and of his Office Of his Person these thrée things must necessarily be beleeued according to the Scriptures First that he is that onely true God Secondly that he is very man partaking of our flesh and bloud with all generall not personall infirmities of our Nature being in all things like vnto vs yet without sinne Heb 2.14 and 4.15 1. Pet. 1.19 and 2.22 And therefore wee reade that he was hungry thirsty weary c. And if you aske how he could partake of our nature and yet haue no sinne you must remember that he was conceiued by the Holy-Ghost and borne of the virgin Mary The Holy-Ghost sanctifying a part of the substance of the Virgins Luk. 1. 2 Body to be the Body of Christ so that we beleeue he was not begotten by man by whom corruption and sinne is propagated and deriued vnto vs. Thirdly that he is God and Man in one Person figured by the Arke which was of Gold and precious Wood that would not rot noting by the Gold the Deity of Christ and by the precious Wood his Humanity without sinne This Personall vnion of these two Natures in Christ was thus The Sonne of God being from euerlasting a Person subsisting in the Holy and vndiuided Trinity did assume or take into the Vnty of his Person a Humane Nature consisting of Body and Soule so soone as euer it beganne to be hauing no Subsistence out of his Person but being destitute of all Personality in it selfe so that it becomes the very Body and Soule of the Sonne of God and whatsoeuer is proper to either Nature which are not by this meanes either in Essence or Operations confounded is indifferently and truely spoken of the Person As to make it plaine to the simple In our selues vnderstanding and knowledge are effects and workes of the Soule eating sleeping c. are workes proper to the Body Neither doth the Soule eate or sleepe or the Body vnderstand or know Yet wée say well and truely that Peter or Paul consisting of this body and soule vnderstand know eate stéepe c. because these two Natures the body and soule are vnited in their person And for this cause looke what is well or ill done by the body or any part of it or by the soule or any part of it is accounted to the whole Person making the Person guilty or not guilty good or bad As if the Tongue blasphemeth it is said the Person blasphemeth or if there be euill motions in the minde yet the whole Person is guilty So in some sort is it in this Personall Vnion of these two Natures of Christ As To know all things to be present euery where are Proprieties of his Diuine Nature To kéep the Law to die and to bléed are Proprieties of the Humane Nature of Christ Now wée may not say that the Humane Nature of Christ knoweth all things is omnipotent c. Nor that the Diuine Nature is obedient bléedeth dyeth c. And yet in regard of the Personall Vnion of these two Natures in Christ we say that the Person which hath these two Natures which is Christ the Sonne of God knoweth all things is present euery where bléedeth dyeth c. and looke what is done or suffered by either of the Natures is truely done and so accomited by the whole Person So that if you 〈◊〉 who fulfilled the Law who dyed for vs we may say the second Person in the Trinity euen God though not according to his Diuine but Humane Nature as speaketh the Holy Ghost notably Act. 20.28 God by his Owne Bloud purchased the Flocke of his Elect. Whereby I beleeue and that most infallibly and truly that whatsoeuer Christ did for my saluation is Gods own deed euen the immediate worke of the second Person in the Trinity Yet heere one thing must be remembred that though the body and soule of Peter make the person of Peter yet the Humane and Diuine Nature of Christ make not his Person for he was a Person from euerlasting and cannot bee a Humane Person but is still a Diuine Person though he could not be a Mediator or execute that Office without the Humane Nature so assumed This is that wonderfull Mystery of our Sauiour IESVS CHRISTS Incarnation Wherein concurred propounded to our Faith not to our Reason three the greatest Miracles that euer were First that a Virgine conceiued and brought forth a Child remainings Virgine Secondly that Adams flesh and Adams sin were parted Thirdly and principally this vnsearchable Mystery of the Personall Vnion of the God-head and Man-hood of Christ Quest But was it necessary that our Mediator should be God and Man and that in one Person as you haue declared Ans Yes verely for by this meanes he could die for vs and ouercome death and deserue for vs by his obedience the pardon of our sinnes and eternall life Expli Two things necessarily required that our Mediatour should be God First the greatnesse of the euill to the which we were subiect Secondly the greatnes of the good that we stood in néed of Our euill was foure-folde First the heinousnesse of sinne Secondly the anger of God Thirdly the power of death Fourthly the tyranny of the Diuell Our good which we wanted Foure folde also First the restoring of the Image of God Secondly the pardon of sinne Thirdly deliuerance from Death and Satan Fourthly eternall life But to take away the Euill Marke 2.7 Hos 13.14 Reuel 1.18 Zach 3.2 Ro. 16.20 Psal 51.10 Rom. 6.23 c. Ro. 5.17 18 Hebr. 2.14 and bestow the Good none is able to do but God Therfore it was necessary that our Mediatour should be God Two Reasons also there are why he must necessarily be man first the Iustice of God required that in that nature which offended satisfaction should be made secondly that he might haue somthing to offer which could not be his Godhead therefore he must be Man Euery high Priest must offer somewhat therefore a Body was ordained him Hebr. 8.3 Heb. 10.5 Hebr. 9.26 that he might offer himselfe Two reasons also may be alleaged why he must be God and Man in one person First that he might be a fit Mediator betwéene God and Man as it were indifferent and equally affected to either side for an Vmpiere or Wards-man may not be partiall If he had béene onely God wée might haue thought that he would not enough haue respected our misery If he had béene onely Man not enough the iustice of God Therefore he is to be God and Man deare vnto both and accounting both deare vnto him carefull that Gods iustice be not impeached and that our misery be relieued Secondly that the workes performed in the flesh of the Sonne of God might be of an infinite price to satisfie for our sinnes by which an infinite Maiesty was offended which could not be if the Person vndertaking our Redemption had not béene God and Man in one Person He was Man that he might haue
