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
in this lyfe CHAP. V. Sect. 1. Of the hope of mans first state THe second head of mans holinesse and subiection which he is to performe to God as to his king is called hope the which floweth from fayth after a speciall manner yea in truth it is nothing else but a particular fayth or an affiaunce on God for some particular good For when as the happines whereof faith taketh hold is not present but to come either in part or in whole there commeth out hope which is an expectatiō of the accomplishmēt of Gods promises already apprehended by fayth So that hope can haue no place there where ful perfect happines is present Rom. 8. 24. Hope that is seene is no hope For howe can a man hope for that which he seeth That is if the thing hoped or which we desire be present then the nature of hope is cleane taken away and ouerthrowen for it is impossible that a man shoulde hope for that as being to come hereafter which he presently enioyeth Whereby it appeareth that man in his first estate of happinesse had either none or little vse of this grace because his happinesse was present For howsoeuer the happinesse of Adam in his innocency were not so great and excellent as that whereof the faithfull shalbe made partakers in the world to come yet he then enioyed both perfect and present happinesse Neither doth it appeare in the scripture that God did promise any other happinesse vnto him then that which he presently enioyed and therefore it had not bene holynesse but presumption and sinne for him to haue hoped or looked for any other Howe then can we make hope a part of that holynesse wherein man was created We answere that although Adam in his innocency looked for no other happinesse then that which he did presentlie enioy yet he did hope that God would both continue that happinesse and also reueale himselfe and his glory to him after some other manner then he did at the first and so encrease his present happinesse Sect. 2. Of desperation or the want of Hope MAn falling from faith to infidelitie fell from hope to desperation for so we call that want of the hope of saluation which is in all carnall men neither could he otherwise doe For as he who taketh away the roote and the foundation taketh away the tree and the house yea all that groweth on the one and is built on the other So when fayth falleth the whole holynesse of man falleth to the ground but especially hope the which hath a nearer coniunction with faith then other graces haue and is more naturallie grounded vpon it as it is saide Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the groundeworke or foundation and subsistence of things hoped for For happinesse must first be beleeued in the minde and apprehended by the will before it can be hoped for So that seeing man since the fall doth not by faith depend on God he can not hope to receiue any good thing at his handes neither doth he once thinke of any other happines then is the enioying of the carnall sensuall pleasures of this present worlde The which being ended by death all the ioy pleasure and happynesse of one vnregenerate seemeth to him to be at an end as it is indeed For either he thinketh as most carnall men do that he shall die like a beast and that neither he himselfe nor any other shalbe raised vp againe to life to receaue either good or euill or if he haue some knowledge and beliefe of the word of God wherby he thinketh that there shalbe another worlde wherein some shall haue happines others miserie and sorrow yet he being destitute of fayth whereby his sinnes shoulde be remitted and his person indued with perfect holynesse and righteousnesse can looke for nothing but the eternall anger of God Thus the Apostle describeth an infidell that he is one without hope Ephe. 2. 12. 1. Thess. 4. 13. The signes whereby this desperation may be knowen are these First the generall signe of the want of any one grace to wit the want of other graces which are in a man truly regenerate For such is the nature of this renewed holynesse that where one parte is present there is no parte wholly wanting therfore we may know ourselues to be without hope if that we feele that we are destitute of the true knowledge of God of a liuely faith which is the mother of hope Secondly a proper signe of this desperation is when as a man is not affected with an vnspeakable ioy in regard of the life to come but heareth it mentioned as an ordinarie common and light matter whereas if he had any true hope of eternall glorie he would be replenished and euen rauished with ioy and that in the middest of all troubles and miseries by the consideration of it But because a man may more surely iudge by that which he feeleth to be in himselfe then by that which is wanting therefore men are to gather this desperation by these notes to wit By an immoderate care for the preseruing and prolonging of this present life together with an excessiue feare of death in our selues or sorrow for the death of others 1 Thess. 4. 13. I would not haue you sorrow for the dead as other doe which haue no hope And such other notes plentifully mentioned in the scripture Sect. 3. Of renued hope THe vse of this hope is not so little in the state of innocency but it is as great in the state of regeneration in the which although man be restored to his former happinesse yea to more excellent happinesse then he had before yet it is not present in this world as Adams was but for the greater part to come in the world to come and therefore it can not be here enioyed but onely hoped for If it be asked why God doth not grant to his elect children the present fruition of that happinesse especially seing that the deferring of so great a good cannot but be very grieuous vnto them for as the desire when it commeth is a tree of life so the deferring of the thing hoped for is the drying of the bones Prou. 13. 12. To this we answere confessing that this deferring of the happinesse appointed for the faithfull is and ought to be very grieuous vnto them For as he who is poore sicke weake in prison exile and in all kindes of miserie hath good cause to desire riches honour health strength liberty to see his own natiue coūtrie his parentes kinred and friends and in breife to be happie no lesse cause haue the faithfull to desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. But God hauing regard rather to their good then to their desire hath in wisdome appointed that it should be otherwise that their happinesse shoulde be hoped for for some space of time before it be enioyned Yea this delay is needful for the good of
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
be taught and nurtured by him This Salomon teacheth vs in the booke of the prouerbes wherein he doth at large describe the foole refusing to heare the voyce of wisdome criing openly in the streetes that is the carnall man reiecting the knowledge of God and all godlinesse which onely is true wisedome Pro. 1. 20. But man will alleadge in his owne defence that there is good cause why he shoulde refuse to haue God to be his teacher seing that if he being nowe defiled with sinne shoulde come into the presence of God it coulde not be but that he should be consumed euen as pouder flax straw or any such matter when it meeteth with fire To this we answere that this feare of man is iust and not without cause it being impossible that he should come before God being as he is polluted with sinne and not be incontinentlie destroyed yet that this is no sufficient defence of this rebellion for so much as God that he might make the wicked more in excusable and more fitly saue his elect hath in greate mercie appointed that man being now sinfull shoulde be instructed in the knowledge of God by the ministerie of sinful men like vnto himselfe in all respectes of whose presence he need not be affraid and yet such men as are furnished by God with sufficient giftes for the performance of this worke For although there be in the men themselues much ignorance many infirmities yea oftentimes great corruption of sinne yet their ministery is by the blessing and worke of God straungly powreful and mighty in bringing men from ignorance and sinne to the knowledge and obedience of God that which they teach being the true and certaine word of the eternall God the heauenly Manna and foode of mans soules howsoeuer it be set before men in base and earthen vessels to wit in weake men consisting of flesh and bloud as the hearers themselues doe But how doe men receiue this ministery of man are they not so thankefull to God for this mercy that howsoeuer they did before altogether abhorre from learning the worde of God for feare of being destroyed by him yet they are now so desirous of knowledge so carefull to prouide themselues of able and sufficient teachers so diligent in resorting to the places of Gods worship so attentiue in hearing the worde preached and so carefull to practise it in their liues as that nothing more can be required of them nay are they not as vntoward vngratious as they were before Yes truely yea they are further off from learning then they were they did before feare to be taught