our nature is capable and whereunto we willby all meanes aspire notwithstanding your commaundement to the contrary not doubting but that by our own strength wit endeauours and inuentions we shall become farre more happy then we are by this your creation Vpon this resolution the creature disobeyeth the expresse commaundement of God and so falleth from God into extreame misery Now whether the blame of this fall be to be imputed to God or to the creature it self let any reasonable creature iudge for God did neither commaund nor counsell it but did carefully forewarne them of it yea he did neither put any euill motion into their mindes nor yet withdrawe from them any naturall grace whereby they shoulde haue beene vpholden but left it to their free choise whither they would be cleane and obey him or else rebell against his worde If it be obiected that the necessitie of Gods decree did compell the creature to fall wee answere affirming that to be vtterly vntrue For God did decre that the fal of man should com to passe by his free will and therefore his decree did not take away but establishe mans free will If it bee thought impossible that the same action shoulde bee both necessary and contingent as wee make this action to be we answere that to man it is impossible but not to God For man cannot bring any thing certainly to passe by vncertaine and contingent meanes but God can worke necessarily by those meanes which to mans reason fall out by chaunce and at hap hazard For there is no thing contingent or vncertaine to God whodoth foresee al the euents of thinges and so doth build his immutable decree vppon the euentes themselues which are necessary not vppon the contingencie of the causes As in this instance how easy a thing was it for God foreseing that man being indued with free will whereby he might doe either good or euill woulde choose the euill part to decree the fall of man by his freewill and yet to leaue man in the very action free either to stand or to fall Againe if it be obiected that God might haue vpholden man by some extraordinary grace we confesse that to be true but yet it doth not thereof follow that God was the cause of this fall for the naturall grace wherewith man was endued and which was inherent in himselfe was sufficient if he woulde haue vsed it aright and for supernaturall grace God was neither bounde to giue any neither did he thinke the creature worthy of anie newe supplie of grace which did so vnthankefully abuse his former bountie or that the continuance of this pure estate woulde illustrate his glory so much as woulde the fall of man Lastly it may be thought that God might and ought to haue made these his exellent creatures in a firme and permanent estate and that by takeing from them all possibilitie of falling and all freedome of will in respect of euill as he doth to the elect Angels and men and as his owne nature is vncapable of euill Wherevnto we answer that this which is alleaged is a thing altogether impossible for the fredome of will doth not derogate anie thing from the perfection of the creature the which could not haue bene made excellent without it For where no will is there is no vnderstanding As for the elect both men and Angels they are vpholden by the supernatural grace of God not by any such natural strength disposition of wil as cannot chuse euil the which if they had they were not reasonable creatures but either as brute beasts and senslesse trees or els as God himselfe who onely cannot be tempted with any euil So then the cause why the wicked angels and man kind fell from their first state was their owne free will choosing sinne and refusing life offerd by God but God is no other wayes the cause of this fal then he is the cause of all actions in the worlde both good and euil namely in that he is the cause of the cause For in that he made the freewil of man he did in some sort make the fal which came of it secondly in that he gaue an effectual occasion of it But that is not the question for we enquire the true and proper cause of this fall The whol matter may not vnfitly be declarred by this similitude A wise father purposing to let his sonne see his owne wilfulnes and intēperancie together with his loue fatherly affection toward him resolueth with himselfe to make him fall into some mortal sicknesse out of the which he knoweth himselfe to be able to recouer him This he wil effect not by giuing him poyson to drinke for thē he should be the cause and beare the blame of that euil but by laying it in his way as it were a baite in some sweete meate which he knoweth that his sonne loueth and will eate as soone as he seeth it And least that he shoulde plead ignorance and so auoide the blame of wilfulnesse he forewarneth him of that kind of meate charging him very instantly to abstaine from it as being vnholsome and hurtfull vnto him yet he doth not tell him what he intendeth This young man coming where this pleasant meat is remēbreth his fathers counsell commandement yet is by the entisement of euil companions and his owne appetite moued to eate of it perswading himselfe that there is no such daunger in it as his father woulde make him beleeue aud therfore no cause he shoulde obey him in that matter So hee eateth of it and poysoneth himselfe now no man can denie but that both the father and the sonne haue a hand and play their in this tragedy yet not the father who giueth the occasion only but the young man himselfe who doth willingly or rather wilfully take that hurtfull meat is to be blamed counted the cause of this euill In like manner God dealeth with man he decreeth his fall yet doth not throwe him downe but only layeth a stumbling blocke in his way He doth not infect man with the poyson of sin but putteth it into a goodly apple which he knoweth that man will deuoure greedely whensoeuer occasion is offred this he did by forbidding man to eat of that fruite by the which meanes he made the eating of it to be sinne that is deadely poyson which otherwise was good and pleasant So then God is the cause of mans fall so as he who layeth a baite for fish is the cause of their death he vsing no violence towards thē but only suffring them to followe their naturall appetite But Sathan who is the second actor playeth a farre diuers part labouring by promises pretences entisements perswasions and by all meanes possible to bring man into the state of sinne and death God sitteth still on the banke holding an angle rod in his hand with baite hooke hanging at it waiting til man come of his owne accord and bite But Sathan pursueth man vp and
