often to passe that the infirmities and sinnes appeareing in the life of a faithfull man make the sinceritie of his religion doubtfull to others yet he himselfe feeling the inwarde worke and motions of Gods spirite is vndoubtedly perswaded that he is the childe of God We confesse that a man truly regenerate may haue his faith sore shaken and the holinesse of his life greatly blemished by the force of temptation and so may for a time want in part or wholly this assurance of saluation Yet this doth not hinder him from hauing it at an other time yea all the daies of his life as may be seene in most of the faithfull Lastly we are not to thinke that this assurance of saluation is or can be to a faithfull man a motiue to sinne and dissolutenesse of life with the which it cannot stand For as it is gotten by holynesse whereby a man seeth that he is endued with the spirite of God and effectuallie called to beleeue the Gospell so it is lost by a sinfull and wicked life the which sheweth plainlie that a man is destitute of true faith and of Gods spirite for by the fruite the tree is knowen nay there is nothing of greater froce in restraining the faithfull from sinne then this that they knowe that the committing of any one wilfull sinne doth wound their owne consciences and diminish this notable treasure of assurance of saluation For as he that taketh one or a fewestones out of a wall although he doe not ouerthrow the building yet he maketh it the weaker so a fewe sinfull actions in the life of a faithfull man although they can not depriue him of this assuraunce it hauing bene gathered and as it were builded vp with the holinesse of many yeares yet they doe diminishe it and can not but trouble his conscience CHAP. IIII. Sect. 1. Of the created holinesse of mans memorie IT had bene little auailable for the holy and happie estate of man that he was endued with those notable faculties of conceauing vnderstanding and knowing Gods will and word when God did reueale himselfe vnto him if he had not bene made able to retaine the saide knowledge for the time following For otherwise God shoulde haue powred his graces into a bottomlesse or broken vessell which coulde not keepe or containe any thing and man shoulde haue reaped little profit by that which woulde be as soone lost as gotten For this cause God in great wisdome did endue the soule of man with a speciall facultie vsually called memory by vertue whereof man in this state of innocencie doth safelie keepe whatsoeuer the minde doth truely conceaue and so when occasion serueth doth giue the saide knowledge backe againe to the minde to be thought vpon meditated vttered in worde and followed in peed so that the memory is the storehouse of the soule wherin thinges both newe and old are carefully laide vp and faithfullie preserued and as it were the register of the minde taking a note of euery thing which commeth into it This facultie as all the other of mans soule was in the state of innocencie so perfect and of such strength as that by it man might at any time call to minde not euerie trifling thing which he had heard and seene a thousand yeares past for so his memorie shoulde haue bene confounded and in a manner infinite but whatsoeuer thing had at any time bene reuealed vnto him by God or was conceaued by his naturall faculties if so be it were a matter of any importance the knowing and remembring whereof might serue to some notable vse and profite vnto him As for other common matters of life which it was more gaine to loose then to keepe in these humaine infirmitie preuailed to forgetfulnesse For we are not to thinke that man was in this respect or any other as God is whose nature being euerie way infinite doth in one moment and with one motion of mind remember or rather knowe all particulars that haue bene done at any time For God doth thinke of all thinges together without confusion but the minde of man being not onely finite but also hauing in it a kinde of weaknesse if we compare him with the Angels can not thinke of many much lesse of infinite thinges at once but of one thing after an other and so doth the memorie remember those particulars which were committed to the custody of it letting goe matters of no vse that there may be place for thinges of importance as are the actions comaundementes apparitions reuelations and worde of God In the knoweing and remembring whereof the happinesse and holinesse of man did consist and therefore it stood him in hande to commit these thinges to sure custodie the which we are not to doubt but that he did so as that after many thousand yeares he was able to remember that which might any way serue for his good Neyther â—â—ede we maruaile thereat considering the frailtie of our owne memories which are neuer good when they are at the best and are soone cleane lost by sicknesse age or any such meanes For as is the strength of the bodie whereby as by an instrument the soule worketh so are the faculties of the minde and therefore as the body of man did continue in perfect vigour for many thousand yeares yea for euer so did his minde or memorie retaine the first vigour without being diminished Whereby we see that man in this facultie of memorie whereby his knowledge was made eternall did notablie resemble God whose nature is eternall Sect. 2. Of the sinfulnesse of mans memory AS in all other respectes so also in regard of this faculty man since the fall is so changed from his first estate that he scarse seemeth to be the same creature that he was hauing as wholly lost this faculty of a reasonable soule as if he had neuer beene endued with it For howsoeuer in regard of earthly worldlie and sensible things this faculty is after a sort remaining in man yet it hath no manner of force or power to retaine heauenlie and spirituall matters and the true knowledge of God and no maruaile for how shal the memory keepe when as the mind cannot conceiue it But mans corruption cannot so be cloaked in this behalf as if it it were wholly in the minde and not in this and other faculties For although the fountaine of it be in the minde which is the moouer and gouernour of the other faculties yet each faculty hath his peculiar fault the which may plainely be seene in the memory For suppose that which doth daily come to passe that a carnall man doth not onely heare the word of God for fashions sake but also marke and in some measure vnderstand it a man would thinke that all were safe and brought to a good passe the minde hath done his duety in conceiuing the trueth of the word as the body hath done in hearing so that now the word of God is come to the memory and
giuen and hee shall haue abundaunce And it is said of diuers in the booke of the Acts that they were full of faith and of the holy ghost This abundance in the minde is called Plerophoria a certaine and vndoubted perswasion said to be in Abraham Rom. 4. 21. Hereof cometh abundaunce of faith of loue Rom. 5. 3. and 15. 13. and of all graces as 1. Thess. 1. 3. the Apostle mentioneth the worke of their faith their laborious loue and their patient hope And 2 Thess. 1. 3. that their faith superaugescit that is encreaseth aboue the common and ordinarie measure and that their loue did abounde accordingly This aboundaunce of grace is to be seene in the prophets Apostles martyrs and many other of the seruantes of God who therefore are made types and patterns for vs to imitate and set before our eyes as lanternes full of light and as shining and blazing starres that we might both admire and labour to ouertake them in their excellent graces and especially in their particular vertues For thus the scripture mentioneth the vprightnesse of Enoch who walked with God in all his waies the patience of Iob. Iam. 5. 11 the faith of Abraham the meeknesse of Moses the courage of Iosua the faithfulnesse of Samuel the absolute perfection of Dauid being a man according to Gods owne hearte the wisdome of Salomon the zeale of Phinies Iosias and many others Thus Paule mentioneth his owne painefulnesse in preaching the gospel to be farre aboue the labours of the rest of the Apostles Thus he sayeth Rom 16. 7. That Andronicus and Iunia were men notable among the Apostles and of Timothie that none was like to him in faithful labour and care for the good of the church Philip. 2. 20. The notes and markes whereby this abundaunce may be knowen are these a burning zeal of gods glorie of setting forwarde his worship and gospel a vehement hatred of idolatrie and all shadowes of superstition a tender and bountifull loue toward the godly a minde vndaunted with any torment death or miserie a constant course of godlinesse in all outward chaunges whatsoeuer as the Apostle sayeth of him selfe Philip. 4. 13. That he coulde want and abounde be full and empty and that he coulde do all thinges a life free from any grosse sinne an extraordinary contempt of all worldly pleasures Lastly a manner of freedom from being either ouercome or almost tempted by any grosse sinne For although the corruption of flesh and the impudencie of Sathan who was not ashamed to tempt Christ to commit sin be so great that no man be he nener so holy may lay away his weapons and be secure in respect of temptations yet by the blessing of God and a long practise of all godlinesse the faithfull come sometimes to such a surpassing strength in grace that as the couragious horse going into the battel scorneth the feareful sounds noyse of the trumpets so this godly man wherof we speake in this chapter laugheth at the temptations of Sathan and the entisementes of the world yet not presuming on his owne strength but relying himselfe wholly on the mighty power of the spirite of God The meanes of attaining to this high degree of holinesse is to seeke it by earnest prayer at the handes of God from whom onely commeth euery good and perfect gift But the meanes which God vseth in giuing it are diuerse some good some euil in themselues and therefore not to be vsed by vs of the first sort are all holy exercises appointed by God for the begetting continuall encrease of grace to the carefull diligent long and continuall vse whereof God doth often graunt this happie successe euen as he blesseth the diligent and painfull hand with greate plenty in temporall thinges Of the second sort is the abundaunce of sinne before regeneration the which it pleaseth God some time to chaunge into this abundaunce of grace as we see that the highest floudes follow the lowest ebbes This God doth to make manifest the great power and efficacy of his spirit in renewing the elect which is able to bringe the greatest measure of holinesse out of the greatest wickednes as cleare light out of palpable darkenes This Christ teacheth vs. Luk. 7. 