by God himselfe now they disdaine to be taught by men whome they thinke no better then themselues if God were their teacher they could take no exception against him but onely of their owne sinne But now they finde a hundred faultes with their teachers sometimes they say that they haue no learning no knowledge in the artes or in the tongues they are not cunning in the antient fathers they want eloquence vtterance fit wordes to expresse their meaning sometimes they finde faultes in their liues for if they see them eate and drinke mary wiues prouide for their children build houses or purchase liuing and keepe company they call them epicures drunkardes and worldlings if they abstain from these things they say they haue no good nature want manners This naturall state of man we haue most liuelely pictured out vnto vs in the people of the Iewes who hauing God not onely for their king father and master but also for their doctor or teacher did desire that God would not speake immediately to them appearing in his glory and maiesty as he had done because that it was impossible for any man to heare the voyce of God and liue but rather would vse the ministery and mediation of Moses for the declaration of his will to them But when they had this their request graunted how they did submit themselues to this ministery of man Stephen telleth them to their faces Act. 7. 15. saying Ye stifnecked and of vncircumcised harts and eares ye haue alwaies rebelled against the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do you which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted and slaine whereunto Christ giueth witnesse Mat. 21. 33. with all the Prophets of whome there is not one from Moses who was their first Prophet to Christ who was the last for in him all prophecies were fulfilled who doth not complaine that they doe continually stretch out their handes and voyces to a rebellious and gainsaying people Rom. 10. 22. Yea they reiected the ministery both of Iohn Baptist and of Christ himselfe saying of Iohn who liued an austere life that he was possessed of a diuell and of Christ who to make them inexcusable vsed their owne fashions as farre as might be done without sinne that he was a glutton a drinker of wine and a companion of publicans and sinners Thus are all vnregenerate men disposed For howsoeuer for a shew of religion and to auoyde the reproach of men and the punishment of lawes they doe goe to the Church to heare sermons yet they take no delight in hearing vnlesse it be in the eloquence of the preacher and tho their bodies be present yet their mindes are about some worldly pleasure or profit Yea it goeth in at one eare and out at another For when they come home they neuer take account of themselues their wiues children or seruantes what they haue learned but falling to their ordinarie talke of worldly matters or going about some buisinesse which they haue in hande neuer once thinke on the worde of God but forget it for euer as if they neuer heard of any such matter and so they are alwaies in learning and yet they doe neuer learne or come to the knowledge of the trueth 2. Tim. 3. 7. They doe not delight in reading the scriptures and other bookes which might helpe them forward in learning religion but if they can get a booke of stories or of some pleasant conceites finely penned there is their delight By what maruaile is it that men do not learne Gods word when as they doe not beleeue it for although they be content to say as other men say and to beleeue as the Church beleeueth Yet they say in their heartes there is no God Psal. 14 no heauen or hell let vs eate and drinke for after death there is no pleasure Neyther is it any great marueile that the vnregenerate man doth not beleeue the worde of God seeing he is so dull blockish that he cannot conceiue it 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of God neither can he because they are spiritually discerned whereof more heereafter Hence it commeth that it is so harde a matter to bring men to any true knowledge of GOD Heb. 5. 11. These spirituall mysteries are hard to be vttered because ye are dull of
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
holinesse of life and all happinesse The second is the estate of the fall of sinne of death and of all miserie The third is the state of regeneration of righteousnesse of saluation and of eternall glory These three estates we desire to declare out of the word of God which entreateth plentifully of the two latter but more sparingly of the first for that it continued a verie short time Yet we may learne the doctrine of it also out of the scripture especially by these meanes first out of the example of Adam Eua and Christ the which three onely of all mankinde liued in this estate Secondly out of the state of the Angels which agreeth with the state of man in many respectes and therefore we doe often in the two first estates speake of the Angels not of set purpose but as by the way and for the further illustration of the state of man who in his creation agreeth with all the Angels and in his fall with the reprobate sort of them Thirdly we may consider the innocency of man in those thinges which the scripture speaketh of God to whom it often giueth the person of man not polluted with sinne but remaining in his first purity and lastly we may gather what was the state of the first creation by the state of regeneration the which being nothing else but the renewing of the first estate will giue vs great light for the vnderstanding of it Further this is to be marked that by the state of innocency we do not meane those fewe daies onely wherein Adam did continue innocent but also the whole progresse and course of this state as it would haue beene if man had not fallen at all the which supposed continuance of the state of innocencie differeth much from that actuall estate wherein Adam was before his fall for he was not at the first endued with any such actuall perfection of holinesse and happinesse but that he was daily to encrease in both these respectes as God should reueale himselfe more more vnto him Lastly this treatise is diuided into three parts each part into diuers chapters which in the two former partes haue each of them three Sections according to the three diuers states of man the which may be considered in the table following eyther seuerally by the reader going downe in the seuerall columnes or in comparison with the other two in the ouerthwarte lines The first part Ch Section 1. Section 2. Section 3 1 Of the state of innocency and life pag. â— Of the state of sinne and death pag. 5 Of the state of râ—â—generation saâ—â—uation pag. 1â— 2 Of the happines wherein man was created pag. 29 Of his miserable estate since the fall pag. 41 Of the eternall happinesse of maâ— pag. â— 3 Of created holinesse pag. 38 Of the sinfulnesse of man pag. 41 Of renewed hâ—â—linesse pag. â— 4 Of faith in generall and of legall faith pag. 59 Of infidelitie pag. 70 Of euangelicalâ— faith pag â— 5 Of hope pag. 106. Of desperation pag. 108 Of renewed 〈◊〉 hope pag. â— 6 Of the feare of God pag. 122. Of the want of the said feare pag. 126 Of renewed 〈◊〉 pag. â— 7 Of filiall subiection pag. 133. Of the want of filial subiectioÌ„ p. 139 Of filial subiect 〈◊〉 renewed pag. â— 8 Of seruile subiection pag. 160. Of seruâ—le rebellion pag. 163 Of seruile subiecâ—â— renewed pag. â— 9 Of mans subiection to God as to his teacher pag. 171. Of mans rebellion against God his teacher pag. 175 Of mans subieâ—â— to God his teaâ—â— renewed pag ◠〈…〉 subiection of the creature pag. 185 Of mans rebellion against his creator pag. 189 Of mans subiection to his creator renewed pag. 192  〈…〉 〈…〉 Of mans subiectioÌ„ to God as to a husband pag. 195  The second part Section 1 Section 2. Section 3. Of the image of God in man in his pure estate pa. 202 Of mans deformity or vnlikenesse to God pag. 213 Of the renewed image of God in man pag. 215 Of the created holinesse of the minde pag. 217 Of the sinfulnesse of the minde pag. 238 Of a renewed minde pag 248 Of mans conscience in his pure estate pag. 252 Of a corrupt coÌ„science pag 254 Of a renewed coÌ„science certenty of saluation pag. 263 Of the holinesse of mans memorie pag. 270 Of the sinfulnesse of the memorie pag. 274 Of a renewed memory pag. 276 Of the created holinesse of the will pag. 279 Of the sinfulnes of the will pag. â—93 Of the renewed will of man pag. 311 Of the affections specially of loue hatred pag. 318 Of corrupt affections pag. 326 Of renewed loue and hatred pag. 330 Of holy ioy and sorrow pag. 336 Of corrupt ioy sorrow pag. 342 Of renewed ioy and sorrow p. 345 The third part Of the chaunges hapning in the three estates pag. 349 Of the changes of created holinesse pag. 353 Of the naturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 358 Of the supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 363 Of the particulars in this supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse pag. 374 Of the naturall supernaturall encrease of sinfulnes pa. 380 Of the decrease of renewed holinesse pag. 388 Of the encrease of renewed holinesse pag 414 Of celestiall