deserue it by our good workes no not by our faith but by reward is meant a frée gift or a gift due by couenant or promise For there is a double reward Due or vndue and frée the first properly the second improperly so called That which is due by order of iustice for the dignity of the worke is properly a debt or due Reward That also is so called which is due by fauour and by promise To our good workes is eternall life as a reward due not the first but the second way For God hath made himselfe our debter not by receiuing from vs but by promising to vs. So that if you take debt or reward properly we affirme that nothing is due to our best works for there are foure things necessary to make a worke meritorious in the first acception of debt First that the grace whereby we do it be our owne for if we receiue it from another it is against reason that he that giues should thereby be indebted to giue more 1. Cor. 4.7 But wee haue no grace but we haue receiued it Secondly it must not be due or duty to performe it for that is contrary to merit but all that we are able to doe if it were more is due in regard of Creation and Redemption Luk. 17.10 Thirdly it must be profitable to him to whom it is done But God is not benefited by vs. Psal 16.2 50.11.12 13. Rom. 8.18 Fourthly it must be proportionable to the reward but so are not our best workes Therefore it is well called of the Apostle A free gift of God Rom. 6.23 This further remember that we teach good workes to be necessary to saluation but not as causes thereof but as the way thereto as Bernard said Q. What is eternall life Ans Eternall life is that glorious and most happy estate Mat. 25.46 Ioh. 17.22.23.24 Rom. 2.10 1. Cor. 2.9 Ioh. 10.28 Heb. 13.14 1. Ioh. 2.25 in which the soules of the elect are in heauen after this life and in which their bodies and soules shall bee at the day of iudgement the contrary whereof is eternall death Q What is eternall death Ans Eternall death is the most horrible condition in which the Reprobate shall be for euer in Hell Luk. 16.22.23 Mat. 25.41 2. Tess 1.4 with the Diuell and his Angels in their soules presently after their bodily death and in body and soule together in the day of Iudgement Expli There are thrée kindes of life First Naturall of the body in the vnion of body and soule Secondly Spirituall of the soule in the vnion of it with God and Christ Gal. 2.20 Eph. 2.17 whereby Christ is said to liue in vs. Thirdly Eternall of body soule whereby the elect liue and reigne for euermore in the kingdome of Heauen The first is common to the Reprobates with the Elect the other two are proper to the Elect. Eternall death is also thrée-fold First naturall of the body in the separation of body and soule called naturall not that it doth properly procéed from nature for it is the effect of sinne but because it is according to corrupt nature by the iustice of God Secondly spirituall in the separation of the soule from God whereby sinne liues and reignes in the wicked being said also to be dead in sinne Thirdly Eternall whereby body and soule shall be for euer separated from God and Christ and liue with the Diuell in eternall torments which kinde of life is called death because it were ten thousand times better not to liue at all in respect of themselues then in such endlesse easlesse and remedilesse misery For eternall life may be considered either in respect of the creature as it is and continueth by the power of the Creator so the wicked shal liue eternally in hell or in respect of the adiuncts of life or the affection which the creature shal haue toward the Creator and the fauour of God in Christ and so the Elect shall only liue for euer In a word the happinesse of the one estate and the misery of the other is such as no tongue is able to expresse no heart able to conceiue Al the glory and splendor of this life being scarce a shadow of the glory to be reuealed the first fruits whereof are in this life in the peace and ioy of a good conscience Rom. 14.17 which though it be vnspeakeable and as a Heauen vpon Earth yet is no more nor so much to that which shall be then a handfull of corne is to a field of a thousand acres 1. Ioh. 3.1.2 So also the torments which we can any wayes deuise to bee inflicted vpon man in this world being but a flea-biting to Hell and a sparke of that flame which the damned there shall endure and yet when wicked men féele the flashings of it in their consciences in the middest of all their worldly pleasures they are horribly confounded as in the example of Caine Saul Balthasar Iudas Pro. 18.14 and as Salomon signifies As there are but two Estates so but two places Heauen and Hell As for a third place called Purgatory neither doth the Scripture mention it neither can the Deuisers and first Founders of it the Papists tell what to make of it and therefore wee acknowledge it not Vse 1. Séeing such torments remaine for them in Hell which repent not of their sins vse all possible care that thou come not there Helpe thy selfe against sin and all damnable security in it by thinking of the torment following In regard of thy selfe it had béene better thou hadst neuer béene borne then to haue thy abiding with those vgly Fiends in that same euerlasting Fire and Brimstone Let not therefore the bitter pleasures of sinne deceiue thée Knowest thou not it will be bitternesse in the end The end of thy Drunkennesse Whooredome Lying Pride Sabaoth-breaking Negligence in the seruice of God Contempt of the Gospell c. will be more bitter then Worme-wood or Gall when the very Dregges of the Wine of the fierce wrath of God shall be powred out against thée for those thy sinnes Is sinne swéete But death is bitter remember it Thy sinne and the pleasure of it is short but the shame and torment following is without end and that in Hell where one minute of torment shall swallow vp the very memory of all fore-past pleasures Labour to thinke often of Hell it will bée some meanes to kéepe thée from thence c. Vse 2. Is life Eternall such a happinesse then liue godly 1. Tim. 4.8 Rom. 2.7 for that is the way to it It is our duty to liue godly though no reward were propounded but when our endeuours which yet are weake shall bee so beyond all proportion rewarded with such an eternall weight of glory how should it whet on our care and spurre vs forward to please such a God who is so rich to them which feare him How should it prouoke
