of his blessings on him in this happy place which sheweth Adam in all justice worthy to be condemned as filius mortis 2 Sam. 12. 5. in that he having such infinite store of all good trees that were yet was not content but did impiously and ungratefully take away and steal from him which had but only one tree From both these we gather that it is not lawfull in respect of Gods will nor against the Law of nature but it is allowed and permitted to man in the estate of innocencie to desire and to use and enjoy both plenty and variety of Gods blessing here on Earth which are pleasant and good that is such good Creatures which may serve for delight and profit David Psal. 23. 5. giveth God thanks for both for God gave him balme which is a thing for pleasure and an overrunning cup which is for plenty And Salomon 2 Chro. 9. 21. and in the 1 King 10. 22. when his Navie went to Ophir he took order according to the wisedome God gave him that they should bring him Apes Peacocks and Parrots c. which we know are only for delight and hath a use for pleasure so he had both a desire and fruition of such things and our saviour Christ which is wiser than Salomon John 18. 2. he often resorted to and reposed himself in a garden and took pleasure therein and Luke 24. 43. there we see he cate of an honey-Combe for the pleasure of taste and St. Augustine giveth this reason because God caused Bees not to gather honey for the wicked only but for the godly also The desire then and the use is lawfull only we must take this Caveat by the way and beware that we long not after the forbidden Tree that is that we both in respect of our wills and desires in regard of the means to obtain and get these things and also of the use and enjoying them must beware that we doe not that which is forbidden for to desire those things in affection immoderately to seek them by evill means inordinately and indiscreatly or to use them in excesse unthankfully is the abusing and making them evill unto us And let this suffice for the first part Now for walking about the Garden Moses here calleth us into the mid'st of it and we know that usually in the mid'st of their places of pleasure men will have some curious devise so God applying himself to the nature of men is said to have a speciall matter of purpose in the mid'st which Moses will have us now see and consider We read in the 1 Cron. 16. 1. that in the middle of the Temple and in the mid'st of the middle part God caused the Cherubins and the Ark to be set where his glorie and presence did most appear for there he contriveth and conveyeth the most excellent things in all Paradise and setteth them in the mid'st thereof to be seen which were no where else that is to say the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill which he expresseth by name as for all the rest he hudleth them up in a general term as not worthy the naming in respect of this Touching which two St. Austin saith well that we must note that they came out of the ground not out of the Aire that is they were not fantasticall trees as some men have imagined but very true and substantial trees as the rest not differing but only this in prerogative and special fruit which by Gods blessing they brought forth fructus erat non ex natura arboris sed ex gratia Creatoris as è contra it was not an evill or hurtfull tree ex voluntate plantantis sed ex culpa comedentis for by Adams sinne it became deadly We see then that as Paradise was a natural place though it had reference to a spirituall place for in this tree of life is both matter of Historie which proveth the very true and essential being of it and yet withall matter of mysterie For as it is a true use to be applyed to the body and natural life to maintain it So besides that History in it was a mysterie to signifie a heavenly matter to be spiritually applyed to our souls as the Scriptures doe teach And in these two respects we shall have a perfect comprehension of these trees in the middest Touching the tree of life and the corporal use of it we must remember that it is said in the 7. verse that God gave man a spirit of life and made him a living soul that is such a soul which could give life to every part in the body with the functions and faculties thereof as to eat and drink to move goe and stirre which the soul of Beasts also giveth to them naturally Touching the natural life and living soul of Man all Physicians doe well agree with divinity in this that it standeth in two points and that there were two causes ordained by God by which it should be maintained or impaired the one is set down Deut. 34. 7. Humidum radicale the natural vigor and strength of nature in moisture the other is called Calor naturalis 1 Reg. 1. 1 2. that is natural heat So long as they two are perfect and sound the bodily life doth continue perfect but when there is a defect or decay of them then the natural life doth cease and end Wherefore God taketh order that by eating and drinking there should be a supply of that natural moisture which should be spent in us by travail and labor Jer. 18. 15. And therefore it is called a refection and recovering by food that moisture which before hath been decayed in us now because the moisture and juice which cometh of meats and drinks would at last by often mixture become unperfect as water being mixed with wine is worse therefore God gave this tree of life for mans bodily use that whatsoever naturall defect might grow in these two yet the fruit of this tree shall be as balm as it were to preserve his bodily constitution in the first perfect good estate of health Secondly though there be no decay of moisture or that yet sinne which is the sting of death might impair or destroy this immortall life 2 Chron. 15. 16. For when God doth punish or chastise man for sinne then even as a moth fretteth a garment so doth sinne consume our life Psal. 39. 11. Therefore God ordeined also the other tree of knowledge to a remedy for that that as the body should be sustained by that corporall fruit of life so his heart also might be propped up or upheld by grace Heb. 13. 9. which this tree of knowledge did teach him to apprehend And thus much of the corporall use of these trees which were truely in the Garden as this History doth shew Now for the other part it is not to be doubted but that as it hath a true matter of history So it hath in it also a spirituall mystery
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
begin naturally a communionibus but there is nothing with which all things doe more commonly communicate than the light of the Son ergo it is first for it is the communication of Heaven because all the Starres doe borrow their light of it and we see by it on earth it is oculus noster by which we see and it is their Cresset to light all them There are some which will have a reason of Gods works and would know how it could be that light should be first made and four daies after the Sunne to be made which was the cause of it But to these I answer that their absurd doubt doth argue small skill in Philosophy for they speak as if the light were an affection and quality only of the Sunne for we see that the fire on earth the meteors and lightnings in heaven the scales of Fishes and a dark wood have also light in them And what doth give light to these I answer not the Sunne But admit the same were the cause of light yet we see that many things have their proceeding in nature before things on which they have after their dependance As all agree that the livor in a man hath the precedence in nature and yet after it hath his dependance on the heart as his chief for though the light hath now his dependance on the Sunne yet then it had his precedence And as Christ was long before he took the body of Flesh so was the light a certain time before it took and was joyned to the body of the Sunne Again we may say that though the Sunne was not created now yet the substance of the Sunne was now made and so we may understand lux for corpus lucidum which after was perfected Last of all this of St. Basill will overthrow their doubt For if a man will grant to God that he made all things without matter of nothing then we must also grant that he can make light without the Sunne for God doth not depend upon ordinary means he is not bound and tyed to the Sunne that by the means thereof light should shew for he can give light without it three dayes by miracle at the beginning and will for ever give light without the Sunne after the end of the world The Hebrews spake of three Creations 1. De nihilo 2. In nihilo 3. Super nihilum All things were of nothing the light was in nothing the earth hanged upon nothing Job 26. 7. Tell me saith Job on what the earth dependeth and I will tell thee on what the light then did depend for it was miraculously giving light without Sunne A word of the second point Job telleth that it is a probleme and a hard question to know from whence the light is Job 38. 19. and in the 24. verse That it is more than mans wisdome to answer it for the very light is darknesse and ignorance to us for all that reason can conceive of it is this that either it must needs be a substance or else 〈◊〉 substantiae that is flowing or proceeding from a substance as a quality or affection of it if it be a substance it must be a spirituall or a corporall substance a spirituall substance it cannot be for it affecteth a bodily substance bodily it cannot be for the motion of it is a moment for with a flash it lighteneth all and also if it were then it must be granted that two bodies are in one place as the ayre and the light at one instant but indeed as they say of the Element that they are next kinne and affinity to accidents so we may say of light Preach 11. 