it is spiritus Dei which he breathed into our bodies Now to consider of the words somewhat more seriously we see that the soul is a breath but so that it is Neshema a spirituall and celestiall breath which properly is understood of the winde and ayre by which we see that is next of kynne to the Spirits which have no body as our bodyes are next of kynne to the wormes that are in the earth which soul for that cause is invisible but not unperceiveable As we cannot see the winde and the pulse yet we perceive them by divers effects So is our Soul and the excellency of it made known and discerned And that it might not be imagined or thought to be only a bare blast of breath or as a puffe of winde he therefore addeth a spirit of lives And least we should deem the soul and the life to be but one thing and to end and vanish away together Job telleth us 27. 3. that the spirit or soul of a man is one thing and 〈◊〉 life is another distinct Though there be a spirit of life in beasts and not only in earthly creatures but also in celestiall spirits yet only the spirit of man is spiritus vitarum that is of more lives than one which our Saviour Christ telleth us in Matth. 10. 28. Men may take away the one life of our body but they cannot the other life of the soul that is only in Gods power This then is the difference between the soul of a man and all other things which confuteth the Epicures 1. which held that the Soul was but a hot salt humor to keep the body from rottennesse and corruption Moses maketh choice to compare the Soul to breath First because it hath a piercing and a searching quality being Totus in toto totus in qualibet parte Pro. 27. 2. This candle of the Soul diffuseth his light and heat and life in every member searching and piercing all Secondly the Soul is compared to breath to humble us and not make us presume on this life seeing the soul and body is but knit and conjoyned together vinculo aëreo by an airie thred Esay 2. 22. Mans breath is in his nostrills which being stopped his life is gone Psal. 103. 14. 15. which causeth our life sodainly oftentimes to be taken away and our soul and our body in an instant or moment to depart a sunder Psal. 78. 39. Even because the union that holdeth soul and dody together is but a little blast of aire and winde easily broken and smitten asunder so sodainly doe we passe away and are gone This may teach us the shortnesse and sodainnesse of this life and death The use of which is that seeing we received our life from God therefore we must now live the life of all godlynesse seeing we live by the spirit of God naturally we must seek for the spirit of God and the graces of it that we may live holily seeing our Soul is the light of God let not this light become darknesse in us for then great is that darknesse Seeing our Soul is the Image of God we must not deface it with the ugly form of Sathan The holy man Job 26. 4. hearing his friends speak foolish and vain words asketh 〈◊〉 spirit cometh out of them As who should say seeing you have the spirit of God speak not such words as if an evill or vain spirit were in them So must we say to those men that doe evill works Whose spirit or what spirit hast thou in thee These deeds are the works of evill Spirits but thou had'st in thee the good spirit of God 2. Now we are come to the second estate of our soul which is set down in this So man became a living Soul which is added to shew that God not only gave that spirit inspired into him a power of life by which it could live but also another power unto the body which before was a dead peece of Earth wherefore the soul being in every part of the body so made by and by it was lively in every part and stood up and performed the actions of life which now it doth in us This is a good and profitable sense of these words as some doe understand But the best Divines weighing these words more deeply doe finde out another state of the soul which sheweth another priviledge of the soul of man For besides that it is as we have seen a spiritual essence occupied in spiritual actions being immortall and pertaining and leading to another life Besides this speciall priviledge it hath here also another common prerogative namely to enforme the body that is in a word besides being a spirituall essence it is also a natural essence it had hath and shall have a power to live without the body and also it hath a power in the body to quicken and give life to it and every part thereof that is it can animare informare corpus which we know the Angels and celestial spirits cannot for when they appeare in a body their souls of life though they live yet they doe not informe that body but they are in it as in a Case which they take to them and leave off again But our soul is not only a spiritual essence and consistence as the Angels but also a natural consistence in the body to inform and animate it which the Angels have not And this is the other prerogative There is none that doe doubt but they have naturalem animam and thereof they are called naturales homines 1 Cor. 15. 46. But by their actions one would think that their souls were only fleshie souls because they never give them selves to spiritual and heavenly actions as a Celestiall spirit shall move them But only they are given to actions of this bodily life which is temporall yea to earthly fleshie and sinfull actions as if the soul that were in them were but after that fort a natural soul of life for a time They see by their natural studies senses motions and actions that they have a natural soul of life quickning the body which else could not live But they think not that it is a spiritual soul and heavenly essence which shall have an eternall being after this life and therefore they never care to 〈◊〉 for such heavenly and spiritual actions of Godlinesse wherefore we will briefly prove and shew that the state of the soul is celestial and 〈◊〉 that we may be moved to think of such actions as that estate doth require And first that the soul and the life and estate thereof doth not depend upon the body but hath his being and life without the body after the body is dead and turned to the Earth because it hath his dependence on God which is immortall and eternal which appeareth to reason in the judgement of the Heathen because the soul hath in the will a power and faculty and ability to effect and perfect an action
of John the second chapter and second verse The law hath two parts Punishment and Reward We by our sinnes have made our selves guilty of the punishment and of the curse that is threatned against them that continue not in all things 〈◊〉 the third chapter But he stands as a Mediator between the punishment and us and 〈◊〉 shed his bload as a ransome for our sinnes the first epistle to Timothie the second chapter and so hath cancelled the hand-writing 〈◊〉 against us and taken away the malediction that was 〈◊〉 us Collossians the second chapter and for the reward which we should have deserved fac hoc vives howsoever we have debarred our selves of it yet he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephesians the first chapter and hath bought and purchased life for us He is a Mediator and Intercessor on our parts to God propter 〈◊〉 peccati defectum meriti by his innocencie and righteousnesse he hath purchased that for us which we could not deserve for our sinnes This is to be an Intercessor which intercession is performed in all Religions by Prayer and Oblation By prayer Christ is our Intercessor For he sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us Romans the eight chapter not for the godly only but for his enemics Father forgive them Luke the twenty third chapter as it was foretold of him He shall pray for the transgressors Isaiah the fifty third chapter And he prayed not only for forgivenesse of sinnes but for the turning away of punishments due to sinne which was the cause that he offered up supplications to God with strong cries Hebrews the fift chapter and the â—eventh verse He prayed that the holy Ghost might be given to his Disciples John the fourteenth chapter 〈…〉 of the Father that the holy Ghost being given Sathan might not 〈…〉 them from the faith Luke the twenty second chapter Lastly That we may be partakers of glory with him John the sevententh chapter and be where he is As he prayeth for us so he makes 〈…〉 supplyeth the impersections of of our prayers and makes them acceptable to God Canticles the eighth chapter 〈◊〉 me audire vocem tuam that is I will take upon me to obtain for you that which you cannot Secondly for Oblation As Samuel did 〈◊〉 only pray to God for the People but did himself take a 〈…〉 and after 〈…〉 for the People the first book of Samuel the seventh chapter So Christ as our Intercessor to God not only by prayer but by oblation he was an oblation offered in the morning 〈…〉 was presented to God his Father that he would for us yeeld obedience to the Law 〈…〉 his death was an evening oblation he was not only the 〈…〉 first fruit of the corne but became the vine in his death by 〈◊〉 his blood And as he not only prayeth but giveth 〈…〉 so he doth not only offer for us but give 〈…〉 the Prophet foretold That whom he should 〈…〉 offerings of the people should be acceptable 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 and the fourth verse Our prayers and oblations 〈…〉 â—…ctions And whereas God appointed that the 〈…〉 be purified should offer to God a young 〈…〉 Leviticus the twelfth chapter to 〈…〉 up himself to God tanquam agnum immaculatum yet 〈◊〉 columbam gementem if not innocencie of life yet repentance and sorrow for sinnes But because we cannot present either a Lamb or a Dove neither innocencie of life nor true sorrow for sinnes therefore Christs oblation doth supply the defect of our imperfections We cannot offer up such tears for sinne as we ought therefore the strong cries and tears which he offered Hebrews the fift chapter the seventh verse stand between God and us Because the agonie and grief of our heart is cold and dead therefore the agonie that he indured when he sweat water and blood is a suppliant Luke the twenty second chapter So he is both an oblation for us and supplyeth the imperfections of our oblations He having offred up himself to God as a Lamb 〈◊〉 and without spot the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the nineteenth verse hath appeased the wrath of God his Father and procured his favour for us and keeps away the malice and rage of Satan from us Victori dabo edere ex arbore illa vitae quae est in medio Paradisi Dei Revel 2. 7. Febr. 4. 1598. A PLACE of Scipture purposely chosen that we might not depart from the consideration of those things wherein we have been occupied heretofore and yet such as may fitly be applyed for our instruction in the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ for though we be now in the Revelations yet are we not gone from the third chapter of Genesis wherein we learned that Adam was sent out of the Garden and kept from the tree of life Affinity of the Tree of life and of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And for the businesse we intend there is a great affinity between the tree of life which God set in Paradise as a quickning means for the coutinuance of life in Adam if he had continued in his first state and the Sacrament of Christs body and blood for as I told you the causes of that Scripture gives man a hope of restitution to Paradise and 〈◊〉 tree of life which is acquifitis novi juris And that restitution is performed in this place There was an Angel set to forbid Adam accesse to the tree of life which was a sight dreadfull for that he was armed with a firie sword But here we have comfort that he that makes this promise of restitution is an Angel as well armed viz. with a two edged sword Apocalyps the first chapter and the sixteenth verse Whose eyes were as a flame of fire Apocalyps the second chapter and the eighteenth verse So there is a resemblance between the partie that here gives licence to come to the tree of life and the other that forbid to come to it The one threatned with a sword the other promiseth to the persons that keep the condition here expressed That they shall out of the tree of life The point is next how these shall prevail But if we consider how the Angels or Seraphins 〈◊〉 the sixt chapter and the second verse in that they hid their faces before the Lord of 〈◊〉 which was Christ whose glory was 〈◊〉 shewed John the twelfth chapter and Cherubins 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter doe 〈◊〉 this Angel and cast their crowns down before him as the blessed spirits doe 〈◊〉 the fift chapter it is like he shall prevail for the one is the sword but of a ministring spirit Hebrews the first chapter but this is the promise of the Lord of life and glory Acts the third chapter and the first 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 the second chapter But the chief point to be inquired is How the holy Ghost agreeth with himself that man being debarred of the tree of life is
