before God and though our soul desire not yet the want of it is our woe and the fainting of our joyes while we say When wilt thou comfort us Psalme the hundred and nineteenth Those are as the bruised reed and smoaking flax which he will not quench Isaiah the fourty second chapter That which Abraham did see was Christs day which is true in what sense soever we take it He saw the day of his Deity Genesis the eighteenth chapter the second and third verses when seeing three men he ran to meet them and bowed himself to the ground saying Lord which was a vision of the Trinity Secondly For the day of his death and passion he saw that too Genesis the twenty second chapter and the fourteenth verse when Abraham making the great promise of his obedience by sacrificing his sonne upon mount Moriah when after Christ was crucified said In mane 〈◊〉 provideat Dominus though he take not my sonne Isaac yet will he take one of my seed that shall be the sonne of Abraham Thirdly He saw the day of Christs nativity when he said to his servant Put thy hand under my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 by the Lord God of Heaven and God of the earth 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fourth 〈◊〉 and the twenty third verse Quod 〈…〉 ad 〈…〉 saith 〈◊〉 but it was to shew that the seed in whom all 〈◊〉 should be blessed should come out of his loins and take flesh of him for he took the seed of Abraham Hebrews the second chapter So Abraham saw all the dayes of Christ. But secondly We are to inquire in what 〈◊〉 he saw this day For which point we must know he saw not Christs day 〈◊〉 Simeon whose eyes did behold 〈◊〉 salvation Luke the second chapter nor as 〈◊〉 to whom Christ saith 〈◊〉 are the eyes that see the things which 〈◊〉 see Luke the tenth chapter that is with bodily eyes which many 〈◊〉 and Kings could not see So Abrahams outward man 〈◊〉 not see Christs dayes but he 〈◊〉 it in the 〈◊〉 man Romans the 〈◊〉 chapter He saw it spiritually with the eyes of 〈…〉 Ephesians the first chapter and the eighteenth verse And 〈◊〉 the eyes of faith which 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 things not 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 By which things invisible to the eyes of the body are made visible to the eye of the minde by the eye of
of the Apostle in taking arguments from the Sacrament is double First to perswade Christians to cleanness of life which he doth in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and the table of Devils Secondly bending him self here against Schismes and contentions that were amongst the Corinthians he takes another argument from the nature of this Sacrament to exhort them to the unity of the spirit that for as much as they all are partakers of one Sacrament and drank all of one spirit therefore they should seek to be at unity and concord with themselves The Apostle sheweth this to be a good consequence from the beginning of the chapter and we see an example of this kinde of argument in the ninth chapter of Luke where the Disciples say Master we saw one cast out Devils in thy name and we forbade him because he followeth not us And this Apostle saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter that because they were divided so that some were Pauls some of Apollo therefore they were no true Christians Thus we see that as from the Sacrament of cleanness he exhorts them to cleanness of life so from the Sacrament of unity he moves them to love and concord and tells them they ought to avoid dissention To perswade unto unity and love nothing is more effectuall than the consideration of the naturall body which although it have many members diverse in quality situation and use so as the one is more noble than the other yet they grudge not one at another For the foot doth not say because I am not the hand I am not of the body nor the eare because I am not the eye I am not of the body in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the fifteenth verse neither doe they contemn one another For the eye which is the most excellent member doth not say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the foot I have no need of you in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twenty first verse but contrariwise there is a sympathy and fellow feeling So as if one member be grieved all the rest are grieved and if one be honored all the rest rejoyce with it verse the twenty sixt so if men could be perswaded that they are one body there would not be such divisions and dissentions in the World as there are for howsoever they be diverse in respect of nature Some Jewes some Grecians as also in respect of estate some bond some free as the Apostle here speaks yet their diversities are not greater than those which we see between the members of the body naturall And now the Apostle goes about to perswade them they are one body and therefore ought to be at unity which he doth thus That body which hath one beginning and one nourishment is one body But all the faithfull have one beginning in the fountain of regeneration that is in baptisme and are all nourished with one nourishment for they are all baptized into one body by one spirit and all made to drink of one spirit therefore they are all one body and consequently should live in unity one with another In regard of which unity which the body hath not only with Christ her head but with the members among themselves the Apostle calleth the body Christ in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse Now to come to the consideration of these things our way is First to set down the necessity of being of this body Secondly the means how we come to be of this body that is by the spirit Thirdly that the spirit is the means so as withall baptisme and drinking is required that is our incorporation into the body of Christ which is his Church is both by the spirit and by baptisme For the obtaining of the spirit two things are to be practised First that we have a thirsting desire after the spirit Secondly that we ask it of God by prayer First For the necessity of our incorporation whereas the Psalmist saith Psalm the eighty ninth God hath not made all men for nought we must first set down this that there is a necessity that some should be faved for it falls not into a man that is wise to doe any thing in vain much less may we think that God the fountain of wisedome will suffer all men to perish and therefore that there are some elected and chosen out to be saved Secondly and therefore our speciall aim should be to be of that number but scattering renting and dividing is an enemie to safty and they that will be safe must be recollected and gathered together under some head It that which made Moses pray to God to set a rule over his people and that the congregation