take iâ— yet â—erâ—enly whom the Lorde loueth he castneth and Heb. 12. 6. read all the Chapter scourgeth euery sonne that hee receiueth therefore if we liue without correction whereof all are pertakers then are wee â—astardes and not sonnes And although saluation is not geuen by obseruation of the lawe And although God ordeyned all necessaries for mankinde before hee was able to aske it yet seing it is his good pleasure to commaunde mankind to loue and desire to keepe the lawe and 〈◊〉 wee should 〈◊〉 prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good things â—s his handes â—â— the name of Christ Iesus what 〈◊〉 monsters and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we should dispute the 〈◊〉 or think it 〈◊〉 to liue 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 or â—eâ—dlesse to pray for these thinges which commonly mankind receiueth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in generall which neyther pray at all 〈◊〉 knoweth the right way 〈◊〉 to prayâ— As though they that haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ches whereby they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neede to pray for theyr daily bread because they haue it alwayâ—â— and though 〈◊〉 were needles â—y the lordâ— prayer to say thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 to all and most certainly true 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 will iâ— all thing 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his purposes shall throughly be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his enemies Therefore they that 〈◊〉 the true fayth feare and sone of God and seeke theyr saluation in Christ Iesus wil neuer be so folish thy to â—â—ble of Gods secret workes and to demaunde why he hath done this â—â— that but they will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the deuises of theyr wits 〈◊〉 and vnderstanding vnto his most holy will and crauâ— his mercy in Christ Iesus in whose name he hath promised whatsoeuer is necessary for mankinde to whatsoeuer shall aske i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fayth which none can do without his speciall graâ—e Therefore it is not 〈◊〉 gods reason but also euery mans 〈◊〉 duty to 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 necessaries of Gods Maiesty if there were 〈◊〉 theâ—â— proâ—eth vs 〈◊〉 doing but onely to shewe our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen that were a â—all and sufficient argument For who knoweth the mind of the Lorde which shal be saued Rom. 9. 34. or 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 himselfe so that neyther man co 〈…〉 and knowe that of another Howbeit euery man ought not only to knowe it in and of himselfe but also is bee assured of his saluation by the more mercy of God in Christ Iesus which necessity wee must beleue or els be vaniâ—â—ed Therefore be your dispayr For that is blasphemy agaynst the mercy of God that in the name of Christ Iesus let him craue true repentance and hope suerly to find that he seeketh to receaue that hee asketh and at his knocking to haue the dore of mercy opened that in mercy he may receue his saluation not for his keeping of the lawe nor for his owne good workes but for the mere merites of Christ Iesus euen the Lambe of God apoynted before the world was to take away the sinnes of the woorlde in Gods elect let vs rest vppon that which is opened vnto vs by the holy scriptures For it is passing folly worse then starke madnes to endeuoure to know that which the Lord will not haue knowne vidz who shal be saued or damned For God who worketh vppon his owne foundation which euer remayneth and hath this senteÌ„ce for a seale * The Lord knoweth 2 Tim. 2. 19. who are his Therefore let all that call one the Lord Iesus depart from iniquitie and lay hold one mercy onely walke hee neuer so holyly Furthermore the eternall God in the law and the prophets hath set downe sufficient doctryne how he would be serued in the congregations of people according to his owne prescription and not after mans inuention for Moses sayth * you Deut. 12. 8 12. 8. 32. shall not do euery man what seemeth good in his owne eies * But whatsoeuer I commaunde sayth the Lord that take heede to do and nothing diminish nothing * For you shal Ezec. 20. 28 not walke after the ordinaunces of your forefathers nor obserue theyr manners * ye be my frendes sayth Christ Iesus Iohn 25. 14. If you do whatsoeuer I commaund you who so can do that needes doe no more yet the Monkes c. had their woorkes of supererrogation In all controuersies sayth the Lord ye Ezec. 44. 24 shall iudge according to my iudgementes and keepe my Lawes do â—o statutes in all my assemblies * when yee appear Esai 1. 