first verse seeing me have so great promises let us cleanse our selves for the Divine effence is incorruptible and it is impossible that corruption should inherit incorruption the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter therefore albeit our outward man corrupteth daily yet we must labour to be renewed in the inner man the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter But whence is this corruption From lust So saith the Apostle here agreeing with St. James in his first chapter and the fourtâ—… verse Every man is tempted when he is 〈…〉 drawn 〈…〉 own lust The place where this corruption is is the world So St. Peter saith and the first epistle of John and the second chapter There is nothing in the world but concupiscentia oculorum carnis and St. Paul saith They that will be rich in this world fall into many foolish and noysom lusts the first epistle to Timothie the sixt chapter Filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and lust of uncleanness There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the first verse and the second epistle of Peter the second chapter and the tenth verse but we must keep our selves unspotted of the world as in the first chapter of St. James epistle and hate the garment spotted of the flesh Jude the twenty fift verse For avoiding 〈◊〉 corruption we must know That temptations which come by fair and flattering speeches are not to be resisted but a man must fly from them Heb. 12. 1. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an imbracing sinne and James the 1. 13. there is a line or bait or angle which you must flye from so shall you be safe If you resist not you will be taken and James the fourth chapter and the seventh verse Resist the Devil but in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixt chapter Fugite fornicationem for it is an embracing sinne the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter Flye lusts of youth There is no other way for by talking and arguing the point is the way to be catched that is seeing the world from without doth corrupt as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fift chapter A little levan maketh sower the whole lump they that will not avoid it are servants of corruption the second epistle of Peter the second chapter and Jude calls them spots and blots they that will be partakers of these promises must avoid the evil company of such As when Jacobs rods lay before the Ewes they brought forth party coloured Lambs Genesis the thirtieth chapter So that is the effect of evil company And for ill speeches that corrupts good manners in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter for as Michah the seventh chapter and the third verse there are some that speak out of the corruption of their soul it spreads like a canker and corrupts many the second epistle to Timothy and the second chapter Evil example and bad companie lewd speeches and vain songs are to be avoided if we will avoid corruption For lest that we may know from whence it proceeds he that flies not allurements and provocations cannot avoid them Therefore in Psalm the hundred and nineteenth the Prophet prayeth Turne away mine eyes So for occasions Proverbs the fift chapter Come not neer the harlots house And for the time and opportunity that is carefully to be respected Proverbs the seventh chapter In the twilight the young man was found going to the harlots house and so was corrupted So though neither object nor opportunity be offered yet a man being idle and without exercise may be corrupted for that was the sinne of Sodome Ezekiel the sixteenth chapter and the fourty ninth verse Pride abundance of bread and idlenesse Then a man must never purpose to sinne for so he corrupteth the spirit of his minde nor to let his desire be corrupted He must 〈◊〉 evil company Ephesians the 〈◊〉 chapter have no fellowship with the 〈◊〉 works of darknesse and that is a signe of grace Grace is the motion of the spirit the end of grace is glory He whose reasonable soul doth not purpose to doe evil and his will doth not desire it but shunnes all occasions and opportunity of evil such a one hath a beginning of grace which will not forsake him till it have brought him to glory and made him partaker of the Divine nature Ad hoc ipsum verò vos omni praeterea collato studio adjicite fidei vestrae virtutem c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. THERE is no promise made by God but is with a condition either by way of a restraint with si qui as Romans the eighth chapter and the first verse or of affirmative illi verò or conclusion the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter Therefore secing we have such promises in this place we have both Before promise is made us to be partakers of the divine nature so that we flie the corruption And the Apostle not contenting himself with that doth joyn a second as an affirmative condition Therefore give all diligence to this The first observation from hence is To know how to draw a conclusion from the promise of God For some from the promise of Gods grace did conclude that they might now freely sinne Romans the sixt chapter But the Apostle here dislikes that as also Paul in the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter seeing we have such promises let us consummate our holinesse in the fear of God The cause of so many dissentions in the world is because we are of diverse spirits and gather contrary conclusions as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter the Apostle from the shortnesse of life draweth this conclusion that men should use the world as if they used it not So from the same there are another sort that conclude thus Seeing we must dye to morrow let us eat and drink the first epistle to the Corinthians and the fifteenth chapter as Romans the sixt chapter because where sinne abounds grace super abounds they conclude let us sinne that grace may abound From the promise of God we may not draw any other conclusion but as here he exhorts therefore let us give all diligence Secondly He sheweth wherein this diligence is to be shewed joyn to your faith virtue First of Diligence and then of the thing wherein it is to be imployed Care or Diligence the Apostle maketh the first part of repentance from ill the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter And it is the same word in both places It is here the God of repentance and the Apostle he makes it the gates of affirmative virtues and a good life the one for taking away sinne the other for bringing in of godlinesse There are many kinds of diligence but this is that a man useth when he makes it tempestiva diligentia when a man having day before him he doth
Lonum malum in Creatura arguit quid Creator materia corum erat Which thing doth teach us that all things created be they never so good they carry in them as well a mark and signe of the matter whereof they were made as of the Creator who made them that is as by some goodnesse in them they shew the excellencie of their maker in some part so by some ill and vicious quality in them they bewray the imperfection and rudenesse of the matter of which they came As for example Corn hath his chaff with it Light hath adjoyned his contrarie darknesse Honey bringeth his unsavory wax Metals have their drosse and Liquors and Wines their lees and dreggs the one sheweth the goodness of the maker the other the rudenesse deformity and emptinesse of the matter Now then we see that untill there be a distinction and separation between the lees grounds or drosse of the Wine or Beer and untill a tryal be made to refine and put apart and try the drosse from the pure Metal and sift the chaff and sever it from the Wheat and Corne we can have no good and sit use profitable for us and convenient Even so we say of the Light for according to the course of this mixt world light was brought forth in his mixture that is in darknesse John 1.5 Therefore as God doth here try and discover and separate light from darknesse so in Math. 3.12 he is a Fanner and Winnower of the chaff from the Wheat and by separation cleanseth his floare leaving there only the Children of light Ob. But touching this action let us consider this first Wherefore he left any darknesse at all and why he did not clean cut off all darknesse considering that it is opposite to the light which is good Whether darknesse be evill Where first ariseth this question to be discussed Whether Darknesse be evill seeing it is opposite to light which is good Touching which I have told you before That darknes is but a defect absence and want of the light and mere privation and no substantial thing of it self And therefore it is said when God created darknesse we must understand it to be spoken in this sense and phrase of speech That when God created no light at the beginning therefore he is said to create darknesse for God caused it by withholding light Wherefore as emptinesse is nothing but a want and defect of stuffing and fullnesse and as nakednesse is nothing but a want of cloaths and covering and as silence is nothing but a withholding of words and speech Tâ—nebrae Naturalis Moralis So darknesse being no substance and nothing but a mere and bare privation and that not privatio moralis but naturalis not a want or defect of virtue which indeed is vitious but of light which hath a use commodious Therefore in that regard it cannot be said to be evill but in regard of the morality as we say i. as it hath a resemblance similitude and proportion to that which is moral as knowledge and ignorance in that respect it is blanched among evill and vitious things Ob. But it may be objected That if natural darknesse be not evill why then did not God say before also that it was good I answer That light is an essence and hath an essential goodnesse in it but darknesse being nothing no essence of it self therefore it could have no essential goodnesse to commend it self but it 〈◊〉 as we say in the Schools an ordinate goodnesse 〈…〉 for this rule we hold in divinity that Deus bons 〈◊〉 facit 〈◊〉 So that things have either Bonum essentiale as the light or Bonum ordinatum as the darknesse And God 〈◊〉 many things which have no essential goodnesse in them because by his ordination disposing them he can and doth bring them to our great good use and commodity As silence hath a great good use even in 〈◊〉 and sometime holding a part gives a great grace to the Atte. Ignorance hath this use that it is a spurre to prick men forward to the knowledge of liberal Sciences So darknesse in the Art of Painting hath a great necessarie use for shadows and the darkness of parts give it greater grace and beauty Afflictions have a good use by Gods ordination So hath adversity for it is made good for our instruction and amendment So this darknesse and absence of the light hath bonum ordinatum given it for God in wisdome and mercy disposeth and ordereth it to be a Cabbin and Chamber in which men can best sleep and take their rest Psal. 104. 20. and in Justice he ordeineth it to a good use and end namely to be the 〈◊〉 and place of torment punishment to the wicked in the world to come You see then why he made not such a light which should compasse 〈◊〉 overspread all the world with his bright beams without admitting any shadow at all Job 38. 27. And you see the reason why God suffered not the light to be mingled confusedly with darknesse but distinguished the one from the other without taking other clean away 2d part Now in the second place we will consider first the things divided and distinguished here and then the division and separation it 〈◊〉 Distinction Touching the first we must as St. 〈◊〉 saith Phil. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 between things different and opposed which we call membra dividentia and we must not conjoyn and confound them together for God doth confound such which make a separation and breach in Gods things which should not be divided Math. 23. 37. as the Chickens which separated themselves from the Hens call and also he consoundeth those which agree and joyn together in evill things from which they should be separated and divided Gen. 11. 8. they have a woe which confounds these membra dividentia calling good evill and light darknesse for God will and doth divide things that are noble from things unnoble and good things from that which is bad and he will have no agreement between them but the Divils art of dividing is contrary for it is his study to glew and mash together ill things with good Nahum 1. 10. and to divide and separate good things one from another and therefore never leaveth untill he maketh Gods Church regnum divisum Mat. 12. 26. So the Divell shuffleth good things to bad that there may be an equality between them which should have no coherence which is mater confusionis as he is author and pater confusionis Wherefore this must teach us to divide as God doth things of different and contrary nature As for the division it self the manner of it is after four sorts 1. For first he devided them in cause for the bright and fair clean bodies as fire have their fulgorem Ezech. 1. 4. and is the cause of it the firmament hath his splendorem and is the cause of it So he divided them that so he
