particulars contained in it Sixtly None can dispence against this Law but God onely either in whole or in part Vse 1. First we are to praise God for giuing the Law without the which wee could neuer attaine to the knowledge of sinne and so of our wretchednes thereby for by the Law comes the knowledge of sinne Of the which Rom. 3.20.7.7.8 so long as wee are ignorant we neuer séeke for remedy by Iesus Christ euen as that man neuer séekes the Physition which knoweth not that he is sicke Many thinke aswell of themselues as the Pharise till the Law come and then they appeare as blacke as hell Therefore when the pride of thine heart discouereth it selfe by any vaine conceit of thy owne worthinesse Looke thy selfe in the true glasse of the law that thou maist be humbled Vse 2. With all reuerence heare and with all care obey this Law for if the gining of it were so terrible how terrible shall the reuenging of the transgressions thereof be thinke you Vse 3. From the number of the Precepts being tenne we may profitably remember that as they are not many but few not confused but orderly and distinct not long and tedious but excéeding short that we should in no wise be ignorant of them the Lord hauing framed them so that they may be carried in minde as readily as the number of our fingers and toes Vse 4. In asmuch as the Lord forbiddeth all transgressions vnder the names of the greatest sinnes of that kinde as all oppression vnder the name of Murther all deceit vnder the name of Theft c. We are carefully to auoyde all euen the least sinnes euen sinfull thoughts for whatsoeuer we thinke no sinne is little but in the account of God euen vniust anger is murder Extenuate not therefore nor minse thy sinnes saying Oh this is a trifle I would no body did doe worse I hope I am neither whoore nor thiefe c. for all vnchaste and wanton lookes speaches c. is whoredome all couetousnesse deceit and griping in bargaining c. is theft in the sight of God But rather be humbled for them by true repentance that they may be forgiuen For the least euill thought shall damne a man without Christ according to the tenour of this law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to doe them Quest But is not this Morall Lawe abrogated by Christ Ans Not as it is a rule of our life for so it is eternall not to be abolished eyther heere or in the life to come Math. 5.17 18. but in regard of the appurtenances of it as the Threatnings and Curse Rom. 6.15 and 7.6 Galat. 3.13 and 4.5 and the seuere exaction of obedience in our persons vnto Iustification it is abolished to the children of God Explic. There are thrée voyces of the law The first is Thou shalt doe this and auoyde that This is neuer to be at an end but the law this way as it is a doctrine commaunding good and forbidding euill shall by vs be most perfectly fulfilled in heauen where we shall most perfectly loue God and our neighbour which is the whole law and Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 13.8 That loue neuer is to be abolished The 2d voice of the lawis if thou dost this in thine own person thou shalt liue The third If thou doest it not or doest the coutrary thou arte accursed Now the Morall law is abrogated and the mouth thereof stopped to the children of God in these two last respects The Gospel teaching life and saluation by another which is Christ who also hath for vs and in our stead borne the curse of the law but of the vngodly the law still exacteth their personall obedience and thundreth out the plagues and iudgements of God against them for the want thereof Vse 1. Christ hath purchased thée liberty but not of the flesh that thou shouldest liue as thou list without a law but onely from the necessity of Iustification by the law and from the curse thereof But to the obedience thou art bound to doe thy vtmost endeuour more then before euen for the Redemption sake which thou hast obtained c. Vse 2. Hereby also we perceiue that Redemption from the Law is a benefite not to be valued by Gold Wée feare sathan and sinne as wée haue great cause But neither sathan without sinne nor sinne without the Law can any way harme vs for the sting of death is sinne 1. Cor. 15.55 and the strength of sinne is the Law Whether the Law require perfect obedience in our owne persons or threaten damnation for the least disobedience the voyce of it is more vnpleasant then the croking of the Frogs and Toads in Egypt more terrible then the noyse of thunder yea then the roaring of the deuils For euen the Iustest men how much more the wicked and profane euen the Iustest men I say are guilty of many sins and if there be no meanes to quiet the Law they must néeds bée subiect to the terrours of an accusing Conscience in this life which are the very flashings of hel-fire alas who can beare them and bee euerlastingly damned in the world to come And besides in as much as the Law requireth perfect obedience of parts and