Ioseph professeth ascribing all his piety and charity which hee shewed in nourishing his bretheren and their families to God And all naturall good things God worketh either immediatly by his owne hand alone as in the creation wherein hee gave being to all things without any meanes at all or by instruments and meanes which hee himselfe hath first created hee giveth light by the Sun Moone and Starres and by them and the whole Heavens which are turned about by his counsels and by their influâ—nce hee refresheth and nourisheth all creatures on Earth and also doth by them both use correction and shew mercy Iob 37. 12 13. and Matth. 5. 45. There are besides these other things which are good and profitable not simply in their owne nature but by accident and in some respect as for example for men to abstaine from marriage and from begetting children for the increase of mankind is not a thing naturally or morally good in it selfe being a refraining from the use of Gods ordinance but yet in case of urgent necessity when Gods Ministers and Servants doe live in times and places of persecution and are driven to flee and wander from place to place naked and destitute of meanes whereby to maintaine Wives and Children Saint Paul tells us it is good for a Man to live single and not to touch a Woman 1 Cor. 7. 1 35. for by this meanes he shall avoid much distraction and more freely attend the service of God Also for men to fast and afflict their bodies by abstaining from comfortable nourishment and necessary food for a time is not simply good in it selfe but yet it is profitable for taming the proud and rebellious flesh and for furthering of our humiliation in times of private and publike calamities when Gods hand is heavy upon us or upon our Land and the feare of his threatning judgments which hang over our heads doe terrifie us these and such like are called good things that is profitable expedient and by accident and in some respect and condition good Other things there bee which in their owne nature are evill and hurtfull and evils of affliction and punishment as crosses of Gods people and plagues which though they hurt and destroy the outward man and the flesh yet by God gracâ— they worke to the saving of their soules and the amendment of their lives as wee read Psalme 119. 67 71. and 1 Cor. 5. 5. and 11. 32. and in that respect are called good And the plagues and destructions which befall the wicked which to them are dreadfull and wofull evils and curses but as they tend to the deliverance of Gods Church from their 〈…〉 rsecutions and oppressions to the purging of his land and the magnifying of Gods justice and power so they are good in the issue and event and in respect of Gods purpose intending good by them Now in all these God hath an active and working band as well as a permitting will and his actuall providence ruleth in them Hee gives men the gift of continency and power over their owne wils to live single and to make themselves Eunuches for his Kingdomes sake as our Saviours words shew Matth. 19. 11 12. and the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 37. Hee cals upon men in his word and by his grace stirres them up to fasting weeping mourning and afflicting of their bodies for the greater humiliation of their soules Joel 1. 14. and 2. 12. and Zach. 12. 10. Hee doth sometimes by his owne hand afflict his people when hee sends among them sore diseases which are the stroke of his hand Job 36. 18. and Psalme 39. 10. and by his owne immediate hand hee strikes and consumes the wicked Iob 34. 25 26. as wee see in the drowning of the old World in the destruction of Pharaoh Ananias and Saphyra and divers others Sometimes hee doth by good instruments afflict and punish his people and plague and consume the wicked as by his Angell hee punished Israels sin and Davids pride 2 Sam. 24. 17. and destroyed the host of Senacherib 2 King 19. and smotte Herod Act. 12. And by Joshua Moses David destroyed the Canaanites and the Philistines and other enemies of his Church Sometimes by evill instruments hee afflicteth and punisheth his owne people and plagueth and destroyeth the wicked by Absalom and Shimei hee punished David and by wicked Jehu hee destroyed the wicked family of Ahab by Satan and the wicked Sabaeans and Chaldâ—ans hee afflicted and tryed Job and by the proud King of Ashur hee punished Israel and Judah and destroyed the Idolatrous nations as appeares Isa. 10. where hee is called the rod of Gods wrath and proud Nebuchadnezar is called his servant in punishing his people the Iewes and destroying the obstinate among them and in crushing the wicked nations Ier. 25. 9. For he in whom all doe live move and have all being Act. 17. 