41. In the parable of the two debters whereof the greater had greater cause and also a greater measure of loue And in the example of the woman verse 47. Who loued much because many sinnes were forgiuen vnto her sowhere sinne doth abound there grace aboundeth much more Yea for this purpose God doth sometimes vse the hote fiercenesse of affections and the violent disposition of nature the which as of it selfe it carieth a man headlong into the most outragious sinnes so being sanctified by Gods spirite it becommeth the whetstone of holinesse Thus was the Apostle Paule both naturally and spiritually affected and therefore being an infidell he was a most superstitious pharisie more then mad in persecuting the church and becomming a faithfull man passed all others in vnquenchable zeale of Gods spirite Lastly as touching this abundance of grace no man can attaine so high a degree of it as that he may sitte downe as being at his iorneis end but as the greater riches that a man hath the greater is his gaine desire and encrease of riches so the more holinesse that any man hath the more carefully ought and the more fruitfully may he laboure in encreasing it Phil. 3. 13. Brethren saieth the Apostle I count not that I haue attained vnto any such perfection But still I doe forget that which is behinde and endeuore my selfe to that which is before That is I doe not minde that holinesse which I haue already receaued but doe continually thinke on that which I doe want as yet CHAP. IX Of celestiall holinesse ALthough we haue now gone as far in declaring the renewed holinesse of man as any man can in this worlde either in hauing or in practising it yet we are not here to rest as being come to the end of our iorney For if the aforesaid aboundaunce of spirituall graces which be it neuer so great cannot possibly be voide of sinne be absolutelie the highest degree this inconuenience which is in no wise to be admitted would of necessitie follow that man doth not in regeneration recouer as good a state and as great a measure of holinesse by the mercy of God in christ as he had in his first creation and lost by his owne sinne in Adam And therefore we are to goe on a little further in this treatise and in our desire till we come to such an absolute perfection of renewed holinesse as is free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer This perfection may without all question yea must necessarely be attained vnto For man can not be perfectly happie by enioying the presence of God into the which nothing being sinfull can enter as long as he is imperfectly holy Yet he
A TREATISE of the threefolde state of man wherein is handled 1 His Created holinesse in his innocencie 2 His Sinfulnesse since the fall of Adam 3 His Renewed holinesse in his regeneration Ephes. 4. 22. 23. 24. 2 You haue beene taught in Christ to put off the Olde man corrupt according to the lusts of error 3 To be renewed in the spirit of your mindes and to put on the New man 1 Which was Created according to God in righteousnesse and the Holinesse of trueth Printed at London for Robert Dexter and Raph Iackeson 1596. To the godly wise and vertuous ladie the Ladie Elizabeth Cary wife to the right worshipfull Sir Robert Cary Knight temporall and eternall happinesse in the Lord Iesus AS the writing and publishing of bookes for the good of the whole Church so the intituling or dedicating of them Right worshipfull Lady to some notable personage in particular is grounded vpon many iust causes and great commodities which it bringeth commended vnto vs by the continual practise of the Church from time to time and warranted by pregnant examples in the word of God For by this meanes it commeth to passe that both the fauour of men whereby the building of Gods Church is greatly furthered is procured for the maintenance of the trueth and the proffessours of it and also their graces vertues and Christian liues not onely crowned with due and deserued praise a thing righteous and acceptable in the sight of God yea a notable encouragement and spurre to good workes and therefore carefully perfourmed by the Apostle Paul Rom. 16. and in many other places but also propounded for imitation to the whole Church as cities set on the tops of hils and as a candle not couered with a bushell but set in a candlesticke in the light wherof men may see enter and follow on the way leading to eternall life Thus the Euangelist Luke writeth the story of the life death of Christ to one Theophilus and Iohn that diuine Apostle inscribeth one of his Epistles to a certaine faithfull and elect Lady and thus as infinite others haue written publike argumentes to priuate men so we doe now presume to prefixe your Ladiships name to this simple treatise written of a matter worthy to be handled after a better manner to wit of the spirituall state of man or of the holinesse and sinfulnesse the puritie and corruption of the soule It is not needfull vnlesse perhaps in regard of them who are vnacquainted with the state of that country to rehearse the reasons mouing me so to doe To let passe the earnest desire of them who might commaund me in any lawful matter but especially in this it is well knowen that in the towne country where you dwell as in worldly dignity God hath giuen vnto you an high place and calling so you haue returned thankefulnesse to him and beene in the profession of the Gospell of Christ not the last or lowest but forward and zealous and that not onely in seruing God your selfe but also in procuring the saluation of others by setting vp and maintaining the ministery of the word and fauouring the sincere preachers and professors of it As I my selfe who being in some sort astraunger in those partes know not much of the affaires of them know in diuerse of my friendes for whose good I haue good cause to reioyce and to giue your Ladiship hearty thankes for great fauour shewed vnto them Yea I am perswaded that many in that country the good whereof especially we intend in this action will to let other reasons passe euen for that loue which they beare vnto you more hartely fauour and more willingly take the paines to peruse this treatise Neither doe I doubt but that God will accomplish that notable worke which he hath begunne in you and by your meanes so inlarge that fountaine of spiritual grace which he hath put into your heart that the streames thereof shall ouerflow that dry and barren contry and water that tender plante of the true knowledge of Christ so lately set and so seldome to be seene in it yea refresh the bowels and reioyce the hearts of all that feare God Considering that for the effecting hereof God hath giuen vnto you manie singular meanes which he hath denied vnto others of his seruants as namelie worldly honour and power the which meeting with the vnfained loue of God and of his glory doth as a mightie gale of winde set forward the gospell of Christ in a speedie and happie course purchasing vnto it friendlie entertainemet and fauour at the handes of many who otherwise would perhaps not greatly regard it For then the state of the Church is most flourishing when as Kinges and Queenes Lordes and Ladies and all degrees of honourable men women are nourse-fathers and nourse-mothers vnto her But then especially this commeth to passe whenas wisedome sitteth at the helme guiding worldly power spirituall zeale in the right course As touching the which vertue if I should heere mention that which is constantly reported of you I should seem to many euen to all that know you not to doe that which I would be loath to do euen to flatter that not onely your selfe but also your sexe the which if that be true which is generally thoght and spoken may by your example wipe away that blot of sillie simplicity and want of deepe reach in matters of importance wherewith it is vsually stained and debased But I must be sparing in this behalf least that I seeme to mind and admire your wisedome so much that in the meane time I forget and offend your modesty the most proper and pretious iewell of your sexe Onely I desire God to encrease this and all other his good graces in you and so to guide you by them in the whole course of your life that they who haue occasion to trie may haue good cause to say as the prophet Dauid doth of and to Abigal 1. Sam. 26. 33. Blessed be thy wisedome you know the storie Thus being loth to be tedious and troublesome vnto you I commend this sillie present to your gentle acceptation your Ladiship to the gracious protection of God Written in Cambridge this xxx of March in the yeare of grace reuealed 1596. Your Ladiships to be commaunded in all duetifulnesse Thomas Morton To the reader encrease of all spirituall vnderstanding and euerlasting peace WE doe here offer to thy christian consideration and courteous entertainment gentle reader a rude description of the spirituall state of man The which if perhaps thou desire to haue for shortnesse plainnesse memory and fashions sake comprised in some one memorable worde may not vnfitly be tearmed Adam in whome onely all these three estates did concurre and may be seene or an anatomie of the soule A matter of all other most needefull to be knowen and learned yea most worthy to be handled explaned dilated and illustrated with all care and diligence it being that
holinesse of life and all happinesse The second is the estate of the fall of sinne of death and of all miserie The third is the state of regeneration of righteousnesse of saluation and of eternall glory These three estates we desire to declare out of the word of God which entreateth plentifully of the two latter but more sparingly of the first for that it continued a verie short time Yet we may learne the doctrine of it also out of the scripture especially by these meanes first out of the example of Adam Eua and Christ the which three onely of all mankinde liued in this estate Secondly out of the state of the Angels which agreeth with the state of man in many respectes and therefore we doe often in the two first estates speake of the Angels not of set purpose but as by the way and for the further illustration of the state of man who in his creation agreeth with all the Angels and in his fall with the reprobate sort of them Thirdly we may consider the innocency of man in those thinges which the scripture speaketh of God to whom it often giueth the person of man not polluted with sinne but remaining in his first purity and lastly we may gather what was the state of the first creation by the state of regeneration the which being nothing else but the renewing of the first estate will giue vs great light for the vnderstanding of it Further this is to be marked that by the state of innocency we do not meane those fewe daies onely wherein Adam did continue innocent but also the whole progresse and course of this state as it would haue beene if man had not fallen at all the which supposed continuance of the