the conscience may be called a brideling or a restraining Conscience as if question be whether the Sabaoth may bee broken thus The commandement of God may not be broken but to breake the Sabaoth is to breake the commandement of God therefore breake it not saith conscience Thus by experience we féele within vs before we do a thing a certaine power pushing vs backe or egging vs forward or we séeme to heare a voyce in our breasts bidding or forbidding vs. And when we do contrary to the motion and monishing of conscience we are said to wound and to sin against our consciences which is grieuous Now remember how the Conscience determineth of Actions So also of Thoughts and Words Vse 1. Looke well to thy conscience and examine it for a good conscience is not of Nature but of Grace by Faith Rom. 5.1 through the bloud of Christ For it is the bloud of Iesus applied by Faith Heb. 9.14 which purgeth the conscience both from the guiltinesse and filthinesse thereof Content not thy selfe then though thy conscience be quyet and trouble thée not for it may so be and yet be starke nought Bee sure that the quietnesse thereof bee grounded on the righteousnesse of Christ and the assurance of the pardon of thy sinnes Else when it stirreth and awakeeth it will be like a Lyon ready euen to rend out thy throat Call therefore thy conscience to her office here which if shée discharge and being rightly informed excuse thée thou mayest truly haue boldnesse before God Otherwise euen as a man that hath the gout is not healed because for a little time he féeleth it not beat and fret so neither doth the quietnesse of conscience argue the health and goodnesse thereof vnlesse it be quieted by the blood of Iesus Better thy conscience accuse here then in the day of Iudgement when though it sléepe now it will vnlesse it be preuented most certainely accuse and confound For the nature of it is alwaies to take Gods part though it be against it selfe Make then thy concience thy friend against that day when a good conscience will be more woorth then a whole world The remembrance of which time made Paul endeuoure to haue a cleare conscience before God and men Acts 24.16 Vse 2. If thou once gettest a good conscience kéepe it with all diligence For as a good conscience is a continuall feast Prou. 4.23 Pro. 15.15 2. Cor. 1.12 Yea a very heauen vpon earth so an euil and guilty conscience is an vnspeakeable torment yea a very hell for a wounded spirit who can beare If a man haue a good conscience Pro. 14. he cannot want comfort in the middest of the fire But if a man were in Paradise as Adam with an euill conscience hee must néedes want comfort for as the shadow followes the body so doth an euill conscience follow the vnrepentant sinner alwaies dogging him and crying fearefully against him Thou hast sinned thou shalt be damned driuing into most fearefull agonies and passions euen vnto finall desperation as in Iudas if the mouth be not stopped by the merites of Christ The Heathen thought that those who liued ill were haunted with furies and fiends Surely this is the fiend euen thy euill conscience gnawing vpon thy heart and stinging as a Scorpion neither canst thou auoyde it but onely by faith in Christ Kéepe therefore thy good conscience if thou hast it as the chiefest Iewell which thou shalt doe if thou obserue these Rules First cherish Faith for it is the root of a good conscience Secondly auoyd all sinne for as a moat in the eye so sinne troubleth the peace of conscience and as water queucheth fire so sinne putteth out the goodnesse thereof And therefore when Abigaile would perswade Dauid from bloody reuenge she vseth an argument from preseruing the peace of conscience and perswadeth him Thirdly walke in the continuall practise of righteousnesse which that wée may be able to do namely both to auoyde sin Heb. 13.18 to liue honestly A fourth thing must bee done which is the right enforming of the conscience that it be able to discerne good from euil and mistake not one for an other for as an vnskilfull Pilote that knoweth not the coast easily maketh shippewracke and as a bad guide soone bringeth into danger so a conscience not instructed in the truth For if thou doubtest and doest doubtingly thou sinnest though the action be lawfull in it selfe yet not to thée for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 If thy conscience erre taking that to be good which is euill thou canst not but sinne for if thou dost according to thy erring conscience thou sinnest in doing contrary to the commandement of God If thou doest it not thou sinnest also because thou dost against conscience and there is no way to helpe out of these briers but to enforme the conscience in the truth which is by the word of God the rule of conscience by which it appeareth that all such which neglect the word of God 1. Corin. 14 24 25. must néedes haue corrupt and dangerous consciences Vse 3. Neuer sinne in hope of secrecie for thou canst not lie hidde though thou couldst conceale thy faults from al men yea from the diuell yet there is a bird in thy breast which will tell tales and bewray all the conscience is a thousand witnesses happy is he which hath it to witnesse for him before God Quest What meane you when you say that man was created in the Image and likenesse of God Ans I meane that neere likenes wheby Adam resembled God which consisted partly in the immortality of his soule partly in his dominiō ouer the creatures but principally in the gifts of his minde Colos 3.10 Ephe. 4.24 knowledge holines and righteousnes Expli Herein consists the chiefe happinesse of man to be like his Creator for God made not man like other things made but like himselfe like I say hauing some sparkes of excellency as representations of the Diuine Nature though this likenesse be such that there remaines an vnspeakeable distance betwéene God and man euen in his greatest perfection Though the feature of the body bee most beautifull yet herein we place no part of the Image of God though wee confesse that euen as the lanthorne is illustrated by the candle within it euen so the body is made in some sort resplendent by the brightnesse of the Soule within in which the Image of GOD chiefly resideth And yet to speake properly we say not that the Soule but that the whole man was made according to Gods Image This Image not to say any thing of the spirituall Essence and Immortalitie of the Soule was partly in the dominion granted ouer the Creatures which dominion was not direct for God is onely the soueraigne Lord but profitable consisting in his dwelling and the vse and benefit of the Creatures yet the extent of this onely to the inferiour creatures as
