his Sentence and therefore as Christ saith Luke the thirteenth chapter Except 〈◊〉 repent ye shall all likewise 〈◊〉 so all threathings in the Scripture goe with this condition The soul that sinneth it shall die except it repent Ezekiel the eighteenth chapter and he that calls his brother fool is in danger of hell fire except he 〈◊〉 Matthew the fifth chapter and the twenty second verse So that the justice of God is no hndrance but that the most grievous sinner that is may obtain forgiveness if he repent and because Cain repented not therefore he is excluded from the remission of sinnes The point that remains is That we consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second to the Corinthians the second chapter the devises and fetches which the enemie of our Salvation useth to work our destruction for when sinne is to be committed he brings them to presumption and albeit God hath threatned plagues for such and such sinnes yet he perswades a man as Peter did Christ in the sixteenth chapter of Matthew Non fiet haec tibi that is before sinne is committed but when finne is finished and the Devill hath that he would have then he laboureth to bring men into desperation saying it must needs be and they cannot avoid the wrath and judgements of God In the reading of the old Testament he layeth a vail over the hearts of men as it was with the Jews that by the Law they might not see the grievousnesse of sinne and so avoid the danger of it in the second epistle to the Corinthians and the third chapter but when he hath entised men to commit sinne then he blindeth their eyes that the light of the Gospell whereby they are assured of the forgivenesse of sinnes and of the mercy of God in Christ should not shine into their hearts in the second to the Corinthians the fourth chapter he will neither let them see the grievousnesse of sinne before they commit it nor behold the mercy of God after it is committed Which mercy of God is so generally offered to all sorts that even murtherers lyars albeit they be grievous sinners cannot despair of mercy for we see both David and Peter obtained pardon and none are debarred but only they that say Quid nobis tecum Jesu Nazarene in the first chapter of Mark and the twenty fourth verse That which excluded the Devill himself from mercy was this desperate fear for as Augustine saith Obstinatione suâ non enormitate sceleris Daemon est Daemon Even so Cain the Child of the Devill seemeth to say thus much in this his confession I desire no pardon at thy hands O God because I see the greatness of my offence is greater than thy mercy For Cain we see what befell him because as the Prophet speaketh Noluit intelligere ut bene ageret Psalm the thirty sixt because he had no care to doe as God would have him therefore God gave him up to the lusts of his own heart and as the Apostle speaketh in the second to the Thessalonians the second chapter and the tenth verse because when God spake to him he believed not the truth that he might be saved God sent him strange delusions that he should believe the Devils lyes who preached to him and perswaded him after he had sinned that his sinne was greater than Gods mercy for if Pharaoh first harden his own heart Exodus the eighth chapter and the thirty second verse it is just that God harden his heart so as he shall not hearken to his ministers Exodus the ninth chapter and the twelfth verse But because the Prophet complaineth that while he would have healed Israel then the iniquitie of Ephraim was discovered and the wickednesse of Samaria Hosea the seventh chapter Therefore we must be heedfull that while we seek to cure desperation we make not a way to presumption for that is the great sinne against which the Prophet prayeth in the ninteenth Psalme Keep thy servant from presumptuous sinnes so shall I be clear from the great sinne This was the sinne of Cain and we must beware that we walk not in his way as Jude counselleth Quia è nimiâ spe presumptio is the high way to desperation therefore when we know Gods will as Cain did we must seek no faither nor follow our own wisdom It was Sauls sinne he would be wiser than either Samuel or the Lord himself for being commanded to destroy the Amalekites with all they had Saul as if God knew not what he did takes upon him to spare the best things in the first book of Samuel the fifteenth chapter this was his presumption We must beware saith Moses in the twenty ninth chapter of Deuteronomie and the ninteenth verse That when we hear the words of the curses and the punishments which God threatneth against the transgressors of his Law That wee doe not blesse our selves in our hearts saying I shall have peace though I walk after the stubbornness of mine own heart thus adding 〈◊〉 to thirst It we will not despaire we must fear for so did Job and therefore he saith Timor meus spes mea in the fourth chapter of Job and thesixth verse The fear he had and felt when he was about to sinne wrought in him an assured hope and assurance of Gods favour and that fear made him say Etiamsi 〈◊〉 sperabo in eum Job the thirteenth chapter That fear is a means of hope the Apostle S. Peter sheweth for having said that he would have all men to hope perfectly in the first of Peter the first chapter and the thirteenth verse he expresseth the means how they shall attainto this perfect hope that is by passing their conversation in fear verse the seventeenth This course did not Cain take but contrariwise when he heard God tell him that if he did evill sinne lay at the dore he for all that blesseth himself in his heart and said I shall doe well enough though I walk after the stubbornnesse of mine own heart and kill Abel my Brother contrary to Gods commandements En expellis me hodie à superficie istius terrae ut à facie tua abscondam me cumque vagus sim infestus agitationibus in terra si ullus fuerit qui me inveniat interficiet me Gen. 4. 14. Septemb. 9. 1599. CAINS speech to God as we see stands upon two parts one touching his sinne in the thirteenth verse the other concerning his punishment in this verse which also contains two parts First a meer repetition of the sentence given upon him in the eleventh verse Secondly an addition which Cain himself makes That now whosoever should finde him should kill him which is his chief complaint For the first part When sentence is passed upon any person God requireth two things First Agnitionem culpae whereunto two things belong That 〈◊〉 Promissio poenitentiae as Ezekiah promiseth That he will walk all the dayes of his life in the bitternesse of
between faith and natural affection which he felt when he was commanded to offer up his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and those agonies which David selt in his own heart Psalm the fourty second Why art thou so heavy O my soul Psalm the seventy seventh and the eighty ninth verse These Combats and spiritual Battails were more grievous to David than those which he fought with the Philistims with Saul or any other outward enemies whatsoever The Battails fought between these two parties are in Scripture four The first is that which in the beginning was fought between them that when the one said Isaiah the fourteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse ascendam the other went down when the one said I will sit they said he should stand Daniel the seventh chapter when the Dragon said I will be like the most high the other said Michael who is like God The second is that which Jude speaketh of that there was a conflict between Michael the Archangel and the Devil about the doad body of Moses verse 9. The third is mentioned in Daniel the tenth chapter the thirteenth verse where when the Church was in thraldom and captivity under the Persians and Chaldeans the Dragon would have kept them still in bondage but Michael fought for their 〈◊〉 The fourth Batrail is that which is here fought by Michael for a full deliverance of the Church for we see the Dragon stood before the woman that was ready to be delivered that he might devour the child verse the seventh And because he was taken up unto God the Dragon persecuted the woman And for that he could not prevail against her he made warre with her seed Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the thirteenth verse that is with them that keep the commandements of God For if the Devil fought with Michael for Moses body being dead de 〈◊〉 Jude the ninth verse much more will he fight for Christ being borne If he warre against the Synagogue of the Jews much more against the Church of Christ consisting both of Jews and Gentils And as the Angels offer fight for the one so will they for the other For it is plain that the Angels are first in arms when any injury is offered either to the Child or the Woman or to her seed What this Battail was between the Dragon and the Child the opinion of the Church is That albeit the Devils by their creation were glorious Angels yet they might be content not to presume so farre as to be like the most high but after the manifold wisdome of God was made known by the Church unto principalities and powers Ephesians the third chapter and the tenth verse that is when they saw it was Gods will that the Child born of our flesh and taken out of the earth was taken up into Heaven to the throne of God This was it that stirred them up to battail For howsoever they be constrained to submit themselves to God yet they cannot abide to honour a peece of clay And albeit they could not be equal with God yet they would retain a superiority above men which thing being not granted them they are incensed against Christ They think it a great indignity howsoever they have done service to men tanquam Domini as things pertaining to the Lord that now they should doe service to men tanquam Domino But this they are inforced to perform to Christ who is exalted in his Humanity and in as much as Christ hath taken our nature they must adore our nature This is that which the Dragon and his Angels would not yeeld unto But they prevail not in this fight Again the consideration of this which the Apostle 〈◊〉 That God spared not the Angels that sinned the second epistle of Peter the second chapter Angelis peccantibus non pepercit may greatly provoke the Angels to battail That albeit he spared not the Angels that sinned yet he will spare men when they sinne this is a great assault But that is more Nusquam Angelos assumpsit sed semen 〈…〉 Hebrews the second chapter and the sixteenth verse That he will not grace the names of Angels as to assume their nature but prefers the nature of man and that they must adore that person that is be come man this might be a 〈◊〉 remptation As also that which the Apostle affirms the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixt chapter and the third vorse That the nature of man shall judge Angels this might greatly offend them And the Dragon and his Angels will no doubt suggest these thoughts into Michael and his Angels but yet they 〈…〉 The more high and honourable any spirit is the lesse can it 〈◊〉 any indignity And seeing the Angels are such honourable spirits they must needs take it very ill that not only mans nature is exalted above theirs but that they mult doe service unto men not as things pertaining to the Lord but as to the Lord himself This must needs offend them That when they sinne they finde no favour but if man sinne he is spared That when the Sonne of God doth manifest himself to the world he doth not vouchsafe the Angels so much honour as to assume their nature but takes the seed of Abraham and that he will in the last time make men judges of Angels In this manner did the Dragon and his Angels oppose themselves against Michael and his Angels but we see how he doth resist all these temptations and assaults and therefore this battail is worthy to be kept in remembrance The Conquest followeth Wherein we see that in steed of perswading Michael and his Angels that they should not look at the mysterie of Christs Incarnation we see the Angels are content 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first epistle of Peter the first chapter the eleventh and twelfth verses to stoop down to look into those things that concern Christ. Whereas they were perswaded to turn their backs on Christ we see they all fall down and worship him Hebrews the first chapter and sixt verse They all acknowledge Worthy is the Lamb to receive power riches honour and glory and majesty praise and honor and glorie to him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for evermore Apocalyps the fift chapter the twelfth and thirteenth verses And instead of exalting themselves they are ready to offer battail to them that perswade them hereunto as Davids heart was more inclined to Joab than his wicked sonne Absolom which made him make Joab a means for his restoring into his fathers favour So God is more inclined to be mercifull to men that sinne than to Angels and that is it that makes the Angels submit themselves to the nature of men So that they see Christ vouchsafeth to call us Bretheren Matthew the twenty fift chapter and the fourtieth verse so they are glad to claim brotherhood of us Apocalyps the twenty second chapter as the Angel said to John I am one of thy brethren In as much as God exalts the male
