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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	author_n	sin_n	will_n	1,685	5	6.8791	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09434	A godlie and learned exposition upon the whole epistle of Iude, containing threescore and sixe sermons preached in Cambridge by that reverend and faithfull man of God, Master William Perkins, and now at the request of his executors, published by Thomas Taylor, preacher of Gods word ; whereunto is prefixed a large analysis, containing the summe and order of the whole booke, according to the authors owne method, to which are further added, foure briefe tables to direct the reader ...	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Taylor, Thomas.	1606 (1606)	STC 19724.3; ESTC S100865	274,393	200

who hold an absolute God out of the persons Thirdly our common people who pray to such a God in their owne names out of the Sonne and holie Ghost Fourthly the Popish Church which denieth by their doctrine the three persons for hee that denieth the Sonne denieth the Father and holy Ghost 1. Ioh. 2.23 Now they denie the Sonne both in his natures abolishing his Manhood in their doctrine of the Sacrament as also his offices of King Priest and Prophet for which we must vtterly separate from them The sixth ground is That nothing commeth to passe without the special decree will and prouidence of God Matth. 10.23 A sparrow falleth not to the ground without his will Ob. Sinne is against Gods will and therefore commeth to passe without his will Ans. That which is against the will of God is not without his will Quest. How can this be Ans. No sinne commeth to passe but God decreeth the permitting and being of it now to permit sinne and the being of it is neither the causing of sinne nor the doing of it but the not hindring of it to which he is not bound This ground being denied chance will be brought in and God himselfe denied The seuenth ground is That God hath chosen some men before the world was to be partakers of the riches of his mercies and passed by others because it was his will Roman 9.18 He will haue mercie on whom he will Ephes. 1.4 1. Pet. 2.9 Some are a chosen generation and therfore some are not chosen Againe whom he will he hardeneth he hideth the mysteries of the kingdome from some why because his pleasure was such Matth. 11.25 And of this there is good reason for in nature the first cause ordereth the second causes and not the second the first Now Gods will is cause of all causes which therefore must rule all as the supreme and not be ruled by any other That this is a ground appeareth 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure the Lord knoweth who are his and indeede none other can bee the ground of grace and happines vnto vs than the counsaile of God in electing vs called therefore of the Apostle a foundation Aduersaries hereof First our common people that thus abuse this doctrine If I be chosen to saluation I shall be saued therefore I may liue as I list They might as well reason thus The tearme of my life is stinted none can lengthen or shorten it I will therefore neither eate nor drink nor vse Physicke nor other meanes of prolonging my daies which what were it else but to murther the bodie So these from the same ground become murtherers of their soules whereas men chosen to the end will prease after the meanes and conclude otherwise and say I will vse meanes that I may come to life Secondly others more learned are aduersaries to this ground who teach that God for his part hath chosen all men to life and for his part would haue all saued and that Christ for his part hath redeemed all and the holy Ghost giueth or offereth grace to all If wee aske why then are not all saued They answere because God foresawe those who would beleeue whom hee appointed to saluation he foresaw also others who would not beleeue and adiudged them to damnation But by this doctrine shall Gods will hang on the will of man and bee ruled by it seeing hee would haue men saued but man will not and so this ground is in part rased The eighth ground is That God made the heauens and the earth and all things that haue being in them Col. 1.16 By him were created all things which are in heauen and in earth This is a principle for if creatures had no beginning then are they become Gods which would ouerthrow the Godhead But all things were not made besides God For the highest heauen the Throne of God is eternall as God himselfe is Ans. The Throne of God is a creature as well as the rest Heb. 11.10 He looked for a citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God In the world are many euils which could not be from God the foundation of all goodnesse Ans. Euill is of three sorts first naturall which commeth by nature corrupted as sicknes diseases plagues and death it selfe Secondly materiall euils as hurtfull beasts poisons in trees plants beasts these are created and the very poison of them is a creature Thirdly morali euils which be trāsgressions against the Morall law and Commandement of God Of the two former