might appoint these to be the causes of light to the World So e contra he did it that these corpora opaca these thick and compact bodies should give a shaddow and so be the cause of darknesse so God divided them first that they might be divers causes of these 2. Secondly he hath divided them in places when the light is in the upper Hemisphere with us the darknesse is by division cast into the lower Hemisphere with the Antipodes And so God hath set his horizon Circle as a girdle about the middest of the Earth Job 28. 20. which is a lymit and bound of this division to leave darknesse that it come no nearer the light then that 3. Thirdly in time For as this very part of time with us is light so to some in the afternoon at this very hour it will be darknesse and night for as now by Gods separation light doth drive out darknesse so then the light shall give place to the dark and so shall the course of times continue 4. Fourthly in regard of the use of which we spake before Psal. 104. 23. For he divided them thus in the one we might have time to labour and work and in the other to rest and sleep and therefore the light is called the window by which we see what to doe and night the curtain to draw over it when we are weary and would take rest and as this is the temporall use of this alteration of light and darknesse which God hath made so there is an eternall use for which he did it and that is he separated the one from the other that the light might be the inheritance of his Saints in light in regard of which God 〈◊〉 darknesse in the Starrs that now give us light Job 25 5. But that light which God dwelleth in and we shall is such which hath no darknesse at all John 1. 5. And this is our reward which are the Children that walk in light but for the wicked he hath reserved another eternall use of darknesse even Caliginem tenebrarum which grosse part of darknesse is in this distinction cast down into the bottomlesse deep of Hell for the punishment of the wicked as that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the good so is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the wicked And indeed God being willing to send back none of his creatures which he had made to nothing again therefore the worst thing in this work of distinction he sendeth to the place which is next nothing that is to the lowest and basest place of the depth Hell Therefore Hell is said to be in that place of emptinesse or below Rev. 9. 1. And Tohu is the bottomlesfe place Esay 30. 10. So that place of Hell is Tohu Tobehu emptinesse of all good bottomlesse and infinite in all ill disordered with all confusion utter darknesse without light So it is a place of all horror and desolation for ever which place of darknesse is evill indeed to the sufferer but to the good for the justice of the righteous and just God which is blessed and glorified by his judgment therein Now that we may make better use of the knowledge of this than the Heathen doe of their Philosophy for the framing in us of good and honest motions this may we learn for our uses 1. First that God is the authour of all order place time and all things else which doe observe a comely course and order of times and seasons He ordeined first night then day by course of place he orderly distinguished sursum deorsum and so of other things as we shall see hearafter wherefore he is not the author of disorder and confusion as it is plainly said 1 Cor. 14. 33. which also is taught of shaddow and figure Deut. 22. 〈◊〉 he will not have us make a mixture and confusion of things divided as not to mingle seeds of divers natures not to make Cloath of Wooll and Flax not to plow with an Oxe and an Asse for such things are abomination in Gods eyes which type doth lead us to see the deformity of spirituall confusion and disorder which is set down in the 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. Our faith must not be coupled with infidelity for what agreement can there be by yoking these opposite and unequall things together so that God did not only make order but also made it to this end that it should continue and be kept of every man yet there is and ever will be confusion and disorder both in particular men and in Common-wealths contrary to Gods ordination but the end of it is the confusion and overthrow both of Common-wealths and us if we continue so in private men there is no danger or great hurt to be feared by such in whom there is meer ignorance of simplicity but when there is a mixture of knowledge with it as when men know their ignorance and yet will be wilfull when we think that we know somthing and yet know nothing as we should and when we seeing will be wilfully blind this is very dangerous therefore God cannot abide the mixture of outward holynesse with inward corruptnesse Hypocrisie that is to seem to be that we are not which practise is Hypocrisie which the prophet compareth to a Cake baked on the out-side and dow raw in the inside as it is in action so for affection God cannot abide such as mix and joyn together cold and hot and so become luke warm in affection Rev. 3. 16. for such God will spue out of his mouth The proper and naturall term of confusion is taken from the custome of Apothecaries to mingle Oyle and Wine which are of divers natures which should be kept in severall vessels apart So if men knowing God and yet will power evill actions and sinnes on their own consciences which are against it this is the holding of the knowledge of God in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. which God cannot abice as we must not joyn good things to evill things to culler and cover them for this is Hypocrasie as the former was impiety this God calleth Mat. 23. 27. the putting of a fair marble tombe over the foul rotten carkass which we have and having bad interprises and attempts to put on a well varnished visard to hide the baldnesse of it 2 Cor. 4 2. and cast over it the cloak of Godlinesse and so by joyning good and evill making evill to be in the company of good that it may not be suspected or the better intertained with men Such are now a daies For the Divill seeking to disturb and destroy the Church by some he laboreth to doe it by joyning the Queens injunctions and proceedings to it under which pretence they satisfie their covetousnesse with the hurt of the Church Others under the pretence of a good thing namely of reformation on the other side doe seck much hurt to Gods Church so some on the one side put light to
Some make this question Why the lights were not brought forth before the fourth day the three first dayes were without Sunne God commandeth the Sunne and it riseth not he closeth up the starres as under a signet Job 9. 7. Resp. The question is thus answered First he brings forth the things themselves then the ordinary means the Plant is first then the seed the means of the Plant the Earth is first then is it furnished with herbs the Heavens must be before the Starres there was light the first day but the Sunne was not before the fourth day The Heathen saith that Sol est cor mundi and the Physitions say the heart is not first framed in the body but the liver and after the heart God without any means brought forth the second cause and by his power he brought forth the effects of the second cause Ambrose saith Sol est mater non author lucis The Heathen saith that deus est Plantarum the Sunne is the god of Plants but Rubus est senior Sole the Sunne is not the god of the silly Bramble The Persians seeing nothing more glorious did worship the visible Sunne The AEgyptians under Orus the Romans under Bacchus did worship the Sunne The very Jews did erect Temples and doe sacrifice to the Sunne and Moon and the whole host of Heaven neglecting the service and worship due to God who is the cause of the Sunne and of the light They be not only his everlasting lamps but even as the Heathen say they are his hammers to rarifie the Heavens their influence is for the generation of Plants and Mankinde they joyn Homo Sol Sol Planta The Sunne concurreth to generation this Philosophie teacheth and Divinity confesseth Before God said Let there be and Let there appear to be He causeth being He causeth the morning to keep his place Job 38. 13. The Sunne makes not only things to appear but even as it were to be Spiritus incubans the spirit hatched the waters and dixit Deus the word of God brings forth the light The Sunne of righteousnesse doth arise and health shall be under his wings Malachi 4. 2. He causeth the visible Sunne to shine upon the earth Christ is the spirituall light whereby the Heavens and all therein have their light Christ is the Bridegrome in his marriage chamber Matth. 9. 15. by whose permission the Sunne commeth forth as a Bridegrome also out of his chamber Psal. 19. 4. These lights though they have no tongue to speak unto us yet by their beauty they poynt to our eyes by their light they sing the glory and praise of God in our ears Now of the tenor Wherein we will consider three points First the things themselves Secondly the place Thirdly the uses of them 1. The Lights For the first There was light before these are not lumina but luminaria they are not lights but lightners Basil upon the 1 Ezech. 4. saith That the fire which was wrapped in the cloud and the brightness that was about it was the light of the Sunne And Miscen upon the 14. Exodus 20. That the piller of the cloud which gave light by night was as the Moon Light distinguished from Sunne and Moon I wish as Chrysostome that you would rather use things manifest than to be curious in things secret although the schoolmen doe say that the generation of these Creatures is a corruption of the former Creation which cannot be for corruption is a defect and this is no corruption but rather a perfection of the former Creation and these latter lights are derived from the former Light and day is not all one thing and the Sunne is distinct from them both the difference of them all Paul sheweth in one verse At mid-day he saw a light passing the brightnesse of the Sunne shining round about him Acts 26. 13. This light was lux vitae there is lux diei splendor solis The day and the Sunne are not one so saith Christ the day is the durance of the light luminare a lumine is there distinguished for the Sunne is but the carriage of the light the light and the Moon are distinct the Moon every moneth leaveth her old light and puteth on a new after the conjunction Neither the Sunne nor the Moon are light of themselves but the Sunne is the Chariot of light Paul in the 2. Philippians 15. wisheth them to be pure and blamelesse that among the wicked Nation they would shine as lights of the World John saith He was not that light but he came to bear witnesse of the light John 1. 8. It behoveth that in them which witnesse this light there should be light though they are not the light it self for otherwise they be the blinde leaders of the blinde Matth. 15. 14. The Fathers doe call the Apostles Apostoli lucis Or is one thing in Hebrew Maor is another lumen is one thing and luminare is another light is one thing and that which giveth light is another Things not durable shall be corrupt and shall be brought forth But when he purposeth a father matter and a continuance as long as the world shall continue as when he made the Heaven and the Earth the Sunne and Starres God saith sit let therebe he saith in the singular sit luminaria in the plurall let there be lights The Moon and the Starres are but as glasses having no light in themselves but borrowing it from the Sunne 2 The placing of the Sun and the Starrs The second point of consideration is the place which is most convenient in three regards The first is in regard of God and his Wisdome who is the cause of them and is above Where is the way wherein light dwelleth Job 38. 19. It is sursum it is above 2. Secondly Their place is most convenient in regard of their ministring of light to so large and spacious an house as to the whole world they doe hang in the Heavens as on a beam 3. Thirdly By this means they are in safety from the tyrannie and malice of man for if they were in mens reach they would pull the starres from their place and God from his throne Adam did eato the fruit though he were forbidden Gilead is a City of them that work iniquity and is polluted with blood Priests are murtherers in the high-way by consent there is villany in the house of Israel there is whoredome of Ephraim Osee 6. 8. But man cannot practise any of his envie against the starres which are placed on high in the Heavens So that the placing of them above in the Heavens doth signifie unto us that the cause of them is above the Heavens and the effect of their ministrating and the providence God had of their safetie 3 Their use The third point to be considered is their use which is manifold The first is to separate the day and the night which is orderly to divide the course
without any help of the body or power thereof separately of himself yea it causeth a man to believe and know many things of it self even against the bodily senses and contrarie to them as that the bignesse of the Sunne and Moon is of a huge greatnesse though it seem to our sense but two foot yea the same power of the soul causeth us to desire many things contrarie to the outward sense as that it is healthfull sometimes to fast eat nothing c. Now of this they conclude that of these things there must needs be principium agendi where there is potest as agendi therefore a separate essence and being of the Agent Cause Thus by this separate action the Heathen rose up to this notice of the separate essence of the soul. Again the moving of this question Whether there be a God and eternity and a Heaven and spirits This we know that there is no outward thing which giveth occasion to our senses to move this question therefore the principium movendi is the power of the soul in reason who alone by his own light according to the state of his own nature moveth these things for a blinde man that never saw nor heard of colors can never in reason make question of colors So for as much as there is nothing without to tell or move him to this they conclude that the soul only was the cause and beginning of it within Touching the coupling of soul and body together into one living Man we know that Gods purpose and meaning in it was that the soul should rule the body and be a means to lift it up to Heaven and to God that it might so be made of the same excellent nature and estate which the soul had But now it is perverted and by sinne the course of nature and ordinance of God is changed and naturally our body doth labour to pull down the soul and make it earthly base and miserable But by grace we must endevor the contrarie it is Gods will it should be so and no reason to the contrarie But men seem by the care and cost they bestow on the body that the soul is worthy no care or cost at all But we must remember that many things and much time must be bestowed in seeking to garnish our souls Matth. 6. 20. We must lay up treasure in Heaven Matth. 19. 21. We must make friends of this Mammon put out our money to the Exchangers Luke 16. 9. for it is to lend to the Lord and if there be any truth in him he will repay it to their soul Prov. 19. 