of the Lord should not be as sheep which have no Shepheard Numbers the twenty seventh chapter and the sixteenth verse When Christ saw the multitude he had compassion on them because they were dispersed scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepheard Matthew the ninth chapter and the thirty sixt verse and not only so but Christ did that that he might gather together in one the Children of God which were scattered John the eleventh chapter and the fifty second verse Thirdly before Christ had a body and before he was manifested in the flesh the Congregation was called a Synagogue because it was then sufficient for them to be gathered together sub uno pastore though they were not ruled by one spirit But now they must be not only under one Shepheard but must all be one body and that not a dead Carkasse but a living body such a body that liveth not by a soul but by a spirit for that is the difference that the Apostle makes between Adam and Christ in the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter The first man Adam was made a living soul but the second Adam was made a quickning spirit This quickning spirit is it by which the mysticall body of Christ liveth which goeth through the body and giveth life to every member This is a mysticall incorporation and is spiritually to be conceived and the union between Christ and his mystically body is so straight that speaking of it he saith Acts the ninth chapter Why persecutest thou me and the Apostle understanding the Church calleth it Christ in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse then he that will be saved must not be a part but be gathered and that into the body of Christ because Christ is only the Saviour of his body Salvator corporis Ephesians the fift chapter and the twenty third verse So that if a man be out of the body and be not a member of Christs body he cannot be saved and so Christ himself tells us John the fifteenth chapter If the branch abide not in the vine it cannot bear
Except a man be born again of water 〈◊〉 John the sixt chapter unlesse ye eate the flesh and drink the blood of Christ ye have no life in you 〈◊〉 these conditions and for these uses are we commanded to drink of the same spirit If we drink the blood of Christ we shall drink the spirit of life which it gives and so shall we live by him John the sixt chapter and the fifty seventh verse Christ shall live in us 〈◊〉 the second chapter There are that doe not potare in eundem spiritum Water of it self is not able to purge from original corruption without the spirit and Potus vappa sine spiritu The flesh 〈◊〉 nothing it is the spirit that gives life John the sixt chapter The word it self preached 〈◊〉 not unlesse God giveth increase the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the third chapter nay this spiritual food kills some for they eat and drink their own damnation the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter Therefore if we will drink the spirit it is required First That he thirst after spiritual things no lesse than after worldly things John the seventh chapter Si quis sitit ad me veniat bibat vers the thirty seventh Secondly He must pray for the spirit 〈◊〉 God giveth his spirit to them that ask it Lake the eleventh chapter So while Jesus was baptized and prayed the Heavens opened and the holy Ghost came down upon him Luke the third chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse We must both 〈◊〉 after the spirit and pray for it else we cannot have it But if we come non sitientes omnino without any sense of our own want or come only with a form of Godlinesse the second epistle to Timothy the third chapter and the fift verse we may drink the outward object but not the spirit for they that come thus pray not to God to be made partakers of the spirit as of the object And to this we may add as a reason of our unprofitable drinking how can we 〈◊〉 the spirit seeing we sow only to the flesh Galatians the 〈◊〉 chapter In as much as we sow no spiritual works we cannot be partakers of the spirit These are the means to obtain the spirit Then when we have drunk we must examine our selves whether we have drunk the spirit which we shall know thus A drink and potion is either for recovery of health or for comfort or refreshing If we finde that the blood of Christ hath purged our consciences from dead works Hebrews the ninth chapter and that we mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Romans the eighth chapter then have we drunk of the same spirit If we 〈◊〉 the power of sinne abated in 〈◊〉 and the will of sinne by this Sacrament then have we drunk the spirit Secondly For refreshing which is the other use of drinking as Psalm the seventy eighth and the sixty fift verse The Lord arose out of sleep as a 〈◊〉 refreshed with wine there comes courage to a man by drinking of the spirit so as he hath a desire to spiritual drink Ephesians the fift chapter Be not drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit Now they call the holy Ghost new wine Acts the second chapter these men are filled with new wine For indeed as the one so the other gives greater alacrity and cheerfulnesse In respect of these two effects it is termed the holy spirit of God and therefore First He that having drunk findes in his soul a comfortable anointment the first epistle of John the second chapter the seal of the spirit Ephesians the first chapter and the thirteenth verse and the earnest the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter and the twentieth verse he hath a signe that he hath drunk the spirit But these sensualiter are not enough they may deceive us there were that eat and drank in Christs presence but he told them I know you not Luke the thirteenth chapter Therefore to the comfort of the spirit we must add the holy spirit and see what operation he hath we must see if we can finde sanctificationis spiritum the second epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapter and the fruits of the spirit wrought in us after we have drunk Galatians the fift chapter and the twenty second verse whether we be transformed by the same spirit the second to the Corinthians the third chapter Thus we see the Apostle in this place against the spirit that lusteth after envy and contention James the fourth chapter useth the Sacrament of unity to perswade men to unity and love and against the unclean spirit he useth the Sacrament of cleannesse as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixt chapter Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot By the effects that the spirit worketh in us we may know whether we have the spirit for we are not only made partakers of Christs body in Baptism but of the spirit in the Lords Supper If we cleave to the Lord Christ we are made one spirit the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the sixt chapter Whereupon this ensueth That as he and his Father are one so are we one with Christ and consequently being one with him we can want no happinesse for his will is That we should be with him where he is and behold his glory John the seventeenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse Ex eo quòd maxima illa nobis ac pretiosa promissa donavit c. 2 Pet. 1. 