maketh a speidie gainfull and happie voiage howsoeuer if that she chaunce to meete with a rocke or to runne vpon some sand she is in greater danger then if she had made lesse hast and borne a lower saile So where the strength and force of these affections is wanting there is as lesse danger in respect of sudden falles so lesse abilitie of aspiring to any high degree of holines for that the graces of the holy spirit wanting their sailes or being be calmed for want of winde often lie floting vp and dowen and doe not make so euident or notable progresse in their course Of these renewed affections the most notable is called loue an affections so often commended vnto vs and so highly extolled in the scriripture as if it contained not one part onely but euen the wholle substance of created holinesse in the which respect it is saide to be The fulfilling of the lawe Math. 22 40. Rom. 13. 8. and the one halfe of renewed holinesse the which is vsually cōprised in these two words Faith and Loue which is sayde 1. Cor. 13. 13. To be greater then faith But that we giue neither more nor lesse to this affection then is due vnto it this is to be held that holinesse whether created or recreated doth not consist either in any one or in a fewe but in many graces amongest the which loue hath the first place assigned vnto it yea often the denomination either of the wholle holinesse of man or more commonly of the holinesse of all the practicall faculties Not as if it were the only grace for there are many distinct graces euen as many as there are distinct faculties of mans soule required in perfect holinesse or yet as if it were the chiefe grace for faith hath the first place although in nature it be not so excellent as loue which is an heroicall grace being the foundation and as it were the subiect and ground-worke not onely of loue but also of all other graces and of all holinesse whether created or renewed Why then is loue more spoken of and inculcated in the scripture then faith or any other grace We answere that the spirit of God hauing continually in enditing the scripture respect to the capacitie of men propoundeth and commendeth vnto them holinesse not so much in grosse and in generall as in some particulars which are more easely surely and certainly conceaued then the generall in the which respect loue is preferred before faith as being more euident apparant and sensible and therefore a more sure and infallible marke and note of generall holinesse The great appearance of loue ariseth of these two causes First because whereas faith hath relation to God onely loue extendeth it selfe both to God and men Secondly where as faith lieth hidden in the heart and minde loue is outward practical and therefore more apparant and sensible Againe loue is preferred before all other practicall graces because holinesse consisteth as partly in duties to be performed in respect of our selues so cheifely in duties to be perfourmed to others namely to God and to men the which a man cannot performe as he ought vnlesse he beare a loue and a harty desire of the good both of God and of man Thus much of loue in generall The particulars of it are these First the regenerate man loueth God aboue all the thinges in the worlde desiring his good in the aduancement of his glory much more then his owne saluation From the which fountaine of the loue of God springeth the loue of all men but especially of the Godly who are renewed according to the image of God in holinesse and iustice Psal. 16. 3. All my delite is in the holy ones which are here on earth and cheiflie in those which excell in vertue This loue of the saintes is an infallible signe of true regeneration and of the true loue of God namely whenas a man loueth an other hartelie and vehemently euen as it were his owne naturall sonne or brother for this cause onely he being otherwise astraunger vnto him for that he seeth in him manifest signes and argumentes of true and vnfained godlinesse 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren And Ioh. 13. 35. By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye loue one another Nowe we come to the other fountaine of loue namely selfe-loue the which also hath place in the regenerate although in an other manner then in carnall men For they loue themselues yet so as that they loue God more by infinite degrees and their brethren as themselues Againe they doe not shewe or vse this selfe-loue in prouiding earthly and sensuall pleasures for their bodies but in procuring the eternall saluation of their soules and yet they doe and ought to loue themselues more then they doe any other yea to be more carefull for the good estate of their owne bodies and soules then of the bodies and soules of their brethren Yet this must be vnderstood in equall comparison for a faithfull man ought not to loue his owne bodie and to desire the safetie thereof more then the eternall saluation of his brother the which ought to be procured yea with the losse of our owne temporall liues Ioh. 3. 