God is the author and cause Esai 45.7 I create euill that is naturall and materiall but of the third that is morall euils which be sinne God is no cause Ob. But God is the cause of all things and sinne is some thing Ans. Sin is no creature but the destruction of Gods image which is a creature effected by the creature for though the creature cannot make a creature yet it can destroy a creature The aduersarie to this ground is the Atheist who holdeth the creatures to haue been from euerlasting and so by denying one God hee maketh manie thousands The 9. ground is that God made man according to his owne image Gen. 1.27 For by creation man had three things first the substance of bodie and soule Secondly in them the powers and faculties of minde will affections c. Thirdly an excellent conformitie of all these to the will of God This is the image of God called in the Scripture righteousnes and holinesse This is a ground for the image of God is the substance and body of the law hee therefore that denieth this denieth the law the fall from it and restoring vnto it by Christ. The 10. ground is that by Adam sinne and death entred into the world and in him all meere men sinned Rom. 5.12 To the conceauing of which wee must know that the first sinne of Adam was eating the forbidden fruite the next was the putting out of Gods image in stead of which corruption of heart tooke place so farre as the seede of all sinne being within him he was prone and readie to euery sinne Now Adam being a publike person and hauing receiued whatsoeuer hee had for himselfe and his posteritie either to hold for or lose from both hence is it that both those sinnes are become the two first sinnes in our conception he sinning wee sinned and with him haue the seeds of all sin within vs by nature no sinne excepted no not the sinne against the holy Ghost Yea no otherwise is it with vs than with a noble man practising treason whose whole blood is therby stained Ob. But Christ came of Adam therefore he in Adam sinned Ans. God made this law with Adam that all who came of him by ordinarie generation should be guiltie of his sinne but Christ was extraordinarily conceiued by the holy Ghost and took of Mary Adams

must needs bee most admirable diuine and excellent Dauid speaking of the glorie that man once had and in admiration of it being not able to containe himselfe breaketh out into a speech full of passion O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him I thou hast made him little inferiour to the Angels Shewing that the chiefe glorie of men in their best estate is inferiour to the excellent condition of Angels Yea further it is a part of the glorie of God to be attended of them and a part of our glorie after the resurrection to be like them Whence note the scope of the Apostle which is hence to teach vs that no glorie beautie or excellencie of the creature can exempt it from the punishment of sin when it falleth thereinto nay the more glorious the sinfull creature is the more grieuous punishment may it expect if sinne be found therein as the Angels here which may instruct those who are in these schooles of the Prophets in which many men excell in rare gifts of whom in regard of their wisedome and knowledge may bee said as the woman of Tekoah said of Dauid 2. Sam. 14.17 My Lord is as an Angell of God to heare good and bad And they are the Angels of the Lord of hostes Malac. 2.7 Yet for all this let them not be puffed vp hereby but walke in feare and trembling not emboldening themselues to sinne for bee it they were as the Angels in gifts yet if they sinne they shall be as Angels in punishment also Secondly hence note that Angels are substances though inuisible hauing being life sense and vnderstanding and are not onely qualities for pure qualities neither can sin nor be capable of punishment as the Angels are here said to be Ob. It will be said seeing they are capable of punishment they must be bodily substances Ans. No it is sufficient they be substances to be capable of punishment though spirituall for the punishment of hell is spirituall Where wee see the Sadduces and others euen of our daies are deceiued who thinke Angels to be nothing but Motions and melancholy passions and the Libertines also who thinke they are nothing but good and bad successe Thirdly the name Angell is not a name of nature but of office which signifieth that their office was to be the messengers of God who were to stand round about him as attendants readie to be sent foorth at his pleasure for the execution of his will in all the parts of the world In which function of theirs they are propounded patternes to vs and examples for our imitation who ought accordingly to set our selues euer in the presence of God as prest and readie to performe his will for so wee pray daily Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen that is Giue vs grace with cheerefulnes and readines to performe thy will here on earth as the Angels in heauen do for whosoeuer would be like the Angels in heauen must be herein like them first in earth Now in that this name is