5. there is a light of knowledge and a light of comfort The execution of the Precept The execution of the Precept was of the nature of the Preceptor and Commander 2 Cor. 4. 6. For as by his word he made the Whale bring Jonas safe to land so here he caused light to come out of darkness Rom. 4. 17. calling things that were not as if they were as the motion of the lightning is that is in an instant with celerity comming from the East to the West Luke 17. 24. so was the Creation of it for the facility of making it we know that no work is impossible to God Luke 1. 37. For as casie as it is for man to speak any thing so casie it is for God to doe any thing God 's dictum factum is all one and alike to him Wherefore we may conclude with David that Gods word runneth swiftly to the performance and execution of his Will It is easily and speedily done There is matter to be learned to lead us to good motions But of this hereafter Viditque Deus Lucem illam bonam esse Gen. 1. 4 vers THE meaning of this is That as we have seen Gods wisdome and power in the execution of his Will so now we may see the goodness and mercy of God in the confirmation and approbation of the light which he 〈…〉 allowing it as good for our use Job 28. 3. 〈…〉 God gave not the light to the Moon but to us that the light might arise to us The reference that this verse hath with that which goeth before is this God made things before and here Moses sheweth the quality of it that it was even in Gods judgement very good and perfect that is as the Philosophers say God in all his works limiteth together bonum ens for all that he maketh is passing well made The difference between Gods works and ours which sheweth the difference between Gods works and ours For it is our manner so we doe a thing that God willeth or that we purpose it is no matter we care not how it be done But here God teacheth us by his example that we should in attempting any thing have a speciall care that it be good and welldone Also it is usuall with us that the thing we make in haste is as we say canis festinans that is it is rudely and blindely done and therefore that which a man will doe well he taketh great pains and leasure about it because it is a hard and difficult matter to doe a thing well but God doth and can doe things well and perfectly well with ease with quick dispatch even in a moment with great facility and celerity and yet we see he confirmeth it to be very good in these words Two parts the View and Confirmation to be good Therefore there are two parts First the view which God taketh in beholding the light Secondly his testimony affirming and confirming it to be good The View Touching the first As before we haveheard of Gods speaking so here now we are to consider of Gods seeing Touching both which Moses by Gods spirit is taught to speak after the manner of men in our phrase and dialect that it might be to our capacity for he cannot speak to us as to spirituall but as to
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
the Sunne as some say Touching the first that is Whether God called them by their names and imposed titles to them after a sensible manner with a distinct audible voyce I finde a double contrariety in Writers But to resolve upon it To whom should he speak audibly seeing there was none to hear and understand And therefore to no end and purpose should we think he should speak so but as the Hebrew say appellavit id est fecit appellari the same phrase as we say Princes doe build houses that is doe cause them to be builded wherefore the manner of giving names is this that as God gave before the naturall use of things so now he took order that we might have a use of them by names to know and talke of them so 2. God is the cause and author of the names of things by which we know and call them for though we say that when God created man he made him capable of speech of language in which language we see God had speech and conference with him being made Gen. 2.16 17,18 Yet Adam imposed not the names to the Creatures Gen. 2. 19. but according to that gift of knowledge and utterance he calleth things by such names and titles as he had received from God for as God did largiri linguam so he did nominibus praeire linguae for here we see before ever man was made in all the six dayes works God gave names to the things as he made them and to Adam himself and in these seven things named are contained all other particular things made in and with them 3. The end to which God gave imposed sundry names was that we should doe as he hath done that is when things have a true being then to give names to them accordingly and not to our fancies and things which indeed are not at all as the custome of the World is for things that have no esse as the Hebr. said must have no name For God gave names to things that were created and had a being ☜ We must not then doe as the Apothecaries that is set on their Boxes a name and title of a precious thing when within it there is no such matter we must not affect the name of Learning Godlinesse and Light nor give it to others when we know our selves and they to be darkned and evill Secondly when things have a true being we have a care to give names and titles agreeable to the nature and quality of them that the act and nature of the thing may be made manifest in the name of it as written in the forehead for as a man draweth good Liquor out of the Cask so out of the meaning and signification of the Word and denominations given by God we may draw out the hidden nature and knowledge of the thing for nomen est symbolum rei and this is seen even in these names of day and night given to light and darknesse for concerning the name of the day Jom it is very significant and pregnantand discloseth the nature of the day and the Hebrew word which signifieth night is the negative The day what it signifieth to the meaning of the day the day importeth as much as Ens being shewing us that our being and life must be imployed altogether in the day time in some honest exercise and work of our calling of God or the Country and that we are not any longer to reckon or accompt our selves to live or have any being then when we walke as in the day in the course and actions of our life and work of our calling for being idle ill imployed or sleeping sloathfully spending and consuming our time in vanity we are dead and have not the being of men also there is a good signification given of those which take the name of Jom from striving and moving teaching that the day is a time of walking stirring speaking and labouring and the night e contra a time of silence rest and ease and sleep or rather a time thereby to restore and recover the strength of body which in the day was spent by carefull and painfull travell in which sense I shewed the day to be the work-house and the night to be our Cabin or Couch of rest Psal. 104. 23. 4. Lastly touching this division we see that the reason of man is offended with God in this place for naming a day saying there was a day so long before there was any Sunne which seemeth absurde to them because they think the day dependeth on the Sunne as on his cause therein most fasly and grossely drawing their reason from that which is now to that which was then at the beginning in which they argue their ignorance and error even in learning and Phylosophy Note the Sunne Wherefore touching this question whether be the cause of the day we say and prove according to this that before there was any Sunne there was a day two or three for the course and order of things are otherwise in the proceeding of nature then of the first beginning as we have shewed Again touching this particular we say that the day is broken and draweth long before we see the Sunne only because of the approaching of the light also when the Sunne is in his Eclipse and when it is all day long hid and covered with the Clouds yet we say call it the day time so the contrary we see and say that the day dependeth on the light not on the Sunne and his participation of communication Again the Sunne is not light but vehiculum hujus lucis ex qua fit dies and therefore is called the Lamp which containeth light tanquam lycbnus as Basill well faith which is not light and shining of it self untill the accessary light be put to it aliundè as this light by which the day was afterward was put to the Sunne and so now since it causeth our day Again there are many things which can and doe conceive and bring forth light besides the Sunne as a Flint Gun-powder Fire by which we may perceive a great difference between this light and the Sunne after that whether we take the light to be defluum or a stream of brightnesse issuing from God for Nebora in Hebrew signifieth as well a stream of water as a beam of light Job 3. 4. we shall see that light doth not stream from the body of the Sunne only but from many other things created as we see as the fire De fluvium ignis fulgor Ezech. 1. 4. Also there is De fluvium firmamenti splendor Dan. 12. 3. The streams of * Brightnesse righteousnesse shining from the Firmament Meteors as streaming and issuing from the impressions and meteors of the Aire or whether we say that it streamed from the Heavens and from Gods glorious Majesty as light did to the Israelites out of the Pillar any of these or altogether will give them their answer
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
