and sisters are they which hear the word and keep it this is to be shewed to the Church and for such which have one father and one elder brother Some forsake the fellowship Hebrews 10. they are filii hipostoles they withdraw themselves from the fraternity but towards such as continue in the faith let brotherly love continue Hebrews the thirteenth chapter and the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the twenty second verse They that are faithfull are called a brotherhood the second epistle of Peter the fist chapter and therefore to them must this brotherly love be extended This love must be without hypocrisie not to say as James the second chapter If thy brother starve and thou say depart and be warm but minister not to him what faith and godlinesse is that So for Charity the first epistle of John the third chapter Love must not be in word and tongue but in deed and truth That is true charity when we doe good to the fraternity not that of the world or after the flesh but of the Church Concerning which you need not that I write for you are taught of God who said By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if you love one another John the eleventh chapter From hence he proceedeth to Charity exhorting us to shew love not only quia sunt but ut sunt As to the faithfull because they are brethren but to all men generally that they may be wonne to be of the Church We must love Inimicum in Deo inimicum propter Deum 〈◊〉 that is true love As he begun with Faith so he endeth with love which is the bond of perfection Colossians the third chapter and keeps in all the other virtues Jerusalem is an heap of stones but love is that makes it a compact building Ephesians the 〈◊〉 chapter As the Apostle here exhorts to love so in the 〈◊〉 epistle of Peter the fourth chapter Above all things have love Colossians the third chapter and the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter and the eighth verse which covereth the multitude of sinnes Of all graces it is the more excellent the first epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter It is greater than faith or hope the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the third chapter and the thirteenth verse Touching the end fuga corruptionis and the partaking of the Divine nature are the two things we have looked unto in all the other virtues The cause of our corruption is amor corruptionis in the judgement and valuation but it is refined by charity Love is Charitas of dearenesse we set a great price of that which is most deare And so if we make greatest account of God we will love him above all things If we set our love on that which is most deare we shall eschue corruption Secondly The partaking of the Divine nature is to be like to him the first epistle of John the third chapter and love is the greatest representation of the divine nature In the other virtues we doe but dispose our souls to be partakers of it The Apostle saith Deus est Charitas the first epistle of John the fourth chapter If then we be possessed of love we shall be possessed of the Divine nature Love is it that makes us adherere Deum Psalm the seventy third Fides videt spes tendit but charity possesseth Love is called an 〈◊〉 the first epistle of John and the second chapter because as Kings were annointed so it makes us have a right unto Gods kingdome Fides per charitatem 〈◊〉 is that which must doe us good Galatians the fift chapter There it is the mid'st but here the end of all without the which all the other will doe no good It is as oyle to the Lamp Matthew the 25 without which the lamp gives no light The pretious faith is that which hath all these virtues and charity at the end Then is Christianity well taught when it is taught as a building standing on many parts Ephesians the second chapter or Armor Ephesians the sixt chapter as a tree Galatians the fift chapter as a body Ephesians the fourth chapter as a choiser harmony of musick as the Apostle here 〈◊〉 it out in the second epistle of Peter the first chapter and the fourth verse Nihil ad vos ô viatores omnes intuemini videte an sit dolor par dolori meo qui factus est mihi quam afficit Jehova moerore die aestus irae suae Lament 1. 12. THE words of a party in great 〈◊〉 and that two wayes First That he is in sorrow and pain such as none other ever felt Secondly That being in this extremity he is not regarded of any It is well known that it is a 〈◊〉 thing to 〈◊〉 and blood to be afflicted but so to be afflicted as no other that is a high degree of misery but that in this case there is none to have compassion that is as much as can be said Against the crosses that befall us in this life the ordinary comfort is the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter Nothing befalls us but is such as pertaineth to man but this was not any other mans case And whereas there is none so hard-hearted but will shew some relief at least pitie a man in distresse here was none touched with any compassion For the verse it self it is the Prophets speech in the person of the City of Jerusalem lamenting the miseries that happened at the death of Josiah but by the rule of reciprocation whereby that which is said of the members may be applyed to the head as was said to Saul by Christ why persecutest thou me where it was the Church that was persecuted Acts the ninth chapter it is otherwise to be expounded If any member then especially of them under the Law Quibus ad contingebunt in figuris the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter therefore Isaacs sacrifice Josephs selling by his brethren and Davids betraying who were particular members of the Church were types and figures of Christs being slain sold and betrayed If the eyes or hand or footsuffer the head also suffers with it much more may the sufferings of the whole body together be applyed to the head as Out of Egypt have I called my sonne that being a place of the deliverance of Israel Gods first borne Colossians the eleventh chapter is applyed to Christ Matthew the second chapter And according to this rule this verse is by the ancient Fathers applyed to the 〈◊〉 and sufferings of our Saviour Christ. Whether it be the Cities speech or any other whosoever it may well be the speech of Christ on the Cross that he was then in that great extremity which none ever indured the like and yet being without cause none vouchsafed to look at him That is the drift of the words and is set down first by way of complaint Have ye no regard Secondly by way of
separation from the Temple which was but a type of that place was so grievous to Davids soul as he had no rest in his spirit and thought himself in worse state than the Sparrow till he had accesse to the Citie of God Psalm the eighty fourth Much more grievous is it to be separated from heaven If of the Church on earth it is said there are gloriosa dict a de te Psalm the eighty seventh Much more glorious things are spoken of Heaven whereof to be deprived will be a great grief for this place hath all things which may commend any place Of light it is said Lumen dilexit oculus but this place hath no night but continual light from the Lord himself Apocalyps the twenty first chapter If society doe commend a place then this place is commendable quia janua ibi aperta If immunity from pain there is neither hunger nor thirst nor cold If joy then there the elders sing continually the praises of God Apocalyps the twenty first chapter Therefore to be excluded from this place which is so to be desired is a great punishment Again To be separated not only from so good a place but from such company not only of holy Angels where if it were a great blessing to lodge while they were clothed with mortality Hebrews the thirteenth chapter then it is a greater blessing to dwell with them in this perfect 〈◊〉 None of the saints who albeit on earth they be despised and called fools Wisdome the fift chapter yet shall be glorious in heaven and not only their souls but their bodies made like the glorious body of Christ Philippians the third chapter and the twenty first verse of whose company to be deprived will be a grief but to be cast out of the company of Jesus Christ who when he did give but a taste of his glory it was so glorious 〈◊〉 his Disciples Matthew the seventeenth chapter so as they said 〈◊〉 est nobis hic offici will be a great grief for there he shall be in perfect glory at the right hand of God where he now 〈◊〉 which shall much more rejoyce us than these drops Lastly If the comfort of Gods 〈◊〉 in earth where the light of it is greatly eclipsed and darkned doe afford more comfort than 〈◊〉 of corne and oyle Psalm the fourth then what a discomfort will it be to be separated from the light of it when God shall shew the brightnesse of 〈◊〉 but even then shall the unprofitable servant be cast out from beholding the same Secondly That which doth aggravate his punishment is that this separation shall be done with violence cast him out not bid him goe out or lead him out The separations that are made from the Church militant are not done without great difficulty no man would willingly be 〈◊〉 But it will be a farre greater grief to be separated from the Church triumphant but howsoever they be unwilling yet they shall be separated violently no man will willingly come to judgment at the last day but God will bring every thing to judgment Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter He that doth evil hates the light John the third chapter but we shall be brought to light whether we will or no and death which is a preparation to the last judgment is fearfull So as no man willingly dyeth nay we make many pleas becaule we would not be separated we say Lord have not we prophecied and yet Christ tells all will not serve the turne Matthew the seventh chapter Not every one that saith Lord Matthew the twenty fift chapter When did we see the hungry or naked c. But Christ for all that we are so unwilling to be cast out tells us In as much as you did it not c. So that albeit man will not goe out of himself yet he shall be cast out with violence which makes his punishment more grievous Thirdly This separation shall be with contumely and disgrace to be thrown out of the company of the Angels is a disgracefull separation Many times Malefactors though they suffer for their offences yet have no disgrace offered them But the unprofitable servant shall not only be punished with the losse of this heavenly place but shall be cast out to his shame for he that dishonoureth God by burying his talent bestowed upon him God will punish him with dishonour and disgrace Them that hate me I will hate the first book of Samuel the second chapter Secondly The place into which he shall be cast is utter darknesse The Apostle when he saith Ad quem ibimus 〈◊〉 habes verba aternae vitae John the sixt chapter and the sixty eighth verse tells us It is an excellent thing to be in presence of them that have the words of eternall life but it is farre more excellent to be present with eternal life it self but not only to be deprived of his presence but to be cast into utter darkness is extreme misery If we might be choosers for our selves as the Devils choesed to goe into the hoggs 〈◊〉 the eighth chapter and the thirty first verse So if we might choose some place if it were but to return to the world again it were some mitigation but when we have not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is greater cause of misery we are not only deprived of light but cast into a place of darknesse And this punishment is very just that the unprofitable servant should be cast into darknesse which did darken his talent and hid it as the Prophet speaks of cursing Psalm the hundred and ninth He loved not blessing then let it be farre from him So quia non dilexit lucem non veniat ei lux extinguit scintilla gratiae ne videat lumen gloriae Which punishment how grievous it is appears for that the beholding of light as the Preacher saith Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter is so comfortable to the eyes As Paul was out of hope of recovery when he and the rest could see nothing but darknesse Acts the twenty seventh chapter And God plagued the Egyptians with darknesse as the greatest plague he could lay upon them And the Apostle to shew the grievous punishment of the evil Angels saith They are reserved under darknesse the second epistle of Peter the second chapter for tenebrae formidolosae Again He is punished not only with darknesse but also with weeping and gnashing of teeth A man may have some comfort in darknesse it is the best time to sleep and meditate but the unprofitable servants being cast into darknesse shall have neither of these comforts to mitigate his punishment For there he shall feel the worm of conscience gnawing him which shall never dye and be tormented with the fire that never goeth out Mark the ninth chapter He shall have all things that may continue and increase his weeping But in these words the Holy-Ghost pointeth out two things The certainty and the measure of weeping in