4. A Scripture applyed to this time wherein we solemnize the memory of his taking of our nature as we have here a promise of being partakers of his and it conteins as all other Scriptures of comfort a Covenant between God and us That which is performed on Gods part is That he hath made us most great and pretious promises The condition on our partie is That we eschue the corruption that is in the world through lust In the former part there is a thing freely bestowed on us Secondly That is a promise Thirdly The promise is That we shall be partakers of the divine nature Concerning which A promise being once past is no more a free thing but becomes a debt and in justice is to be performed in which respect the Apostle saith in the second epistle to Timothy the fourth chapter There is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the just judge shall render to me and hence the Prophet is bold to challenge God with his promise Psalme the hundred and nineteenth Perform thy promise wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust and therefore Augustine saith Redde quod non accepisti sed quod premisisti Promises doe affect two wayes because they stand upon two points First The party promising Secondly The thing promised If it were the promise of a man it were to be doubred of for all men are lyars Psalm the hundred and sixteenth They
not put off till the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Psalm the hundred and nineteenth I made haste and prolonged not to keep thy commandements and in the third chapter looking for and hasting to the comming of the day of the Lord. As we must look for it so make haste to meet him joyfully Now we know the nature of it we will consider the degree of it in the word all not some kinde of care or indeavor but all diligence Seeing we have great and pretious promises in the higiest degree let our diligence be in the highest degree Men must not perswade themselves it is an easie matter to be a good Christian but a thing wherein all care and diligence is to be shewed and he had the spirit of God to direct him He layeth upon us no other burdens then necessary commandements Acts the fifteenth chapter and the eighteenth verse Our Saviour Christ by crying often Watch and pray Mark the thirteenth chapter Take heed Luke the thirteenth chapter Strive to enter into the streight gate Matthew the seventh chapter Labour not for the meat that perisheth John the sixt chapter calling entrance into life as hard as for a camel to passe through the eye of a needle Luke the sixteenth chapter shews men may not think but it requires all diligence and contention If the preservation of mans body cannot be without caring for apparel and meat And if humane nature be decayed and will not be repaired without cost there must be care and diligence to keep a good dyet then our union and incorporation into the Deitie is no matter of ease We must use diligence both in ceasing from evil and following good and that in as good degree as we can for when we have done what we can yet it is true in the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter justus vix servabitur Unto which we add thirdly that the word give here used is very effectual It is used two wayes It is to bring in a thing with an opposition as if the Apostle said Heretofore ye have shewed great diligence in vanities ye can watch spend your time and money Shew the like diligence in following good The other is a sense used in the sixt chapter to the Galatians and in Judes epistle that if Hereticks cannot get in they will creep in craftily in the next chapter he saith Privily bringing in heresies and the same Jude verse the fourth So here it is brought in by imitation We must be as carefull to possesse our selves with good as the wicked are to joyn vice to vice It is Christs advise Luke the sixteenth chapter The children of light to be as wise as they of the world This joyning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath a plain expression in the 68. Psalm The singers went before the players went after This procession in order of a Quier is the true motion signified by this word It is used by the Apostle speaking of the body in the fourth chapter to the Ephesians and the second to the Colossians and the nineteenth verse This coupling of one bone with another thus orderly marching or training he calls by the same name Such a thing the Apostle exhorts unto here From hence we learn that Christianity or Religion is as a Quier consisting of many veins or a body of many parts It is not a thing stancing of one virtue they that have learned Christ truly Ephesians the fourth chapter have learned first to put off the old man and then to put on the new And so the Apostle reckoning up as a great train of virtues as Peter doth here and St. Peter saith verse the ninth They that conceive not so of Christianity are blinde and cannot see afarre off When in the Scripture we finde any main matter of weight said upon one virtue we must take a part for the whole it is but one virtue of the train As there are many parts of repentance the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter so the Apostle gives a compleat harnesse standing of seven several parts Ephesians the sixt chapter As they that are partakers of the Divine nature are a body compact of many joynts and sinnews so the divine spirit is not one alone but as the ancient Fathers define the eleventh verse of the seventh chapter of Isaiah and the fourth chapter of the Apocalyps Secondly This is not promiscuè confusedly but orderly as in a Quier one begins another follows This multitude of virtues is Acies ordinata Canticles the sixt chapter like the marching of Soldiers for it comes from God who is the God of order and not of confusion Thirdly All at once doe not break out but there is a successive bringing in one of the other In that order there are degrees First Faith Secondly Virtue Thirdly Knowledge The number of virtues be eight as eight parts of repentance in the second epistle to the Corinth ans the seventh chapter Those contain our separation from the Devils nature As the other are our union with Gods nature which are usually compared to those eight steps in Ezekiel the fourtieth chapter from the thirty first to the fourty first verse they are our assents whereby we approach to the Altar so