here giuen to the Diuels and wicked spirits it sheweth two things first what their office was in the creation vnto which they were fitted and deputed Secondly the iustice of their punishment for the neglect of the execution of the same Fourthly obserue the distinction of Angels of which some kept their first estate others of which hee here speaketh left their first condition some stoode and some fell the ground of which distinction Paul mentioneth 1. Tim. 5.21 I charge thee before God and his elect Angels Some therefore are elected and because election presupposeth a refusall others are reiected no other cause of this distinction is known to man but the will of God and his good pleasure Ob. If any man say it was because God foresaw that some would fall and others would stand I answere that is no cause for God did not onely foresee the fall of some but decreed also before all worlds to confirme some in their state and to passe by others in his iustice so as the cause shall euer rest in his good will which willing the same maketh it most iust not giuing vs any leaue otherwise to dispute of this doctrine or curiously to search out the secrets of it but rather to stand in admiration and say with Paul O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Now followeth the second point namely the fall of the Angels in which obserue three points first the cause secondly the parts thirdly the measure of the fall The cause of their fal in these words which kept not their first estate but left their habitation themselues were the cause of their own fall which is thus prooued Either God must be the cause of their sin or man or themselues but neither God nor man and therefore themselues First God cannot be the cause for that were iniustice to condemne them for that which himselfe caused how vnrighteous were it first to cause them to fall and then to punish them for falling Obiect But it will be said that God did foresee their fall and might haue preuented it and so not hindring it hee seemeth to bee a cause of it Ans. Whosoeuer foreseeth an euill and hindreth it not when hee may is accessarie vnto it so be he be bound to hinder it but God was not bound to hinder it being a most absolute Lord not bound to any of his creatures further than he bindeth himselfe Ob. But God did not confirme them in that grace which he gaue them whereupon they fell whereas if he had confirmed them they had stood whence carnall reason concludeth God to bee the cause of the fall Answ. God gaue them grace in creating them righteous but confirmed them not therein he gaue them a power to will to perseuere but gaue them not the will not perseuerance it selfe and yet he is not to bee blamed because he would not doe it Quest. Why would hee not Ans. I answere with the Apostle What art thou O man that disputest with God Let vs without further reasoning stay our selues in these two conclusions first that God is an absolute Lord neither bound to any action neither to giue reason of any secondly that hee doth all to the glorie of his name in the manifestation of his mercie and iustice Secondly as God is no cause or author of this fall of Angels no more is man for the Angels fell first and were the cause of mans fall and therefore themselues were the proper cause of their owne fall Qu. How can this be Ans. The Angels had in themselues the proper cause and beginning of their own fall and that was a free flexible will whereby for the present they willed that which was good and might will to perseuere in it but that will being mutable they might also will euill and so fall from

men erre and offend two waies first in opinion and iudgment secondly in practise and life Againe those that erre in opinion are also diuersly to bee distinguished according to the diuersitie of their errors for some erre in the foundation of religion and matters of greatest importance as the Papists at this day when they teach inuocation of Saints iustification by workes a reall sacrifice for the quicke and dead in the Supper with other false doctrines racing the foundation others may hold the foundation but erre in smaller pointes of lesser importance As for example the Anabaptists holding that warre is not to be made nor othes to be taken erre grossely but yet herein though in other points they doe they race not the foundation These ought wisely to be distinguished for hee that erres in the foundation ouerturneth his faith and religion but he that holdeth the foundation and erreth in smaller points doth not 1. Cor. 3.12 If any man build on the foundation hay or stubble 〈◊〉 worke shall burne but himself may be safe One thing it is to beate downe a wall to pull downe a window yea some one side of a house and another to plucke vp the foundation for this destroieth al. Which difference if it had been made and minded many which haue separated themselues frō the Church of England had still remained members of it Secondly of those that erre in opinion some erre of ignorance and blinde zeale seeing no other truth than that they hold as the Iewes did Rom. 10.2 who