16. As Christ laide downe his life for vs so we ought to lay downe our liues for our brethren Yet a man neede not depriue himselfe of life for the safetie of the temporall life of his brother being a priuate man nor of eternall life for the procuring of his eternall saluation If any man doe here obiect the examples of Moses Paul of whom the one desired to haue his name blotted out of the booke of life and the other to be accursed from Christ for the good of the Iewes We āswere that the Iewes were then to be cōsidered not simplie as mē but as the whol visible church of God the confusion whereof coulde not but be a great hinderaunce to Gods glory the which ought to be procured euen with the eternall confusion of our owne soules if the case doe so require For so Moses alledgeth that if God did destroy his owne people the Egiptians who were spitefull enimies to God and his worshippe would laugh at their distruction and blaspheme God himselfe And so we cannot doubte but that the glory of God shall be wonderfully enlarged by the conuersion of the Iewes and therefore it may be more desired then our owne saluation From this fountaine of selfe loue flow the afore saide streames of speciall loue whereby the faithfull man is affected more to those who doe any way come neare himselfe then to those who are estraunged from him This partial loue is good and lawefull for why shoulde not man encline and cleaue more to those whom God hath ioyned more nearely vnto him Hence commeth the speciall loue due to parentes which cannot be wanting but in him
but especially it appeareth in those who in old times professed themselues to be philosophers that is seekers and practisers of wisedome and vertue as namely Socrates Plato with many others as Aristides Cato Seneca whose vertues we can not thinke to haue bene mere hypocrisie it being well knowen that they were so affected inwardly in their mindes as they professed outwardly in their liues Yet we confesse that this decrease of sinfulnesse is not a like in all for in some it is inwarde and true as hath bene saide but in others yea most commonly it is onely in outward life For many doe leade an honest and irreproueable life being vitiously disposed in their mindes some for feare of ciuill punishment or of publike shame others for vaine glories sake as did the pharisies Againe this decrease is more generall in some who abstaine from many kindes of vices then it is in others who are faulty in many respectes And Lastly this decrease is more firme and permanent in some continuing the wholle time of their life but in others it hath place in their young yeares by force of good education but is afterwardes altogether forgotten and reiected In the heathen it is more in regarde of the duties of the second table the which are more easelie knowen then are the dueties belonging to the worship of God But in hypocriticall Christians the outwarde decrease of sinfulnesse is greater in the dueties of the first table For they will be verie deuout and diligent in the outwarde seruice of God and yet liue verie wickedly in regard of their brethren These and many other degrees and differences of this naturall decrease may easely be obserued in many both within and without the Church and also in all histories whether diuine or humaine but are too many to be handled in this short treatise CHAP. IIII. Of the supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse AS the increase of light doth make a decrease of darkenes it being impossible that two thinges of contrarie natures sholude be together in one subiect the one not expelling the other either wholly or in part so the spirituall graces of God which are the matter of mans holinesse bestowed on vnregenerate men doe worke in them a decrease of sinfulnesse makeing them lesse sinfull then otherwise they woulde be and then vsually vnregenerate men are This decrease we call supernaturall because it cannot be attained vnto by those naturall meanes of diminishing sinne mentioned in the former chapter and therefore it is not to be found in the most innocent and vertuous pagan that euer liued but is to be accounted a worke of Gods spirite brought to passe by the ministrie of his worde sounding in the eares of those who are members of the visible church without the which this decrease of sinne is not ordinarily to be founde Nor yet in all the members of the church of whom many doe exceede the heathen in sinne but onely in those who doe yeelde obedience to the gospell although not in such manner as the faithfull doe yet in so greate measure that this decrease of sinne may very fitly be called a shadowe of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblaunce may not be found in this sort of men For not onely their life is agreeable to the worde of God but also they are inwardly enlightned to see the trueth and are well affected towardes it and endued with a kinde of faith hope loue patience and all other graces and that not in hypocrisie though many doe make an outwarde shew and profession of those graces whereof there is not any shadowe in their heartes but in trueth As we read Heb. 6. 4. 