28. gave to those wicked Kings power and might and though their owne lusts and unsatiable desire and ambition stirred them up and so â—he act was in the wicked themselves yet hee over-ruled and disposed their malice to performe his purpose and to execute his most just judgements And thus wee see that Gods actions are most wise and just in those evils which hee executeth by wicked instruments and that which they doe with a wicked mind and for an evill end God doth justly give them power to doe and permits them to abuse his power to their owne ends when hee purposeth to direct all to a good end and so doth And therefore though no evill is done in the World but by his providence yet is hee no author or efficient cause of sin the sinfulnesse of the action is of the evill instruments and the power of it and the disposing of it to good that onely is Gods And although men who are limited by Gods law may doe no least sin or evill for a good end that greatest good may come thereof and if they doe it is sin in them yet God who is supreme Lord of all and whose will is the rule of all righteousnesse and who by his omnipotency can raise out of the greatest evill a farre greater good and can make the Divels malice and mans fall the occasion of bringing Christ into the World and a way to shew his infinite goodnesse and mercy in saving and redeeming his elect and to magnifie his glorious power and justice in their eyes by destroying the wicked with eternall destruction the sight whereof brings them to a more full fruition of his glory and makes them farre more sensible of his goodnesse to them and of their owne eternall blessednesse hee may doe what seemes good to his heavenly wisedome and evill so farre as he willeth it and hath an hand in the ordering of it is no sin but doth more shew his goodnesse and unspotted purity and holinesse The third thing is that God by his actuall providence disposeth all things which are done in the World
Of the nakadnesse of Adam and Eve Doctr. 3. The creation perfect Vse 1. Acknowledge Gods bounty Vse 2. In Christ the glory of out bodies shall be restored Vse 3. Gen. 1. 28. The condition of our first Parents In five particulars 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Of the blessing of fruitfulnesse What the word signifieth 1. 2. Bodily blessings of two soâ—â—s 1. 2. The earth how subdued by Adam 1. 2. 3. Doctr. 〈◊〉 Procreation of children a speciall blessing Vse 1. Vse 2. Syri 〈…〉 s. Doctr. 2. Marriage free for all men Vâ—â— 1. Vse 2. Against Popish virginity and vowes Ob. Answ. 3. Doct. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 4. The whole earth given to Man Vse 1. Of leading Colonies into other parts Vse 2. Against three sorts of men 1. 2. II. Dominion over all living creatures Requisites to it 1. 2. 3. 4. Degrees of it 1. 2. Dominion unlimited And limited Here meant Restored in Christ 1. 2. III. The food of man in the creation Doctr. 1. God the onely absolute Lord of all Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctr. 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 3. Vse IV. Mans habitation in the state of innocency Gen. 2. 8. 〈◊〉 2. 3. Eden what 4. 〈◊〉 The rivers in it 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 4. Opinion 1. Comment in Genes cap. 2. Opinion 2. Opinion 3. Opinion 4. Opinion 5. Opinion 6. Opinion 7. Opinion 8. Opinion 9. Opinion 10. Opinion 11. Opinion 12. Doctrine Best mens opinion is uncertaine Vse Of the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill Why the tree of life 1. 2. 3. 4. Of what life 1. 2. 3. How of the knowledge of good and evill Doctr. 1. Gods great bounty to man Vse Vse 2. Doctr. 2. No idlenesse allowed Vse Detest it therefore Doctr. 3. A contentfull estate in innocency 1. 2. Vse God no way the cause of mans sin Gen. 1 26. Opinion of the image and likenesse of God What the word mage signifies 〈◊〉 2. Zelem Two things in an image 1. 2. Demuth 1. 2. Image of God naturall and supernaturall Phil. 2. Differences betweene the image of the first and second Adam 1. 2. Rom. 8. 35. Ioh. 4. 14. and 14. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Ioh. 4. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 22. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Images essentiall and accidentall 1. 2. Naturall And supernaturall 〈◊〉 1. Man made after Gods image how 1. 2. Particulars wherein the image of God stood Conformity of Adam to God In soule 1. In the substanâ—e o 〈…〉 t. 2. In the naturall faculties of it 1. 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 2 Sam. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In body 1. 2. Vse 1. Riches of Gods bountie to man 2. Vse Not to stick in received opinions as unerring Act. 5. Vse 3. Of confutation of erroneous opinions Vse 4. Excellency of man to be hence noted Object of providence What the word signifieth 1. 2. 3. Proofe that providence is Texts of Scripture which set forth Gods actuall providence Arg. 1. Arg. 2. Arg. 3. Vse Of confutation and â—eproofe Description of Gods actuall providence Parts 1. Enchirid. ad Laur. c. 95. 2. Branches in particular 1. 2. Rom. 3. 8. 3. Gods actuall providence is generall or speciall 1. Gods conservation of his creatures 1. By Succession 2. By mutation 2. Gods destroying of creatures Gods governing of his creatures 1. By motion And by direction of all motions 2 By cohibition Gods speciall providence Described Vse 1. Comfoâ— to the faithfull Who learne also to bee thankfull Vse 2. Terrour to the wicked