holinesse pag 424 OF THE THREEfold state of man The first parte of this treatise wherein is handled the first part of mans holinesse and sinfulnesse to wit his due subiection to God with the contrarie rebellion CHAP. I. Section 1. Of the state of innocency and life FOR the enlarging of Gods glory the which is the ende of the creation of the world it was needful that of the creatures some should be indued with vnderstanding For euen as the strength wisedome and beauty of a man cannot purchase vnto him any commendation or credite vnlesse some others besides himselfe doe marke knowe and acknowledge those excellent parts of nature and industrie in like maner the heauens the ayre the water and the earth although they be decked and replenished with starres birds fishes beasts and many other admirable creatures and doe containe in them infinite matter of Gods glorie yet they could not any iot encrease that glory which God had before the creation vnlesse there were some other creatures able to obserue conceiue declare admire and extoll the power wisedome and goodnesse of God shining in these thinges For this cause God after that he had made the higher and the lower world the one consisting of the heauens the other of the elements he sawe it needfull for the illustration of his glory to create Angels and men to be the inhabitants and as his tenaunts of these glorious palaces yea to behold and confesse the excellency of his workemanshippe in themselues and in the rest of the creatures For the which purpose he gaue vnto them faculties of vnderstanding and speaking with many other which he denied to the rest Thus we see the excellent state of Angels and men beeing made to be witnesses and
the faithfull for that otherwise they could not be prepared and made fit for the enioying of eternall glory And that in these respects First in that the faithfull are left for a while in crosses troubles sorrow sinne and all manner of misery they haue time giuen vnto them to consider both their owne naturall estate howe wretched they are of themselues and also the excellencie of that glory which is prepared for them in heauen and so see and acknowledge the vnspeakable goodnesse of God who hath freed them from the one and will at the appointed time bring them to the other The which thing cannot be so duelie waied and considered by man when he is in the state eyther of extreeme misery or of absolute glory as it is by the faithfull in this present life the which is a mixt state consisting partly of sinne and misery and partly of holinesse and happinesse partly of life and partly of death so that as a man cannot at any time so well diâ—cerne a thing to be black or crooked as when he layeth it beside that which is white or straight so the faithfull doe more easely and truely conceiue their owne misery and Gods mercy in this life wherein they doe sensibly feele them both then eyther they did before regeneration in which time they knew neither themselues nor God or then they shall doe in the world to come wherein their naturall misery is not felt in their owne bodies and soules as it is in this life but onely remembred and beheld in the reprobate Wherein God dealeth with sinfull man as earthly kings deale sometimes with rebels malefactors whom although they purpose not onely to pardon their offence but also to receiue into fauour and loue and so doe restore them from death to life from shame to honour yet they doe not at the first admit them into the highest degree of their fauour to their secret counsell or to their personall presence Thus did King Dauid deale with Absolon 2. Sam. 14. 22. who after that he was pardoned and receiued into fauour was two yeares in IerusaleÌ„ before that he saw the kings face And thus doe the faithfull after that they are fully iustifyed from the guilt of their sinne they doe not forthwith rush into heauen but remaine heere on earth in the outward court of Gods palace waiting till they may be admitted into the glorious presence of God in heauen For we are not to thinke that there ought to be the same manner of the first creation of man of his regeneration that as in the first so also in the second birth man ought incontinently as soone as he doth existe to be made perfectly happy as if happinesse were a small and light matter which might be lost in one moment of an houre recouered in another And therefore we are to put a difference betwixt the first and the second happinesse of man the first beeing giuen immediately by God whereas the other is gotten although not by the helpe yet by the meanes of man who is in some sort to worke his owne saluation and must be endued in this life with some measure of grace whereby hee may be prepared for the fulnesse of it in the worlde to come the which thing cannot be done vnlesse his saluation be deferred for otherwise there woulde be no triall of his faith and loue yea no vse of hope patience praier and such other spirituall graces for the working whereof God doth defer the happinesse of his elect This the Apostle doth plainely teach vs Rom. 8. 24. 25. 26. saying If the thing hoped for be seene hope is no hope for how can a man hope for that he seeth but if we hope for that we see not then we doe with patience abide for it Likewise our hope being thus deferred the spirit helpeth our infirmities in praying for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Thus we see how it commeth to passe that hope hath so necessary and great vse in this third estate Now we are to declare the nature of it more particularly by shewing first what it is secondly what relation it hath to faith thirdly what are the vses and commodities which it bringeth lastly what are the signes by the which it may be knowen For the first Renewed hope is an expectation of celestiall glory or of eternall glory in heauen This definition giueth vs to vnderstand that the obiect whereat this holy affection aimeth and looketh is not present but to come and yet not any future thing but that which is good for not onely hope but all other affections and the whole will of man yea euen when they are sanctified and in their purest and holiest estate doe abhorre and eschew all euill whether present or future and doe cleaue onely to that which is good for man And yet not any future good is the obiect of this hope but the chiefest good which indeed is all manner of good and euen happinesse it selfe For so we are to thinke that as faith trusteth in God for happinesse so hope waiteth for it And although both faith and hope sometimes take hold of a particular good as Abraham both trusted and hoped in God for Isaac and as the man sicke of the palsey did for bodily health yet neyther faith nor hope rest in a particular good but onely through it looke at the generall good vsing it as a meanes way token or pledge of the generall good and happinesse Yea further there is this difference that faith and hope doe for the most part apprehende a particular good whether it be a temporall blessing or a spirituall grace doubtingly vnlesse there be a special promise of it as was that which God made to Abraham of Isaac as not being absolutely needfull for their happinesse and therefore not needfull to be graunted by God but they lay holde on happinesse which is the vniuersall good without doubting or any exception whatsoeuer So that by hope we meane hope of eternall glory in the which sense this word is vsed throughout the writings of the Apostles Lastly the obiect of hope is not any terrestriall good or happinesse as was that wherein Adam was created but a celestiall happinesse as it hath beene in parte described heretofore In the second place we are to declare the nature of hope by comparing it with faith with the which it agreeth in these respectes First faith is the cause and as it were the mother of hope for a man cannot hope to come to heauen vnlesse he be first taught by faith the right way and true meanes of saluation Yea he is more then madde who thinketh once to enter into the glorious presence of God in heauen being not first cleansed by faith from the filthinesse of his sinne but whome faith iustifyeth him hope glorifyeth Againe as faith bringeth foorth hope so hope like a louing and gracious childe cherisheth and vpholdeth faith for how coulde any man rely himselfe