For these two being coupled doe fall under in one part of the division In which are offered unto us four principall matters of great regard 1. First That this World and the things wee see were not so ever but had a beginning at a certain time 2. Secondly At the beginning these things had not their being of themselves but of another 3. Thirdly That the Creation and working of them was only of God and of that God which is in unity of essence and trinity of persons 4. Fourthly That Heaven and Earth are God's and that they were made and preserved by him Touching the first in principio hath admitted a three fold sence according to the diverse conceits of divers men all which have beene received and may bee without error or danger First Origen and Ambrose doe take and interpret it as the Cause which was the beginning of all and that is Gods Wisdome which as the Cause began all And they may seeme to bee led to understand it thus by these two places the one in the 4 Prov. 7. Wisedome is the beginning c. the other 104 Psal. 24. In Wisedome hast thou made them all Therefore they thought that in the beginning is meant In Wisedome God created c. Secondly it is taken for the order of time as who should say First of all and before any thing else was done God made Heaven and Earth in the very first beginning of time that is in a moment or as it were in the twinckling of an eye 1 Cor. 15. 52. So had all things their beginning and motion in the beginning of time as they shall leave and lose it at the end and last period of time which is the Worlds end It is no danger of error thus to understand In principio Thirdly It is said 11 Heb. 3. that it is a Mystery and matter of Faith to beleeve this of the Creation in the beginning and so it is yet God hath not made our reason so repugnant from Faith even in naturall men but that even by the sense and sight of things mans reason cannot deny but must needs gather and confesse this to be true That all things were made and had a beginning And this all Heathenith Philosphers as may appeare by all books of the Gentiles in all ages since the study of learning and learned men hath beene doe plainly shew that they had in remembrance themselves and did commend to others by their writings the knowledge and acknowledgment of this universal Creation This hee proveth by those Philosophers which were as ancient as the Prophet Esdras untill late times and that they had a remembrance of Noah naming him Janus and painting him with two faces one looking into the old world before the Flood and the other beholding the world after Besides such writers of naturall men very reason doth consent hereunto That the world was made by some wonderfull Power and so had a beginning for Reason is ever naturally led to look and consider the beginning and cause of any thing it seeth as when it seeth a great Tree though it see not the roote yet it conceiveth for certain that it hath a roote which conveyeth sapp to the Tree by which it groweth and encreaseth So when it seeth a great River it by and by concludeth there is a great Fountain and head where it hath his originall and beginning Again Reason cannot abide infinite Causes as 1 Cor. 11. 3. to say the woman came of man the man of Christ and Christ of God Because divers Causes have divers times and motions but Reason will bring things to their particular head and chief causes which by one motion and at one time did it Also in that we say things are done successively by order of times neerer and farther off it argueth necessarily a beginning and therfore faith David Psal. 119 91. All things continue alike from the begining through thy Ordinance All things since in the world have beene yb Gods appointment and Decree Psal. 65.9 Paul telleth this to the wise and learned of Athens as a thing which they knew and taught in their Schools to bee true 17 Acts 24. And Plato faith it was a saying of great antiquity and credit in his time and long before That God made all things and man at a certain time which was their beginning Plutarch sheweth that some deemed the world to bee conceived and brought forth and to grow to perfection as a man and others that it was the stamp which God set on it and so all learned men in all ages and all men endowed with natural sence and right reason have beene resolved in this That the world was the workmanship of God and had his beginning The partie adverse to this truth was the first of the sect of the Peripateticks which contrary to his master Plato and all that were hefore him and contrary to his Scholar Theophrastus and the most that followed him after held that Mundus erat aeternus and so had no beginning nor maker at all yet notwithstanding this new conceit and opinion hee confesseth this twice or thrice that hee giveth credit to those ancient men which were before him which by long grounded experience and by evident demonstration and credible testimonies held and taught otherwise then hee thought and in his book de Coelo hee saith that there was a Chaos a darknesse and light which had a beginning therefore as hee seemeth to differ and leave his ancients of singularity only on a conceit and devise of his own so his Scholers and followers after him forsook him in that opinion and therefore this point standeth undoubted as ratified both by evidence of reason and by the judgement of the learned in all ages The second Point is the Creation in which wee are to note first that the things which wee see were not of themselves when they had their being and beginning because they are an effect and worke of some efficient cause for it is very absurd in reason that one and the same thing should bee both a Cause and an Effect of it selfe for so it must bee granted that a thing both was and was not at one time for as it is the Cause it must needes bee before it was and as it is an Effect it could not bee at the first so it should bee and yet not bee at one time Therefore David teacheth us to say It is hee that made us and not wee our selves wee are the Sheepe of his pasture for preservation and the works of his hands for Creation so that Job faith we must resolve That it was another that made all things and that one is God These two points that not the World but another made the World and all in it doth overthrow two errors of the Philosophers Opinio Stoicorum the one was of the Stoicks which taught quod omnia fiunt fato as if by the revolution of things and times at such
spiritually so we in using them naturally must make this spirituall use of them admirari Artem adorare Artificem We will first speak of the Waters and then of the goodnesse of them Of the nether Waters We have before spoken of the upper waters now this is to be understood of these below which are gathered together in the Seas for these also God saith are good in speaking of which we must divide the waters as the old Hebrews for all waters are good both those which they call the waters of Bethlem that is good and sweet waters for which David longed 1 Reg. 23. 15. and also the waters of Jericho 2 Reg. 2. 19. which were salt and unfruitfull Waters of Bethlem and Jericho Touching the waters of Bethlem 1. First they were good for they have a double use profit and goodnesse which we finde the one is by reason of a filthinesse and foul soil and corruption which the Earth and Earthly things bring to us and which our own sweat and excrements will cause about us and it is a necessarie virtue to wash cleanse and purifie or scourc those things about us which are foul and unclean as by pouring water into our hands to wash them 2 Reg. 5. 10. 14. or to wash our cloaths and apparrel 2 Sam. 19. 24. if we should want and lack water but for these uses it would be ill with us so good and necessary they are for our life This good and necessary use of water is spiritually signified in the Lavor of the Temple in the old Law and in the Sacrament of Baptism in the new Testament 2. The second goodnesse and benefit in it is in regard of drought and heat for when we or the Earth is dry and thirsty the water is drink with his moisture to satisfie it and when we are hot the water naturally cold hath a cooling face to refresh us as the heart being in a chafe and set in a heat by chafing is faint and longeth and brayeth for the waters Psal. 42. 1. so doth mans heart thirst and cannot endure the drought and heat within except it be cooled with the drink of the waters and therefore it is said Psal. 104. 10. propinquavit Deus that is as the word importeth when God made the waters he began and did as it were drink to all the Creatures shewing them that there was the place where they should fetch drink and so to pledge him for ever thereat And in respect of this goodnesse which we finde in the nature of the waters we see that those things which are very good and so necessary that we cannot be without them they are compared and said to be as cold as water to a faint and thirsty soul Prov. 25. 25. Besides this it hath a good use to dresse our meats as well as to be drinke Salt Waters Now for the waters of Jericho Those are bitter and brackish waters of the Seas they were made also very good and to a most commodious use for they are made promptuarius a store house or treasury from whence cometh all waters in the world both above in the Clouds and below in the Earth Clouds Waters from the Sea For the Clouds it is said that God calleth and raiseth waters out of the Sea and causeth it to ascend into the Clouds and so by drops to descend down into the Earth Amos 5. 8. So the Cloud waters are from the Seas So fresh Waters So are all the fresh waters in the fountains and springs for as Job saith 38. 8. they are tanquam lachrymae trickling and distilling from the eyes and head of the Seas for they make the world as a body like a man as they compare man to the World for the head and higher parts is the waters the bones of the bodie is the Quarries and Rocks the Muscles and Flesh is the earthly part of hills c. the Conduit pipes and Fountains of Water streaming and running in the Earth are called the veins of the Earth that the Springs and Fountains issuing and springing out are as the blood letting and opening of a vein and as in a mans body when the veins are 〈◊〉 in divers places the whole body must needs he overwhelmed and all imbrued in his own blood and perish so it is said of the World Gen. 7. 11. in the great deluge in which the World perished by water rupti sunt fontes Abyssi which breaking up of the fountains was the cause that the waters played above the Earth so that all the blood and veins come and goe to one head and originall of the liver so the Rivers have their waters from the Sea and doe return them thither again Preach 1. 7. And this is the third miracle which we see in this work of the Waters First We saw them at Gods word ascending up into the Clouds and descending Secondly The lower waters standing up on a heap and continuing so Thirdly That the Rivers ever running into the Sea and yet are never empty and dry and again the Sea ever receiving all waters that come and thereby being ever full is not satisfied as never full and yet never overmatcheth the bancks which wonderfull miracle in this work of God we see every day and yet regard it not 2. The second goodnesse and benefit of these waters is in Psal. 104. 26. that men may say there goe the Ships that is God made it a fit and good place for Navigation non ad habitandum sed ad navigandum natandum by which passage of Merchandise and Sea-faring men we disburden our selves of those superfluous commodities which our Land affords and get thereby by exchange the commodities of other Countries which we want So that as God hath Wagons and Chariots in the Clouds and we Wagons and Chariots on the Earth and Land so God hath by this taught us to make Ships as our Wagons by Sea to transport and carry and have passage from one Nation to another But though we can have our horses and Wagons on the Land when we list yet cannot Mariners and Merchants have their Sea Wagoners to drive their Wagons there at their pleasures but must wait and tarry Gods leisure for prosperous gales and merry windes are sent them at the good pleasure and commandement of God and by reason of this goodnesse and benefit of waters God hath caused it that the Harvest of the Seas and the Treasure of the Sands shall be as great and greater then the Harvest of the Land and that the wealth of Merchants shall goe beyond the wealth and treasure of the Husbandmen Esay 23. 3. yea we see that Salomons wordly wealth and aboundance of all things both for necessary service as timber gold c. and for pleasure and variety as Apes and Peacocks c. 1 Reg. 10. 22. all that came by means of Merchandise and dealing by Ships and having traffique to Ophir which made him so rich that