state of innocencie differeth much from that actuall estate wherein Adam was before his fall for he was not at the first endued with any such actuall perfection of holinesse and happinesse but that he was daily to encrease in both these respectes as God should reueale himselfe more more vnto him Lastly this treatise is diuided into three parts each part into diuers chapters which in the two former partes haue each of them three Sections according to the three diuers states of man the which may be considered in the table following eyther seuerally by the reader going downe in the seuerall columnes or in comparison with the other two in the ouerthwarte lines The first part Ch Section 1. Section 2. Section 3 1 Of the state of innocency and life pag. â— Of the state of sinne and death pag. 5 Of the state of râ—â—generation saâ—â—uation pag. 1â— 2 Of the happines wherein man was created pag. 29 Of his miserable estate since the fall pag. 41 Of the eternall happinesse of maâ— pag. â— 3 Of created holinesse pag. 38 Of the sinfulnesse of man pag. 41 Of renewed hâ—â—linesse pag. â— 4 Of faith in generall and of legall faith pag. 59 Of infidelitie pag. 70 Of euangelicalâ— faith pag â— 5 Of hope pag. 106. Of desperation pag. 108 Of renewed 〈◊〉 hope pag. â— 6 Of the feare of God pag. 122. Of the want of the said feare pag. 126 Of renewed 〈◊〉 pag. â— 7 Of filiall subiection pag. 133. Of the want of filial subiectioÌ„ p. 139 Of filial subiect 〈◊〉 renewed pag. â— 8 Of seruile subiection pag. 160. Of seruâ—le rebellion pag. 163 Of seruile subiecâ—â— renewed pag. â— 9 Of mans subiection to God as to his teacher pag. 171. Of mans rebellion against God his teacher pag. 175 Of mans subieâ—â— to God his teaâ—â— renewed pag ◠〈…〉 subiection of the creature pag. 185 Of mans rebellion against his creator pag. 189 Of mans subiection to his creator renewed pag. 192  〈…〉 〈…〉 Of mans subiectioÌ„ to God as to a husband pag. 195  The second part Section 1 Section 2. Section 3. Of the image of God in man in his pure estate pa. 202 Of mans deformity or vnlikenesse to God pag. 213 Of the renewed image of God in man pag. 215 Of the created holinesse of the minde pag. 217 Of the sinfulnesse of the minde pag. 238 Of a renewed minde pag 248 Of mans conscience in his pure estate pag. 252 Of a corrupt coÌ„science pag 254 Of a renewed coÌ„science certenty of saluation pag. 263 Of the holinesse of mans memorie pag. 270 Of the sinfulnesse of the memorie pag. 274 Of a renewed memory pag. 276 Of the created holinesse of the will pag. 279 Of the sinfulnes of the will pag. â—93 Of the renewed will of man pag. 311 Of the affections specially of loue hatred pag. 318 Of corrupt affections pag. 326 Of renewed loue and hatred pag. 330 Of holy ioy and sorrow pag. 336 Of corrupt ioy sorrow pag. 342 Of renewed ioy and sorrow p. 345 The third part Of the chaunges hapning in the three estates pag. 349 Of the changes of created holinesse pag. 353 Of the naturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 358 Of the supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 363 Of the particulars in this supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 374 Of the naturall supernaturall encrease of sinfulnes pa. 380 Of the decrease of renewed holinesse pag. 388 Of the encrease of renewed holinesse pag 414 Of celestiall holinesse pag 424 OF THE THREEfold state of man The first parte of this treatise wherein is handled the first part of mans holinesse and sinfulnesse to wit his due subiection to God with the contrarie rebellion CHAP. I. Section 1. Of the state of innocency and life FOR the enlarging of Gods glory the which is the ende of the creation of the world it was needful that of the creatures some should be indued with vnderstanding For euen as the strength wisedome and beauty of a man cannot purchase vnto him any commendation or credite vnlesse some others besides himselfe doe marke knowe and acknowledge those excellent parts of nature and industrie in like maner the heauens the ayre the water and the earth although they be decked and replenished with starres birds fishes beasts and many other admirable creatures and doe containe in them infinite matter of Gods glorie yet they could not any iot encrease that glory which God had before the creation vnlesse there were some other creatures able to obserue conceiue declare admire and extoll the power wisedome and goodnesse of God shining in these thinges For this cause God after that he had made the higher and the lower world the one consisting of the heauens the other of the elements he sawe it needfull for the illustration of his glory to create Angels and men to be the inhabitants and as his tenaunts of these glorious palaces yea to behold and confesse the excellency of his workemanshippe in themselues and in the rest of the creatures For the which purpose he gaue vnto them faculties of vnderstanding and speaking with many other which he denied to the rest Thus we see the excellent state of Angels and men beeing made to be witnesses and
our nature is capable and whereunto we willby all meanes aspire notwithstanding your commaundement to the contrary not doubting but that by our own strength wit endeauours and inuentions we shall become farre more happy then we are by this your creation Vpon this resolution the creature disobeyeth the expresse commaundement of God and so falleth from God into extreame misery Now whether the blame of this fall be to be imputed to God or to the creature it self let any reasonable creature iudge for God did neither commaund nor counsell it but did carefully forewarne them of it yea he did neither put any euill motion into their mindes nor yet withdrawe from them any naturall grace whereby they shoulde haue beene vpholden but left it to their free choise whither they would be cleane and obey him or else rebell against his worde If it be obiected that the necessitie of Gods decree did compell the creature to fall wee answere affirming that to be vtterly vntrue For God did decre that the fal of man should com to passe by his free will and therefore his decree did not take away but establishe mans free will If it bee thought impossible that the same action shoulde bee both necessary and contingent as wee make this action to be we answere that to man it is impossible but not to God For man cannot bring any thing certainly to passe by vncertaine and contingent meanes but God can worke necessarily by those meanes which to mans reason fall out by chaunce and at hap hazard For there is no thing contingent or vncertaine to God whodoth foresee al the euents of thinges and so doth build his immutable decree vppon the euentes themselues which are necessary not vppon the contingencie of the causes As in this instance how easy a thing was it for God foreseing that man being indued with free will whereby he might doe either good or euill woulde choose the euill part to decree the fall of man by his freewill and yet to leaue man in the very action free either to stand or to fall Againe if it be obiected that God might haue vpholden man by some extraordinary grace we confesse that to be true but yet it doth not thereof follow that God was the cause of this fall for the naturall grace wherewith man was endued and which was inherent in himselfe was sufficient if he woulde haue vsed it aright and for supernaturall grace God was neither bounde to giue any neither did he thinke the creature worthy of anie newe supplie of grace which did so vnthankefully abuse his former bountie or that the continuance of this pure estate woulde illustrate his glory so much as woulde the fall of man Lastly it may be thought that God might and ought to haue made these his exellent creatures in a firme and permanent estate and that by takeing from them all possibilitie of falling and all freedome of will in respect of euill as he doth to the elect Angels and men and as his owne nature is vncapable of euill Wherevnto we answer that this which is alleaged is a thing altogether impossible for the fredome of will doth not derogate anie thing from the perfection of the creature the which could not haue bene made excellent without it For where no will is there is no vnderstanding As for the elect both men and Angels they are vpholden by the supernatural grace of God not by any such natural strength disposition of wil as cannot chuse euil the which if they had they were not reasonable creatures but either as brute beasts and senslesse trees or els as God himselfe who onely cannot be tempted with any euil So then the cause why the wicked angels and man kind fell from their first state was their owne free will choosing sinne and refusing life offerd by God but God is no other wayes the cause of this fal then he is the cause of all actions in the worlde both good and euil namely in that he is the cause of the cause For in that he made the freewil of man he did in some sort make the fal which came of it secondly in that he gaue an effectual occasion of it But that is not the question for we enquire the true and proper cause of this fall The whol matter may not vnfitly be declarred by this similitude A wise father purposing to let his sonne see his owne wilfulnes and intēperancie together with his loue fatherly affection toward him resolueth with himselfe to make him fall into some mortal sicknesse out of the which he knoweth himselfe to be able to recouer him This he wil effect not by giuing him poyson to drinke for thē he should be the cause and beare the blame of that euil but by laying it in his way as it were a baite in some sweete meate which he knoweth that his sonne loueth and will eate as soone as he seeth it And least that he shoulde plead ignorance and so auoide the blame of wilfulnesse he forewarneth him of that kind of meate charging him very instantly to abstaine from it as being vnholsome and hurtfull vnto him yet he doth not tell him what he intendeth This young man coming where this pleasant meat is remēbreth his fathers counsell commandement yet is by the entisement of euil companions and his owne appetite moued to eate of it perswading himselfe that there is no such daunger in it as his father woulde make him beleeue aud therfore no cause he shoulde obey him in that matter So hee eateth of it and poysoneth himselfe now no man can denie but that both the father and the sonne haue a hand and play their in this tragedy yet not the father who giueth the occasion only but the young man himselfe who doth willingly or rather wilfully take that hurtfull meat is to be blamed counted the cause of this euill In like manner God dealeth with man he decreeth his fall yet doth not throwe him downe but only layeth a stumbling blocke in his way He doth not infect man with the poyson of sin but putteth it into a goodly apple which he knoweth that man will deuoure greedely whensoeuer occasion is offred this he did by forbidding man to eat of that fruite by the which meanes he made the eating of it to be sinne that is deadely poyson which otherwise was good and pleasant So then God is the cause of mans fall so as he who layeth a baite for fish is the cause of their death he vsing no violence towards thē but only suffring them to followe their naturall appetite But Sathan who is the second actor playeth a farre diuers part labouring by promises pretences entisements perswasions and by all meanes possible to bring man into the state of sinne and death God sitteth still on the banke holding an angle rod in his hand with baite hooke hanging at it waiting til man come of his owne accord and bite But Sathan pursueth man vp and