17. If we sow in the flesh the fruit of all that is but corruption but that which we sow in the soul and spirit hath his fruit to be glory and immortalitie and this is the point which we are to cleave unto and hold You know how little we bestow on spirituall uses for the soul and how much daily we spend on our bodies therefore I am an Intercessor to you for poor men made de eodem luto de 〈◊〉 imagine beseeching you that it may please you both in regard of the honour of God who made us and them to this end that we which have should doe good to them which have not and in regard of Gods Image in them of whom we should have a care and also in regard of our own duty of imploying our goods of which God hath made us Stewards and of the reward and gain which God will repay for it That therefore you would extend your liberalitie to their relief Our Doctrine is rain Deut. 32. 2. If you as barren ground drink in the rain and yeild no fruit you may fear a curse Heb. 6. 7 8. But if you yield the fruit of righteousnesse then Gods blessing in this life is still to minister food and all other things to you and at the last the end of it is everlasting life Wherefore to the end we may shew our selves not altogether earthly and carnally minded minding only earthly and bodily things and things which make only for this short life let us in the fear of God and love of our Brethren put on the tender bowels of compassion for their relief Ornaverat autem plantis Jehova Deus hortum in Hedene ab Oriente ubi collocavit hominem illum quem finxerat Gen. 2. 8. June 5. 1591. FRom the 7. verse of this Chapter unto the 18. thereof Moses as I have said before doth deliver and add a supplement unto the historie of man for having first Gen. 27. briefly dispatched the Creation of Man under these short terms Marem Foeminam creavit eum he lightly passed it over there purposing here in this place to handle it more at large and therefore he divideth the treatie here into two parts First prosecuting the Historie of Man from the 7. verse to the 18. verse and then of the Woman from thence to the end of the Chapter he left out many things there which he expresseth here As in the 7. verse he sheweth the matter of his body and the pattern after which he was made and the separate substance of his soul The manner of making of his body was as the Potters frame the vessels and the manner of making the soul was by inspiration breathing it into him Now in this verse unto the 15. verse he describeth and setteth down the place in which he was setled and from thence to the 18. verse delivereth the end to which he was made And thus are these verses touching the glosse or Commentarie of the historie of Man reserved Touching this 8. verse it consisteth of two parts 1. The first respecteth the place 2. The second the placing or bestowing man in it The place containeth three parts 1. First The kinde of place a Garden 2. Secondly The dignity of the place as I may tearm it in that it is said God planted it 3. Thirdly The scituation of the place which is also described in the 6. verses following Concerning the first of these three we see the place wherein this Creature of excellencie is to be seated we must needs conceive it to be some place of excellency meet for him and that either to be some place of pleasure within dore or else some place of pleasure without but there was no need for him to have any place of covert or defence within because there was no such distemperature of aire then but that they might well enough yea best of all endure naked therefore God resolveth to appoint and prepare a meet place without Certain it is that all the Earth at that time was in comparison of this as it is now vallis lachrimarum a paradise of pleasure yet God made this paradise and speciall place of the Earth a more excellent place of pleasure than any other in so much that it farre exceeded any other place wheresoever in Earth both in pleasure and
amare Redamare amorem impendere rependere for if love be not mutuall if it cleave fast but to one side they cannot live together as one but needs must fall asunder as we may often see and to make this glue hold fast for ever it is requisite that it be tempered with the knowledge of God that it may be a religious love for carnall love is vinculum Ethnicorum but godly love is vinculum Christianorum Salomon cleaved to many wives but because it was not in a holy and religious love therefore they made him not cleave to God but caused sinne to cleave fast to his soul And thus much of the eternall cleaving together in affection Now for the other which is carnall and externall it is that combination which God saith maketh two but one flesh and that not only in that honourable estate of an undefiled bed but also in that wicked and filthy conjunction of harlots as it is 1 Cor. 6. 16. For they which converse with harlots are said to make themselves one with them For marriage we may say in some sense it is begun in the spirit and doth end in the flesh This knot of carnall copulation St. Paul expresseth in most godly and reverent terms and so wisely that sober eares cannot be offended thereat 1 Cor. 7. 3.4 First he calleth it due benevolence due in regard of the right which the one may lawfully challenge at the others hands benevolence because it must be granted willingly with love and good will for if one deny the other he saith in the 5. verse that it is a frauding of one anothers right for which cause he saith that neither partie hath potestatem sui corporis but one hath right and interest in the other Now of this union man and woman becommeth but one flesh and as it were members of one anothers body and not only so but of this conjunction of them two cometh by Gods blessing one flesh that is the fruit of children which proceedeth from them both and so an unity of the the flesh in the body born is the fruit of their two bodies so united as Leah saith Gen. 30. 20. is very effectuall to be another link of love to binde man and wife more neer together for which cause children are called pignora amoris This then to conclude is the cut-throat of polygamie and adultery of polygamie because God saith they two shall be one flesh therefore more than two in the conjunction is intollerable of adultery it is the overthrow because he will have two by this combination to be but one body wherefore it is an abhomination and monster of nature for one man to be two bodies for he which joyneth himself to a harlot thereby made one body with her 1 Cor. 6. 16. And here we see that he is also one body with his wife and so Gods ordinance is perverted who would have two but one body but these leachers doe make their one bodies become two De septem versiculis a versu 18. usque ad finem 24. qui de Matrimonio Viro Foeminâ agunt Novemb 4. 1591. FOr that our Saviour Jesus Christ in Matthew 19. where the question of divorcement is propounded alledgeth this place that a man shall cleave to his Wife and leave Father and Mother and they twain shall be one flesh this is his further commandement Let no man put asunder that which God hath coupled together for indeed this bond may not be broken at mans pleasure Hence we learn discipline for the framing of our Judgements That Marriage inviolable is the ordinance of God And again Hence we learn the duties of Marriage to be natural for the begetting of Children and civil for mutuall help in houshold and civil affairs But above these duties in adduxit Deus is a religious institution by God and a possessing of their bodies in sanctitie and holinesse of life not being stained with filthinesse vain jesting or wantonnesse which are things uncomly Ephes. 5. 4. But their Marriage should be moderate without excesse of lust because God sought an holy and Godly seed Malachie 2. 15. And therefore God ordained but one wife and that each should sanctifie other for what knoweth the Wife whether she shall save her Husband or what knoweth the Husband whether he shall save his unbeleeving Wife 1 Cor. 7. 16. so that Marriage is for sanctification As for the speciall institution of Marriage here in regard of the time and place It was instituted in time of Innocencie in Paradise which state of Marriage is not only a thing tolerable or a thing alowable as a thing indifferent or commendable in some alone but Marriage is honourable among all persons all degrees as it is in the 13. Hebrews 4. according to that in the Psalme Man being in honour which time of honour was in time of Innocencie 7. Honors of marriage Now there are seven honors of Marriage 1. Necessity The first is of necessitie for that since Adams fall the disease of incontinencie is common to all sorts of men therefore Marriage is offered to all sorts of men without respect 2. Antiquity The second honour is of antiquitie which was the next instituted to the Law of obedience Lex Matrimonii est ipsa lege antiquior 3 Causality The third honor as the Schoolmen call it is of causalitie see Exod. 12. 20. 4 Place The fourth and fift honors are out of the place in Paradise in the presence of Heavenly Angels 5. Time and out of the time in time of Innocencie 6 Gods presence The sixth honor which maketh Marriage most honorable is the presence and presidence of God himself by his dixit in the 18. verse God said it is not good that man should be alone and by his adduxit he brought her to the Man and by his conjunxit whom God hath joyned and by Gods benedixit in the 1. chap. 28. and God blessed them 7. Mysterie The last thing which maketh Marriage honourable is that it is Mysterium magnum wherein is a resemblance even of Christ and of his Church the 5. Ephesians 32. Thirdly in respect of the persons of Adam and Eve it was good for Adam to have a wife it is permitted to Bishops to have one wife Titus 1. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 2. the Apostles themselves had wives 1 Cor. 9. 5. There were never such Saints in the world as were Saint Adam and Saint Eve in the estate of their innocencie integrity yet were they married There are none of what degree soever that are so holy but by the example of Adam Eve they may take upon them this estate of marriage which is honorable among all men it is honorable in all it is not intollerable in some Hebr. 13. 4. 1 Cor. 4. 1. this may be restrained in some sorts of men not to be condemned in any for Marriage which is honourable in all men dishonoureth no
great regard in times past not to abuse anothers Concubine 2 Sam 3. 8. In several there are in them two other Duties In the man understanding and wise government there is I say in the husband direction and there must be in the woman subjection to be subject to his direction And here I am to admonish women of seven things to make them to honor their husbands First they must consider that Adam was formed first and then Eve 1 Tim. 2. 13. Secondly Man was not created for the Womans sake but Woman for the Mans sake 1 Cor. 11. 9. Besides he was wounded that she might be made She was taken out of him She was brought unto him She was made to help him She received her name of his name his name was Ish her name Ishah She had in her name a letter of five in number lesse than man to shew she was but a diminutive All these doe imply womans subjection There are two other Duties several of the man and wife The Man must protect his Wife in danger chap. 20. 11. Providing is required of the man to provide for his houshold and family 1 Tim. 5. 8. And the woman is to preserve and enlarge that her husband hath provided the domesticall duty of preserving the house and houshold pertaineth to her as it is in Proverbs 31. 21. She should be of the property of the Snail still at home but a foolish Woman is troublesome Proverbs 9. 13. The house in holy Scripture is taken for the Children whom she must bear and bring up in the fear of God The Wife through bearing of Children shall be saved saith Paul 1 Tim. 2. 15. The house is taken for the Servants whom we must govern well And the house is taken for the implements which she must order and enlarge She must be not as Ivie which cleavth to the tree and is not profitable though green but as the fruitfull Vine on the sides of thine house she shall bear Children like to the Olive plants round about thy table Psalme 128. 3. 3. No divorce after marriage And this cleaving of each to other implyeth a perpetuity of this bond out of the 2 of Kings 18. 6. Man shall leave father and mother to cleave to his wife And in 1 Cor. 7. 10 and 11. Paul saith I command those that be married not I but the Lord Let not the Wife depart from her Husband and let not the Husband put away his Wife It is true Quos Deus conjunxit homo non separabit whom God hath joyned let no man separate Yet God himself may sever them either by death for when the Husband is dead she may marry to another man Romans 7. 3. or God may sever them by divorcement for lewdnesse and whoredome not for every light matter but for a very weightie cause as it is in the 24. of Deuteronomy 1. Divorcement is called in Hebrew a sawing and the divorce of man and wife should be as the sawing a 〈◊〉 from the body If a man have the dead Palsie in some part of his flesh he will not presently have it cut off unlesse it 〈◊〉 some other part Divorces for two causes The Wife so long as her Husband liveth is bound unto him 1 Cor. 7. 39. But if the flesh be not only dead but corrupted then may there be a proceeding to divorces and that upon two causes as the ancient Fathers doe say out of the Scripture The one is for Fornication and Adulterie And who so putteth away his Wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit Adultery Matthew 5. 32. except it be for Whoredome Matthew 19. 