either promise that which they cannot perform as being weak as Psalm the twenty first and the tenth verse or which they will not perform as Naball in the first book of Samuel and the twenty fist chapter But if we can finde one that is both able and willing to keep his promise that is a great kindnesse not to be distrusted And such a one is God who of his own goodnesse is become indebted to us by making us most great and pretious promises he is true of his word for he is Deus mentiri nesciens Titus the first chapter he cannot lye And for his power and ability Apud eum non erit impossibile omne verbum Luke the first chapter And for his willingnesse the Angels testifie of it that there is in God good milk towards men even the same which he heares to Christ his own Sonne of whom he 〈◊〉 from heaven in the third chapter of Luke This is my 〈◊〉 Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly For the thing promised Though it be God that 〈◊〉 yet if the thing promised be a matter of no great value wee respect it the lesse but this is a great and most 〈◊〉 promise Now that is pretious for which a man will give any thing as for a pearle a man will sell all that he hath to composse it Matthew the thirteenth chapter and what will 〈◊〉 a man give for the ransome of his soul the whole world nay a thousand of worlds is little enough to give for it Matthew the sixteenth chapter and the sixteenth verse So then this promise is pretious in respect of the thing promised Secondly It is pretious in regard that it cost dearly For wee are bought not with corruptible things as silver and gold 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 blood of Christ in the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the eighteenth verse Thirdly It is a pretious promise in this respect because our blessednesse here promised stands not only in having our sinnes forgiven or in being made righteous that is not the thing we are 〈◊〉 with or to be with God which was the desire of our first Parents Genesis the third chapter and of Lucifer Isaiah the fourteenth chapter ero similis 〈◊〉 but it stands herein that we shall be made partakers of the Divine nature and enjoy those things 〈◊〉 eye bath not seen c. in the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 the second chapter and the third verse he doth not promise that we shall be partakers of Gods glory joy and felicity as 〈◊〉 sonnes would have been Matthew the twenty first chapter but 〈◊〉 of his nature That as we are subject to sicknesse death and all crosses by being partakers of the nature of the first Adam so we shall be partakers of glory joy and 〈◊〉 And being partakers of the second Adam as the branches receive life from the vine John the fifteenth chapter so it shall be between Christ and us he will derive his benefits to us As the 〈◊〉 is holy so wee that are branches 〈…〉 shall be 〈◊〉 Romans the eleventh chapter and the sixteenth verse As we partake of the miseries of the first Adam so of the joy and 〈◊〉 of the second Adam As we have been partakers of the 〈◊〉 so of 〈…〉 in the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the fifteenth chapter Fourthly If we consider from how base estate we to whom this promise is made are 〈◊〉 not only from the nature of 〈◊〉 Psalm the fourty ninth Of wormes and 〈…〉 17. and which is more base from being the Children of wrath 〈◊〉 the second chapter and Children of the Devil Acts the thirteenth chapter to be partakers of the divine nature that will 〈◊〉 to be a 〈◊〉 promise containing matter of so great comfort whereby that is by the knowledge of God that hath called us to glory and 〈◊〉 or by whom that is by Christ taking knowledge of him as in the fifty third chapter of Isaiah My 〈…〉 by his knowledge shall 〈◊〉 many and in the seventeenth chapter of John and the third verse This is eternall life to know thee and Jesus Christ. The Heathen and Turkes are not capable of this pretious promise because they take no notice of Christ It is a promise made to Christians for because they are partakers of flesh and blood He also took part with them Hebrews the second chapter As Christ took part of our nature so he makes us partakers of his It is the Christian only that beleeves this and therefore he is capable of this so pretious promise for albeit Christ were man yet it pleased God that the fulnesse of the God head should dwell in him bodily Colossians the second chapter and the ninth verse and as he is in us by his humanity so are we in him in respect of his Divinity God partakes with Christ because of his Divine nature and man partakes with Christ in as much as he hath assumed our humane nature He is partaker of our humane nature for he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Ephesians the fifth chapter and we by his Spirit are partakers of his Divine nature for in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixth chapter He that cleaveth to the Lord is one spirit Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by the spirit which he hath given us in the first epistle of St. John the fourth chapter and the thirieenth verse Christ imputeth his nature two wayes First by regeneration in Baptisin for except ye be born again of water and the holy Ghost John the third chapter Secondly by eating and drinking in the Sacrament In which respect the Apostle saith that we must bibere spiritum the first epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the thirteenth verse In this life we must seek for Gods grace and glory and he hath promised to give both Psalm the eighty fourth and then we shall Intrare in gaudium Domini Matthew the twenty fift chapter and so we shall be alwaies with him the first epistle to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter and see him as he is the first epistle of John the third chapter and the first verse that is be partakers of his divine nature and which goes beyond all he shall not be glory in one and joy in another and immortality in a third but he shall be omnia in omnibus the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse Now the promise is with a restraint nobis qui that is to us which eschue the corruption The like we have in John the third chapter and the sixteenth verse ut omnes qui credant and Matthew the eleventh chapter Come to me omnes qui And great reason it is that if we will have God to perform his promise to us we keep the condition on our part towards him so the Apostle disputes in the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the
to the woman and her seed Here the wisdom of God doth observe a wonderfull proportion between the Devils fault and the punishment Before his evil speaking was rewarded with curse his Pride with creeping his Lust with loathsome feeding on the dust and here that visor and shew of friendship whereby he tempted our first Parents to transgresse Gods Commandement is taken away by open hostility He made a great shew of love and good will to Adam and Eve and as one saith howsoever he were indeed a cruel adversary yet he pretended himself in outward shew to be a faithfull Counsellor But this preposterous agreement of theirs with Hell and death Isaiah the twenty ninth chapter is broken off by God himself who instead of the Devils love fained saith I will put open enmity between thee and the woman By the successe which our Parents had of the Devils fained good will it is easie to be seen that no temptation is so dangerous as that which is offered by way of compassion and friendship and therefore when Peter said to Christ in Matthew the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse Master pitie thy self Christs answer was Get thee behinde me Sathan and therefore God useth to plague such preposterous loves and wicked agreements with deadly hatred So God punished the 〈◊〉 of Abimlech and the men of Sichem with bitter hatred for he sent an evil spirit between them which made them break their promise made to Abimelech Judges the ninth chapter and the twenty third verse The end of the preposterous love which Ammon bare to Thamar was such as his hatred wherewith he hated her after was greater than ever his love was the second book of Samuel the thirteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse So Judas having made a wicked compact with the high-Priests and Scribes to betray Christ into their hands was rejected of them after What is that to us Look thou to that Matthew the twenty seventh chapter Touching the enmity between the Serpent and the woman three things are here set down by God First that it shall be personall between thee and the woman Secondly it shall be mortal enmity such as shall never be forgotten but the Posterity shall continue it between thy seed and hers Thirdly it shall be a mortal and deadly hatred the woman and her seed shall break the Serpents head Further when God saith not only that thus it shall be but that he himself will be the Author of this enmity as he saith I will put we are to consider two things First That God himself is the ruler and stirrer up of our inward affections that he is not only the searcher of our hearts Acts the first chapter but the turner of mens hearts Proverbs the twenty first chapter for so he turned the Kings heart toward Esther and gave her favour with him Esther the fift chapter When a mans wayes please the Lord he will turn the hearts of his enemies so that they shall be his friends Proverbs the sixteenth chapter and the seventh verse Thus he turneth mens mindes both in good and evil things When the Serpent and our Parents conspired together in that which was evil God turned their hearts and made them hate one another So when all People and Nations that were escaped our of the flood conspired to build a Tower God himself counfounded and scattered them Genesis the eleventh chapter So as he is the God of peace in good things so in evil things he will be the God of discord and therefore he saith I came to send a sword on earth Matthew 10. Secondly As by these words he sheweth that all our affections are in his hand so he teacheth us that where he proclaimeth enmity we ought not to compound or make any peace Because God saith I will put enmity between the Serpent and the seed of the woman therefore we must not make any league with the Devil sinne the world or our own lusts but wrestle or be at warre with them continually The persons between whom this enmity is proclaimed is the Serpent and the Woman which must first be literally understood of the visible Serpent for that Creature of all other doth strike a terror into man when he seeth him so that presently man is inflamed with hatred against the Serpent Here this question ariseth Whether this antipathy that is naturally between Man and the Serpent were before the Curse or only after The answer is That there was a hatred between them from the beginning as of the Wolf with the Lamb and the Lyon Isaiah the eleventh chapter and Isaiah the sixty seventh chapter but this hatred did not shew it self between them but was stayed with the same grace by which man should have been preserved from death if he had not sinned There is