it is a fit subiect for a reasonable Soule and the principall parts of it fit instruments for the severall faculties of the Soule whereby to performe their many and severall workes and operations the wisedome power and goodnesse of God did shine forth of mans body more then in all visible creatures and the Image of God appeared in it Mans eyes sight and all outward senses did represent Gods omniscience and knowledge of all things his hands did shew and represent Gods power to do and worke whatsoever he will his armes did represent Gods strength and power to save his People and to destroy his enemies The beauty comelinesse naturall majesty which appeared in mans body upright stature by which he did overlooke all creatures as one most fit to rule them did shew forth and represent the glory and majestie of God and his Lordship dominion providence and power by which he governs all things In a word though mans body was mutable in the Creation and state of innocency and might fall from that state yet so long as man did continue in that state and did not sin he had that lively vigour perfect temper of body which did free him from death and all evills which tend to hurt and destruction which also was able to uphold him in life and strength for ever if sin had not entred and so in some sort he was immortall and impassible not subject to death or any passion and suffering of hurt and evill in his body and so there was in his body some likenesse of Gods immortalitie For proofe of this wee have good arguments in Scripture First God himself sheweth that murther and shedding of mans bloud is a defacing of his Image in which he created man and for that cause he threatens revenge of murther and of violence offered to Mans bloud Gen. 9. 5 6. Now murther and shedding of mans bloud â—s a defacing of mans body therefore the body also is a secondarie Image of God Secondly the Scriptures which set forth Gods attributes and workings by severall parts of mans body as his omniscience and providence by Eyes Psal. 33. 18. 2. Cron. 16. 9. his activity and working by Hands as Exod. 15. 16. Psal. 44. 3. Isa. 51. 9. his love and mercy by Bowells as Isa. 63. 15. Jer. 31. 20. his punishing and revenging Iustice by breath of mouth and nostrills Psal. 38. 15. and Isa. 11. 4. his secret thoughts counsells and purposes by Heart Psal. 33. 11. his utterance of his mind and will by Mouth Jer. 9. 12. these Metaphors do shew that the body of man and chiefe parts of it have some similitude of Gods attributes and workes and so mans body is secondarily the Image and likenesse of God Thirdly the Scriptures shew that death is the wages of Sin and all mortality and subjection to evills and passions which tend to hurt and corruption came in by mans disobedience and fall as appears Rom. 5. 12. and 6. 23. and by Gods commination Gen. 2. 19. But in the Creation and state of innocencie man had in him no Sin nor any inclination of himself to any evill or Sin therefore he was after a sort â—mmortall and incorruptible in his body and had even in it a similitude of Gods immortality Fourthly the body was in all things conformable to the Soule fit and ready in all things to follow the motions of the Soule to be directed and moved by the upright reason will and affections and to doe all workes unto which they move it and therefore as the Soule was made in the primary Image and likenesse so the body in the secondary Image and likenesse of God Lastly to conclude this doctrine of Gods Image in which man was created wee may not unfitly affirme and with good reason hold that though man in the state of innocency before the promise of Christ had no Supernaturall gifts nor any part of the Spirituall Image of the second Adam but was onely a perfect naturall man and not immediatly proximâ potentiâ capable of supernaturall grace nor of the Divine nature yet because his nature and whole frame was such as had a possibility or remote power to be made partaker of the Holy Ghost united to God in Christ and made pattaker of the Divine nature and a new creature or new man framed after God therefore he in this respect may be said to be Created in the Image of God that is in such a forme and of such a nature as had a possibility to become like unto Christ and a new creature made in the Spirituall Image of God Now this Doctrine of Gods Image briefly and compendiously proved in all parts is of excellent use First this discovers the infinite riches of the bounty of God passing all bounds and declares his goodnesse to be like a great deep which can never be sounded in that he hath overcome all our evill and malice towards him with his great goodnesse to us and and when wee had forfeited our being and his Image in which he created us good and perfect with all naturall perfections and did justly deserve to degenerate and be turned into the Image of the Divell and to become in the likenesse of his malice and and misery he out of his owne meere mercy and free grace and bounty did give his Sonne and the Sonne did freely undertake to humble himself to become a second Adam made in a better Image even an heavenly and spirituall that he might not onely suspend the execution of Gods just sentence upon mankind and procure to the first Adam and all his posterity the continuance of their naturall being for a time and of some reliques of the Image which they had wholly forfeited but also might renue a great number chosen out of mankind and restore them to a better even an heavenly Image by transforming and changing them into his spirituall