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
therefore be our wisdome to follow Gods footsteps sobrietie to stay our selues where he hath left no impressioÌ„ else shall we loose the sweete inspiration that issueth out of the flowers of Gods wisedome neither must we breath vpon it any of our vnsauourie notions for then the sweet influence wil retire into the flower the smell that we haue breathed out of our selues will returne not to recreate the spirits of grace and goodnesse but to puffe vp in vs a spirit of pride and selfe-conceit which is nothing but like a blowne bladder euacuated with the least pricke of sound knowledge For as extreame windie stomacks do not onely hinder digestion by interposition with the wholesome meate and relaxation of the mouth of the stomacke which ought to shut it selfe so close about the meate that not so much as the least vacuitie may bee left but also either by ill digestion fils the bodies with crudities obstructions and consequently putrifactions or else because winde is so stirring makes eiaculation and a sudden regurgitation of all that is receiued so in like manner windie knowledge aboue wholesome sobrietie makes such an interposition and relaxation of the minde that it can digest no wholesome doctrine but fils it selfe with all manner of rawe humors and vnstable opinions which breed such obstructions in the minde that presently it falls into diuers sickenesses and can keep nothing that is good but presently beeing receiued by the pride and selfe-conceit it hath in it selfe casts it vp againe and so by a continuall casting breeds that weaknes that so much leauen of evill doctrine is soked into the verie filmes as I may say of the mind that it breeds that disease which is tearmed of Physitians corruptio ad aciditatem corcorruption into sowernesse which sets such an eager and sharpe appetite in the mind that it hungers continually to be fed with newe opinions and so at the length rottennesse and putrifaction is bredde therein and then consequently death and destruction therefore if we meane to preuent these sicknesses we must looke to God our patterne But alas you will say how can that be done seeing hee dwells in a light vnapproachable 1. Tim. 1.16 and therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incomprehensible by our Logicke or reason and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnnamable by our graÌ„mar speech but here let vs wonder that God beeing one most simple beeing and therefore to be apprehended as one which he himselfe alone is able to doe hath made himselfe many in his attributes that so by many attributes wee might come to apprehend this one God Now these attributes are according to our measure and manner the measure of our reason and manner of our speech a vessel can hold no more then his measure neither is there any wayes how it may be filled but by the mouth so our soules hold the wisdome of God according to their measure and are to be filled with it according to their manner Now the Lord is said to speake mouth to mouth both in himselfe and by his ministers so then the wisedome of God teacheth vs that the words of euerie text are to be explaned for the manner of our apprehension and then the arguments and reasons for the measure of our knowledge Therefore in the feare of his maiesty and the loue of his wisedome let vs eie his worke before vs and write vpon it nil vltra here is my stay I wil range no further if this flower doe inspire wisedome then God giue me the taste of it and keepe my appetite and desire from that imbecillitie and strange weakenes that nothing will content it but newe inventions and vnaccustomed deuises of men my desire is to handle nothing but that which hath logicall ground in it But first let vs cleere the words for they are the ingrauen characters of the mind and therefore must we know them that we receiue no false reports by them the one serues for communication the other for information therefore the rules of speech and reason beeing obserued we doubt not but to communicate our text to the information of the weakest II. Part. Of the clearing of Gods euidence These things hast thou done These This word points out their speciall sinnes and is to limit a more generall to his specialls which are these theeuery adultery euill speaking deceit false witnesse slaunder profanation Things This is an ambiguous word first it signifies the beeing of any thing secondly it signifies any qualitie in that being thirdly any action proceeding either from the beeing or qualitie of any creature fourthly it signifies any sinne either in the qualities as vitious habits or actions as transgressions in thought word or deed fiftly miserie it is here taken in the fourth signification for sinnes because as actions proceed froÌ„ the being and qualities of euery creature so the being or quality beeing infected the action prooues bad and sinfull But here ariseth a great difficultie whether the action be the subiect of sinne or the effect It seemes to bee the subiect for a sinfull action is expounded sinne in the action so the subiect an action which is a thing should bee put for sinne his adiunct which properly is nothing But vnder the correction of the learned I iudge no action to be the subiect of sinne properly â—â—tions no subiect of sinne my reasons are these which I bring most willingly because in my apprehension it notably cleares God in working in sinfull actions Reason 1. from punishment in … d. That which is properly the subiect of sinne may bee punished but actions cannot bee punished for sinfull actions a man is punished therefore it is the man that is the subiect and his sinful action is the meritorious cause therefore when God is said to punish sinne with sinne it is to bee vnderstood sinfull action with sinfull action therfore to conclude that God is the author of sinne is a fallacian of composition and diuision for it is one thing to bee the cause of sinne and an other the cause of a sinnefull action for the sinne is not in the action but in the agent and therefore in man alone but the action is common to both as for example I cast a glasse against the stone wall the stone wall breakes the glasse so doth the hand that sast it but the one is a blameable cause the other vnblameable so man sinning casts himselfe by his owne free will against the law of God which beeing stronger then man breaks him in peices Here the lawe and will of God wrought in this sinfull action God and his law most iustly man by his own free will most vniustly the action therefore from both but the sin onely did sticke in the nature of man and so made him for his part in the action culpable and guilty of Gods wrath therfore the action hauing no sinne inherent in it properly may be handled of God without sinne Reason 2.