as other beasts nor clad in apparrell as now but of a soft smooth skinne and naked yet they were not subiect to the iniuries of the wether as raine wind heat cold c. They were not ashamed Not as though any vndecent thing were spoken of them as now he is accounted a beast that is not ashamed of his nakednesse but first to shew that inwardly in their mindes did shine the Image of God that is Innocencie sanctity and Integritie c. in which if they had continued they should not haue néeded their figge-leaues nor any apparell Secōdly that outwardly in their bodies there was excéeding beautie and perfection of all parts so that there was no vncomelinesse no not in those members which after sinne natural shame for their deformity and vnséemlinesse teacheth vs to couer Thirdly that in the inferiour parts of the minde and body there was no inordinat motion or appetite all members of the body and inferiour desires being ruled and gouerned by the Inward grace of the minde So that if wée meditate of these things we can not but conceiue that the happinesse of our first parents was very great Now we are to consider of the conditions on which this happinesse did stand for they were created thus but mutable and changeable this state to continue and in the end to be translated to a celestiall life Ge. 2.16.17 if they kept the Commaundement of God otherwise not The Commandement was about one of the Trées which were in the middest of the Garden namely the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill which was so called not of the effect as though it had a quality to sharpen the wit but of the euent being a Sacrament of triall and admonition to them that if they did eate of it then they should haue wofull experience of the good they had lost and of the euil they had gotten they hauing before a speculatiue knowlege but not a practical experience hereof The other trée was called the trée of Life both because it had a power or vertue to preserue life and health and also more principally because it was to our first parents a Sacrament of the continuance of their life in Paradise and after of their translating vnto a heauenly life if they continued in obedience The Commaundement concerning the Trée of Knowledge contained a Prohibition which was this Verse 17. Of the Tree of knowledge of good and euil thou shalt not eate This Commaundement God inforceth by two reasons The first from the liberty God gaue them to all the rest of the Trées of the Garden Therefore he might wel abstaine from this one Verse 16. The other reason from the danger ensuing if he did eate Thou shalt die the death Verse 17. that is Thou shalt certainely die temporally here in the seperation of the soule from the body and spiritually in loosing the graces before spoken of and eternally in the seperation of Body and Soule from God This was mans happinesse and it stoode on this condition if he obserued the Positiue Lawe giuen him of God Vse 1. Death to speake properly is not naturall namely according to the nature of man in his Creation Rom. 5.12 but against nature comming in by sinne Adam being created to immortality that is in such an estate that if he had neuer sinned he should neuer haue died For although Adams body was mortall in it selfe could die yet it had a power not to die through the gift of the Creator namely if he continued in his integrity So Adam in his state of innocencie was both mortal and immortal in diuers respects Immortall hauing not an impossibilitie of dying but a possibilitiy of not dying which possibility he lost by his sinne and instead thereof receiued a necessitie of dying Thou shalt die the death Hée was mortall not because he should haue actually died if he had not sinned but because if he sinned it was possible hée should or hée might die Death then commeth not from Nature but from Sinne. Vse 2. The remembrance of this happinesse of our first parents which they lost to themselues and to vs by their fall should moue vs euen with teares of bloud if it were possible to bewaile our present misery in which we are which is 〈◊〉 farre from that happinesse as the Earth nay as Hell is from Heauen Then Man was the Cedar of Paradise the Picture of Heauen the Glory of the Earth the Ruler of the World and Gods owne delight But now he is the Fire-brand of Hell the Picture of the Diuell more base then the basest creatures on the earth clothed with no lesse dishonour and shame then he was before crowned with honour and glory Not onely as Nebuchadnezzar trans-formed into a beast but being made of the Temple of God a Cage of vncleane Spirits yea the very habitation of the Diuell Wherefore let vs all take vp a grieuous lamentation when we looke backe to our first glory and to Paradise our antient right And if there be any sparke of Heauenly courage wisedme in our breasts let vs endeuour to recouer that by Christ which we haue lost in Adam Nay God offers in his beloued Sonne more glory better happinesse let vs not be so besotted as to suffer Sathan to deceiue and depriue vs of the Recouery of Gods fauour by our continuance in sinne which first he made vs loose by committing sinne c. Vse 3. Man in Paradise in the time of his Innocency might not be idle nor without a positiue law for obedience so that neither lobour in dressing the Garden nor to be tyed to speciall duty by the law was any impeachment of his happinesse Those therefore which place any pleasure or happines in idlenes or in desiring to liue as they list and to be lawlesse do excéedingly manifest the vile corruption of their hearts for idlenesse and lawlesse liberty was not permitted to Adam in Paradise Q. I something conceiue the happinesse of man in his creation and the conditions of the same Now I pray you shew me what was the manner of his fall Ans The fall of our first parents was their voluntary transgression of the commandement of God in eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree caused by the subtill malice of the Diuell and their owne infidelitie Gen. 3. through the whole chapter Expli Out of the third chapter of Genesis which is called of some The Patriarkes Catechisme we are taught of the fall and sin of man of the anger of God of the punishment of sinne and of the beginning of mans misery vnto the which he was not created but into the which he fell by the iustice of God through his sinne points hidden from the wise and reuealed by the word by which we come to know the cause of all the miseries which follow our nature which miseries the Philosophers saw and confessed but the wisest of them could neuer conceiue the cause thereof