sustained and held up by the same power Heb. 1. 3. So that it is q.d. I must give a caveat to you because you set your eyes too much on nature and art attributing things now to the influence of the heaven or the industry of things on earth that it is none of these means but only God that still 〈◊〉 rule and maintain all for under these two rain above and man below is comprehended all other ordinary means we are wont to ascribe all things to Sol homo Therefore Moses to prevent that evill that we tie not these things either to nature or art but that we may ever in all things look up to God which is before them above them and can doe all things without them and will rule all things after them therefore he doth teach us this point he telleth us that howsoever things doe concurre and meet together in humane matters here below yet we must defie these ordinary means and evermore glorifie God who is able either without rain or the help of man to make the earth fruitfull Now this which Moses speaketh of rain and man holdeth in all other things as in Fish Fowl and Cattell But because it were too tedious to reckon up all the particulars therefore he maketh choice of the earth and the fruits thereof which doth most need the help of man and benefit of rain for other things being put together will alone bring forth and multiply by kinds without mans help But the fruits of the earth are most laborious for before the earth can bring forth it requireth our help both to till and plant it and the influence also of the heavens doe most appear in these things insomuch as the fruits of the earth may seem to reason to be the effect of mans labor and the dew of heaven But Moses by telling us that it is not so in this teacheth us how we may have a right judgment in all the rest for it holdeth in all as in this touching earthly fruits he setteth down two kinds Virgultum agri herbas horti The first comprehendeth all that hath wood in them the other all which have sinowy substance as every green tender herb hath Touching which he reasoneth thus seeing these which need most the labor of man and seasonable rain were brought forth by Gods power before either rain or man ever was Then God is much more able to doe any otherthing without the help of man or any thing else The fruits of the earth doe need two things 1. First a power of being Secondly a power of growing 2. Remove rain and the labor of the husbandman and we cannot see how either they should live or grow yet saith Moses God without either plough or showers did cause all things to grow out of the earth and to bring seed grain and fruit For the meaning of this verse we must mark these three propositions 1. First that the originall fountain of things naturall as now they stand is from God and his blessing not of ordinary means for rain mens art industry though they be naturall yet have they a blessing and virtue from God by which they are available But to speak more specially of rain 38. 28. Asketh Quis est pater pluviae The answer is God for he granted out a writ decree or mandate for rain Job 28. 26. He giveth us rain and seasonable times Act. 17. 26. And as it is his royall power and authority to command it so is it to countermand it and to give an inhibition to restrain it Esay 5. 6. And lest any should make exception against him he saith Amos 4. 6. It is I which doe cause it to rain upon one City and not another It is not Plannets nor nature nor fortune but God himself Judg. 6. 37. We see both set down his giving out a commandement for the ground to be wet and restraint for the flesh contra seeing then it is in his only power to give or restrain therefore there is a prayer made a prayer nominatim for rain 1 Kings 8. 35. 36. And there is a speciall thanksgiving for this benefit Psal. 68. 9. And this is the reason saith St Augustine why God made not the rain as a sweat to evaporate out of the ground and so to moysten the clods but would have it rather to ascend upwards into his place that we might lift up our eyes to know and acknowledge that it cometh only from him 2. The second royall prerogative of God is that though we have never so much rain or men to help yet all is nothing worth and cannot avail without Gods blessing doth accompany it which is shewed 1 Cor. 3. 7. Paul may plant and Apollo may water there is the husbandry and rain but both the tiller and waterer is nothing unlesse God giveth the encrease therefore we must see and behold God in them all for if when God sendeth rain he give not his blessing with it and make it pluviam benedictionis Psal. 80. 19. Or if he send in tempestivam pluviam unseasonable rain nor the first nor the later rain Ezekiell 34. 26. Or if he send it not in plenty Esdras 10. 9. For they had rain yet they wept for want or if he sendeth too much what good will it doe the earth 3. The third prerogative of God is that God without rain can make things fruitfull but the rain cannot doe so without God It is not these means of tillage or rain that can doe it Deut. 8. 3. But God without them can doe it 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is all one with God with a few for quantity yea with no means to doe things a little oyle and meal shall streach it self out and encrease untill rain come So Christ in want can make five loaeves and two fishes to feed five thousand and so for the quality the worst and most unnourishing meat which they durst not give Daniel 1. 〈◊〉 for fear lest they should not look faire by Gods blessing made them look with better countenance than the rest which fared more deliciously Wherefore saith Daniel Try us for we know that God can doe it without means or with base means 2 Kings 4. 40. the Prophet by Gods word without 〈◊〉 quality yea to shew Gods power could make poysonfull meat which is contrary to nourishment to nourish he made Coloquintida to nourish them which of it self would excoriate the intralls and scowre them to death 4. The fourth and last prerogative is not only to doe all this but to make that which is by nature clean opposite and contrarie to a thing that it shall be a means effectually to work his effect as the putting in salt into salt water can make the water fresh which is contrarie to nature for it maketh fresh water salt 2 Kings 2. 20. So Christ by putting clay upon a blinde mans eyes caused him to see which was enough to make him blinde
John 9. 6. The rock of 〈◊〉 which is set in repugnance to water Numbers 20. 11. yet out of it he caused streams to gush And this power of God appeared most in the beginning of the Gospel in setting abroad Christian Religion for as he in the beginning out of darknesse brought light 2 Cor. 4. 6. So by men of no learning no authority or countenance strength or wealth did cause the Gospell to be planted in all the World that we may know this Caveat to be worth the noting that he is the cause of things natural now in the state of generation as he was of things supernaturall in the beginning of Creation And that we may know that he is able to doe things above besides and without yea and sometimes contrarie to these ordinarie means that so we may be taught neither in the want of them to dispair nor when we have plenty to be proud and presuming in them but ever look back to God which is above all means and of himself as able to doe all in all To whom be all honour glorie power wisdome and dominion for ever and ever Amen Aut vapor ascendens è Terra qui errigaret universam superficiem Terrae c. Gen. 2. 6,7 18 May 1591. TOgether with the conclusion of the works of Creation in the fourth verse I told you that 〈◊〉 in the 5. verse adjoyned a necessary Caveat touching second causes lest now we should ascribe the proceeding and doing of things either to ordinary means or second causes either naturall as to rain or artificiall as to mens labour and industrie which two doe include all other means whatsoever To this end he declared that God is the Author of second causes and therefore as he did all things before them so now they are he is likewise able to doe and bring any thing to passe as well without them yea with means and by causes contrary to such an effect as well as with all the means that are in the course of nature or may be invented by the industry of men Moses then now passeth from the Creation of other things unto the narration of the History of Man by the 6. verse which sheweth the generation of rain spoken of in part before that so there might be an ordinary proceeding from one thing to another Now then to speak of them both apart First Touching the Creation of the Rain we must lay this ground That God either without vapours or clouds can if he please bring store of rain to the Earth 2 Kings 3. 17. which plenty by Gods power was without winde rain or clouds But for the naturall generation of Rain we must note that there are two issues proceeding from the Earth which here are set down as the causes of it 1. The first is a moist or foggie steem or vapour 2. The second a dry smoke fume or exhalation It is not wonderfull that the Earth should yeild a dry fume because it is naturally inclined to drynesse but it is strange that the Earth should give out a moist fume for that is contrary to her nature and qualities There are three estates and degrees in the generation of Rain out of the words 1. The beginning and originall of it is vapor expirans a moist steem loosned from the Earth 2. The proceeding of it is vapor ascendens lifting it self into a cloud above 3. The perfecting of it is vapor descendens which is the dissolving of the cloud and so dropping down these are three proceedings of this generation God is able to rostrain this course of the rain Job 36. 27. and might have caused 〈◊〉 not to be loosed from the Earth 〈◊〉 ascend up but to sweat out to moisten the dry clodds as it is in our bodies But God caused it to lift it self thither that he might water the Earth from his Chamber Psal. 104. 13. But being loosned from the Earth the nature of such a cloud is vanishing and dissipating it self in the Aire to nothing James 4. 14. therefore God bindeth it together in a cloud and maketh it a compact and condense matter Job 26. 