men neither are they plagued with them but pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment What then can be answered for God surely still the consequence is not good bruit beasts may goe to the slaughterhouse without all baiting and it were questionlesse the part of a mad man to disturbe them that goe as heart would wish neither would the deuill for a thousand worlds that these men should once be disquieted to turn back againe and therefore yet you sticke in the question What then will you answer to an argument drawne from their life their eyes stand out with fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they haue their tongues at libertie power to oppresse boast of it and yet presume thēy shall not be controlled for they dare speake against heauen and suffer their tongues to walke thorough the earth therefore God neither doth neither can he do any good to Israel Let Moses come to Pharaoh with let my people goe he shall be answered not as the deuills answered the Exorcists Act. 19.15 Iesus we acknowledge and Paul we knowe but who are yee It had been well if he had but said Aaron and Moses God I acknowledge and his p eople I know but who are yee that are so impudent with your king this is not his voice but who is God and Exod. 10.10 Let the Lord so bee with you as I will let you goe and your children behold for euill is before your face Here is blasphemie and execration of Gods people he imagines euill against them the Lord shall not preuent it and he desires that the Lord had no better affection to them then he was minded to let them goe What shall be answered to this proud argument that brings all into it they haue the controlment of heauen and earth and therefore how shall the Lord be good to Israel Well O flesh yet is God good to Israel this is but a small matter for neither heauen nor earth are in their hands it is an easie matter to turne their owne swords into their owne bowels for they haue fedde indeede but it is become a surfet and therefore if presently they be not like oxen knocked in the head they will pine away and neither God nor man shall haue profit by them they haue been licentious but soone may they be cooled they haue spoken wickedly of their oppression but a small matter will grauell them and bring them vnto an non plus they haue presumed but soone may they despaire they haue set their mouths against heauen but suddenly while they are about their mischiefe there may shine a most fearefull light yea lightning and thunder from heauen strike them to the ground make euerie ioynt breake a sunder the whole bodie tremble and the heart astonied neither shall they heare any voice from heauen Send for Ananias to put his hands vpon them that they may recouer their sight and haue their hearts comforted yet shall they heare a voyce from heauen Why haue you persecuted me it is hard for you to kicke against my prickes I will make your consciences pricke you to the death the sting shall neuer out of it there shall not be a Moses nor an Aaron to pray for you though you confesse with Pharaoh we haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Surely the spirit of God is strong my owne testimonie is answered the death and life of the wicked cannot euince the cause therefore I bring a third sort of reasons euen from the godly themselues v. 10. his people turne hither for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them Hence euen they say how doth God knowe it or is there knowledge in the most high wee dare boldly say the wicked prosper and increase in riches we haue clensed our hearts in vaine and washed our hands in innocencie to no purpose for daily haue we beene punished and chastened euery morning What may be said to this argument surely the testimonie of my brethren doth presse mee sore that they should bee so discouraged yet I hope when they shall haue considered my arguments propounded for the defence of their cause they shall recant their errour and say If I iudge thus behold the generation of thy children are vp against mee I haue therfore trespassed the reason was because I thought to finde out the discourse by my naturall reason but I confesse it was too painefull for mee therefore O Spirit the comforter of thy Church let me heare the arguments that will beare waight in the ballance of Gods sanctuarie First therefore I will begin with an artificiall argument which all men may gather out of the workes of God euen of his iustice They are set in slipperie places they stand but vpon the yee and therefore God may soone cast them into desolation which all the world may see to be done for how suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed all is but a dreame of their prosperitie but when I am awaked to see it and they to feele it then shall I consider my heauenly felicitie contemne all their vaine pompe and know assuredly that God makes all their image to be despised therefore I ingeniously confesse that the vexing of my heart