Stork knoweth her season the Swallow never is seen but in the Summer the Cock croweth certainly at his hours Ex Avihus est praesagium Coeli when the Crane taketh up a stone and flies with it in his foot it is a signe of a storm 4. Knowledge of their Medicines The fourth part of preservation is that they doe know their medicines The Eagle buildeth his nest on high as in a tower the Hawke to get her feathers flyeth with a south winde she stretcheth out her wings to the South Job 39. 29. Plumescit vento Australi the Swallow cureth her eye sight by the Celandine the Ibis teacheth us to take a glister the Sea horse learned us the blood-letting for when he feeleth himself full of corrupt blood he pricketh himself upon a sharp reed 3. The Proviso Now of the Proviso The Fowls only multiply He saith only The fowls should multiply upon the Earth fishes by shoals did fill the waters and the spawn of fishes covered the waters It were dangerous and troublesome if the fowls had so many egges as the fishes have spawns non est tanta volucrum luxuries quanta est piscium God still regarded man he would not have the Aire pestered therefore he restrained them only for to multiply Sol homo generant hominem saith Philosophic but Divinity saith benedictio Dei homo generant hominem illa pisces generant pisces illa aves generant aves Gods blessing It is his blessing that giveth food to the hungrie cloaths to the naked riches to any man It is not labor that maketh rich nor strength that getteth victory Proverbs 10. 22. It is in vain for man to rise early to lye down late and to eate the bread of sorrow for mans state is in Gods providence Psal. 127. Children are the inheritance of the Lord the fruit of the womb is his reward in the same Psal. By study and Gods blessing commeth learning Whether then you eat or drink or beget or whatever you doe you doe it by Gods blessing That this blessing of God toward us may continue let us blesse and praise his name for ever If our blessing of thanksgiving and praise doe ascend his blessings will descend sic crit recursus decursus perpetuus Postea dixit Deus Faciamus Hominem ad imaginem nostram secundum similitudinem nostram qui dominetur in Pisces Maris in Volucres Coeli in Pecudes in universam Terram atque in omnia Reptilia Reptantia super Terram Gen. 1. 26. Februar 4. 1590. IT is St. Ambrose question Quamdiu discimus alias Creaturas ignoramus autem nos Before you see that things created before were for us The Creation of Man And now he createth us The knowledge of names the plenty of all things Ecclesiasticus 17. 2. the tale of dayes numbring the first second and third c. are for reasons capacity This numbring of dayes is the Ephemerides and Chronicle to the Worlds end God hath concealed his strength from the horse yet hath shewed it unto man After God hath compassed about the Heavens after he had ordered the land and the Sea he then created man and then he soundeth the retreat Quod est actione ultimum fuit intentione primum for God had still a regard of him God said thrice in the creation of Man which hath a resemblance of the Trinitie There is conveyance of Gods grace to man here is Gods Counsell for mans care 4. Things In this verse we will consider four things under four causes First Mans efficient Secondly the matter Thirdly the form Lastly the end in the similitude of God and in dominion over the fowls fishes and beasts God hath made him a Ruler Of them in order 1. Mans efficient First There is a partition wall there is a difference between this work of man and all the former Faciamus The stile now is changed fiat sit into faciamus God before was a Commander now he is a Counsellor Quis est saith a Father qui formabitur ut tanta sit opus prospectione Before with saying sit fiat facta sunt but here in faciamus is deliberation for that he now makes him for whom all the former Creatures were made The beasts were made this day with Man but here is the difference creata sunt ambo eodem die non eadem fide eodem loco non eodem modo God said producat terra germinet herba sed dixit faciamus hominem Austin saith well Fecit 〈…〉 ut procul stans at hominem ut prope accedens porrigens manum God framed man out of the Earth as doth the Potter his pot out of the clay As the clay is in the potters hand so is the house of Israel in Gods hand Jer. 18. 6. We are not only the sheep of his pasture but the sheep also of his hands He made us and not wee our selves Let us mark to whom is this Precept directed not the Angels and Elements The Arrians and Jews doe say that in the creating of man God consulted with Angels and had the help of Elements which opinion is without all discretion For who hath instructed the spirit of the Lord or was his Counsellor Esay 40. 13. Nec consilisrium neque auxiliarium habet Deus Men are not the patern of the Angels but the image of God Some Jews say here God speaketh like a Prince in the plural number denying the Trinity but Philo Judeus the best of the Jews disclaimeth that opinion We say therein is expressed the Trinity Princes in giving their Law use most magnificence God at the giving of his Law saith I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but one in the singular number The unity of God-head and the Trinity of Persons In dixit Deus is the unity of substance in faciam us is the trinity of persons In the treble creavit in this chapter in the treble dixit in this sixth day is signified the Trinity of persons In the image and similitude is the unity In nostra is the trinity dicit ad similitudinem non similitudines This is plain both in the creation and in the regeneration by Christ God in unity man in the trinity In creating man is great deliberation it is a joynt work of the Trinity Thus farre of the cause efficient 2. The matter of Man Secondly Of the Matter God created Man or Adam which is nomen collectivum and signifieth Earth the Matter of our creation God in creating the Heavens de profundis abyssi exaltavit altitudinem Coeli And here man a clod of earth before perchance trodden sub pedibus bestiarum collocavit super capita Angelorum ut in Christo. David seeing mans basenesse Psal. 144. 3. saith Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the Sonne of man that thou thinkest upon him and likewise in the 8. Psalme all before
womans creation before and shewed Gods bringing them together and joyning them in marriage Now in these words he goeth forward and sheweth what liking he had of her and also what name and title he gave unto her for so in his speech we are to consider his affection and her name which is here expressed before in the 19. and 20. verses We have seen that Adam seeking and searching among all the Creatures of God could finde no meet help or Companion for him for he saw only muta bruta versuta that is brutish things without reason speech or any other resemblance or likeness to him But now he awaking suddenly out of sleep and but one only creature being brought to him he at the first sight perceiving her both in nature body and minde to be most like unto him seemeth with the joy of a Bridegroom to say why this is mine own self one even after my heart and desires even another new Adam saving for the sex This may seem to be his confession at the first sight when he had found her In which confession is expressed his joy and affection towards her as it may appear in the emphasis of this word jam nunc for so we shall see it often in the Scriptures for a note of some joy or gladness conceived within So it is Gen. 29. 32. Now my husband will love me likewise 35. verse Now I will praise the Lord c. In which words Leah sheweth her joyfull affection at the birth of Juda and Levi besides the utterance of the words doe argue her rejoysing for we may observe in the former verse that whereas not his placing and pleasu in Paradise not the presence or enjoying of the Tree of life nor any else which he saw there could make him open his lipps to talk of it as not being much moved or delighted with them yet now as soon as ever he seeth and enjoyeth her presence and person he could not contein but breaketh out into this triumph of joy and love as who should say I doe not esteem and take any such love or comfort in the pleasures or treasures of Paradise nor in the Lordship of the Creatures nor in the possession of the whole earth nor all that is therein as now I doe in the presence and possession of this Woman which God in singular love and of his speciall grace hath given to me In which he teacheth us nothing else but that which Salomon saith of a good and virtuous wife Pro. 19. 14. riches lands and possessions may men give us or may fall to us by inheritance sed mulier intelligens est denum dei q.d. she is farre more precious than all things and most worthy to be esteemed which we see is most plainly found in Adam in this place who could not be drawn to such a joyfull speech untill now Because all the things in Paradise were small joy or comfort to him so long as he was in solitariness and wanted the companion of his life If we look into the nature of these words 〈◊〉 and bone we shall see that by them are fitly expressed the two ends for which woman was made for by this phrase he signifieth that if she was of him of the substance of his flesh and bone so was she made for him to be as helpfull and as necessarie for his good as his flesh and bone The bones of men as we know are the strength and props to uphold the body so should there be an ability and strength in the woman to help and sustain the man and his 〈◊〉 And as this is the help of society so as she is flesh she is as good a help and means to beare children to the man which is said to arise out of the nature of the flesh John 1. 13. for all Adams sonnes are born after the will of the flesh and to this end God hath placed delight and pleasure in the flesh which is called the 〈◊〉 of the flesh John 1. 16. So that the end of the womans creation 〈…〉 ad problem And thus much of the speech as it 〈◊〉 her denomination in which we may see that God doth not give him the honor only to give names to other Creatures which were made to be his servants but also he giveth him leave to impose a name to his wife which is after a sort equal to himself In which denomination he doth communicate and impart his own name unto her and would have her to wear a part of his own name by which she may be known to be his own which custome we see is yet 〈◊〉 and continued amongst the children of Adam yea even amongst the heathen whose saying was to them whom they vowed to make their wife ubi ega sum Caius tu eris Caia that is thou shalt be intituled and endowed first with mine owne name So we see that after the Wedding in which the wife is brought and given to the man her name is for ever eclipsed as our Law saith and she must shine by her husbands name and the giving this name to her doth not only argue a propriety and right in her but also a sovereignty and power over her as her head which also is manifested in this that she was not only made ex eo sed propter eum she was not only brought ad eum but also had her name de eo which four prepositions propter ad ex de are four strong arguments to prove her subjection Again we see that Adam giveth her not every name by which he was called But his speciall and chiefest names is Ish out of which the name Ishah which is woman This his name Ish is a name of dignitie and honour which as some say is taken for the word Jashah which signifieth he is the Monarch and only Ruler of all Gods Creatures wherefore if Adam was preferred to this title of honour to be a King then he will impart it to his wife and make her as Queen and Empress with him We may read in the Scripture this note of difference touching his names being diversly applied for Ben Ish which is filius hominis is spoken in honor of those that are the best and excellent men But Ben Adam which is fillius Adam implieth the common and basest for Adam is a name of humility to put him in minde of the matter he was made of but Ish is a name of nobility to shew him Gods mercy in exalting him on earth But we shall best conceive what Adam meant in naming her thus by the reason which he rendred by calling her so Quia sumpta erat ex viro which is as if he had said this is the cause why I would have her called so because in this name all may see the wonderfull work of God in making her so and that all may know I love thee as my self therefore this shall be thy name To conclude concerning this name we must note that
When a man hath done 〈◊〉 either he shameth which as we say is a signe of grace or else he hardneth his face like a stone and is not ashamed but shamelesse this is objected against the People of the Lord in Jeremie 3. 3. that though they were wicked and punished for their wickednesse yet they would not be ashamed Harlots were wont to cover their faces to cover their shame but now Harlots are become shimelesse this was the reason that Judah supposed Tamer to be an whore chap. 38. 15. for that she had covered her face God cannot abide the sinfull man but he will punish sharply those that will not be ashamed when they have committed abhomination Jeremy 6. 15. Now we are clothed and ashamed for the minde condemneth the deformity of sinne by shame and to be ashamed at our faults now is accounted a virtue shame now bewrayeth the sinne that is covered Adam and Eve were naked in body innocent in minde and were not ashamed of their nakednesse But since the Fall it is otherwise as in chap. 9. 22. Ham saw the nakednesse of Noah his father and was accursed but Shem and Japheth went backward and covered the nakednesse of their father whose nakednesse they saw not and for that they shamed to see their fathers nakednesse they were blessed God in the 20. of Exodus 20. commandeth Moses not to make steps up to his altar lest when he went up by the steps his filihinesse were discovered thereon when the young man in Mark 14. 52. that was clothed in lynnen upon his bare body and they would have caught him he left his linnen cloth and fled from them naked as being ashamed In the 21. of John 7. when Christ appeared to Peter and heard him speak he cast himself into the Sea not naked as he was but gyrded to him his coat But what maketh nakednesse lawfull and laudable what maketh want of shame commendable in Adam and Eve to be now a thing blamable and whereof to be ashamed There were certain Cynical Philosophers and notable Hereticks called Adamites that went naked but at length they were weary of their opinion they were not able long to continue naked and were at last ashamed of their nakednesse But to answer the said question we will consider first Adams original state and then the state of him and of Mankinde by his Fall The 〈◊〉 of Adams Innocencie was when the word of God was above all when mans reason was subject to Gods word when his will was obedient to his reason when his concupiscence to his will and when his flesh was subject to his concupiscence so all in Man was straight and right he was upright within and without his reason was obedient his will was not perverse his concupiscence was chaste the nakednesse of the body corrupted not the soul it was original righteousnesse that was the complexion of Mans soul when Man was innocent there was then no hindrance of good nor any inclination to evill All this while there was no shame for there was nothing whereof man had cause to be ashamed Innocencie and uprightnesse brought forth chastity chastity brought forth courage and this it is that made them though they were naked not to be ashamed But after the Fall when all came out of joynt as Paul speaketh our concupiscence became a Rebell to our will our will to our reason our reason to the Law of God mans body would not yeeld obedience to his soul nor his soul unto God according to that of Paul Rom. 7. 