degrees euen to a haires bredth What peace can the best man or woman in the world haue in any thing they do for they must néeds méete with the curse euen in their best actions in as much as the best are imperfect and that which is imperfect is cursed by the Law No maruell then that the Papists and our Ignorants so do vpon the Law séeking to be iustified thereby Surely if there were no other way to Iustification but by the Law we should all be damned but there is another way which is the obedience of I ESUS CHRIST apprehended by faith c. Vse 3. If thou comfortably seekest the benefite of Redemption from the Law in thy conscience labour to preserue it by Faith Obedience Repentance Prayer and other holy exercises and carefully beware of all sinne least thou come within the dynt of the Law for sinne subiects vs vnto it as therefore the burnt child dreads the fire and euen the Bird that hath bene once shaken in the Net is not easily taken againe so if thou beest free keepe thy selfe so Sinne bringeth into bondage As therefore wee reade how the Romanes in detestation of the name of proud Tarquine who tyrannized ouer them banished a good Cittizen onely because h ehad that name euen so if thou truely knowest what a precious thing thy Redemption is it will make thee hate the very mention much more the practise of sinne which frustrateth the same c. Quest What is then the vse of the Law Ans The vse of the Law is three-fold First to restraine corruption from breaking forth into externall transgression Gal. 3.19 Rom. 7.7.8.9.10.11 Ezech. 20.19
which also afterwards will breake out into the second act in time to come Euen as therefore we kill an old Wolfe or Snake for the hurt it hath done or is ready now to do and also all the yong ones for the hurtfull nature they haue which in time will shew it selfe So God may iustly cast euen Infants into Hell for the corruption of their nature and will all such of them which he hath not by election of grace ordained to eternall life Vse 2. Seing there is in euery one an inclination through corruption vnto all sinne euen that vnpardonable one then if thou haue receiued grace and power to maister thy corruptions acknowledge him who hath discerned thée and when thou séest a Drunkard or any other sinner wallowing in his sinne praise God for thou art of the same Mould and Mettall and if thou doest not the like it is not the goodnesse of thy nature but the mercy of God restraining or sanctifying thy corrupt heart Also let it teach thée not to despaire of thy neighbour or rashly to condemne him that yet hath not obtained grace For as thou being by nature in the same condemnation hast obtained mercy so what knowest thou how God will deale with him Rather pray for him and endeuour to bring him to the partaking of that grace which thou hast receiued which is indéed a property of true grace Vse 3. This also teacheth a singular point of Wisedome namely in the practise of repentance to strike at the roote to crucifie the flesh and the affections and to destroy the body of Sinne As Physitions which in the curing of a disease remoue the cause or as a man that would destroy Wéeds pluckes them vp Roote and Rinde bend all thy force study and sorrow in repentance first this way For from whence are Drunkennesse Whooredome Idolatry Blasphemy Lying c. euen from this bitter root this vncleane fountaine of Originall sinne 2. Reg. 2.21 As therefore Elisha healed the bitter Waters by seasoning them at the Spring So he that would haue a sound and holy life must labour to be sound within and that his heart be truely seasoned with grace else all is to no purpose And here is the difference betwéen Hypocrites and such as are truly renewed they cut off the branches these the roote they reforme the action these the affection of sinne Therfore as Sara will haue Ismael put away and the Bond-woman his mother also so are we also to put from vs all euill actions and to mortifie euen the affection of sinning if we would soundly repent Q. You speake of Actuall and Originall sinne what is sinne Ans Sinne is the transgression of the Law 1. Ioh. 3.4 Q. What is the Law you speake of Ans The Law which I meane is the eternall Rule of Righteousnesse in God manifested to man first in the Creation afterward repeated by the voyce of God and written in two Tables of stone by the finger of God containing diuine precepts what we should be doe and leaue vndone requiring perfect obedience vnder the hope of life Esay 8.20 Exo. 20.1 c. Psal 19.11 119.105 Leui. 18.5 Deu. 27.27 and punishing the least disobedience with eternal death Exp. The law is taken sundry waies in the Scripture héere we take it for the Morall law contained in the ten Commandements we call it an eternall Rule of righteousnesse in God because it is a bright beame issuing from the Father of Lights containing the summe of his wil concerning his worshiip and the duety of man vnto him and to