5. It is impossible that they who were once enlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift of the good worde of God of the ioyes of the worlde to come and in generall were made partakers of the holy Ghost if they fall away c. If it be asked why God doth bestow these excellent graces on the reprobate as it were throwing pearles among swine we answere that he doth it especially for these three causes first for the setting forth of his owne glory For by this worke his loue mercy goodnesse wisedome and trueth appeareth euen to the reprobate on whom as he letteth the raine to fal and his sun to shine as wel as on the faithfull so he powreth foorth his graces as well on the one as on the other although not after the same manner for although the eternall loue of God which bringeth with it eternall saluation doth belong to the elect onely yet there is a generall and as we may terme it a temporary loue which God beareth to all his creatures and in them towardes all men both elect and reprobate Secondly this is done in regard of the elect for whose sake God blesseth the reprobate with whome they liue both in temporal and spirituall things and whose saluation is furthered and some time wrought by the giftes and ministery of these men Lastly God doth by this meanes make them who are indued with these graces the more inexcusable in that they contemne and treade vnder foote so great mercy Nowe we are to declare the difference which is betwixt true regeneration and this supernaturall decrease of sinne which is a shadowe of it First therefore true regeneration is generall stretching it selfe ouer all the faculties and partes of the soule and body and working an vniuersall holines as the leauen which being put into a greate lumpe of dow neuer ceaseth spreading it selfe abroad till the whole lumpe be seasoned Luke 13. 21. But the shadowe faileth for the most part in one point of holinesse or other yea often many partes of sanctification are wanting as the minde is often enlightned with the knowledge of the truth whenas the obedience of life and outward actions is wanting 1. Cor. 8. 1. We haue all knowledge knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth Againe there may be seene in them good affections without knowledge Rom. 6. I beare witnesse saith the Apostle that the Iewes haue the zeale of GOD yet not according to knowledge Yea often the minde is enlightned in part and in part remaineth in ignorance as in those who professing and holding in iudgement the trueth of the gospell to witte of the fund amental and chiefe doctrines of it doe together maintaine many errours and heresies We doe not deny but thaâ— one truely regenerate may be in some errors for we all knowe but in parte 1. Cor. 13. yet this is the force and propertie of a regenerate minde to be able to discerne the trueth from errour when as both are laide before it howsoeuer it did not see it before And therefore when as we see a man although endued with many giftes yet to be of a corrupt minde and vnsound iudgement enclining alwaies to the wrong part in matters of religion his regeneration may in that respect be
giuen and hee shall haue abundaunce And it is said of diuers in the booke of the Acts that they were full of faith and of the holy ghost This abundance in the minde is called Plerophoria a certaine and vndoubted perswasion said to be in Abraham Rom. 4. 21. Hereof cometh abundaunce of faith of loue Rom. 5. 3. and 15. 13. and of all graces as 1. Thess. 1. 3. the Apostle mentioneth the worke of their faith their laborious loue and their patient hope And 2 Thess. 1. 3. that their faith superaugescit that is encreaseth aboue the common and ordinarie measure and that their loue did abounde accordingly This aboundaunce of grace is to be seene in the prophets Apostles martyrs and many other of the seruantes of God who therefore are made types and patterns for vs to imitate and set before our eyes as lanternes full of light and as shining and blazing starres that we might both admire and labour to ouertake them in their excellent graces and especially in their particular vertues For thus the scripture mentioneth the vprightnesse of Enoch who walked with God in all his waies the patience of Iob. Iam. 5. 11 the faith of Abraham the meeknesse of Moses the courage of Iosua the faithfulnesse of Samuel the absolute perfection of Dauid being a man according to Gods owne hearte the wisdome of Salomon the zeale of Phinies Iosias and many others Thus Paule mentioneth his owne painefulnesse in preaching the gospel to be farre aboue the labours of the rest of the Apostles Thus he sayeth Rom 16. 7. That Andronicus and Iunia were men notable among the Apostles and of Timothie that none was like to him in faithful labour and care for the good of the church Philip. 2. 20. The notes and markes whereby this abundaunce may be knowen are these a burning zeal of gods glorie of setting forwarde his worship and gospel a vehement hatred of idolatrie and all shadowes of superstition a tender and bountifull loue toward the godly a minde vndaunted with any torment death or miserie a constant course of godlinesse in all outward chaunges whatsoeuer as the Apostle sayeth of him selfe Philip. 4. 13. That he coulde want and abounde be full and empty and that he coulde do all thinges a life free from any grosse sinne an extraordinary contempt of all worldly pleasures Lastly a manner of freedom from being either ouercome or almost tempted by any grosse sinne For although the corruption of flesh and the impudencie of Sathan who was not ashamed to tempt Christ to commit sin be so great that no man be he nener so holy may lay away his weapons and be secure in respect of temptations yet by the blessing of God and a long practise of all godlinesse the faithfull come sometimes to such a surpassing strength in grace that as the couragious horse going into the battel scorneth the feareful sounds noyse of the trumpets so this godly man wherof we speake in this chapter laugheth at the temptations of Sathan and the entisementes of the world yet not presuming on his owne strength but relying himselfe wholly on the mighty power of the spirite of God The meanes of attaining to this high degree of holinesse is to seeke it by earnest prayer at the handes of God from whom onely commeth euery good and perfect gift But the meanes which God vseth in giuing it are diuerse some good some euil in themselues and therefore not to be vsed by vs of the first sort are all holy exercises appointed by God for the begetting continuall encrease of grace to the carefull diligent long and continuall vse whereof God doth often graunt this happie successe euen as he blesseth the diligent and painfull hand with greate plenty in temporall thinges Of the second sort is the abundaunce of sinne before regeneration the which it pleaseth God some time to chaunge into this abundaunce of grace as we see that the highest floudes follow the lowest ebbes This God doth to make manifest the great power and efficacy of his spirit in renewing the elect which is able to bringe the greatest measure of holinesse out of the greatest wickednes as cleare light out of palpable darkenes This Christ teacheth vs. Luk. 7. 