on his sword Adam to sinne what arguments are they in reason surely causes and effects Now to kil and may kill fall and may fall sinne and may sinne what new inuention haue they brought into reason are they not still cause aâ—d effect A man may laugh therfore if he bring his facultie into exercise it is become necessarie Surely betwixt a reason in potentia in power to argue and actu there is no substantiall change The Coryphaeus of Logitians defines an argument quod est ad arguendum affectum that is which is affected to argue All men know that the power of a thing is more neere the beeing then the act and therfore a thing can part with his act but neuer with his power or facultie A man doth not alwaies laugh nay he may alwaies be a mourning Heraclitus yet he cannot part with the facultie And if it was contingent for Adam to fall surely beeing fallen the cause is not altered onely that which might be is come to passe That which I feared saies Iob is come vpon me when he feared it it was contingent but now it is necessarie strange reason that for bringing a thing into act that was in power to the act or for a little change of time nature should be altered fire will be fire wheresoeuer it is and nature will be nature whensoeuer it is Let any answer me this one thing did God intend to create all things necessarie or some things necessarie and some things contingent If all things necessarie then let vs become Stoickes if some things contingent then I aske when those contingent things were made did they then become necessarie where is then any contingent thing made of God Euery thing you say is necessarie when it is therefore when God had made all things all things were necessarie This kinde of discourse will hold no water and for my part away with this necessitie But doe you desire to know what a necessarie thing is then in a word it is this The definition of necessitie That which is alwaies true and neither can nor could be otherwise To be alwaies true is common to contingencie and necessitie for God with whome all things are present knew them alwaies to be true yet not necessarie but here lies the difference that neither can nor could be otherwise Dare any affirme this of Adam surely then farwell all libertie and make God the true cause of sinne for beloued immutabilitie and necessitie are most principally in God and therefore from him and where you finde them acknowledge God the author If then Adams fall was of this kind it must needes be from God This argument shall be cleared when I come to the answers 4. Obiect Is drawne from the end or if you like not that because may be you will say reprobation is not mans end but Gods glorie in reprobation therefore thus I frame the argument Reprobation is a punishment now our Diuines hold that God reprobated man without consideration of his sinne therefore he punisheth man and yet not for sinne which must needs be iniustice That it is a punishment I prooue it thus Punishments according to the Schooles are either poena sensus or poena damni the punishment of sense lies in sensible torments the punishment of the damned by an Emphasis is a separation from God now reprobation is a separation from God because it is Gods desertion of man thus then if they make Gods will euill the decree of his will an effectuall cause of sinne mans will necessarily thereunto compelled and reprobation mans ende or if you please a meanes vnto the same then will it follow that they make God the author of sinne but all this you see prooued and therefore our diuines make God the author of sinne The accusation is heauie in loue therefore vnto Gods Saints and the defence of his faithfull ministers I will labour to resolue euerie one of these arguments The resolution of the former arguments To the first argument from Gods will that he wills the being existing and euent of sinne I answer by this distinction that there is a double being Gods willing of sinne to be is not the beeing of sinne existing or euent of sinne in regard of a double cause First that which man giues vnto it proceeding from his free-will and this is none of Gods the second is from God and that is an existing beeing and euent which God will draw out of sinne and this is not sinnes beeing existing or euent but Gods therefore when they say God wills that sinne should be that is he wills a beeing out of sinne first his owne glorie secondly a better good then otherwise man could haue knowne and this fiat sit eueniat existat which be the words of our Diuines is good and that this is their meaning it is cleare for say they God wills sinne to be for his glorie now sinne in his owne nature is against his glorie therefore he cannot will the being of sinne for then should he will against his glorie but he wills some euent beeing or existing which he knowes will make for his glorie Secondly God wills sinne to bee exist happen from man onely but that is the first beeing of sinne as the sinnefull action lookes at the sinnefull man whereof you heard before that a sinnefull action was onely in sense an action done by a sinnefull person But you will say how should this be done without sinne I answer here God is first said to permiâ—it to be done secondly to worke