downe with a nette to entangle him man flyeth from sathans nett as from a most hurtfull thing in that he resisteth his temptations for a while But he commeth willingly to Gods baite yea not only vncalled but also flatly forbidden eateth of it greedely for he being once caught and entangled changeth his minde and will thinkeing that to be good and holsome which before he knewe to be hurtfull by al meanes to be auoided So that the fall of man came as hath been declared of the freedome or rather of the preuersnesse of his owne will according to the eternall decree purpose of God by the malitious instigation of sathan who hauing before fallen himselfe did vehemently desire the fall of man that for these reasons First for that he had now coÌ„ceaued a vehemeÌ„t desperate hatred of God hauing iustly for his sin cast him out of his presence the which before his fall he enioyed in heauen And for so much as he did easely see that his malice could not reach to God himselfe therfore he thought that the next way was to despite dishonor him in his creatures by defacing maÌ„ who only of al the creaturs in this world was made according to Gods owne image yea further to depriue god of al that glory ship that man should performe vnto him Secondly Sathan desired to effect the fall of man that so he might haue the more company both in his sinne and in his punishment He being thus affected towards Gods glorie and mans saluation ceased not till that by his faire promises and plausible pretenses he brought man out of the true paradise into a fooles paradise making him beleeue that the â—ransgression of Gods commaundement was the onely way for him to become a God and so he perswaded Eua in the forme of a serpent and Adam in the forme of Eua to eate of the forbidden fruite It is doubted how Adam being in the state of innocency and knowledge could be so palpably deceiued as to beleeue such a notorious lie especially seeing the Apostle saith that Adam was not deceiued but Eua. But he meaneth that Eua was first yea more easely and grosly deceiued for as her knowledge was lesse so we must thinke that her infidelitie was greater then was Adams who although he was made to distrust in part the word of God yet he was not nor could be so blinded by Eua as she was by the delusion of the diuell and therefore he sinned more of wilfulnesse then of blindnesse choosing rather to disobey God then to displease Eua by reiecting her importunate request and refusing to take such part as she tooke who being his wife yea his onely companion was no doubt a great pleasure ioy and delight vnto him Thus much of the fall of Adam which is the fall of all mankind For Adam being the father of al men did sustaine the publike person of mankind both in his innocencie and also in his fall in his happinesse and in his misery If it be asked why all mankind fell seeing not all but some of the Angels did fal wee answere that all men were in the very moment of the fall in Adams loynes and therefore did both stande and fall with him but the Angels doe not be get one another being all created immediately by God himselfe and therefore the sin of one Angell doth not take holde of another vnlesse that one by consenting to the sinne deuised by another doe make himselfe sinful as it was in the fal of the Angels wherin one or some few were the chief authors of this conspiracy the rest approued it took part with them as may be gathered by that distinction which is made of them one being made chiefe or head the rest his inferiours Mat. 25. 41. Goe ye into eternall fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Sect. 3. Of the state of regeneration and saluation THE third state followeth which is the recouering of the first state of life wherein man was created in the beginning For God in suffering man to fall did not purpose the finall ouerthrow and destruction of so excellent a creature but rather the illustration of his owne vnspeakable mercy and goodnesse towards man in pardoning his sinne and in restoring him to life This state we call the state of saluation for that man in it is not onely indued with life as he was before but also saued and deliuered from eternall death whereunto he fell by his sinne Yet not all mankind is restored to life but onely a fewe that it might appeare both how vnapt man is to do any good how vncapable of saluation he is made by sinne in that he cannot attaine vnto it no not now when as God hath appointed the meanes and the way of it and as it were setting heauen gates wide open doth offer saluation to all men and lastly that the iustice of God might be declared in punishing the reprobate for their sinne And yet the state of mankind is happy in respect of the Angels which fell for none of them are or shal euer be restored to their former state and that for these causes First and chiefly because their fall was so great as that it is impossible that they shoulde recouer their first estate the greatnesse of their fall commeth of that greate measure of knowledge light and grace wherewith they were endued and the which they did tread vnder their feete and despise for if they had fallen onely from some small measure of grace a greater measure would haue recouered them but they hauing alreadie reiected and made of no force so much grace as any meere creature is capable of haue no remedy left for their saluation And as they fell from the highest degree of grace so they fell into the lowest sinke of sinne euen to the highest degree of sinne that can be imagined which is a most desperate deadly cruell fierce contumelious shamelesse open professed wilfull and spitefull hatred against God and all goodnesse yea against all his creatures both good and euill This came of the exceeding great strength of their nature which being once let loose to sinne coulde not stay or rest but in the highest degre of it Like vnto this remedilesse fall of the wicked Angels is that sinne which is in the scripture called the sin against the holy Ghost when as one being endued with a great measure of grace doth fall into this fearefull and desperate hatred of God and of all goodnesse for as hee who falleth from a steepe and high rocke into a deepe pit or gulfe can not possibly escape death whereas one whose fall is lesse may haue hope of life so it is with these wicked Angels whose sinne we may truely call that vnpardonable sinne committed against the holy Ghost Further the sin of the Angels deserued more seuere punishment in that they were better able to resist it seeing the glory of God in heauen therefore
and legall holinesse although not perfect in this life by his spirit Yet because the morall law was giuen for this end to shew man his vnrighteousnesse by commaunding inherent righteousnesse hence it is that by legall righteousnesse is vsually meant proper or inherent righteousnesse and so by legall faith is meant that faith which looketh for hapinesse by inherent righteousnesse the which may more fitlie be called naturall faith because it was ingrauen in the nature of man as the other kinde is supernaturall yet we call it legall faith because perfect inherent righteousnesse is nothing but the perfect keeping of the lawes and commaundementes of God as sinne is defined 1. Ioh. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne is the breaking of the law whether it be the morall lawe written Exod. 20. the which was ingrauen in the heart of Adam in his first creation or any other law yea euen of things in nature indifferent inioyned to man by God the transgression wherof is a transgression of the morall lawe for the creature sinneth whensoeuer he disobeyeth the voyce word lawe and commaundement of God whether in a thing in nature indiffereÌ„t or simply vnlawful Thus did Adam sinne and fall away from God by eating the fruite of a certaine tree which he was forbidden to touch So that by this legall faith none can trust in God for eternall happines but onely he who in his owne person fulfilleth the whole law of God and that in deed in word in thought in will and in affection yea in the vniuersall puritie of this nature being free from all curruption of sin The which thing forsomuch as it cannot possibly be performed by any of the sons of Adam all being stained with that originall impurity which cannot by any meanes in the world be shaken off Hence it followeth that this naturall faith cannot haue place in any of them onely the holy Angels which continue in their naturall purity holinesse are endued with it for they trust for happinesse by the meanes of their owne perfect righteousnesse Yet this their happinesse is not so to be attributed to their proper obedience as that it be wholly denied to the grace of God for where the Apostle saith Rom. 4. 