and supernaturall Image and making them conformable to it and partakers of the Divine nature by the mysticail dwelling and powerfull operation of his spirit in them Here is that which may dazle the eyes of men and the sight of Angells when they looke into it and which may astonish all hearts of men and confound all humane reason when they thinke of it and heare it preached That God infinitely just and holy to hate and punish Sin should by our evill and Sin committed against him and his just will and Law take occasion to be more good and to shew greater goodnesse to us and when wee deserved to have no being but in Hell and eternall misery hath raised us up to the spirituall state of grace from which we cannot be hurled and cast downe by all the powers of darkenesse and by which wee shall ascend to the blessed state of Heavenly and Eternall glory Here is love surpassing all knowledge the depth whereof wee may admire and adore in silence but neither can our hearts conceive nor our tongues expresse the
there is no helpe in them Psalme 146. 3. and that of the Prophet Ieremie Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme Ier. 17. 5. Secondly though there happen many changes and great confusion in the World yet let us here take notice that they come not by chance and allwayes acknowledge that they are in the will and power of God and are ordered and disposed by his over-ruling wisedome If to the wicked enemies and persecutors of Gods Church changes come for worse to their confusion and overturning of their power let us see Gods hand therein and let us give him the praise for working our deliverance and avenging our cause on our enemies If changes come to our selves and our peace bee turned into trouble and danger let us humble our selves as under Gods hand If our adversity bee turned into prosperity let God have all the thankes If wee see just cause to feare great changes in Church or State let us flie to God for helpe strength courage and patience and betake our selves to his protection that wee may rest safely under the shadowes of his wings The third point of doctrine which wee may observe from the Spirit of God moving upon the waters cherishing and fitting the unformed masse to receive a perfect being and perfect formes of visible creatures doth shew the concord and perfect similitude which is between the worke of creation by which God formed all things by his word and Spirit and the worke of restauration and redemption of mankind by which he reformes them by Christ and by his Spirit and brings them to supernaturall perfection and blessednesse As in the creation God by his Spirit cherishing the rude masse did prepare and fit every part thereof to receive a perfect forme and naturall being so in the restoring of man kind being deprived of his image and deformed God doth by his Word and by his Spirit shed on us through Christ regenerate renue reforme and prepare us for the fruition of himselfe and doth fit and prepare us for supernaturall perfection and blessednesse As in Ezechiels vision the wind from God did move and shake the drie bones scattered upon the face of the earth and fitted them by flesh and skinne to receive life and to stand up living men in perfect strength and stature So by the word and Spirit of God men dead and rotten in sinnes and sinfull corruption are by the Spirit of God breathed through Christ renued after his image and fitted by the life of grace for the eternall life of glory Ezech. 37. The Spirit of God as our Saviour testifieth is like the wind which bloweth where it listeth it is hee which doth frame us after Gods image in our new birth Ioh. 3. 5 8. and fits us for the Kingdome of glory Wee are as farre from God and from Christ and as void of his image and of all Spirituall life as the rude masse was of all forme in the first creation untill the Spirit of God bee given to us in Christ to dwell in us and renue us as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 8. 9. 13. Ephes. 2. 18. 22. and Tit. 3. 5. 6. Wherefore as wee desire to be made like unto Christ in the image of glory and to see and enjoy God in his heavenly Kingdom where all fulnesse of perfection and blessednesse is to bee found So let us by the consideration of this Doctrine bee stirred up to thirst after the river of the water of life even the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and never rest satisfied till wee feele within us the testimony of the Spirit of Christ witnessing with our Spirits that wee are the children of God and till wee feele our selves sanctified throughout both in soule and body and holinesse engraven upon our hearts without which none can see God Secondly seeing the Spirit of God is he who prepares men for supernaturall perfection and there is no communion to be had with Christ nor participation of his merits and saving benefits to salvation except men have the Spirit of God dwelling in them and of profane and carnall sons of Adam making them holy and spirituall sons of God Let us not count it any shame or reproach to us that profane mockers of these last times doe in mockery and derision call us spirituall men who ascribe all good motions which are in us to the Spirit of God dwelling in us directing us in all our