12. before mee that â—â— when yâ—e 〈◊〉 togeather to the Church to serue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who requireth these thinges at your handes what haâ—e I to do wiâ—h the multitude of your sacrifyces your insence is abhomination I can not away with your newe Moones and solemne Dayes it is iniquity my soule hateth them Marke this well If the incomprehencible maiesty of God which is here tearmed his Soule did hate the Iewish ceremonies erected by himselfe because they were corrupted by mans fantasticall inuentions How much more doth he hate that seruice vnder the tyranny of the Pope which is pretended to bee done vnto God being repugnant vnto his holy will expressed in his woord And yet meaning the Kinges Princes and rulers of Nations and euen such as professe Christianity do neglect * and Matt. 7. breake Gods holy commaundements and fatherly counsels for to establish those humayn traditions and inuentions wherwith Satan is well pleased and lulleth them to sleepe soundly in their errors vntill God see his tyme to punish theyr disobedience with warres pestilent sicknesses and contra 〈…〉 nding their own deuises among themselues through the malice of their owne malicious minds by Satans woorking in them For Satan is not onely the enticer of mankynd to sinne but also Gods hangman ready to execute his plagues and punishment for sinne whensoeuer it pleaseth God to send him to any Nation State or Person of his eternal purpose and execution of his iust iudgementes For satan and his angels are Spirits created for vengeance which in tyme of destruction shall shew forth the power and wrath of him that made them Satan and his trayne were created good and of themselues became euil and was the cause of Adams fall and yet not without Gods forepoyntment by their own wilfull disobedience And in that God serueth his purpose by the ministration of those spirits treated for vengeance the same work in God is both good and holy because hee is the soueraygne goodnes itselfe and cannot doe amisse whatsoeuer hee doth neyther can heâ— bee the auâ—tor of some in others because it is not his nature to sinne neither tempteth hee any man Moreouer hee is not bound vnder my statute whereby he Iam. 1. 3. might offend for if hee should do amisse the offence were to be answeared to a greater then himselfe but seeing their is none so great and omnipotent as hee but hee only aboue all and all in all aswel in almightines in tender mercy
to obserue it no sorrow for breaking it and although the threatning of the lawe sounding in theyr eares make theÌ„ sometyme afrayed yet they seeke not the righte way to be helped because they followe the suggestions of Satan and theyr owne lustes Therfore I call this blessed lawe the ballance of mans life for by examinatioÌ„ of his life how it agreeth with this lawe euery one may see weygh and know himselfe whether hee bee in tht right or in the wrong in fauoure or out of fauoure with God For whoso regardeth not the lawe * God casteth them of into Rom. 1. a reprobate sence that is into SataÌ„s gouernment to work most filthy and most horrible euils as are recited in the first to the Romaynes And no maruell for the stubberne wicked do wilfully disobey and breake the lawe as it were in dispite of his almighty maiesty which with one blast of winde might consume all enemies And all are Gods enemies great and small so long as they walke not in fayth feare and loue and obedience of his holy lawe And although the whole world is altogeather set on wickednes 1 Ioh. 5. yet Gods Maiesty is neyther endomaged nor trobled thereby For what detriment susteyned God by Adams eating the forbidden fruicce what domage or hindraunce hath God by all the filthy villenyes horrible beastlines comitted by mankinde on Earth As Idolatry Blasphemy Murther Adultry Fornication Periury Theft c. I say none at all for the godhead is not moued with passions neyther troubled with all the vprors and confusions done by Satan and his adhetents in the world but most louingly exersiseth mercy on his elect and most quietly his iustice on his reiect people which hee hath not chosen And albeit he hath ordeined rewards for weldoing punishment for il doing yet man by weldoing brings God no profit nor hindraunce by ill doing For the good and euil that man doth redoundeth to himselfe for the good that man doth hee deserueth nothing because it commeth not of himselfe but the holy Ghost worketh it in him And yet by grace hee Luc. 17. 10. receiueth the rewarde as though it came of himselfe * For when wee haue done all the good that is possible for vs to do wee shall yet be founde vnprofitable seruantes towards God because wee do not that which the lawe comaundeth Contrarywise for the euill that man doth he iustly deserueth damnation for it is his owne worke by yelding to the motions of Satan through infidelity pryde and disobedience and such lyke vices which are the causes of strife betwixt God man And for these causes God did execute his forethreatened sentence vppon Adam and his posterity For Adam had then before his fall freewill as many falsely affirme that all men haue yet that is to say hee had free choyce in himselfe to keepe or breake the holy commaundement wherein hee wilfully refused God rashly chose the Deuill neglected Gods truth and imbraced the lies of the Deuill whereof hee is the father * and the only tempter of mankind to all euill mischiefe Iohn 8. 