an antipathy between the body of man and fire so as the one is apt to destroy the other as by grace this was stayed in the three Children that were call into the furnace Daniel the ninth chapter Water would naturally drown the body of man being heavy but by grace nature is stayed as when Peter walked upon the water Matthew the fourteenth chapter And the Lyon is a beast given to devour being naturally hatefull but when Daniel was cast into the Lyons den God by his grace preserved the Prophet so as the Lyons had no power of him Daniel the sixt chapter So the hatred that is in man toward the Serpent naturally did not shew it self in the Creation as it doth now that man is fallen from his Innocencie The same is also verified in the invisible Serpent if we compare spirituall things with spirituall in the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter For though Adams wife were in regard of sin rather the mother of the dead than of the living as she is called in the third chapter of Genesis and the twentieth verse yet for the hope of life which God doth offer unto us in this feed Adam calleth her not amisse The mother of the living for that she was a resemblance of the Church within All that will be pertakers of Salvation must be born anew to lead a spirituall life For in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalyps the Church is compared to a woman with Child and the Devil to a Dragon persecuting the woman to shew the spirituall enmity that is between the Devill and the faithfull between whom God doth here forerell there shall be perpetuall hostility The seed of the woman principally and by way of eminency is Christ as St. Paul expounds it in the third chapter to the Galatians and the Church which is called Christ in the first epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse doth by the preaching of the word conceive a spirituall seed and travail till she have brought forth Galatians the fourth chapter and the old Serpent of whom Christ faith in the eighth chapter of St. John You are of your father the Devil
hath no doubt a seed that is the wicked which are his Children which are alwaies at warre with the seed of the Church As the seed of Serpents doth prove to be Serpents so for that wicked men are the seed of the old Serpent Christ calls them Serpents Matthew the twenty third chapter and because Judas was the child of the Devil therefore Christ calleth him a Devil John the sixth chapter the seventieth verse The reason why the wicked are called Serpents is because they stop their cares like Serpents and will not hear the voyce of the 〈◊〉 salm the fifty eighth because they sharpen their tongues like Serpents and hide Adders poyson under their lips Psalm the hundred and fourtieth that is blaspheme God and speak evil of men So 〈◊〉 as the Elect are the seed of the woman spiritual so the wicked and 〈◊〉 are the cursed seed of the spiritual Serpent And God pronounceth that there shall be perpetual hostility between them There is a corrupt seed Isaiah the first chapter and the fourth verse The other a holy seed Isaiah the sixth chapter and the thirteenth verse Our Saviour expounds the good seed to be the children of the kingdome and the cockle to be the children of the world Matthew the thirteenth chapter and the thirty eighth verse The Apostle compares the children of God and the children of the Devil together the first epistle of John the third chapter and the tenth verse between these is that perpetual enmity that is here spoken of The same is between the Church of God Acts the twentieth chapter and the Synagoue of Sathan Apocalyps the twenty ninth chapter between the two Cities the Citie of God whose foundation is upon the holy hill Psalm the eighty seventh and great Babylon Psalm the hundred thirty seventh and Apocalyps the eighteenth chapter between the two Camps or Tents whereof the Prophet speaks that is the Tabernacles of the Lord God of Hostes and the Tents of the ungodly Psalm the eighty fourth This enmity is within every one of us as Peter speaks Abstain from fleshly lusts which wage warre against the soul the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the eleventh verse We wrestle not with flesh and blood but with spiritual wickednesse Ephesians the sixth chapter therefore he saith The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to overthrow strong holds the second epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the fourth verse And the thing that God aimeth at is that there be not only an enmity between these two Cities and Camps but that this enmity be perpetual and send at the least to the killing of sinne and to the vanquishing of Sathan So soon as this Sentence was given there was enmity between Cain the seed of the Serpent who was of the evil one the first epistle of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse and Abel who was spiritually be gotten by the Church of the seed of the world Genesis the fourth chapter Ismael and Isaac the one being born after the flesh the other after the spirit persecuted one another Galatians the fourth chapter He that was of the Serpents seed mocked and derided the seed of the woman Genesis the twenty first chapter and the ninth verse Jacob and Esau being divers seeds the one hated the other and vowed to kill the other Genesis the twenty seventh chapter and the fourty first verse Lastly This enmity was practised between the Church of God Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the Synagogue of Sathan Apocalyps the nineteenth chapter Of these spiritual Combats the Scripture hath many examples and therefore it is called The book of the warres of the Lord Numbers the twenty first chapter and the fourteenth verse The Serpent deserved to have been utterly destroyed and God who calleth things that were not as if they were Romans the fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse was able to have destroyed him at least to have chained him up that he might not trouble his servants as he will at the last day Apocalyps the twentieth chapter and the tenth verse but the Councel of God in suffering him still to practise his malice against us is for our good that we should be still exercised and kept in a warre for as Christ saith What thanks is it Luke the sixth chapter and thirty second verse and what praise is it to obtain eternal life the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the twentieth verse unlesse in this life we doe somthing towards it The Apostle saith No man is crowned except he strive aright the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter and the fifth verse Therefore God hath appointed us an enemy that is the Devil whom we must continually fight with If we resist his allurements by pleasure and his terrors in oppressing us with crosses we shall at the length be crowned with the crown of life and then he will according to his promise tread down Sathan under our foot so that he shall not trouble us any more Romans the sixteenth chapter and the twentieth verse But in the mean time he is opposed against us by the wise Councel of God as an enemy that we should continually strive against him As this is a threatning to the Devil so it is a promise in respect of us and that a promise of grace to be shewed us that are of the seed or the woman without which grace we cannot strive with the Serpent nor once conceive any desire to resist him And therefore if we have any desire to resist the Devil and his temptations it is not of any natural power of our selves but the grace of Gods spirit working in us who saith I will put enmity between thy seed and the woman Whereupon whereas the Apostle saith that by reason of the continual rebellion that is between the flesh and the spirit we cannot doe that we would Galatians the fifth chapter and the seventeenth verse Augustine saith that yet we are bound to thank God that he gives us his spirit to stirre us up to the resisting of the flesh and the corrupt lusts thereof for hereby he perform his promise which he makes in this place And except we had the grace of his spirit it were impossible for us but that we should be at agreement with the flesh and like well of the temptations thereof for naturally we are given to make league with bell and death Isaiah the twenty ninth chapter and the fifteenth verse to be friends with our 〈◊〉 and worldly lusts which doe still solicite and perswade us to break Gods Commandement and Law And if by the special grace of God he work in us some dislike of our flesh and the corruption thereof for a time yet this is not perpetual and though it did continue perpetually yet it is not 〈◊〉 mortal and to the death for we never labour to kill sinne and to 〈◊〉 the old man utterly but all that
to thy self and Paul the first to the Corinthians the second chapter and the second verse saith he esteemeth the knowledge of nothing but of Jesus Christ and him crucifyed And the Tree of life is fenced with Cherubyms which is taken for knowledge and the Sword for power Paul in the first to the Celossians and the 24 verse Rejoyceth in his afflictions to fulfill the rest of the sufferings of Christ in his flesh And Christ himself by his sufferings entred into glory the twenty fourth of Luke and the twenty sixt verse and if we with a contrite heart in repentance make a Sacrifice of our sensuall and bruitish affections and with patience beare our afflictions we shall passe with Christ to everlasting glory the Angel shall lay down his Sword the Cherubyms shall become our friends we shall be partakers of Christs Sacrifice which worketh reconciliation between God and man and the wrath of God being appeased then followeth the restoring of us to the heavenly Paradise And to him that overcommeth God will give to eate of the Tree of life in the middest of the Paradise of God the second of the Revelations and the seventh verse And so much shall suffice at this time AMEN LECTURES PREACHED UPON the fourth Chapter OF GENESIS LECTURES Preached in the Parish Church of St. GILES without Cripple-gate LONDON Deinde Adam cognovit Chavvam uxorem suam quae ubi concepit peperit Kajinum dixit acquisivi virum à Jehova Postea pergens parere peperit fratrem ipsius Hebelum Gen. 4. 1. February 7 1598. THIS continuance of the story of Moses begins to set forth the increase of the world after Adam and Eve were expelled Paradise The sum of all set downe in this Chapter to that end is of two parts First the propagation of mankinde Secondly the partition of mankinde set out in Cain and Abell The propagation is the fulfilling of that Prophesie of Adam who foretold of his wise that she should be mater viventium in the third chapter and the tewentith verse and it is indeed a resemblance of the tree of life in that by means hereof albeit life cannot continue in any singular person because of the Sentence pronounced by God that as hee is dust so shall heereturne to dust Chapter the third yet there is immortalitas speciel that is a perpetuall succession of life in the posterity of Adam As a Tree albeit in the end of the yeere it casts his leaves yet still there remaines a substance of life in it which makes it send forth leaves again Esay the sixt and the thirteenth verse so it is in mankinde for as the old life falls so there riseth up a new When the Father dieth the Child stands up in his place and so is life still preserved This is done by generation which is a kinde of creation as it is said of Adam that he begat a Child in his own likeness after his Image Genesis the fifth and the third verse For as there is in God diffusiva virtus whereby he communicateth his goodnesse to others so it is a thing to bee desired that Adam having received life should shew the same to others that when Adam dyeth Cain and Abell issued up in his stead which desire is so planted in man that albeit God when he said to Adam that in sorrow and the sweat of his browes he should eate his owne bread told him that hee should have enough to doe to get a living for himselfe yet Adam being scarce able to provide for himselfe begetteth children And albeit God said unto the woman that shee should bring forth children in sorrow and travell Genesis