9. And as I told you adulterous flesh is rotten 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 flesh in the thighs and this divorcement for carnall copulation in Adultery they doe gather quia adherebit uxori 〈◊〉 out of suae to his own wife and she to her own husband must cleave The other cause of divorce is for spiritual Adultery which is 〈◊〉 as it is called in the Scriptures If thou have an unbeleeving Wife if she be content to dwell with thee for sake her not for in that she is an Infidell she is dead flesh but in that she is content to dwell with thee she putrifieth not but if she seek to draw thee to Idolatry in such things thou mayst not yeeld but there may be a departure 1 Cor. 7. 15. God suffereth separation and apostacie for spiritual Fornication which is Idolatrie and where God doth make separation there his Deputies which are his Priests for Incontinencie and Apostacie may suffer divorcement for that the People committed Fornication both bodily and spiritually with the daughters of Moab Moses in the name of God ordained they should be slain and Phineas with his spear appeased Gods wrath Numbers 25. In Ezra 10. 4. after they had resolved to put away their strange wives they came to Ezra the Priest saying Arise for this matter belongeth unto thee who bid them in verse 11. to separate themselves from their strange wives as you may see there at large But Pauls counsell in the 1 to the Cor. 7. 11. is my counsell here that but for argent occasion a man should not put away his wife but if she depart let her remain unmarried as if she did retain only to her Husband or let her be reconciled to her husband and this reconciliation maketh no new marriage but by repentance she if she have offended must renew her life in honestie and holinesse and this reconciliation must be a renuing of their love and the man must heartily forgive her as he would have God forgive him then there must be a forgetting of any sepatation as though there had been no breach at all that so faith and love may ever after be preserved that so their love may be not only more dear than that to Parents but that it may grow daily more and more that God may blesse them and their Children that their union in the flesh may breed the unity of their mindes that they may be united each to other as Christ and his Church we in him and he in us who by his Incarnation became our flesh and he is one body with his Church who was tormented and scourged who dyed whose very heart was pierced with a spear whence his Church was taken he forsook his Father in the Heavens and was incarnate he forsook his Mother and suffered death that he might cleave to the Church and the Church to him that so they might be one spirit that so this bond might continue perpetually and that this knot that joyneth Man and Wife might be indissoluble Erant autem illi ambo nudi Adam uxor ejus ae non erubescebant Gen. 2. 25. Novemb. 〈◊〉 1591. THis verse at the first sight may seem 〈◊〉 and to small purpose but the wisdome of the Holy Ghost did add the same to the rest for good purpose If it be referred to that which went
When a man hath done 〈◊〉 either he shameth which as we say is a signe of grace or else he hardneth his face like a stone and is not ashamed but shamelesse this is objected against the People of the Lord in Jeremie 3. 3. that though they were wicked and punished for their wickednesse yet they would not be ashamed Harlots were wont to cover their faces to cover their shame but now Harlots are become shimelesse this was the reason that Judah supposed Tamer to be an whore chap. 38. 15. for that she had covered her face God cannot abide the sinfull man but he will punish sharply those that will not be ashamed when they have committed abhomination Jeremy 6. 15. Now we are clothed and ashamed for the minde condemneth the deformity of sinne by shame and to be ashamed at our faults now is accounted a virtue shame now bewrayeth the sinne that is covered Adam and Eve were naked in body innocent in minde and were not ashamed of their nakednesse But since the Fall it is otherwise as in chap. 9. 22. Ham saw the nakednesse of Noah his father and was accursed but Shem and Japheth went backward and covered the nakednesse of their father whose nakednesse they saw not and for that they shamed to see their fathers nakednesse they were blessed God in the 20. of Exodus 20. commandeth Moses not to make steps up to his altar lest when he went up by the steps his filihinesse were discovered thereon when the young man in Mark 14. 52. that was clothed in lynnen upon his bare body and they would have caught him he left his linnen cloth and fled from them naked as being ashamed In the 21. of John 7. when Christ appeared to Peter and heard him speak he cast himself into the Sea not naked as he was but gyrded to him his coat But what maketh nakednesse lawfull and laudable what maketh want of shame commendable in Adam and Eve to be now a thing blamable and whereof to be ashamed There were certain Cynical Philosophers and notable Hereticks called Adamites that went naked but at length they were weary of their opinion they were not able long to continue naked and were at last ashamed of their nakednesse But to answer the said question we will consider first Adams original state and then the state of him and of Mankinde by his Fall The 〈◊〉 of Adams Innocencie was when the word of God was above all when mans reason was subject to Gods word when his will was obedient to his reason when his concupiscence to his will and when his flesh was subject to his concupiscence so all in Man was straight and right he was upright within and without his reason was obedient his will was not perverse his concupiscence was chaste the nakednesse of the body corrupted not the soul it was original righteousnesse that was the complexion of Mans soul when Man was innocent there was then no hindrance of good nor any inclination to evill All this while there was no shame for there was nothing whereof man had cause to be ashamed Innocencie and uprightnesse brought forth chastity chastity brought forth courage and this it is that made them though they were naked not to be ashamed But after the Fall when all came out of joynt as Paul speaketh our concupiscence became a Rebell to our will our will to our reason our reason to the Law of God mans body would not yeeld obedience to his soul nor his soul unto God according to that of Paul Rom. 7. 23. I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see 〈◊〉 Law in my members rehelling against the Law of my minde and lending me captive to the law of sinne which 〈◊〉 in my members the corruption of the fleshrebelleth and riseth against our spirit our carnall members doe raise up the flesh against the Law of the minde and against our will and these members 〈◊〉 called the fire-brands of 〈◊〉 It is not the hand not the leg not the arme not the seemly parts but the basest part the unseemliest member that striveth against the spirit Yet by Marriage upon those members of the body which we think most unhonest put we most honesty on and our uncomely parts have more 〈◊〉 for our comely parts need it not but God hath tempered the body together and hath given the more honor to that part 〈◊〉 lacked by this bond of Marriage whereby they two become one flesh Levit. 18. 6. And in diverse other places God faith 〈◊〉 shalt not come neer any of the kinred of his flesh to 〈◊〉 her shame though it be under title of marriage the uncovering of which shame turpe est vobis dicere it is a shame to tell though marriage be honest and honourable yet there is a shame in marriage which is the shame of the carnall members whereof both Man and Woman have their shame Man may be ashamed of his fire-brand of concupiscence all finnes are to be shamed at but lust above all is to be ashamed of which causeth other sinnes as in 〈◊〉 Adultery and Murther and the members of lust and carnalitie we are to cover and so to cover our shame and to this shame of 〈…〉 men are subject which sinne 〈◊〉 us more like bruit beasts than othervices the theef by the Law might make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that committesh adultery destroyeth his own 〈◊〉 the wound and 〈◊〉 of that teacher 〈◊〉 man was death Prov. 6. 33. neither the Law of God nor the Law of Nature admitted any 〈◊〉 for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Amnon committed his inceft 2 Sam. 13. 13. she said to him Commit not this folly how shall I put away my shame and than 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 of the fools of Israel he should be accounted even as a beast that hath no regard of kinred he should for that inoest be esteemed as a 〈◊〉 person He that is inticed by the flattery of an Harlot and felloweth her is as an one that goeth to the slaughter 〈◊〉 7. 22. He is like 〈…〉 neighing after his neighbours wife 〈◊〉 5. 8. 〈…〉 God that begat him and that formed him Deus 32. 18. It is 〈◊〉 begetteth sinne and sinne begetteth 〈◊〉 there was no sinne no filthinesse in Adam and Eve at the first where fore though they were naked yes they were not ashamed But in chap. 3. 7. after their Fall when they knew they were naked they made them 〈◊〉 to cover their privie and incomely parts and yet the covering of their shame takes not away 〈◊〉 shame And we should 〈◊〉 thus of apparel that it is to defend our nakednesse we being passible of weather to cover our shame and we have 〈◊〉 great cause 〈…〉 thereof seeing it is but as a clout wherein we doe wrap and cover our own shame we must take heed that we make not our shame to be our glory apparel should be a covering to shame but alas it is even now become a provocation and an
the Corinthians the thirteenth chapter would that we should attribute it to sorrow for sin that it was because his sacrifice pleased not God but it is not that godly sorrow but the worldly sorrow that bringeth destruction of body and soul. The carefulnesse of Cains sorrow must be considered by the cause and effect of it Sense of evill the object of sorrow If God be the cause of his sorrow it is not to be commended for although the sense of evill be the natural object of sorrow yet God may be the matter of sorrow As if some good befall our enemie then we have just cause of sorrow but if good befall our brother the law of Nature and Gods law will not suffer us to be sorry for that But to be sorry for the good of our brother that commeth without any detriment or hurt to us that is intollerable and can be no just cause of sorrow and therefore Cain in that he conceiveth sorrow for the good that came to his Brother without his hurt is guilty of a worldly sorrow that is to be condemned The effect of his sorrow may be of two sorts First If he were sory to the end he might punish and be 〈◊〉 of himself for his carelesness in Gods service Godly sorrow then it was a godly sorrow and worthy commendation but if insteed of working revenge upon himself for doing ill it makes him persecute his brother for doing good then it is no good sorrow Secondly If it were such a sorrow as did provoke him to emulation as Gods purpose in receiving the Gentils that 〈◊〉 was to provoke the Jewes to follow their faith the eleventh chapter of the Romans and the eleventh verse then it was a godly sorrow but if it be such a sorrow as makes him worse then it is no good sorrow If we examine Cains sorrow we shall finde first it was 〈◊〉 and therefore evill for if God know not the cause as appeares in that he asks why art thou sorry then no doubt he had no cause to be sorry If we come to the supposed cause of his sorrow it was not any evill that happened on his part for then he would have sought to remove it but the cause of his sorrow was good not the good of an enemie for then it were tollerable but 〈…〉 bonum innoxium such as was not hurtfull to him therefore it was an 〈◊〉 sorrow For the effect of Cains sorrow godly sorrow doth vindicare malum in se the second to the Corinthians the seventh chapter verse the eleventh it hath two effects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not only a grief of heart for sinne committed but a taking of revenge for the same as it makes a man sorry for the sin past so it makes him carefull and zealous of himself for the time to come and this makes the sorrow of repentance acceptable to God Sorrow of envy but the sorrow of envy is no such sorrow Cain was not grieved for that he had not served God as he ought neither took he envy of himself but he doth the more hurt for through envy he slew his brother the first epistle of John and the first chapter so farre was he from being provoked by his example to good Secondly where the effect of godly sorrow is to doe lesse evill and more grod he did not chasten his body and bring it under the first to the Corinthians and the ninth chapter but he proceeded de malo in pejus the first to Timothy and the third chapter The goodnsse of Abels sacrifice did not provoke him to doe good but to doe hurt Why slaies he his brother because his brothers works were good and his own evill the first of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse The Wise man sa th anger is cruel and wrath is raging but who can stand before envy the twenty seventh of the Proverbs and the fourth verse Envy and 〈◊〉 is joyned with murther where anger and envy take place there is nothing but murther therefore they are joyned together the first of the Romans and the twenty ninth verse the fifth of the Galatians and the twenty first verse Examples and this is plain in Esau who so soon as he maligned Jacob for the birthright and blessing vowed to kill him Genesis the twenty seventh This was the effect of the envy of the Sonnes of Jacob against their brother Joseph Genesis the thirty seventh so because David was respected of the people more than Saul of whom they sang David hath slain his ten thousand and Saul but a thousand Saul was moved to envy and sought to make him away the