which is sinne In this 3d chapter is also contained a most excellent euen the first promise of Christ But we are briefly to consider of his fall which is set downe in the fixe first verses the rest of the chapter shewing the consequence of the fall The Diuell being fallen irrecouerably comes into the Garden and in the forme of a Serpent I meane speaking in and by a true Serpent out of a cruell enuy of Mans happinesse and an insatiable desire of doing hurt tempts the first Woman and by the Woman Man to sinne and preuailes He boords the Woman thus Yea Hath God said ye shal not eate Verse 1. c. As if he should haue said It is alikely matter that God cares what yee eate What do you thinke that God stands vpon an Apple It is not to be beleeued Hath hee created all things for you and would he not let you vse all things This is the first assault which the Woman weakely resisteth beginning euen at the first to yeeld Verse 2.3 as appeareth by rehearsing the commination or threatning falsly For whereas God said Gen. 2.17 Thou shalt dye the death nothing the certainty of it the speaketh doubtfully Lest yee dye As if she began to thinke that it might be they should dye if they did eate it might be not The Diuell perceiuing the Woman to stagger and the wall of her faith to shake plies all his ordinance to the battry For the word was no sooner out of her mouth Lest yee dye Verse 4. but he replieth Yee shall not dye at all As if he should haue said What Dye with eating so faire in Apple Can there be any hurt in this Silly Woman Yée shall not dye at all God affirmed Yee shall dye certainly The Woman doubteth Lest yee dye The Diuell that old Lyer denieth Yee shall not dye at all Then not giuing the Woman any respite to bethinke her or to reply he accuseth God of enuy Verse 5. and promiseth Diuinity vnto them O saith hée God knoweth c. As if he should haue said God enuies your hahpinesse and I cannot but tell you of it For he knowes well inough that if you should eate of that trée you should sée that you neuer saw O subtile deceiuer and that yée shall be as Gods Impudent liar when as by this meanes both they and their 〈◊〉 became like vnto him Beholde O woman saith he what a goodly Trée this is how pleasant to the eye delicate to the taste diuine for vse Can it doe you any hurt would any but fooles abstaine goe to eate and feare not I le warrant you And then the woman yéeldeb and séeing that it was good for meate pleasant to the eyes and a Trée to bée desired to get Knowledge she tooke of it and did eate and by these same reasons perswaded her husband and gaue him and hée did eate Ah! and Alas Verse 6. whose heart is not moued to ruth who mournes not that considers the fall of the Mighty Oh! How were the Mighty ouerthrowne in the midst of Paradice by the subtilty of the Serpent Euen holy Adam by the enticement of his Wife Tell it in the gates of the Citties Preach it on the house tops and publish it in the eares of all the world till the Inhabitants of the earth mourne for the misery that is come vpon them euen till the Elect and Beloued bee deliuered and renewed by the strong Arme and Grace of their Restorer and Sauiour IESUS CHRIST This is the fall of our first Parents euen their most grieuoussinne which is not to bée measured by the price of the Apple but by the Person whose Commandement is broken together with the great reason they had to kéepe it and the easines of performing the same It is thought of some to bée the greatest sinne pardonable that euer was committed and surely it was most heynous and iniurious to God our Creator being called the Fall because it is not one sinne but many as First Doubting Secondly Infidelity Thirdly Security Fourthly Curiosity seeking wisedome beside the Word Fifthly Pride Sixthly Idolatry preferring the deuill and his lyes before God and his Truth Seuenthly horrible Vnthankefulnesse Eighthly contempt of God Ninthly murder both of themselues and of their Posterity c. The consequents of this fall followes in the seuenth verse to the end of the chapter viz. when they had both thus eaten then their eyes were opened and they saw that that were naked and they were ashamed fled from God c. Their eyes were opened Not that they saw not at all before but to sée that which they saw not before to wit their owne misery and shame In the act of their sinne their eyes that of their vnderstanding were shut by the Witch-craft of the Deuill After their sinne they are opened their consciences accuse them of guiltinesse they sensibly féele their nakednesse that is the corruption their nature the losse of the Image of God And are ashamed Then they séeke figge leaues to couer the nakednesse of their bodies flye from God deny the fact and most impudently excuse themselues the woman laying the blame vpon the serpent the man vpon God Then God sentenceth them to all manner of miseries for their transgression and yet in mercy propoundeth a Sauiour which is the séed of the woman Iesus Christ by whom they might bée saued through faith and repentance Vse 1. If Adam and Eue hauing the Image of God shining in them and being in Paradice were not out of the gun-shot of Sathan but were tempted and ouercome What person or place can then bee frée yea who can preuaile but onely such which obtaine sufficient grace continually pray for strength 1. Pet. 5.8 Epe 6.10.11.12 2. Cor. 12.9 c. and watch against this deuouring enemy putting on the whole armour of God Vse 2. In as much as Sathan doth not at first plainly tempt Eue to disobey God but first cunningly beginnes to bréed a doubt in her minde of the certainety of Gods Word wée are taught two singular things First to obserue the order of the deuils procéeding in temptation for looke how hée delt with Eue so he dealeth with vs drawing vs not bluntly and at the first dash into euill but by degrées As when hée would kéep men from Repentance that they might be damned with him hée will not at first say Ye néed not repent at all but thus much like as hée dealt with Eue Yea beginne so soone to bée precise What a yong Saint Loose your best time The flowre of your age Wither your body with griefe care study and melancholy Bury your selfe quicke Tush giue your selfe liberty you are yong you shall haue time enough afterwards you néed not repent as yet Thus doth the serpent hisse But yéeld in this and deferre thy Repentance and then hée will rore out boldly Thou néedst not repent at all c. Secondly hence we are taught that