the third Chapter and the sixteenth verse yet shee not only brings forth Cain but having tryed the paine of child-bearing shee said not as Rebecca Genesis the twenty fift Chapter and the twenty second verse but addeth yet and brings forth Abell so high a reckoning did Adom and Eve make of continuing their kinde In the propagation we have two parts First Adams knowing And secondly Eves conception unto which two things are to be added first the manner of expressing the carnall copulation of Adam and Eve by this terme of knowledg Afterward Secondly the circumstance of time noted in the word afterward For Adams knowledg and the generation of mankinde wee see that the transgression of the Commandement of God in Paradise doth not hinder marriage so as it should be a sinne to beget children but contrary wise marriage is a remedy against sinne the first of the Corinthians the seventh Chapter and the second verse And that which God affirmeth touching the joyning of man and woman Genesis the second Chapter and the twenty fourth verse That Man shall leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they two shall bee one flesh is not repealed by God for wee see the accord of marriage betweene Adam and Eve is continued and they company together and bring forth children And as the estate of marriage was not taken away by sinne so was not the blessing of fruitfullnesse and conception Therefore as before they fell God said Bring forth fruit and multiply and fill the Earth the first Chapter and the twenty eighth verse so here Eve receiveth from the Lord strength to conceive and bring forth Cain and Abell Now the woman bringeth forth not only a seede but the seede promised in the third chapter of Genesis and the fifteenth verse and that a holy seede Matthew the second chapter and fifteenth verse not only Men in Earth but Saints in Heaven and the end hereof is not only that wee should desire to have our own names continue but as Joshua speakes in the seventh of Joshua and the ninth verse quid fiet magno tuo nomine that is that not only wee may magnifie Gods name while wee live but that when wee fall another seede may stand up and prayse his name that the seede may serve him Psalme the twenty second and the thirtith verse A people that shall bee borne shall praise him the hundred and second Psalme and the eightteenth verse Know Touching the carnall copulation of Adam with Eve where God expresseth it by the terme of knowledge it sheweth us the holinesse of this tongue wherein the holy-Ghost writ this then which there is no tongue that useth so modest and chaste speeches and therefore is called the holy tongue and it withall sheweth us that the holy-Ghost by his owne example commendeth unto us modesty and chaste speeches for that modest speech which hee useth here to expresse the company of man and woman he useth also Matthew the first where he saith Joseph knew not Mary and this thing hee calleth by another terme Debitam benevolentiam I Corinthians the seventh and the third verse that is he exhorteth us to avoid fornication uncleaness and filthiness Ephesians the fifth and the third verse so he might provoke us by his example for as that broad speech uttered
by Saul was after the Lords spirit was taken from him and another evill spirit vexed him so unclean speeches proceed not from the holy Ghost that delighteth in modest termes 2. Again the term of knowledge is used as opposite to passion to teach men that they must dwell with their wives as men of knowledge the first of Peter the third and the seventh verse that they be not like fed horses neighing after their neighbours wives Jeremiah the fift chapter and the eighth verse Afterward The circumstance of time is noted in the word Afterward That is not before he was deprived of Paradise but when he was driven out For the pleasure of marriage is a mortall pleasure For as Christ saith In this world men marry but they that shall be counted worthie of the life to come neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angells of God Luke the twentieth chapter The use of marriage is that because men die they should beget sonnes and leave a posterity to stand up after them But the Children of the Resurrection dye as men and therefore he was made to beget Children And for spirituall joy or comfort it is none But postquam spiritus deficit venium ad solatia carnis It is a carnall pleasure For as Cain being cursed out of Gods City built himself a City in the fourth chapter of Genesis As Saul being cast out of the Lords favour would be honoured of man in the first of Samuell fift chapter So Adam being deprived of spirituall comfort and pleasure useth marriage as a carnall pleasure Pâ—…itio For the point of division jointly in these this pair of Bretheren we have a view of all mankinde Adam had more Children but the Holy Ghost contenteth himself to set out mankinde in these two Even as the 〈◊〉 saith of Abraham that he had two sonnes one born after the flesh another after the Spirit Galatians the fourth chapter and the two and twentieth verse So were the sonnes of Adam To Cain are reckoned as his posteritie Henoch Lamech Nimrod Pharaoh and all the wicked To Abell Enoch Noah Shem Abraham Isaac and all the faithfull which is the great partition of mankinde For the holy Scripture setteth out which is Gods City that is Sion and Jerusalem and which is the Devils City by Babylon The one answering to Abell the other to Cain They set out the Devls city by amor sui ad contemptum Dei Gods city by amor Dei usque ad contempium sui Again by Abell is set out those that are in state of grace by Cain they that are in state of nature By the one are set out all them that are born after the flesh by the other such as are born anew and led by the Spirit Galatians chapter the fourth And this partion is made of all mankinde through the world till that last 〈◊〉 which Christ shall make of the Sheepe from the 〈◊〉 in the five and twentieth chapter of Mathew This partition we see in these two For that although they were both of one Father and Mother Contrary natures yet such was the diversitie and 〈◊〉 of their nature and disposition as they fitly represent the diverse state of mankinde The 〈◊〉 is in respect of their names the 〈◊〉 in respect of their works for the one rose up against the other and slew him Cain and Abell why so called The Devills 〈◊〉 in respect of their names is the one is called Cain that is a purchaser or possessioner that is such a one as thought it his 〈◊〉 to enjoy this world and contrariwise misery to lose it and the possessions thereof Abell 〈◊〉 sorrow and vanity But the other Abell that is sorrow and vanity such a one as doth with Salomon account all things in this life vanity and vexation of spirit in the first chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes such a one as hath sorrow by reason of continuall sinnes whereby he offendeth God of them Christ saith in the 〈◊〉 chapter of Matthew Blessed are they that mourne and sorrow for that they are out of their place As the Prophet speaketh in the one hundred thirty seventh Psalm By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion For Abell was not a City of this world as Cain but was one of those that sought for a City in Heaven that was to come Hebrews the thirteenth and the second verse He is called Abell that is vanitie 1. First in respect of the shortnesse of his life in which regard every man is altogether vanity Psalm the thirty ninth 2. Then in respect of the afflictions of this life in which respect he saith Every man is vanity And therefore they that are of Abell will say We are strangers and sojourners as all our Fathers were Psal. 39. They are such as though they be in the world yet use it as if they used it not the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter They set not their felicitie in this world as Cain but reckon all things in this world vanity and vexation of spirit and long to be restored to their heavenly Country 2. Contrary works Secondly As they have diverse dispositions so their works are contrary For as the Apostle saith of Ismael and Isaac Gal. 4. He that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit So did Cain persecute Abell as the Apostle witnesseth Joh. 1. 3. that Cain was of that wicked One and slew his Brother Why Cain slew Abell And wherefore slew he him Because his own works were evill and his Brothers good So as their dispositions were diverse their works were contrary So in Cain there is a resemblance of all the persecutors and oppressors that have been in the world The Wicked persecute the Godly by hand and tongue And Abell is a pattern of all the Martyrs that have been slain by the hand of Cain or wounded and persecuted by the tongue of Ismael who by mocking persecuted Isaac in the fourth chapter to the Galatians In these two is fulfilled that envy which God proclaimed between the woman and the Serpent and between their seeds Genesis the third and the fifteenth verse who was not only of the seed of that evill one Joshua the first and the third verse that was of the Serpent and the reason why the name of Cain is set down in the Bible is to shew the performance of that Prophesie Genesis the third and the fifteenth verse and to shew his wrath upon the Vessels of wrath Romans the ninth and the twenty second such as was Cain Cham Pharoah and Nebuchadnezar and all the wicked ones of his Race for the order of their comming into the world as Cain who was first born was worst and Abell the last born was best so it is with all mandkind For as the Apostle saith first commeth that which is naturall and then that which
shall leave a seed behinde him Cain and Abell resemble all mankinde Elect Reprobate as the variety in names so in natures and dispositions Secondly you heard that from this tree doe sprout two branches that is a pair of brethren to whom all mankinde may be reduced from whom both Sion the City of God and Babell the City of Satan take their beginning concerning whom in the variety of their names we observed the variety of their natures the one called Cain that is a possession sets out those people whose felicity is to get and which count it the only misery to lose the things of this life the other called Abell that is vanity doth set out unto us those which reckon all things in this life to be vanity as the Preacher teacheth us to value them thereby we considered what account we made both of the one and the other In the world Cain is called a great Jewell and Abell despised as a thing of naught Second and third Division Now we are come to a second and third division 1 In their Trades For in this verse they are divided by their trades and calling 2. In their Religion in the next by their religion and profession in the service of God both which divisions have their ground the second chapter and the seventh verse Man consists of Body and Soul to fill both Earth and Heaven For where man is said to consist of two parts body and soul the one formed of the dust of the earth the other breathed by God that is to shew that as according to Gods commandement the first chapter of Genesis and the twenty sixt verse He hath a care to fill the earth by bringing forth children so he must be as carefull to fill heaven by a second generation that as he was to till the earth from whence his body was taken chapter the third Mans vocation maintain life and religion a spirituall life So he must imploy his study in Gods service from whence he received his soul his care must be not only to leave behinde him a long generation but semen sanctum Mal. the second chapter as they must have a vocation whereby to maintain naturall life So they must be religious and offer sacrifice that leading a spirituall life here on earth they may obtain eternall life in heaven 1. The naturall life then the spirituall and why But as Cain was first born after the flesh and then Abell So alwaies flesh goeth before the spirit nature before grace as the Apostle witnesseth the first of the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall Therefore God was first to feed the Israelites with Manna and to give them water out of the rock the sixteenth chapter of Exodus