had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge others erre of malice who know they are deceiued and yet persist obstinately in their error false opinion lest they should lose their credit as Heretikes Now betweene these also a difference is to be put Tit. 3.10 An heretike after once or twice admonition reiect for such a one is condemned of his owne selfe But if the error be of ignorance Paul speaketh If any be otherwise minded the Lord will reueile it Phil. 3.15 But here we must alwaies remember that seeing wee can hardly discerne the ground of mens errors whether they proceede of ignorance or malice wee are euer to condemne their error but haue respect to their persons and not passe sentence rashly against them For the error of the vbiquitie of Christs bodie hath been held and maintained b● many both godly and learned Protestants their error wee are alwaies able to condemne but wee may not condemne their persons no not although they haue defended it of malice or out of the pride of their hearts seeing the Lord might giue them repentance before or at their death Thirdly againe those that doe erre of ignorance must be distinguished for some of them are misled of simple ignorance as those who haue no meanes or very small meanes to come to knowledge others erre of affected ignorance which is when men are willingly ignorant hauing meanes of knowledge but refuse the same As aboue fourtie yeeres agoe the people of this land erred of simple ignorance because they had not the meanes which yet did not excuse thē but now their ignorance is wilfull and affected neglecting at least if not fearfully despising so great saluation and therefore as the sin of the land is greater so the more fearefull is the iudgement like to be if it bee not seasonably preuented by repentance Fourthly there is also wise difference to bee put betweene the author of sects and heresies and those who are by them seduced The Sect-masters and leaders are to bee vsed with more seueritie and sin more grieuously Rom. 16.17 Obserue them which cause diuisions among you as in a wisely ordered Common-wealth the heads of conspiracies and authors of treasons are most aimed at Secondly errors in practise or action is any actuall sinne or offence in word or deede and men that offend in these are not all to bee ranged in one ranke but to bee distinguished For of these first some sin of ignorance not knowing what they doe as Paul persecuted the Church of God ignorantly through a blinde zeale Now ignorance is two-fold first generall ignorance when the thing is vtterly vnknowne secondly speciall when the equitie of a particular fact or some speciall action is vnknowne as oppression and vsurie in generall are knowne to bee euill but many particular actions vnder this kinde are vnknowne to many so to be and sometime these two ignorances are ioyned both together according vnto which we may put difference betweene the faults and offences of men Secondly some sinne of infirmitie who know what they doe but yet are ouercarried by sudden and violent passions of anger feare sorrow or such like vnto euill Thus Peter denied his Master vpon sudden feare of danger Thirdly some sinne of malice being carried vnto euill by the malice of their own will not of ignorance or passion as the former of this the Apostle s●●●keth Heb. 10.26 If we sinne willingly ●●ter we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins Now of this malice of the will there be two degrees first particular when a man wittingly and willingly sinneth against some particular Commandement as Acts 7.51 The Iewes were stiffenecked and alwaies resisted the holy Ghost that is the ministerie of the Prophets in some things not in all Secondly generall malice when a man is carried wittingly and willingly to oppugne all the law of God yea Christ himselfe true religion and saluation by Christ and so reuerseth all the Commandements This is the sinne against the holy Ghost of this degree the Apostle saith there re●●ineth no more sacrifice for sinne this being an vniuersall and generall apostasie Now offenders according to these differences must bee distinguished Further of those that actually offend some sinne secretly when it is knowne but to some one onely and priuately when it is knowne but to some few and the scandall is the smaller Some sinne publikely when the sinne is notorious and the offence giuen great If the offence b● secret the Apostle ruleth the case saying that loue couereth a multitude of such sinnes For the second if the offence be priuate then must thou admonish the party betweene thee and him if hee heare thee thou hast saued and wonne him if not but hee persist in offending tell the Church But hee that offendeth publikely must be publikely reprooued that others may feare 1. Tim. 5.20 By these differences obserued a notable way is made for the recouerie of those that are sliding or fallen from the faith in matter either of doctrine or practise Hence wee learne first that it is our dutie to obserue one another in our speeches and actions or else wee can neuer put any difference in them the end of which obseruing must be not as the manner of many is to imitate others in their euils or traduce or floute men but that of the Apostle Heb. 10.24 Let vs consider one another to