8. And for the dissolving of the clouds he is said Cribrare aquas 2 Sam. 22. 12. And these are the three proceedings of rain and the three degrees ingendring it Finxit verò Jehova Deus hominem de pulvere terrae sufflavitque in nares ipsius halitum vitae sic factus est homo anima vivens Verse 7. NOw touching the 7. verse at which I said 〈◊〉 the repetition of the Historie of Man and his generation That we may not trust in him nor his help we read Gen. 1. 26. that Man was created but not whence nor how nor after what sort these circumstances are not there set down there we read that man was made Male and Female but the order how is not set down Therefore that which briefly he touched omitting some things there now here he supplyeth shewing that God first made the Man and out of his side took the Woman Concerning which having shewed that Man is made the chief Creature of all the rest both in regard of his superior part of the soul as also of the inferior part of his body and also in the end of this verse he expresseth more fully the other part of his soul and in handling both he observeth the very order which he used before First to speak of the lesse perfect and more base part of the body and then of the soul. Touching the body in the first part of the verse there is two things expressed to be considered of 1. First the Matter 2. Secondly the Mould in which he was made and framed in his bodily shape The dust is the origine and beginning of Man which though it be often repeated yet God is fain in the 3. of Gen. 19. 〈◊〉 tell it to Adam again to humble him that he may know how absurd a thing it was for him once in pride to imagine that he should be as God for he must needs see by this that he should be but an earthen God if he were any which is as bad as to be of stone or wood The Saints of God have ever confessed this to humble them As Abraham Gen. 18. 27. Job 10. 9. Psal. 104. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 47. 2 Cor. 5. 5. which doth shew that we must take notice and regard of this point to humble us that the clouds and rain were made before us and of a purer more fine and better matter than our bodies were for they were of the vapour of the Earth but we of the base and grosse clod and dust of the Earth but 〈◊〉 comfort us in this thought he telleth us that that which is wanting in the matter is supplyed in the form and shape of our bodies God by saying that he framed Man speaketh after the manner of men Rom. 9. 20 21. In which phrase of speech he is 〈◊〉
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
As if he should say my commandement and will shall be the rule and direction of your will and works so in the new Testament St. Paul saith we must not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. But that we be sober and know and understand according to sobriety which is to prove what every thing is by the perfect will of God Rom. 12. 2.3 This then is the difference between Gods commandements and those which men doe make when men though they be the greatest doe command any thing they therefore doe command things because they be good and lawfull and when we deal with them we therefore obey their Laws so farre forth as the things they command are lawfull and good because their words and commandements have no power to make things good But when we deal with Gods commandements we simply obey all that he willeth because his commandement and word doe make things absolutely good ye though they before may seem to be evill yet after he hath commanded them they are made therefore perfectly good Nos volumus qua bona sunt bona autem sunt quia voluit Deus Gods good will therefore is the best and most beneficiall thing for us and our good and the things he commandeth are the wisest things for us to follow howsoever they seem to corrupt reason and sense which are ill Judges in those matters Thus much then for our application and use that when our actions are agreeable to Gods word and law then they are according to Gods will And therefore we may be sure that it is best for our behoof Nam quo die comederis de eo utique moriturus es Gen. 2. 17. June 22 1591. EVery Law hath in it two principall parts the one containeth the body and tenor of it the other comprehendeth the sanction and penalty Touching the body of the Law we have entrcated already both of the subject and also of the action of it Now therefore we are come to the latter part to consider of the punishment threatned to the breach of it concerning which we say That as there is required necessarily in the Law giver authority and right to command so likewise in him must be a power and ability to correct and punish the transgressors or else his authority is without an edge Both these therefore are seen in the Law-maker by the parts of this Law the one being the directive part serving for direction the other being the corrective part which serveth for execution And every one may be sure that he is subject and under one of these This then is as if Moses had said Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this Non comedes but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this If you will needs eat and 〈◊〉 your will before mine and your lusts before my love then be ye sure of this That in that day thou shalt dye the death for death is the sower and bitter sawce of this sweet meat Rom. 6. 23. Touching the punishment in it self we are to know that in every punishment inflicted for offence there is required Justice to give it in a due proportion that there be an equality between the punishment and offence As in the Law he that will desire another mans Sheep and steal it he in justice is to restore four-fold Again reason and equity requireth that the punishment must be of greater force to 〈◊〉 and discourage from sinne then the sinne must be to perswade and entise us to it Such an equality is in this For because he took liberty to stretch his will and desire further than he should therefore that he should lose the first liberty he had for this is just and equall 〈…〉 etiam poneret modum beneficio and that he that observeth not the manner of using it should lose the right use which he had It is therefore reason and right that either we should Dimittere voluntatem male vivendi aut amittere facultatem bene 〈◊〉 This we say to justifie God because men think that this sinne of eating such a fruit is not a capitall offence and that God was too hard to 〈◊〉 this so sore a punishment on it Touching the second point which is concerning the cause of his death which must not be ascribed to God because the cause is found in our own selves for God saith If you eat you shall die that is you shall be causes and authors of your own death your blood light on your own heads for I am not guilty thereof which we shall the better percive and esteem if we consider that which before I have shewed that Adam was made immortall non necessitate naturae sed vi 〈◊〉 gratiae not by natural necessity but by the priviledge of Gods grace for Adam consisting of contrarie qualities by his own nature they must needs in regard of themselves be the cause of death to them as they were to the beasts But notwithstanding this subjection to mortality and possibility to dye in regard of their nature Gods grace did sustain their bodily life and kept them from death so long as they kept themselves from sinne But now si hence transgression besides the necessity of nature their sinne also did pluck death upon them and was the cause of this curse So long therefore as man kept his first estate he was united to God which was life and had use of the tree of life which then was 〈◊〉 Deo and had this grace to preserve life and by that means so long we had an immunity from death because we were 〈◊〉 with the prop of Gods grace which was the cause of our immortality but when 〈◊〉 did cause that prop to be pulled away which sustained the 〈◊〉 of our nature then we could not choose but dye both by the necessity of nature and desert of our sinne If we had leaned still to the stay of our nature and not trusted so much to our own wills and wisdoms it had gone well with us But this voluntarie forsaking of God and leaning on the broken staffe and reedis stay of our own was the cause of our fall into sinne and so unto death Thus we see God justified in this sentence saying Morieris because he is neither the Author or Cause of Malum naturae which is sinne nor yet of 〈…〉 which is death But man causing both culpam poenam doth both wayes cleer God and condemn us and our selves are proved to be the cause of both 3. Point The kinde of death Now touching the third point which respecteth the kinde of death here threatned for there are several kindes of death Rev. 2. 11. Rev. 20. 6. there is the temporall and eternall the naturall and spirituall the first and second death which of these is here in this punishment threatned St. Augustine answereth that God doth here mean both whatsoever death may be included from the beginning of our life unto the last death all that is here
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
