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
giuen and hee shall haue abundaunce And it is said of diuers in the booke of the Acts that they were full of faith and of the holy ghost This abundance in the minde is called Plerophoria a certaine and vndoubted perswasion said to be in Abraham Rom. 4. 21. Hereof cometh abundaunce of faith of loue Rom. 5. 3. and 15. 13. and of all graces as 1. Thess. 1. 3. the Apostle mentioneth the worke of their faith their laborious loue and their patient hope And 2 Thess. 1. 3. that their faith superaugescit that is encreaseth aboue the common and ordinarie measure and that their loue did abounde accordingly This aboundaunce of grace is to be seene in the prophets Apostles martyrs and many other of the seruantes of God who therefore are made types and patterns for vs to imitate and set before our eyes as lanternes full of light and as shining and blazing starres that we might both admire and labour to ouertake them in their excellent graces and especially in their particular vertues For thus the scripture mentioneth the vprightnesse of Enoch who walked with God in all his waies the patience of Iob. Iam. 5. 11 the faith of Abraham the meeknesse of Moses the courage of Iosua the faithfulnesse of Samuel the absolute perfection of Dauid being a man according to Gods owne hearte the wisdome of Salomon the zeale of Phinies Iosias and many others Thus Paule mentioneth his owne painefulnesse in preaching the gospel to be farre aboue the labours of the rest of the Apostles Thus he sayeth Rom 16. 7. That Andronicus and Iunia were men notable among the Apostles and of Timothie that none was like to him in faithful labour and care for the good of the church Philip. 2. 20. The notes and markes whereby this abundaunce may be knowen are these a burning zeal of gods glorie of setting forwarde his worship and gospel a vehement hatred of idolatrie and all shadowes of superstition a tender and bountifull loue toward the godly a minde vndaunted with any torment death or miserie a constant course of godlinesse in all outward chaunges whatsoeuer as the Apostle sayeth of him selfe Philip. 4. 13. That he coulde want and abounde be full and empty and that he coulde do all thinges a life free from any grosse sinne an extraordinary contempt of all worldly pleasures Lastly a manner of freedom from being either ouercome or almost tempted by any grosse sinne For although the corruption of flesh and the impudencie of Sathan who was not ashamed to tempt Christ to commit sin be so great that no man be he nener so holy may lay away his weapons and be secure in respect of temptations yet by the blessing of God and a long practise of all godlinesse the faithfull come sometimes to such a surpassing strength in grace that as the couragious horse going into the battel scorneth the feareful sounds noyse of the trumpets so this godly man wherof we speake in this chapter laugheth at the temptations of Sathan and the entisementes of the world yet not presuming on his owne strength but relying himselfe wholly on the mighty power of the spirite of God The meanes of attaining to this high degree of holinesse is to seeke it by earnest prayer at the handes of God from whom onely commeth euery good and perfect gift But the meanes which God vseth in giuing it are diuerse some good some euil in themselues and therefore not to be vsed by vs of the first sort are all holy exercises appointed by God for the begetting continuall encrease of grace to the carefull diligent long and continuall vse whereof God doth often graunt this happie successe euen as he blesseth the diligent and painfull hand with greate plenty in temporall thinges Of the second sort is the abundaunce of sinne before regeneration the which it pleaseth God some time to chaunge into this abundaunce of grace as we see that the highest floudes follow the lowest ebbes This God doth to make manifest the great power and efficacy of his spirit in renewing the elect which is able to bringe the greatest measure of holinesse out of the greatest wickednes as cleare light out of palpable darkenes This Christ teacheth vs. Luk. 7. 41. In the parable of the two debters whereof the greater had greater cause and also a greater measure of loue And in the example of the woman verse 47. Who loued much because many sinnes were forgiuen vnto her sowhere sinne doth abound there grace aboundeth much more Yea for this purpose God doth sometimes vse the hote fiercenesse of affections and the violent disposition of nature the which as of it selfe it carieth a man headlong into the most outragious sinnes so being sanctified by Gods spirite it becommeth the whetstone of holinesse Thus was the Apostle Paule both naturally and spiritually affected and therefore being an infidell he was a most superstitious pharisie more then mad in persecuting the church and becomming a faithfull man passed all others in vnquenchable zeale of Gods spirite Lastly as touching this abundance of grace no man can attaine so high a degree of it as that he may sitte downe as being at his iorneis end but as the greater riches that a man hath the greater is his gaine desire and encrease of riches so the more holinesse that any man hath the more carefully ought and the more fruitfully may he laboure in encreasing it Phil. 3. 