23. I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see 〈◊〉 Law in my members rehelling against the Law of my minde and lending me captive to the law of sinne which 〈◊〉 in my members the corruption of the fleshrebelleth and riseth against our spirit our carnall members doe raise up the flesh against the Law of the minde and against our will and these members 〈◊〉 called the fire-brands of 〈◊〉 It is not the hand not the leg not the arme not the seemly parts but the basest part the unseemliest member that striveth against the spirit Yet by Marriage upon those members of the body which we think most unhonest put we most honesty on and our uncomely parts have more 〈◊〉 for our comely parts need it not but God hath tempered the body together and hath given the more honor to that part 〈◊〉 lacked by this bond of Marriage whereby they two become one flesh Levit. 18. 6. And in diverse other places God faith 〈◊〉 shalt not come neer any of the kinred of his flesh to 〈◊〉 her shame though it be under title of marriage the uncovering of which shame turpe est vobis dicere it is a shame to tell though marriage be honest and honourable yet there is a shame in marriage which is the shame of the carnall members whereof both Man and Woman have their shame Man may be ashamed of his fire-brand of concupiscence all finnes are to be shamed at but lust above all is to be ashamed of which causeth other sinnes as in 〈◊〉 Adultery and Murther and the members of lust and carnalitie we are to cover and so to cover our shame and to this shame of 〈…〉 men are subject which sinne 〈◊〉 us more like bruit beasts than othervices the theef by the Law might make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that committesh adultery destroyeth his own 〈◊〉 the wound and 〈◊〉 of that teacher 〈◊〉 man was death Prov. 6. 33. neither the Law of God nor the Law of Nature admitted any 〈◊〉 for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Amnon committed his inceft 2 Sam. 13. 13. she said to him Commit not this folly how shall I put away my shame and than 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 of the fools of Israel he should be accounted even as a beast that hath no regard of kinred he should for that inoest be esteemed as a 〈◊〉 person He that is inticed by the flattery of an Harlot and felloweth her is as an one that goeth to the slaughter 〈◊〉 7. 22. He is like 〈…〉 neighing after his neighbours wife 〈◊〉 5. 8. 〈…〉 God that begat him and that formed him Deus 32. 18. It is 〈◊〉 begetteth sinne and sinne begetteth 〈◊〉 there was no sinne no filthinesse in Adam and Eve at the first where fore though they were naked yes they were not ashamed But in chap. 3. 7. after their Fall when they knew they were naked they made them 〈◊〉 to cover their privie and incomely parts and yet the covering of their shame takes not away 〈◊〉 shame And we should 〈◊〉 thus of apparel that it is to defend our nakednesse we being passible of weather to cover our shame and we have 〈◊〉 great cause 〈…〉 thereof seeing it is but as a clout wherein we doe wrap and cover our own shame we must take heed that we make not our shame to be our glory apparel should be a covering to shame but alas it is even now become a provocation and an
his too much safe in not taking pains to withstand her is labour and travail wherein is observed a very just analogie between the sinne and the punishment I come now to the particular sentence against the Serpent wherein before we can intreat of it there are two questions to be handled First when he speaks of a Serpent we ask What Serpent because there is a visible Creature called a Serpent but so also there an old Serpent which is the Devill or Satan Apoc. 12. that is a spirituall and mysticall Serpent as well as a naturall and bodily Serpent and the Sentence is against both and as it is certain according to the letter all cannot be meant of the one so neither can it be meant of the other therefore as the ancient Fathers teach it is mystically and not literally meant of both for as it is said that the Devill eats no dust so for the other Serpent we say not that the seed of the Woman shall bruise his head therefore is it to be referred to both the naturall Serpent as well as the other as our Saviour Christ John 3. 14. by the elevating of the Serpent in the wildernesse shews there is another Serpent to be lift up that is the Sonne of Man By our Saviours warrant that this stretcheth as to the spirituall Serpent called Satanas so to the naturall Serpent also In the second place we inquire Whether it were in Justice that that Serpent should be punished in so much as being a bruitish Creature without understanding he could not understand that which he was set about by the Devill The answer is That it was great Justice as to punish sinne it self so the instrument all cause of it For the Creatures being created for the benefit and service of Man when it became a cause adjuvant in the destruction and overthrow of Man so as he loseth the blessings and becomes subject to the curse in this case it was but Justice to punish that Creature It will better appear of like importance the righteousnesse of which dealing is in the Law for Exod. 21. 28. God saith If an Oxe gore a Man that he dye the Oxe shall dye And the reason of man doth accord to it and Levit. 20. 15. If a man lye with a beast the beast shall be slain But that which the ancient Fathers stand most upon is this That the body of Man the arms and other parts and joynts of the body are nothing but the instruments of sinne as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. 13. The members of the body are but weapons of unrighteousnesse We make no question but the body may be whipt or burned the eares and hands may be cut off howbeit the sinne is in the soul and the body the soul being gone out of it can doe no such act therefore the Sentence against the Instrument is according to Gods Law therefore God himself gave order that the golden Calf should be burnt to ashes Deut. 9. 21. there was a Sentence executed against a thing not only void of reason but without sense But more fully to our purpose is the judgement executed by Ezechia upon the brasen Serpent 2 Reg. 18. 4. If that sentence might be pronounced upon that Serpent that healed those that looked upon it then without question this sentence may be executed upon the naturall Serpent that was the Devills instrument to work mans destruction the rather if we add hereto that God had an intent not only to punish the Serpent but to make him an exemplary and visible chastisement that he remaining so the horror of him might strike into mans minde how he is punished and that thereby they might be put in minde to take heed that they be not the instruments and occasioners of sinne for here we see that they that are occasioners and helpers in any sinne are subject to the sentence of Justice And that may suffice concerning the outward Serpent for so the other which the Prophet calls the crooked Serpent Isay 27. and St. John calls the old Serpent Apoc. 12. there can no question be but that the sentence may justly and must reach to him that it is agreeable to equity and great reason in as much as it was he that spake in the Serpent that Qui in Serpente loquitur cum Serpente maledicatur saith Augustine and he doth receive it in that order because in the habit of a Serpent he presumed this as 1 Sam. 28. where the spirit that appeared in the likenesse of Samuell was called by the name of Samuell after the same manner the Devill making his apparition in the likenesse of a Serpent carries that name still In the Sentence it self we have to consider two things that is the Reason and the Punishment the reason comprehended in these words because thou hast done this therefore the punishment or Sentence followeth thou art cursed wherein there is yet another thing to be noted before the particular handling of it because in comparing this verse with the verses following we shall see a diverse course holden for there to the Woman and Man God saith Quare fecisti hoc alowing them their tryall and examination for the justifying of themselves before he proceeded to give sentence But no manner of tryall is allowed to the Serpent but saith he Quia fecisti hoc thou art cursed he is not permitted to come to his answer the reason is plain for if we take it spoken to the natural Serpent he being void both of reason and speech could render no reason he comes only under the cause instrumentall and for the other there was no reason of a reason either to be rendred by him or to be demanded of him for he was before condemned as the Fathers have noted Isay 14. 14. and out of the sixth verse of Judes Epistle And consequently being in the state of a Rebell was condemned already and so was not to have the benefit of the Law as Paul saith Rom. 2. 12. They that sinne without the Law shall perish without the Law as on the other side it is just ut qui sub lege peccat sub lege pereat but there is no reason that the benefit of Justice should extend to Rebels that are lawlesse and therefore in Militarie affairs we see that Military Law executeth such without sentence Again God knew that that which was committed by man and Woman came not by themselves but by the malice of the Devil and therefore he ordeined that they should have more favour and have their tryall that they to whom the malice of the Devil had been prejudicial to them the goodnesse and mercy of God should be beneficiall that they might be saved by the goodnesse of God that had been cast away by the envie of the Devill and therefore saith Augustine he seeks them out when they fled from him and not only so but he gives them a time to repent and a time of answer because there was in them hope of
more than his providence for as he seeth the sacrifice of both so in justice he respects the good and rejects the evill Cain said as the wicked doe in their heart God doth not regard Psalm the tenth but if Cain desires that God should not regard Abel nor his good service he desires a thing unpossible for God is not unjust to forget the labour of our love Hebrews the sixt and the tenth verse Shall I justifie the wicked ballance and the bag of deceitfull weights the sixt chapter of Micha and the eleventh verse therefore whether we respect God or Abel this cause of Cains sorrow is unjust and his envy is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore whereas other sinnes are punished only in the world to come and have pleasure in this life as if that future punishment were not sufficient for envy The envious man is a torment to him self God takes order that it shall have punishment in this life for the envious man is a torment to himself as the Wise man saith the fourteenth of the Proverbs and the thirtieth invidia est putredo ossium The degrees of Cains heaviness were that he was iratus valdè It was not one of the first degrees of anger which the Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are passions which are no sinne at all as in the fourth chapter of the Ephesians irascimini nolite peccare and the Lord saith dost thou well to be angrie Jonas the third chapter meaning there is some anger that is good so there is an anger that is no sin for the first motions of anger are not so hainous for the nature of men cannot keep away these passions no more than birds may be kept from lighting upon trees The Preacher saith Ecclesiastes the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse ira nidificat in sina 〈◊〉 whereupon one saith that although anger will light upon our nature whether we will or no yet we may keep it from making a nest in our hearts and so long it is no sinne therefore Cains sin is great in respect it was not only without a just cause but for that he suffered anger to rest in his heart Note The tongue the trumpet of the minde The falling down of his countenance is a fruit of the abundance of his heart as our Saviour Christ saith Matthew the twelfth chapter and the thirty fourth verse ex abundantia cordis os loquitur the tongue is the trumpet of the minde The countenance the glass of our affections and the countenance is the glass wherein we may behold the affections of the heart as the Preacher saith heaviness will appear in the countenance Examples so it did in Labans countenance Genesis the thirty first chapter no lesse than it doth here in Cain so in the Bretheren of Joseph Genesis the thirty seventh chapter Hatred cannot speak peaceable in so much as they could not speak peaceably to him so Saul ever after looked asquint on David after he conceived displeasure at him the first of Samuel and the eighteenth chapter Pride of heart appeares by proud looks so the Scripture sheweth that the pride of the heart appeares in the countenance by the proud look the one hundred and first Psalm and the high looks Proverbs the sixth chapter the adulterous minde is shewed by eyes full of adultery the second of Peter and the second chapter Countenance cast down a sign of ill when the minde imagineth evill then the light of the countenance is turned into darkness and the countenance which should be upright is changed in ruinam vultûs with casting down of the countenance because it is both an effect and sign of ill and the Apostle willeth that we abstain from any appearance of ill the first to the Thessalonians and the fifth chapter therefore we are to avoid it tristitia vultûs est hostilis tessara the outward badge and token of some inward evill conceived in the heart abscedendum est non 〈◊〉 a malo sed ab omni specie mali For the conclusion as we have already once seen the way