entisements in all things Lastly as touching supplication which we make the third filial duty man is so wholly alienated from God that what necessitie soeuer do pinche him he hath not either the minde or the will and as we vse to speake neither the heart nor the face once to go to God by humble prayer for helpe He flyeth to worldly meanes as to his own wisdome strength riches and friendes and if all faile yet he will rather seeke for helpe by sorcery and witchcraft at the hands of his newe father the diuell then he will by prayer call vpon the name of God Thus are all vnregenerate men affected howsoeuer in a shew of religion or as a common prouerbe they will somtimes say God helpe me or God be mercifull to me whereas in trueth they being destitute of faith haue no confidence in God neither any hope of obtaining any thing at his hand Neither is there any cause why they shoulde thinke otherwise for God doth not heare and helpe but detest and plague vnbeleeuers Sect. 3. Of filiall subiection renewed THus we see how man is altogether spoiled by the malice of Sathan of this excellent dignitie of being the sonne of God but by the mercie of God he recouereth it in the state of regeneration in as ample manner as he had it in his first creation For as all naturall men are in Adam vngratious bastardes so they become the sonnes of God in Christ not by partaking his eternall and essentiall filiation whereof no creature is capable but by being renewed and made conformable to the holinesse of his humaine nature For as man lost this dignitie by loosing the image of God to wit his perfect holinesse by vertue whereof he onely of all earthly creatures was the sonne of God so being nowe by the spirite of God restored to the saide image of God he is together restored to the dignitie of being the sonne of God Ioh. 1. 12. As many as beleeued in him to those he gaue power to be the sonnes of God For as we read 2. Pet. 1. 4. We are made partakers of his diuine nature that is of the image or resemblaunce of the diuine nature in that we fly the corruption of lust which is in the world From this prerogatiue of being the sonnes of God the scripture speaking to men according to the manner of men whose sonnes do in time enioy their fathers possessions stirreth vp the faithfull to an vndoubted expectation of eternall glory Gal. 4. 7. We are no more seruantes but sonnes and the heires of God through Christ Rom. 8. 17. If we be sonnes then are we heires the heires truly of God and the fellow heires of Christ and 1. Iohn 3. 2. We are nowe the sonnes of God although our inheritaunce doth not appeare till Christ appeare Nowe to proceed As the faithfull are restored to this dignitie so they are indued by the spirite of God with the disposition belonging to it being so affected to God as children ought to be to their naturall fathers They reuerence him aboue al thinges in the worlde in worde and deed in minde harte and in all their behauiour The great securitie and certainty which they haue of their owne good estate doth not make them any way presumptuous neither doth the familiarity which God vouchsafeth to haue with them as with freindes Ioh. 15 15. Breed in them any contempt of God but they stand continually in awe of him and of his glorious presence yeelding to him his due honour both in word deed and affection whensoeuer they haue any occasion to deale with him This we may obserue as in the other seruants of God so especially in Abraham who although he was the friend of God as he is called Iam. 2. 23. And had familiar conuersation and talke with God as one friende vseth to haue with another yet he durst not speake the second time to God in the behalfe of the Sodomites without vsing some preface of reuerence saying Gen. 18. 27. Behold I haue taken vpon me to speake to God who am but dust and ashes And againe Vers. 30 let not my lord be angrie if I speake for them This affection of the faithfull is described Psal. 123 As the eyes of the seruant are vpon his lord and as the handmaid doth modestly waite in presence of her mistris so are we affected to God Likewise for the second duty which is Imitation the faithfull man endeuoureth by all meanes to conforme himselfe to the absolute puritie and holinesse of God Whereof the Apostle hauing wise consideration vseth the examples of Christes death and resurrection as most forcible argumentes to enforce the mortification of sinne and the viuification of all holynesse in vs Rom. 6. and Eph. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as beloued children Lastly As a sonne being pinched with any griefe or want doth straight way run to his father for reliefe so doe the faithfull in the manifolde miseries and crosses of this present life seeke for helpe at the handes of their heauenly father For the which purpose they are indued with a notable gift of God called the spirit of prayer that is the grace ability or faculty of praying wrought in them by the holy spirite This grace of God is diligently to be declared and considered for that of all the partes of mans holinesse none is a more vnfallible signe of true regeneration then is this gift of prayer whereby a man is made able willing and ready to pray aright vnto God as the present occasion doth require For this gifte consisteth of many particular graces of Gods spirit the which are needfull for the right performance of this duety and cannot be founde in any carnall man First there is required the true knowledge of those things which belong vnto the good happy state of man which is not attained but by the worke of the holy spirite Rom. 8. 26. We know not for what to pray as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmity For all men generally and naturally feele their temporall wants as pouerty sicknesse shame and whatsoeuer belongeth to the maintenance of this present life but as for spirituall graces as the knowledge and feare of God faith loue patience and the rest which concerne their eternall saluation they neuer trouble themselues in seeking them or are greeued for the want of them nay for the most part they neuer thinke of any such matter or knowe what these thinges meane Besides none can pray aright yea although he be enlightned with some knowledge of the spirituall state of man and haue a glimmering of the thinges belonging vnto it as a carnal man may haue vnlesse he haue true faith wherby he may be assured that god both loueth him and wil graunt his requests Rom. 10. 14. The Apostle maketh it impossible for him who doth not beleeue in God to call vpon him But the
and sayings the simplest man in the world could vse for a temporall commoditie how much more able would he be to call vpon God by prayer wherein there is farre more matter offred whether we regard the wretchednesse of the suter or the mercie and goodnesse of God But to returne to the matter in hande the third difference is that the carnall man prayeth very seldom yea for the most neuer but vpon some vrgent cause as when he is pinched with some grieuous crosse as sicknes or pouertie or when he is in some great danger as being in battaile on Land or in a tempeston the sea as we reade Ionas 1. 5. The Infidels in extream danger fell to praier These extremities will wring out of the most irreligious atheist some kinde of praier but not till he see that all other meanes do faile For till then he neuer thinketh on God But it is farre otherwise with the faithfull man for he praieth daylie hourly to the Lord he neuer wanteth matter of praying but taketh euerie occasion to pray if not openly and in wordes yet secretlie in his heart Yea the faithfull in all their dangers troubles miseries and affaires whatsoeuer do not put the means in the first and cheife place reposing their confidence therein but first they seeke for helpe at the handes of God and then trusting that he will giue a happie successe vse the meanes with all care and diligence Fourthly the carnall man doth not in praying vse either perseuerance in continuing his sute till it please God to heare him or yet patience in suffering with a quiet minde the delay of that which he desireth But if he be not heard at the first he straightway giueth ouer yea most commonly he waxeth so prophane and godlesse that he will neuer afterward pray to God tho he haue neuer so greate need and not resting herein he murmureth against God and in greate rage curseth all things that come in his sight or minde but the godly man is neuer wearied with calling vpon God but is content to tary the Lords leasure considering that God knoweth what is good for him better then he himselfe Fiftly the carnall man prayeth onely for temporall blessings as health peace riches honour and such other And if so be that he haue some knowledge of the life to come he will indeed desire that he may after this life be in heauen but you shall neuer heare him desiring to go in that way in this life which leadeth to heauen He desireth to be happy in the worlde to come but not to be holy and righteous in this worlde He would gladly be partaker of the ioyes of heauen but yet not with the condition of forsaking his earthly pleasures He thinketh it no wisdom to forgoe a certaine and present happinesse for that which will perhaps come but he knoweth not when neither can any man make him as he thinketh any good assurance of it but the faithfull man counteth all worldly pleasures to be as they are in deed but as drosse and dung in comparison of spirituall graces and therefore his prayers are cheifly of those things which concerne his eternal saluation Sixtly the carnall man prayeth onely for him selfe for his children and friendes by whom he may haue some temporall comfort or profit neuer remembring the affliction of Ioseph that is hauing no fellowe-feeling of the miseries of the church of God and of the particular members thereof whereas the faithfull desire the good of their brethren yea euen with their owne hurt if so it stand with the good pleasure of God Lastly which is the maine difference of all the carnall man prayeth without faith and therefore he cannot pray aright Rom. 10. 