41. In the parable of the two debters whereof the greater had greater cause and also a greater measure of loue And in the example of the woman verse 47. Who loued much because many sinnes were forgiuen vnto her sowhere sinne doth abound there grace aboundeth much more Yea for this purpose God doth sometimes vse the hote fiercenesse of affections and the violent disposition of nature the which as of it selfe it carieth a man headlong into the most outragious sinnes so being sanctified by Gods spirite it becommeth the whetstone of holinesse Thus was the Apostle Paule both naturally and spiritually affected and therefore being an infidell he was a most superstitious pharisie more then mad in persecuting the church and becomming a faithfull man passed all others in vnquenchable zeale of Gods spirite Lastly as touching this abundance of grace no man can attaine so high a degree of it as that he may sitte downe as being at his iorneis end but as the greater riches that a man hath the greater is his gaine desire and encrease of riches so the more holinesse that any man hath the more carefully ought and the more fruitfully may he laboure in encreasing it Phil. 3. 13. Brethren saieth the Apostle I count not that I haue attained vnto any such perfection But still I doe forget that which is behinde and endeuore my selfe to that which is before That is I doe not minde that holinesse which I haue already receaued but doe continually thinke on that which I doe want as yet CHAP. IX Of celestiall holinesse ALthough we haue now gone as far in declaring the renewed holinesse of man as any man can in this worlde either in hauing or in practising it yet we are not here to rest as being come to the end of our iorney For if the aforesaid aboundaunce of spirituall graces which be it neuer so great cannot possibly be voide of sinne be absolutelie the highest degree this inconuenience which is in no wise to be admitted would of necessitie follow that man doth not in regeneration recouer as good a state and as great a measure of holinesse by the mercy of God in christ as he had in his first creation and lost by his owne sinne in Adam And therefore we are to goe on a little further in this treatise and in our desire till we come to such an absolute perfection of renewed holinesse as is free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer This perfection may without all question yea must necessarely be attained vnto For man can not be perfectly happie by enioying the presence of God into the which nothing being sinfull can enter as long as he is imperfectly holy Yet he
A TREATISE of the threefolde state of man wherein is handled 1 His Created holinesse in his innocencie 2 His Sinfulnesse since the fall of Adam 3 His Renewed holinesse in his regeneration Ephes. 4. 22. 23. 24. 2 You haue beene taught in Christ to put off the Olde man corrupt according to the lusts of error 3 To be renewed in the spirit of your mindes and to put on the New man 1 Which was Created according to God in righteousnesse and the Holinesse of trueth Printed at London for Robert Dexter and Raph Iackeson 1596. To the godly wise and vertuous ladie the Ladie Elizabeth Cary wife to the right worshipfull Sir Robert Cary Knight temporall and eternall happinesse in the Lord Iesus AS the writing and publishing of bookes for the good of the whole Church so the intituling or dedicating of them Right worshipfull Lady to some notable personage in particular is grounded vpon many iust causes and great commodities which it bringeth commended vnto vs by the continual practise of the Church from time to time and warranted by pregnant examples in the word of God For by this meanes it commeth to passe that both the fauour of men whereby the building of Gods Church is greatly furthered is procured for the maintenance of the trueth and the proffessours of it and also their graces vertues and Christian liues not onely crowned with due and deserued praise a thing righteous and acceptable in the sight of God yea a notable encouragement and spurre to good workes and therefore carefully perfourmed by the Apostle Paul Rom. 16. and in many other places but also propounded for imitation to the whole Church as cities set on the tops of hils and as a candle not couered with a bushell but set in a candlesticke in the light wherof men may see enter and follow on the way leading to eternall life Thus the Euangelist Luke writeth the story of the life death of Christ to one Theophilus and Iohn that diuine Apostle inscribeth one of his Epistles to a certaine faithfull and elect Lady and thus as infinite others haue written publike argumentes to priuate men so we doe now presume to prefixe your Ladiships name to this simple treatise written of a matter worthy to be handled after a better manner to wit of the spirituall state of man or of the holinesse and sinfulnesse the puritie and corruption of the soule It is not needfull vnlesse perhaps in regard of them who are vnacquainted with the state of that country to rehearse the reasons mouing me so to doe To let passe the earnest desire of them