what it is that we might not follow it Jude the eleventh verse so here again we are to consider his way which is of three sorts Note First not to rest and be content with that which God will have come to pass he was displeased because God respected Abel and not him Be content when God respected and contrary whereas he should have said with Eli the first of Samuel and the third chapter Deus est faciet quod bonum videtur in occulis ejus and with David the one hundred and ninteenth Psalm and the seventy fifth verse I know Lord thy judgments are right and that of very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me but to stomack God for any of his doings is a thing that every one must avoid that will not walk in Cains way Fret not thy self because of the ungodly saith the Prophet Psalm the thirty seventh and the first we may not think much that God doth respect the wicked and blesse them with temporall blessings much lesse are we to repine at the good of the godly Fret not at the prosperity of the wicked The Prophet affirmeth that he was offended at the prosperity of the wicked in so much as he said I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Psalm the thirty seventh he could not tell what to think of it till he went to the 〈◊〉 and there he learned that albeit they flourish in the world yet he sets them in slippery places that they may fall down to their distruction therefore we may not fret our selves considering that those things prove to Gods providence This was Davids meditation on the Sabbath Psalm the ninty second and the sixt and seventh verses That albeit the unwise know it not and fools doe not understand so much yet he was assured that when the wicked did grow as the grosse and all the Workers of wickedness did flourish then they should perish so that we have no just cause to be displeased with God if he respect the wicked seeing it is for his hurt but if he respect Abel and his good service we are to be glad When righteous men are in authority then the people rejoyce Proverbs the twentieth chapter and the second verse 〈◊〉 it is he joy of the world that the godly are respected of God and enjoy his favourable countenance and he that will not follow Cains way must confidere virtuti suae alienae non invidere Some rise not by virtue but by others fall when men doe not labour to exalt themselves by their own virtue but rise up by the fall of others that is Cains way which we must carefully avoid as we will ascape the wrath of God Thirdly the example of Abels good service and the favour which God vouchsafeth to
a condemning of his action because it is a foolish thing to doe that which hath no good reason to be rendred to warrant the doing of it Therefore God divideth the sense into two parts either the reason must be in God or in Abel in God for favouring him or in Abel because favoured of God Now God in the former part hath acquitted himself saying If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted for behold I am just and will regard thy well doing therefore thou hast no cause to be grieved for that Or else thou shalt be rewarded according to justice and that in bounty and liberality which is by ancient Fathers grounded upon the words of God to Abraham Fear not for I will be thine exceeding great reward Genesis the fifteenth chapter and the first verse that is If thou dost well thou shalt be 〈◊〉 be rewarded for it but if thou dost not well thou hast no cause to be grieved neither for as I am just and will talk with thee one day thou shalt hear of it so yet my justice is full of mercy I intend not presenly to take thee by the throat but give thee space to repent 〈◊〉 shall but lye at thy dore so that not only Gods justice 〈◊〉 herein but his mercy is exceeding great and mixed with justice If God took order that after his sinne committed Cain should 〈◊〉 by and by come to judgement but should have time first to 〈◊〉 himself of it this is matter of comfort that no man should despair by and by when he hath sinned far that God is a 〈…〉 God and would not the death of sinner and therefore giveth him time to repent This sheweth that God gave him no cause of grief There remains that the grief must be conceived against Abel because God so much respected him but so the sense is as if God should say Cain art thou grieved for Abels good and fearest he should grow insolent by the favour I have shewed him and so he should despise and thou shouldst be vile in his eyes If Abel have offended thee why his desire shall be subject to thee but that is no cause why thou shouldst be grieved for he being the Child of grace doth not affect any such manner of superiority as thou fearest but is as modest and as humble as he was before and so thou hast no reason of impatiencie against him And not only that first but this second that God shewed plainly that it is his will that in and by the sin committed no man should lose any priviledge which of right is due to him and which before hee had and every motion in a Superior to sinne doth not discharge him of his authority Which is contrary to that false opinion and censure of them which thinke that even Princes themselves after sinne committed lose all their prerogative and supremacy of government which they had before and that their Subjects are not bound to doe their service any longer to them but that ever after their allegiance shall cease which is false and contrary to all reason and not Gods intent and will here For as in the chapter before after Adam had sinned yet Eve was still subject to him so the same God saith and ratifieth here that Cain though he had thus sinned both against God and his brother yet being the elder and first born and so before Abel so there should be a superiority and dominion that he should still retain by nature And it is Gods assertion that that superiority should be reteined still and that Abel should not seek to be his Superior neither did he That was the prerogative which Cain had before Abel as the elder But to yeeld this obedience hath been the continuall practise of all the Saints and Children of God King Saul was a wicked man yet David rebelled not against him because he knew him to be the Lords annointed so the Prophet Jeremy saith of Nebuchadnezar a wicked King that he will visite the Nation and Kingdome that will not serve him the twenty seventh chapter of Jeremiah and the ninth verse and for the new Testament both Paul and Peter confess the same Paul in the first to Timothy the second chapter and the second verse and Peter in the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the fourteenth verse doe will that duty and allegiance be given to the higher powers not only if they be good but though they be Tyrants and wicked Princes that fear not God And it is it that God saith by Job Job the thirty fourth chapter and the thirtieth verse that by him the Hypocrite reigneth that is for their sinnes God will send wicked Princes and Cain shall bear rule over Abel God doth not only alledg that thus it was but thus he would have it This Government thus by God established in the beginning was by David Jeremy Paul Peter Job and all the rest of the Patriarchs and Saints of God confessed and allowed So that if we regard Abel either in respect of himself or his demeanour towards Cain or we respect Gods goodness herein no just cause can be of grief neither was it Gods will that Abel should resist neither doth he any such thing and so indeed there was no just cause why Cain should fear it or be grieved And this may suffice for the first which I will shut up with this Caveat of instruction 〈◊〉 Our own sinne of malice and envy is cause of our grief that for as much as the grief of malice and envy cannot be 〈◊〉 from God who is just nor from Abel who is mild and modest then it remains that it came from Cain himself whom God repeats four times together in the words of this Text thou and thee and so he must return to his own heart and remember how his own sinne is cause of his grief as God himself speaketh by Isaiah the fourty sixth chapter and the eighth verse Remember thus and be ashamed bring it again to minde you transgressors Note And for the new Testament Luke the fifteenth chapter the prodigall Sonne when he came to himself confessed his own unworthiness and said Father I have sinned which is another main point of Divinity established from the beginning that as God saith Hosea the fifteenth and the ninth perditio tua ex te Israel salus autem ex me so our well doing or ill doing is cause of our regarding or destruction so saith James no man is tempted of God for God cannot be tempted of ill neither doth he tempt any man but every one is tempted of his own concupiscence James the first chapter and the thirteenth verse So that from the first we have this Doctrine that if God be judged he is innocent and if Abel there is no fault in him and to come to Cain he is in all the fault But now if we come about and say it is not meant of the person but of the things that is
his soul in the thirty eighth chapter of Isaiah and the fifteenth verse And the Apostle saith That the true tokens of Godly sorrow are to be angry to be afraid of himself afterwards and to he revenged of himself for the sinne committed in the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse And Deprecatio poenae that is petition for forgivenesse as The Lord be mercifull to my sinne and forgive me my sinne Secondly God requires justificationem justitiae that is declare that the sentence is past upon us justly as David doth Psalm the fifty first and the fourth verse Against thee only have I sinned that thou mayest be just when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest And this likewise hath two parts First That we think well of God saying with the Prophet in the one hundred and ninteenth Psalm and the seventy fifth verse I know Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou of very faithfulnesse hast afflicted me Secondly To bear quietly and meekly the punishment that he layeth upon us by David's example in the thirty ninth Psalm Tacui Domine quia tu fecisti But as for Cain we see on his part neither promise of repentance nor petition for forgivenesse he confesseth his fault indeed My sinne is greater but it was no true confessi on First That it was too late it should have stood in the ninth verse for A just man will be first in his own cause to accuse himself Proverbs the eighteenth chapter and the seventeenth verse but he denyed it proudly and so was farre from making any promise of repentance Secondly No true confession because without any petition of forgivenesse for he concieved this foolish opinion That his sinne could not be forgiven as if the Womans seed had not Power to break the the Serpents head or the blood of Christ crying for mercy of God did not crie louder than Abels did for justice which the Apostle saith speaketh better things than the blood of Abel Hebrews the twelfth chapter But as for his opinion touching Gods justice both Cain and all others ought with David to acknowledge in every punishment that he layeth upon them Psalm the one hundred and nineteenth and the one hundred and thirty seventh verse Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy judgments They ought to judge themselves worthy to be destroyed Ezekiel the thirty sixt chapter for so did the better Thees Luke the twenty third chapter and the fourty first verse We indeed suffer righteously for we receive things worthy of that we have done but this man hath done nothing amisse But as for Cain he maketh no such acknowledgment of Gods justice in punishing him whereas he should have confessed he was worthily cast out of the earth because he had bereaved the earth of one of her Children killed a man an innocent and not only so but a Saint that he was worthily cast out of Gods presence being defiled with blood even as Joab was pulled from the Altar in the first of Kings the second chapter as if he would pollute the Altar For as the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians the fift chapter the reason why the Corinthian was excommunicated was because by a little leaventhe whole lump should be leavened The other was justly punished with a life of sorrow and fear because he had been a cause of sorrow and fear to many yet Cain doth none of all these but insteed of acknowledging Gods justice in regard of his desert he makes it strange and wonders at it Behold but we are taught to think otherwise that how grievous soever God punisheth us yet he dealeth not with us after our deserts Psalm the one hundred and third We must not think strange concerning the fiery triall as if same strange thing were come to us in the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter and the twelfth verse We must not make an ecce of Gods Judgments as Cain doth for God is wise and albeit the party punished be innocent yet we are to think that God will suffer no punishment to come to him without just cause much more ought we to justifie him when he punisheth a notorious Offender But from this word ecce it appeares that Cain did not so much as conceive a right of Gods justice The second point in justifying Gods Justice is to bear quietly the punishment that he layeth uppon us Levitieus the twenty sixt chapter and the fourty 〈◊〉 verse which Christ calls the taking up of the Cross Matthew the sixteenth chapter for if we bear the 〈◊〉 our iniquitie unwillingly superimponitur non tollitur crux therefore first we must acknowledge in regard of our sinnes that God dealeth more mercifully with us than we deserve Secondly We must bear quietly the punishment laid upon us for out of affliction the godly gather matter of thanks Job having all taken from him saith Job the first chapter benedictum sit momen domini and David Psalm the one hundred sixteenth accipiam calicem salutis he praiseth God for the cup of affliction as well as for the cup of salvation is as thankfull to God for the benefits which he by means of affliction bestoweth upon them against their will as for those that come to them with their will and good liking and this is the perfection that we are to strive unto but if we doe not at all reckon them as benefits yet we must say with Eli in the first of Samuel the third chapter and the eighteenth verse Dominus est faciat quod bonum videtur in oculis suis therefore the Prophet saith of him that is accustomed to bear the yoke from his youth Lamentations the third chapter and the twenty eighth verse sidebit silebit so must we doe and say with David in the second of Samuel the fifteenth chapter and the twenty sixt verse Here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes But Cain seemeth not thus to be affected because he is altogether in the enumeration of his punishment it is no quiet bearing but odiosa repetitio If this sinne were so great as he said it was he should have done better to enter into the consideration thereof as David did Psalm the fifty first My sinne is ever before me so he should ever have thought of the grievousness of his sin And touching the party killed First it was a man Secondly his brother Thirdly an innocent Again in regard of himself it was of envy that he killed him not of a sudden but by premeditation after a trecherous manner for he went with him into the fields and there fell upon him his sinne was the greater for that it was an offence to God who had preached a long Sermon to him that it was a grief to Adam and Eve a scandall and offence to all ages who from his example might take a pattern to commit this sinne but Cain takes not this course the 〈◊〉