the promises of blessednesse which our Saviour speaketh of are eight Matthew the fift chapter Another thing to be observed is That of these eight there are four pair for to a theologicall virtue is added ever more a moral Faith knowledge godlinesse and charity are theologicall to evey one of these there is a moral virtue To come to the particulars we shall observe that faith begins and charity ends as Galatians the fift chapter fides per charitatem operatur So in Peter faith works till it come to love He that will come to God must beleeve Hebrews the eleventh chapter but that is nothing without love 1 Cor. 13. Love is the bond of perfection Colossians the third chapter Above all have love which is the chain of perfection Faith is a most pretibus thing so he saith verse 1. And it hath this honor to be the root and foundation of all as Colossians 2. grounded in faith it is the ground of all vertue it is Choragus the first that leadeth the dance Men hope to receive the end of faith and that is the salvation of souls the first epistle of Peter the first chapter then faith is the beginning of it To this truth we must add another truth that as it is the first so but a part and not as the world would have it to be all Because faith commeth by hearing Romans the tenth chapter the world is all set on hearing but in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the twelfth chap. the body is not all an eare Faith is but a part and that an eighth part As here we have warrant from St. Peter it is the first ergo we must begin at it but not to stand there but goe further
and sisters are they which hear the word and keep it this is to be shewed to the Church and for such which have one father and one elder brother Some forsake the fellowship Hebrews 10. they are filii hipostoles they withdraw themselves from the fraternity but towards such as continue in the faith let brotherly love continue Hebrews the thirteenth chapter and the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the twenty second verse They that are faithfull are called a brotherhood the second epistle of Peter the fist chapter and therefore to them must this brotherly love be extended This love must be without hypocrisie not to say as James the second chapter If thy brother starve and thou say depart and be warm but minister not to him what faith and godlinesse is that So for Charity the first epistle of John the third chapter Love must not be in word and tongue but in deed and truth That is true charity when we doe good to the fraternity not that of the world or after the flesh but of the Church Concerning which you need not that I write for you are taught of God who said By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if you love one another John the eleventh chapter From hence he proceedeth to Charity exhorting us to shew love not only quia sunt but ut sunt As to the faithfull because they are brethren but to all men generally that they may be wonne to be of the Church We must love Inimicum in Deo inimicum propter Deum 〈◊〉 that is true love As he begun with Faith so he endeth with love which is the bond of perfection Colossians the third chapter and keeps in all the other virtues Jerusalem is an heap of stones but love is that makes it a compact building Ephesians the 〈◊〉 chapter As the Apostle here exhorts to love so in the 〈◊〉 epistle of Peter the fourth chapter Above all things have love Colossians the third chapter and the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter and the eighth verse which covereth the multitude of sinnes Of all graces it is the more excellent the first epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter It is greater than faith or hope the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the third chapter and the thirteenth verse Touching the end fuga corruptionis and the partaking of the Divine nature are the two things we have looked unto in all the other virtues The cause of our corruption is amor corruptionis in the judgement and valuation but it is refined by charity Love is Charitas of dearenesse we set a great price of that which is most deare And so if we make greatest account of God we will love him above all things If we set our love on that which is most deare we shall eschue corruption Secondly The partaking of the Divine nature is to be like to him the first epistle of John the third chapter and love is the greatest representation of the divine nature In the other virtues we doe but dispose our souls to be partakers of it The Apostle saith Deus est Charitas the first epistle of John the fourth chapter If then we be possessed of love we shall be possessed of the Divine nature Love is it that makes us adherere Deum Psalm the seventy third Fides videt spes tendit but charity possesseth Love is called an 〈◊〉 the first epistle of John and the second chapter because as Kings were annointed so it makes us have a right unto Gods kingdome Fides per charitatem 〈◊〉 is that which must doe us good Galatians the fift chapter There it is the mid'st but here the end of all without the which all the other will doe no good It is as oyle to the Lamp Matthew the 25 without which the lamp gives no light The pretious faith is that which hath all these virtues and charity at the end Then is Christianity well taught when it is taught as a building standing on many parts Ephesians the second chapter or Armor Ephesians the sixt chapter as a tree Galatians the fift chapter as a body Ephesians the fourth chapter as a choiser harmony of musick as the Apostle here 〈◊〉 it out in the second epistle of Peter the first chapter and the fourth verse Nihil ad vos ô viatores omnes intuemini videte an sit dolor par dolori meo qui factus est mihi quam afficit Jehova moerore die aestus irae suae Lament 1. 