is in the state of man described in the second Chapter All that shall we see in this Chapter to be overthrown by the work and malice of the Devill At the sight and consideration of which Tragedy as St. Augustine saith all the Creatures especially mankinde ought with sighs and groanes to dissolve themselves into teares to think of our and their utter and irrecoverable confusion were it not for this which is annexed unto it namely the hope of the seed of the woman promised to come at the fulness of time to restore all things which were lost in Paradise and to bring us a more excellent Paradise than that ever was The cause of all these evills which we see in us and in the world Moses here relleth us in the beginning of this Chapter to be the verifying of that Prophesie which God 〈◊〉 Adam Gen. 2. 17. that is what time soever he should sinne and break the Commandement of God he should die that is have all the Messengers and Ministers of death ferzing upon him untill death it self the reward of sinne should take hold on him which first part of the Chapter we shall divide as St. Paul doth teach us Rom. 6. 1. into two parts the first he calleth peccatum the other peccati obsonium that is into the cause and nature of sinne and into the effect and punishment which followeth it Concerning the transgression he setteth down first the temptation of sin in the first 5. verses then the preparation which is the sinne it self in the 6. verse then followeth the stipend and hier of sinne from that verse unto the 15. verse In which verse then the prophet sheweth that God in justice remembred mercie and as St. James saith caused his mercy to triumph over justice in the promised seed without which remedy Adams sinne had been incurable and his case and our condition had been most desperate whereas by this means as St. Augustine saith the Devills envy is foelix invidia and Adams sinne is foelix culpa that is falleth out to the greater glorie of all the elect sonnes of God Now more particularly we are led to consider two things in the temptation first of all the persons both agent and patient and then the allurements and inticements thereof The chief in this temptation was the Devill and the Woman and then in regard of consent Adam himself grew accessory and guilty thereof so that there were three causes of sinne The chiefest Author of it was the Devill the next is Eve the yeelder to him the third was Adam the consenter to them both Serpents we know speak not for they were not made to reason and dispute therefore we must needs understand another high person besides he Serpent which spake in him and used him as his Instrument and means to effect this evil devise And in this respect the Devill is called Rev. 12. 9. the old Serpent as his name appellative by which he was once called and Satanas Revel 〈◊〉 2. as his proper name by which his 〈◊〉 and malicious nature is made known As therefore the Devill craftily and closely did put into Judas head and heart by his suggestion how to seek Christs fall and death John 13. 2. so doth he as sly lie put into the Serpents mouth this temptation by which he might betray the first Adam and bring him to death and therefore as Christ truly though not properly called Judas Satan because he saw the Devill used him as his Instrument So by the same right and reason may we call the Serpent the Devill because it was he in this Serpent who did bring this thing to pass If any doe aske why Moses did not make mention of the Devil in all this Chapter we may say that it was Moses purpose to perform the office and duty of a Historiographer which is only to make a plain and true report of the outward accident and thing which was sensibly done leaving the hidden and secret meaning and true understanding of those things which are mysticall unto his Interpreters and Expositors For to this end Moses had some alwaies in Gods Church which did not only read the letter and words of his writings but also expound the true meaning thereof and what Expositor is there but by the consequence of this story and by conference of the Scriptures can otherwise understand this then of the Devill Our Saviour Christ telleth us that the Devill was a lyer and murtherer from the beginning John 8. 44. that is he is the primitive and principall Author of all untruth and evill therefore is he called that evill Matth. 13. 19. and the deceiver of mankinde Revel 12. 9. and therefore Moses doth first deal with this evill one and setteth him down as the chief author of this evill under the form and name of a Serpent Touching him therefore we must know as I told you Chap. 2. 1. that when God is said to make the hoast of heavenly Creatures that then also he made the Angells as David saith Psalme 148. 2. which Angells God made 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to be his ministring spirits Psalme 104. 4. but some of them kept not their first estate Jude 6. but fell away from their holy and blessed estate in which they mere made and so there they became evill Angels reserved in chains to everlasting fur Of this fall of Angells Job seemeth to have knowledge Job 4. 18. God saith he found folly even in his Angels Christ maketh mention of their fall Luke 10. 18. and the cause of their fall is said to be sinne 2. Pet. 2. 4. and the particular sinne may seem to be pride Isaiah 14. 13. 14. ero similis altissimo for which cause that sinne is called morbus Satanicus and as the wiseman saith initium peccati est superbia But we will not curiously inquire what speciall sinne it was which caused his fall because indeed it is sufficient for us to know in generall that sinne was the cause thereof that we may the more beware of it He then being fallen became not only an adversary to God which cast him off for ever but also an envious enemie to mankinde for not being able to wreack his mal ceagainst God he maliciously invented and attempted all the mischief and evill he could against man which was the Image of God and the only Creature on whom God had set his heart and delight to doe him good For as they which love the Father cannot but love and shew kindness to his Children which are deerest to him as we see in Davids example So è contra hatred and malice make evill mindes to doe their enemies hurt 〈◊〉 despite even in the things which are most deer and precious unto them so is the Devill said to doe Rev. 12. 13. when he was not able to hurt the Woman he pursued with hatred and rage her Child which she brought forth and because he could not reach to him being ascended therefore he still persecuteth his
chastity are a full comprehension of the duty of sanctification which God willeth us to perform And as Cains sinne stands first in the story so it is first in nature for a Child before he be able to speak one word will by his sower face shew that he hath a revenging spirit But in this story of Lamech we must observe a farther thing for it standeth upon two parts First in the ninteenth verse is shewed not only that he was infected with a spirit of uncleanness but also verse the twenty third a contemptuous and insolent spirit which is a degree beyond Cain for there he braggeth of his sinne and contemneth God and his Judgments as if he should not be revenged of him for it For when a sinner is not only possessed and infected with malice and envy in his heart and with lust in his reins but braggs of his sin in contempt of God and his Judgments then he is at the height of sinne Peccator cum in profundum venerit contemnit Thus where there are but three faculties of the soul all are corrupted by the infection of the Serpent as for reason it was corrupted in Adam when the Serpent perswaded him that he should be like God and the angry part was corrupted in Cain when he was stirred up to kill his Brother without all cause Thirdly the will and the coveting part was corrupted in Lamech so as neither the bond of nature nor the will of God which is a spirituall bond could keep in order but he will shew his uncleanness When not only Adam looseth faith and Cain charity but Lamech chastity then is sinne at the height In the first verse there is a genealogie of four discents wherein there is no matter of great edification Howbeit as when mens Fields and Closes are laid out all must not be taken up for pasture but a little way must be left whereby every man may pass to his own ground so in the Scripture there must be a passage from one storie to another And as in the body for that there are a great many lymbs and parts they must of necessity be compacted one with another by the help of the sinews so both in prophane Writers and in the Scripture many things are set down to shew the dependance that one story hath with another which otherwise would not seem so necessary Even so the shewing how Cain is joyned with Lamech which is done in this verse is very necessary Secondly There is a farther matter in this heaping of names besides the continuance of the story for it would have seemed strange that the Scripture doth make mention of Lamech and his wicked course unless it were withall shewed from whence he came But in setting down that Lamech is of the posterity of wicked Cain no man will marvell that he doe expresse the manners of Cains Besides that we may not think that this heaping of words is vain for as the Fathers note there is no name in Scripture without profitable consideration for howsoever men that deal in woods and base mettals care not to let chips and parings fall from them yet as they that work in gold and Silver will not lose the least parings The like is to be done in reading the word For it is pure as silver that hath been purified seven times Psalm the twelfth More to be desired than gold Psalm the ninteenth therefore we must have this conceit of it that whatsoever seemeth to be superfluous in the word of God hath great value both for faith and life For Isidor saith est in nominibus sacris sua theologia and as Jerome saith in nominibus sacrae Scripturae insculpuntur mysteria Therefore the Apostle saith That the Sonne of God is more excellent than the Angels in as much as he hath a more excellent name than they Hebrews the first chapter and the fourth verse so when the blinde man is sent to wash himself in Shilo John the ninth chapter and the seventh verse The word signifying sent importeth that he could not be purified by that water unless he was sent so in the names of holy Scripture we see as Jerome saith