wayes We doe not deny but that all Enthusiasts and other men of fanaticall Spirit doe most profanely and sacrilegiously Father their owne fansies and lustfull motions on the Spirit of God and therein deserve reproach and derision but let men take heed that they doe not by loathing their hypocrisie and arrogancy runne into Atheisme and blasphemous impiety by rejecting and denying the Spirits dwelling in all Gods regenerate children working in them all saving graces and moving them to walke in the holy wayes of God which lead unto supernaturall perfection and eternall blessednesse For most certaine it is that as the first rude matter of the visible World was sustained and cherished by the Spirit of God moving upon the face of it and was not otherwise able to subsist or to bee formed into divers creatures every one made perfect in their kind with naturall perfection so the perfect stabilitie of man in an happie unchangable estate yea the perfection of the visible World made for mans use is the work of the holy Ghost uniting man to to God in Christ and gathering and reconciling all things unto God in him who is the head over all Although man and all creatures as appeares in the last verse of this Chapter were created every one good and perfect in his kind with naturall perfection yet man the chiefe and the Lord of them all having not as yet the holy Ghost shed on him through Christ as all the regenerate and faithfull have was mutable and in that honourable estate of innocency hee did not stand and abide but did full from it very quickly after that the Woman was created and given to him as wee read Chap. 3. yea hee did not lodge one night therein Psalme 49. 12. and by Mans sinfull fall and corruption the whole frame of the visible World was made subject to vanity and groaneth under it as under an intolerable burden and with earnest longing waiteth for deliverance and restitution to an higher estate in the glorious libertie of the sons of God Rom. 8. 19. 20. And although the eternall Word the Son of God had undertaken for man in the eternall counsell of the blessed Trinitie and did step in to mediate for man and in the first promise made upon mans fall was proclaimed to bee the onely and all-sufficient Redeemer and was fully exhibited in the flesh and became a perfect Redeemer in his death and resurrection so that in him is plenteous redemption and matter sufficient to merit more then
immediatly going before it Secondly the creation it selfe Thirdly the consequents which followed upon it In the preparation wee may observe three distinct things First Gods counsell and resolution for mans well being Verse 18 Secondly Gods setting of the Man a worke to view the creatures and to exercise his reason and naturall wisedome in naming them Verse 19. Thirdly the inequality which Adam found in the creatures and the unfitnesse of them for his conversation Verse 20. First Moses brings in the Lord God consulting with himselfe and according to his eternall Counsell concluding that it was not good for Man to bee alone and resolving that hee will make an helpe meet for him For these words And God said are not to be understood of any sound of words uttered by God but of Gods eternall Counsell purpose and fore-knowledge now beginning to manifest it selfe by outward action and execution as a mans mind is manifested by his speech The things which God foreknew in his counsell and purposed are two First that it was not good for man to bee alone Secondly that hee would make an helpe meet for him Hence it may seeme strange which God saith that any thing which he had made should not be good For did not hee make man alone and single at the first And did not hee make every thing good especially man created in his owne image Was not the image of God in which hee created man fully and perfectly good To this doubt I answer that the Man was created good and perfect after the likenesse of God and there was no defect in his being and substance But yet as all other creatures though they were made good and there was no evill in them yet they were not so good as man so man though as hee was created in the image of God was good yea in goodnesse farre excelled other earthly creatures yet hee was not so good but that hee might bee made more good and created in an image of God more excellent then that wherein hee was first made even in the holy image of the heavenly Adam Christ which farre excels and is immutable Yea wee finde by experience that many things which are good in themselves are not good for all purposes fire is good in it selfe and for many uses but not to bee eaten and so many other creatures are good as the flesh of beasts for mans meat but not without bread and salt nor raw So man was created good and fit to rule all other living creatures even considered alone in himselfe but it was not good for the bringing of all Gods purposes to passe that man should bee alone it was farre better that a Woman should bee created meet for him for the procreation of mankind for the increase of Gods Church and for the incarnation of Christ and the bringing forth of him the blessed seed of the Woman in whom God reveales all his goodnesse and good pleasure Here then wee may learne two points of instruction