14. doubting as he hath good cause whether God will heare him or no whereas the faithfull man is vndoubtedly perswaded that God will graunt his desire if it be needfull for his saluation otherwise if it be some temporall blessing or some particular grace without the which he may be saued he knoweth that God will either graunt his request or make him plainely see and confesse that it is more for his good that his minde be not fulfilled in that behalfe Nowe for a conclusion we see howe greatly it behoueth euery one who would be accounted in the sight of God and man a true Christian to giue himselfe carefully to the attaining of this gift of prayer and to the performing of this dutie both by himselfe alone and also with his family especially if we do duely consider the manifolde commodities both temporall and spirituall which may be reaped by this meanes For as touching this present life hearty and feruent prayer comming from a faithfull man is health in sickenesse riches in pouertie safetie in daunger comforte in all aduersity yea it is all in all But farre more notable are the vses of it in regard of the spirituall life of our soules for prayer is the exercise of a mans soule as the worde of God is the foode and nourishment of it So that as a man cannot keepe his body for any long time in health strength vnlesse he vse some exercise yea although he doe fil it with meate and feede it most carefully euen so although a man doe heare the worde of God euery day preached vnto him yet vnlesse he do by this spirituall exercise of prayer drawe the sayd heauenly foode into the seuerall partes of his soule he shall sensibly feele his faith loue patience and all other partes of holinesse to decrease by little and little vntill at length they come to nothing yea as the exercising of the body doth not onely preserue it in the naturall vigour but also encreaseth the strength of it and keepeth it from sicknesse so by the dayly vse of prayer we shall finde that the Lord will encrease in vs all spirituall graces farre aboue our owne expectation or the opinion of any other And therefore let vs giue eare to the Apostles exhortation Eph. 6. 18. Take to you the helmet of your saluation which is the word of God and withall pray alwaies with all manner of prayers and supplications in the spirit and watch therevnto withall perseueraunce not onely for your selues but also for all saints Thus much of the duties of renewed filiall subiectiō which man oweth to God his heauenly father To the which one other duty of filiall subiectiō must be added to wit patience in regard of those manifold and grieuous afflictions wherewith God doth chastise trie and nurture his children For as the goldsmith intending to make pretious and excellent vessels fit for the vse of great kinges doth cast his gold into the fyre that so it may be come pure from all drosse so before that the faithfull can be vessels of honour fitte for the seruice of God in the kingdome of heauen they must be cast into the furnace of affliction and there be weaned from the vaine delightes and pleasures of sinne
ioyned to him then anie other whosoeuer whether sonne kinsman orfriende and may more confidently looke to be enriched and protected by him so the faithfull being now in the humaine nature of Christ thus espowsed made one person with GOD are more nearely ioyned to him then man was in the state of innocencie wherein God did not take vnto him selfe the nature of man and therefore did not acknowledge man to be as his beloued spouse and a part of his owne person but only as his subiect seruant scholler creature and sonne All which are distinct persons from the King maister teacher creator and father and so may more certainly and vndoubtedly looke to be not only protected and saued from death by the strength of God their new husband but also to be enriched by him with all spirituall and heauenly blessings belonging to a holy and happie estate Thus we see the manner of this new subiection the duties belonging to it are all those which a dutifull wife oweth to her husband as namely that she please him and cleaue inseparably to him For the first as the Apostle writeth 1 Cor. 7. 34. As she that is maried careth for worldly things how she may please her husband so ought the faithfull endeauour by all meanes to please their heauenly husband by being pure both in bodie and soule doing all those things which they know are acceptable in his sight especially by performing the second duty to wit that they renounce all other things in the world and cleaue fast to God without separation euen as the wife forsaketh father mother sisters brethren kinred acquaintance and betaketh her selfe wholly to her husband This dutie of the church to Christ is notably described Psal 45. 11. 12. Heare ô daughter encline thine care forgette thy people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lord and worshipp thou him Yea there can no wife haue so good cause to performe all loyall dutie to her husband as the faithfull haue in respect of God For if it should please some greate prince to aduance some base poore and miserable woman to the dignitie of being his wife all men would say that she could not by any duties of subiection shew her selfe sufficiently thankfull how then shall sinfull man who of himselfe is the most wretched creature in the world but is now espowsed to God the King of Kings behaue himselfe in any measure so dutifully as he oâ—â—ht The second part of this treatise wherein is handled the second part of mans holinesse and sinfulnesse to wit his conformitie or likenesse to God with the contrarie vnlikenesse or defermitie CHAP. I Sect. 1. Of the image of God in man in his pure estate IT hath bene declared that the good estate of the reasonable creature whether man or Angel consisteth in this that he be ioyned to God the fountaine of all goodnesse both personally or locally in happinesse and also spiritually in perfect holinesse The which holinesse hath two partes Subiection and Conformitie For so it hath pleased God in greate wisdome to ioyne these two together in his reasonable creatures least that they should be too much either debased by the one or lifted vp by the other For if they had beene made like to God without subiection they woulde easely haue bene brought to thinke theÌ„selues â—quall to God and if they had bene subiect to â—od without any likenes or reseÌ„blance to him â—ey should haue lacked that wherein their â—hole excellencie and dignitie doth consist â— haue bene in the same condition with the â—ute beastes Thus God hath created the â—ule of man in an equal temperament â—f contrarie qualities that so the one might â—ualifie and preserue the other The subâ—ection of man is already declared nowe â—olloweth his conformitie which is that â—arte of mans holinesse wherein he resembleth God or is like vnto God vsuallie â—alled in scripture the image of God for as there is a likenesse and similitude betwixt â—n image and that whereof it is the image so there is in respect of this parte of mans holinesse a likenesse betwixt God and man For the better vnderstanding of this matter and the easier resoluing of those manifolde doubtes which are moued about it it is needfull that we declare what God is to whom we make man to be like The essence of God is so infinite secrete and hidden that it cannot be conceaued in our mindes much lesse expressed in words to the capacitie of others For whereas it is saide Iohn 4. 24. That God is a spirite the meaning is that the nature of God is not visible and sensible but mysticall and wonderfull as are spirites For otherwise the name of spirite as it is giuen to Angels is too grosse to expresse the essence of God Yet it hath pleased God in mercie to make himselfe knowen vnto vs by his properties vsually called by the diuines the attributes of God as his knowledge wisdome iustice mercy loue power eternitie and such other For as we in common speache going about to describe any man doe mention his vertues qualities and conditions saying that he is honest gentle faithfull liberall iust and learned so we haue reuealed vnto vs in scripture no other essence or nature of God but the aforesaide attributes and therefore if we woulde describe God we must say that he is a certaine essence most simple without any manner of composition existing of it selfe and from whom all creatures and actions doe exist being eternall without beginning or ending infinite in knowledge wisdome iustice mercie loue strength power and in all goodnesse holinesse and puritie Thus we see in part what God is now the image of God in the creature is whenas it is like to God in some of the aforesaid â—espectes as when the creature is endued with knowledge wisdome iustice power â—oue mercie or any other of the attributes of God But it may be here obiected that â—f the attributes of God which are his essence may be giuen to any creature then â—t shoulde be partaker of gods nature and so be a God We answere that the attributes of God may be in the creature although not so as they are in God for example God hath strength and the creature hath strength euery one more or lesse Yet there is this difference that the strength of God is essentiall vnto him and a part of his nature but the strength of the creature is a qualitie or accidental thing which may be spared as when we see two sunnes the one is a true substance but the other is onely the reflexion of the beames of the true sunne In God it is primarelie as in the fountaine but the creature hath his strength from God in God it is infinite in the creature it is finite God hath all strength the creature hath but some yea the strength of the mightiest creature is great weakenesse in comparison of the