first of Samuel the eighteenth chapter and the seventh and eighth verses And the cause why the Jewes put Christ to death was propter invidiam the twenty sixth of Matthew the eighteenth verse Envy stayeth not it self till it bringeth forth murther and therefore is to be condemned and avoided Envy the daughter of Pride and self-love Touching the originall of envy which as we see is accompanied with such effects it is the daughter of pride and self-love a drop of that poyson where with the Serpent at the first infected Eve and which Adam received from her and was derived from them both to their posterity by means whereof there are as the Apostle saith certain blinde and absurd men the second to the Thessalonians and the third chapter indeed beasts in shape of men so blinded with the love of themselves that they think no man should be respected more tham they they think themselves the only men in the world the twenty first of Job and the first and take to themselves that which God only challengefh to himself Isaiah the fourty ninth ego sum non est praeter me The absurdity of Cain thorough envy and self love was so much that he perswaded himself God ought to respect him though he did never so ill and that he 〈◊〉 not to respect Abel how well soever he did he thought Abel ought not to be better nor offer to God a better facrifice than he But if any man may lawfully strive to please God he is not rightly offended with Abel because he laboured to doe God the best service he could Cains displeasure against Abel was in respect of his good service wherein we see that verified which the Wise-man saith that there are some which fret against the Lord the ninteenth of the Proverbs and the third verse as Jonas to whom the Lord said doest thou well to be angry the fourth of Jonas and the fourth verse but the absurdity of this passion against God is more absurd for as the Rebells spake of Moses in the sixt chapter of Numbers will he put out this peoples eyes so he seeks to take away Gods justice in that he thinks much that God doth regard the good service of Abel We cannot take away his justice no
the Kingdome which he had usurped began to meddle in Religion and to set up two Calves saying Behold your Gods in the first of Kings the twelfth chapter so Irad calls his Sonne Mehujael First what thing is God such a one as saith with Pharaoh Who is the Lord Exodus the fift chapter that is that cared not for God And as Abraham when he came to Gerar said Surely forasmuch as the feare of God is not in this place they will kill me Genesis the twentieth chapter so Mehujael that cared not for God begets Methujhael that is a desparate fellow that cares not for death and his Sonne is Lamech that is a violent fellow a persecutor and an oppressor one that spoileth and treadeth down every man On the other side as Cain hath Irad one that would exalt himself to be Lord so Seth hath Jerad one that is content to goe down for Mehujael a contemner of God among the Children of God there was Mahalaleel id est anuncians or laudans deum a religious person that would praise God For Methushael among the godly there was Methushelah whose name tells us death is triumphing because it is the reward of sinne and hath a worm that dieth not and a fire that is never quenched For Lamech the wicked he is the seventh from Adam as Enoch the Sonne of Seth but this Enoch being the seventh respects things that pertain to the seventh day wherein Lamech is given to oppression This Enoch prophesied an excommunication against sinners that did wickedly spake proudly saying The Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against them as it is in the fourteenth verse of the epistle of Jude and we shall not see any in the Scripture that spake so proudly as this Lamech for he not only brags of his sinne but contemns Gods threatnings and saith he will kill any that come to him therefore this excommunication concerns him for as Seths Enoch walked with God so Lamech that comes of Cain walked after the spirit of the world In the story of Lamech there are two things to be observed First his overflowing lust Secondly his contempt of God and the punishment which God threatned The excesse of his lust stands in this that he took two Wives Where we are to note that he is the first that durst vaunt of poligamie he is primus sacrilegus nuptiarum for in so doing first he did violate the institution of God which is A man shall forsake Father and Mother and cleave 〈◊〉 his Wife Genesis the second chapter and the twenty fourth verse not to his Wives and they two shall be one flesh not three in one flesh Secondly His taking of two Wives is a violating of humane custome for he is in the seventh generation from Adam Adam had but one Wife no more had Cain nor the rest but Lamech treading all custome under foot takes two wherein it is plain that a breach is made of the primitive custome for as Christ saith Matthew the ninteenth chapter non sic fuit abinitio Thirdly Marriage is a mysterie Ephesians the fift chapter and the thirty second verse for God commends unto us a sacred thing in marriage that is the spirituall and holy conjunction of Christ with the Church In which regard persons in that state should not exceed in lust but possesse their Vessels in holiness in the first to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter and the fourth and fift verses and not in the lust of concupiscence As Lamech sinneth against the institution of marriage in these three respects so in regard of the ends of the same which are three First To be a remedy against fornication in the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the second verse but Lamechs two Wives were an allurement to it rather and no remedy against it for every man must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the third verse therefore if he have Wives it is an allurement to lust Secondly The end of marriage is propagation of Children that there may be not only a seed but semen sanctum Malachie the second chapter For that cause he made Adam but one Wife whereas he had spirit enough and might have made him more but he sought a holy seed therefore if any seek seed by more Wives it is not a holy seed but semen nequam semen corruptem Isaiah the first chapter Thirdly The end is for mutuall help but to have more Wives at once the one is a hindrance and no help so were Rachel and Leah to Jacob Genesis the twenty ninth so were Annah and Peniah to Elkanah in the first of Samuel the first chapter Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec uxores duas prioris nomen fuit Hada nomen secundae Tzilla Peperitque Hada Jabalum hic fuit autor habitantium in tentoriis pecuariae Nomenque fratris ejus fuit Jubal hic fuit autor omnium tractantium citharam organon Tzilla verò ipsa quoque peperit Thubal-Kajinum qui erudivit omnem fabrum aerarium ferrarium sororemque Thubal-Kajini Nahamam Gen. 4. 19.20.21.22 Decemb. 16. 1599. IN which verses is set down first the Marriage and after the Race and Ofspring of Lamech The former point verse the ninteenth the latter in the three verses following Concerning the Marriage of Lamech we have already made an entrance into it besides that which hath been already said If we will know what to reckon of this second Wife which Lamech took the Holy Ghost doth set it out unto us in her name For even in the names of holy Scripture as we have heard is engraven most excellent divinitic His second Wifes name was Zillah which hath relation to his first for it signifies her shadow but truth and shadowes are opposite and therefore the Holy Ghost by this name tells us a second Wife is no true Wife but a false and that in such a marriage there is not the body and substance of Gods Ordinance but only a shadow of it as our Saviour Christ said to the Woman that had five Husbands John the fourth chapter and the eighteenth verse He whom thou now hast is not thy Husband And the sentence and judgment of the Hebrew Writers is that where Lamechs former Wifes name is Adah taken from a word that signifies an open assembly and the second Zillah that is a shadow or secret place it is to teach us that Lamech had his former Wife only for a shew but he kept Zillah in secret places to satisfie his unclean lust privily Now because we see this evill act of Lamech hath not so much as a good pretence it is so much the worse and that he wanted a good pretence we shall finde if we inquire what moved him to break out so farre contrary to the Ordinance of God in the Creation who therefore created Adam but one Wife to teach him he might not have more at once
his speech Matthew the twenty sixt chapter so by a mans talk it will appear how his heart is affected His speech consists first of a preface Heare my voice ye wives of Lamech hearken to my words Secondly the body of his oration I have killed or will kill a man in my wound and a young man in my hurt Thirdly If Cain shall be avenged seven times then Lamech seventy times seven times In which words he saith in effect that he will neither doe right not suffer wrong His Preface we see is a solemn and grave Speech as if Solomon himself were delivering some great piece of wisedome or as if some Prophet were to declare some weighty matter in the name of the Lord. That we may see that the wicked are as carefull in stirring up the hearers to hear their blasphemies as the Prophets and Saints of God are to crave attention to their heavenly doctrine They are like the words of Jacob to his Children Genesis the fourty ninth chapter and the second verse Hear ye Sonnes of Jacob hearken to Israel your Father where to hearken is more than to hear and the speech is more than the voice whereby Lamech willeth his Wives with all attention to bow their eares to that which he saith which sheweth that he imagined that which he spoke was some great matter whereas indeed it is nothing but a vain boasting of his power that he can doe mischief Psalm the fifty second for the Prophet saith That the great men speak out the corruption of their hearts and they wrap it up Micah the seventh chapter and the third verse and so doth this great Gyant Lamech we see by his words he hath this opinion that he ought to be heard being a man of this power For as the Wise-man saith of the practise of the world If the rich man speaks all must hearken to his word but the poor when he speaks cannot be heard but see what is the effect of his speech for all his good preface therefore we must not presently impute wisedome to every one that beginneth in this solemn manner Of the body of his Oration be two parts First a proclaiming to the world What he will doe if he be touched Secondly If Cain be avenged seven times then Lamech seventy times seven fold Of the former there are two readings the one is I have stain a man being but wounded and killed a young man in my hurt The latter is I would kill a man If it be the former it is a Commemoration If the latter a Commination wherein he breatheth forth threatnings as Saul did Acts the eighth chapter against any that should doe him wrong The one is a bragging of his strength that he feels himself so strong as if he were wounded yet he is able to be avenged of him that shall touch him The other shewes his vindicative spirit that is so far from suffering that if he be but touched he will kill he threatens pro vulnere mortem In the first by that which the Apostle saith in the second to the Corinthians the tenth chapter That if God give strength and power to any man it is not to destroy but to 〈◊〉 We see it is no true boasting which Lamech makes he doth not boast aright that saith he is of strength to doe hurt the commendation of strength is not in killing and wounding but in saving and defence For the second interpretation we are to know it is no just dealing to kill him that hath but inflicted a wound for justice is there should be talio wound for wound and not death for a wound If it be read as the Fathers read it I have killed a man in my wound then it is a confession Now we know confessions proceed of repentance but that was not the cause of Lamechs confession for then he would not have chosen these confessions but it is in the spirit of arrogancie that he confesseth to his wives what he hath done He saith that when he had killed one man in his wound then he proceeded to kill a young man that is he added blood to blood It is enough for a man to sinne though he doe not brag of it but when they doe as the Sodomites did that is praedicare peccata sua Isaiah the third chapter and the ninth verse then they are come to the 〈◊〉 of wickedness if they brag of their sinne and are so far from sorrowing for their finne that they seek applause for it as if they had done well This preaching of sinne and that rejoying in wickedness which the Wise-man speaks of Proverbs the second chapter and the fourteenth verse exultat in rebus 〈◊〉 falls upon none but such as are in profundo peccatorum that is grievous sins and at the pitch of all naughtiness Naturally men are ashamed of sinne and it is a signe of grace so to be affected therefore the Lord saith Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination but where instead of covering their faces with shame for sinne Men have 〈◊〉 foreheads and will not be ashamed Jeremiah the third chapter and the third verse that is a sinne out of measure sinfull for shame is a 〈◊〉 of that singultus cordis that is of that inward grief of heart in the first of Samuel the twenty fift chapter which they conceive that they have offended God but when instead of sorrow and shame there is an exaltation or rejoycing of the evill they have done and a hardness of heart so as they cannot be touched with any grief of their 〈◊〉 These are the tokens of one that is past grace and these appeared in Lamech of whom the Apostles words are verified That his shame is his glory Philippians the third chapter In both these he justifieth Cain for he was ashamed to confesse that he had killed Abel and therefore answered the Lord I know not am I my brothers keeper and after he is very sorry and greatly cast down and therefore saith My sinne is greater than can be pardoned This is it we learn in the 〈◊〉 part The second is worse for where there is no shame there may be fear He that hath lost shame for 〈◊〉 is like the beast 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 ninth for the beast is not ashamed of any thing but though 〈◊〉 beasts be without shame yet they have fear for they will 〈◊〉 willingly run into the fire it is so terrible to them therefore he that feareth not when he 〈◊〉 the danger of sin he is 〈◊〉 than a 〈◊〉 yea than the Devils themselves Who 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 the second chapter Therefore where as 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 to kill and murther him that should but wound him having not 〈…〉 That if a man 〈◊〉 evill sinne 〈◊〉 at the dore but 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 of Gods wrath upon Cain for murther that is a sign that his 〈◊〉 is greatly hardened A man would think the very 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be