First that as God from all eternity in his eternall councell immutably purposed so in the first creation of man hee shewed that hee intended all things which hee hath brought to passe in and by the incarnation of Christ and in the gathering together of his elect Church by Christ and that hee had in his purpose the exaltation of man to an higher and better estate then that in which hee first created him For it is most cleare and manifest that Adam being created in the image of God in all uprightnesse and perfection of nature and having all the visible World to view and to contemplate upon Gods wisedome and workmanship therein and all the creatures to rule over and all things necessary for worldly delight needed no more for naturall and earthly felicity But yet for all this God said it was not good that man should bee alone that is it was not good for that which God intended that is for the obtaining of eternall felicity in and by Christ and for the full manifestation of Gods goodnesse and glory in and upon mankind This is that truth which is so often testified by our Saviour and his Apostles where they tell us that God prepared a Kingdome for his elect from the beginning of the World and that as an elect number was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World so Christs incarnation ' death satisfaction and mediation were ordained before all worlds as Matth. 25. 34. and Eph. 1. 4. First this sheweth against all Atheists Pagans and Hereticks that nothing comes to passe by chance nothing without the foresight and foreknowledge of God but hee saw before hee created the World what should befall every creature and without his will permitting no evill comes to passe without his wil ordaining and his hand working no good can come to any creature all things are according to his foreknowledge and there is no place for idle suppositions of vainemen Secondly as the wicked may here for their terrour take notice that all their evil deeds are foreseene and foreknowne of God and hee hath just vengance laid up in store for them So the godly may comfort themselves against all Calumnies Slanders and false witnesses all are knowne to God and hee will in the end make the truth knowne and bring their cause to light Thirdly wee are hereby stirred up to all diligence in Gods service and that betimes seeing God hath so long before hand ordained and prepared all good things for us All our time spent in praise and thanks before him is nothing to the time wherein hee hath shewed love to us in preparing good for us before and from the beginning of the World Secondly in that it is said of man created in Gods image in full perfection of nature that it was not good that hee should bee alone Hence wee learne that the image of God and the state wherein man was first created is not absolutely the best which man can have but that in Christ there is a better image and a more excellent state and condition provided for him which is best of all This is fully proved 1 Cor. 15. where the Apostle shewes that the image of the heavenly Adam is farre above the image of the earthly and that the Kingdome which is prepared in Christ for the elect is such as flesh and bloud that is naturall man cannot inherite This shewes that wee gaine more by Christ then wee lost in Adam and God by mans fall is become more bountifull to mankind And wee who in Christ have our hope have no cause to repine at Gods decreeing willing and suffering of mans fall nor to bee impatient under the afflictions which thereby come upon us seeing the end of all is glory and blisse and a crowne too high and precious for Adam in the state of innocency The second thing in Gods councell and purpose is that hee will make an helpe meet for man Here
given to all mankind in the creation so marriage which God appointed for the increase of men on earth is by the law of God which is written in mans heart and engraven in mans nature free for all Men and Women to whom God hath given ability and strength of body for procreation and fruitfulnesse for increase of mankind As the text here openly expresseth so much so in all the Scriptures wee have examples of holy men of all sorts even of Priests and Prophets not onely allowed but also commanded by God to take Wives and beget children as Isaiah cap. 8. 3. Ezechiel chap. 24. Hosea chap. 1. And the Apostle commends it as honourable in all Hebr. 13. 4. And the Apostles who were most devoted to Christ and to his worke did lead about Wives with them 1 Cor. 9. 5. And although in times of great trouble and persecution raised up against Christianity Wives are a great burden and breed much care and griefe to preachers of the Gospell especially who must bee ready to run and flee whithersoever God cals them and therefore in such cases the Apostle by reason of the urgent and pressing necessity holdeth it better for continent and chaste Men and Women to remaine unmarried 1 Cor. 7. 26. And our Saviour doth approve and well like it in case when a mans heart and affection is so extraordinarily taken up with the love of the Kingdome of heaven that hee is like an Eunuch without any desire of affection of marriage Matth. 19. 