his neighbour For Gods wil is the rule of all righteousnesse the Law the Copy of it Math. 6.10 and 7.21 therefore obedience of workes is called diuerse times doing of Gods will in his word This Law is an eternall rule because it was alwayes in God and shall for euer continue euen vnto all eternity perfectly to be kept in heauen and also to distinguish it from the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes which are abrogated The Ceremoniall in regard of Vse and Obseruation and the Iudiciall in regarde of Obligation So that as wee may at no hand bring into vse the Leuiticall Ceremonies so we are not bound to the same forme of Lawes Politicall which were giuen to the Common-wealth of the Iewes And yet the generall equitie of both remaines of the Iudicialls that sinne is to be punished by the Magistrate of the Ceremonialls that God is to bee worshipped in the comelinesse himselfe hath commaunded besides the substance of these Ceremonies which remaines for euer Iesus Christ This Law was at the first printed in Adams heart the knowledge and loue thereof being a part of the Image of God in him A glimmering whereof God in his singular wisedome continued in the heart of man after the fall namely so much as might serue for the continuing of fellowship and society amongst men Rom. 1.19.2.15 and which might leaue them without excuse This remnant we vsually call the Law of Nature not that mans nature is the Author of it but because it is imprinted in the same Afterward the Lord repeated that Law on Mount Sinai and writ it in two tables of stone to conuince the stony hearts of men Quest What are the words of this Law Ans The words of this Law are these Then God spake all these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee c. as it followeth in Exodus chap. 20. from the beginning of the first verse to the end of the sixteenth Expli These tenne Lawes or Lawe Sentences are the ground and rule of all righteousnesse with the which whatsoeuer agréeth is good Whatsoeuer disagréeth is euill containing the generall heads of al duties to God and man which can be required Diuided into two Tables the first containing our duety to God the summe where of is Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. The second our duety to our neighbour the summe whereof is Matth. 22.37 38 39. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Also it is diuided into tenne Precepts The manner of giuing this law was very solemne and terrible Deut. 10.4 Exod. 19. worthy to be often read and marked of all For the meaning of these Commandements these generall Rules are to be obserued First they are to be vnderstood as the Prophets and Apostles haue expounded and taught them Secondly In all affirmatiue Precepts the negatiue and in all negatiue the affirmatiue are to be vnderstood Thirdly the maner of speach is to be obserued as first concerning persons by Thou shalt and shalt not is meant euery one none are exempted Secondly concerning things forbidden or commaunded vnder one particular named all of that nature and kind with the signes causes and effects are vnderstood Fourthly the Lawe is spirituall not onely brideling the hands but the heart and first motions thereof Fiftly No creature can fully sée into the depth of the doctrine and
also and sauour of our corruption as pure water is soyled by passing through a filthy channell and good Wine as it were tainted by the fustinesse of the Caske And further our actions are to be reputed such as are the next naturall beginnings in vs from whence they procéed which are an vnderstanding but in part inlightened and will and affections but in part sanctified by the Spirit Vse 1. Trust not in thine own works for though they may be in some respect good yet in other respect they haue euill mingled withall so that thou hast much cause or more when thou hast done thy best to aske pardon for that is wanting then to boast of that thou hast performed c. Vse 2. Perswade thy heart to endeuour to please him with thy best seruice who so graciously is content through Christ to accept of thy weake obedience c. Q. None then can keepe the law what doe they deserue which breake it Ans They which in the least manner breake that holy Law deserue the wrath and curse of God Deu. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Rom. 2.9 6.23 that is all plagues and iudgements of body and soule in this world and in the world to come Vse 1. If one sinne deserue Hell then what hast thou iust cause to feare who art guilty of innumerable sinnes How shalt thou escape vnder many sinnes when the least sinne is so heauy and heynous that it cannot bee pardoned without the heart bloud of Iesus Christ c. Vse 2. Hate sin which bringeth with it the curse yea all curses and if thy vile nature taketh pleasure in any sinne lay the momentany pleasure thereof with the eternall paine that followeth it and consider wisely Is sinne swéet But Death and the Curse are bitter Couetousnesse Vsury Vncleannesse Drunkennesse Reuenge may please the flesh but knowest thou not that they will bee bitter in the end Wilt thou rather separate thy selfe foreuer from God and be accursed then leaue thy sinnes and walke in the commandements of God Who can dwell with continuall burnings and endure that fire c. Q. Wee are all sinners and deserue the curse what meanes is there to be freed from it Ans Whosoeuer are iustified in the sight of God by the obedience of Christ Rom. 5.1.2.3.4.5 Rom. 8.1 Gal. 3.13 through Faith are sure to escape the curse of the Law Q. What is iustification in the sight of God Ans Iustification is the sentence of God whereby as a Iudge for the righteousnesse of another that is of Christ he freely forgiueth the sins of the belieuing sinner Rom. 3.21.22.23.24.25.26 and imputeth the righteousnesse of Christ vnto him for his owne glory and the sinners eternall saluation Expl. For the vnderstanding of this wonderful point it must be very well obserued that Iustification or to Iustifie signifies not to make Iust by expelling the euill quality in vs and infusing that which is good but alwayes in this matter it is taken iudicially being a tearme or word taken from the bench of the Iudge and signifies by way of sentence to pronounce a person arraigned to be cleare quit and guiltlesse as appeares He that iustifies the wicked Pro. 17.15 and condemneth the iust both these are an abhominatiō to the Lord. Here by the opposition of Iustifying and Condemning Psal 14 3.2 Rom. 8.33 c. it is manifest that Iustification is iudicially taken for it is no abhomination to make an euill man good so also is the word taken For the vnderstanding then of the answeres to the two last questions conceiue thus Thou hast broken the Law and art a grieuous sinner Thou must answere it before the iudgement seate of God the sentence of the Law is Thou must bee damned for thy sinnes Thy Conscience askes how thou shalt escape The answer is There is no way vnlesse the Iudges fauour may bee obtained to iustifie thee that is to absolue thée by his sentence Which Iudge who is God from whose sentence there is no appeale if he shall iustifie thée that is pronounce thée to be guiltlesse and Iust and so acquite thée then thy Conscience hath Peace Vse 1 Diligently study this point which is the chiefe Tower as it were of Christian Religion against all Gentilisme and Superstitions Which if it be not rightly vnderstood it is not possible to preserue the purity of doctrine in other points Yea some Papists haue confessed and it is most true that this doctrine Pighius razeth the very foundation of all Popery their Idolatrous Sacrifice of the Masse their groundlesse Purgatory their superstitious praying to Saints and for the dead c. Being no more able to stand before this doctrine sincerely taught vnderstood then the Dagon of the Philistins was able to stand before the holy Arke of Israel This is the summe of the Bible the ground of our peace and assurance It were therefore a very grosse thing that any Christians of the yeares of discretion should be ignorant hereof Vse 2. It is the greatest and hardest matter in the world for a sinner to be iustified in the sight of God Many thinke it to be a slight and easie thing and therfore they neither feare him nor seriously séeke forgiuenesse But consider thou that thou must be arraigned and tried before the iudgement seat of that God who is a consuming fire in whose sight the Heauens are vncleane who will not fauour iniquity who cannot be deluded or deceiued who cannot retract and reuerse the sentence of condemnation manifest in the law without satisfaction for the law accusing sheweth that sentence already written with the finger of God thy conscience confesseth all Consider this and then tell me what it is to be Iustified How shalt thou escape Euen Dauid a man beloued of God and after his owne heart when hee considereth this crieth out Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy fight shall no flesh be iustified And againe If thou shalt marke iniquities who shall stand namely in iudgement What then canst thou say why thou shouldst not be damnned What shall thy conscience plead Guilty thou art and God must deale iustly To whom wilt thou go We will go euen to Iesus Christ our Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Iehouah our righteousnesse our surety who hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for vs and fully paid and patiently suffered all things which can be exacted of vs or were to be suffered by vs. Whose righteousnesse is ours if we beléeue euen as effectually as if it had béene done in our owne persons and for this onely is a sinner iustified that is pronounced to be iust before God This if thou know it happy arte thou if thou féele it c. Quest You said that wee are instified by the righteousnesse of another How can that be Can I liue by another mans Soule or be learned by the learning that is in an other Ans I verely beleeue that