if we would be preserued in the time of temptation then one singular meanes is to hold fast the word of God and to beléeue it which was the weapon wherewith Christ repelled and foyled the deuill in the Wildernesse Mat. 4.10 when he brought Eue to doubt of this shée was easily ouercome so if he can bring vs to neglect contemne or speake euill of the Word or but to doubt of the truth of it hee makes reckoning we are his owne This is as if wee should yéeld our weapons into our enemies hands to cut our owne throats for then we must needs bee ouercome c. Vse 3. From the guiltinesse of conscience corruption shame and other miseries issuing from the disobedience of our first Parents we learne what it is to sin namely to bring our selues vnder the danger of all the curses and plagues of God The deuill promiseth pleasure and profite if we sinne fulfilling our owne lusts beléeue him if thou wilt he that tempts thée now will if thou beest ruled by him torment thée for it afterwards Remember how hee promised a kind of Diuinity to our first Parents and tremble Labour what thou canst to resist him and repent Vse 4. When we see our nakednesse bodily or spirituall or feele any cold or heat hurtfull sickenesse want paine c. we should call to minde the originall of all these our sinnes and be humbled c. Quest What if Adam and Eue thus offended what 's that to vs Ans Yes very much for though Adam actually transgressed yet because he was not as a priuate but as a publique person representing and the very roote of all Man-kind receiuing and loosing not onely for himselfe but for all his Posterity the Grace which hee had Therefore his fall made both Himselfe Rom. 5.12 Rom. 5.18 Rom. 5.19 Gen. 5.3 Psal 51.5 and all Mankind also Culpable Guilty and Corrupt c. Expl. In Adams sinne three things concurred First the Actuall Transgression Secondly the Legall Guilt Thirdly the Naturall Prauity or Corruption These three are conueyed to all Posterity the Virgin Mary not excepted which are by Naturall Generation descended of Adam and that three waies The fault by participation For as Leui was in Abrahams Loines so were we in Adams Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 5.12 That in Adam all sinned The guilt by imputation as the sonne of a Traytor looseth the honour his father lost by his Treason Therefore Paul saith Rom. 5.18 By the offence of one the guilt came on all men to condemnation and this is meant when wee say the sinne of Adam is imputed to vs. The Corruption by Generation therefore it is said By one Mans disobedience Rom. 5.19 wee are made sinners So Adam begat Seth not according to the image in which he was first created but in his Image as he then was corrupt that is a corrupt father begat a corrupt sonne Gen. 5.3 Ioh. 3.6 As that which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh As a serpent engenders a serpent so sinnefull men begets sinnefull men according to the Rule That which is begotten followeth the nature of that which doth beget Neither doth this hinder because some are regenerated and their sinnes pardoned for men beget not children as they are regenerate but as they are men euen as a circumcised father begetteth an vncircumcised sonne and as cleane séed-Corne commeth vp with straw and chaffe and other wrecke so men though they haue obtained grace beget children which are borne and conceiued in sinne Vse 1. Hence we learne that children are corrupt not onely by imitation but also by nature not as it was at first created but as it is now corrupted none partaking thereof Christ onely excepted but being culpable guilty and corrupt thereby Vse 2. This also admonisheth parents with all care to endeuour to bring vp their children in the instruction and information of the Lord that as they are Instruments of their generation also of their corruption and guiltinesse conceiued by the same so they become instruments by their good Education and Discipline of their regeneration by the Spirit of God Surely these parents which beget and bring forth children and care not to teach them the feare of God and to instruct them in holinesse both by doctrine and example bring forth Children as much as in them lieth fort the Diuell and not for God c. Q. Tell me more plainly what is that corruption that you say is conueyed vnto vs from Adam Ans It is that which is called Originall sinne which is the disorder of the whole man and the guiltinesse of Adams transgression Gen. 6.5 Rom. 7.18 Psal 51.7 Rom. 8.7 1. Cor. 2.14 Iam. 1.14.15 Mat. 15.19 brought vpon all mankinde by the fall of Adam whereby they want the righteousnes which ought to be in them and haue that vnrighteousnesse which ought not to bee in them which makes them inclinable to actuall sinne being the fountaine thereof Expl. This corruption of Nature is called Originall sinne or of beginning because it was from the beginning as soone as euer the fall of Adam was and also because it is one of the first things which is with the childe in the conception And further because it is the beginning of all actuall sinne Generally and more largely taken it signifies the sinne of Adam the guilt following and the corruption but more strictly it is vsually taken onely for the corruption of nature which implieth the losse of the Image of God and in the stead thereof in the minde blindnesse and vanity in that will stubbornnesse and rebellion and in the affections sences and the whole body grieuous disorder contrary to that that should be and inclinable to all euill Yea we may not thinke that the substance of body and soule or any faculties are impaired but as in a poysoned Fountaine there is the water and the running onely the wholesomnesse is taken away so onely the soundnesse of these is lost and in the roome therof all vnsoundnesse hath taken place This corruption which wée thus speake of hath truely the nature of sinne and maketh subiect to the wrath of God as is manifest in Infants which die though they haue committed no actuall transgression Rom. 5.14 as Paul reasoneth And this is further to be remembred that it is not so deriued vnto vs that one hath one part of originall sinne and another another part but it is wholly in euery one and is the Séed and Spawne of all sinne euen of the Sinne against the Holy Ghost Vse 1. Hence we sée that we are corrupt and guilty of Hell euen in our mothers wombe being conceiued in sinne Psal 51.5 so that a childe of a day old is not innocent though we call them so in regard of any actuall rebellion in their owne persons performed for there is in them Sin or concupiscence in the first act as they say euen as rauenousnesse in the Lyons or Wolues Whelpe