4 If saluation bee by works it is not of grace he meaneth the meere fauour of God remitting sinne the which hath place iâ— the other kind of faith yet euen the holy Angels although they be saued by works that is by their owne perfect holines yet their holines coÌ„meth from the grace of God without the which supporting them in all temptations suggested by their own free minds and wils or by the reprobate Angels they coulde not stand Sect. 2. Of infidelitie THus much of faith Nowe we come to the first kinde of rebellion wherby man falleth away from God called infidelitie for that it is both in name and nature cleane contrarie to faith For by it man ceaseth to trust and depend vppon GOD renouncing his patronage and protection as being altogether vnable to bestow any good thing much lesse perfect happinesse vpon his clients and therefore he seeketh for another Lorde and king in whom to trust So that as faith is affiance on Gods promises so this kinde of rebellion may not vnfitlie be called defined defiance or distrust in Gods promises propounding happinesse to the holinesse of the creature and eternall miserie to his disobedience The first example of infidelitie is the diuell with his wicked Angels who not acknowledging God to be the giuer of happinesse did beginne to seeke for it else where in the which consultation he saw that as there was no creature more excellent then himselfe so there was no meanes of attaining happinesse so like as for to relie himselfe vpon himselfe vpon his owne strength power wit policies and inuentions by the which he did perswade himselfe that he should become far more happy then he could be by continuing in that obedience and alleagance which he did owe to God The second example of infidelitie was Adam who was by the deceit and perswasion of Sathan drawen away from trusting in God and on his worde to trust in the â—euill and in that meanes of attaining happinesse which he did shew vnto him In Adam all mankind fell from faith to infidelitie wherein it remaineth all men being bred â—orne brought vp without any affiance in God relying themselues for their happinesse onely on themselues their owne wit learâ—ing beauty strength friendes riches nobilâ—tie yea on sinne Sathan and this present world and no more depending vpon God tâ—en if there were no God For victorie they trust in chariots and horsemen for health in the phisition for life in meate and drinke for riches in their owne industrie or in their parents for glory honor in vvorldly preferments and dignities not once vpon any occasion acknovvledging God or looking vp to heauen This infidelitie or defiance of God commeth of vnbeliefe which is the blindnesse of the minde or the ignorance of man not seeing the euident trueth of Gods promises but beeing perswaded that his worde is altogether voyde of trueth and that his promises are nothing but faire pretences his feareful threatnings nothing but vaine skar-crowes terrifying and fraying none but religious fooles and that the whole course of the worlde is not ordered by his decrees will and prouidence but by nature chaunce fortune and the counsell oâ— man So we reade Ephe. 4. 18. The Gentiles haue their vnderstanding darkned and so are alienated or estraunged from God bâ— the ignoraunce which is in their mindes and 2. Tim. 3. 8. Men of corrupt mindes anâ— reprobate as touching faith Lastly this blindnesse of minde the companion and cause of infidelitie commeth by our naturall corruption from the fall of Adam for wheras once the light of his minde was darkned by the delusion of the Diuell insomuch that he thought euill to be good and the way leading to extreame misery to be the onely meanes of the greatest happinesse it could not be but that his will affections actions and all the faculties both of bodie and soule shoulde be corrupted for that one of them doth followe the disposition of an other so that a corrupt mind bringeth a peruerse will and a sinfull will and inordinate affections doe darken the minde as hath bene alreadie shewed Hereof it followeth that infidelitie doth both separate a man form God and also depriue him of all the partes of holynesse yea insteed thereof filleth all the parts and faculties of a mans soule and body with the corruption of sinne For man renouncing God is wholly separated frome him neither can any longer receiue any blessing from him for euen as a subiect or tennant discliaming his king and Lorde and relying himselfe vpon a newe master euen one who is a deadlie and professed enimy to his first maister doth incontinently depriue himselfe of all those farmes landes houses prefermentes and commodities whatsoeuer the
morall lawe and therefore it belonged to man in the state of innocencie This the heathen oratour witnesseth saying All they who are in the handes and iurisdiction of any other doe feare For although they be perswaded of their loue and mercy yea of their owne innocency yet they doe consider not onely what they will doe but also what they may doe The second cause of this feare was the surpassing and incomprehensible glorie and maiestie of God the which being fully reuealed hath force not onely to astonishe and amase but also to confound and consume any creature whatsoeuer yea although the saide creature be not stained with sinne and so not subiect to the anger of God For euen as a brittle glasse being filled with some extreame strong liquor cannot but burst in sunder not because of any antipathie which is betwixt them but because the glasse is not of sufficient strength to containe the liquor So is it with the creature when God doth appeare in perfect glory in regard whereof the Angels themselues are said to couer their faces least they shoulde behold it howe much more then hath man who is but dust and ashes and whose life is in his nosethrilles iust cause of feare Yea the brute beastes and senslesse creatures themselues who neither doe nor can sinne are sayd to be affected with this feare of the glorious maiestie of God Thus we read Psal. 29. The voyce of the Lord shewing it selfe foorth in power and glory doth breake the cedars of Libanus It maketh them skip like young calues yea it maketh the desert to quake the hindes to calue the mountaines to smoke and in breife all creatures what soeuer to melte away before his face And thus did man feare God in the state of innocencie for although he had daily conuersation with God yet he knewe that as a vessel of glasse clay or any brittle matter often meeting with vessels of brasse or yron may easely get a knock and so be broken to shiuers so might he be confounded by the glory of God if God did at any time reueale the same fully vnto him Thirdly man being in his first state had iust cause to feare God in regard of the weaknes and mutability of his owne nature which might easely be ouercome with some temptation and that in regard of the freedome of his will which might easely forsake God and imbrace euill by the which meanes he should not onely be subiect to the anger of God and to eternall death but also displease and dishonor God who had shewed him selfe so louing and bountifull a father and creator vnto him Thus we see the causes of this feare nowe we are to consider the vses of it First it serued as a bridle to restraine man from falling from God by disobedience For although man in this holy estate did obey God more for loue then for feare of punishment yet it pleased God to vse all meanes possible to keepe him from sinne and therefore he propounded not onely the rewarde of life to his obedience but also the punishment of eternall death to his disobedience whensoeuer it should happen as we read Gen. 2. 17. In the day wherein thou shalt eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt incontinently die Secondly this feare serued to keepe man as froÌ„ sin so from all presumptuous bold vndecent behauiour in respect of God For we know as it is commonly saide Familiar conuersation will easelie breede contempt Lastly man was by this feare put in minde and made to acknowledge as the basenesse infirmity mutability of his owne nature so also the infinite power authority and maiesty of God Sect. 2. Of the want of feare THe third heade of mans rebellion is the want of the aforesaide feare of God for since the fall man hath no regard either of the power might and maiesty of God or yet of the weakenesse of his owne nature as he had before but conceiueth amisse both of God and of himselfe But what maruaile is it that man doth not feare in consideration of the weakenesse and mutabilitie of his nature which may fall into sinne when as he feareth not the iustice of God and his eternall anger due vnto him selfe for sinne already committed For if man in his innocencie had iust cause of feare as hath bene declared howe much more ought he being sinfull For if he being righteous is scarslie saued howe shall he nowe appeare before the iudgment seate of God being guiltie of sinne And yet man in this sinfull state hath although greater cause of feare â—et lesse feare then he had before yea in truth â—one at all but is benummed with a senselesse securitie hauing no remorse of conscience nor feare of punishment for sinnes â—ommitted neither standeth in awe of the glorious presence of God This appeareth â—oth by the testimony of scripture in many â—laces as namely Rom. 3. 18. where a carnall â—an is described by this note That he hath 〈◊〉 feare of God before his eyes as also by â—ayly experience which sheweth vs that â—ery few in the worlde doe in their actions regarde whether they be good or bad whether pleasing or displeasing to God and so whether they be such which will bring vppon the doers some heauie iudgement or no whereas if mens hartes were possessed with the feare of God they would thinke him to be alwaies present with them and to beholde their doings and so they woulde be both restrained from euill and pricked forwarde to doe good but we see it to be farre otherwise for in committing sinne men thinke that they are safe and all is well if they can doe it so secretlie as that they may auoyd the shame slaunder reproch and anger of men together with the punishment prescribed by humane lawes But we need not stand in the inlarging of this point which is so manifest Sect. 3. Of renewed feare THe third head of renewed subiection is the feare of God the which is a singular grace and hath great vse in regeneration howsoeuer it may seeme to fight with fayth and hope morâ— then it did in the state of innocency seeing that the faithfull can not loose that holy and happy state wherein they are placed and therefore need not feare any euill being not only happy but also sure to coÌ„tinue so for euer To this we answere that although the feare of eternall death and misery cannot stand with perfect faith and hope whereby life and happinesse is certainely expected yea although the faithfull neede not feare the mutability and freedome of will beeing certaine of their finall perseuerance in faith yet there are many causes by the which they ought to be moued to feare God Hither we are to referre the causes of feare in the state of innocency whereof the most ought to be of more force to moue the faithfull to feare God then they were to man in his pure estate For shall man