also best stoppeth the mouth of Reprobates and taketh away all reasoning from them as was said when they must acknowledge that there was matter in them 〈◊〉 reprobation by the fall of Adam So doth this best set forth the rich grace of God to the Elect the vessels of Mercy then they shall consider that there was 〈◊〉 in them deseruing Reprobation And me thinkes when I consider that 〈◊〉 are elected in Christ it must néedes follow that they are to be considered salin for Christ presupposeth sinne which Christ was to satisfie for the elect For the second Proposition that God considered not man good is plaine because all promises of Gods eternal fauour both before the fall and after the same are made in the Scriptures to them which are good either by Creation or Regeneration and which continue in the same To conclude Election and Reprobation may be considered eyther absolutely as that God elected or reprobated these or that he elected or reprobated these and not these If you aske why God elected these I answer that his sole will without any the least respect in the Creature was the cause of it If you aske why God elected these and not those as Iacob and not Esau I answere after the same manner If you aske why God reprobateth these rather then these I answer as before that there is no cause thereof in the Creature but onely in him which is his will If also you shall aske why did God reprobate these I answere that his will also is the onely cause thereof in this sense namely that it was in Gods frée power notwithstanding sinne to elect or not elect to reprobate or not reprobate For God was not compelled by the sinne he considered in man to reprobate him for he might haue elected the same man in Iesus Christ if he had pleased And yet this we adde that in reprobation of these God had respect to mans sinne not actuall infidelity or sinne but originall not as a principall efficient or as a cause first moouing for God might haue not reprobated if he had so pleased but as a cause deseruing reprobatiō or as a necessary condition in the obiect without which GOD will not reprobate any For neither doth God in time deny his grace to any but to those who deserue to be denied neither decrées he before time to deny it but vnto such And whereas some will say An vniuersall cause bringeth forth an vniuersall effect If then sinne be vniuersall why is not Reprobation I answer that an vniuersall cause bringeth forth such effect actually if it be not hindered by a superiour ouer-ruling cause And so I yéelde that it is the natrue of sinne to depriue all of Grace and Glorie Rom. 3.23 and would haue this effect vpon all mankind if God should shew no mercy and the reason it hath not is because God is pleased out of his botomlesse mercie to accept of some and to elect them in Christ Vse 1. Beware of searching too farre into this déepe without the light of the Word The plaine way is the safest and in as much as the Scripture hath more sparingly spoken of Reprobation then Election Doe thou labour more to make thy election sure vpon good grounds then to conceiue euery quiddity of men concerning Reprobation Vse 2. If thou findest vpon good grounds that thou arte elected for euer acknowledge the rich mercy of God vnto thée who wert déepe enough in Adams transgression to be damned if God had not of his frée loue discerned thée therefore let it bind thée to all humilitie séeing thou hast receiued all and all thankefulnesse to him that hath shewed thée such mercy Vse 3. Beware of that damnable speach of profane men who say If I be predestinated and Gods decrée must take effect then I may doe what I will for if I be appointed to saluation I shall be saued and if to damnation I shall be damned whatsoeuer I doe Which is all one as if one should say God hath decréed that I shall liue or die If he hath appoynted life I shall liue though I eate not at all or though I eate poyson if he hath appoynted death t is not eating or not eating will saue me therefore I will either not eate at all or I will eate poison then which collection there can bee nothing more sottish If a man be reprobate he shall certainly be damned doe what he can T is most true But yet remember such an one can nay will doe nothing but that which shall more and more bring his damnation vpon him For the horrible disease of finne not being healed by Christ as it is only in the Elect must néeds bring forth fruit vnto death Indéed if a Reprobate had power to doe good and to repent and yet for all that and doing so he should be damned by the necessitie of Gods will there might be some colour but to reprobate is to be left in originall sinne which is the fountaine of all transgressions and the persons so left are iustly so left because they are left guilty in Adam and can do no good vnlesse God did giue them new grace