is to be praised would not accept their praise but answered them Why tempt ye me O ye Hypocrites And when one said to him Magister bone good Master which was a praise of simplicitie not of hypocrisie as the other he refused it and said Why dost thou call me good Mark the tenth chapter When one said Blessed is the womb that bare thee he repelled that saying Nay rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Luke the eleventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse For as the shewing of the Kings treasure was the means of the betraying them Isaiah the thirty ninth chapter so when we shew our good works with a desire to be praised for them it takes away all commendation from them This thing being dangerous if notwithstanding we be desirous to have our good deeds seen that shall be fulfilled which Sirach saith He that loveth dangers shall perish therein Qui amat periculum peribit in co cap 3. 27. But to disswade us from this the Apostle saith Be not desirous of vain glory Galatians the fift chapter and Philippians the second chapter and the third verse The Preacher saith all is vanity which men seek after in this life and therefore concludes Time Deum Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter to teach us that without God all the praise of the world is but vanity Now as we fail in having respect to God First when we make not him the fountain of our praise Secondly if we make him not the end of it so in doing good works to be seen we commit two vanities First when we content not our selves with this perswasion that God sees our works and will reward them unlesse man see them and praise us for them The tryall whether we make God the fountain of our praise is if we seek it by wayes agreeable to his will not by wickednesse Secondly not by vanity for his delight is not in beautie riches or strength he delighteth not in any mans Legs in the hundred and fourty sixt Psalme Thirdly not by falshood as the Apostle saith I will not glory of any thing which the Lord hath not wrought by me in the second to the Corinthians and the eleventh chapter Hereby we shall seek the praise of God rather than of men in the twelfth chapter of John nay though they seek praise by righteousnesse and doing good works yet they make not God the fountain of their praise the Hypocrites when they would be praised did those works that were most glorious as to offer sacrifice in the temple but they neglected mercy and justice which are the chief things that God respecteth in the twenty third chapter of Matthew They washed not their hearts in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew which God especially regardeth but looked only to outward things and they that doe mercy and justice which are the chief things of the Law yet they will not doe them but when they may be seen Whereby they shew that they make not God the fountain of their praise and so the praise they seek for is hatefull to God Secondly this desire of vain glory is injurious to God when we make not him the end of our praise for we may doe good works coram in the sight of men but not with purpose to have them seen that so we may receive glory For God hath given us the joyes and use of all his Creatures but reserveth the glory of them to himself therefore the Apostle saith howsoever ye have the joy of Gods Creatures in eating and drinking yet let God have the glory Doe all to the glory of God in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the thirty first verse For though he giveth us the use of all things yet gloriam meam alteri non dabo in the fourty second chapter of Esay Therefore if we doe good works to commend our selves and not to glorifie God we are injurious to him for he hath testified that he will not give his glory to any other And therefore Peter and John say It is not by our own godlinesse that we have made this man whole but it is the name of Christ and faith in him that hath raised him in the third chapter of the Acts Therefore not only Nabuchadnezar when he snatched Gods glory to himself was punished in the fourth chapter of Daniell But even Herod also because he did but suffer that glory to rest upon him that was attributed to him by others when he should have ascribed all to God in the twelfth chapter of the Acts and the twenty second verse Then as it is injurious to God so it is hurtfull to our selves for though we see many miracles wrought by Christ yet they are afraid to confesse and believe him Because they love the praise of men more than the praise of God in the twelfth chapter of John and the fourty third verse And therefore Christ saith How can you believe which seek glory one of another and seek not the honor that commeth of God alone quomodo potestis credere qui gloriam sibi quaeritis in the fift chapter of John and the fourty fourth verse Secondly as it is an obstacle to grace so it is a provocation to all wickednesse For the Jews doubted not to crucisie the Lord of glory to get praise of the wicked Secondly that we may doe this Christ willeth us to take heed for there is a double corruption in us First a rebellion against Gods precepts which make us say quare as Pharaoh in the fift chapter of Exodus and the second verse Who is the Lord that I should hear his voice And as the Scribes and Pharisees said to Christ By what authority doest thou these things in the twenty first chapter of Matthew and the three and twentieth verse Secondly the blindnesse of our understanding which makes us ask quomodo which is the question of ignorance so that it is not without cause that he bids us take heed that we beware of this sinne as being a hard precept both for our rebellion to yeeld unto and also in regard of our ignorance which is such as we cannot see how it should be lawfull to seek praise by well doing the hardnesse of avoiding this sinne is of two causes First it ariseth from the nature of sinne it self for as we are corporall and visible so we are most affected with those things that are visible as John reasoneth He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen in the first Epistle of John and the fourth chapter whereupon it commeth to passe that our corruption that though we believe the reward of God to be great yet because it is invisible and the worlds reward is present therefore pleaseth us more Secondly from the originall of vain glory for when the woman looked upon the fruit albeit it greatly pleased her yet that which did strike the stroak was eritis sieut dii in the third chapter of Genesis the hope of present
faith by means whereof that was made present to Abraham which otherwise was absent The fathers by faith beheld this promise afarre off Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the seventh 〈◊〉 c. And were as sure of them as if they were performed Thirdly He rejoyced It is said that God gave charge touching the Patriarchs and ancient Fathers Nolite tangere unctos 〈◊〉 Psalm the hundred and fift and the fifteenth verse Which 〈◊〉 was Abraham who was 〈◊〉 with the oyle of gladnesse Psalm the fourty fift By which the conceived joy when by faith he saw the day of Christs 〈◊〉 Here we are to inquire of the matter and words of this joy The 〈◊〉 and cause of Abrahams joy was deliverance which is a great cause of joy When the Lord brought again the captivity then was our mouth filled with laughter Psalme the hundred twenty sixt So Abraham 〈◊〉 to think that he was delivered from being dust and 〈◊〉 that now be might say with David They 〈◊〉 not leave my 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 nor suffer me to see 〈◊〉 Psalm the sixteenth and the tenth 〈◊〉 Secondly He rejoyced considering that by means of Christ his 〈◊〉 he should not only 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 which is death of body For dust thou art and to dust 〈…〉 Genesis the third chapter And the death of the soul which is the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 the sixt chapter But should have 〈…〉 and that not temporal but spiritual in 〈…〉 the first chapter and the third verse For as the 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 not earthly blessings but heavenly For 〈…〉 had been mindfull of earthly blessings They had 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 and had 〈…〉 them Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the 〈…〉 But the matter of Abrahams joy was the hope of a 〈◊〉 blessing 〈◊〉 Christ. This God 〈◊〉 when he promised That his seed should not only be as the dust of the earth which is an earthly 〈…〉 the thirteenth chapter but As the starres of Heaven Genesis the fifteenth chapter By which is meant the blessing of Heaven This blessing was That he should enjoy those things which the eye bath not seen the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the ninth verse Thirdly That this blessing should come to him per semen suum not by a strange or foraign means this did increase Abrahams joy to think quod Servator Abrahae est semen Abrahae And that he whom David called his Lord was his sonne Matthew the twenty second chapter Fourthly His joy was the greater considering that this benefit was not appropriated to the Jews only that were of the stock of Abraham but that in him all Nations should be blessed not only he and all his children but as many as were to be blessed should obtain this blessednesse in him So say the Angels that the birth of Christ is matter of the Peoples joy because it belongs to all People Luke the second chapter That in this life all that are blessed with faithfull Abraham Galatians the third chapter And after this life shall be blessed by being received into Abrahams bosome Luke the sixteenth chapter For the manner of his joy As his desiring sight was spiritual so his joy is not carnal as ours but spiritual We desire to see the feast of Christs nativity and we joy when it comes but in a carnal manner but it must be spiritual as Mary saith My spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Luke the second chapter There is a joy of the countenance which is outward but the true joy is of the heart and conscience To desire Christs dayes before he come and to joy when he is come are the true touchstones of our love to him When our Parents heard God was come they hid themselves Genesis the third chapter So he that is in state of sinne desires not Gods comming or presence neither rejoyce at it They say Let the holy one of Israel cease from before us Isaiah the thirtieth chapter and the eleventh verse So farre are they off from desiring his comming And for joying when he is come they will say with the Gergasites Depart out of our Coasts Matthew the eighth chapter and the thirty fourth verse But contrariwise the godly to testifie their desire say Break the Heavens and come down Psalme the hundred fourty fourth 〈◊〉 So for joy The hope that is deferred makes the heart to faint but when it comes it is as a tree of life Proverbs the thirteenth chapter and the twelfth verse Therefore we must proceed from desire to sight and by it as also by our joy we conceive at the day of Christs birth we may examine whether we be the children of Abraham and so may conceive hope to be partakers of blessing with him But if we rejoyce as the carnal Israelites did of whom it is said The People sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play Exodus the thirty second chapter and the sixt verse If we testifie our joy by eating and drinking that is no true joy Our 〈◊〉 day shall be 〈◊〉 Malachie the second chapter This joy is the Heathens joy whose hearts are filled with food and 〈◊〉 Acts the fourteenth chapter They eate cakes and drink wine and make themselves 〈◊〉 therewith Jeremiah the fourty fourth chapter But that is not Abrahams joy it is spiritual wherein is blessednesse For blessed are the People that can rejoyce in thee Psalm the eighty ninth We must learn to rejovce a right at the day of Christs birth If we will rejoyce as Abraham did we must pray with David Remember me Lord that I may see the 〈◊〉 of thy chosen and bee glad with thy people and give thanks with thine inheritance Psalm the hundred and sixt and the fourth and fift verses Abraham knew a day would come that should take away all his earthly joy and therefore desired the day of Christs birth which might make him to rejoyce in 〈…〉 the fift chapter And rejoyce in afflictions the first epistle of Peter and the fourth chapter such a joy as na man shall take away John the sixteenth chapter As we must rejoyce at this day of Christ after Abrahams example so Christ hath a second day wherein he will give to every man according to his works Romans the second chapter If we rejoyce at this day when it comes and desire it If we love the glorious comming of Christ the second epistle to Timothy and the fourth verse If we look for the appearing of the just God Titus the second chapter and the twelfth verse then shall we shew our selves the Children of Abraham Of that day to see it he saith it shall be matter of joy Lift up your heads Luke the twenty sixt chapter and the twenty first verse For your redemption draweth neer To others matter of sorrow They shall hide them in the rocks Revelations the third chapter but we must say with David I remembred thy judgements and received comfort Psalme the hundred and ninteenth Principes populorum congregantur