the obiect shewne by the vnderstanding yet so that we hold not this frée will to be independent but that as the wills of all creatures it dependeth on God to be inclined and moued either immediately by him or mediately by good or euill instruments as he please Neither doth this dependencie hurt or diminish the frée dome of the will because God inclineth the will so that the will doth by the Iudgement of its owne reason fréely and willingly moue it selfe so that to doe a thing fréely in the Creature is not to be frée from the gouernement of another but to doe that which it doth willingly voluntarily and deliberately though it be ruled by another Before the fall this was in Adam both to good and euill that he might if he would either stand or fall the dependencie before spoken of still reserued Since the fall the case is altered according to the saying of Augustine That man abusing his frée will lost both himselfe and that whereby as also when we say that man hath no free will we doe not vnderstand that the faculty is lost but the goodnesse whereby it was able freely and willingly to chuse that which is good For man lost no essentiall part or faculty of his nature by his fall euen the vnregenerate hauing a power freely to will or nill the obiect shewne by Reason though they haue not power to wil and chuse spiritual good things both because their wil is wholy depraued and turned from good and inclinable only to euill and also because Reason being blind doth not shew to the will the spirituall good or if it doe it is not vnder the likenesse of good but vnder the likenesse of euill For the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of God 1. Cor. 2.14 but accounteth them foolishnes Wherefore we confesse that man hath stil free wil in ciuill and outward things and vnto euill but not vnto good And this freedome vnto ciuill things must bee so vnderstood that he hath power to chuse or refuse the obiect but to do this well he hath no power Also he hath free will vnto euill not that he can will or nill euill at his pleasure but that without any violence he onely chuseth euill so that as it may be called free will because it is free from coaction so also bond will because it freely willeth onely that which is euill And hence it is that the reprobate sinne necessarily and yet freely necessarily because they haue no power to goodnes freely because they chose euill without compulsion Yea by how much the more necessarily they sinne by so much the more voluntarily they doe it in as much as their will hath brought vpon them this necessity Now when this worke of Sanctification or Repentance or Conuersion is wrought then we haue free will both to good and euill to good as farre as we are regenerate by the Spirit to euill as far as we are vnregenerate and flesh And in the state of Glorification our will shall be free onely to good immutably as the will of the damned shal be immutably free vnto euill as Augustine saith The first Will was to haue power not to sinne the last shall be to haue no power to sinne Then for our purpose this is to be holden that till the spirit worke new grace we haue no power of our selues being vnto the worke of conuersion meere patients though in the worke when the Spirit hath changed and inclined vs we are co-workers with the Spirit Before conuersion we resist In conuersion the Spirit inclineth our wills and of vnwilling makes them willing to be conuerted and to repent God not working in vs as in stockes or stones but as in reasonable creatures Vse 1. If thou be truly conuerted ascribe al the glory of it to God for as soone can an Ethiop change his skinne Iere. 13.23 c. or a Leopard his spottes as we doe that is good till we be changed and enabled by the Spirit Vse 2. Beware thou neglect not the present meanes of grace offered to thee as though thou couldest repent and doe well when thou wouldest No no it is the meere gift of God For if thou canst not make one haire of thy head white or black much lesse canst thou change thy vile and corrupt heart But thou wilt say Doth not GOD promise that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent he will be mercifull Yes the Lord most comfortably blessed be his name saieth so but he saith not that a sinner can repent when he list or that he will giue repentance whensoeuer a sinner shall but whistle for it As Augustine excellently He that hath promised to all repentants pardon hath not promised to all delinquents repentance c. Quest What are the parts of this Sanctification or Repentance Ans The parts are two First Mortification of the old man or Hatred of sin and turning from euill Secondly Viuification or Quickening of the new man or loue of goodnesse and Turning to God Quest What meane you by Mortification of the old man Ans I meane that grace wherby there is wrought in vs by little and little a detestation of sinne and an extinguishing and weakening of corruption in vs that it should not bring forth fruit vnto death Quest What meane you by the new man Ans I meane that Grace whereby by little and little we are raised to a new and spirituall life to be able in some measure to liue in knowledge holinesse and righteousnes Eph. 4.22 23 24. Col. 3.5.8 10 11. The summe of all these answers prooued by Rom. 6. from the first verse to the twelfth Explic. When we reade that the olde man or the body of sinne or our earthly members by which and the like names the corruption of our nature is called are are to be mortified that is made to die We are not to vnderstand it of the life of our bodies but of the life of sinne in our bodies So when our Sauiour saith If thine eie offend thee plucke it out c. he meaneth not that we should maime our bodies but that by all meanes wee should purge out corruption which manifests it selfe in such members yea then as wee estéeme our corrupt affections as deare as our eyes These two parts of repentance are also called putting off the olde man and putting on the new man c. whereby is signified that as willingly as a man puts off his old filthy ragges to bee clad in sweete and rich attire so should we willingly put away sin whereby we are deformed and labour to follow righteousnes which is a part of our Beauty in the sight of God Whereas some make thrée parts of repentance first Contrition secondly Confession thirdly Satisfaction they deceiue the simple For a man may haue all these and yet be damned as is manifest in Iudas who grieued confessed his sinne Matth. 27.3 3. and brought againe the thirty pieces of siluer and