which he is not bound to doe and they haue deserued not to receiue Likewise if a man be elected hee must néedes be saued not that God hath elected to saue any absolutely without grace but whomsoeuer he hath elected to saue he hath elected also to beléeue and repent that they may be capable thereof For God did as well decrée the meanes whereby we should be saued as that we should be saued which meanes are the merite of Christ effectuall calling Iustification Faith Repentance c. which whosoeuer attaineth may certainely conclude that he is elected and shall be saued as he that wanteth them to the end may certainely conclude that he shall not be saued and therefore neuer was elected Wherefore by the workes of Sanctification make thy Election sure as Peter aduiseth thée 2. Pet. 1.10 Phil. 2.12 c. And make an end of thy Saluation with feare and trembling as Paul councelleth thée Qu. Are then all which are in the Church of God on Earth predestinated to life eternall and effectually sanctified Ans No onely those are predestinated to life Mat. 13.24 25. Mat. 22.10 and effectualy sanctified which are of th'inuisible church many are in the visible which are hypocrites and profane Quest Are there then two Churches one which can not be seene and an other visible which may be seene Ans No there is but one Church which in diuers respects is said to be Inuisible or Visible Mat. 22.18 Rom. 2.28 29. 9.7 Expli Whosoeuer are of the Inuisible Church are holy not all that are of the visible Church which two tearmes of Visible Inuisible are in diuers respects giuen to the Church which is but one euen as if you should say the same man to be inuisible in regard of his soule and visible in regard
as other beasts nor clad in apparrell as now but of a soft smooth skinne and naked yet they were not subiect to the iniuries of the wether as raine wind heat cold c. They were not ashamed Not as though any vndecent thing were spoken of them as now he is accounted a beast that is not ashamed of his nakednesse but first to shew that inwardly in their mindes did shine the Image of God that is Innocencie sanctity and Integritie c. in which if they had continued they should not haue néeded their figge-leaues nor any apparell Secōdly that outwardly in their bodies there was excéeding beautie and perfection of all parts so that there was no vncomelinesse no not in those members which after sinne natural shame for their deformity and vnséemlinesse teacheth vs to couer Thirdly that in the inferiour parts of the minde and body there was no inordinat motion or appetite all members of the body and inferiour desires being ruled and gouerned by the Inward grace of the minde So that if wée meditate of these things we can not but conceiue that the happinesse of our first parents was very great Now we are to consider of the conditions on which this happinesse did stand for they were created thus but mutable and changeable this state to continue and in the end to be translated to a celestiall life Ge. 2.16.17 if they kept the Commaundement of God otherwise not The Commandement was about one of the Trées which were in the middest of the Garden namely the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill which was so called not of the effect as though it had a quality to sharpen the wit but of the euent being a Sacrament of triall and admonition to them that if they did eate of it then they should haue wofull experience of the good they had lost and of the euil they had gotten they hauing before a speculatiue knowlege but not a practical experience hereof The other trée was called the trée of Life both because it had a power or vertue to preserue life and health and also more principally because it was to our first parents a Sacrament of the continuance of their life in Paradise and after of their translating vnto a heauenly life if they continued in obedience The Commaundement concerning the Trée of Knowledge contained a Prohibition which was this Verse 17. Of the Tree of knowledge of good and euil thou shalt not eate This Commaundement God inforceth by two reasons The first from the liberty God gaue them to all the rest of the Trées of the Garden Therefore he might wel abstaine from this one Verse 16. The other reason from the danger ensuing if he did eate Thou shalt die the death Verse 17. that is Thou shalt certainely die temporally here in the seperation of the soule from the body and spiritually in loosing the graces before spoken of and eternally in the seperation of Body and Soule from God This was mans happinesse and it stoode on this condition if he obserued the Positiue Lawe giuen him of God Vse 1. Death to speake properly is not naturall namely according to the nature of man in his Creation Rom. 5.12 but against nature comming in by sinne Adam being created to immortality that is in such an estate that if he had neuer sinned he should neuer haue died For although