and the pricking in my reines was because I was too foolish euen as a beast before God yet was I happie in all this for by faith I was alwaies with God and that my faith might not fall he hath holden me by his right hand Secondly for my selfe I haue taken this arguemnt that God will guide mee by his counsell and afterward receiue me to his glorie Thirdly I dare appeale vnto mine owne soule from both these arguments vnto a third whom haue I in heauen but God and I haue desired none in earth before him Fourthly I drawe an arguments from mine owne weakenesse and the daily experience I haue had of Gods goodnesse my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer Therefore now I come to the determination of the question and thus I determine it for the wicked Loe they that withdrawe themselues from God shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee and for my selfe I haue found that the deepest disputations doe alwaies bring forth the best conclusions and safest determinations therefore thus I resolue That as for me it is good for mee to drawe neere to God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all his works See but one place more Psal 77. When I entred the consideration of the dayes of olde and the yeares of auncient time called to remembrance my song of thankesginug in the night which vsually I sung in my prosperitie and now thinking vpon God am troubled and when I pray my spirit is full of auguish Thou keepest myne eies awaking all the long night it is time therefore to commune
aduerse to a sinner and so the arguments differ Adam by creation was a iust man in habite but not in act and according to that which the Lord required and so death beeing taken away we are in the way to iustification but not actually iust vntill actually the law be performed in our selues or another And because the point is in controuersie thereasons to establish this truth may be these Arg. 1. Lex regale 〈◊〉 iustiâ—e That which is the perfect righteousnesse of the lawe is both actiue and passiue but that whereby we are iustified is of this nature For I demaund by what rule of righteousnesse is life and saluation conuaied vnto vs If they say by faith then I demaund what is that righteousnesse of faith is it the verie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then assuredly it excludes both the righteousnesse of Christ and that of the law and yet faith is said to establish both If it be the righteousnesse of Christ then I demaund is not that morall if morall then either perfect or imperfect if perfect then actiue and passiue That we apprehend Christs righteousnesse that is of grace but that Christ hath it for vs that is of the law The second Argument against this opinion may be this Christ did all as a nâ—ediator for those that haue need of a mediator That which Christ did as a Mediator was not onely for himselfe but for vs and for vs more principally then himselfe but all that Christ did were the actions of a Mediatour his humane nature had no subsistence but by the diuine and euery action beeing in supposito was of him as a Mediatour and therfore for vs and so both actiue and passiue obedience were for vs. But they will say his actiue obedience did fit him for our Mediatorship To this I answer if his actiue obedience be the obedience of a Mediator then in his whole latitude it was for vs and as soon as he was born he was fit to redeeme so neuer an action but it was for vs. If then these actions of fitting bee properly the actions of a Mediator then they tautologise speak no sense for so that fitting was nothing but redeeming for I am sure euery action of our Mediatour is to redeeme and to redeeme is to seeke those that were lost and so his actiue obedience was for those which were lost and if that then had we neede of all Christs obedience Argum. He fulfilled the ceremoniall law both actiuely and passâ—â—ely for others ergn the moral 3. Christ fulfilled all righteousnes morall ceremoniall The ceremoniall was not fulfilled by passiue obedience but also by actiue if the ceremoniall required both then much more the morall Deut. 4.1 Sam. 22. Hos 6.6 mercie more then sacrifice and knowledge more then burnt offerings and this in both was done for others he was circumcised for others for he was without sinne and therefore in Christ to signifie any pollution circumcision had no vse so was he baptized but it was not for the washing away of his owne filthines but ours The reasons why he must keepe the law for others are these 1. because perfect obedience depended on him for the performer 2. both the law morall and ceremoniall acknowledge him for Mediator for seeing it was impossible to be fulfilled of vs it was possible vnto him 3. because he did establish and fulfill both 4. he alone is the bond of both seeing then he performed actiue obedience to the Ceremoniall law and that not for himselfe but for vs. the like must be confessed of the morall especially the ceremoniall