there are ingraven mysteries Now we give names to our Children ad placitum but in the old Testament the Fathers gave names of set purpose with great advise so we see Eve giveth a reason why she called her Sonne Cain Genesis the fourth chapter and the first verse so is there a reason of Seths name Genesis the fourth chapter and the twenty fift verse of Noah the Sonne of Lamech Genesis the fift chapter and the twenty ninth verse of Isaack and Jacob and all the Patriarches The reason why they had this regard in giving of names are reduced to two First in those that are the Children of the godly their names are a kinde of Prophesie concerning the disposition of the Childe which choice of names their Fathers made for that being endued with the spirit of God they foresaw the disposition of their Children On the other side the wicked and the reprobate cannot prophesie yet their names are specula paternae affectionis as the names of godly Children are prophesies puerilis indolis That it is thus in these names we shall observe an encounter made between the seed of Cain and the seed of Seth which as they were of a contrary disposition so gave their Children contrary names Cain called his Sonne Enoch that is dedicated to the pleasure of the world but Seths Sonne is called Enosh that is sorrowfull Genesis the fift chapter On the one side there was Cain on the other Kenan Irad on the one side Jerad on the other Methushael and Methushelah by which names the seed and posterity of godly Sheth shew a contrary affection and such as differeth from the wicked and the seed of Cain as appeareth by the signification of their names Touching the opposition that appeares to be between the generation of Seth and the posteritie of Cain Enochs name who was Cains Sonne signifieth dedication and there is one of the Children of God called by the same name Genesis the fifth chapter and the ninteenth verse but Seths Enoch as Jude saith was the seventh from Adam verse the fourteenth that is one dedicated to the seventh or Sabbath day one that gave himself wholly to the service and worship of God but Cains Enoch was the first and next to Cain that is one dedicated to the first day which is a working day to shew that he was one that gave himself to the affaires of this life that sought to be mighty on earth And this difference of affection holds to this day for all men are followers either of the first or second Enoch The next of Cain is called Irad that is Lord of a City the same that Herod signifieth wherein we see his ambitious spirit that he was such a one as sought to be great in the world And as Jeroboam when he was not able to maintain
is to be praised would not accept their praise but answered them Why tempt ye me O ye Hypocrites And when one said to him Magister bone good Master which was a praise of simplicitie not of hypocrisie as the other he refused it and said Why dost thou call me good Mark the tenth chapter When one said Blessed is the womb that bare thee he repelled that saying Nay rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Luke the eleventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse For as the shewing of the Kings treasure was the means of the betraying them Isaiah the thirty ninth chapter so when we shew our good works with a desire to be praised for them it takes away all commendation from them This thing being dangerous if notwithstanding we be desirous to have our good deeds seen that shall be fulfilled which Sirach saith He that loveth dangers shall perish therein Qui amat periculum peribit in co cap 3. 27. But to disswade us from this the Apostle saith Be not desirous of vain glory Galatians the fift chapter and Philippians the second chapter and the third verse The Preacher saith all is vanity which men seek after in this life and therefore concludes Time Deum Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter to teach us that without God all the praise of the world is but vanity Now as we fail in having respect to God First when we make not him the fountain of our praise Secondly if we make him not the end of it so in doing good works to be seen we commit two vanities First when we content not our selves with this perswasion that God sees our works and will reward them unlesse man see them and praise us for them The tryall whether we make God the fountain of our praise is if we seek it by wayes agreeable to his will not by wickednesse Secondly not by vanity for his delight is not in beautie riches or strength he delighteth not in any mans Legs in the hundred and fourty sixt Psalme Thirdly not by falshood as the Apostle saith I will not glory of any thing which the Lord hath not wrought by me in the second to the Corinthians and the eleventh chapter Hereby we shall seek the praise of God rather than of men in the twelfth chapter of John nay though they seek praise by righteousnesse and doing good works yet they make not God the fountain of their praise the Hypocrites when they would be praised did those works that were most glorious as to offer sacrifice in the temple but they neglected mercy and justice which are the chief things that God respecteth in the twenty third chapter of Matthew They washed not their hearts in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew which God especially regardeth but looked only to outward things and they that doe mercy and justice which are the chief things of the Law yet they will not doe them but when they may be seen Whereby they shew that they make not God the fountain of their praise and so the praise they seek for is hatefull to God Secondly this desire of vain glory is injurious to God when we make not him the end of our praise for we may doe good works coram in the sight of men but not with purpose to have them seen that so we may receive glory For God hath given us the joyes and use of all his Creatures but reserveth the glory of them to himself therefore the Apostle saith howsoever ye have the joy of Gods Creatures in eating and drinking yet let God have the glory Doe all to the glory of God in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the thirty first verse For though he giveth us the use of all things yet gloriam meam alteri non dabo in the fourty second chapter of Esay Therefore if we doe good works to commend our selves and not to glorifie God we are injurious to him for he hath testified that he will not give his glory to any other And therefore Peter and John say It is not by our own godlinesse that we have made this man whole but it is the name of Christ and faith in him that hath raised him in the third chapter of the Acts Therefore not only Nabuchadnezar when he snatched Gods glory to himself was punished in the fourth chapter of Daniell But even Herod also because he did but suffer that glory to rest upon him that was attributed to him by others when he should have ascribed all to God in the twelfth chapter of the Acts and the twenty second verse Then as it is injurious to God so it is hurtfull to our selves for though we see many miracles wrought by Christ yet they are afraid to confesse and believe him Because they love the praise of men more than the praise of God in the twelfth chapter of John and the fourty third verse And therefore Christ saith How can you believe which seek glory one of another and seek not the honor that commeth of God alone quomodo potestis credere qui gloriam sibi quaeritis in the fift chapter of John and the fourty fourth verse Secondly as it is an obstacle to grace so it is a provocation to all wickednesse For the Jews doubted not to crucisie the Lord of glory to get praise of the wicked Secondly that we may doe this Christ willeth us to take heed for there is a double corruption in us First a rebellion against Gods precepts which make us say quare as Pharaoh in the fift chapter of Exodus and the second verse Who is the Lord that I should hear his voice And as the Scribes and Pharisees said to Christ By what authority doest thou these things in the twenty first chapter of Matthew and the three and twentieth verse Secondly the blindnesse of our understanding which makes us ask quomodo which is the question of ignorance so that it is not without cause that he bids us take heed that we beware of this sinne as being a hard precept both for our rebellion to yeeld unto and also in regard of our ignorance which is such as we cannot see how it should be lawfull to seek praise by well doing the hardnesse of avoiding this sinne is of two causes First it ariseth from the nature of sinne it self for as we are corporall and visible so we are most affected with those things that are visible as John reasoneth He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen in the first Epistle of John and the fourth chapter whereupon it commeth to passe that our corruption that though we believe the reward of God to be great yet because it is invisible and the worlds reward is present therefore pleaseth us more Secondly from the originall of vain glory for when the woman looked upon the fruit albeit it greatly pleased her yet that which did strike the stroak was eritis sieut dii in the third chapter of Genesis the hope of present
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
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