Adams body was mortall in it selfe could die yet it had a power not to die through the gift of the Creator namely if he continued in his integrity So Adam in his state of innocencie was both mortal and immortal in diuers respects Immortall hauing not an impossibilitie of dying but a possibilitiy of not dying which possibility he lost by his sinne and instead thereof receiued a necessitie of dying Thou shalt die the death Hée was mortall not because he should haue actually died if he had not sinned but because if he sinned it was possible hée should or hée might die Death then commeth not from Nature but from Sinne. Vse 2. The remembrance of this happinesse of our first parents which they lost to themselues and to vs by their fall should moue vs euen with teares of bloud if it were possible to bewaile our present misery in which we are which is 〈◊〉 farre from that happinesse as the Earth nay as Hell is from Heauen Then Man was the Cedar of Paradise the Picture of Heauen the Glory of the Earth the Ruler of the World and Gods owne delight But now he is the Fire-brand of Hell the Picture of the Diuell more base then the basest creatures on the earth clothed with no lesse dishonour and shame then he was before crowned with honour and glory Not onely as Nebuchadnezzar trans-formed into a beast but being made of the Temple of God a Cage of vncleane Spirits yea the very habitation of the Diuell Wherefore let vs all take vp a grieuous lamentation when we looke backe to our first glory and to Paradise our antient right And if there be any sparke of Heauenly courage wisedme in our breasts let vs endeuour to recouer that by Christ which we haue lost in Adam Nay God offers in his beloued Sonne more glory better happinesse let vs not be so besotted as to suffer Sathan to deceiue and depriue vs of the Recouery of Gods fauour by our continuance in sinne which first he made vs loose by committing sinne c. Vse 3. Man in Paradise in the time of his Innocency might not be idle nor without a positiue law for obedience so that neither lobour in dressing the Garden nor to be tyed to speciall duty by the law was any impeachment of his happinesse Those therefore which place any pleasure or happines in idlenes or in desiring to liue as they list and to be lawlesse do excéedingly manifest the vile corruption of their hearts for idlenesse and lawlesse liberty was not permitted to Adam in Paradise Q. I something conceiue the happinesse of man in his creation and the conditions of the same Now I pray you shew me what was the manner of his fall Ans The fall of our first parents was their voluntary transgression of the commandement of God in eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree caused by the subtill malice of the Diuell and their owne infidelitie Gen. 3. through the whole chapter Expli Out of the third chapter of Genesis which is called of some The Patriarkes Catechisme we are taught of the fall and sin of man of the anger of God of the punishment of sinne and of the beginning of mans misery vnto the which he was not created but into the which he fell by the iustice of God through his sinne points hidden from the wise and reuealed by the word by which we come to know the cause of all the miseries which follow our nature which miseries the Philosophers saw and confessed but the wisest of them could neuer conceiue the cause thereof
which is sinne In this 3d chapter is also contained a most excellent euen the first promise of Christ But we are briefly to consider of his fall which is set downe in the fixe first verses the rest of the chapter shewing the consequence of the fall The Diuell being fallen irrecouerably comes into the Garden and in the forme of a Serpent I meane speaking in and by a true Serpent out of a cruell enuy of Mans happinesse and an insatiable desire of doing hurt tempts the first Woman and by the Woman Man to sinne and preuailes He boords the Woman thus Yea Hath God said ye shal not eate Verse 1. c. As if he should haue said It is alikely matter that God cares what yee eate What do you thinke that God stands vpon an Apple It is not to be beleeued Hath hee created all things for you and would he not let you vse all things This is the first assault which the Woman weakely resisteth beginning euen at the first to yeeld Verse 2.3 as appeareth by rehearsing the commination or threatning falsly For whereas God said Gen. 2.17 Thou shalt dye the death nothing the certainty of it the speaketh doubtfully Lest yee dye As if she began to thinke that it might be they should dye if they did eate it might be not The Diuell perceiuing the Woman to stagger and the wall of her faith to shake plies all his ordinance to the battry For the word was no sooner out of her mouth Lest yee dye Verse 4. but he replieth Yee shall not dye at all As if he should haue said What Dye with eating so faire in Apple Can there be any hurt in this Silly Woman Yée