law beeing but an appendix and addition to the morall Argum. Against reason that death should cause life 4. Christs death could not bring life because no death can be the cause of life seeing they are contraries Fire cannot cause cold neither water heat blindnes cannot cause sight neither sight blindnes Christs death to take away death is good reason but to cause life is against all reason This is very agreeable with the Scriptures reason that as Christs death doth free vs from death so Christs life doth bring vs vnto life He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Dan. 9.24 the slaying of the Messias brings in the expiation of sinne and his liuing againe brings euerlasting righteousnesse Sinne brought in death therefore righteousnes must bring in life for if death should bring in life then life should be the reward of sinne for I am sure that the Scriptures affirme that death is the reward of sinne and the reward of sinne can neuer be the cause of life What hath a schoole-boy deserued when his master hath whipped him so what haue we deserued in Christ when we are onely punished in him Sinne and the reward of sinne haue no agreement with life Therefore it is true that the expiation of sinne is wrought by Christs passiue obedience and life by his actiue Argum. 5. All types whereof Christ is the truth Types prooue both actine and passiue obedience to bee found in Christ point at this assertion first in the couenant of grace there was the Arke and the Table Exod. 24.7 in the Arke was the booke of the law and so the booke of the lawe went with the couenant and was to be found in Christ for vs. Exod. 25.22 the Mercie-seat was betweene the two Cherubims and these were vpon the Arke of the Testament Mal. 3.1 therefore no seat of mercie without the Arke of the Testament The pascall lambe must be without spot eaten with sweete bread and sowre hearbs both must be in Christ therefore not onely the soure hearbs of his death and passion but the sweet bread of his righteousnesse Vrim and Thummim must be on the Priests breast when he carries the peoples iudgement before God and this must be had beside blood therefore righteousnes beside passion Ar. 6. From similitudes familiarly applied in the Scriptures whose end purpose are to prooue this First the wiues debt is made the husbands and we beeing married vnto Christ the debt that we owe God by our creation must be payed before he will admit of vs now that debt was Do and liue and this Christ hath done and so we shall liue Secondly Christ is the head of his Church and therefore must he giue vnto his members life motion and all things needfull Thirdly the suretie must pay and discharge the whole debt of him for whome he is bound all of vs are bankerupts and stand in neede to haue a great debt discharged for vs and likewise a new stocke purchased To conclude it is foolish to make such a distinction as this seeing all the actions of our Mediator are as wel actiue as passiue his life is not taken from him but he laies it downe willingly and euen from his conception his humanitie being assisted by his deity which could not suffer turned all Christs sufferings into actions I haue bin drawne to inlarge
generated from pure ayre whereby the heart and the braine are preserued in their functions so that what shall bee without reason to deny God his prouidence 3. In Iudiciall Astrologie Neither would I haue the Astrologians to thinke themselues free from this conceit when they make the starres the rule to square all actions as well voluntary as naturall and to determine of the ends and issue of them both Secondly it is strange Idolatrie that there should be any conceit of idolatrie seeing that nothing can be like God either in beeing or doing Isa 40. Againe all the idols of the heathen are known by their causes which to imagine of God is absolutly impossible The smith Isa 44. taketh an instrument worketh in the coales euē with the strength of his armes is an hungred his strength faileth he drinketh no water and is faint the like is said of the carpenter ver 13. and therefore verie strange that such feeble creatures as these should bring forth their creator nay stupid blockishnes that the workman should esteeme the worke of his own hands better then himselfe that made it The like may be said of the matter which is as fit in his owne conceit to warme his body and prepare his meat as be an idole for his soule folly incomparable that fit matter for the fire in his chimney should be as fit for the kindling vp of the fire of his zeale and deuotion in his heart strange againe that the picture of a man beast or the foules of the ayre should be counted better then the liuing man himselfe nay alas then the liuing God Lastly that whose ende is vanitie to be counted the felicitie of the soule is most shamefull and intolerable yet for all this Iere. 44. v. 17. We will burne incense to the queene of heauen and powre out drinke offerings vnto her haue they