and sayings the simplest man in the world could vse for a temporall commoditie how much more able would he be to call vpon God by prayer wherein there is farre more matter offred whether we regard the wretchednesse of the suter or the mercie and goodnesse of God But to returne to the matter in hande the third difference is that the carnall man prayeth very seldom yea for the most neuer but vpon some vrgent cause as when he is pinched with some grieuous crosse as sicknes or pouertie or when he is in some great danger as being in battaile on Land or in a tempeston the sea as we reade Ionas 1. 5. The Infidels in extream danger fell to praier These extremities will wring out of the most irreligious atheist some kinde of praier but not till he see that all other meanes do faile For till then he neuer thinketh on God But it is farre otherwise with the faithfull man for he praieth daylie hourly to the Lord he neuer wanteth matter of praying but taketh euerie occasion to pray if not openly and in wordes yet secretlie in his heart Yea the faithfull in all their dangers troubles miseries and affaires whatsoeuer do not put the means in the first and cheife place reposing their confidence therein but first they seeke for helpe at the handes of God and then trusting that he will giue a happie successe vse the meanes with all care and diligence Fourthly the carnall man doth not in praying vse either perseuerance in continuing his sute till it please God to heare him or yet patience in suffering with a quiet minde the delay of that which he desireth But if he be not heard at the first he straightway giueth ouer yea most commonly he waxeth so prophane and godlesse that he will neuer afterward pray to God tho he haue neuer so greate need and not resting herein he murmureth against God and in greate rage curseth all things that come in his sight or minde but the godly man is neuer wearied with calling vpon God but is content to tary the Lords leasure considering that God knoweth what is good for him better then he himselfe Fiftly the carnall man prayeth onely for temporall blessings as health peace riches honour and such other And if so be that he haue some knowledge of the life to come he will indeed desire that he may after this life be in heauen but you shall neuer heare him desiring to go in that way in this life which leadeth to heauen He desireth to be happy in the worlde to come but not to be holy and righteous in this worlde He would gladly be partaker of the ioyes of heauen but yet not with the condition of forsaking his earthly pleasures He thinketh it no wisdom to forgoe a certaine and present happinesse for that which will perhaps come but he knoweth not when neither can any man make him as he thinketh any good assurance of it but the faithfull man counteth all worldly pleasures to be as they are in deed but as drosse and dung in comparison of spirituall graces and therefore his prayers are cheifly of those things which concerne his eternal saluation Sixtly the carnall man prayeth onely for him selfe for his children and friendes by whom he may haue some temporall comfort or profit neuer remembring the affliction of Ioseph that is hauing no fellowe-feeling of the miseries of the church of God and of the particular members thereof whereas the faithfull desire the good of their brethren yea euen with their owne hurt if so it stand with the good pleasure of God Lastly which is the maine difference of all the carnall man prayeth without faith and therefore he cannot pray aright Rom. 10. 14. doubting as he hath good cause whether God will heare him or no whereas the faithfull man is vndoubtedly perswaded that God will graunt his desire if it be needfull for his saluation otherwise if it be some temporall blessing or some particular grace without the which he may be saued he knoweth that God will either graunt his request or make him plainely see and confesse that it is more for his good that his minde be not fulfilled in that behalfe Nowe for a conclusion we see howe greatly it behoueth euery one who would be accounted in the sight of God and man a true Christian to giue himselfe carefully to the attaining of this gift of prayer and to the performing of this dutie both by himselfe alone and also with his family especially if we do duely consider the manifolde commodities both temporall and spirituall which may be reaped by this meanes For as touching this present life hearty and feruent prayer comming from a faithfull man is health in sickenesse riches in pouertie safetie in daunger comforte in all aduersity yea it is all in all But farre more notable are the vses of it in regard of the spirituall life of our soules for prayer is the exercise of a mans soule as the worde of God is the foode and nourishment of it So that as a man cannot keepe his body for any long time in health strength vnlesse he vse some exercise yea although he doe fil it with meate and feede it most carefully euen so although a man doe heare the worde of God euery day preached vnto him yet vnlesse he do by this spirituall exercise of prayer drawe the sayd heauenly foode into the seuerall partes of his soule he shall sensibly feele his faith loue patience and all other partes of holinesse to decrease by little and little vntill at length they come to nothing yea as the exercising of the body doth not onely preserue it in the naturall vigour but also encreaseth the strength of it and keepeth it from sicknesse so by the dayly vse of prayer we shall finde that the Lord will encrease in vs all spirituall graces farre aboue our owne expectation or the opinion of any other And therefore let vs giue eare to the Apostles exhortation Eph. 6. 18. Take to you the helmet of your saluation which is the word of God and withall pray alwaies with all manner of prayers and supplications in the spirit and watch therevnto withall perseueraunce not onely for your selues but also for all saints Thus much of the duties of renewed filiall subiectiō which man oweth to God his heauenly father To the which one other duty of filiall subiectiō must be added to wit patience in regard of those manifold and grieuous afflictions wherewith God doth chastise trie and nurture his children For as the goldsmith intending to make pretious and excellent vessels fit for the vse of great kinges doth cast his gold into the fyre that so it may be come pure from all drosse so before that the faithfull can be vessels of honour fitte for the seruice of God in the kingdome of heauen they must be cast into the furnace of affliction and there be weaned from the vaine delightes and pleasures of sinne
ioyned to him then anie other whosoeuer whether sonne kinsman orfriende and may more confidently looke to be enriched and protected by him so the faithfull being now in the humaine nature of Christ thus espowsed made one person with GOD are more nearely ioyned to him then man was in the state of innocencie wherein God did not take vnto him selfe the nature of man and therefore did not acknowledge man to be as his beloued spouse and a part of his owne person but only as his subiect seruant scholler creature and sonne All which are distinct persons from the King maister teacher creator and father and so may more certainly and vndoubtedly looke to be not only protected and saued from death by the strength of God their new husband but also to be enriched by him with all spirituall and heauenly blessings belonging to a holy and happie estate Thus we see the manner of this new subiection the duties belonging to it are all those which a dutifull wife oweth to her husband as namely that she please him and cleaue inseparably to him For the first as the Apostle writeth 1 Cor. 7. 34. As she that is maried careth for worldly things how she may please her husband so ought the faithfull endeauour by all meanes to please their heauenly husband by being pure both in bodie and soule doing all those things which they know are acceptable in his sight especially by performing the second duty to wit that they renounce all other things in the world and cleaue fast to God without separation euen as the wife forsaketh father mother sisters brethren kinred acquaintance and betaketh her selfe wholly to her husband This dutie of the church to Christ is notably described Psal 45. 11. 12. Heare ô daughter encline thine care forgette thy people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lord and worshipp thou him Yea there can no wife haue so good cause to performe all loyall dutie to her husband as the faithfull haue in respect of God For if it should please some greate prince to aduance some base poore and miserable woman to the dignitie of being his wife all men would say that she could not by any duties of subiection shew her selfe sufficiently thankfull how then shall sinfull man who of himselfe is the most wretched creature in the world but is now espowsed to God the King of Kings behaue himselfe in any measure so dutifully as he oâ—â—ht The second part of this treatise wherein is handled the second part of mans holinesse and sinfulnesse to wit his conformitie or likenesse to God with the contrarie vnlikenesse or defermitie CHAP. I Sect. 1. Of the image of God in man in his pure estate IT hath bene declared that the good estate of the reasonable creature whether man or Angel consisteth in this that he be ioyned to God the fountaine of all goodnesse both personally or locally in happinesse and also spiritually in perfect holinesse The which holinesse hath two partes Subiection and Conformitie For so it hath pleased God in greate wisdome to ioyne these two together in his reasonable creatures least that they should be too much either debased by the one or lifted vp by the other For if they had beene made like to God without subiection they woulde easely haue bene brought to thinke theÌ„selues â—quall to God and if they had bene subiect to â—od without any likenes or reseÌ„blance to him â—ey should haue lacked that wherein their â—hole excellencie and dignitie doth consist â— haue bene in the same condition with the â—ute beastes Thus God hath created the â—ule of man in an equal temperament â—f contrarie qualities that so the one might â—ualifie and preserue the other The subâ—ection of man is already declared nowe â—olloweth his conformitie which is that â—arte of mans holinesse wherein he resembleth God or is like vnto God vsuallie â—alled in scripture the image of God for as there is a likenesse and similitude betwixt â—n image and that whereof it is the image so there is in respect of this parte of mans holinesse a likenesse betwixt God and man For the better vnderstanding of this matter and the easier resoluing of those manifolde doubtes which are moued about it it is needfull that we declare what God is to whom we make man to be like The essence of God is so infinite secrete and hidden that it cannot be conceaued in our mindes much lesse expressed in words to the capacitie of others For whereas it is saide Iohn 4. 