13. Brethren saieth the Apostle I count not that I haue attained vnto any such perfection But still I doe forget that which is behinde and endeuore my selfe to that which is before That is I doe not minde that holinesse which I haue already receaued but doe continually thinke on that which I doe want as yet CHAP. IX Of celestiall holinesse ALthough we haue now gone as far in declaring the renewed holinesse of man as any man can in this worlde either in hauing or in practising it yet we are not here to rest as being come to the end of our iorney For if the aforesaid aboundaunce of spirituall graces which be it neuer so great cannot possibly be voide of sinne be absolutelie the highest degree this inconuenience which is in no wise to be admitted would of necessitie follow that man doth not in regeneration recouer as good a state and as great a measure of holinesse by the mercy of God in christ as he had in his first creation and lost by his owne sinne in Adam And therefore we are to goe on a little further in this treatise and in our desire till we come to such an absolute perfection of renewed holinesse as is free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer This perfection may without all question yea must necessarely be attained vnto For man can not be perfectly happie by enioying the presence of God into the which nothing being sinfull can enter as long as he is imperfectly holy Yet he
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
morall lawe and therefore it belonged to man in the state of innocencie This the heathen oratour witnesseth saying All they who are in the handes and iurisdiction of any other doe feare For although they be perswaded of their loue and mercy yea of their owne innocency yet they doe consider not onely what they will doe but also what they may doe The second cause of this feare was the surpassing and incomprehensible glorie and maiestie of God the which being fully reuealed hath force not onely to astonishe and amase but also to confound and consume any creature whatsoeuer yea although the saide creature be not stained with sinne and so not subiect to the anger of God For euen as a brittle glasse being filled with some extreame strong liquor cannot but burst in sunder not because of any antipathie which is betwixt them but because the glasse is not of sufficient strength to containe the liquor So is it with the creature when God doth appeare in perfect glory in regard whereof the Angels themselues are said to couer their faces least they shoulde behold it howe much more then hath man who is but dust and ashes and whose life is in his nosethrilles iust cause of feare Yea the brute beastes and senslesse creatures themselues who neither doe nor can sinne are sayd to be affected with this feare of the glorious maiestie of God Thus we read Psal. 29. The voyce of the Lord shewing it selfe foorth in power and glory doth breake the cedars of Libanus It maketh them skip like young calues yea it maketh the desert to quake the hindes to calue the mountaines to smoke and in breife all creatures what soeuer to melte away before his face And thus did man feare God in the state of innocencie for although he had daily conuersation with God yet he knewe that as a vessel of glasse clay or any brittle matter often meeting with vessels of brasse or yron may easely get a knock and so be broken to shiuers so might he be confounded by the glory of God if God did at any time reueale the same fully vnto him Thirdly man being in his first state had iust cause to feare God in regard of the weaknes and mutability of his owne nature which might easely be ouercome with some temptation and that in regard of the freedome of his will which might easely forsake God and imbrace euill by the which meanes he should not onely be subiect to the anger of God and to eternall death but also displease and dishonor God who had shewed him selfe so louing and bountifull a father and creator vnto him Thus we see the causes of this feare nowe we are to consider the vses of it First it serued as a bridle to restraine man from falling from God by disobedience For although man in this holy estate did obey God more for loue then for feare of punishment yet it pleased God to vse all meanes possible to keepe him from sinne and therefore he propounded not onely the rewarde of life to his obedience but also the punishment of eternall death to his disobedience whensoeuer it should happen as we read Gen. 2. 17. In the day wherein thou shalt eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt incontinently die Secondly this feare serued to keepe man as froÌ„ sin so from all presumptuous bold vndecent behauiour in respect of God For we know as it is commonly saide Familiar conuersation will easelie breede contempt Lastly man was by this feare put in minde and made to acknowledge as the basenesse infirmity mutability of his owne nature so also the infinite power authority and maiesty of God Sect. 2. Of the want of feare THe third heade of mans rebellion is the want of the aforesaide feare of God for since the fall man hath no regard either of the power might and maiesty of God or yet of the weakenesse of his owne nature as he had before but conceiueth amisse both of God and of himselfe But