not reason for this yes assuredly they haue a double reason First losse in that they haue not done it ver 18. Since we left off this worshippe we haue had scarcenesse of all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine A second reason is the profit of idolatry v. 17. when we did this then had we plentie of victualls and were well and felt no euill Thirdly Heresie Transubstantiation Consubstantiation no heresie but some reason for it as Transubstantiation must needes bee true because Christ hath said this is my body and consubstantiation must be as good as this because of the personal vnion of man-hood with the deitie A pretie dispute we haue in the 12. Christ not the Messias of Iohn betwixt Christ and the people concerning the Messias In the 32. v. Christ layes downe this proposition If I were lift vp from the earth I would drawe all men vnto mee this Christ meant of his death and so the people vnderstood it but he hath put an argument into their heads whereby they will conquer him ver 34. We haue heard out of the law that Christ bideth for euer therefore by thy owne confession thou art not Christ because thou saiest thou must die And I pray you consider how they triumph in this their argument How sayest thou now that the sonne of man must bee lift vp who is that sonne of man Fourthly Prophanation for prophanation see how the Apostle labours to preuent the wicked conceits of man concerning the abundance of grace 1. Of grace where sinne abounds there grace abounds much more a good reason in the conceits of wicked men to make them sinne the more that grace may abound Againe for Election and Reprobation see how men profane them If I must be saued let me doe what I will and I shall not be damned 2. Election Reprobation and if I must bee damned let mee doe what I will and I shall not bee saued Now should I come to discouer that the ground of all these opinions is nothing but thou thoughtest or it was thy conceit but because this is the last obseruation in the conclusion I wil put it off vntill I haue briefly giuen the reasons and made the vse of this point Reason 1. No man will denic himselfe and therefore though oftentimes he denie the rule of reason yet neuer will be absolutely denie reason because reason is one of the principall faculties in man and therefore must it trudge to make vp his broken conclusions Reason cannot act without reason and therefore men will haue false reason before they will haue none Reas 2. Is the simplicitie of truth and multiplicitie of errour From errors multiplicity and therefore though men cannot bring in truth to maintaine falshood yet may they haue many falshoods to make a faire shewe for one falshood Reas 3. Is the nature of opposition From opposition which on both sides is to defend his own Truth and falshood are deadly enemies and therefore as truth laboureth to confirme himselfe by all those that loue him so falshoold laboureth to gather together all his forces by those that maintaine him Hence it comes to passe that heretickes will neuer be coufuted but as long as they can breath they will vent what they haue conceiued Vse 1. reprehension First confutation of the wicked in that they adde sinne vnto sinne First to poyson themselues with strange opinions and secondly to enquire for reasons whereby they may ground themselues in these poysoned errors so that from errors they grow to heresie from simple ignorance to that which we call affected ignorance ignorance is so good a mother to deuotion that she will nource vp error and error will grow vp to heresie a child of rebellion Secondly correction of the godly that they yeeld not at any time to the least motions of errour least they become disputers for errors and opposers of Gods truth Many honest and well-minded persons haue gotten such familiar acquaintance with hereticks that they haue beene poysoned by them and so haue come to hate the truth which once they imbraced Vse 2. instruction First an admonition of the wicked that they be a little more sober in broaching of their errors least that the Lord seeing their malice against his truth come with a sharpe reproofe and cut them off suddenly Secondly direction for the godly to keepe themselues to Gods word and neuer labour to wrest it either to the right hand or to the left for the vpholding of any conceits that the deuill their owne flesh or the wicked world shall suggest vnto them Vse 3. consolation First in prosperitie to remember that euerie good thing we enioy shall willingly bee spent for the maintaining of the truth and the opposing of error euen vnto the death Secondly in aduersitie to consider how wee haue vsed no indirect meanes to bring our purposes to passe but still haue rested vpon the Lord for the reuelation of his will and the time of our deliuerance Obser 7. The ground of all wicked mens opinions and likewise