the good of the Church suffereth seducers in the Church both to exercise the faith and patience of his as also to preuent greater dangers which they might in their secure condition fall into Secondly hence wee see that such hypocrites as these be though they be in the Church yet are they not of it they are no members of that bodie as the Romish Church teacheth for they onely creepe into it The second fault that is laid to their charge is that they are intruders thrusting themselues into the office of teaching not being called thereto but creepe into the calling Whence wee note that it is most necessarie that those who are to teach publikely in the church should bee first called thereunto Reasons First besides the auoiding of this sinne of creeping into the Church it is the order that God hath set in the same that he that is to teach should first be sent Rom. 10.14 And No man taketh this honour that is lawfully to himselfe except he be called as Aaron was Secondly the Ministerie is Gods and not mans because the Minister standeth in Gods roome and speaketh in his name which he can neuer doe truly vnlesse God send him and depute him in his stead Thirdly the Minister must maintaine that which he teacheth vnto which he had neede as in all the parts of his calling of Gods speciall protection for the which hee must bee alwaies instant in prayer which hee can neuer be assured of if he be not perswaded of the truth of his calling Fourthly the people cannot heare with comfort and profit if they bee not perswaded that God hath called the teacher to instruct them Rom. 10.14 How can they heare c. This truth extendeth it selfe also to all other offices as well Ciuill as Ecclesiasticall all which are to bee welded and executed by men lawfully called vnto the same All entrance then into any office in Church or Common-wealth by money fauour of men or any vnlawful meanes is intrusion and such are not called of God but are to be ranged among these seducers who creepe into places and come not in by Gods call or approbation The second adiunct whereby the seducers are described is their estate before God being men of old ordained to this condemnation That is they were before all times locked enrolled or billed vnto condemnation euen as though their names had been set downe in a booke By condemnation is meant iudgement as the particle This doth plainly shew which maketh this the plaine meaning They were of old ordained to this iudgement in this life to trie to exercise and molest the Church of God and so consequently to procure vnto themselues at length their own iust condemnation In which words we are taught first that God keepeth his bookes of Registrie and records in which all things are set downe the persons behauiours and eternall estate of all men which bookes are of three sorts first the booke of his Prouidence containing all particulars of things past present and to come in which the Lord saw the members of Dauid when he was yet vnformed Psal. 139.16 In the same booke the number of the haires of our heads and the falling of sparrowes to the ground are recorded The second booke is of the last iudgement in which the persons and sinnes of all men al enrolled Dan. 7 9.10 The thrones were set vp the ancient of daies did sit thousand thousands ministred vnto him and ●enne thousand thousands stood before him the iudgement was set and the bookes opened Reu. 20.12 I saw all great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened The third is the booke of life in which are written the names of those who are to be saued Phil. 4.3 Paul saith of Clement and other his fellowe labourers that their names were written in the booke of life Now by these books we may not grossely conceiue materiall bookes such as men note what they would remember in but the counsell election prouidence pleasure and knowledge of God wherein all these things are so certainly set downe as if any man should write them in a booke Out of which wee note two things first that in regard of God there is no chance neither any euent by it in regard of men indeed who know not the causes of things many chances may be but Gods prouidence and chance are contrarie he hauing all things written before him with their causes Secondly that nothing comes to passe without the decree of God no not the wicked actions of men Which God not onely foreseeth but decreeth for this Iude insinuateth saying they were ordained to this iudgement and euen that which is against the will of God commeth not to passe without his will God willing the being of that which he willeth not to effect and though hee esteeme not euill to be good yet hee accounteth it good that euill should be Further where hee saith ordained of old to this condemnation we learne that as God hath before all worlds decreed the electing of some to saluation so he hath decreed the refusall and reiecting of others to condemnation 1. Pet. 2.8 Many were disobedient vnto the which they were euen ordained 1. Thess. 