generall renouation of their mindes and also sin it selfe by the infirmitie of the flesh And therefore they haue an accusing conscience which is nothing else but the sight or knowledge of sinne in themselues Hereof follow diuers effectes in them as namely feare in respect of those temporall punishments whervnto they by their sins haue layde themselues open Secondly an encrease of humiliation in regard thereof And lastly this accusing conscience is as a bit to restraine the faithful from sinne checking them as it were in the teeth with the iudgments of God which they doe by committing sin pull vppon thēselues Thus we see what is the accusing conscience of the faithfull which then worketh when they fall by force of temptation into some greate sinne otherwise it doth not greatly vex and trouble them Yet as sinne is neuer wanting so it is neuer altogether idle Now let vs consider the contrarie worke of the conscience excusing the faithfull before God the which it doth first in regard both of their owne inherent righteousnesse and also of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ. In the first respect their conscience excuseth them not as being perfectly iust but as those who are Gods faithfull seruants performing vnto him tho imperfect yet true vnfained and heartie obedience Thus doth the Prophet Dauid often in the psalmes offer his innocencie and integritie to the triall of God This excusing conscience dare not shewe his face before the iudgment seate of God where it would be found as a filthie and defiled clout but it commeth into the court of Gods mercie and loue who rewardeth the Godlinesse of his seruants with temporall blessinges and security from temporall iudgments But the true excusing conscience loketh on the perfect righteousnes of Christ by vertue whereof it doth iustifie and absolue the faithfull as being fully and perfectly iust and free from all guilt of sinne This excuser is he who only can abide the triall of Gods iustice who maketh the faithfull reioyce in all miseries yea secure in regard of danger It maketh them triumph ouer sinne Sathan hell death and damnation and replenisheth their heartes with such a perfect peace whereby they feele the ioyes of heauen euen whilst they liue vpon earth wherof whosoeuer hath once tasted may counte himselfe thrise happie This kinde of excusing conscience commeth of a true faith as doth the former kinde of the other partes of sanctification and of holinesse of life the one freeth the faithfull from the feare of temporarie euils as the other doth from the feare of eternall death Of both of them ariseth the assurance of saluation which is the vndoubted perswasiō and certaine knowledge of a faithfull man that he is one of those who shalbe made partakers of eternall glorie But against this doctrine many do obiect say that it is impossible for any man to attaine to any such knowledge seing that the eternall counsels and decrees of God are so secret that no man hath at any time knowen the minde of God or beene of his counsell in that behalf Againe that this knowledge is to be gotten if by any meanes then either by immediate reuelation or by arguments drawen from a mans owne estate as from some fayth or holinesse which he fyndeth in himselfe The first meanes is generallie reiected The other being vncertaine cānot be a sure foundatiō whereon to build this certaine perswasions Lastly that by this meanes there would a dore be set open to all licentiousnesse Godlesse securitie For what neede he who knoweth certainly that he shal be saued take paines and sustaine trouble griefe in working his owne saluatiō by a Godly holy life To this we answer confessing that the number of the reprobate or elect cānot be knowen and also that this knowledge is not gotten by any immediate reuelation yet affirming that euery faithfull man may be and ought to be assured of his owne saluation and that by that wounderfull worke of regeneration wrought in him by the holy spirite the which doth euen leade the faithfull man as it were by the hande into the secrete counsell of GODS eternall election and doth there let him see not the state of other men but his owne name written in heauen For they who are truelie regenerate are truely called they who are truely called are iustified they who are iustified are that is they shalbe as certainly certainely as if they were already glorified Rom. 8. 29. 30. And therefore the scripure speaketh of the faithfull as of those who haue already attained eternall saluation Ioh. 3. 8. Yea this is done not without good cause For the regeneration of this life and the eternall glorie of the life to come are not two diuerse states or conditions but onely diuerse degrees of the same condition eternall saluation being nothing else but the perfection of holinesse and happinesse whereof the faithfull haue in this life receaued some parte as a pledge and earnest-pennie of the whole So that they hauing alreadie as we say one foote in heauen and gotten possession of it neede not doubt of their saluation but may confidently say as it is 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We knowe not we hope or gresse that we are translated already not that we shalbe hereafter from death to life not by any immediate reuelation but because we loue the brethren that is because we feele our selues endued with renewed holinesse whereof the loue of the Godly is a notable part And with the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither death nor life neither Angels nor principalities neither thinges present nor thinges to come can separate me from the loue of God in Christ. But it may be further obiected that although true regeneration be a certaine signe and forerunner of saluation yet it is hard for a man to knowe whether his regeneration be true or onely a shadow and resemblance which is often in the reprobate and although he haue true faith and holinesse at one time yet he may loose and lack them at an other and so dispossesse himselfe of that estate of saluation wherein he was In both which respectes He that thinketh that he standeth ought to feare least he fall rather then to boast of the certaintie of his saluation We answere that true regeneration is not so small a matter neither maketh so light a chaunge in a man but that it may be plainely discerned where it is present Neither is it any vncertaine thing which may be lost but wheresoeuer it is there it doth euidently appeare at one time or at an other and where it once appeareth there it alwaies abideth For regeneration being a totall and a supernaturall change of the minde will affections thoughtes wordes and dedes of a man cannot be hid or doubtfull for any long time but will shewe it selfe both to the eyes of other men and much more to the conscience of the beleeuer himselfe For all though it commeth
holinesse of mans will which is the inclination of man onely to that which is truely good Or thus The due subiection or obedience of the will to a holy and cleare minde shewing without any errour good and euill or more breifly The conformitie of mans inclination to his knowledge or of mans will to Gods will For then this facultie is perfectly holy whenas it chooseth for action those thinges which the minde iudgeth good right lawfull and agreeable to the will of God and contrarily reiecteth and refuseth whatsoeuer it saieth to be euill vnlawfull and forbidden and lastly when as touching those thinges which are not as yet fully determined by the minde to be either good or bad conuenient or inconuenient to be done or to be left vndone it staieth it selfe in the middest not inclining to the one or to the other Thus we see what was the actuall will of man euen his full inclination to good But there was another will in him which we may call potentiall as hath beene said that man hath both an actuall and a potentiall vnderstanding this potentiall will commonly called Freewill is the power which man had of inclining his will eyther to good or to euill Or more briefly The possibility of willing eyther of good or euill It may be made plaine in this manner Suppose a man to beare good will to his friend and a loyall and duetifull affection to his prince as many do this is his actual wil But againe that man may change his will and become altogether disloyall to his prince and a hater of his friend this is his possible and potentiall will So man inclineth really and indeed onely to good but in possibility eyther to good or euill Yet