who might commaund me in any lawful matter but especially in this it is well knowen that in the towne country where you dwell as in worldly dignity God hath giuen vnto you an high place and calling so you haue returned thankefulnesse to him and beene in the profession of the Gospell of Christ not the last or lowest but forward and zealous and that not onely in seruing God your selfe but also in procuring the saluation of others by setting vp and maintaining the ministery of the word and fauouring the sincere preachers and professors of it As I my selfe who being in some sort astraunger in those partes know not much of the affaires of them know in diuerse of my friendes for whose good I haue good cause to reioyce and to giue your Ladiship hearty thankes for great fauour shewed vnto them Yea I am perswaded that many in that country the good whereof especially we intend in this action will to let other reasons passe euen for that loue which they beare vnto you more hartely fauour and more willingly take the paines to peruse this treatise Neither doe I doubt but that God will accomplish that notable worke which he hath begunne in you and by your meanes so inlarge that fountaine of spiritual grace which he hath put into your heart that the streames thereof shall ouerflow that dry and barren contry and water that tender plante of the true knowledge of Christ so lately set and so seldome to be seene in it yea refresh the bowels and reioyce the hearts of all that feare God Considering that for the effecting hereof God hath giuen vnto you manie singular meanes which he hath denied vnto others of his seruants as namelie worldly honour and power the which meeting with the vnfained loue of God and of his glory doth as a mightie gale of winde set forward the gospell of Christ in a speedie and happie course purchasing vnto it friendlie entertainemet and fauour at the handes of many who otherwise would perhaps not greatly regard it For then the state of the Church is most flourishing when as Kinges and Queenes Lordes and Ladies and all degrees of honourable men women are nourse-fathers and nourse-mothers vnto her But then especially this commeth to passe whenas wisedome sitteth at the helme guiding worldly power spirituall zeale in the right course As touching the which vertue if I should heere mention that which is constantly reported of you I should seem to many euen to all that know you not to doe that which I would be loath to do euen to flatter that not onely your selfe but also your sexe the which if that be true which is generally thoght and spoken may by your example wipe away that blot of sillie simplicity and want of deepe reach in matters of importance wherewith it is vsually stained and debased But I must be sparing in this behalf least that I seeme to mind and admire your wisedome so much that in the meane time I forget and offend your modesty the most proper and pretious iewell of your sexe Onely I desire God to encrease this and all other his good graces in you and so to guide you by them in the whole course of your life that they who haue occasion to trie may haue good cause to say as the prophet Dauid doth of and to Abigal 1. Sam. 26. 33. Blessed be thy wisedome you know the storie Thus being loth to be tedious and troublesome vnto you I commend this sillie present to your gentle acceptation your Ladiship to the gracious protection of God Written in Cambridge this xxx of March in the yeare of grace reuealed 1596. Your Ladiships to be commaunded in all duetifulnesse Thomas Morton To the reader encrease of all spirituall vnderstanding and euerlasting peace WE doe here offer to thy christian consideration and courteous entertainment gentle reader a rude description of the spirituall state of man The which if perhaps thou desire to haue for shortnesse plainnesse memory and fashions sake comprised in some one memorable worde may not vnfitly be tearmed Adam in whome onely all these three estates did concurre and may be seene or an anatomie of the soule A matter of all other most needefull to be knowen and learned yea most worthy to be handled explaned dilated and illustrated with all care and diligence it being that
morall lawe and therefore it belonged to man in the state of innocencie This the heathen oratour witnesseth saying All they who are in the handes and iurisdiction of any other doe feare For although they be perswaded of their loue and mercy yea of their owne innocency yet they doe consider not onely what they will doe but also what they may doe The second cause of this feare was the surpassing and incomprehensible glorie and maiestie of God the which being fully reuealed hath force not onely to astonishe and amase but also to confound and consume any creature whatsoeuer yea although the saide creature be not stained with sinne and so not subiect to the anger of God For euen as a brittle glasse being filled with some extreame strong liquor cannot but burst in sunder not because of any antipathie which is betwixt them but because the glasse is not of sufficient strength to containe the liquor So is it with the creature when God doth appeare in perfect glory in regard whereof the Angels themselues are said to couer their faces least they shoulde behold it howe much more then hath man who is but dust and ashes and whose life is in his nosethrilles iust cause of feare Yea the brute beastes and senslesse creatures themselues who neither doe nor can sinne are sayd to be affected with this feare of the glorious maiestie of God Thus we read Psal. 29. The voyce of the Lord shewing it selfe foorth in power and glory doth breake the cedars of Libanus It maketh them skip like young calues yea it maketh the desert to quake the hindes to calue the mountaines to smoke and in breife all creatures what soeuer to melte