what maruaile is it that man doth not feare in consideration of the weakenesse and mutabilitie of his nature which may fall into sinne when as he feareth not the iustice of God and his eternall anger due vnto him selfe for sinne already committed For if man in his innocencie had iust cause of feare as hath bene declared howe much more ought he being sinfull For if he being righteous is scarslie saued howe shall he nowe appeare before the iudgment seate of God being guiltie of sinne And yet man in this sinfull state hath although greater cause of feare â—et lesse feare then he had before yea in truth â—one at all but is benummed with a senselesse securitie hauing no remorse of conscience nor feare of punishment for sinnes â—ommitted neither standeth in awe of the glorious presence of God This appeareth â—oth by the testimony of scripture in many â—laces as namely Rom. 3. 18. where a carnall â—an is described by this note That he hath 〈◊〉 feare of God before his eyes as also by â—ayly experience which sheweth vs that â—ery few in the worlde doe in their actions regarde whether they be good or bad whether pleasing or displeasing to God and so whether they be such which will bring vppon the doers some heauie iudgement or no whereas if mens hartes were possessed with the feare of God they would thinke him to be alwaies present with them and to beholde their doings and so they woulde be both restrained from euill and pricked forwarde to doe good but we see it to be farre otherwise for in committing sinne men thinke that they are safe and all is well if they can doe it so secretlie as that they may auoyd the shame slaunder reproch and anger of men together with the punishment prescribed by humane lawes But we need not stand in the inlarging of this point which is so manifest Sect. 3. Of renewed feare THe third head of renewed subiection is the feare of God the which is a singular grace and hath great vse in regeneration howsoeuer it may seeme to fight with fayth and hope morâ— then it did in the state of innocency seeing that the faithfull can not loose that holy and happy state wherein they are placed and therefore need not feare any euill being not only happy but also sure to coÌ„tinue so for euer To this we answere that although the feare of eternall death and misery cannot stand with perfect faith and hope whereby life and happinesse is certainely expected yea although the faithfull neede not feare the mutability and freedome of will beeing certaine of their finall perseuerance in faith yet there are many causes by the which they ought to be moued to feare God Hither we are to referre the causes of feare in the state of innocency whereof the most ought to be of more force to moue the faithfull to feare God then they were to man in his pure estate For shall man
being in happy innocency the holy Angels being in perfect glory yea the brute and senselesse creatures feare in regard of the glorious maiesty of God and shall the faithfull being sinful and miserable not be affected therewith But we know that the seruants of God haue alwaies feared his glorious presence Thus the people of Israell make it an impossible thing that a man shoulde see the glorie of God and liue And Manach Sampsons fafather saith Iudg. 13. 22. We shall die because we haue seene God Further the faithfull are not freed from the feare which the committing of sinne bringeth with it for although they know that no sin tho neuer so hainous can depriue them of the eternal loue of God in Christ or of eternall saluation yet they ought so much the more to feare to displease or dishonour God then Adam did in his innocency because God hath shewed himselfe more louing gratious and bountifull to them in their regeneration then he did to Adam in his first creation for God sheweth his loue farre more in bringing some fewe from the common death of mankind to eternall saluation then he did in creating all in a common state of life Neyther are we to thinke that the faithfull liuing in this worlde are so exempted from sustaining the punishment of sinne as that they doe not in this regard also feare God for although if we speake properly it cannot stand with the iustice and equity of God to punish the faithfull for their sinnes the which he hath already punished to the full in the death of Christ yet the fatherly chastisements which he layeth vpon them for their great presumptuous sinnes to keepe them and others from committing the like are often so sharpe as that they doe not without cause seeme to be grieuous and fearefull punishmentes Hence it is that this sentence is annexed to those grieuous iudgementes which befell any of the people That all Israell may heare and feare the Lord. The vses of this grace are as before to restraine the faithfull from sinne for although that be true which the heathen poet saith Odâ—runt peccare boni virtutis amore oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae yet two motiues are more effectuall then one especially in this corrupt state wherein the faithfull retaining some reliques of their corrupt nature are often frayed from sinne by feare when as the loue of God is not able to restraine them Pro. 16. 6. and 3. 7. and 14. 16. A wise man feareth and escheweth euil In this respect The feare of God is called the beginning of wisedome that is of an holy and vnblameable life Psal. 10. 