shall not dye at all God affirmed Yee shall dye certainly The Woman doubteth Lest yee dye The Diuell that old Lyer denieth Yee shall not dye at all Then not giuing the Woman any respite to bethinke her or to reply he accuseth God of enuy Verse 5. and promiseth Diuinity vnto them O saith hée God knoweth c. As if he should haue said God enuies your hahpinesse and I cannot but tell you of it For he knowes well inough that if you should eate of that trée you should sée that you neuer saw O subtile deceiuer and that yée shall be as Gods Impudent liar when as by this meanes both they and their 〈◊〉 became like vnto him Beholde O woman saith he what a goodly Trée this is how pleasant to the eye delicate to the taste diuine for vse Can it doe you any hurt would any but fooles abstaine goe to eate and feare not I le warrant you And then the woman yéeldeb and séeing that it was good for meate pleasant to the eyes and a Trée to bée desired to get Knowledge she tooke of it and did eate and by these same reasons perswaded her husband and gaue him and hée did eate Ah! and Alas Verse 6. whose heart is not moued to ruth who mournes not that considers the fall of the Mighty Oh! How were the Mighty ouerthrowne in the midst of Paradice by the subtilty of the Serpent Euen holy Adam by the enticement of his Wife Tell it in the gates of the Citties Preach it on the house tops and publish it in the eares of all the world till the Inhabitants of the earth mourne for the misery that is come vpon them euen till the Elect and Beloued bee deliuered and renewed by the strong Arme and Grace of their Restorer and Sauiour IESUS CHRIST This is the fall of our first Parents euen their most grieuoussinne which is not to bée measured by the price of the Apple but by the Person whose Commandement is broken together with the great reason they had to kéepe it and the easines of performing the same It is thought of some to bée the greatest sinne pardonable that euer was committed and surely it was most heynous and iniurious to God our Creator being called the Fall because it is not one sinne but many as First Doubting Secondly Infidelity Thirdly Security Fourthly Curiosity seeking wisedome beside the Word Fifthly Pride Sixthly Idolatry preferring the deuill and his lyes before God and his Truth Seuenthly horrible Vnthankefulnesse Eighthly contempt of God Ninthly murder both of themselues and of their Posterity c. The consequents of this fall followes in the seuenth verse to the end of the chapter viz. when they had both thus eaten then their eyes were opened and they saw that that were naked and they were ashamed fled from God c. Their eyes were opened Not that they saw not at all before but to sée that which they saw not before to wit their owne misery and shame In the act of their sinne their eyes that of their vnderstanding were shut by the Witch-craft of the Deuill After their sinne they are opened their consciences accuse them of guiltinesse they sensibly féele their nakednesse that is the corruption their nature the losse of the Image of God And are ashamed Then they séeke figge leaues to couer the nakednesse of their bodies flye from God deny the fact and most impudently excuse themselues the woman laying the blame vpon the serpent the man vpon God Then God sentenceth them to all manner of miseries for their transgression and yet in mercy propoundeth a Sauiour which is the séed of the woman Iesus Christ by whom they might bée saued through faith and repentance Vse 1. If Adam and Eue hauing the Image of God shining in them and being in Paradice were not out of the gun-shot of Sathan but were tempted and ouercome What person or place can then bee frée yea who can preuaile but onely such which obtaine sufficient grace continually pray for strength 1. Pet. 5.8 Epe 6.10.11.12 2. Cor. 12.9 c. and watch against this deuouring enemy putting on the whole armour of God Vse 2. In as much as Sathan doth not at first plainly tempt Eue to disobey God but first cunningly beginnes to bréed a doubt in her minde of the certainety of Gods Word wée are taught two singular things First to obserue the order of the deuils procéeding in temptation for looke how hée delt with Eue so he dealeth with vs drawing vs not bluntly and at the first dash into euill but by degrées As when hée would kéep men from Repentance that they might be damned with him hée will not at first say Ye néed not repent at all but thus much like as hée dealt with Eue Yea beginne so soone to bée precise What a yong Saint Loose your best time The flowre of your age Wither your body with griefe care study and melancholy Bury your selfe quicke Tush giue your selfe liberty you are yong you shall haue time enough afterwards you néed not repent as yet Thus doth the serpent hisse But yéeld in this and deferre thy Repentance and then hée will rore out boldly Thou néedst not repent at all c. Secondly hence we are taught that