feeble but of full measure even the full assurance of hope which shall not be for a time or an hour and so fail but it shall continue even to the end Et factum est praelium in Coelo Michael Angeli ejus praeliati sunt cum Dracone Draco pugnabat Angeli ejus Sed hi non praevaluerunt neque locus eorum ampliùs inventus est in Coelo Apoc. 12. 7.8 Septemb. 29. 1599. AS the Christian Religion is not a Religion of Angels for we doe not adore them with divine honour Colossians the second chapter and the eighteenth verse and though we offer to worship them yet they will not admit of it Apocalyps the twenty second chapter and the ninth verse so on the other side it is not a Religion of Saduces that hold there is no Angels nor spirit Acts the twenty third chapter and the eighth verse but it doth acknowledge that such blessed spirits there be and that God hath erected a ladder that reacheth up to Heaven by which the Angels of God goe up and down to convey Gods blessings to men Genesis the twenty eighth chapter And therefore by all means it opposeth it self against the opinion of those that seek to remove this ladder as if there were no duty to be performed by them towards us For in thankfulnesse to God for this benefit that the Angels have a care of us the Church have thought it good weighing both the one extremity of superstition which Moses compareth to drunkennesse and the other extremity of prophanenesse which he likeneth to thirst Deuteronomie the twenty ninth chapter and the nineteenth verse to keep this Feast And indeed if we consider that those glorious spirits who have the continual fruition of Gods presence Matthew the eighteenth chapter and the tenth verse In whose presence is the fulnesse of all jay Psalm the sixteenth can be content to abandon that place of this felicity to come down and perform duties to the sonnes of men namely to take charge of us and keep us from danger Psalm the ninetie first and the eleventh verse to be as ministring spirits for their sakes that shall be heirs of salvation Hebrews the first chapter This cannot but be reckoned a special favour Secondly Especially if we goe a degree further and consider that they leave their assistance in Gods presence where is all glorie and happinesse to Minister to us that dwell in houses of clay Job the fourth chapter and that for our nobility must derive our selves into corruption and worms Job the seventeenth chapter and the fourteenth verse that such holy spirits should come down upon such sinfull spirits such glorious spirits should Minister to such vile bodies this gives us further cause to remember this benefit Thirdly The manner of this Ministry may be a special motive to stir us up to thankfulnesse This ministry and service done to us is as farre as any can reach that is usque ad consilium fideli auxilium For 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 we see Jacob 〈◊〉 an Angel of God gave him direction what to doe Genesis the thirty first chapter and the eleventh verse So an Angel came forth to teach Daniel to give him knowledge and understanding Daniel the ninth chapter and the twenty second verse And this very book contains nothing else but that which Christ revealed to his servant John by an Angel Apocalyps the first chapter and the first verse that is for matter of counsel And for matter of help there is between Angels and Men 〈◊〉 sociale a holy league indeed whereby they binde themselves that for our 〈◊〉 they may wage warre not only with men but with wicked 〈◊〉 That they doe continually defend us the Prophet teacheth 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth The Angels of the Lord pitch their tents 〈…〉 this fear him whereof we have a plain example in the second of the Kings the sixt chapter and the seventeenth verse For the offensive part of help which they perform to men it is plain that as they defend us from danger so they shew themselves enemies not only to men that seek our hurt but to evil Angels That the Angels are enemies to men that are an enemie to the Elect and Church of God we see it plainly affirmed Psalm the thirty fift and the sixt verse The Angel of the Lord persecuteth them whereof an example in the Egyptians that were enemies to Gods people among whom God sent an Angel to destroy the first born in every house 〈◊〉 the twelfth chapter and Isaiah the thirty seventh chapter where an Angel is sent in the behalf of Ezekiah to destroy the host of Senacherib who was an enemie to Gods people And in this place we see offensive 〈◊〉 in the behalf of Angels against the wicked Angels 〈◊〉 David had relation in those words Psalm the ninty first and the thirteenth verse Thou shalt walk upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lyon and the Dragon thou shalt tread under foot Wherefore that spirits of such excellencie shall defend us against both wicked men and Angels this is a benefit to be remembred with all thankfullnesse to God and likewise we are to congratulate them that are made by God of such power as Melchizadeck did gratulate Abraham after he had 〈◊〉 the five Kings Genesis the fourteenth chapter and blessed God 〈…〉 his enemies into his hands and as the servants of 〈◊〉 did congratulate David when he saw that the Army 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 the second book of Samuel the eighth chapter and the 〈…〉 So that these congratulations of these blessed 〈◊〉 above all our thankfulnesse to God that hath appointed us such helps is the ground and cause of this solemnity The words divide themselves into two 〈◊〉 First the 〈◊〉 Secondly the Victory or Conquest Concerning the former we are first to consider the 〈◊〉 Combatent and then the fight In the Conquest we are also to 〈◊〉 two degrees For it is said not only That he had not the 〈◊〉 for then he had been of an even hand and might have 〈…〉 but that the Dragon and his Angels were so farre from 〈◊〉 and getting the Victory of Michael and his Angels that they 〈◊〉 the foyl so that their place was not found any more in Heaven Touching the persons that waged this battail they are on the one side Michael and his Angels On the other side the Dragon and his Angels Wherein the first thing is what we must conceive concerning Michael It is sure the Church of God upon many and weighty reasons doth not favour the opinion of those that make Christ to be Michael Michael Daniel the tenth chapter and the thirteenth verse is said to be one of the first Princes or Rulers which is to be understood of some principal Angel and not of Christ who is set up above all Princes and is not to be reckoned among them being the Prince of Princes and Lord of Lords And the Annotation of those that hold this opinion sheweth that
of God his Father and so joynt heirs with himself Romans the eighth chapter So Christ saith Ascendo ad Patrem meum Patrem vestrum ad Deum meum Deum vestrum John the twentieth chapter and the seventeenth verse By my death God is made your Father Therefore as a woman travaileth in sorrow but being delivered is glad quia natus est homo So by my death there is a new nativity and you are to be glad that by me you are made the children of God that is by my going away to the Father For the Use as Christ saith of himself non videbitis and again modicum videbitis that is verse the twentieth re shall weep and lament and the world shall rejoyce We are to reckon of the things and persons of this life that is truly said of the modicum videbitis and again modicum non videbitis their continuance is uncertain We have had much peace by the space of fourty one years during which time we saw her which now we see not it was a great time indeed but it was but modicum for a thousand years in Gods sight is but as yesterday Psalm the nintieth As all worldly things are seen for a little time and shortly after are not to be seen So for vado all things in the world are passing they vade passe away as in the first epistle of John and the second chapter The world passeth away The use which we have is the inverting of non 〈◊〉 me videbitis The world saith ye shall see me for a while and within a while ye shall not see me that is the state of the world as in 〈◊〉 the fourteenth chapter Externa gaudia luctus occipit But in Christ the not seeing goeth before and the seeing goeth after that is Psalm the 〈◊〉 Heavinesse goeth before and endures for a night but joy commeth after in the morning But the world setteth on the best wine 〈◊〉 and the worst after but Christ keepeth the best wine till last He that will follow the world shall see some happinesse here and not see after but follow Christ and thou shalt not see here that thou mayest see after Whether of these sights is better the Apostle sheweth in the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter the things that are seen here are temporal the things that are not seen eternal So that we may have our choyce either to see and not to see or not to see here that we may see hereafter which is better therefore the Psalmists prayer is Let me not see here a little while that I may see eternally So for Vado as we see worldly things a little here and then see them not any more so all worldly things passe and goe but whither the world knoweth not He that seeth not Christ here by the sight of the glasse shall never see him for he goeth to utter dar knesse Vadit ad Judicem non ad Patrem and the smoak of his torment shall ascend continually The godly that have seen Christ shall goe to his Father though through many afflictions seeing Christ saith After a while ye shall not see me to shew that he was mindfull of death We must study and labour that our end be like his that so we may be partakers of his promises I will shew my self to him which was matter of comfort as in the transfiguration That albeit to goe away be a hard way yet we be assured as Christ was that we goe to the Father Whither I goe thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me after John the thirteenth chapter that is to God the Father and to his comfortable presence where we shall have that joy which no man shall take from us John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse Whatsoever joy a man can have here it shall be taken from him but the joy of Gods sight shall never be taken from him We goe to that Father which shall give us an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not the first epistle of Peter the first chapter Adeo provocantes Deum ad indignationem factis suis ut irrumperet in eos plaga donec consistente Pinchaso judicium exercente coercita esset plaga illa Psal. 106. 29.30 THERE is in these two verses mention of the plague And as it is here said the plague was great among them so great as there dyed of it four and twenty thousand Numbers the twenty fift chapter And now God hath laid the same axe to the root of our trees and the same rasor to cut off some of our number Isaiah the seventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse Therefore our state being like theirs while they wandered in the wildernesse Every thing in the Scriptures be written for our instruction Romans the fifteenth chapter We must take direction from this principle what to doe in this case That which is set down touching them is of two sorts First The cause of this plague They provoked God with their inventions Secondly the Cure Phinehas stood up and prayed and it ceased The Cause is double First Their inventions Secondly Gods Anger provoked by them And from these two come both The wrath of God is the 〈◊〉 Cause per quod and their inventions the Cause propter quod So a double Cure Against Gods Anger is opposed as a remedy Prayer and against Inventions the executing of judgement upon these sinners The Prayer is qualified in two sorts First that is Phinehas prayer Secondly He stood up in the cause The first thing to be set down is That sicknesse and mortality of people is causall and not casuall for nothing is more contrary than Chance or Fortune and Judgement For seeing a sparrow cannot light on the ground without Gods providence such is Gods care for them though two of them be sold for a farthing Matthew the tenth chapter it is a senselesse thing to think that ficknesse can befall a man by chance Therefore the Philistims being plagued by God would try whether that disease came of Gods hand or by chance the first book of Samuel the sixth chapter and the ninth verse But the very name of plague signifying originally judgement shews it is no casual thing as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter where he saith They did eat and drink their own judgement that is that many were sick among them and many 〈◊〉 So the mortalitie at Corinth was Gods judgement and so the Latin word plaga being a stripe sheweth the same If a stripe there is a striker so then they are not casual If a Surgeon Physician or Philosopher were to give a reason hereof he will impute the cause to the infection of the aire the putrefaction of the bodies by humors and to conversing one with another and they are good causes of it For so saith God Exodus the ninth chapter and the tenth verse Mases took the ashes of