against poyson therefore if we haue made the word of God a Scorpion to sting vs yet let vs now make it a lenitiue to cease the paine if we like beasts haue poysoned our selues yet now like men created for God let vs recouer our selues againe by this word of life But to proceed Thou thoughtest this is the consequent of Gods silence not proper but by accident forced and befide the scope of it therfore this wicked thought of an hypocrite argueth strange corruption of heart that can frame no obiect vnto it selfe that shall make good thoughts Surely affections haue gotten the masterie ouer the mind so that now it must become a slaue to serue them and dispose it selfe that all his iudgments may aime at their satisfaction and thus the good word of God by accident becomes the cause of sinne Gen. 3. hath God said Yee shall not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill the Lord by this law debars you of great good for it is certaine when yee cate yee shall beas gods knowing good and euill therefore the law is too strict and rather an hinderer then furtherer of your good Men we see are very quiet vntil they be prouoked by the preaching of the lawe Steuen Act. 7. shall be stoned for his good sermon Christ shall be an enemie to church and common-wealth because he speaks against the Scribes and Pharisies Moses Aaron shal be hated of Pharaoh for preaching a deliuerance Iohn Baptist for telling Herod his sinne Elias shall be Ahabs enemy for telling him the truth and Paul shall become an enemie to the Galatians for telling them of their apostacie from Christ thus lawe and Gospel mercie and iudgement are abused of the wicked yet for all this the law is holy and iust as for example a man that holds a glasse in his hands as long as it â—ests there is safe but if they throwe it against the wall the wall will breake it but the sault will rest in the hands so when we take our selues dash our selues against Gods law the law breaks vs but the fault is in our selues the bankes are no cause of the furie and rage of the waters but the waters themselues so the lawe of God that banks in our corruption is no cause why it rageth but the nature of it which can indure no limits Reasons 1. Because sinne will indure no law There be three effects of the law that sinne cannot away withall First it stoppeth corruptioÌ„ hence the irritation of the law Secondly it terrisieth the conscience and that cannot be indured they that liue like gallie-slaues and are whipped euerie day will doe nothing but by force and are glad any waies to rid them-selues of such a burden Thirdly it exacts perfect obedience which our nature can not away withall to loue God with all our hearts with all our soules with all our minde and our whole strength is a lesson that will neuer be learned or practised Reas 2. A misconceit as a medicine against which the stomack ariseth will not be indured a plaister which stings at the heart must be throwne off and a glasse that sheweth vs an vgly face cannot be looked into so the misconceiuing of Gods silence makes it that it can neither become meate or medicine to our soules Thirdly the diuersitie of subiects the selfe same seed is sowne in all the foure grounds yet takes but root in one the hammar beats vpon all but it makes not all pliable to Gods worke the axe hewes at all but it timbers but some for building the rest it hewes downe for firing the fire burnes all but only the the gold loseth his drosse the light shines to all but only they that haue eyes behold it the salt seasons all but in some it cannot enter to the bone and therefore they putrifie and rotte away foode would feede all but some want stomacks appetite and digestion therfore they pine away with the best nourishment the goad prickles all but some are hardned that it cannot enter and therefore no maruell that the mercies and filence of God should worke no good effects in the wicked Fourthly the curse of God is vpon them therefore they shall eate but not be satisfied drinke but not to quench their thirst sleepe but not to take their rest for God alone giues rest vnto his welbeloued nay let them doe what they will all shall be nought pray or not pray sacrifice or not sacrifice come to church or not come to the church for they cannot lay aside their wicked thoughts and therefore according to our prouerb all is marred in the making Deut. 28.16 cursed shall they be in the towne and cursed shall they be in the field they shal make no good markets of that which god hath giuen them in the field cursed shall they be in the basket and in their dough bad prouision shall be in their houses when the Lord will not become both the master and the steward cursed shall be the fruite of his body and the fruits of his land the increase of his kine and the flocks of his sheepe extreame pouertie in the middes of all his wealth cursed shall he be when he comes in and cursed also when he goes out ill successe in his interprises neither will the Lord here make an ende These be foure great curses First he shall make no good market in buying and selling