away before his face And thus did man feare God in the state of innocencie for although he had daily conuersation with God yet he knewe that as a vessel of glasse clay or any brittle matter often meeting with vessels of brasse or yron may easely get a knock and so be broken to shiuers so might he be confounded by the glory of God if God did at any time reueale the same fully vnto him Thirdly man being in his first state had iust cause to feare God in regard of the weaknes and mutability of his owne nature which might easely be ouercome with some temptation and that in regard of the freedome of his will which might easely forsake God and imbrace euill by the which meanes he should not onely be subiect to the anger of God and to eternall death but also displease and dishonor God who had shewed him selfe so louing and bountifull a father and creator vnto him Thus we see the causes of this feare nowe we are to consider the vses of it First it serued as a bridle to restraine man from falling from God by disobedience For although man in this holy estate did obey God more for loue then for feare of punishment yet it pleased God to vse all meanes possible to keepe him from sinne and therefore he propounded not onely the rewarde of life to his obedience but also the punishment of eternall death to his disobedience whensoeuer it should happen as we read Gen. 2. 17. In the day wherein thou shalt eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt incontinently die Secondly this feare serued to keepe man as froÌ„ sin so from all presumptuous bold vndecent behauiour in respect of God For we know as it is commonly saide Familiar conuersation will easelie breede contempt Lastly man was by this feare put in minde and made to acknowledge as the basenesse infirmity mutability of his owne nature so also the infinite power authority and maiesty of God Sect. 2. Of the want of feare THe third heade of mans rebellion is the want of the aforesaide feare of God for since the fall man hath no regard either of the power might and maiesty of God or yet of the weakenesse of his owne nature as he had before but conceiueth amisse both of God and of himselfe But what maruaile is it that man doth not feare in consideration of the weakenesse and mutabilitie of his nature which may fall into sinne when as he feareth not the iustice of God and his eternall anger due vnto him selfe for sinne already committed For if man in his innocencie had iust cause of feare as hath bene declared howe much more ought he being sinfull For if he being righteous is scarslie saued howe shall he nowe appeare before the iudgment seate of God being guiltie of sinne And yet man in this sinfull state hath although greater cause of feare â—et lesse feare then he had before yea in truth â—one at all but is benummed with a senselesse securitie hauing no remorse of conscience nor feare of punishment for sinnes â—ommitted neither standeth in awe of the glorious presence of God This appeareth â—oth by the testimony of scripture in many â—laces as namely Rom. 3. 18. where a carnall â—an is described by this note That he hath 〈◊〉 feare of God before his eyes as also by â—ayly experience which sheweth vs that â—ery few in the worlde doe in their actions regarde whether they be good or bad whether pleasing or displeasing to God and so whether they be such which will bring vppon the doers some heauie iudgement or no whereas if mens hartes were possessed with the feare of God they would thinke him to be alwaies present with them and to beholde their doings and so they woulde be both restrained from euill and pricked forwarde to doe good but we see it to be farre otherwise for in committing sinne men thinke that they are safe and all is well if they can doe it so secretlie as that they may auoyd the shame slaunder reproch and anger of men together with the punishment prescribed by humane lawes But we need not stand in the inlarging of this point which is so manifest Sect. 3. Of renewed feare THe third head of renewed subiection is the feare of God the which is a singular grace and hath great vse in regeneration howsoeuer it may seeme to fight with fayth and hope morâ— then it did in the state of innocency seeing that the faithfull can not loose that holy and happy state wherein they are placed and therefore need not feare any euill being not only happy but also sure to coÌ„tinue so for euer To this we answere that although the feare of eternall death and misery cannot stand with perfect faith and hope whereby life and happinesse is certainely expected yea although the faithfull neede not feare the mutability and freedome of will beeing certaine of their finall perseuerance in faith yet there are many causes by the which they ought to be moued to feare God Hither we are to referre the causes of feare in the state of innocency whereof the most ought to be of more force to moue the faithfull to feare God then they were to man in his pure estate For shall man