not equally but more to good then to euill as he that nowe loueth his friend although heereafter he may loue or hate him yet it is liker that he will loue then hate him That this potentiall will was in man we neede not prooue by argumentes being sufficiently prooued alreadie by the euent it selfe and the woefull experience of man-kind the which by the meanes of his potential wil hath lost that holy and happie estate wherein it was created For man being enabled by God to will either good or euil being cōmaunded by God to wil good only did chose rather to satisfie his own peruerse sinfull desire in willing euil then to obey the will of God in willing good If any man doe aske why God did put into man this potential doubtful and vncertaine will seing that if he had bene created without it he had beene sure from falling being actually and immutably disposed to good To this we answere 〈◊〉 we ought to rest contented in the will of God thinking well of all his doings although we cannot see or giue any reason of the same Secondly that man could not haue beene created without his potentiall will for so his nature should haue beene vncapable of sin For if his will had beene inclined to good actually and immutably it coulde neuer haue bene inclined to euil so he could not possibly haue committed sin because of the want of the free and potentiall will But he by whome this doubt was propounded will maruaile to heare that brought against his opinion which he did alledge as the onely reason and strength of it and that any man should thinke freewill to haue beene needfull in the state of innocency because without it man could not haue sinned when as he thinketh that it might very well haue beene spared for that cause seeing that as sinne it selfe whereby Gods glory is obscured and mans happinesse vtterly lost so all the meanes occasions and inducementes of it ought by al meanes to be auoided To this reply we make this answere that Gods glory is impaired much by the cōmitting of sinne but much more by this supposed impossibility of committing sinne for immutability and vncapablenesse of sinne are a great part of his glory and inseparable attributes of his diuine essence and therefore they cannot without the great dishonor of God be cōmunicated to any earthly creature Now as touching man himselfe whose patrone although he yeeld to this yet he thinketh it impossible to be proued that this impossibility of sinning is not good and profitable for man what reason is it that his good shoulde not giue place to Gods glory for the which he was created seeing that the wanting of potentiall wil and the impossibility of sinning arising thereof doe directly obscure the glory of God but not necessarily hinder the happinesse of man who cannot thinke that GOD doth eyther compell or any way cause him to sinne in that he hath made it possible for him to sinne But what will be saide for this impossibility of sinning if so be it be found hurtful to man himselfe as it is indeed as will easely appeare to him who considereth that it depriueth man not onely of all praise and commendation which being receiued at the handes of God is not lightly to be esteemed by man who thinketh it a great matter Laudari a laudato to be praised by a worthy man but also of holinesse it selfe For what is more ridiculous then that man should looke for any commendation for not sinning when as he coulde not so much as be willing to sinne seeing that the brute beastes yea stockes and stones in the which there is no sinne nor shaddow of any may as iustly looke for praise in that respect or for performing positiue dueties of holinesse comming not of a willing and ready minde which God regardeth but of necessity and constraint and as the due praise of holinesse so also holinesse it selfe is taken away by this impossible possibillity of sinning for nothing can properly be said to be the subiect of holinesse which naturally may not become sinfull as nothing is saide to haue life or sight which may not become dead or blind And therefore we doe not say that stones and brute beastes haue in them any holinesse because they cannot haue sinfulnesse which is the priuation of it How then will this curious questionarie say can the holy Angels fall from God and doe ye make the nature of God a fit harbour of sinfulnesse not so neither but we say that God is not properly the subiect of holinesse although it hath pleased him to set foorth his incomprehensible nature to our capacity by taking to himselfe this and other attributes of the creature for God is the rule of holinesse and any thing is then truely holy whenas it obeyeth the will and commaundements of God but we cannot in proper speech say that God eyther commaundeth or obeyeth himselfe as for the holy Angels they retaine as all the rest of their natural faculties wherewith they were indued in their first creation so also this free and potentiall will if it be possible that any of those which doe now keep their standing in holines happines should fall from God yet
who is notoriously vnnaturall vnthankfull and vnholy For if a man loue the houses and places wherein he hath beene and liued sometime shall he not much more loue his parentes from whose bodies he came Secondly the loue of children with the loue of whom he that is not touched and enflamed may be accounted lesse affectionated then God himselfe and more senslesse then are the brute beastes An example of this fatherly affection we haue in Iacob of whom it is saide that he did loue his son Beniamin so dearly that his soule was so tied to the soule of Beniamin that he could not liue but would incoÌ„tinently dy for sorrow if so be he were taken from him Ge. 44. 36. This fatherly affection is so strong by nature that if it be not wel looked vnto it wil as a great riuer or streame rise aboue the bankes and due limites of it and cary a godly man beyond all due regard eyther of reason or of religion as appeareth plainely in that notable man of God king Dauid of whom it is said 1. King 1. 6. That he did cockour his sonne Adonia and could not finde in his heart to grieue him no not with a sharpe word And we know how he loued his vngratious sonne Absalon being more sorrowfull for his death who for his monstrous vnnaturalnes was not worthy to liue on the earth then he was glad for the victory which he himselfe had gotten and for his owne safety And therefore he did so bitterly lament his death saying O Absalon Absalon O my son Absalon would to God I had died for the. Thirdly from this fountaine commeth the speciall loue of those who are tied with the faithfull man in any outward bonde as in mariage or speciall friendship for the first â—o the mutuall loue which ought to be beâ—wixt the husband and the wife the scripture doth often exhort by arguments drawen from the institution of God who hath made them one person and one flesh Thus Ephe. 5. 29. No man euer hated his owne flesh but doth nourish and cherish it And therefore a man ought to loue his wife euen as his owne bodie and as Christ hath loued his Church Yea there is great reason and necessity of a great measure of mutuall loue betwixt man and wife For seeing they doe forsake their fathers mothers and kindred not dwelling any longer with them but betaking themselues to their owne house and to each other as to a perpetuall companion and partner in good and euill in ioy and misery how should not their loue be exceeding great The seconde outward bond of loue is friendship whereby we doe not meane any common good will and acquaintance but a speciall contract of perpetuall loueâ— such an one as was betwixt Ionathan anâ— Dauid whereof it is saide 1. Sam. 18. 1â— That the soule of Ionathan was tied to thâ— soule of Dauid And Dauid himselfe whâ—â— had best experience of it witnesseth thâ—â— greatnesse of Ionathaens loue 2. Sam. 1â— 26. Saying how am I grieued for thee 〈◊〉 brother Ionathan thou was sweete pleasaâ— vnto me thy loue was wonderfull to me passing the loue of women Lastly from this fountain of selfeloue commeth the loue of kinsfolks alliance acquaintance companions neighbours and of all whome God hath ioyned more nearely to vs then he hath done others CHAP. VII Sect. 1. Of ioy sorrow and pittie in the state of innocency BEside the foresaid affections of loue and hatred there were many other created in man as namely to let the rest passe ioy and sorrow which is contrary to it The first is a delight or pleasure conceiued by the present enioiing of some good thing whereby a man is mooued to seeke and embrace the said good as sorrow is the abhorring of some present euill as being bitter and vnpleasant Both these affections had place and vse in this first estate yet not equally for a great part of happinesse consisteth in ioy yea happinesse may be said to be nothing else but the ioyfull fruition of good and pleasant thinges whereas sorrowe is contrary to happinesse howe great cause and continuall vse of ioy man had in his innocency we may easely gather by those infinite blessings wherewith he was euen compassed about liuing not onely free from all troubles crosses afflictions daungers wants incumbrances and whatsoeuer thing might any way grieue or hurt him but also in abundance and superfluity of al pleasures belonging both to his body and soule in perfect strength and health in wealth peace and liberty in honour and glory and which is all in all and in trueth the fountaine of all true ioy in the fauour and loue of God The holinesse of this affection consisteth in this that it be correspondent and proportionable to the goodnesse and excellency of the obiect and that the ioy which man conceiueth by the fruition of any thing be greater or lesse as the thing it selfe is more or lesse excellent a greater or a lesse good and therefore man was chiefly to delight himselfe and to reioyce in God who is the chiefe and first yea the onely infinite goodâ— in the fruition of the presence and fauour of God in seruing praising God in meditating on the creatures workes wisedom power mercy and goodnesse of God Secondly as God hath put into euery one of his creatures a finite and proper goodnes so it was lawfull for man to be affected accordingly with the pleasure flowing from the said thing For example God created for the vse of man great variety of trees bearing sweete and pleasant fruite all which man might lawfully vse with ioy and pleasure Yea this ioyfull vse of the creatures was not onely permitted to man but also comaunded by God for so we read Deut. 26. 