before they would receive the Law which after was published upon mount Sinai the twentieth chapter of Exodus For as the Apostle sheweth there is a debt due to the flesh Rom. the eight chapter which must be paid before the spirit can with quietnesse attend upon Gods service which being provided for the spirit is the fitter to attend upon Gods worship Children are not to be trained up in idlenesse and why Before we come to their severall vocations we have first to consider in generall that Adam would not have either of his children trained up in idlenesse and therefore he sets not only his younger sonne But to labor in a vocation but even his heir to a trade and occupation knowing that whereas God hath ordained that man shall live by some painfull vocation chapter the third there is a thing that both touched him and his the necessity whereof is such as Job saith Man is born to labor even as a bird to flie the fifth chapter of Job and the seventh verse And as he imployeth in trade as well the eldest as the youngest So Abell the good no lesse then Gain the wicked sonne for the godly have no liberty to live without some honest calling and therefore the Apostle saith Let a man abide in that calling wherein he is called the first of the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the twenty fourth verse If the godly may not live idlely much more ought wicked children to be set to some trade of life The second point to be observed is that there is no sooner mention made of the birth of these two brethren but presently the Holy Ghost setteth down their trade commending unto us from Adams example that which Salomon after teacheth the twenty second chapter of the Prov. Teach a childe in the beginning of his waies and he will not depart from it when he is old Seasonable instruction in youth and why for without seasonable instruction children and youth are but vanity the eleventh chapter of Eccle. and the third verse All are not fit for one and the same calling and why Both these sonnes are not set to one vocation to shew that all men are not fit and meet for one and the same calling for as there is this diversity in the earth out of which man is taken that one part of it is sandy some clay and some gravell And as in the heavenly light there is that diversity which the Apostle speaks of the first of the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the fourty first verse one star differing from another in glory So the like variety appeareth in the dispositions of men in so much as we see all men are not meet for one thing Fourthly from hence we learn that albeit the labors and trades of men be diverse Callings must be such as God alloweth and are serviceable to the Common-wealth and why yet they must be such as both God alloweth and such as are serviceable to the publique wealth we may not say because Cain a reprobate was a husbandman that therefore God dislikes husbandary for God affirmeth of Noah that he was a just and upright man and yet he was an husbandman Genesis the ninth chapter nor that the office of keeping sheep is therefore lawfull in Gods sight because Abell the just was a sheephcard for Juball the sonne of wicked Lamech was the father of them that dwelt in tents and kept Sheep Genesis the fourth chapter and the twentieth verse and yet himself a wicked man the person doth not make the calling lawfull but it must be taken from God himself and be such as God alloweth touching husbandry Christ saith My father is the Husbandman the fifteenth chapter of John and the first verse and you are Gods husbandry saith the Apostle the first of the Corinthians the third chapter and the ninth verse Therefore the calling of an husbandman is allowable for the other calling God himself is called the Shepheard of Israel the eightieth Psalme and the first verse and Christ saith of his Church I have other sheep which I must gather under my government
ninth verse Another confesseth himself unfit to be a Prophet seeing he was alwaies an husbandman therefore men must followthose trades of life for which they are fit The want of which discretion is the confusion of Church and Common-wealth Inconvenience of the contrary There are saith Salomon that have the price of wisedome in their hands and have not wisdome in their hearts in the sixteenth chapter of the Proverbs Such as have preferment in places where they deserve it no contrary-wise it is a great benefit to the Common-wealth when men set their children to such trades as they are fit for Examples So Jacob seeing that Isaac had great bones made him an husbandman and perceiving that Zabulon delighted in the waters he imployed him in navigation and perceiving that Juda was strong and politick fit to bear rule made a magistrate of him in the fourty ninth chapter of Genesis and the thirteenth verse Which thing when it is not observed when Saul a mighty and strong man fit for war is among the Prophers in the first of Samuell the tenth chapter then is there a great confusion Such as will imploy themselves in the ministery of the Gospell must not be young Schollars in the first of Timothie and the third chapter Nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second of Peter and the third chapter Nor without ground and soundnesse of judgment and knowledge for such undertake that which they are not fit for The conclusion is that which the Apostle St. Paul saith Such as have diverse gifts we should imploy them to the glory of Christ our head from whom we receive them in the twelfth chapter of the Romanes and the sixt verse And that every one as he hath received the gift so he doe dispose and minister the same one to another as God disposeth of his manifold graces in the first of Peter the fourth chapter and the tenth verse Ground of Abells calling keeping sheep The second calling wherein Abell was sent hath this ground the husbandman is occupied in tilling the ground which is a thing without life But sheep are living things and they that undertake to keep them must have an oversight to keep them in order And because they are of all cattell most subject to wander they must be kept in with bands in the eleventh chapter of Zachariah In regard of the great care that shepheards take of their flock the Governors of Common-wealths are termed by the name of shepheards So the Prophet Jeremiah speaking of temporall Magistrates I will give you Pastors which shall feed you with wisdome and understanding in the third chapter of Jeremiah and the fifteenth verse And the false Prophets are called false Shepheards in the eleventh chapter of Zachariah The necessity of temporall and spirituall shepheards and why And of the people that are without a Governor it is said Let not the Lords people be as sheep without a shepheard in the twenty seventh chapter of Numbers And for ecclesiasticall government Christ saw the people As sheep that have no shepheard and had compassion of them in the ninth chapter of Matthew and in the thirty fourth chapter of Ezekiel That which is performed to sheep by the shepheards as the leading of them forth the bringing them in pasture the gathering of them together being dispersed the defending of them from violence All this is ascribed to the Prophets that should teach Gods people and sheep of his pasture The sheep are subject to be torne in pieces by the Bears and Lions in the first of Samuell and the seventh chapter And The fat sheep will kick against the young and weak sheep in the thirty fourth chapter of Ezekiel Against which injuries the shepheard is to defend them which is a representation of that oversight that Magistrates have of the people Therefore God took Moses from keeping of sheep to be governor over his people in the third chapter of Exodus And David from following the ewes great with lamb was chosen to be King over Israel in the seventy eighth Psalme As if by keeping of sheep they had been trained up and made fit to govern men Therefore as in Abell is represented the care and oversighted that temporall magistrates have over their people and subjects So Joseph is called the shepheard of Israel in the fourty ninth chapter of Genesis And Cyrus is called Gods servant and shepheard in the fourty fift chapter of Esay And for ecclesiastiall government that is no lesse set out in the care of shepheards And therefore Christ who is the chief shepheard saith to Saint Peter Pasce agnos meos in the twenty first chapter of John Fuit autem post dies multos quum obtulit Kajin de fructu terrae munus Jehovae Et ipse quoque Hebel obtulit de primogenitis gregis sui de adipe eorum Gen 4. 3. Aprill 22. 1599. THESE two Bretheren as we have heard Abell a patern of the Saints Cain of the wicked are the great patern of the maine division of the world that is Abell is a patern of the Saints and Church of God and Cain of fleshly and wordly minded men Concerning whom from the beginning we have already considered two parts First the disposition of their natures Secondly their vocations Thirdly we are at length come to their Religion which howsoever it be last regarded of men yet ought it to be first in place First provides for religion Secondly for trades and why For howsoever Adam after the fall did provide for Religion in the last place yet as Christ saith Non sic fuit ab initio in the ninth chapter of 〈◊〉 Therefore we are first to enquire of Gods service and after to provide for trades and occupations as the Prophet exhorteth Stand in the way and behold and aske for the old wayes in the sixth chapter of Jeremiah and the fifteenth verse Division in four parts touching this Religion Touching their Religion we have to consider four points First the antiquities and generalities of it Secondly the kindes of it that is Cains oblation and Abell's sacrifice Thirdly the ground and reason why they performed this service to God Fourthly the warrant they had for it 1. The antiquity of it being first First for the Antiquitie of this kinde of worship in offering up to God we are to know that there is no act of Religion remembred in Scripture before this offering of Cain and Abell Examples And therefore the Apostle sheweth that the Sacrifice which Abell offered up to God was the first fruit of faith that ever was shewed in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews and the fourth verse 1. In the law of nature As it was the first before the flood so in the new world when all things had been drowned with the flood the first service done to God was the offering of Noah upon an Altar which he made as it is in the eighth chapter of