12. THE words of a party in great 〈◊〉 and that two wayes First That he is in sorrow and pain such as none other ever felt Secondly That being in this extremity he is not regarded of any It is well known that it is a 〈◊〉 thing to 〈◊〉 and blood to be afflicted but so to be afflicted as no other that is a high degree of misery but that in this case there is none to have compassion that is as much as can be said Against the crosses that befall us in this life the ordinary comfort is the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter Nothing befalls us but is such as pertaineth to man but this was not any other mans case And whereas there is none so hard-hearted but will shew some relief at least pitie a man in distresse here was none touched with any compassion For the verse it self it is the Prophets speech in the person of the City of Jerusalem lamenting the miseries that happened at the death of Josiah but by the rule of reciprocation whereby that which is said of the members may be applyed to the head as was said to Saul by Christ why persecutest thou me where it was the Church that was persecuted Acts the ninth chapter it is otherwise to be expounded If any member then especially of them under the Law Quibus ad contingebunt in figuris the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter therefore Isaacs sacrifice Josephs selling by his brethren and Davids betraying who were particular members of the Church were types and figures of Christs being slain sold and betrayed If the eyes or hand or footsuffer the head also suffers with it much more may the sufferings of the whole body together be applyed to the head as Out of Egypt have I called my sonne that being a place of the deliverance of Israel Gods first borne Colossians the eleventh chapter is applyed to Christ Matthew the second chapter And according to this rule this verse is by the ancient Fathers applyed to the 〈◊〉 and sufferings of our Saviour Christ. Whether it be the Cities speech or any other whosoever it may well be the speech of Christ on the Cross that he was then in that great extremity which none ever indured the like and yet being without cause none vouchsafed to look at him That is the drift of the words and is set down first by way of complaint Have ye no regard Secondly by way of
seeth God the Father as he saith He that seeth me seeth the Father When Moses desired God to shew him his glory Exodus the thirty third chapter though he shewed but his back parts yet it was so glorious a sight that they that beheld Moses face saw the skin shine Exocus the thirty fourth chapter so that he was fain to cover it And as in the second epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter we are transformed into his image Christ in his corruptible nature being transfigured in the presence of his Disciples was so glorious that they desired they might goe no more home Matthew the seventeenth chapter Therefore if the fight of Gods presence be a matter of so great joy non videbitis must needs be occasion of great sorrow Which is exemplified in Adam who having sinned though he were in Paradise a place of all comfort yet he had no joy because he could not see God as he was wont Therefore Cain complaineth I am cast out of thy presence Genesis the fourth chapter And not only the Reprobate but David saith Psalm the thirty first and the twenry second verse I said in my haste I am cast out of thy presence or fight which shewed that as videbitis must be the persection of all felicity so non videbitis is the summe of all misery especially if it be not qualified with modicum Psalm the thirteenth How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever Psalm the seventy seventh Will the Lord absent himself for ever Psalm the eighty ninth And that which he faith John the fourteenth chapter and the nineteenth verse The world shall see me no more if modicum be not added there is no 〈◊〉 like this Out of this we learn to seek Gods favour as Psalm the twenty first and he saith Seek my face to answer My heart never leaveth thinking on this And if we have lost the comfort of it to complain as David Psalm the thirty first I am cast out of thy presence For albeit men in the time of their youth delight in other fights yet the dayes will come when they shall say Shew us the lights of thy countenance Psalm the fourth Turn us again O Lord shew us the light of thy countenance and we shall be whole Psalm the eightieth We shall desire to see one of Christs dayes Luke the seventeenth chapter and the twenty second verse All flesh shall see him at his appearing even they that pierced him Apoc. 6. Secondly We are to inquire what manner of sight he speaketh of for as much as men see not only with bodily eyes but with the eyes of understanding They that with their bodily eyes beheld Christ before his Passion and after his Resurrection did not understand it Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the eleventh verse As there is an outward light so an inward light of the minde into which the doctrine of the Gospel doth shine the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter as the light of the Sunne 〈◊〉 to our outward sense There are things that cannot be seen of the bodily eyes which we doe yet behold and look on with the eye of faith the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter and Moses is said to have loved God invisible Hebrews the eleventh chapter So the bad qualities of men as 〈◊〉 are invisible to the outward eye but yet we see it by the light of our understanding Such a sight is that which he promiseth John the fourteenth chapter I will make my self manifest to him He shewed himself to Judas as well as to Peter bodily But as it was a special touch wherewith 〈◊〉 now touched the hem of his garment and was healed Matthew the ninth chapter so the view that Peter had of Christ had another manner of effect then Judas beholding Luke the twenty second chapter But even this spiritual sight hath also a deceit as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the thirteenth chapter Now we see through a glasse but then face to face So there are two words to that purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see in a glasse but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to see a thing as it is The Angels doe continually behold Gods face we have but an enigmaticall sight of him in this life and it is soon lost as Christ being risen from death was seen of Mary Magdalen and others in the habit of a Gardiner To them that travelled to Emaus at one time they did see him and at another time they could not see him Touching which he that shall consider the desire which the Saints of God have of this benefit shall easily perceive what matter of sorrow it was for Psalm the ninety second My soul is a thirst for the living God Psalm the eighty fourth it saith For the City of my God again How long wilt thou forget me for ever but modicum videbitis that gives comfort again Heavinesse may endure for a night that is modicum non videbitis but joy commeth in the morning that is modicum videbitis Psalme the thirtieth The delaying of hope is the fainting of the heart Proverbs the eighteenth chapter but the desire accomplished is the tree of life Modicum videbitis is as the tree of life that quickens the sool Isaiah the sixty fourth chapter For a moment in my anger I forsake them but with great compassion will I gather them As he gives the matter of grief in non videbitis and comfort in videbitis ye shall see me within a while so in the reason quia vado that is the grief but ad Patrem that is matter of comfort He goeth but woe to him by whom she Sonne of man goeth Matthew the twenty sixt chapter that is matter of sorrow but when he saith ad Patrem that is not to an enemy that keeps me long from you but to my father the same that sent me at my birth and will send me again by my Resurrection Secondly As he went to 〈◊〉 a cruel Judge on earth so to as severe a Judge in Heaven But yet when you heare me say Why hast thou for saken me yet still he is my Father as if he should say this is a hard way but yet I must goe this way Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not quia but quòd vado that is the contrary I shall be carried up in a cloud Secondly From the consideration of Christs words verse the fift I goe my way and none 〈◊〉 me whither I goe that is to be understood as of the place whither but to what purpose for of the place Peter asked in the thirteenth chapter and the thirty sixt verse Domine quò vadis So here the placing of ad Patrem is to shew that he went to reconcile God not only that he be no enemy but propitiou and favourable not as a friend to a friend but as a father to his children to make us the children