it by accident but you will say comes any thing to passe because God permits yes therefore it comes to passe because God will permit for that which God will not permit cannot come to passe and this hee doth most willingly Now when God permits in this sort he is said not to concurre with the worker of the thing but leaues him freely to himselfe this is that desertion which our Diuines speake of for if God should haue concurred to haue produced in man the act of not willing sinne and haue confirmed him in the contrarie then man should not haue fallen and this is that which Caluin affirmes that God gaue Adam posse quod voluit sed non velle quod potuit that is to be able to doe what he would but not to will that which he had power to will therefore that not impedition permission or desertion was a cause why he did not will but none why he did will that which he did will But you will obiect that not to will was a sinne and God was the cause of that I answer it is both a sinne and no sinne a sinne when it flowes from a will that is immediately bound vnto it therefore the very not willing was in Adam a sinne of omission but that not to will which Adam might haue willed did not bind God at all for God was not bound to make Adam to will God might with-drawe himselfe from that
members become sinnefull It is not simply a sinne to looke on a woman for so much as to see is done by the concurrence of a rule of Gods wisdome but in that it is to lust after a woman and so here the eye looking vpon this tree is made sinnefull because inwardly she lusts after it and that is expressed in the next words when shee saies a tree to be desired and the ende of that is to get knowledge This ende is good but will not iustifie the action because the very eating for this end was expressely forbidden The 3. act is taking of the fruit thereof neither can this simply be condemned for it might be they might haue gathered the fruit and I am thereunto perswaded because this tree as well as the rest was for man and some good vse might haue beene made thereof 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 conâ—â—â—ing the first sinne The 4. act And did eate neither here am I of Arminius minde that meant subtilly to crosse an argument in M. Perkins by affirming that the very act was forbidden The natural act was good but onely the morall act which was respectiue and in reference to Gods law that onely was sinnefull The 5. act And gaue also vnto her husband this was likewise a sinne seeing God had made her a helper vnto him to become his ruine this was the breach of charitie The last act and he did eate To this some might reply but how could this bee a sinne seeing he was ignorant of it to which I answer 〈◊〉 present 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 First I doubt not but by that excellent knowledge he had he was able vpon the very sight thereof to know that it was the fruit of the forbidden tree God brought him the beasts of the field and he named them according to their natures he knewe his wife when shee was brought vnto him these were farre more difficult then to know euery seuerall fruit in the garden seeing they are so easily distinguished by many outward appearances therefore questionlesse he knew the fruit But then you will obiect man was more foolish then the woman for shee did it by strong perswasions and he without any more adoe vpon his very wiues giuing it did eate thereof alas neuer thinke so But how then was he tempted surely I thinke it was not a new disputation betwixt his wife and himselfe that as the deuil had dealt with her so she might deale with her husband for if Adam had been absent all the while of that communication and then the serpent and the deuill in the serpent had been departed that Adam would so soone haue yeelded vnto her motion Secondly it is said that as soone as shee desired it she tooke it and did eate if this was done in the place where shee stood then assuredly her eyes would haue been open to haue seene the offence before she could haue brought Adam vnto it Thirdly if she must first haue plucked the fruit and then haue carried it to Adam and lastly haue disputed with Adam for the eating of it it had been too long a time for a woman with child in sinning and longing for an apple or a figge or what else the fruit was to haue staied her appetite so long and therefore as I doubt not but she presently are it so presently her husband yeelded too and so both their eyes were opened together But you will say did Adam stand by all the time of their disputation I know no other meaning of the text but that it should be so and therefore Adam was exceedingly too blame to suffer his wife to haue such communication with the serpent hee should haue shut him out at the first entrance for God set him to keepe the garden that no beasts should come in it Now tell me I beseech you what concourse Gods law had in mans fall and the selfe-same is my iudgement that God had in it Now the lawe stood at hand to haue ioyned with man to haue brought forth his obedience vnto God and haue kept him from all sinnes of omission but man would not heare the voice of the lawe but of the deuill against the law therefore no maruell if