Secondly from this shall follow he shall haue no good prouision in his house Thirdly from this shall rise the next that he shall haue no true riches Fourthly to make that good fortune shall alwaies crosse him Fiftly to proceede yet further God will make him cracke his credit for trouble shame shall be vpon all that he sets his hand to do euerie man shall call him banke-rout neither shal he haue any law against theÌ„ for with God he hath lost his credit and therefore shall he perish quickly Sixtly that he may make his word good in all these the pestilence consumption feuer burning ague sword blasting mildew the heauens aboue shall be brasse and the earth vnder iron for raine dust and therefore no staie but perish thou must in bodie goods and good name Seuenthly to make the finall vp-shotte of his bodie he shall fal before his enemies and his carkeis shal be without all burial the foules of the ayre and the beasts of the field shall haue him for their pray and none shall rescue him if the enemies spare him God will smite him with the botch of Egypt with the Emorods with the scab with the itch euen worse then he hath done Egypt for he shall not be healed neither will God be defectiue in his methode for from these more sensible torments vpon the bodie he will proceede to greater iudgements vpon the soule which though least felt yet more fearefull madnes blindnes astonying of heart with all their ill consequents to grope at noone day to be oppressed powled and
God another now all learned men knowe that the manner of any thing makes it not many as one cause may beget preserue be alone and with others worke by it selfe and by accident and therefore no neede to multiply the action Effectuum relationes omnes sunt ad causas suas separatas concurrentes concausas simul ac similiter agentes that is the relations and respect of all effects are to their causes whether they be separate concurring concausing or together and in like manner working if to separated causes then the effects obtain their names from the manner of the cause by which these effects exist if necessarily they come forth then of necessarie causes they are called necessarie effects And here by the way obserue that the decree of God and mans free will in his fal are rather separate then concurring causes and therefore if you please Gods decree may be called a necessarie cause of his owne effect but mans free will was another manner of cause and therfore being a contingent cause his fall was cōtingent obserue this against we come to the difficulties that arise out of Gods ordering of sin So then in separate causes if necessary then necessary effects if contingent then contingēt effects but if many causes concurre to produce one effect then this one effect can neuer be said to be contingent and necessarie for so one nature should be contradictorie to it selfe therefore if the principal cause of mans sinne be contingent as who dare denie it seeing it came from mans though free yet mutable will therefore that Gods decree should either necessitate the cause or the effect is impossible for so a contingent cause should become a necessarie cause and a necessarie effect should be the same with a contingent effect so then Gods decree though it make his owne effect necessarie yet concurring with mans fall works in sustaining ordering limiting whatsoeuer shall be done but without all violence or coaction of his nature For the third concauses which are absolute in their working and neither will nor can be frustrated alwaies produce a necessarie effect as the first cause and the second not only concurring but concausing each of them for their full power and freedome that which they work cannot but produce that which they intended therefore God the first cause concausing in mans fall his owne good pleasure and man for his freedome in the selfe same effect concausing his owne will could doe no other but produce vnto himselfe a miserable effect but vnto God who made this serue his own will a glorious consequent to manifest a greater good then otherwise the world should euer haue conceiued and therefore giue euerie effect his right in his cause but wrong no cause for the effect because that which you may charge one cause with all was proper to another Thou This word hath relation to 16. ver but to the wicked said God thou whose heart is full of hypocrisie worship vngodlinesse conuersation vnrighteous and euerie action an impudent lying before God and man Done Doing is to be limited for generally it signifies to doe well or euill but the second is meant done amisse whether in omitting true reformation or committing vile abhominations against the sacred lawes of God both are iudged of God in this place Gods law is cast at the backe and therfore all good duties omitted the contrarie performed in profanation adulterie the euerie deceit slander c. Held When it is taken for holding to worke Plowing Meditation Labouring it properly signifies plowing