10. Pro. 11. 7. because the godly man doth alwaies behaue himselfe as in the presence of the great and fearefull God of heauen Hitherto the rest of the vses mentioned in the first section of this chapter are to be referred which it is not needfull to repeate Yet there is one speciall commodity which the faithfull reape by this grace to wit immunity from temporall plagues for euen as it is said of a fierce and roring Lion that in the heate of his rage he spareth those beastes which yeelding themselues to his power doe by feare and trembling aske mercy at his handes so when as God is so prouoked to anger by the sinnes of his seruantes that no praiers or vowes can pacify him yet this submisse feare of his wrath doth quench the burning heat of it by the which meanes it commeth to passe that this feare of God doth not breed any trouble or disquietnes in the minds of the godly but rather freeth them from the feare of all euill whatsoeuer and therefore to conclude this chapter euery faithfull man ought to labour with all care both to haue in his heart and to expresse in his whole life and behauiour this singular grace of the feare of God that so he may call God his feare as he is called the feare of Isaac Gen. 31. 42. 53. where Iacob doth sweare to Laban by the feare of his father Isaac that is by God whom onely and no other thing in the world Isaac feared Thus we are exhorted Heb. 12. 28. Let vs labour to please God with reuerence and feare For euen our God is a consuming fire CHAP. VII Sect. 1. Of the subiection which man in his innocency did owe to God as to his father THus we see the first part of mans subiection with the particular dueties thereof the second kind of subiection is that which the sonne oweth to the father for God was to man in the state of innocency not onely a liege Lord and soueraigne King but also a gracious and louing father and that by vertue of the first creation the which is a kinde of generation For the creator giueth being and existence to the creature as the father doth to the sonne Yet not all the creatures are in this respect to be accounted or called the sonnes of God no more then men doe account those senselesse things which they fashion and make of clay woode or any such matter to be their children although they be their workemanship and therefore there is somewhat else in man which maketh him the sonne of God to wit the likenesse or similitude of man to God for man doth resemble God so as we see the sonne doth his father not in the outward shape of his body for God hath no shape neyther can be resembled to any thing that either is or can be imagined but in the inward holines of his soule the which is called in scripture The image of God whereof more hereafter Yet this is here to be noted that although man be by his originall and naturall state the sonne of God yet he is not so his sonne as is the second person of the Godhead who partaketh the very essence of the father whereas man hath not in him any part of gods essence but onely a shadow or light resemblance of it So that the second person is the sonne of God as is the natural sonne begotten by any man and therefore is of the substance of his father not differing from him in any respect saue only that the one is the father the other the sonne but man is the sonne of God so as he who is a son by some accidentall meanes as by law by adoption by tuition by susception or by any other way beside natural procreation For these sonnes do not participate the nature essence of their fathers but only do resemble them perhaps in countenaÌ„ce conditions name or in some such outward respect whereas in nature kinde and substance they are far differing from them But to proceed Man being not a senselesse or brutish but a reasonable creature is the son of God not he onely but also all the holy Angels who being likewise indued with the image of God are called the sonnes of God Iob. 1. 6. The sonnes of God came on a
praises of God the godly count the greatest pleasure and happinesse in the worlde Psal. 62. 6. My mouth is filled euen as it were with marrowe and fatnesse that is with the most sweete and pleasant thinges when as I prayse the Lorde saith the prophet and againe Psal. 84. 5. Blessed are they that stande in thy courtes ô God for why they shall euermore be praising thee For although the faithfull might praise God though they liued out of the Church in a wildernesse yet for the greater aduancement of Gods glory they desire and labour that they may praise God not among wilde beastes and trees but in the assembly of Gods people as it were before many witnesses Nowe as touching the second duety of the creature which is to moue onely in the creator and by vertue receiued from him we knowe that as the bodies of the faithfull doe not moue themselues but are moued by the power of the soule within their bodies so neyther their bodies nor soules are moued by any other power but by the holy spirite of God for they doe not thinke their owne thoughtes desire their owne pleasures speake their owne wordes or doe their owne workes but are wholly moued and ordered by the spirite of God Lastly this property of a faithfull man is worthy to be noted that he is not onely patient in regard of the greatest euils which can be laid vpon him in in this worlde as hath beene declared in the chapter of Filiall subiection but also woulde be content if that it shoulde please God to destroy him vtterly and eternally Iob. 13. 