he fell So then the Lord concurred by his law I will vse the word of Arminius quantum decuit yea and quantum oportuit as much as was seemely and as much as was expedient and this none of our Diuines denie if I may speake it bona venia with the good liking of all Arminians so that God withheld none of this grace from him but as I said before the deede of his will or that velle quod potuit which was not of such absolute necessitie neither wanted man any concourse if he had been as good as his meanes were But you say further Gods will no irresistable motion to mans â—ill the motion was irresistable and so man was no faultie cause seeing he could doe no better Alas had they all those free actions in sinne and yet did nothing proprijs voluntatibus I see nothing at all done by them but was done most freely But then you say the will of God might haue beene frustrated Alas senslesse creatures when the Apostle saies who hath resisted the will of God at any time is most certaine in very reason it selfe for the superiour cause can neuer suffer of the inferiour cause therefore if mans will should goe about to resist or frustrate the will of God it were euen against reason it selfe for then should Gods wil suffer of mans will And againe with Arminius God forbid it should be otherwise but that consilium Deistaret that Gods counsell should stand and therefore God hath an irresistable will and if that then the motion of his will is also irresistable if this then man cannot resist it and if he cannot resist then is hee mooued irresistably to sinne Fiue propositions to explaine how Gods will cannot be resisted stay there the consequence is false I know you will graunt me these fiue propositions and I know no more that our Diuines defend first that Gods will is the supreame cause secondly that Gods will cannot suffer thirdly that none can resist it fourthly that his motion is likewise irresistable fiftly that neither men nor angels can resist it But tell mee how you can prooue your consequence therefore man in sinning followes Gods irresistable motion I know no such consequence either in the Scriptures or our men for euery motion of Adam and the woman were most free and they followed most willingly their owne motion But you will say God decreed this motion true yet no cause thereof for he decreed man should be the cause of it himselfe But could this be done and yet God be no cause thereof yes assuredly for you are deceiued of Gods decree by putting it into the thing when it is in himselfe And here I will cleare vnto you another way that God takes in his decree then you imagine First Gods decree ariseth from
Conscientia in effectu affectu â—uâ—nâ—u vel pro effectu praeterito vel pro affectu presente vel pro eueÌ„tu futuro for the fact past that is either in regard of God or man of man it either absolues or coÌ„demns in regard of god a witnes either to excuse or accuse for the affection that followes vpon this it is either ioy or sorrow ioy vpon absoluing and excusing sorrowe vpon accusing condemning and for the future euent it is either the expectation of reward or the feare of punishment That this may a litle the better appeare let vs see how the coÌ„science is locked or vnlocked this eye is alwaies as a booke that is both clasped and open at the same time or els wholly clasped and locked vp The claspes that doe all this are in number three goodnes Claspes of conscience 1. Goodnesse sinne and punishment Goodnesse clasps vp the accusation of the conscience but alwaies leaues open the conscience for excusation therefore a good conscience will open for no accusation nor shut for any vaine excusations Secondly 2. Sinne. sinne is either the clasper and vnclasper together or the clasper alone the clasper and vnclasper by excusation or accusation as in our first parents it is said when they had sinned their eyes were opened not that they were blind before but that now the eye had lost the power of excusing and therefore in that was shut vp and blinded but was altogether vnlocked for accusation and condemning of themselues yet by reason of custome and long continuance in sinne that verie selfe same thing which opened the eies of our first parents hath wholly seared vp the eyes of some that their consciences neither accuse nor excuse except you will say they falsly excuse when they make vs cry peace peace and all is well with vs. Now this for the most part is the claspe of mens consciences so that except God bring iudgement the conscience will neuer be awaked from his securitie 3. Punishment Therefore the third claspe of the conscience is punishment this holds most surely in excusation in so much that none can either vnclaspe it or by any meanes be able to mitigate the strait holding of punishment from all comfort so that neither angels nor men nor any other creature can giue a dramme of comfort but for the vnclasping of the conscience it wil do it most forcibly and exceedes all other meanes and therefore is to bee vnderstood in this place Hence ariseth a fourefold distinction of conscience the first that is at peace with it selfe Conscience quiet but not good quiet nor good but not with God and that is the conscience that is wholly locked vp the