38. For hee perswaded Eue that the punishment which God had threatned should not bee performed whereupon she enticed Adam And so committed the offence whereby he lost his freewil from him and his posterity for euer 1 Tim. 2. And yet Satan told them truth in one thing as is the common vse of his ministers in this Worlde to mixe truth with falshed the rather to make his lies take place For in eating the forbidden fruicte they knew euil whereas before they knew but good only Satans promise was they should be as Gods knowing good and euill the last poynt was true in in some sence but the chiefe poynt was altogeather false that was how yâ— punishment which God had threatned should not bee performed and that they should bee as Gods But they were sone ashamed of that credite which they had yelded vnto Satans Suggestion and of the breach of that obedience which was commaunded them by their Creator As then it was so is it manifest that now Satan and his worldly adherentes his instruments wicked people by whom he worketh amongest the multitudes namely such as preach false doctrine do many tymes speake the truth and rightly recite sentences of holy Scripture neuer to the good end but either to their owne gayne or to some other wicked purpose such is their nature they can do none otherwise then vpon recital of true and holy sentences make false conclusions And who can resist natâ—râ— except such as are lead by the holy Ghost And yet though mans reason cannot blame them in following nature Neuerthelesse God by his lawe hath ordayned death for such naturall offenders which lawe Kinges Princes and rulers of Nations Countries and Prouinces ought to obay and execute as God commaundeth in his Lawe how iustice from him ought to bee executed Deut. 13. 7 Read the Chapter Mat. 5. 17. 18. Luc. 16. 17. saying * Thyne Eye shall not pitty a false Prophet Preacher or teacher thou shalt not kepe secret his false doctrine but accuse him by order that hee may dye the death thou mayst shew him no mercy * Christ Iesus came not to breake one iot of this Law of Iustice but to fulfill for his elect that which was not in mans power to doe so to make an end of the ceremonies of the Law * which were shadowes Col. 2. 15. of good thinges to come euen figures of the comming of the Messias who came to doe his forepointed office to redeeme the miserable state of mankinde in his elect * whom God saw Ezec. 16. 6. ly weltring in their owne blood past recouery by his owne strength which was the fall of Adam whereby all mankind was damned body and soule * And then God had compassion Exo. 33. 15. Rom. 9. 19. and shewed mercy on whom it pleased him that is to say on those whom hee had forechosen and forepointed For it was Gods pleasure to make Adam of such miraculous complection quality and freedome of will as hee put it freely in his own power and choise to keepe or leaue his blessed state to obay or disobay the holy commaundement And further of a fatherly loue God forewarned him by a terrible threatning to feare him from offending And then seeing Adam would and did wilfully offend God could doe no lesse of his iustice hauing spoken the woord then executed his terrible forethreatned sentence once for all vppon Adam and his posterity for euer * The holy Scripture the woord of God which is as Galat. 3. 22. true as God himselfe hath concluded all vnder sinne which conclusion was decreed in his eternall counsell before this world began And all to bring the rest of his eternall purpose to his forepointed end to haue iust matter for himself to shew mercy and execute iustice Behold the profit that Adam got by knowing good and
accomplishmeÌ„t of his eternall purpose By the story it appeareth that satan the God of this world and Prince that ruleth in the ayre hath the handling at God his appoyntment of all those thinges to execute Gods iustice so hath hee lykewyse of the swoord with all engins and munitions for wars whensoeuer they are abused in any euil cause For in euery controuersie right stryueth agaynst wrong and wrong agaynst right So hath it bene from the beginning is now shall continue to the end of the world And whosoeuer mayntayneth the wrong cause is led and guyded by Satan yea though hee winne the field So that whensoeuer any thing is done such as men cal mischaunce misfortune ill lucke mischiefe or what soeuer whereby any of mankinde is hurt in bodie or goods eyther by warres by fyre water storme or tempest heate of the Sunne cold of the Moone constellation of the Starres opposition of the Planets corruption of the ayre dampe of the Earth the abundance of Snow the extremity of frost the want of Rayne or too much wet the fury of beastes the venim of Serpentes or what soeuer else whereby God punisheth a people or nations in generall or some in particuler for sinne or other cause onely knowne to himselfe all is done by Gods almighty power and forepoyntment Satan being his instrument and executioner when it pleaseth God to vse him Thus appeareth that Satan and his angels are Gods instrumentes to execute his iustice where when and vpon