said ye shall not eate 〈◊〉 speaking of both And again in his second dixit he saith They shall not dye the death and their eyes shall be opened and they should be as Gods By his saying they their he meaneth not Eve alone but Adam also This plural dialect of the Serpent argueth that he tempeth both Eve Adam At what time the Serpent beginneth his temptation he beginneth with one not with both with the woman not with the man with the weaker with her that was but a rib of mans strength with one that is more credulous of his word than man to whom the commandement is delivered in a word he maketh her to fall who is lesse able to stand So that there were then but two sinners in the world the Serpent and the Woman Adam was still upright But here when Adam eateth of the forbidden fruit he maketh up the third sinner So that Sathan Eve and Adam are all sinners Sathan in the Serpent inticed the woman by his curious question in all subtilty to commit sin and indeed prophane and vain bablings they doe increase to more ungodlinesse 2 Tim. 2. 16. The Serpent when he hath plaid his part and made her eat he is gone But as the Sepent was the Devils instrument to tempt the woman so here the Devil instead of the Serpent will work the destruction of the Man by the Woman causing her to give the forbidden fruit unto him Sathan by the Serpent which was the most craftie and the most sabtle made his first assault And here he made his second assault upon Man per charissimam by her that was most dear unto him for in that he saith of her in chap. 2. 23. she is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of man that she weth his affection of his earnest love to her He useth subtilissimum and charissimum that which is most craftie and that which is most deare as his two instruments He tempteth the weaker and simpler by subtiltie the wiser by affection As I told you before he assaulteth the weaker Woman that was but a ribbe having the commandement but by tradition from her husband who had it from God himself and so here in his temptation of man he assaulteth the affection which is the weaker part of mans soul For S. Gregorie saith very well Quod est vir uxor in vinculo nuptiali idem est ratio affectio in vinculo naturali that which the man and his wife is in the bond of Marriage that is the reason and the affection in the bond of Nature reason is the stronger as the husband affection the weaker as the wife Sathan he knew well that such was the affection of Man to his wife that he reposeth such trust in her that he will not examine what she demandeth nor refuse what she offereth for the heart of her husband trusteth in her Prov 31. 11. he 〈◊〉 semitam animae suae the way of his soul and that way will he assault Adam In 2 King 3. 14. Elisha the Prophet not because of Jehoram King of Israel who was wicked but only that he regarded Jehosaphat King of Judah he would not have looked toward Jehoram nor seen him So the Serpent doth here deal with Adam Adam he would not have looked toward the Serpent nor toward the tree had it not been that he regarded the presence of Eve This is his means by the perswasion of the Woman to get his affection and that so Sathan may seize upon it But this is the counsell of Nahum chap. 7. 5. Trust not in a friend nor in a Counsellor keep the door of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosom There is neither trust in friend nor wife this is the mithridate for this poyson we are to beware of Domesticall servants and professed friends which do draw men to mischief more than sworn enemies wherefore follow the advise of our Saviour Matt. 18. 8 9. If thy foot or thy hand cause thee to offend cut them off if thine eye cause thee to off end pull it out better is it to goe into life halt and blinde than to goe with a sound body to Hell fire Cast from thee whatsoever is neer and deer unto thee even the wife of thy bosome rather than to be tormented in the everlasting flames of Hell fire The Devils resolution here is by the woman whom Sathan had enforced to assault man Perverting Gods Councel and purpose So he shall be sure first to pervert the councell of God Secondly the woman shall enter deeper into sinne by making man to sinne Thirdly that Sathan might be Master thereby of them both The disordering of Gods purpose is in this he hath made her for an help but Sathan maketh her an hindrance to obedience The wife should be beautifull as the Vine upon the sides of thy house Psal. 128. but she is become as the Ivie to destroy the tree whereby it groweth she giveth the fruit to Adam to choak him he giveth her to Adam as Saul gave his daughter Michal to David that she might be a snare unto him 1 Sam. 18. 21. He made her to him as Jezabell was to her husband Ahab who by her counsel sold himself to work wickednesse by her counsel he gave himself wholly to serve sinne 1 Kings 21. 25. But woe be to the man by whom offences comes Matth. 18. 7. 1. The womans deeper entrance to sinne It was one thing peccare to sinne and peccare facere to cause another to offend In that she took of the fruit and did eat her self she did sinne she gave to Adam she caused him to sinne and this is an aggravation of sin to make her sinne the more 2. The Devils gain and Adams losse Lastly is the Devils gain by the losse of Adams soul which standeth upon two parts the one is on Eves part and the other on Adams part Eve gave to her husband and Adam did eat For the former Eve after she had eat of the fruit she wiped her mouth and gave of the fruit to Adam like the adulterous woman in Prov. 30. 20. that eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I have not committed iniquity after she hath satisfied her own desire she maketh as though she had not offended When she had sucked the gall of Aspes and when the Vipers tongue had slain her Job 20. 16. she then wipes her mouth as though there were nor death nor danger in the same and having eaten her self she giveth to her Husband to eat also Evill did Sathan doe and knew it to be so Eve she had after the fall flattering inticements in her mouth her words were as oyle but the end of her speeches was bitter as wormwood her feet goe down to death and her steps goe down to Hell Prov. 5. 4.5 But yet Eve here thought she had done well Sinnes bringeth forth sin You