second that is neither at peace with God nor it selfe and that is the conscience vnder the horror of the punishment of sinne good not quiet the third conscience which is not at peace with it selfe but with God and that conscience hath two claspes in it goodnesse and sinne goodnes from God sin from it selfe good and quiet The fourth that hath peace with God and with it selfe and this is a conscience that feeles a claspe of Gods mercie to bind vp the broken heart and make it breake forth with ioy and gladnesse So that now if we looke into the world wee shall find that euerie man is either a Prince or a peasant either the basest among the sonnes of men and most ignoble or els couragious as a lyon and stout hearted as a gyant If a man were as poore as Lazarus and as naked as Iob yet if he bad a good conscience he would be higher then Princes and scorn to yeild a foote for the proudest but on the contrarie if hee were as stout as Alexander as merry as Belshazzar as wise as Ahithophel as proud as Hammon and as rich as Nabal yet hauing an euill conscience he would tremble with Alexander for the touch of an ague quiuer with Belshazzar for the appearance of a finger hang himselfe with Ahitophel for that his counsell was brought to nought mourne with Hammon vpon his bed for the losse of his honour or his heart would die within him as it did within Nabal for the losse of a field or in a word hee would tremble at a very leafe and therefore fearfull shall bee the estate of these men when the Lord shall thus vnlocke their consciences as he hath promised he will doe in this place Now this vnlocking is threefold Keyes to vnlock conscience 1. Amazement First by a generall amazement when a man is suddenly stricken but he knowes no particular cause as Belshazzar was in the 5. of Dan. the writing on the wall vnclasped his conscience by a sudden amazement Secondly 2. Particular knowledge by a particular knowledge of the sinne that they haue commited as it was with Indas who said Phaue sinned in betraying inocent blood this did strike so deepely into his conscience that be departed and hanged himselfe and for verie greife the rimme of his bellie rent in peices Thirdly and lastly 3. Gods departure by a most lamentable farwel in hell when the Lord shall say O my creature I made thee glorious but thou hast spoyled all thy glorie and lost my fauour farewell my creature I the fountaine of liuing water I the liuing God I thy life and length of dayes thy verie breath must leaue thee and come vnto thee as a consuming fire as a roaring lyon heape vpon thee all torments in bodie and soule Again thou shalt say Farewell creator farwell louing wife farewell my children and all my freinds farewell my pleasures prosits and all my worldly lusts Alas will none of you pitie mee wilt thou O Lord looke on and take no compassion and will you my freinds if with me curse me and cry A vengence on me will you thus reward my loue vpon earth If in heauen will you crie with father Abraham Remember that you had your pleasure when many a Saint starued at your doore and therefore iustly art thou tormented and we most mercifully rewarded you did vs much hurt in your pretended loue and blessed be God you preuailed not in your will Alas is it so why then O worme of conscience doe thy worst burne fire that can not be quenched I gnash with my teeth to see the prosperity of my freinds blaspheme God with the rest of my freinds here in hel not as sinning for that we did in brauery vpon earth to teare God in peices was our credit but now we together see all to be our punishments and we can take no sweet solace in our companie as we did vpon earth Thus the wicked goe downe to hell to see their sinnes set in order before their consciences to their euerlasting shame and confusion that could not see it vpon earth the deuill hath lead them into the mids of hel as the Prophet the Aramits that came to take him into the mids
commaunding authoritie he that bad the Theames stand if he had not gotten away he should haue knowne what they would haue thought of his power so shall the Lord deale with them when his wrath shall ouertake them and they shall not be able to flie away Fourth sinne is blasphemie against the Trinitie 4 Sinne against the whole Trinitie for they conclude these damnable words in the name of the father sonne and holy Ghost Fifth sinne is profanation of Gods holy ordinances 5. Profanation for then comes in a creed a pater noster and an Aue-maria The sixt sinne 6. A signe of iâ— in the iust pâ—nishment or rather an admirable punishment falling most secretly vpon them and that is this if the beast be forespoken then the blesser shall fall a goning or yoning that is be sicke at the heart and if this followe then an euident signe the beast is forespoken Oh consider this yee simple and ignorant people that will needs forget God Are not all sicknesses the plagues of God then a plaine case that God plagueth you by the deuil wheÌ„ you are about your good praiers Superstition Abuse of Baptisme A second kind for beasts is no better then this For first if the beast haue no name then must they giue it one or if they haue one then must they tell the name If this be done that the beast may