5.9 God hath not ordained you to wrath but to obtaine saluation through Christ shewing that some are ordained to wrath who are not to obtaine saluation through Christ. Rom. 9.22 God is compared to a potter framing vessels of honour and dishonour vessels of mercie and vessels of wrath In the same place I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau that is I haue decreed so to doe For the whole chapter speaketh of Gods counsel vnchangeable decree Ob. If this be so will some say then God dealeth iniustly that absolutely ordaineth some men to condemnation and perdition Ans. We must know that wee are creatures and may not presume to prescribe a law of iustice to the Creator whose will is iustice it selfe whatsoeuer we may conceiue and maketh the things willed good because it is willed and not willed because it is good Secondly though God refuse and reiect men yet hee doth it in most wise order and iust proceeding in these two degrees first hee vouchsafeth to some men the riches of his grace tending to life euerlasting which speciall abundant grace hee denieth to some other passing by them who being left of him vnto themselues fall into sinne Secondly for sin God decreeth iudgement and condemnation so as he doth not simply and absolutely ordaine his creature to hell but in regard of sinne not that sinne is a cause of the decree moouing him vnto it but that hee decreeth not condemnation without respect of sinne and relation vnto it which speech wee neede not feare to speake because the holie Ghost so speaketh Vse First if some men be passed by of God we must humble our selues vnder his mightie hand and with feare and trembling worke our saluation Roman 11.20

is the plaine word of God euery way absolutely directing in all points of faith and loue 2. Tim. ● 5 Paul wisheth Timothy to keepe the true patterne of wholesome words in faith and loue which is nothing else but the testimonie of Scripture in points of faith and loue comprised in the Decalogue and Apostles Creede The rule of faith therefore in expounding Scripture is Scripture it selfe The second thing necessarie by their doctrine to be beleeued not contained in Scripture is that the Canonical Scripture is Gods word which truth is absolutely necessarie to saluation to be beleeued but cannot otherwise bee knowne or beleeued but onely by the tradition of the Church Ans. As euery other Arte and Science hath certaine principles of truth to proue all other precepts by but themselues are to bee prooued by none so also hath Diuinity the chiefe of al other Sciences of which kinde this is one principle that Canonicall Scripture is Gods word which not granted inferreth a destruction of all other diuine rules this is a truth therefore confirmed not a thing testified from some other but as a ground of it selfe Secondly in diuine matters saith goeth before knowledge which in humane things is cleane contrarie for if a man would know whether fire bee hot let him put his hand vnto it he shall haue experience of it and then he shall beleeue it but in diuine things first a man giueth credit and yeeldeth consent to the word and then hath experimentall knowledge for although faith hath his knowledge yet experimentall knowledge followeth faith Abraham beleeued aboue hope here faith went before knowledge Ioh. 7.27 If ye do the will of my Father yee shall know whether the doctrine bee of God nor no. Thus then we may conceiue it the tenour of the word of God is this Thus saith the Lord. If the question now be whether the Lord said thus or no I answere to beleeue the Church herein before God is sacriledge but herein we are first to yeeld assent vnto God and then after this experimentall knowledge will follow that Canonicall Scripture is the word of God Thirdly wee know that Scripture is Gods word by Scripture and not by the Church out of which being in humilitie taught and acquainted with the excellent matter of it and manner of writing the end the glorie of God and our owne saluation wee cannot but haue sufficient perswasion of the author of it and that it can proceede from none other but God himselfe Thus notwithstanding the allegations of the aduersaries the written word retaineth that perfection which needeth no tradition to strengthen or further it in that end to which it is appointed Now to the reason it selfe amplifying this sinne in this verse which containeth three points to be considered First the person that durst not raile Secondly the goodnes of his cause which was very iust and yet he durst not raile vpon the Diuell himselfe Thirdly the manner of his speech The Lord rebuke thee The person that durst not raile was Michael the Archangell whom some affirme to bee Christ himselfe others that he is some chiefe arch and principall Angel which opinion is more probable For first the Apostle speaketh of him as one in subiection and standing in awe not daring to breake the law of God for he durst not reuile the Diuell Secondly in 1. Thess. 