of his sinne is dispatched in a word My sinne is greater but he takes his punishment in pieces and thinks of it particularly whereupon one saith of Cain and the wicked that the repetition which they make is eorum quae ferunt non quae fecerunt they are generall in their sinne but particular in their punishment For as of the abundanee of the heart the mouth speaketh Matthew the twelfth chapter so we may gather by Cains words that he thinks more of his punishment than of his fault that which offends him stood more in his sight and grieved him more than that which offended God but the godly are of another minde for they will be content to have the punishment remain upon them so that the guilt may be taken away But there is a third point in this repetition which is a perverting of the order which God set down in giving the Sentence God began with the curse ended with casting out of the earth but Cain beginneth with his casting out of the earth wherein he sheweth what is his greatest grief for if a man suffer many pains he will speak of that first which doth most pinch him and complain first of the losse of that thing which he doth most of all affect in that he first complaineth he is cast out from the face of the earth he sheweth he took more care for the face of the earth than the face and presence of God and it grieved him more to be deprived of the good will of men than of the favour of God It is otherwise with the Saints of God for they crie Psalm the seventy third and the twenty fift verse Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none in earth whom I desire besides thee Psalm the 〈◊〉 third Thy kindness is better than life it self and when they come to make composition between heavenly things and earthly we see what David saith in the second of Samuel the fifteenth chapter and the twenty fift verse If I finde favour in Gods sight I will see the Ark again that is the presence of God and makes choice of that as his greatest felicity not to enjoy his Scepter or to be restored to his Wives and Children which earthly men would make most account of so the Apostle Philippians the third chapter and the eighth verse Esteeming all things as dung in respect of Christ. Whereby we see that as Cains punishment grieved him more than his sinne so the earthly part of his punishment offends him more than the heavenly One thing more is to be added that is Cains Commentary or interpretation of Maledictus for he saith that to be cursed is to be cast out from Gods presence The presence or face of God hath reference to the power of God or to his favour from the presence of Gods power knowledge or spirit there is no escaping Psalm the one hundred and thirty ninth If I climb up to heaven 〈◊〉 art there if I goe down to hell thou art there also of which the Prophet saith Jeremiah the twenty third chapter and the twenty fourth verse coelum terram ego 〈◊〉 but that is not his meaning but that he is cast out from the presence of Gods favour so are 〈◊〉 words to be taken to Moses Exodus the tenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse Get thee from me and look thou see my face no more Rsalm the thirty first and the twenty second verse I said in my half I am cast out from thy presence and Psalm the eightieth Turn again O Lord cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved so that we must know that albeit God be present every where with his power yet he is not present with his favour and not only that but it signifieth the place where the favour and grace of God is intailed that is his House and Church of which the Prophet saith Psalm the ninty fift Let us come before his presence or face with thanksgiving When shall I come and appear in the presence of God Psalm the fourty second of which presence Christ saith Matthew the eighteenth chapter When two or three be gathered together I am amongst them and the Apostle in the second to the Corinthians the second chapter In the presence of Jesus Christ forgive I them that is in the Church where God speaketh to us in his word and we again speak to him by prayer so Cains punishment is both spirituall and ecclesiasticall for that he is not only shut out of Gods favour but cast out of the place where the presence of his favour and grace is shewed and the punishment was justly inflicted upon Cain that durst commit so great an offence in the presence and sight of God and when it was committed feared not Gods presence but denyed it as if God knew not of it The second point is Cains admonition wherein the first thing to be observed is how in this repetition it comes to pass that Cain saith whosoever shall finde him will kill him seeing in the sentence there is no mention of death the reason comes from the guiltiness of his conscience severiorum seipso Judicem habet 〈◊〉 whereupon it falleth out that though the Judge absolve yet the party guilty addeth a sentence of condemnation upon himself so doth Cain condemn himself as worthy of death God indeed afterward saith He 〈◊〉 shedeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Genesis the ninth chapter but seeing Cain 〈◊〉 God hath uttered his opinion of murther that it is a sinne mortall it may be said to him ex ore 〈◊〉 te 〈◊〉 Luke he 〈◊〉 chapter that men may know that wisedome is justified of 〈◊〉 children 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter so 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 of her children Secondly Where he saith he shall be killed with a 〈◊〉 and bloody death this is secundum dictamen rationis ut 〈…〉 fecit expectes Cain is told by his own conscience that 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 murthered Abel so himself must look to be murthered This is that Lex 〈◊〉 written naturally in the hearts of all men which made the bretheren of Joseph to say Genesis the fourty second chapter and the twenty first verse We have sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear him therefore is all this come upon us By that Law it was just that as Hammon had made Gods people afraid so he himself should fear and be dealt with as he had purposed to deal Esther the seventh chapter and the sixt verse therefore the Prophet saith Isaiah the thirty fift chapter and the first verse Woe be to them that spoile for they shall be spoiled and our Saviour Christ saith agreeably Matthew the seventh chapter With what measure ye meat the same shall be measured to you again Thirdly He saith Omnis qui inveniret there could but one kill him and yet his 〈◊〉 tells him he deserveth to die at the hands
disorder but Melchisedek who stayed in the presence of God had Salem for his land The reason of this is as Augustine saith because God made the soul of man for himself inquietum est cor nostrum 〈◊〉 requiescit in Deo we may finde the skirts of Eden and obtain some delight for a time in this life but we cannot 〈◊〉 to any perfect pleasute for as the Wise-man saith risus dolore miscetur extrema 〈…〉 occupat Proverbs the fourteenth chapter therefore the Prophet saith Micah 2. 10. surgite non est hîc requies vestra and the Apostle 〈◊〉 with him Hebrewes the thirteenth chapter non habemâ—…s hîc manentem civitatem therefore let us goe out with Christ. Thus the imperfection of our happiness in this life and the continuall fear of death doth take from us all rest and this proceedeth from the want of Gods presence It remaineth then that he which will finde rest doe seek Gods face and presence Psalm the twenty seventh and the eighth verse for seek God and then your soul shall live Psalm the sixty ninth If our departure from the 〈◊〉 of God be not as Cains was that is of contempt yet it is like Judas which went out of distrust The issue of Cains departure was a radious life full of trouble and fear and the going out of Judas was miserie or death Such shall be the issue of those that either of contempt or distrust fall away from God the pleasure that they shall have in this life is but momentary and 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 inquieta voluptas Ecclesiastes the second chapter the desire of that which they want and the fear of death which is alwayes at 〈◊〉 doth not suffer them to take rest therefore if we will have rest we must goe to Peniel and Salem there we shall have both rest and 〈◊〉 and this is done by prayer when we say with David Psalm the fifty first Cast me not from thy presence If of our selves we 〈◊〉 our of his presence we must goe to some valley to 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 〈◊〉 did so we shall be received of God for God being 〈…〉 and majesty is able both to give us our hearts desire and to deliver our souls from death Et cognovit Kajin uxorem suam quae concepit peperit Chanocum quamobrem studebat edificare civitatem vocavit nomen civitatis illius de nomine filit sui Chanoc Gen. 4. 17. Septemb. 30. 1599. ALbeit Cain departed from the presence of God and seated himself in a Land as neer Eden as he could yet his departure is not altogether desperate because he may return again for so both the Prophet in the old Testament sheweth that the Church of the Jewes having departed from her first husband and seeing the invonvenience of it resolved to return again Hosea the second chapter and our Saviour in the New tells us that the Sonne which forsook his Father after when he felt some affliction was glad to come to him again Luke the fifteenth chapter and so may Cain come again for as Eden that is pleasure is the thing that perswades men to depart from their allegiance in the service of God so the place whither they goe that is the Land of Nod being a Land of trouble and unquietness may perswade them to return to God again A fair proffer indeed is made to draw men from Gods presence and to commit sinne in as much as it offereth pleasure but when they have seated themselves a little even as neer Eden as they can they shall finde themselves in the Land of Nod that is they shall feel nothing within but unquietness of conscience and without fear and trouble so as they shall have inducements sufficient to make them return Salomon the pearless example of all those that might have enjoyed pleasure if it had been to be found who was greater than any King that ever was before him set himself to plant himself as neer Eden as he could he denyed his Soul nothing that it desired and yet he confesseth that when he had built him Houses and planted Orchards he found nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit Ecclesiastes the second chapter and the eleventh verse that is his desire was never satisfied and for the attaining of that which he had he endured vexation and trouble As Cain had his arguments perswading him to make triall of the Land of Nod so when he was there his trouble and unquietness were sufficient reasons to make him return to God but we see he had no minde to return for having disjoyned himself from Gods presence he built a City which is a plain argument of not returning as the people in captivity to let them know they shall not return of a long time are commanded to build Houses Jeremiah the twenty ninth chapter and the Children of God were content to dwell in Tents they built not Cities on earth but sought for a City whose builder is God Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the ninth verse which was a plain token that they did not minde to dwell on earth as Freeholders but to continue for a time looking for a City that hath a foundation but Cain not minding to return to God built a City in the land of Nod and this is the complement of his sinne first in departing from Gods presence then in planting himself so as he purposed not to return The parts are three the propagation of Children the building of a City and the denomination of both wherein we see Cain conveyeth to his Sonne the great Joynture of the world to be Henoch of Henoch To have Children is a matter of the flesh to build 〈◊〉 is a matter of the world for the flesh departing from the 〈…〉 in the world The naming of the City after his Sons name is a fruit and effect of the pride of his heart 〈◊〉 like to those that said 〈◊〉 nob is nomen Genesis the eleventh chapter Touching the first we are to insist upon four things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wife Secondly his knowledge Thirdly her conception Fourthly the giving of the name Concerning the Wife of Cain it cannot be otherwise but she was one of the daughters of Adam whose Sonne Cain himself was and for him to take his Sister to be his Wise is a thing unlawfull saving that as Christ sheweth that which of it 〈◊〉 is unlawfull on the Sabbath by necessity is made lawfull nam quod in 〈◊〉 non est necessitas facit licitum as Christ sheweth by the example of David and his men that his 〈◊〉 offended not in pulling the 〈◊〉 of corn on the Sabbath in regard of their necessity Matthew the twelfth chapter no more than David offended when being hungrie he went into the house of God and did eat the 〈◊〉 bread which none may eat but the Priests in the first of Samuel the twenty first chapter That which was Davids case at Nob is Cains case in the land of Nod. A man may not