the better be blessed it is superstition or secondly if for dedication to their office then abuse of baptisme wherein we are named that wee may giue vp our names vnto Christ Second sinne is the abuse of Gods prouidence Prouidence for after this they say if thou be forspoken by heart by eye or by tongue as though these were any causes Dauid saw more in Shemeis cursing and rayling and therefore God will say vnto them yee haue abused me for I did that euill vnto your goods because ye sinned against me and haue not repented therefore haue you done sinfully with Saul to goe vnto a witch The third abuse is of a grace in reconciliation for they say Reconciliation Three bitter brists hast thou borne and three good meanings be thy boote that is thou hast been troubled exceedingly but thou shalt haue great comfort A strange thing that that which can be applied to no creature but the sonnes of adoption Rom. 8.28 should be applyed to bruite beasts Fourth sinne is blasphemie 1. Against the Trinitie in that they conclude as before 4 Against the Trinity Christ grace in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost 2. Against Christ in that they bring in his fiue bloody wounds 3. Against grace for they say to the beast vpon those words would giue thee grace to amend strange that grace should bee giuen to beasts euen that which followeth the passion of our Sauiour Christ Fift sinne 5. Profanation is against Gods worship for then come in again a companie of prayers and it must be done three times before and after sunne rise or set A worke of darkenes and full of superstition Another kind they haue for the healing of men both of their eies and also of their teeth which are of the same nature That for the eyes is full of ridiculous iesting and can hardly be named without blushing yet because men are so blind that they will perceiue nothing vntill we iust gall them vpon the sore I will as modestly as I can shew how they sinne against God First they vse lying in that there is neither such meeting asking 1 Lying answering as they speake of for the 3. virgins as they tearm them neuer met those 3. that they speak of to wit Frith Frith-well 2 Forsaking God and our Ladie as they say Secondly a great sinne to ascribe such power vnto them as shall make them mightifull for the curing of the eyes that is to forsake God and trust in they knowe not what 3. Abuse of the Saints Thirdly to ioyne the blessed virgin Marie with two deuils for what these two names signifie els I knowe not must needs be a great abuse of the glorified Saints 4. Iesting Fourthly there is ridiculous iesting in serious matters for the forme is so foolish that it would make any man breake out into laughter Now the curing of the eyes is no small matter the eie is deare and pretious and therefore ought to be dealt withall in a more serious manner 5. Abuse of the creatures Fiftly abuse of Gods creatures as redde gold running water greene grasse gray-goose feather which neither by diuine ordinarion as Sacraments nor physically haue any such power of curing 6. Superstition and therefore they shall rise against them at the day of iudgement Sixtly these beeing dipped in the water and the eie thrise washed is the cure meere superstition and a meere ceremonie of the deuills which hath his power and efficacie from the deuill Lastly for the tooth for faine would I make an ende yet still doe I respect the good of mens soules This is but short in forme yet full enough of sinne first 1. Coniuring 2. Abuse of the creatures 3. Of Gods sacrifices it containes in it the forme of coniuring secondly abuse of Gods creatures thirdly abuse of Gods sacrifices for the creatures that they haue abused as a hasel sticke written on must be burnt in the fire I knowe not for what ende except to sacrifice for the teeth fourthly the words written are both senslesse and ridiculous 4. … ly for illa abs Hur Sur who can expound them to any good sense surely I may expound them out of Latine and Hebrue she is without a double prince for Hur signifies a Prince in the Hebrue tongue and so doth Sur and without all question a witch is without any king vpon earth for she ought to die and she is without God But alas they haue reasons to perswade The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—he ignorant there is a salue for euerie sore we see the cure wrought by them and all that they doe is by good prayers and we see no hurt in them Well a falue for euerie sore must be gotten lawfully and also applyed lawfully but here is neither of both Secondly they doe the cure that is a lie for it is the deuill that doth it to get men to beleeue him and so for their paines they loose their soules Examples of this wee haue in the Scripture Witches doe many thing but the whole efficacy is from the deuill Saul had the matters came to passe that the deuill told him and therefore saies God Deut. 13.2 though it come to passe yet thou shalt not listen thereunto for the Lord doth it to trie thee withal whether thou wilt serue him or other gods Act. 8. Samaria was seduced by Simon the Sorcerer they esteemed him as some great man gaue heed vnto him from the least to the greatest because he had bewitched them with sorceries One was