4.16 The Lord Christ shall come to iudgement with the sound of a Trumpet and the voyce of an Archangell where is a plaine distinction betweene Christ who should come in the clowdes and the Archangell Thirdly Peter explaineth it speaking the same thing and saith The Angels giue not railing iudgement against them 2. Pet. 2.11 It is more probable then that by Michael was meant a principall Angell rather than Christ. Doctr. First from the person wee learne that there be distinctions and degrees of Angels there bee Angels and an Archangell Quest. Is there but one Archangell Ans. The Scripture speaking of Archangels vseth alwaies the singular number neuer mentioning more than one and where the Scripture resolueth not we are not to determine yet I condemne not those who haue probably held that there are more than one Secondly wee haue here an example of Angelicall meeknes and modestie Tit. 3.1 Put them in remembrance that they bee subiect to principalitie and speake euill of no man but shew all meeknes vnto all 〈◊〉 the contrarie practise of railing slandering and obtrecting is a propertie of the Diuell whence he hath his name Reu. 12.10 the Accuser of the brethren and the Aduersarie 2. Pet. 5 8. who is euer readie with one accusation or other to stand vp against euery man the malitious man whose malice caused him to stand vp against Iob and falsely accuse him of hypocrisie vnto Gods own face Let slanderers and backbiters of their brethren see hence whom they imitate and most liuely resemble Secondly consider the goodnesse of Michaels cause which was this It was the wil of God that Moses body should be buried in a secret place vnknown to any man to preuent and auoid al occasion of superstition and Idolatrie amōg the Iewes The Diuell on the contrarie would discouer it that so the Israelites might fall to Idolatrie before it herein the Archangell resisted him and stroue with him for the performance of the will of God and the maintenance of his true worship and yet in this good cause Michael durst not reuile the Diuel himselfe In this cause consider two things First the fight and contention betweene Michael and the Diuell Secondly the cause and occasion of it about Moses bodie In the former wee may obserue that there is a sharp and serious contention betweene good and bad Angels in which the good Angels labour to defend all that are in Christ against the rage and furie of the Diuell and his angels As Psal. 34.8 The Angels of the Lord pitch their tents round about those that feare him And on the contrarie the Diuell and wicked spirits cast about how to destroy the bodies and soules of men 1. Pet. 5. Our aduersarie the Diuell goeth about continually seeking whom he can deuoure This combat concerneth and is conuersant about either first the persons or secondly the societies of men The fight about the persons concerneth either infants or men of yeres First for infants the Diuell seeketh how to spoyle and destroy them especially those of elect and faithfull parents in regard of their weaknes and tendernes both of minde and bodie but the Angels of the Lord haue charge giuen thē to defend them against this malice of Satan As Psal. 91.12 They shall beare thee vp in their armes that is they shall bee as nurces to beare them in their armes preseruing them from danger Mat. 18.10 Despise not one of these little ones for their Angels alwaies behold the face of my father which is in heauen Secondly concerning men of yeeres the diuell and his angels striue to driue them out

edification so as the generall commandement admitteth this limitation that men must be pleased but onely so farre as it tendeth to Gods glorie their owne good and edification So Rom. 12.18 Haue peace with all men but yet with a double limitation first if it be possible secondly if it be in you or so much as lieth in you wee must not carrie crosse and thwart mindes as being enemies vnto peace but applie our selues to the preseruation of it in our selues and others thus shall we testifie our selues to be admitted into Gods kingdome wherein the lion and lambe play together and the yong childe with the Cockatrice Isai. 11. Whereby thus much is signified that men once conuerted shall be so changed and altered that if they were neuer so fierce and cruell against the Church and one against another before yet now they shal be framed to a peaceable and meeke disposition towards all men Now to perswade vs to the practise of these rules consider first that these are the last times wherein most men are louers of themselues and louers of men for their owne aduantage euen so farre as by them they may attaine and retaine their wealth pleasures and pompe but few are they that loue men for God or his graces in them now seeing the times more call for these duties let vs bee the more carefull in them Secondly loue amongst men is the bond of societies for what else linketh man to man but loue which therefore the Apostle calleth the bond of perfection and truly for it maketh men speake and thinke one thing and perfecteth their societie Seeing then Christian societies are Gods ordinances and