sins being thereto caried by the force of tēptation as in a great tempest by a mightie gale of winde before they could be thinke themselues what they were about to doe or what would be the issue of it Whereof it commeth that this decrease of holinesse staying it selfe in one or a few actions doth not necessarily argue any inward want of the contrarie grace or anie inward decrease of holinesse either going before or following after because a man may fall into it as of a sudden before he be aware and immediatly recouer his former station by true and vnfained repentance As we are not to iudg either Dauid voide of continencie for that adulterie committed with Berseba or Peter to haue wanted faith because he did at one time renounce the faith or Noah to haue beene an intemperate person because he was once drunke no more then we are to thinke him a weake man who stumbleth by chaunce at a blocke lying in his way and yet doth streight way saue himselfe from falling Yea sudden sinne may be with greater graces then they haue who are free from the aforesaide sinnes of Noah Lot Dauid Peter being farre inferior in holinesse to them Yet it is the dutie of all who professe themselues the seruāts of God to labour by all meanes to keepe themselues pure and free as from the least and most secret sin so especially from open grosse sins and that for these causes First because by them they dishonour God his religion worshippe and name opening the mouthes of Atheistes and infidels to blaspheme his holy name the which thing ought to be more grieuous and bitter vnto them then a thousand deathes and torments Secondly they prouoke God to lay some fearefull punishment vppon them who howsoeuer he suffereth the reprobate ones to goe on all their life time in sinne yet he neuer suffereth any notorious sinne of his seruantes to goe vnpunished Thirdly they wound their owne consciences by a feareful expectation of Gods heauie iudgmentes they grieue the holy spirite against whose will they commite that sinne they offend their brethren shewing themselues to be if not wholly destitute of that speciall grace wherewith they shoulde haue bene restrained from sinne yet but weake Christians in that respect as we may be bold to iudge that the faith of Peter the continency of Dauid the temperaunce of Noah were at the time of their falles but weake howsoeuer they were endued with a great measure of other graces Lastly one hainous sin is to be auoyded because vsually it draweth moe after it for when as a man hath once taken a tast of sinne and felt the sensuall sweetnes of it he is farre more easely drawen to it then he was before and so he goeth frō the first degree of the decrease of holynes to the second namely to an habit of some one sin or the want of some particular grace the which appeareth by the often committing and iterating of the same sinne yea after that the faithfull man hath often by repentaunce laboured to purge himselfe from that sinne and by prayer to obtaine the contrarie grace at the handes of God This decrease also hath somtimes place in a man truely regenerate especially in that kinde of sinne whereunto he is either by the naturall constitution of his body and minde or an euill custome gotten before his conuersion naturally enclined whether it be pride anger couetousnesse or any other sinne But as it is farre more grieuous then the first degree so it is with greater care to be avoyded for it doubleth and tripleth the wrath and heauy iudgementes of God the offence of the godly the reproach of the gospell the dishonour of God and the corsiue of a gnawing conscience and Lastly it maketh a ready way for higher degrees of decrease to wit the habites of diuers sinnes the want of many particular graces and so to the highest and most fearefull degree which is a generall decrease of holynesse which is nowe briefly to be declared Where first we are to put a difference betwixt a generall and a totall decrease A generall decrease is when all the partes of renewed holynesse and of spirituall graces receaued are diminished but a totall decrease is an vtter decay of holinesse as whereby nothing is left This can not happen to any one who is truely regenerate who in the greatest extremitie and depth of his fall retaineth some reliques of Gods spirite and of grace receaued yea somelife of faith whereby he liueth to God in christ howsoeuer he be to the eyes of all men and euen in his owne coscience a deade rotten stocke Euen as we know that the trees haue heate and life in their rootes in the middest of the coldest and sharpest winter yea as many beastes ly all the winter long in holes of the earth without eating drinking stirring or hauing any iotte of heate sense or life in any of their outwarde partes and yet there is a remnant of life and of heat lurking in the hearte which being in sommer stirred vppe doth reuine the beast so that it is able to go or runne vp and downe and to performe all naturall actions in the same manner as it did before This Christ doth plainely teache Ioh. 4. 14. saying Whosoeuer drinketh of the water which I shall giue him that is whosoeuer beleeueth in me as it is expounded Iohn 7. 38 shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that I will giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life and 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not totally for the seed of God remaineth in him and therefore he can not fall cleane away from God because he is borne of God yet a man regenerate may decrease not onely in one in a fewe or in many graces but also generally in all spirituall graces This decrease of renewed holynesse is of two kindes for as of bodilie diseases some begin at the hart which is the roote and fountaine of life in the body and so spreade themselues ouer all the members of the body others haue their beginning in some outwarde and inferiour partes and pierce in till that they come to the hearte so of these generall decreases of holynesse which are as grieuous diseases of the soule some begin at faith which is the roote and fountaine of spirituall life and so hauing stopt the fountaine doe easily drie vp the streames issuing from it others begin at the meaner and baser partes of sanctification and so first kill the fruite then the braunches and the body of the tree til at length they take hold of the roote it selfe Both these waies doth sathan vse to destroy this wounderfull worke of regeneration wrought in the faithfull by the spirite of God The first way is the nearest and readiest for if faith once faile all holinesse falleth to the grounde whereas faith may stand in some sorte although most of the