11. Thou shalt bowe thy selfe before the Lord thy God and thou shalt reioyce before him in all the good thinges which he hath giuen vnto thee thou and thy whole family For why he that reioiceth aright in the fruition of the creatures reioyceth in God the maker and giuer of them and by them is stirred vp to greater alacrity in seruing and praising God Now as touching sorrow it had also place in the pure nature of man which was subiect to this passion howsoeuer he being in perfect felicitie had not any great vse of it yet we may suppose some causes of sorrow euen in this happie estate both in man himselfe who might be moderately grieued for the want of some particular good and in some other respects as also in other creatures for the miserable estate of the wicked Angels hauing beene so glorious and happie especially the dishonour which they did many waies procure to the name of God could not but worke sorrow in the heart of man So that the sorrow of man in this first state being rather in regarde of others then of himselfe ought to be called pitty rather then sorrow The holinesse of this
affection consisteth in this that it be in greatnesse correspondent to the greatnesse of the euill diligently waied with the seuerall circumstances of it and also moderated and qualified with contentation in respect of the will of God by the which the said euill came to passe Sect. 2. Of corrupt ioy and sorrow THese affections ioy and sorrow doe remaine in the corrupt state of man yet after a farre diuerse manner for whereas before the ioy of man was chiefly in God in spirituall things now it is wholly in carnall sensuall and earthly pleasures before man neuer thought himselfe well but when he was praising seruing God meditating on his loue the manifold blessings receiued from him now man neuer thinketh on God if he by some outward meanes as the lawes of mē or the auoiding of the sham of the world be drawen to some spiritual exercise as is the hearing of the word praier or any other he taketh no manner of pleasure in it Yea it is irkesome tedious vnto him his minde and affections being set vpon worldly pleasures as namely in the abundance vanetie goodnesse and sweetnesse of meates and drinkes in sleepe and idlenesse in carnal and filthy lustes in pastime and merie companie in gorgeous apparrell statelie buildings large reuenewes in health strēgth riches honour and preferment in children friends and prophane knowledge or in some other of the same kind Not as if there might not a lawfull pleasure be taken in corporall and outward blessings as hath beene declared but man passing by God the giuer of all these blessinges placeth his whole ioy and felicitie in the fruition of them and so maketh them his Gods As the Apostle doth plainlie witnesse that the coueteous man is an idolatour He is not stirred vp by the sweetenesse which he feeleth in the vse of the creaturs to reioyce delight himselfe in God the giuer of them but is by them more alienated from God and being euen drunke with sensualitie forgetteth and contemneth God much more in prosperitie then in aduersitie and therefore God doth so often forewarne the people of Israel of forgetting him whenas they come into that pleasant land flowing with milke honny whither they went Hence it commeth that the ioy of a carnall man is vnconstant vncertaine and momentany euen as is the matter of his ioy For as no worldly thing is constant so the ioy which ariseth of worldly things must needes be vnconstant Yea while it doth continue it is not pure and sincere ioy but mingled with much sorrow and vexation of minde it being impossible that any man should haue such perfect ioy in this world in respect of worldly blessings as is voide of all manner of crosses and griefe And therefore Salomon saith Prou. 14. 13. That the hart of the wicked man is heauie euen while he laugheth and that sorrow is the end of his ioy Thus we see the sinfullnesse of mans ioy in this corrupt state Likewise his sorrow is not such as it ought to be he is indeede often grieued but not for the want of the fauour presence and grace of God not for his sins by the which he doth displease dishonour God not for the miserable estate of his soule rotting in ignorance atheisme infidelitie These things neuer trouble him but if he be in anie worldly miserie if in pouertie sicknesse danger prison in the displeasure of any greate and mightie man then he is ouerwhelmed and euen stricken deade with sorrow As for the miseries wherein he seeth other men to be the scripture doth often teach vs and daily experience doth testifie the same that a carnall man is cruell mercilesse voide of all pittie and compassion Sect. 3. Of holy ioy and sorrow IT now remaineth that we declare the holines of these affections in the state of regeneration wherein both ioy and sorrow haue so greate and continuall vse as that they may seeme to striue for the preheminence whether of them should beare the greater sway in the faithful Renewed ioy ariseth of the inward sense and feeling of the loue and mercie of God in Christ whereby a faithfull man knowing assuredlie that he hath attained remission of all his sinnes safetie and freedome from the anger and iudgements of God eternall happinesse with all spirituall and temporall blessings tending therevnto is and that not without good cause replenished in his soule with an exceeding and vnspeakable ioy in regard of this his happie state the greatnes whereof no man either knoweth or can expresse but he in whome it hath pleased God to worke it by his holie spirite Yea if we shall compare this renewed ioy with the ioy which man had in his first estate we shall see that the faithfull haue both greater cause of reioycing and greater ioy then man had in his perfect happinesse in that he hath not only attained to a more perfect absolute and certaine happinesse but also hath escaped the contrarie miserie euen the eternall wrath of God due vnto him for his sinnes whereof man had no taste in his first estate This ioy differeth from the ioy of the carnall man in many respectes the one reioyceth in God the other in the creatures the one in temporal vaine and momentanie the other in spirituall heauenlie and eternall things the one in the good estate of his bodie the other in the good estate of his soule The one sheweth his ioy in the vse of carnall pleasures the other in spirituall exercises Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the spirit speaking to your selues in psalmes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord in your heartes And lastly the one is continuall constant abiding yea florishing so much the more in the middest of the greatest afflictions Rom. 5. 3. Act 16. 15. The other is short and vncertaine being cleane dashed with the least crosse that doth happen This renewed ioy although it be so exceeding great as hath beene saide yet it is mixed and indeede tempered with much sorrow so it hath pleased God in great wisdome and mercy to giue to his children in this life not the absolute perfection of that ioy and happinesse which he hath prepared for them but rather to temper the exceeding sweetnesse of it with sorrow and afflictions that so the bitternesse of the one might make the other the more welcome and acceptable vnto them The causes of this sorrow are diuerse some in the faithfull themselues some in others in themselues first and cheifly their sinnes whereby they doe displease and dishonour God who hath shewed himselfe to them so gratious bountifull and mercifull Secondly the manifolde temptations crosses and afflictions which doe daily befal them these howsoeuer by the gratious assistaunce of Gods spirit they doe often encrease this spirituall ioy yet being bitter and oftentimes intollerable to flesh and bloude they doe preuaile against