hence meditating and thirdly any kind of labouring the second signification is a metaphore hence Sampsons prouerbe they plowed with my heiffer the third is a Synecdoche A second head of significations is to hold from worke and then it signifies either to omit Omit Remit Cease wholly to passe it ouer or else to remit to hold backe some of the whole thirdly wholly to cease which all of them may be applyed First I omitted wholly from calling of thee to an account and therefore thou thoughtest that all reckonings were made vp betwixt thee and me Secondly I remitted thee many offences for which thou neuer was thankefull vnto me Thirdly a long time haue I ceased from my anger and therefore as in my mercies thou scantedst me as a nigardly and pinching giuer so now in thy sinnes thou hast beene exceeding liberall and large taken my hands and armes as bound vp in a cloth and cannot be pulled out to strike thee withall Tongue The word beeing giuen to reasonable creatures First signifies as dumme Thou thoughtest that I was tongue-tied alas didst thou neuer heare me in my word Secondly deafe thou thoughtest I could not here thy mouth giuen vnto euill thy tongue to forgerie deceit cursed speaking slaunder c. Thirdly blind that I had no eyes to see thy secret hypocrisie Qui tacet consentire videtur Fourthly silent as one consenting with thee Fiftly ouerseeing as one winking at thy sinnes Sixtly sparing as neuer meaning to call thee to account But there is one signification more and that is to thinke a secret and therefore O hypocrite it might be that God all this time was thinking a secret against thee To hold the tongue is put for silence which is a Metanomy of the cause for the effect now the Lord can properly be said neither to hold the tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or keepe silence therefore a third thing is meant by a metaphor drawne from men keeping silence to wit clemency gentlenes patience forbearing long suffering bountifulnesse and a large time to repent The iustice of God as it burnes more remissely against sinne is called anger as more sharpely wrath in sentencing iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is mercie in executing reuenge now in all these God vseth mercie which is a compassion toward his creature offending and this is double either gentlenesse or bountifulnes gentlenesse gentlenesse whereby in his iustice hee remembreth mercy and this appeares in his patience patience and longanimitie patience whereby he most gently suffereth sinners deferreth his punishment longanimitie whereby he expecteth long time repentance longanimity his bountifulnesse bountifulnes whereby he is rich in goodnes powring forth his good gifts vpon his sinful creatures notwithstanding their sinnes and in all these appeares this which the Prophet hath said I held my tongue III. Part. The explication of wickedmens conceits Thoughtest 1. 1. Consent It signifies to consent vnto a thing and that is nothing els but the fitting of natures together either in their causes as like causes will haue like effects and so on the contrarie like effects like causes or of subiects with their adiuncts as this is a fit subiect for such a qualitie or this is a qualitie for such a subiect Let vs then applie thou thoughtest that is consentedst but alas how fitly doth Gods silence and their thoughts agree fire
and water good and euill may as well bee reconciled In deede Gods silence might haue wrought better effects in the mind of these wicked men but they haue so hardned themselues Rom. 2.4 and brought impenitencie vpon their hearts that they are become subiects vnfit to be wrought vpon neither haue they that wisdome as to turne themselues vnto such a subiect as Gods silence to ponder seriously thereon so that neither can it worke vpon them nor they vpon it and therefore what consention betwixt God and their thoughts 2. Acception is to conforme the fruit of agreement 2. Conformitiâ—â— by a metanomie of the effect for the cause for conformity is the effect of consention neither will this stand in any good sense thou conformedst for it is the only thing that God complaines of in this place Râ—u 2.21 that he did not conform himselfe vnto the large time that God gaue him to repent for how can there be any peace as long as the whoordomes of Iezabel are in such multtiudes peace is where men agree together but where they are vp in armes all is in an vproare and the tumult is so great that they will bee brought vnto no order The men of Ephesus when they were troubled about their goddesse made the whole citie full of confusion Act. 19. one crying one thing another the cleane contrarie all out of order and the more part knewe not wherefore they were come together the Towne Clarke for all his wisdome can hardly bring them vnto any conformitie so as long as the tumult of sinne disturbs all within vs it is impossible that God should haue audience especially when for his silence he would be heard