15. If God kill me shall I not trust in him so Dauid saith 2. Sam. 15. 26. If I haue found fauour in the eies of God hee wil bring me backe againe to see the place of his worship but if he say I haue no pleasure in him what then beholde here I am let him doe to me whatsoeuer seemeth good in his owne eyes CHAP. XI Of mans subiection to God as to an husband THus wee see the diuers kindes of the renewed subiection of man correspondent to the kindes of created subiection to the which there is one other kinde of subiection to be added the which was not in the state of innocency and therefore coulde not be lost by the fall of man This is the subiection of the wife to the husband by the which bond it hath pleased God of his vnspeakable mercy and loue to tie the faithfull to himself so that they should be to him not onely as subiectes sonnes seruantes schollers and creatures but also as his espoused wife This straunge mariage is celebrated and extolled in that song of songes the which is wholly to be vnderstood of this spirituall mariage betwixt God and the faithfull likewise it is set downe Ephe. 5. verse 22. to verse 33. The husband is the wiues head as Christ is the head of the Church therefore as the Church is in subiection to Christ so ought wiues to be to their husbands This kinde of subiection is called Ephe. 5. 32 A great mysterie and therefore it needeth to be explained after this manner The riches of the loue and mercy of God redeeming man from sinne and death is so exceeding great as that he thinking it a small matter to restore him to that perfect and excellent estate from the which he fell doth aduance him to a higher degree both of holinesse of happines Hence it cōmeth that man is more nearely ioyned to God then he was before both in subiectiō in conformity But what bond of subiectiō can ioine man more neerely vnto God then the sonne is to his father after the which manner man was before ioyned to God as hath beene declared We answere that although this coniunction which is betwixt the sonne and the father be verie great yet the worde of God teacheth vs that a greater may be giuen to wit that which is betwixt the wife and the husband for this coniunction maketh two distinct persons to become one person and one flesh Mat. 19. 5 but that other coniunction hath no such strange effect And therefore it hath pleased god in mercy to tie knit man to himselfe not only with those bonds of subiection wherewith he was tied to him in the state of innocency but also with this newe and most straite bonde taking all the faithfull vnto himselfe not onely as his loyall subiectes as faithfull seruantes as toward schollers as orderly creatures and lastly as naturall sonnes but also as a most deare and beloued wife ioyned to himselfe with such an indissoluble bond of loue on his part and such loyall affection on their partes as shall neuer be broken euen as the husband taketh to himselfe his beloued spouse on whom he will bestowe all his loue riches care and whome he will defend against all euils and dangers whatsoeuer This contract made betwixt GOD and his Church is set downe Ezech. 16. the wordes are many yet worthy to be remembred Nowe when I went by thee and looked vpon thee behold◠thy time was come yea euen the time to wooe thee then spred I my clothes ouer thee to couer thy dishonesty yea I made an oth vnto thee contracted my self with thee saith the Lorde God and so thou becamest mine owne Then washed I thee with water and purged thy bloud from thee and I annointed thee with oyle I clothed thee with broidred worke and shodde thee with badgers skinne and I girded thee about with fine linnen and couered thee with silke I decked thee with costly apparrell I put braselets vpon thy handes a chaine about thy necke and I put a frontlet vpon thy face and earings vpon thine eares and a beautifull crowne vpon thine head Thus wast thou decked with gold and siluer and thy raimente was of fine linnen and of silke and of broidred worke thou diddest eate fine flowre home and oyle marueilous wast thou and thou diddest luckilie prosper into a kingdome and thy name was spread among the heathen forthy beautie c. For the further declaration hereof if we do consider the notable resemblance which is betwixt mariage and this new coniunction of man to God we shall haue greate cause to admire the wisdome of the holy ghost who in enditing the scriptures doth paint out such darke mysteries with so liuely colours and doth so fit earthly types to spirituall thinges The grounde of this newe coniunction whereby man is more nearely firmely and surely tied to God then he was before is the incarnation of Christ wherein our nature was inseparably vnited to the godheade in one person euen as the wife which before was of a diuers kinde bloude and name being now espoused to her husband becommeth one flesh bloude and bone with him yea one person called by one and the same name so that as the wife being thus as it were incorporated to her husband is more nearely
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