shall see the nature of sinne that sinne bringeth sinne unlesse it be extinguished by repentance for Austin saith well of sinne Quod nisi deleatur duplicatur which unlesse it be extinguished it is doubled In Esay 14. 29. the Prophet saith That out of the Serpents root shall come a Cockatrice and from the Cockatrice egge shall come a firie flying Serpent and here from the Serpents malice came Eves sinne and from Eves sinne came Mans fall the Serpents temptation brought forth Eves disobedience and that Cockatrice egge hatched Adams downfall and so they were both robbed of their righteousnesse This is their discending from Jerusalem to Jericho Luke 10. 30. Rebellion with sinne Againe after the woman hath eaten this her giving of the fruit to her husband to eate is a further circumstance in the nature of sinne to add rebellion unto sinne for the devill will not only seduce the woman but by her will seduce man for he draweth also the mighty by his power Job 24. 22. The Serpent will destroy both the weak and the strong the foolish and the wise The sociablenesse of sinnes Thirdly Sinne will be associate for the sinner will try the righteous if he will offend that even here Adam may be as deep a sinner as her self for indeed good fellowship is not so apparently seen as among sinners for they joyn hand in hand manum in manu saith Salomon Prov. 16. 5. They doe consult in heart and make a league against the Lord Psal. 83. 5.6 The Ishmaelites and Moabites c. Sinners are as thornes folded one in the other Nahum 1. 10. This is the sociablenesse of sinne Sinne infectious Fourthly it is hence observed that sinne is infectious The Serpent he infected Eve with his breath of craft and maliciousnesse made her beleeve him and eat of the fruit and she being infected her self infected him This is called Pollution He that toucheth pitch is defiled She went not only out of the way her self but she caused many to fall from the Law Malach. 2. 9. her word did fret as a canker as Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 2. 17. for sinne is contagious it poysoned Eve and Adam also See 1 Tim. 1. 6. Austin upon this saith well That if God strook blind the soul of Eve she could not see her own miserie from her originall righteousnesse The Serpent gave and Eve gave the fruit The Serpent gave to Eve and Eve gave to Adam the same material fruit but not with like affection She in giving to Adam of the fruit thinks she doth him an especial favour and that whereof he needs not fear for though by the giving him the same she take away from him original righteousnesse the favour and fear of God yet she accounteth that she makes him a great reward But this her reward may well be compared to the present of Ehud Judges 3. 16. who presented Eglon the King of Moab with a curious made dagger wherewith after he killed him The Apple wherewith Eve presented Adam was his destruction but yet as I said she did it not with the minde of the Serpent for he caused her to eat of a malicious minde knowing it would be her bane Yet Eve she gave it to Adam of a good affection not of any malicious intent 2. Means that women seduce men Now the means wherewith she induceth man to bring him to eate are of two sorts which are the two means that women use to seduce men withall both are by the voice as you may see in 17. verse following Adam obeyed the voyce of his wife so that it should seem that she used some oration to perswade him blanditiarum verba 1. Flatterie and flatterring words 1 King 11. 4. The idolatrous wives of Salomon turned his heart to Idolatrie blanditiis by their flatterie And here Eve saith to Adam as it were thus You may see that I have eaten and find the fruit to be pleasant I have eaten and yet I am living and thus with a protestation of love she wisheth Adam that he would eate Adam in the mean while as a Father saith well stood in doubt either to eat or not to eat inter preces uxoris cōminationes Creatoris between the prayer of his wife and the threats of his Creator God had said in the day they did eat thereof they should die he saw she had eaten and yet was living Salomons wives blanditiis by flatterie overcame Salomon 2. Importunity The other thing wherewith women overcome men is Importunity It was this that Delilah used to overthrow Sampson she was importunate with him continually and therefore he told her all his heart Jud. 16. 16. So that these are the two means wherewith woman overcommeth man namely blanditiis importunitatibus by flatterie and importunitie And he did eat Now it followeth to speak of Adams sinne And he did eat In the 17 verse of this chapter God curseth man because he had obeyed the voice of his wife and for that he had eaten of the tree whereof God had commanded him that he should not eat whereby you see that not only the giver of the forbidden fruit but the taker thereof also both the perswader and the consenter to sinne deserve death The manner how he consented is in this with her Adam he came to her not she to him say the Fathers For although God had created Man in uprightnesse though he were placed by God in Paradise and though Gods love to man were shewed in making Eve to be his help yet he gave no eare to the speeches of Gods love nor to his threats but rather hearkned unto Eve and her allurements The woman hereby is convicted of carelesnesse and the man of negligence in that he permitteth her to wander from him where she pleaseth but the woman must not depart no not a little lest she fall A third thing is Eve and Adams curiositie of this tree they would eat it to try what virtue was in it they would try a conclusion if they should eat thereof whether they should dye as God had said or be as Gods knowing good or evill Moses commanded That there should be no manna reserved till the morning yet Exodus 16. 20. some there were that would try conclusions that obeyed not Moses but reserved it till the morning and it was full of worms and it stank Again as it appeareth in that chapter to try conclusions some there were contrarie to Moses words that upon the Sabbath day went forth to gather Manna Paul 2 Cor. 11. 3. saith I fear lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ. In Adam his body from his soul his sense from his reason should not have swerved Eve beleeved not God but the Serpent Adam beleeved not God but Eve Paul Coloss. 2. 7. would have us rooted and builded in Christ and stablished in the faith But the