willingly will come as often as they may and not like those that swell with pride and say another time will serve as well as now as Davids servants said to Naball in the first book of Samuel the twenty fift chapter We come now in a good time for thou makest a feast and art in case to relieve us another time peradventure thou wilt not be so prepared So men ought to take the opportunity and to say in their selves Now is the time of the celebration of Gods mercy and loving kindnesse Now we receive Christ and therefore there is great hope that if we come he will receive us Now we celebrate the memory of his death when he was content to receive the thief that came unto him and therefore it is most likely that he will receive us if we come to him But if we come not now happily we shall not be received when we would It is Christs will That they which are given him of the Father be with him where he is and may behold his glory John the seventeenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse Therefore it stands us upon to come to Christ that he may receive us to be one with him in the life of grace and partakers with him in his Kingdom of glory Qui verò haec audierunt compuncti sunt corde dixerunt ad Petrum ac reliquos Apostolos Quid faciemus viri fratres Petrus autem ait ad eos Resipiscite c. Act. 2. 37. April 12. 1600. OUR Saviour Christ promised Peter Acts the fift chapter to make him a fisher of men and 〈◊〉 the thirteenth chapter That the 〈…〉 of Heaven is like a 〈…〉 which catcheth fish of all 〈…〉 The first casting forth of this act and 〈…〉 draught that Peter had is by 〈…〉 these verses And the draught which he made was 〈…〉 souls verse the fourty first If we 〈◊〉 of what 〈◊〉 They were 〈◊〉 souls of them that killed the Sonne of God and 〈…〉 the spirit of God whom they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 holy Ghost to 〈◊〉 verse the 〈…〉 These men are full of new 〈◊〉 Which when we advisedly consider it cannot but be matter First Of great comfort Teaching us that albeit we be great sinners as the Jews that put the sonne of God to death yet there is a quid faciemus what to doe that is a hope of remission of sinnes Secondly Of instruction touching the means That if we repent and be pricked in heart with the consideration of our sinnes as they were we shall attain this mercie which they received First St. Luke sets down the Sermon of Peter Secondly The sruit and effect of it As the Sermon it self propounds the death and Resurrection of Christ so in the effect that followed of it we see the means how we are made partakers of his death and Resurrection and that is set down in these two verses which contain a question and an answer In the question is to be observed First the cause of it that is the compunction of their hearts Secondly the cause of that compunction and that was the hearing of Peters Sermon Touching this effect which Peters Sermon wrought in the hearts of his hearers it is compuncti sunt corde Wherein note two things First the work it self Secondly the part wherein of the work it self it is said they were pricked Wherein first we are to observe That the first work of the spirit and operation of the word is compunction of heart howbeit the word being the word of glad tidings and comfort it is strange it should have any such operation but that Christ hath foretold the same John the sixteenth chapter When the comforter comes he shall reprove the world of sinne Now reproof is a thing that enters into the heart as Proverbs the twelfth chapter and the eighteenth verse There is that speaketh words like the prickings of a sword and as Christ gave warning before hand so now when the holy Ghost was given we see that Peters hearers are reproved and pricked in their consciences that they dealt so cruelly with Christ. As this 〈◊〉 the Elect of God so there is another spirit called by the same name of pricking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans the eleventh chapter and the eighth verse that is the spirit of slumber which shews it self upon those that shall not be saved Touching the manner of this operation we see it is not a tickling or itching but a pricking and that no light one but such as pearced deeply into their hearts and caused them to cry Whereby we see it is not the speaking of fair words saying with the false Prophets Jeremiah the twenty third chapter The Lord hath said ye shall have peace it is not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans the sixteenth chapter and the eighteenth verse that makes this effect but this speaking The part wherein this work was wrought was the heart as Luke the twenty fourth chapter they burned in their hearts and 〈◊〉 the second chapter and the fourteenth verse I will speak to their hearts So it was 〈◊〉 of the eares in the second 〈◊〉 to Timot hie the 〈◊〉 chapter or of the brain that they felt but a 〈◊〉 of the very 〈◊〉 and so should we be affected at the hearing of the word As 〈…〉 is pricked in the flesh is disquieted till he have remedy so should the consideration of our sinnes disquiet us and make us seek for cure This is our duty from their example and it is a good signe of distinction to shew us whether we be of the number of those that shall be saved whether of the good fish that shall be gathered together or the bad fish that shall be cast out Matthew the thirteenth chapter and the fourty eighth verse So if we pertain to God we shall feel this pricking at our hearts after we have heard the word The cause of this compunction is his auditis that is they had heard a speech of St. Peter which did disquiet them till they asked counsel of Peter and the rest The word of God of its own nature hath no such operation for the Patriarch Job saith Job the twenty third chapter It was agreeable to him as his appointedfood And David Psalm the nineteenth saith The Commanaements of the Lordrejoyceth the heart and is sweeter than the honey and the honey-combe But yet it hath this effect in regard that it meeteth with that which is an enemy to our Salvation that is sinne the deputy of 〈◊〉 as the word is Gods 〈◊〉 Without the Law sinne is dead but when the Commandement came sinne revived Romans the seventh chapter and the eighth verse for sinne is a sting the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter which lyeth dead so long as it is not reproved But when it is reproved by the commandement of God then it reviveth and stings the heart it makes men have a conscience of sinne Hebrews the tenth chapter and when sinne is
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
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
sides Matthew the fourteenth chapter and the thirty first verse so Modica virtus Apocalyps the third chapter and the eighth verse Where there is great faith there is great virtue where no faith no virtue As it is no true faith which virtue doth not follow so no true virtue which faith doth not goe before It is called Grace in respect of God from whom it comes and virtue in regard of the effects The Philosopher called them habitus because they had them from themselves but virtus est 〈…〉 Domino virtutis to salve the error of the Philosophers The Apostle calls it Grace in the second epistle of Peter the third chapter and the eighteenth verse grow in grace so he calls it virtus He hath called us to glory and virtue in the second epistle of Peter the first chapter and the third verse and Philippians the fourth chapter and the eighth verse It is by good consequence that it is so called because it is wrought by the Gospel which is the power of God Romans the first chapter and the sixteenth verse His words are spirit and life John the sixt chapter Virtue must bring forth virtus The Philosophers Virtue had no divine thing in it they enured themselves to it and so ascribed it to themselves Our virtue proceedeth from faith which is a divine thing Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Romans the fourteenth chapter But the Heathen called their virtues habits as from themselves not from the grace of God To Virtue Knowledge He began with Faith a theological virtue then he added Virtue which is moral now he comes to Knowledge another theological virtue By this successive coupling we are taught not to stay at virtue but to proceed de virtute in virtute Psalm the eighty fourth and the seventh verse from strength to strength As before against infirmity and weaknesse of our nature he added virtue So for our error and ignorance he joyneth knowledge for there may be an active power to work and yet not aright as Romans the tenth chapter the second verse They have zeal but not according to knowledge But there must be not only power but wisdome not only homines improbi shall be cast out but foolish vigins Matthew the twenty fift chapter As virtue is required so is knowledge to direct us in that we doe We must seek for Non tam virtutem quam aurigam virtutis scientiam sine quâ ipsa virtus est vitium therefore Proverbs the twenty third chapter and the fourth verse Cease from thy wisdome And in Ecclefiastes the seventh chapter Be not nimium just us Knowledge is a key Luke the eleventh chapter and the fifty second verse And a Quire must have a key to set the song that is the key of knowledge In the Law nothing was to be offered without salt that is the grace of knowledge It is that which the Apostle calleth the inward annointing in the first epistle of John the second chapter and the twentieth verse which gives a sweet savour and sent to God So saith the Apostle in the second epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter We are a sweet savour to God But is not faith knowledge It is But yet where the object of faith is verum falsum Science hath for its object good and evil as Genesis the second chapter and the ninth verse the passions of Christ and the torments of Hell are indifferently the objects of faith but the affections are stirred by good and ill And it is knowledge that must discern between good and ill evil things may goe under the shew of good and therefore we must have knowledge to unmask them So the doctrin of repentance being a good thing hath a shew of ill and without the grace of knowledge men are hardly brought to beleeve it As there