24. That God is a spirite the meaning is that the nature of God is not visible and sensible but mysticall and wonderfull as are spirites For otherwise the name of spirite as it is giuen to Angels is too grosse to expresse the essence of God Yet it hath pleased God in mercie to make himselfe knowen vnto vs by his properties vsually called by the diuines the attributes of God as his knowledge wisdome iustice mercy loue power eternitie and such other For as we in common speache going about to describe any man doe mention his vertues qualities and conditions saying that he is honest gentle faithfull liberall iust and learned so we haue reuealed vnto vs in scripture no other essence or nature of God but the aforesaide attributes and therefore if we woulde describe God we must say that he is a certaine essence most simple without any manner of composition existing of it selfe and from whom all creatures and actions doe exist being eternall without beginning or ending infinite in knowledge wisdome iustice mercie loue strength power and in all goodnesse holinesse and puritie Thus we see in part what God is now the image of God in the creature is whenas it is like to God in some of the aforesaid â—espectes as when the creature is endued with knowledge wisdome iustice power â—oue mercie or any other of the attributes of God But it may be here obiected that â—f the attributes of God which are his essence may be giuen to any creature then â—t shoulde be partaker of gods nature and so be a God We answere that the attributes of God may be in the creature although not so as they are in God for example God hath strength and the creature hath strength euery one more or lesse Yet there is this difference that the strength of God is essentiall vnto him and a part of his nature but the strength of the creature is a qualitie or accidental thing which may be spared as when we see two sunnes the one is a true substance but the other is onely the reflexion of the beames of the true sunne In God it is primarelie as in the fountaine but the creature hath his strength from God in God it is infinite in the creature it is finite God hath all strength the creature hath but some yea the strength of the mightiest creature is great weakenesse in comparison of the
1. 26. Brethren you see your calling that not many wise men are chosen the reason heereof is euident for it is needful that he who would beleeue the word of God should renounce his own knowledge so farre as it is contrary to the other But the more wit and learning a man hath the more he attributeth to it to himselfe to his own strength Whereas they who haue a small measure of these giftes doe not trust so much vnto them as the wise man witnesseth saying That there is more hope to win a foole to wisedome then one who thinketh or knoweth himselfe to be wise and so is wise in his owne eyes Thus we see the great ignorance of God which is in all vnregenerate men nowe for the knowledge which man hath of the creatures we may say with the prophet Ier. 2. 13. Man hath forsaken God the fountaine of wisedome and then what wisedome can be in him For as he is ignorant of God so is he of the creatures of God being naturallie so void of all manner of knowledge as that he seemeth not to differ from a bruite beast but onely in the outward proportion of his body and the faculty of speaking Nay he is more ignorant then are the brute beasts whereof there are almost none which knoweth not and that without any teacher euen by the secrete instinct of nature what is good and euill for it selfe yea the secret vertue of some hearbes or of other things which may stande them in stede but man being anie way distressed knoweth not how to goe either to God or anie naturall thing for helpe being so farre from knowing other things that he knoweth not the partes temperamentes frame disposition infirmities and diseases of his owne bodie or anie thing belonging to it or the preseruing or healing of it saue only the outward members and fashion of it Neither is there any cause why man should bragge of that greate knowledge which he is able to attaine vnto whenas he giueth himselfe to search it out We do not denie but that God graunteth thus much to the labour of industrious men that they attaine to knowledge some more others lesse but the learnedest philosopher in the world cannot denie but that he is not only actually ignorant of many things but also naturally vnable to pearce into the depth of the wisdome of God in the creatures that by reason of the dulnesse shallownesse of his wit which cannot finde out the true causes formes reasons and vertues of naturall things as why the load-stone draweth iron to it of the which kinde infinite instances might be brought And if they chance to finde out the vertue and qualitie of anie thing it is done not by considering the causes but by marking the effectes and so not by knowledge or anie good cunning as we say but by chance and by experience the schoole-maister of fooles Sect. 3. Of renewed knowledge IT remaineth that we consider how God of his greate mercie and goodnesse doth renewe in all his faithfull seruants this first and chiefe parte of his glorious image We call it the first and chiefe part because that in the worke of regeneration the illumination of the minde with the true knowledge of God both hath the first place and also is the cause of all the rest of mans holinesse For as Christ doth teach Math. 6. 23. If the eye haue light in it it doth enlighten the wholle bodie but if it be darke there is nothing but darknesse in the bodie That is if the minde of man which is the eye of the soule be trulie sanctified and renewed with knowledge there followeth holinesse in all the faculties of the soule and in the whole man But if there be darknesse and ignorance in the minde there is nothing but sin in all the partes of man Neither can it be otherwise for as it is impossible that a man should either trust or hope in God or loue feare obey him or performe any dutie of holinesse vnto God whome he doth not know in his mercie loue goodnesse promises power iustice and the rest of his attributes so is it no lesse impossible that any man should know and be fully perswaded that God is true in his promises mercifull bountifull and iust and not be affected to him accordingly And therfore the first action of the holy spirit framing the new man in the elect is to take out of their mindes their naturall dulnes vnbeleefe and ignorance and to make them able to conceiue vnderstand beleeue and know God Thus the Apostle teacheth Rom. 12. 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mindes that ye may approoue the good and acceptable will of God so Eph. 4. 13. Be renewed in the spirit of your mindes and so put on the new man Thus he praieth for the Colossians Col. 1. 9. That they might be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdome and spiritual vnderstanding And thus it is saide Act. 16. 14. That whilst Paul preached the gospel although the reprobate did not conceiue or vnderstand it Yet God opened the hart that is the minde of Lidia to beleeue his word This illumination of the minde is the most sensible and euident thing in regeneration and that whereby they that denie the work of the holy spirit in renewing the faithful may most plainly be conuinced for what is more wonderful then that men who before were dull rude simple and vnlearned yea vncapable of any kinde of knowledge should on a sudden become able to comprehend in their minds most stedfastly to expres in words very sēsibly the hiddē mysteries of christiā religiō Yet this experience teacheth to be true the Apostle witnesseth the same The spirituall man discerneth all things This commeth not by anie naturall strength but by the worke of God yet he doth not inspire this knowledge immediatly but by the meanes of the ministerie of his holy word And therefore it behooueth euerie one who would feele in himselfe this wonderfull worke of God in changing his minde to giue himselfe diligently and continually to the hearing reading and meditating of the word of God Lastly this renewed knowledge is not either so greate or yet so generall as was the knowledge of man in his pure estate wherein he knewe God and all other things perfectlie but the faithful know God his word will actions so farre forth only as is needful for their saluation As for the knowledge of the creatures that is to be hoped for in the life to come wherin we hope for our ful adoptiō euen the redētiō of our bodies the senses faculties wherof are whilst we remaine in this life as dul and weake in the faithfull as in the vnbeleeuers And therefore they remaine as ignorant as touching this secundarie knowledge of the sensible creatures as doe the other Yea the knowledge of God as all other partes of
affection consisteth in this that it be in greatnesse correspondent to the greatnesse of the euill diligently waied with the seuerall circumstances of it and also moderated and qualified with contentation in respect of the will of God by the which the said euill came to passe Sect. 2. Of corrupt ioy and sorrow THese affections ioy and sorrow doe remaine in the corrupt state of man yet after a farre diuerse manner for whereas before the ioy of man was chiefly in God in spirituall things now it is wholly in carnall sensuall and earthly pleasures before man neuer thought himselfe well but when he was praising seruing God meditating on his loue the manifold blessings receiued from him now man neuer thinketh on God if he by some outward meanes as the lawes of mē or the auoiding of the sham of the world be drawen to some spiritual exercise as is the hearing of the word praier or any other he taketh no manner of pleasure in it Yea it is irkesome tedious vnto him his minde and affections being set vpon worldly pleasures as namely in the abundance vanetie goodnesse and sweetnesse of meates and drinkes in sleepe and idlenesse in carnal and filthy lustes in pastime and merie companie in gorgeous apparrell statelie buildings large reuenewes in health strēgth riches honour and preferment in children friends and prophane knowledge or in some other of the same kind Not as if there might not a lawfull pleasure be taken in corporall and outward blessings as hath beene declared but man passing by God the giuer of all these blessinges placeth his whole ioy and felicitie in the fruition of them and so maketh them his Gods As the Apostle doth plainlie witnesse that the coueteous man is an idolatour He is not stirred vp by the sweetenesse which he feeleth in the vse of the creaturs to reioyce delight himselfe in God the giuer of them but is by them more alienated from God and being euen drunke with sensualitie forgetteth and contemneth God much more in prosperitie then in aduersitie and therefore God doth so often forewarne the people of Israel of forgetting him whenas they come into that pleasant land flowing with milke honny whither they went Hence it commeth that the ioy of a carnall man is vnconstant vncertaine and momentany euen as is the matter of his ioy For as no worldly thing is constant so the ioy which ariseth of worldly things must needes be vnconstant Yea while it doth continue it is not pure and sincere ioy but mingled with much sorrow and vexation of minde it being impossible that any man should haue such perfect ioy in this world in respect of worldly blessings as is voide of all manner of crosses and griefe And therefore Salomon saith Prou. 14. 