12. Yet wee have no word or precept in all the Scripture to restraine any Persons of any order or calling from liberty of marriage Saint Paul affirmes that he and Barnabas had power and liberty in this kind though they used it not 1 Cor. 9. 5. The consideration whereof serves First to teach Men and Women of all sorts to maintaine and retaine that liberty which God had given them from their first creation and to admonish them to beware that neither Satan by his suggestions nor any of his wicked instruments by their cunningly devised fables nor any misconceipt of their owne hearts doe lay a needlesse snare upon their consciences and possesse them with a false opinion concerning that liberty which God hath written in mans heart in the state of innocency which cannot bee taken away without violence offered to nature They who are thus instructed and fully perswaded if they doe marrie they may have comfort in this assurance that they are not out of Gods high-way neither in this have swerved from his perfect law and rule of liberty If they find many crosses in the married life yet let them know that they are not curses laid on marriage for an unlawfulnesse of it If they doe live single to avoid worldly cares and to devote themselves wholly to heavenly thoughts and spirituall cares for the Kingdome of heaven they have more cause to rejoyce and glory in the aboundance of Gods speciall grace to them in that hee hath given them an heart to forsake lesser blessings for the gaining of greater and bringing of more glory to God Secondly this sheweth that the Popes prohibitions of Priests marriage and the absolute vowes of virginity and single life taught and imposed by the Church of Rome are cursed and corrupt inventions of men and diabolicall devices yea damnable haeresies as the Apostle calleth them 1 Tim. 4. 1. and 2 Pet. 2. 1. For though divers holy Men of God to whom God gave power over their owne wils and the gift of continency to stand steadfast in their owne hearts have strongly resolved to keepe their virginity and to live single that they might apply themselves to the service of God and his Church with greater freedome from worldly eares and have steadfastly held their resolution proving themselves such as our Saviour and his Apostle doe commend Matth. 19. 12. and 1 Cor. 7. yet wee never read in Scripture that they were commanded by God or that they did bind themselves voluntarily by an unchangable vow or under any execration to abstaine from marriage and from procreation of children therein but alwayes without any absolute necessity imposed on them remained at liberty to marry if just occasion were offered If our adversaries object that the law of nature must give place to the Evangelicall law which hath greater promises and tends to lead men to supernaturall and heavenly happinesse and that for Christs sake and his Churches good wee must renounce liberty of nature I answere that the Evangelicall law doth not offer violence to the law of nature neither doth it abolish any part thereof but rather doth perfect it by giving men grace willingly to neglect naturall liberty for the gaining of a better estate As for example the law of nature requires that men love Fathers Mothers Wives Children and their owne lives and gives them liberty to hold lands and houses but yet when the case so stands by reason of tyrannie and presecution raging that a man must either forsake all these or deny Christ and renounce Christian religion here a man ought to forgoe all for Christ as the Gospell teacheth And yet the Gospell never commandeth us to renounce Father or Mother or Houses or Land and the like and to expose our selves to death when we may together with Parents Wives Children and Life still cleave to Christ and enjoy him for salvation yea it were frensie and fury for any Church to impose lawes on men for the hating of Parents Wives and Children forsaking houses and lands and giving themselves to death voluntarily when there is no inevitable necessity laid on them but they may live good and faithfull Christians and yet love Parents Wives and Children possesse lands and houses and live in safety Wherefore though wee highly commend them who more zealously follow Christ and forsake the World and make small account of naturall blessings in comparison of spirituall but doe as Saint Paul did who made the Gospell free and did not use lawfull liberty and power yet wee cannot but count them execrable who tyrannize and lay cruell snares upon mens consciences and impose lawes and vowes upon themselves or others to forsake and renounce utterly their lawfull liberty and to bind them by that law and vow which either they must breake or else fall into many wofull inconveniencies and abominable evils and mischiefes as wee see in the Popes lawes and vowes which have proved causes and occasions of secret Whoredomes publike Stewes many Rapes and Murders of innocents to the staining and defiling of the whole Land Thirdly we hence learne that our first parents in the state of innocency had in them both the affection and naturall desire to bring forth children and to increase mankind with all convenient speed God so commanding them also they had all strength and ability of body to beget and bring forth and there was in them no defect to hinder procreation for a moment The words of the