whoÌ„ it pleaseth God to appoint Not that Satan can desire to serue God or hath any zeale to doe iustice for hee is as naturall an enemy to mankynde as the Wolfe to the Sheepe the Catte to the Mouse c. But God vseth his naturall malice vnknowne to him to execute his iustice And although that Satan is called the God of this Worlde and Prince that ruleth in the ayre yet hee hath not the Elimentes planets and signes to vse otherwise then God hath forepoynted Neither doth hee knowe that hee serueth Gods holy purpose for these as incencible ignorant of Gods secrets as a dogge of mans secrets And as the water spaniel watcheth the shot to fetch the fowle being stricken or as the Iaylers watch at the iudgement seates and the hang man for the dayes of excution to doe their offices Euen so doth Satan and his angels wayt incessantly on the maiesty of God to be set a worke in theyr naturall offices which is to seeke whom they may deuoure For further proofe hereof wee neede not seeke of Histories seeing it is manifest in holy Scriptures and proued by daylie experience in our knowledge as well among our selues as other nations both neare and farre of how the wicked doe abuse the Godly some by priuy deceipt some by theft robbery some by open extortions some by culler of Law and autority spoile the goods and somtyme kill the bodies of godly and quiet people And for a recompence of their pestiferons wickednes against the godly and quiet people we see also how God maketh the wicked deuour one another among themselues And al by the ministery of satan working and ruling as a king among them his subiectes and children to whom they obay as vnto their king and father for so doth Christ Iesus call the wicked saying * yee are of your father the Deuil and yee doe the Iohn 8. 44. lustes of your father who is a murtherer from the beginning and shall bee to the ending in Cain hee murthered Abell hee abode not in the truth there is no truth in him he speaketh lyes by nature for hee is the father of lying and of lyers whyle they continue and delyte in lying God dealeth with Satan his angels and worldly adherentes as a Father deaâ—eth with a rodde the which after he hath corrected his Children therewith hee casteth into the fyre or elswhere carelesse what becoms of it euen so doth almighty God deale with Satan his angels and all the reprobate people of the World for when hee hath vsed them as scourges to punish other in this lyfe wherof some were as wicked as themselues so he reyseth vp wicked after wicked to punish one another that one may bee the end of another which cruelty and tyranny as they haue dealt with others and so by course one after another as worne rods hee casteth them into hell fyre * which before the World was begonne Mat. 25. 41 was prepared for the Deuill and his angels and consequently for the reprobate seede of Adam HOW THE MOST PARTE OF mankinde serueth Satan and of his rewards for their seruice CAP. 9. IT is an olde saying the Deuil is good to his Children for commonly they triumph in the world and beare the greatest sway both of high and lowe degree some continue long in their wickednes and some are cut of in short tyme. And all both by the appointment of God * who hath appointed the water of the Seas their baâ—ndes which thâ—y shall not passe * Who hath nombred Psal 104. 9. the Starres and calleth them all by their names Then must hee also oÌ„r none but hee can do it appoint the nomber of dayes that euery one of mankind both elected and reiected chosen and refused hath to liue in this world which Eccles 3. 1. c. none can ouerpasse * For God hath appoynted to euery thing his conuenient tyme a tyme to bee borne and a tyme to dye both by his forepointment And touching the wicked reprobate that tryumphe in this World * they haue their portions in this lyfe they leaue yâ— Psal 17. 4. 23. 2. c. rest of their substaunce vnto their Children * Dauid erred with griefe to see the wicked excell in prosperity to what they list to corrupt others to speake blasphamie without correction or aduersity And when hee sought to knowe the cause hee could not reach it vntill the holy ghost wrought in him to the end * who reuealed vnto him by comparing vertue 1 Cor. 2. 10 with vice which hee calleth the going into the sanctuary of the Lord the ende of those men whom God doth set in slippery places to cast them downe to a fearefull end Thus the reprobate serue Satan their father and God of Iohn 8. 24. this World * and his lustes they obay to obtayne their fleshly desires the ritches the honor and glory of this world which is the kneeling downe to * worship Satan that he required Matt. 4. 9. of Christ Iesus But the reprobate whom God hath not chosen doe daily kneele and woorship Satan to obtayne their filthy lustes and couetous desires Yea they doe it with ten tymes more diligence then the elect children of God doe the will of their good father Yea and very many of Gods elect do often tymes yea too to often kneele and woorship satan come after him by obaying their wicked lustes in couering the ritches pleasures and glory of