13. That the hart of the wicked man is heauie euen while he laugheth and that sorrow is the end of his ioy Thus we see the sinfullnesse of mans ioy in this corrupt state Likewise his sorrow is not such as it ought to be he is indeede often grieued but not for the want of the fauour presence and grace of God not for his sins by the which he doth displease dishonour God not for the miserable estate of his soule rotting in ignorance atheisme infidelitie These things neuer trouble him but if he be in anie worldly miserie if in pouertie sicknesse danger prison in the displeasure of any greate and mightie man then he is ouerwhelmed and euen stricken deade with sorrow As for the miseries wherein he seeth other men to be the scripture doth often teach vs and daily experience doth testifie the same that a carnall man is cruell mercilesse voide of all pittie and compassion Sect. 3. Of holy ioy and sorrow IT now remaineth that we declare the holines of these affections in the state of regeneration wherein both ioy and sorrow haue so greate and continuall vse as that they may seeme to striue for the preheminence whether of them should beare the greater sway in the faithful Renewed ioy ariseth of the inward sense and feeling of the loue and mercie of God in Christ whereby a faithfull man knowing assuredlie that he hath attained remission of all his sinnes safetie and freedome from the anger and iudgements of God eternall happinesse with all spirituall and temporall blessings tending therevnto is and that not without good cause replenished in his soule with an exceeding and vnspeakable ioy in regard of this his happie state the greatnes whereof no man either knoweth or can expresse but he in whome it hath pleased God to worke it by his holie spirite Yea if we shall compare this renewed ioy with the ioy which man had in his first estate we shall see that the faithfull haue both greater cause of reioycing and greater ioy then man had in his perfect happinesse in that he hath not only attained to a more perfect absolute and certaine happinesse but also hath escaped the contrarie miserie euen the eternall wrath of God due vnto him for his sinnes whereof man had no taste in his first estate This ioy differeth from the ioy of the carnall man in many respectes the one reioyceth in God the other in the creatures the one in temporal vaine and momentanie the other in spirituall heauenlie and eternall things the one in the good estate of his bodie the other in the good estate of his soule The one sheweth his ioy in the vse of carnall pleasures the other in spirituall exercises Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the spirit speaking to your selues in psalmes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord in your heartes And lastly the one is continuall constant abiding yea florishing so much the more in the middest of the greatest afflictions Rom. 5. 3. Act 16. 15. The other is short and vncertaine being cleane dashed with the least crosse that doth happen This renewed ioy although it be so exceeding great as hath beene saide yet it is mixed and indeede tempered with much sorrow so it hath pleased God in great wisdome and mercy to giue to his children in this life not the absolute perfection of that ioy and happinesse which he hath prepared for them but rather to temper the exceeding sweetnesse of it with sorrow and afflictions that so the bitternesse of the one might make the other the more welcome and acceptable vnto them The causes of this sorrow are diuerse some in the faithfull themselues some in others in themselues first and cheifly their sinnes whereby they doe displease and dishonour God who hath shewed himselfe to them so gratious bountifull and mercifull Secondly the manifolde temptations crosses and afflictions which doe daily befal them these howsoeuer by the gratious assistaunce of Gods spirit they doe often encrease this spirituall ioy yet being bitter and oftentimes intollerable to flesh and bloude they doe preuaile against
this spirituall ioy by reason of the infirmitie of the flesh and although they cannot cleane extinguishe it yet they coole and diminishe it yea and so driue it into a corner as that it doth not any way appeare Yea euen the ordinarie misery and vanitie of this life being compared with the happinesse of the life to come doth worke in the faithfull sorrow sighes and grones as we read Rom. 8. 13. Beside this matter of sorrow which they haue in themselues they are continually sore grieued and euen tormented in themselues when as they beholde the vaine and wretched estate of the creatures being moued to pittie euen by the miseries of the brute beastes the horrible sinnes which abounde euery where and the generall atheisme which raigneth in the worlde to the greate dishonour of the name of God And much more whenas they consider the calamities miseries abuses corruptions and defections of the churches professing the name of Christ. These thinges doe and that iustly worke continuall greife in the heartes of the Godly yet this greife is moderated with patience and contentation in the will of God and so it be commeth a godly sorrow which doth not bringe them to desperation and death as carnall sorrow doth but is at length the cause of greater ioy And thus omitting for breuities sake the rest of the affections which haue not so common and notable vse in the life of man we conclude this second part of mans holinesse to wit his conformity to God The third part of this treatise of the chaunges hapening in the three estates or of the degrees of holinesse and sinfulnesse CHAPTER I. Of the chaunges hapening in the three estates of man in generall THe mutabilitie of the creature whereby the identitie of God is illustrated appeareth not onely in the generall diuersitie of mans state which sometimes is innocent and happie other times sinfull and miserable and againe becommeth holy here on earth and glorious in heauen but also in the particular chaunges hapening in his seuerall states whereof none can make him so immutable as that he may say truely of himselfe I am that I was and will be that I am and no otherwise As touching his created holynesse it coulde not be either so firme and stedfast but that it might be in some sorte diminished or so absolutly perfect but that it ought daily to be encreased But this vncertaintie and mutabilitie appeareth farre more plainelie in his other estates the one of naturall sinfulnes the other of renewed holines of both which there are in a māner as many degrees as there are carnall regenerate men in the world For although the corruptiō of sin haue already so possessed all the partes faculties of body soule be as deeply imprinted into the soule of man as the spottes are in the skin of a leopard and therefore may seeme not to admitte any encrease by reason of the greatnesse or any decrease by reason of the naturalnes of it yet both these chaunges may be seene the one vsually in most vnregenerate men who doe daily plunge themselues deeper and deeper in to the pit of sin adding one sin to another and thirst to drunkennesse as the scripture speaketh the other in diuerse both within and without the church Likewise in regeneration the faithfull man neuer standeth at one stay but doth alwaies grow either vpwarde or downewarde in godlynesse For as vsually he encreaseth his spiritual strength chaunging his christian infancie with a ripe and constant age and adding grace to grace till he become a perfect man in Christ so sometimes he decreaseth in holinesse as we see the bodies of men doe in old age and so as it were returning the same way he came falleth into one sinne after another and so decreaseth in holinesse although not totally and finally yet greiuously and fearefully Thus the spirituall state of man chaunging it selfe from lesse to more and from more to lesse from good to euill and from euil to good yea from good to better and from euil to worse is as variable as is the moone which continually decreasing or increasing in light appeareth euerie night in a newe forme These chaunges differences and degrees are necessarie to be knowen of all christians that so they may be either sought after or auoided as they are either good or euill And therefore we are here to declare the degrees both of the holinesse and also of the sinfulnesse of man not the conuersion of one estate into another the which is the argument of the two former partes of this treatise but the proper chaunges of each state as first howe Adam continuing in the state of innocencie might either haue decreased or increased in holinesse Secondly howe a carnall man abiding in his naturall sinfullnesse may be more or lesse sinfull And Lastly howe a regenerate man may decrease or increase in spirituall graces Of these in order if first we put the reader in minde that these chaunges are made from that measure of created holinesse of sinfulnesse and of renewed holinesse which hath bene declared in the two former partes of this booke wherein although sometimes for illustration a higher degree both of holinesse and of sinne be mentioned yet we haue indeauoured to sette downe that mediocritie as it may be called of holinesse both created and renewed which is to be seene ordinarily and vsually in men in the state of innocencie and of regeneration and likewise that measure of sinne which is naturall to all men and may be seene in many vnregenerate men not in all because in some it is diminished nor in most because vsually it is encreased as afterward will appeare CHAP. II. Of the chaunges of created holinesse IT may be doubted how man liuing and continuing in his innocent and happy estate could decrease in holinesse especially seeing that as hath beene said in the first part Chap. 3. Sect. 2. all the partes of his holinesse were so tyed and linked together that he could not loose any particular grace without loosing all nor commit the least sinne in the state of innocency because by committing sinne and in the very act and moment of committing it he should fall from his innocency into a sinfull state Wee answere that although all this be true yet there must a difference be put betwixt the want of a grace and the small measure of it and so betwixt the committing of sinne and the decreasing in holinesse which may be without sinne and that in this state if so be it be with these conditions first that this decrease be not so great as that any grace or part of holinesse be wholly wanting for thereof sinne would necessarily follow Secondly that it be not continuall or finall but onely for some short space of time In this manner we may well thinke that particular graces as faith loue temperance might be in man in the state of innocency sometimes in great and sometimes in small measure