is prudentia carnis Romans the eighth chapter and the sixth verse and prudentia seculi in the 〈◊〉 epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter and the nineteenth verse so there must be a spiritual knowledge and wisdome to discern them and to measure what is good That all which we doe teach may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and all you doe may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans the twelfth chapter we must add this knowledge Knowledge is lame without power and power is blinde without knowledge for knowledge is the lightning of the eyes of the minde the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter There is a knowledge falsly so called the first epistle of Timothy the sixt chapter and the twentieth verse The knowledge truly so called is not speculative but practique It is the knowledge from on high that directs our feet in the way of peace as Luke the first chapter and the seventy ninth verse And not only that which lightens our eyes Physitians of longest practise and Souldiers that have been trained are most respected so it is in worldly things and so it should be in divine things A man must animare praxin that was the advise of the Civilian give a soul to it as in the thirty third chapter of Deuteronomie and the eighth verse first Thummim and then Urim Jesus began to doe and teach Acts the first chapter and the first verse that is the touchstone of knowledg as Christ saith If any man will doe his will he shall know of his doctrine qui fecerit voluntatem Patris sciet de doctrina utrum sit ex Dec John the seventh chapter and the seventeenth verse for there are some that are alwayes learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth especially that knowledge that may be truly so called in the second to Timothy and the third chapter Scientiae verò continentiam continentiae verò tolerentiam 2 Pet. 1. 6. THE Apostle proceedeth now to the fourth voice of this quire having laid faith for the first and to it added that which the Apostle calls the work of faith in virtue in the second to the Thessalonians the first chapter and the eleventh verse and thirdly To virtue knowledge now in the fourth place he joyneth to it temperance It is the common course of the world so soon as they have a little taste of knowledge to ascend up to heaven but he tells us knowledge must goe down to our fouls and then proceed to godliness which we are taught in our conformity to our Saviours example of whom the Apostle saith Ephesians the fourth chapter and the ninth verse He that ascended the same is he that descended first The chief point of our duty is first to temper our affections and then to come to godliness after For the justifying of 〈◊〉 order in respect of the consequence this hath with the former there are three causes why he bringeth in temperance next after knowledge The first is because whereas corruption is in the world through 〈◊〉 verse the first and Ephesians the fourth chapter The
old man is corrupt through lust and the abandoning of that corruption must bring us to the participation of the divine nature and it is comparance that makes us avoid this corruption For unlesse we temper our affections we shall never be partakers of the divine nature Secondly It follows the natural power of 〈◊〉 Having placed Knowledge which is a virtue of the reasonable part he comes next to the affectioned part that is Desire 〈◊〉 temperance answers he would not have sensuality grow 〈◊〉 nor the body to govern the soul The upper part 〈◊〉 already perfected the lower part must next in order be made perfect as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter That which is natural is first and then that which is spiritual So moral virtues are the perfections of men in this life and theological virtues are the perfections in the life to come Thirdly Knowledge being the virtue that teacheth what is good or evil Temperance follows it very well in as much as it is a helper forward and a preserver of good It keeps us from the graves of lust Numbers the eleventh chapter It preserves reason which is the power of the minde For by worldly cares we doe gravare cor overcome the heart Luke the twenty first chapter and the thirty fourth verse but this temperance makes it and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of keeping the minde and understanding safe And for the body we see the effect of this virtue in Daniel the first chapter and the fifteenth verse therefore the Apostles counsel to young men is in the second epistle of Timothy the second chapter and the twenty second verse Flye the lusts of youth and Titus the second chapter and the third verse To be temperate and sober minded It preserves knowledge not only by keeping the body in order but Proverbs the twenty third chapter the fourth verse and Romans the twelfth chapter and the third verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to deal in genealogies and curious questions which are unprofitable but to be wise with sobriety Titus the third chapter and the ninth verse and the first epistle to Timothy the first chapter and the fourth verse So it follows by good order in as much as it preserves the virtue going before Secondly Touching temperance what it is and wherein it stands When knowledge hath taught what to chuse the next thing is nullis inde illecebris avocari and that is it which Temperance performs For in the beginning this corrupter of the world sought to draw our Parents away from their duty by a baite he shewed them bonum delectabile that was the goodly fruit so fair to behold the allurement being offered concupiscence flyeth to it as a bird to the snare Proverbs the seventh chapter and the twenty third verse Every man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James the first chapter and the fourteenth verse There is a bait offered to lust to catch at therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrews the twelfth chapter sinne is so pleasant that if concupiscence be not weaned there is no child desires the mothers breast more than it desires sinne Psalm the hundred thirty first and the second verse men being in this case and add drunkennesse to thirst Deuteronomie the twenty ninth chapter and the nineteenth verse and seek baits to allure concupiscence therefore our concupiscence needs a bridle to wean and restrain this soul. Lust is two fold the first Epistle of John the second chapter and the sixteenth verse carnis occulorum The corruption of the 〈◊〉 is either for the belly as it is in the sixth chapter of St. Luke or that carnall pleasure that Felix and Drusilla were over come with Acts the twenty fourth chapter so that he could not abide to heare Paul dispute of temperance the eye lusteth for faire apparell as Luke the sixteenth chapter to bee cloathed in purple for that is a hait of 〈◊〉 as Achan when hee saw the Babylonish garment desired it Joshuah the seventh chapter So also the eye delighteth in bedding and furniture for houses as Jer the twenty second chapter and the fourteenth verse to have it shine with Cedar to lye on beds of Ivory Amos the sixt chapter and the fourth verse Temperance is the refrainer of all these For the desire of the belly the first of the Corinthians and the ninth chapter They that run a race absteyne from all meat that may hurt For carnall pleasure If they cannot contein let them marry the first epistle to the Corinthians and the seventh chapter And for apparell that must bee done in temperance the first epistle to 〈◊〉 and the second verse thus wee see what is the object of temperance which virtue performes two things First to bee able to want those things as Philipians the fourth chapter possum deficere then having them to use them moderatly as the Apostle counsels in Timothie 1 Timothy 5. modico vino utere for many comming to have the possession of these things exceede in Ryot For the first it is a dangerous lust how pleasant soever it bee not to bee able to want them if wee make necessary lusts of them so as wee must have our lusts satisfied though it cannot bee without sinne wee bring our selves under the power as it is in the second epistle to the Corinthians and the eight chapter if wee make our selves debtors to the flesh so farre Romans the eighth chapter A man that cannot refraine his appetite hee is like a City broken downe and without walls Pro. 25. 28. Thirdly for the end why the Apostle exhorts to this virtue It is first to eschue corruption and so to bring us to the divine nature and Temperance is the virtue by which wee eschue corruption both of soule and body for as those things that are sweete doe stop and putrisy the body so doe those corrupt desires of the minde and the corruption of mankinde desires to corrupt man with these allurements If wee love wee are not the servants of sinne we are servi corruptionis as it is in the second epistle of Peter and the second chapter For the body it corrupts it also for so hee sinneth against his owne body the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the sixt chapter and such doe corrupt the Temple of God the first epistle to the Corinthians and the third chapter The flesh spotteth the garment as it is in the epistle of Saint Jude the bed desiled Hebrewes the thirteenth chapter so that wee cannot possesse our vessels in holinesse Fourthly that it bee not so Temperance must effect this so it disposeth us to the participation of the divine nature who is a spirit John the fourth chapter as they that are spirituall minded are for they that take care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Romans the thirteenth chapter doe make their bellies their God the thirteenth chapter of the epistle to the Philippians and minde earthly things such are