goe forth on the Sabbath notwithstanding they went forth to make triall though they found none Exodus the sixteenth chapter the twentieth and the twenty seventh verses so Cain would trie whether there were not a plot of ground free from the curse but not finding any such piece of ground he turned himself to handycrafts when husbandry failed He and his Children fall to occupations some work in brass some to make Tents and others to make Organs That is the civill reason of the building of the City The spirituall reason is that fear is the first beginner of Cains City for this place though it were a place of pleasure yet it gives him no rest or security therefore he deviseth to himself a new means to safeguard him from fear that is by building a City and walling it that if the Sonnes of Seth or any that were privie to his fact came against him he might be safe from them As Adam hid himself from Gods presence in his bushes so doth Cain goe about to defend himself with walls Howbeit so it is that a guilty conscience cannot finde any rest or security by any such means but it findes the truth of that which the Apostle saith in the second to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the fifth verse pugnae for is intus terrores And yet by the taking order for the continuance of his name it appeares he had not only fear but a secular desire of fame in the world he contenteth not himself with Adams dwelling but builds a City Adam and his Children dwelt under Trees or some Tents but the Posterity of Cain builds themselves Cities to dwell in For the generall as the beginning of good Lawes is the evill fashions and naughty manners of men so the remedy against fear is Cities that by them people may be safe from wilde beasts and wicked and cruel men more wilde than beasts But as first necessity invented Garments since pride so it is of Cities A City was founded first in regard of fear but since they are become the only places of pride for in the Country where men are imployed in husbandry we see no such pride they content themselves with plain dwelling but in the City all things are for pride That is for the building of the City Touching the Builder we see the beginning of buildings is hominem occidere urbem condere Therefore the Prophets crie out that the faces of the poor are ground for the maintenance of Cities Jeremiah the twenty second chapter and the thirteenth verse Habakkuk the second chapter and the thirteenth verse Micha the third chapter Even as we see Cain that killed his brother is the Builder of this City so there are many like Cain that kill and undoe a great company of young Occupiers to build themselves a City For they content not themselves with their Fathers Houses but build themselves Houses of Cedar Jeremiah the thirty second chapter Secondly Out of the Builder Augustine hath this note that as the building of this City of Enoch by the blood of Abel was a soretelling what kinde of City this should be namely full of cruelty so in as much as Rome was founded by Romulus in the blood of Remus that was a signe that it would be a cruel and bloody City as we see it came to pass that it hath been the chief persecuting City and shed most blood Thirdly We are to speak of the name wherein the itch of Cains vanity breaks forth for in giving this name he saith as much as they doe Genesis the eleventh chapter paremus nobis nomen he seeks to make his posterity famous for it is the course of the world And men think their houses shall continue for ever and therefore call their lands by their names Psalm the fourty ninth and the eleventh verse when they cannot be written in the book of life they seek to be in remembrance of men We see it is in Saul when God took his honor from him he would be honoured of the people in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter so that upon these three things in satisfying the flesh in building Cities for the glory of this world and in leaving a name behinde stands all Cains desire But the giving of this name is in one of these two respects First If a man will see what is true dedication let him look upon the worldly minded man for none doe so truly dedicate themselves to the true God as they doe consecrate themselves to the World It is indeed sacra fames for as Christ saith The Children of this world are wiser in their generation than the Children of light Luke the sixteenth chapter Therefore in them we may see the lively example of true dedication Secondly If not that yet for as much as every dedication is the first act for the first thing to be done when a new House is to be built is to dedicate it by great feastings This sheweth that as all the things of this life are but beginnings for as Christ kept the best wine last John the second chapter so the consummation of all things is in Salem which is Gods City But Cains Enoch is nothing but fair shewes of joy and feastings which shall end in mournings Where it is said Cain was building a City and not that he built it it is to teach us that he did but begin it we see the like in the worlds course men are ever building and pulling down they are never at rest but continually in the Land of Nod Nunquam aedificavêrunt as the Preacher saith The soul still desireth but is never satisfied Ecclesiastes the fifth chapter even so Cain is alwayes occupied in building the City but never makes an end but even before he hath done he drops into the grave like the rich man Luke the twelfth chapter that suddenly while he was consulting how to build Barns was taken away These are Cains three waies 〈◊〉 Prolis extruxio Urbis propagatio Nominis the one is the lust of the flesh the other the lust of the eyes the third the pride of life John the second chapter And these are the waies of the world All the desires of worldly men stand in these three to have many Children to build fair houses and to get an honorable name among men Thus far goeth worldly men and no farther as we see not only in Cain but in Nimrod and Pharaoh all whose studdy was in getting Children in building Cities and seeking to make their name famous These are the men of this world from whom the Prophet prayeth to be delivered That have their portion in this life their bellies are filled with hid treasure their Children have enough and leave the rest to their Children and this is all they seek for but the Godly say with the Prophet Psalm the seventeenth and the fourteenth verse But I will seek for thy presence in righteousness that is Seths Enoch and not Cains We have
not here saith the Apostle any abiding City Hebrews the thirteenth chapter and the fourteenth verse that is true for albeit we have Cities yet they continue not therefore we seek for a City of Gods building Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the ninth verse and not a City built by Cain This is a point of examination for it is to be considered whether a man in the course of his life reach any further than these three If he goe no farther in the practise of his life but to get Children to build Cities and fair Houses and to get a name he is in the way of Cain But if with the other Enoch we continue still in Gods presence then we doe well Cain having life granted for repentance mispends it in building of a City and such like vanities And as there is a woe to him so woe to them that like him mispend their time which God giveth them for repentance Jude the eleventh verse Cain is in a place of torment where he cryeth woe that he mispent his time so vainly and therefore we must beware by his example for this is the use we are to make of Cain and the Reprobate that when we see what is their end we beware that we walk not in their waies that we mispend not our time in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and vanity of buildings and seeking the glory and honor of this world because to all such there belongs a woe no less than to Cain as it is in the epistle of Jude Deinde Chanacho natus est Hirad Hirad genuit Mechujaëlem Machujaël verò genuit Methuschaëlem Methuschaël genuit Lemecum Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec uxores duas Gen. 4. 18.19 〈◊〉 9. 1599. IN these two verses we have two points to consider the one is a journey which the Holy Ghost undertaketh the other is the end of that journey In the journey Moses begins to set down the Pedigrees of Cain and the end of that journey is the story of Lameoh wherein it may justly be inquired First why any mention is made in Scripture of the Reprobate Secondly why it makes mention of the generation of Cain before the generation of Seth For the first It is a matter of absolute necessity that the Scripture should make mention of the ungodly and reprobate for whereas God proclaimed enmitie between the Serpents seed and the seed of the Woman Genesis the third chapter and the eleventh verse it was his will that it should appear in the world how the one was an enemie to the other therefore it is called liber bellorum domini Joshua the tenth chapter The life of man is called militia super terram Job the seventh chapter and the Church is called the Church militant haec est patientia Sanctorum Revelations the fourteenth chapter and the twelfth verse to shew that the godly have enemies in this world whereby their patience is tried Secondly why mention is made first of the pedigree of Cain there is sufficient reason to be given that is In as much as the wicked are called the men of this world Psalm the seventeenth and the Children of this generation Luke the 〈◊〉 chapter and the eighteenth verse it is reason they should be first remembred in this world for that they shall not be mentioned any where else they only have their interest in this life but in the morning the righteous have the dominion Psalm the fourty ninth and the fourteenth verse that is in the life to come 〈◊〉 shall be first made of the godly and therefore Christ before he speaks of 〈◊〉 the wicked saith first Metthew the twenty fifth chapter Venite benedicti patris mei that is in regard of the persons and for sinne it self as the Philosopher saith ad meminem ante venit mens bona quim animus malus every man is first possessed with an evill minde before he can have a good minde as the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians the the fifteenth chapter and the fourty fift verse That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall We are all by nature first the Children of wrath Ephesians the second chapter and belong to the posterity of Cain before we can be partakers of grace and therefore it is good reason that in Scripture our state by nature be first spoken of before our state by grace that the Law should goe before the Gospel the seed of the Serpent before the blessed feed of the Woman Thirdly It may be demanded why this passage is made to the story of Lamech next after the story of Cain the reason is for that it is Gods will to bring sinne to a head For as in Adam we saw the poyson of the Serpent and the infection of it in Cain so here is a new infection For as there is a spirit that lusteth after envy James the fourth chapter which made Cain kill his brother so in Lamech we see that spirit which Jude speaks of verse the seventh that is a spirit that longeth after strange flesh which he she wed in taking two Wives That is there is an unclean spirit as well as an 〈◊〉 spirit whereas there are two parts of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Cain the angry part was infected with the Serpents poyson his heart was inflamed with a desire of revenge Now in Lamech we see this infection goeth lower even to his reins and stirs him up to lust There are but two temprations Deuteronomie the thirty third chapter and the eighth verse which the Hebrews call meribah and Massah which the Apostle termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrews the third chapter the one is the temptation unto contention and revenge where with Cain was infected of which the Apostle saith James the fourth chapter and the first verse From 〈◊〉 are warres and contentions among you are they not from your lusts The other is the temptation of concupisence which poisoned Lamech In the Gospel we have them both that is spiritas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke the eighth chapter and the second verse Christ healeth certain women possessed with malignant and envious spirits and Luke the eleventh chapter The unclean spirit departing out of a man walketh in dry places The malicious spirit she wed his poyson in Cain by the temptation of meribah and now Lamech is infected with the unclean spirit and yeelding to the temptation of 〈◊〉 And in these two Reprobates infected with these two kindes of temptations the Holy Ghost sheweth the perfection of sinne For sanctification hath two parts First That we possesse our vessels in holiness which is an exposition to the uncleaness of Lamech and in the first to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter and the sixt verse that no man oppresse or tread down his brother which opposeth it self against the spirit of Cain who trod down his brother and violently slew him Charity and