of John the second chapter and second verse The law hath two parts Punishment and Reward We by our sinnes have made our selves guilty of the punishment and of the curse that is threatned against them that continue not in all things 〈◊〉 the third chapter But he stands as a Mediator between the punishment and us and 〈◊〉 shed his bload as a ransome for our sinnes the first epistle to Timothie the second chapter and so hath cancelled the hand-writing 〈◊〉 against us and taken away the malediction that was 〈◊〉 us Collossians the second chapter and for the reward which we should have deserved fac hoc vives howsoever we have debarred our selves of it yet he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephesians the first chapter and hath bought and purchased life for us He is a Mediator and Intercessor on our parts to God propter 〈◊〉 peccati defectum meriti by his innocencie and righteousnesse he hath purchased that for us which we could not deserve for our sinnes This is to be an Intercessor which intercession is performed in all Religions by Prayer and Oblation By prayer Christ is our Intercessor For he sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us Romans the eight chapter not for the godly only but for his enemics Father forgive them Luke the twenty third chapter as it was foretold of him He shall pray for the transgressors Isaiah the fifty third chapter And he prayed not only for forgivenesse of sinnes but for the turning away of punishments due to sinne which was the cause that he offered up supplications to God with strong cries Hebrews the fift chapter and the â—eventh verse He prayed that the holy Ghost might be given to his Disciples John the fourteenth chapter 〈…〉 of the Father that the holy Ghost being given Sathan might not 〈…〉 them from the faith Luke the twenty second chapter Lastly That we may be partakers of glory with him John the sevententh chapter and be where he is As he prayeth for us so he makes 〈…〉 supplyeth the impersections of of our prayers and makes them acceptable to God Canticles the eighth chapter 〈◊〉 me audire vocem tuam that is I will take upon me to obtain for you that which you cannot Secondly for Oblation As Samuel did 〈◊〉 only pray to God for the People but did himself take a 〈…〉 and after 〈…〉 for the People the first book of Samuel the seventh chapter So Christ as our Intercessor to God not only by prayer but by oblation he was an oblation offered in the morning 〈…〉 was presented to God his Father that he would for us yeeld obedience to the Law 〈…〉 his death was an evening oblation he was not only the 〈…〉 first fruit of the corne but became the vine in his death by 〈◊〉 his blood And as he not only prayeth but giveth 〈…〉 so he doth not only offer for us but give 〈…〉 the Prophet foretold That whom he should 〈…〉 offerings of the people should be acceptable 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 and the fourth verse Our prayers and oblations 〈…〉 â—…ctions And whereas God appointed that the 〈…〉 be purified should offer to God a young 〈…〉 Leviticus the twelfth chapter to 〈…〉 up himself to God tanquam agnum immaculatum yet 〈◊〉 columbam gementem if not innocencie of life yet repentance and sorrow for sinnes But because we cannot present either a Lamb or a Dove neither innocencie of life nor true sorrow for sinnes therefore Christs oblation doth supply the defect of our imperfections We cannot offer up such tears for sinne as we ought therefore the strong cries and tears which he offered Hebrews the fift chapter the seventh verse stand between God and us Because the agonie and grief of our heart is cold and dead therefore the agonie that he indured when he sweat water and blood is a suppliant Luke the twenty second chapter So he is both an oblation for us and supplyeth the imperfections of our oblations He having offred up himself to God as a Lamb 〈◊〉 and without spot the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the nineteenth verse hath appeased the wrath of God his Father and procured his favour for us and keeps away the malice and rage of Satan from us Victori dabo edere ex arbore illa vitae quae est in medio Paradisi Dei Revel 2. 7. Febr. 4. 1598. A PLACE of Scipture purposely chosen that we might not depart from the consideration of those things wherein we have been occupied heretofore and yet such as may fitly be applyed for our instruction in the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ for though we be now in the Revelations yet are we not gone from the third chapter of Genesis wherein we learned that Adam was sent out of the Garden and kept from the tree of life Affinity of the Tree of life and of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And for the businesse we intend there is a great affinity between the tree of life which God set in Paradise as a quickning means for the coutinuance of life in Adam if he had continued in his first state and the Sacrament of Christs body and blood for as I told you the causes of that Scripture gives man a hope of restitution to Paradise and 〈◊〉 tree of life which is acquifitis novi juris And that restitution is performed in this place There was an Angel set to forbid Adam accesse to the tree of life which was a sight dreadfull for that he was armed with a firie sword But here we have comfort that he that makes this promise of restitution is an Angel as well armed viz. with a two edged sword Apocalyps the first chapter and the sixteenth verse Whose eyes were as a flame of fire Apocalyps the second chapter and the eighteenth verse So there is a resemblance between the partie that here gives licence to come to the tree of life and the other that forbid to come to it The one threatned with a sword the other promiseth to the persons that keep the condition here expressed That they shall out of the tree of life The point is next how these shall prevail But if we consider how the Angels or Seraphins 〈◊〉 the sixt chapter and the second verse in that they hid their faces before the Lord of 〈◊〉 which was Christ whose glory was 〈◊〉 shewed John the twelfth chapter and Cherubins 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter doe 〈◊〉 this Angel and cast their crowns down before him as the blessed spirits doe 〈◊〉 the fift chapter it is like he shall prevail for the one is the sword but of a ministring spirit Hebrews the first chapter but this is the promise of the Lord of life and glory Acts the third chapter and the first 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 the second chapter But the chief point to be inquired is How the holy Ghost agreeth with himself that man being debarred of the tree of life is
there is an Angel under Christ which takes charge for the defense of the Church on earth which is Michael your Prince Dan. 10. 21. Secondly Out of Judes epistle verse the ninth the ancient Fathers prove that by Michael we are not to understand Christ for that which he affirmeth that Michael durst not check the Devill with cursed speaking cannot be ascribed to Christ which not only dare but hath trodden down Satan under his feet much more dare he check him which unlesse he could doe it were a plain signe that he is not Omnipotent Therefore by Michael here we are to understand some other and not Christ. Thirdly Out of this place Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the fift verse In as much as the Child that was born was Christ it is not like that this Childe should suddenly be translated into an Archangel and fight with the Dragon And therefore both Theodoret and others say that Michael is a chief spirit among the created spirits that then took care of the Church in Jury and still is carefull of Christs Church unto the end of the world And to this we may add the judgement of the Church which on this holy-day doth thank God for the service of the Angels but makes no mention of Christ that it is he that in this place warreth with the Dragon and his Angels For the Dragon there is a farre more easie passage so as we may soon guesse what is meant by him for in this chapter he is called the Devil and Satan whereof their name signifieth a slanderer and he is justly so called for that he both slandereth God to man as if God did envy mans prosperity Genesis the third chapter and slanders man to God as he did Job whom albeit he were a blessed Saint yet he accuseth before God as an Hypocrite Job the first chapter The other name Satan signifieth a great enemie not only to the good whom he hath most cause to hate as being contrary to him but also to the bad That he is an enemy to the good it appears by this That he persecuted not only the child that was new born but the woman also and because he cannot shew his malice upon him he makes warre with her seed Apocalyps the twelfth chapter the thirteenth seventeenth verses That he persecuted also an enemie to the bad appears verse the ninth where he is called The seducer of of the whole world and the accuser of the brethren for that he first brings them to commit grievous sinnes and then pleads against them that the plague of God may come upon them These are the Leaders The Bands and Souldiers under their conduct are Angels on both sides The Angels that serve under Michael are they that excell in strength and doe the command of God in obeying the voice of his word Psalm the hundred and third and the twentieth verse they that the Apostle calls elect Angels the first epistle to Timothy the fift chapter and the twenty first verse The Angels that warre on the Dragons side are the evil Angels Psalm the seventy eighth and the fourty ninth verse The Angels that sinned the second epistle of Peter the second chapter And they that kept not their original as Jude saith these fight for the Dragon and he is their Captain as Christ saith The Prince of the Devils is 〈◊〉 Matthew the twelfth chapter For as among the good Angels there is principatus primus principatus so it is among the wicked Angels for there must be order in all companies Touching the Battail it self we are first to remove some things of offence not to think it strange that the Angels are here said to move battail For albeit they be called Angeli pacis Isaiah the thirty third chapter and the seventh verse because they bring peace yet in many places they are called Gods Hosts as Jacob seeing the Angels of God called the place where they were Nahanaim Genesis the thirty second chapter and the second verse and they magnisie God by that title Isaiah the sixt chapter Lord God of Hosts Luke the second chapter the Angels are called Heavenly Souldiers And where Christ saith If I pray to the Father he will give me more than twelve 〈◊〉 of Angels Matthew the twenty sixt chapter He compareth them to Troops and Bands of Souldiers for that they are not only Angels to Gods friends and servants but souldiers fighting against them that oppose themselves against God Further where their state is in a continual motion that must not offend us for the Angels themselves are not yet in the perfection of their felicity for we see they are imployed in doing service for us they continually aseend and descend from Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven for the good of the godly for God saw it good that as well they as the Saints departed out of this life should not be made 〈…〉 Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the fourtieth verse which is illistrated Matthew the thirteenth chapter where the Angels are called Reapers giving us to understand thereby that as the 〈…〉 is not at rest till the Harvest be all in so it is with the Angels they must continually be imployed in doing service for them that shall inherit Salvation till the number of the Elect be accomplished So neither needs that to offend any that the Dragon is 〈◊〉 to have fought in Heaven for so he is said to have appeared before God among the sonnes of God And when Ahab was to be deceived a lying spirit stood before God the first book of the Kings the twenty second chapter All this was only by Gods permission For all this doth no make the Devil blessed no more than Adam was blessed being in paradise For having sinned and being thereby out of Gods favour he no more enjoyed that comfort of Paradise which he took before his fall but quaked and hid himself from the presence of God for tear Genesis the third chapter The Dragon is no more blessed for being in Heaven or appearing before God than a prisoner that for a time is brought out of prison into the Court to be arraigned for he takes no delight of the pomp and glorie of the Court knowing it is not for him but he must return to the 〈◊〉 from whence he was taken So it is with the Devil These offences being removed we come now to the Fight it self which was not in any bodily manner for they are spirits 〈◊〉 the hundred and fourth and therefore their fight is a spiritual fight Ephesians the sixt chapter And their 〈◊〉 not carnal but spiritaul the second epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter That as the Angels fight by temptations on the one side and by resistances on the other they fight by agonies and inward conflicts which is more truly called conflicts than any combat The other fight with bodily enemies for as some note Abraham would rather fight wich five Kings than abide that conflict