the furnace and cast them up in the 〈◊〉 and they caused a stink And David in his sicknesse saith Psalm the thirty second His moisture was like the draught in Summer Therefore in the plague of Leprosie Leviticus the thirteenth chapter and the fourty fift verse the Leper was to have his mouth shut up David in that great 〈◊〉 spoken of in the first book of Chronicles the twenty first chapter and the thirtieth verse would have gone to 〈◊〉 but be found he should not feared with the Angel Therefore the servant of God saith Proverbs the fourteenth chapter A wise man 〈◊〉 the plague and shunneth it but the foolish goeth on still But these are not the only causes For besides 〈◊〉 there is some divine thing to be considered for there is no 〈◊〉 but a spirit belongs to it as Luke the thirteenth chapter and the eleventh verse a spirit of infirmity So are we to conceive that besides natural causes there is some spiritual of the sicknesse as 〈…〉 twelfth chapter a destroying Angel So in Davids plague in the second book of Samuel the twenty fourth chapter And 〈◊〉 the thirty seventh chapter and the thirty sixt verse the Angel went forth and slue And Apocalyps the sixteenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse The Angels poured out the Vials of the wrath of God and there fell a noysome sore So it is Gods hand that brings in these plagues The cause stands on two parts First Gods wrath 〈◊〉 which all evil things proceed For affliction commeth not from the earth Job the fift chapter and the sixt verse They are sparks of his anger And he is not angry with the waters that they should drown 〈◊〉 the third chapter nor with the aire that it should corrupt but for these things commeth the wrath of God that is for our sinnes 〈◊〉 the fift chapter He doth but make a way to his wrath and then the earth 〈◊〉 up the 〈…〉 Psalm the seventy eighth The sinnes of the people are the cause of Gods wrath Peccata morum goe before peccata humorum There is first corruption of the soul Michah 〈◊〉 first chapter and the third verse All flesh had corrupted their 〈◊〉 Genesis the sixt chapter So there is infection in mens wayes before the streets be infected There is plaga animae the plague in the soul before it appear in the body It is sinne that bringeth sicknesse and death Romans the sixt chapter So they are both joyned Psalm the thirty eighth and the third verse There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne Therefore it is our sinne and infection of the soul that must be looked into If it were some outward cause only it could not be but the plague should stay 〈◊〉 there is so great store of means Jeremiah the eighth chapter Is there no balme in Gilead But he saith Jeremiah the fourty sixt chapter and the eleventh verse Frustra multiplicas medicanda sinne being not taken away physick will doe 〈◊〉 good First the corruption of manners must be holpen and then bodily help will follow Psalm the fourty first Heal my soul for I have sinned against thee And that course our Saviour keeps Matthew the ninth chapter first he saith Thy sinne is forgiven and then Take up thy bed and walk These sinnes he calls inventions Inventions please us greatly and all new things our new omnia better than old Manna Numbers the eleventh chapter But if it be our own inventions then we goe a whoring after it Such is the delight we take in it verse the thirty ninth Our first Parents were of this minde so proud they would not take a rule of life from God but would sicut Dii Genesis the third chapter They set up to themselves graven Images Exodus the 〈◊〉 chapter They have Dii alieni such as their Fathers had Not when men living otherwise then God 〈…〉 I shall have peace Deuteromie the twenty ninth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse These webbs that we weave our selves and these eggs that we hatch Isaiah the fifty ninth chapter are our confusion and 〈◊〉 God and great reason For Exodus the fifteenth chapter and the twenty sixt verse he saith If thou 〈…〉 to my 〈◊〉 I will lay no disease Ego Dominus 〈◊〉 But if we follow our own inventions we can look for nothing but diseases quid tibi praecipio haec 〈…〉 Deuteronomie the twelfth chapter 〈◊〉 men will be 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 that was Sauls rebellion he would not destroy all as God commanded he was wiser than so But what were these inventions It is said verse the twenty eighth They joyned themselves to Baal 〈◊〉 Numbers the twenty fift chapter that is the sinne of whoring and fornication and that impudently before the congregation committed by Zimry and Cosby It was the adoring of an abhominable Idoll a sinne so grievous as it is said many years after 〈◊〉 not enough of the sinne of Peor Joshuah the twenty second chapter it is a sinne that will not be cleansed at the first And we see daily the sinne of uncleannesse ends with a plague that is infectious For the Cure It is certain As there are natural causes so natural cures of this Diseise 〈◊〉 as some Writers doe hold had this Disease and used not only prayer but a plaister by the Prophets direction Isaiah the fifty eighth chapter But as the cause of the plague is not only natural so here is used a spiritual remedy that is in as much as contrary curantur contrariis viis If the provoking of Gods anger be the Cause of the plague the appeasing of it by prayer must be the Remedy The two remedies are out of the double sense of the word which signifieth prayer and punishing Prayer is an appeaser of Gods wrath not only in other points but in this Numbers the twenty fift chapter They all wept and prayed And David in the second book of Samuel the twenty fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse fled to this remedy I have sinned but these sheep what have they done And Hezekiah being infected with the plague turned himself to the wall Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter And in Salomons prayer the first of the Kings and the eighth chapter where plagues or corrupt agues shall hop here then in heaven And there is a good proportion between this remedy and the disease For if there be a corrupt smell the way to take it away is by the good smell of incense or perfume So as our sinne doth give an evil savour and stink in Gods nostrils so the spiritual incense will remove it and that incense is prayer Psalm the fourty first Therefore the prayers of the Saints are called odours Apocalyps the fift chapter But it must be prayer qualified in two sorts First Phinehas prayer that is the prayer of the Priest So David had Gad to pray for him Hezekiah had Isaiah Lift thou up thy prayer Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter The Corinthians had Gad to pray for them the
considered that considering how God hath plagued them in the Devil we should beware that we fall not into the like sinnes Touching the Curse of God As it is the first so the greatest part of this Sentence And is a punishment most fearfull for all men doe abhorre to be cursed and to incurre the displeasure of a man much more of God whose word is his deed so that he no sooner speaks but it is done Jacob was loth to doe any thing to deceive his Father because so saith he I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing Genesis the twenty seventh chapter Indeed as the Wise-man speaks the curse that is causelesse and proceeds from foolish people shall not light upon a man Proverbs the twenty sixt chapter and the second verse But if a godly man such as Jacob and Isaac were doe curse it shall not fail but come to passe Much more shall the curse of God take effect for it shall come into a mans bowels like water and like oyle into his bones Psalm the hundred and ninth the seventeenth verse For the meaning of this Curse the Holy Gohst hath set down a large commentary in 〈◊〉 the twenty eighth chapter and in Leviticus the twenty sixt chapter and the Prophet saith Gods curse is a flying book twenty cubits long and ten cubits braad containing the curse that gotth over the whole earth 〈◊〉 the fift chapter and the third verse It is a book written within and without with lamentations mournings and woes Ezekiel the second chapter By these places it appeareth how large Gods Curse is in respect of this life But if with this we joyn that which Christ addeth concerning the life to come that is everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Matthew the twenty fift chapter his curse will appear to be farre more large Secondly There is no malediction but in regard of some evill The evill that procured this curse unto the Devill was the evill of his malice which he shewed not only in speaking evill of God but in seeking to destroy man both in body and soul And his malice appears herein because he did those things being not provoked thereunto and for that he did it without any 〈◊〉 to himself As the Devill is malicious so are all they that are of that evill one Cain had no other cause to hate his Brother and to slay him but because his works were righteous and his own evill in the first epistle of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse The 〈◊〉 persecuted Christ not for any evill that they found in him worthy of death but only of envy Mark the fifteenth chapter and the tenth verse Thus to sinne of malice is a thing so displeasing unto God as albeit he did in mercy forgive men when they sinned through frailty yet he will punish their own inventions Psalm the ninty ninth and the eighth verse and therefore against such the Prophet prayeth Be not mercifull to those that offend of malicious wickednesse Psalm the fifty ninth and the fifth verse But consume them utterly in thy wrath that they may perish verse the thirteenth Where the Lord saith Cursed art thou and not be thou he sheweth that the curse commeth not from God but from the Devils malice and so whatsoever misery betideth us it is nothing else but the sparkles of our own sinnes Job the fift chapter and the ninth verse and as the Psalmist saith They are the dreggs of Gods wrath Psalm the seventy fift for as the Prophet speakes Wee our 〈◊〉 batch the 〈◊〉 egge that is sinne and the Serpent that is bred of this egge is the curse of God inflicted upon us both in this life and the life to come We doe first by sinne as it were cast the seed and the crop that we 〈◊〉 is all manner of misery and calamity Isaiah the fifty ninth chapter and in Justice God doth reward us thus for the wages of sinne is not only punishment with sicknesse povertie and such like in this world but hereafter with eternall death and destruction both of body and soul Romans the sixth chapter the twenty third verse In that God speaks by way of comparison Cursed art thou 〈◊〉 all beasts he doth not drop a curse upon the Serpent but as Daniel speaks the curse is 〈◊〉 upon him Daniel the ninth chapter and the eleventh verse And that this curse was verified in the visible Serpent appears hereby that not only Men but even all beasts doe shun the Serpent as a Creature principally accursed of God much more it is true in the invisible Serpent the 〈◊〉 for not only the godly but even the wicked that are of their Father the Devill 〈…〉 stick to curse him The visible Serpent being an unreasonable creature could not be so malicious But the invisible Serpent the more policie he hath the more pernitious and hurtfull he is 〈◊〉 he is so malicious that as he himself is fallen from his first estate and hath plunged himself in the bottom of Hell so he laboureth to bring all men into the same estate therefore thus was his malice rewarded Now to the two other branches of this Sentence where we shall finde two 〈◊〉 punishments for two sorts of sinnes for pride must have a 〈◊〉 and lust must loath and we shall see that they are both rewarded accordingly as Salomon saith That Pride goeth before dejection Proverbs the sixteenth chapter and the eighth verse So the Devil having 〈◊〉 himself must be thrown down to creep upon the ground for it is great equity that he that would fly should creep And as it was meet that glory should end in shame Philippians the third chapter so is it as meet that God should punish inordinate last with loathsomnesse And this is the course of Gods Justice as the Wise-man saith in Proverbs the twentieth chapter and the seventeenth verse The bread that is gotten by deceipt is sweet but at the last it will fill the mouth with gravel All the sinnes of the world may he reduced to these two that is The desire of greater glory than God hath appointed to us And of greater pleasure than is lawfull for us First we are to inquire How the first of these two punishments is verified in the visible Serpent for we know that all Creatures saving Man are dejected and creep as it were upon their belly and as one saith 〈◊〉 their breast between their feet only man being lift up with his countenance is taught not to set his minde upon earth but to meditate upon heavenly things But as Jonathan went of all four when he climbed up to the rock upon his hands and feet the first book of Samuel the fourteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse so doth man somtime grovel and creep upon earth when he is earthly minded But the difference that is between the Serpent and other beasts is this The Serpent having no legs lyeth flat upon his belly and is therefore