preserued by loue wee are to labour the more in the preseruation of it Thirdly the office and action of loue is most excellent for the manifold gifts and graces which God bestoweth on men for the vse of the Church and Common-wealth are all hereby made profitable thereunto all ordered hereunto aright and all hereby applied to their right ends and vses the gifts of knowledge tongues artes wisedome and such like without loue they puffe vp but it is loue that edifieth 1. Cor. 13. and which causeth man to applie and vse these gifts to the good of man The third rule for the maintenance of faith concerneth Hope in the next word● looking for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Wherein is contained a description of hope which is this Hope is a gift of God whereby we waite for the mercie of Iesus Christ to eternal life For the better conceiuing of which grace consider in the words three things first the person on whom wee are to waite by hope namely our Lord Iesus Christ together with the properties of this waiting which are foure first it must be certaine without doubting for the Apostle ascribeth a full perswasion and assurance vnto our hope as wel as vnto our faith Heb. 6.11 neither doth hope make a man ashamed by disappointing him of the thing hoped for Rom. 5.5 Secondly it must be against hope that is against all humane hope reason sense and whatsoeuer may be grounded vpon these Thus Abraham beleeued against hope Rom. 4.18 Thirdly it must be a patient waiting on Christ Rom. 8.15 If we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it for otherwise the thing hoped for deferred maketh our waiting painfull and tedious Fourthly it must be grounded vpon the word and promises of life Psal. 130.5 My soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word Heb. 6.18 the ground and anchor of our hope is made not onely the promise but the oath of God who cannot lie although he should not sweare that we might h●ld fast the hope that is set before vs. The second point is the thing for which we must waite which is not for gold siluer honours pleasures but only for the mercie of God in Christ vnto life eternall by which we must not vnderstand the beginnings of mercie for these we alreadie here enioy and hauing the present hold thereof need not hope for the same but for the full measure and accomplishment of Gods mercies hereafter to be enioyed The like manner of speech hath Paul Rom. 8.20 We waite for our adoption and redemption not that wee are not alreadie adopted and redeemed but that it is not as yet fully finished and accomplished in vs as hereafter it shall be The third point is the fruite and profit of this waiting and that is life eternall and therefore is added vnto life eternall giuing vs to vnderstand that our waiting shall bring vs vnto and set vs in the possession of this life So as the description standeth in setting downe two effects of hope described first that it causeth to waite on Christ for mercie secondly that it doth not faile nor make a man ashamed for he waiteth vnto eternall life and in this expectation is put in possession of the same From the former effect we learne first to put a difference betweene hope and confidence first by hope we waite on Christ but by confidence we rest vpon him and quiet our hearts in him Secondly hope is of things to come and confidence of things present at least made present by faith Matth. 9.2 Haue confidence and thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Whence we may discerne an error in Popish religion They teach with vs that a man is to haue confidence in Christ but they include it vnder hope and will not permit that it should bee referred to faith because then they should be drawne to grant a speciall faith But that is erroneous seeing confidence is not of things to come as hope is but of things present and therefore although confidence goeth with hope yet it is no branch of it but proceedeth from faith Secondly seeing this waiting is a certaine expectation of Christ hence I gather that there is a speciall faith for if there bee a speciall hope there must needes be a special faith to ground this speciall hope vpon for wee can neuer certainly waite for that whereof we are vncertaine whether it belong vnto vs or no he that hath receiued the earnest may certainly waite for the whole summe but it is faith which receiueth the earnest of the spirit from whence our hope is raised Heb. 11.1 Now faith is the ground of things hoped for for which cause it is that hope also hath his full assurance ascribed vnto it as well as faith And hence wee may further take knowledge of another of their errors whereas they teach that hope indeed is ioyned with a certaintie but they distinguish of certaintie which is they say either of the will or vnderstanding hope they graunt hath the certaintie of will but not of iudgement and vnderstanding but this is false seeing the Apostle Heb. 12. commandeth to reioyce in hope which no man can doe vnlesse the iudgement be certaine and setled he that is not certaine of mercie can neuer hope certainly