of vs. Let a sonne of thunder cry at a doore where all are fighting and quarrelling and they will out-cry him but if he should stand silent at the doore it were impossible that they should heare him when they were at the best therfore God may stand at the doore and knocke by his silence as long as he will and he shall neuer be heard therefore thou thoughtest was no conformitie with Gods silence 3. Signification is assimulation 3. Assimulation either to assimulate himselfe vnto the thing or the thing vnto himselfe if it had beene of himselfe vnto the thing theÌ„ had his thought without all question been lawfull and honest but it is of the thing vnto himselfe and therefore let the thing bee what it will it must bee made to serue his turne And this signification is very emphaticall and seruing for our purpose and is thus much in sense as if the Lord should haue said As a wicked man thinks of me so must I be indeed he will frame mee according to his owne conceit and not his conceit according to that which I would haue him thinke of me and my silence toward him and this is the first beginning of his thought now assimulation is neuer without a conceiued image Imagination comming betwixt the two things that make themselues like Hence a fourth signification to imagine and that is a second degree vnto this thought first by turning Gods silence vnto his owne will he saw no great difference but that there was proportion and similitude enough then in the second place he imagined that hee sawe God well pleased with him Resolution Now a third degree is to bee added and that is from the imagination a direct resolution that I may thinke it and acknowledge it for the truth The reason of the phrase is this because when any thing approaches toward the minde of man then the minde turnes it selfe vnto it sees how it likes it imagines what contentment may be drawne out of it and then thinks on it if the thing be good and the mind frame it selfe according to the same then the thought that riseth from that thinking is good If on the contrarie it be bad and the mind will impresse his image then the thought is bad silence and mercie from God in this place were exceeding comfortable they enter the mind of this wicked hypocrite but they are not intertained in their owne name neither will he part with so much as a cup of cold water for his sake that sent them but he will bee refreshed by them according to his owne liking Amos 4 5. The people will bring sacrifices yea betimes in the morning tythes after three yeers a thankesgiuing of leauen free offerings c. but according to whose liking euen their owne and therefore God counts of it as to transgresse at Bethel Esa 58. and multiply transgressions at Gilgal Esay 58. they fasted punished themselues but it was to seeke their own wills and require all their owne debts they care not to haue a good glasse to looke in but they must needs breath in it and therefore the inward corruption of the heart sends out such smoakie fumes that the true image is dimmed and so they see nothing but themselues The flowers that God sent them all the time of his long silence were exceeding sweete but the mind beeing corrupt in it selfe and also in his breathing infects or rather driues backe the pleasant smell and so most truely sents it selfe yea takes the deeper poison because a sweete flower poisoned is more louingly imbraced of the sences and so the poison doth creepe in with the pleasant smell and strikes with the spirits presently to the heart so often they poison the good graces of Gods spirit which willingly would be imbraced but the poyson creepes in too into the soule and strikes all dead at the very heart the glasse that is coloured casts about all the beames of the sunne with the appearance of his colour so the glasse of our mind beeing coloured and deepe died withall impietie makes euery beame of Gods goodnesse shine according to his owne minde intus apparens prohibet alienum was an old axiome of Aristotle but well may it be brought into diuinitie sinne that onely appeares within hinders all grace and goodnesse for alas they come but as strangers vnto vs and therefore they find very meane intertainment As Christ was dealt withall when hee came vnto the inne all inward roomes were taken vp and onely the stable is left for him so doe we deale with his grace and mercie all the cheife roomet in our soules are taken vp with greater personages then Christ and his grace there is either lord couetousnesse or lord pride or ambition or pleasure or reuenge c. and therefore must Christ and his grace into the stable for we will not haue these men to rule ouer vs and therefore if his grace will become our seruant we will giue it entertainement but to be Lord ouer vs is too much we will not haue it take so much vpon it and for our seruice we haue no other place for grace but the stable and therefore no maruell if all goodnes disdaine once to come neere the houses of these wicked men