yet was a reprobate These may be necessary partes of Discipline enioyned to sinners to testifie their repentance as in ancient times but the essentiall parts of repentance are perpetually mortification of the olde man and viuification of the new If you shall desire to know the maner how God works repentance vnderstand that first by preaching of the Law and sometimes by crosses punishments c. the conscience is terrified for sinne and is sorrowfull but in a worldly manner for feare of wrath for the Law can worke no otherwise Then by the promise of the Gospel the conscience is chéered through the gift of GOD in assurance of mercy the sense whereof bréeds an other sorrow different from that wrought by the Law called godly Sorrow which is when we are grieued for sinne not so much because of the wrath following as because thereby we haue offended so gratious a father and then followes repentance which is a changing of the heart and purpose vnto a continuall care and indeuour to hate all euill 2. Cor. 7.10 and to auoyd it to loue all goodnes and to follow it So that repentance properly is the effect of the Gospel not of the Law though the Law be necessary to prepare vs thereunto And hence we say it is an effect of Faith which purifies the heart Concerning the practise of repentance Sée the Booke called the Nature and Practise of Repentance written by our worthy Maister Perkins Vse 1. Beware of a wonderfull subtilty of the Diuell whereby he carries multitudes to hell which is when men and women are perswaded that if they can sigh sorrow and wéep for their sins that then they truly repent When Ahab and Iudas did thus much and yet frie in hell There is a sorrow caused by the Lawe which may bee in a Reprobate whose sorrow is like vnto the sorrow of a thiefe and whose teares are whoorish teares for as these being taken in the maner many times hang downe their heads and wéepe and waile for feare of the present punishment which when it is ouer they returne to their former courses their hearts not being changed so many grieue by the preaching of the Lawe and yet their hearts remaine as corrupt and as willing if it were not for the Lawe to sinne as euer before whereas the Godly Sorrow which commeth from the Gospel changeth the very inclination and purpose of the heart to hate sinne and loue goodnes and to continue increasing in such grace though there were no Law to condemne nor hell to torment 2. Cor. 7.11 c. Examine then thy repentance hereby and by the notes Vse 2. Remember that the summe of of a Christians duty is to Eschew euill Psal 34.14 Esa 1.16.17 and to do good and deceiue not thy selfe with those same halfe Christians whose furthest obedience is to kéepe themselues not vnspotted for they regard not spots but vndetected of grosse euils such for the which men are carried to the Iayle who though they abound with small faults as they tearme them hauing prophane hearts and destitute of loue to the truth and do no good thinke themselues among the forwardest of such who shall be saued But soft the first step to heauen in the practise of obedience is to depart from euill but he that sets but one step and that an ill-fauoured one too is neuer like to come there mend that step and depart from all euill and step againe doing the good and so walk on then the reward is thine If thou holdest not vp thy hands to any strange God but if thou worshippest not the true God thou canst not be saued If thou plowest not and goest not to cart on the Sabaoth day it is well but if thou doest not the duties of the Sabaoth in the publique and priuate worship of God thou maist be damned As therefore we doe not content our selues that no wéeds be in our Gardens vnlesse there bée good Hearbes and Flowers so we must not onely be void of euill but filled also with the fruits of righteousnesse Phil. 3.11 being not priuatiue onely but positiue Christians But alasse what then shall become of them which haue not yet learned to set the first stép to leaue their Drunkennesse Swearing Lying Whooredome how farre are these from true Christians How farre from Heauen How néere to Hell c. Vse 3. Note that Repentance and true conuersion is a worke of great difficulty for sinne cleaues so fast vnto vs sitting as close as our skinne and is so familiar to our nature that till God perswade the heart by the worke of his Spirit it is as easie a matter to perswade a man to leaue his sinnes as to get him to endure his eyes to be pluckt out of his head and his limbes to be torne from his body Therefore called Mortification and crucifying the flesh with the lusts c. It is not a sigh and away and now and then a few sorrowfull words will serue the turne No sinne is impudent and will neuer out till it be kild and cast out If thou makest account that Repentance is an easie worke thou hast not yet repented as thou shouldst do Go to Remember thou must mortifie sinne and destroy it It is a Serpent in thy bosome kill or be kild if thou kilst not it it will kill thée euen thy Soule c. Q. What is the measure of sanctification which we attaine to in this life Ans This grace is not perfectly finished in this life Rom. 7.18 19. 1. Cor. 13.9.12 Phil. 3.13 but here it is only in part Expl. There are two sorts of benefites which we receiue by Christ One of such which are out of our selues as Redemption Iustification Another of such which are in vs as Sanctification Conuersion The first sort are perfected in this life as Now we are the sonnes of God So now wee are elected 1. Ioh. 3.1.2 iustified redeemed The second are not perfected in all their degrées but onely begun Wee are perfectly redeemed vnderstand in regard of the price for we looke for the redemption of our bodies We are perfectly iustified in regard of Christs righteousnesse and the sentence for we pray for more féeling of it and these shall bée more fully declared at the last day We are imperfectly sanctified there remaining euen in the best a great deale of corruption which lusteth against the Spirit and often maketh them bitterly to mourne as in the example of Paul Vse 1. Our sanctification cannot iustifie vs Rom. 7. because imperfect Vse 2. The life of a godly man is a continuall repenting to his dying day As a man that buyes an old house is alwayes mending so the true Christian because he discouers alwaies new corruptions is alwaies mourning repairing and mending somwhat Do with thy conscience as women do in dressing vp their houses they swéepe and rub and brush euery day because euery thing gathereth dust and euer and anon they are renewing