Thirdly In this proceeding of Gods councell and wisedome if neither of these take place that neither Cain himself nor others are the better for this mitigation yet as the Woman said in the second of Samuel the fourteenth chapter that albeit one of her Sons had slain the other yet she would not be deprived of him that was alive for that she was willing that her husbands name and 〈◊〉 should continue upon earth so it stood with Adam he had two Sonnes whereof the one was the bane of the other and albeit Cain deserved to die presently yet God doth not so consider the greatness of his sinne that he will forget the nature of man which himself had created and therefore as well to preserve mankinde as to shew that godly posterity is not hereditarie he suffers Cain yet to live For as Adam had a Cain so from Cain who was that evill one in the first epistle of John the third chapter Gods purpose was to derive such as should pertain to the Covenant Of one and the same Parents Gods will is one shall be born after the flesh another after the spirit and he that is born after the flesh shall persecute him that is born after the spirit Galatians the fourth chapter and the twenty ninth verse As we say of his wisedome so it stands not with Gods justice that whosoever findes a Malefactor shall kill him for God doth plainly expresse his will that a Murtherer being worthy of death in himself for all that shall not be murthered of every one Therefore God saith whosoever shall presume of himself to kill Cain though it be with this pretence that he is a murtherer shall be punished seven fold for it is not in every mans power 〈…〉 If any man have committed a crime the Judge shall see whether he be worthy of death and as the Judge shall judge him so shall he be punished Deuteronomie the twenty 〈◊〉 chapter Exodus the twenty second chapter The Magistrate being Gods Ordinance Romans the thirteenth chapter hath power to put a murther to death for he hath the Sword committed unto him for that end But he that taketh up the Sword shall perish by the Sword Matthew the twenty sixt chapter For if every one that findeth a mans 〈◊〉 might kill him it would soon root out all mankinde And that this inconvenience should not fall out God takes order that every man shall not doe that to Cain which Cain hath done to Abel no man may kill a Murtherer unless he have authority committed unto him for that end That is for his sparing The second point is for the punishment of him that transgresseth thus that is he shall be punished seven fold It is strange that be which kills a murtherer shall have a more grievous punishment than he The number of seven is numerus complens hebdomidem therefore by the 〈◊〉 punishment Gods meaning is that he will lay a compleat and consummate punishment upon such a party but howsoever it seem strange yet it is justice for that as God will not have him spared whom he condemns to death as Saul spared Agag in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter nor let him goe whom he hath appointed to die in the first of Kings the twentieth chapter and the fourty second verse so it is a grievous sinne to kill him whom God will have spared and this is it which makes the sin of such a party grievous besides the consideration of Gods wrath against them that doe addere afflictiones afflicto Zechariah the first chapter and the fifteenth verse God saith he will be 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 that help forward the affliction of them with whom he was a little angry and therefore such a one shall not escape but before plagued and the Prophet saith the Lord will not judge and condemn a man twice for one fault Nahum the first chapter and the ninth verse Such a man committeth a sinne more grievous than Cains sinne in two respects First Cain transgressed only the Law of nature written in his heart but the other transgresseth not only the naturall Law but Gods express Command who gave order that no man should of himself presume to kill Cain Secondly It is more grievous in that he maketh Cains example a warrant to commit murther but God saith he must not doe so for if a man seeing Cain punished for his sinne shall notwithstanding sinne as he hath done he addeth to his transgression and must therefore have a greater punishment than Cain From those two parts already handled we may gather that to those that sit as Judges in Gods place there is left a power of life and death a power to crucifie and a power to let loose as Pilate said to Christ John the 19th chapter verse the tenth that they have power both to mittigate and to abrogate the punishment of Offenders For the first David was fain of necessity to forbear Joab being himself weak and old and to delay his punishment when he had murthered Abner and Amasa men more righteous and better than he till Salomon his sonne was established in the first of Kings and the second chapter But the reason why Cain's punishment is delayed is not any forbearance of necessity but because the lengthning of his punishment is a better means to restrain men from the like sinne than if he had at once been punished with death For this cause the Prophet saith Psalm the fifty ninth and the eleventh verse Slay them not least my people forget it but scatter them abroad by thy power It is magis ad bonum publicum that the Offenders be spared If Cains life had been presently taken away it might have been doubted whether Cain had ever committed any such sinne or no or if they did beleeve it yet they might soon forget the punishment laid upon him therefore God thought it better he should be spared that others seeing Cain live in continuall miserie might take occasion to inquire what he hath done that understanding the cause of his miserie they may be warned to avoid his sinne Secondly From hence is grounded the aggravation of punishments so that where thest is ordinarily punished with four fold restitution Exodus the twenty second chapter He that stealeth a poor mans sheep that hath no more is by Davids judgment the child of death in the second book of Samuel the twelfth chapter he that finneth upon contempt of Gods command and not of any necessity as he that gathereth sticks upon the Sabbath day Numbers the fifteenth chapter such a one is more grievously to be punished When the party offended will have a man spared then to kill him contrary to his command is a sinne that deserves extraordinary punishment for mensura peccati is that which brings us unto plagarum modus Deuteronomie the the twenty fifth chapter and the second verse Cain being warned from the law of nature kills his Brother and therefore deserves punishment but he that being warned