petition Mark and regard In the Passion two things are to be considered first the grievousnesse of his sufferings noted in these words If ever there were the like sorrow Secondly the cause of it in these Where with the Lord hath afflicted me Upon which follow these three actions First to see Secondly to consider Thirdly to regard and esteem of it as a thing which concerns us As is implyed in the first words which are thus read Nonne ad vos pertinet for the first point here is some spectacle to behold in as much as he directeth his speech to them that passe by the way Omnes qui transitis viam When a stay is made not of one but of all there is some great matter and the holy Ghost tells us that there is no journy so important nor haste so great that should hinder us from considering of the sufferings of Christ. The motives that he useth to quicken our weaknesse are two the one taken from the thing it self the other from the beholders For the thing it self we know those things that are rare draw our eyes to behold them therefore he saith If ever there were sorrow like my sorrow And this reason he takes from the beholders as Doth it not concern or pertain to you For the things that were shewed chiefly are such as concern us as for other things that appertain unto us we respect them not The sufferings consist as all other doe either in sensu or damno that is either privatively or positively That which is translated sorrow or prayer is a blow or wound which is a matter of sense and it signifies such a blow as strikes off both root and leaves that is it we are to consider in this spectacle That which he felt was either in body or soul. Touching his bodily sufferings our own eyes are witnesses For there was no part of him neither skin nor bone nor sense nor any part wherein he was not stricken His blessed body was an Anvile to receive all the stroaks that were laid on him And we have no better argument hereof than Pilates Ecce homo John the nineteenth chapter for he thought they had brought him to that 〈◊〉 already that even the hard-hearted Jews would have pitied him But that which is said here si fuerit dolor sicut is not so verified of his bodily sufferings as in that which he suffered in his soul For in bodily sufferings many have been equall to him but the suffering of the soul is most grievous as the greatest heavinesse is the heavinesse of the heart the afflictions of the body may be susteined but a wounded spirit who can bear Proverbs the eighteenth chapter Therefore St. Paul calls that suffering which he felt in his soul corpus mortis Romans the seventh chapter Upon these sufferings it is that he cryeth out Ecce si fuerit dolor sicut The grievousnesse of whose suffering we argue not so much from that which is recorded of him that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark the fourteenth chapter and the thirty third verse that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke the twenty second chapter and the twenty fourth verse that his soul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matthew the twenty sixt chapter as from the bloody sweat Ecce si fuerat sudor that is verified when no uncleannesse is offered when a man lying on the cold earth for then it was cold so as they were fain to make fire then to sweat not tenues sudores but granos sanguinis He that considers this may make a cause of it that there was never any such sorrow or sweat The cause of this sweat was bought as indeed the word imports where with the Lord hath boyled me as in a furnace as after in the next verse Ignem misit Dominus he was in a furnace of Gods fierce wrath therefore the Greek Church prayeth By thy unknown sufferings good Lord deliver us For that which was taken from him that was 〈◊〉 Domini he was spoyled both of earthly comforts and heavenly graces For the first He that had gone up and down feeding healing and preaching among the Jews receives no comfort from the earth their words were not his but Barabas Again His blood be upon us and our children Lastly When he was on the Crosse they scorned him He trusted in God let him save 〈◊〉 and Thou that savest others come down and save thy self As for his Disciples from whom he might have looked for most comfort one of them betrayed him another denyed him and all forsook him and he is stript of all earthly comfort And as for his soul that was bereaved of all heavenly graces or influence there was a traverse or draw-bridge drawn as appeareth by his words My God why hast thou for saken me It is not so with the 〈◊〉 for they in the 〈◊〉 of their pains and sorrows feel drops of heavenly consolation which make them cheerfull But it was not so with our Saviour there was a sequestration whereby the influence of his divinity was restrained from his humanity whereupon ensued that cry My God why hast thou for saken me there was never the like cry Thirdly From the party that complaineth we may argue there was never the like sorrow A little thing done to a person of great excellencie doth aggravate the matter but never the like person suffered and never the like sorrow Exodus 23. 3. God takes order men shall not handle the poor beast barbarously but be ready to relieve and help him but more respect is to be had of a man although a Malefactor and much more an Innocent as he that fell among theeves and was hurt Luke the tenth chapter But if it be not only an Innocent but an exalted person as Josiah then great respect is to be had but ecce major Josiah hìc Matthew the twelfth chapter it is Christ that suffers of whom not only Pilate saith Ecce John the nineteenth chapter but the Centurion 〈◊〉 Verè hic salis est Deus this makes it a cause not to be matched The cause of those his sufferings is imputed not to the bloody Soldiers or hard-hearted Jews or high-Priests Scribes but afflixit Deus When God doth as well chasten in wrath as christen in his displeasure this is not don in his mercifull chastisement but in his wrathfull displeasure in die furoris ejus nay his colour was red When God is angry or punisheth grievously it is for some grievous sinne and is for some notable sinne of which it may be said non sicut had our Saviour deserved the wrath of God in such manner Pilate confesseth He found nothing in him John the fourteenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse Why then did he suffer It was foretold The Messias should be stain Daniel the ninth chapter and the twenty fist verse not for himself but for others He that took not a penny was made to pay for all That is the nature of surety ship
waters are stored with 〈◊〉 and the aire and firmament was replenished with Fowl For yet hitherto they were like to wide and great store-houses which were empty and void In which dayes work are four branches 〈◊〉 the Edict or Precept Secondly the Execution or performance of 〈◊〉 Thirdly the allowance and commendation of it in the end of the twenty first verse Lastly another special Precept for the preserving of these things so made in 22. verse Touching the Commandement we may note That to say or to command in word may seem to be but a weak thing for words we hold to be but winde yet such words as God speaketh doe receive such and so great power and authority from the Speaker or Commander that of necessity that which is said must needs be done If a King doe command the power of his authority being joyned with the weaknesse of his word doth cause it to be very powerfull and effectual If a Princes authority can make his word so great how much more can Gods omnipotencie give strength to his word and cause that which he saith to be most certainly done This the reason that by the virtue and force only of his word what 〈…〉 faith is done and cometh to passe The second thing to be noted is to whom God spake namely to the Waters For as Moses was willed to speak to the stony rock Numbers the twentieth chapter and the eighth verse so doth God here speak to the waters neither is it a fond thing thus for God to speak to deas and senselesse creatures for though they have no cares and cannot heare yet they can understand when God doth call and speak to them and have power to doe his will when he commandeth If then the waters and rocks can heare and understand and doe what God doth say and bid them how much more should we which have eares and understanding hearts and active hands take heed we doe the like Now touching the Tenor of Gods precept we see it concerneth the producing and bringing forth of living things in abundance and great multitude And though God saith Let the waters bring forth fowles it argueth not as Symplicius the Atheist absurdly gathereth that here the water is said to be the matter of which the 〈◊〉 were made for in the second chapter of Genesis and the ninteenth verse this is explained that they were made of the earth though they were brought forth of the waters Touching the creatures moving in the waters the word here used doth in a generall term signifie such things as are quick and live and move comprehending therein all the particular creatures besides fish or fowle which either creep or crawle or move in either of these elements as Froggs Snakes Flyes c. Man by practice can attain to the Fishes motion that is to swim and move upon and in the waters but he cannot by any devise attaine to fly and move as Birds or mount in the ayre It is a wonder to heare that iron could swimme in the second of Kings the sixt chapter and the sixt verse but it is by the same power of God by which a feather can fly aloft By the firmament or Aire is meant the nether and grosser part of the aire which region is full of foggy fumes and vapours which come from the earth and so high and farre the sowls can abide and endure to flie But the farther and higher part and region of the aire which is more pure and cleer are called penetralia 〈◊〉 which is so free from grosse vapours and earthly mists that no earthly thing can breath or abide therein As therefore Water is a 〈◊〉 element for Fishes which breath not so this lower region of the aire is for all Fowls But let us come to that which is common both to fish and fowls and maketh both of them live and move the one by swimming the other by flying and that is the soul of life Concerning which generally It signifieth a breath or 〈◊〉 it of life For seeing we can understand and conceive best things sensible therefore spiritual things for our capacity are termed by things sensible The breath therefore being of 〈◊〉 things the most pure and 〈…〉 is called by 〈…〉 these things are in their 〈…〉 distinct breath life and soul 〈◊〉 life is the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of a soul so breath is the effect and 〈◊〉 of life Neither is it 〈◊〉 that here is added to the soul life because it 〈…〉 needfull instruction and distinction between the soul of man hereafter 〈◊〉 be handled which is a soul of more than 〈…〉 life of a double life and therefore 〈◊〉 whereas these 〈◊〉 have a soul of a single life and therefore are mortal Deinde dixit Deus Producat terra animantia in species ipsorum Pecudes Reptilia bestiasque terrenas in species suas et fuit ita Gen. 1. 24. Place this Sermon and the next betwixt pag. 92. and 93. THIS verse and all the rest to the end of the chapter doe contain the furnishing and 〈◊〉 of the earth with living Creatures and so 〈◊〉 to passe the finishing and 〈◊〉 of the whole work of Creation For this sixt 〈◊〉 work 〈◊〉 the bringing forth of Beasts and Cattel of all 〈◊〉 and the bringing in of Mankinde into the world to be Lord and 〈◊〉 of them and all the rest In which we observe the three usual parts Gods Decree commanding the Execution performing it and Gods 〈◊〉 of it being done For the Decree we may note as before That God is the Commander the Earth is that which is commanded and the effect of the commandement is that it should bring forth Cattle and 〈◊〉 things Having shewed before how God speaketh and 〈◊〉 his will to dumb deaf and senselesse Creatures as here he doth to the Earth we will come to the tenor and meaning of the Decree and Commandement to it For that phrase here used of bringing forth is taken from the manner of women great with 〈◊〉 which when their time is come to bring forth their young therefore the Fathers doe call this Parerperam terre as it were by resemblance the children of the earth or her travail not that 〈…〉 before made and hid in the bowels and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 For as the waters were not in the rock before Numbers 〈…〉 chapter and the eighth verse but even at that 〈…〉 God commanded it gushed out waters only by the power 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 the virtue of Gods word and the power of the Commander caused the Earth to bring forth all these things 〈◊〉 of it 〈◊〉 it 〈…〉 power to doe it Now the several kindes of Creatures which here the Earth is willed to bring forth are reduced to three heads Beasts Cattle and creeping things Cattle are called Jumenta à 〈◊〉 because they are made to be our servants to help us in our labours and affairs And they are such as doe need us as much as we need them for Sheep Oxen