chastity are a full comprehension of the duty of sanctification which God willeth us to perform And as Cains sinne stands first in the story so it is first in nature for a Child before he be able to speak one word will by his sower face shew that he hath a revenging spirit But in this story of Lamech we must observe a farther thing for it standeth upon two parts First in the ninteenth verse is shewed not only that he was infected with a spirit of uncleanness but also verse the twenty third a contemptuous and insolent spirit which is a degree beyond Cain for there he braggeth of his sinne and contemneth God and his Judgments as if he should not be revenged of him for it For when a sinner is not only possessed and infected with malice and envy in his heart and with lust in his reins but braggs of his sin in contempt of God and his Judgments then he is at the height of sinne Peccator cum in profundum venerit contemnit Thus where there are but three faculties of the soul all are corrupted by the infection of the Serpent as for reason it was corrupted in Adam when the Serpent perswaded him that he should be like God and the angry part was corrupted in Cain when he was stirred up to kill his Brother without all cause Thirdly the will and the coveting part was corrupted in Lamech so as neither the bond of nature nor the will of God which is a spirituall bond could keep in order but he will shew his uncleanness When not only Adam looseth faith and Cain charity but Lamech chastity then is sinne at the height In the first verse there is a genealogie of four discents wherein there is no matter of great edification Howbeit as when mens Fields and Closes are laid out all must not be taken up for pasture but a little way must be left whereby every man may pass to his own ground so in the Scripture there must be a passage from one storie to another And as in the body for that there are a great many lymbs and parts they must of necessity be compacted one with another by the help of the sinews so both in prophane Writers and in the Scripture many things are set down to shew the dependance that one story hath with another which otherwise would not seem so necessary Even so the shewing how Cain is joyned with Lamech which is done in this verse is very necessary Secondly There is a farther matter in this heaping of names besides the continuance of the story for it would have seemed strange that the Scripture doth make mention of Lamech and his wicked course unless it were withall shewed from whence he came But in setting down that Lamech is of the posterity of wicked Cain no man will marvell that he doe expresse the manners of Cains Besides that we may not think that this heaping of words is vain for as the Fathers note there is no name in Scripture without profitable consideration for howsoever men that deal in woods and base mettals care not to let chips and parings fall from them yet as they that work in gold and Silver will not lose the least parings The like is to be done in reading the word For it is pure as silver that hath been purified seven times Psalm the twelfth More to be desired than gold Psalm the ninteenth therefore we must have this conceit of it that whatsoever seemeth to be superfluous in the word of God hath great value both for faith and life For Isidor saith est in nominibus sacris sua theologia and as Jerome saith in nominibus sacrae Scripturae insculpuntur mysteria Therefore the Apostle saith That the Sonne of God is more excellent than the Angels in as much as he hath a more excellent name than they Hebrews the first chapter and the fourth verse so when the blinde man is sent to wash himself in Shilo John the ninth chapter and the seventh verse The word signifying sent importeth that he could not be purified by that water unless he was sent so in the names of holy Scripture we see as Jerome saith there are ingraven mysteries Now we give names to our Children ad placitum but in the old Testament the Fathers gave names of set purpose with great advise so we see Eve giveth a reason why she called her Sonne Cain Genesis the fourth chapter and the first verse so is there a reason of Seths name Genesis the fourth chapter and the twenty fift verse of Noah the Sonne of Lamech Genesis the fift chapter and the twenty ninth verse of Isaack and Jacob and all the Patriarches The reason why they had this regard in giving of names are reduced to two First in those that are the Children of the godly their names are a kinde of Prophesie concerning the disposition of the Childe which choice of names their Fathers made for that being endued with the spirit of God they foresaw the disposition of their Children On the other side the wicked and the reprobate cannot prophesie yet their names are specula paternae affectionis as the names of godly Children are prophesies puerilis indolis That it is thus in these names we shall observe an encounter made between the seed of Cain and the seed of Seth which as they were of a contrary disposition so gave their Children contrary names Cain called his Sonne Enoch that is dedicated to the pleasure of the world but Seths Sonne is called Enosh that is sorrowfull Genesis the fift chapter On the one side there was Cain on the other Kenan Irad on the one side Jerad on the other Methushael and Methushelah by which names the seed and posterity of godly Sheth shew a contrary affection and such as differeth from the wicked and the seed of Cain as appeareth by the signification of their names Touching the opposition that appeares to be between the generation of Seth and the posteritie of Cain Enochs name who was Cains Sonne signifieth dedication and there is one of the Children of God called by the same name Genesis the fifth chapter and the ninteenth verse but Seths Enoch as Jude saith was the seventh from Adam verse the fourteenth that is one dedicated to the seventh or Sabbath day one that gave himself wholly to the service and worship of God but Cains Enoch was the first and next to Cain that is one dedicated to the first day which is a working day to shew that he was one that gave himself to the affaires of this life that sought to be mighty on earth And this difference of affection holds to this day for all men are followers either of the first or second Enoch The next of Cain is called Irad that is Lord of a City the same that Herod signifieth wherein we see his ambitious spirit that he was such a one as sought to be great in the world And as Jeroboam when he was not able to maintain
The only pretence for taking a second Wife is the example of Abraham Genesis the sixteenth chapter who for that he was without ofspring was permitted by Sarah his Wife to goe in to Agar that of her he might raise up Children but the case stood not so with Lamech for he had by his first Wife two Sonnes Jabal and Jubal and therefore it was not for the raising up of seed that he took Zillah Secondly But if he say these were not enough we shall see that the seed which he had by his false Wife did not 〈◊〉 to the increase of mankinde but to the destroying of it For if we 〈◊〉 the seed that God gave him by 〈◊〉 the shadow of a true Wife it was Tubal Cain who was the first that gave an edge to 〈◊〉 and brass that is the first Warrier and he that brought war into the world So we see Lamechs purpose in taking a second Wife howsoever he desired to increase the world yet by Gods just judgment turned to the destroying of mankinde for he brought forth Tubal-Cain one that was a destroye To this we add his Daughter whom he had by Zillah his unlawfull Wife whose name was Naamah that is fair which being compared with the sixt chapter we shall see that she was the overthrow of the world For the sons of Seth saw the daughters of men that they were fair and beautifull and that 〈◊〉 in them a lust after them so as it confounded that distinction of the holy Familie of the godly which caused the Lord to drown the world with a flood so that as well the Daughters as the Sons that Lamech had by his unlawfull Wife proved the overthrow of mankinde and therefore it was no good pretence to marry a Second Wife to increase it Thirdly To proceed one step further in the choice of a second Wife the example of David may be a good pretence who seeing a virtuous woman Abigal 〈◊〉 good to his first Wife to add a second in the first of Samuel the twenty ninth chapter so that the good quality of the second Wife may somewhat abate the sinne But Lamech took not Zillah for any such respect of virtue Zillah which is a shadow betokens lightness and 〈◊〉 Adah is an open place and withall signifieth a tireing and decking of her self and Naamah signifieth made beautifull So these three things were the cause hat made Lamech take his second Wife And as in these we see a plain description of the woman of the old world so we see also what manner of women they were that brought destruction upon the whole world Naamah that is beauty made is the mark of Jezebel in the second of Kings the ninth chapter and the third verse Who for that she was not beautifull of her self naturally painted her face Adah that is tireing and gorgeous apparell is a mark of the Daughters of Canaan when Deborah describes by their apparrell of divers colours Judges the fift chapter and the thirtieth verse Zillah that is lightness and wantonness sets out unto us the strange woman that is an Harlots behaviour Proverbs the seventh chapter and the tenth verse and of a wanton pace such as the Prophet describes Isaiah the third chapter On the other side Esther when sweet odours were offered her to purifie her self she refused and desired nothing but that which was naturall she did not make her self beautifull to delight the Kings eyes Esiher the second chapter and the fifteenth verse As for Adah that is glorious apparrell The holy women of old as Sarah that trusted in God did not deck themselves 〈◊〉 with broyded haire and putting on of gold or apparrell but with 〈◊〉 in the first 〈◊〉 of Peter the third chapter and the fift verse contrary to the wicked generation of Cain As for Zillah the wanton and light woman Rebecca covered her self with a Vail Genesis the twenty fourth chapter and the sixty fift verse These examples of good and evill women are set down first to correct and reprove such as tyre themselves like the women of the wicked generation and to exhort and instruct others to follow the modesty of godly and holy women for that is the use of the holy Scripture in the second of Timothy the third chapter that no man should take two Wives at once but as the Apostle tels us That every man have his proper wife and every woman her proper husband in the first to the Corintbians the 〈◊〉 chapter and the second verse that we should not ensue the steps of the cursed generation of 〈◊〉 or follow Cains seed in making choice of Wives for glorious apparrell for beauty and wantonness but to choose such as are vittuous as Boze chose Ruth All this is testified of Lamech by way of reproof and correction to himself and those that follow his example And as there is woe threatned to them that walk in Cains 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 bath a way that brought woe to him and his way was that he taught the Daughters of Moab to intice the Children of Israel by painting their faces and so made them commit whoredome with them Numbers the 25. chapter and the 1. verse therefore whosoever shall cause his Daughters by their wanton attire to allure the minde of the Sonnes of men they walk in Baalams way and shall be partakers of his woe Thus much for Lamechs marriage That which is set down rouching his Children followeth in the next verses In which part we are to observe Gods power First in blessing him with Children Secondly Gods providence in directing the matter First There is set down three of Lamechs children First Jubal that signifieth apportantem Secondly Jubal oblectantem Thirdly Tubal-Cain that is one that terrifieth maketh afraid Of which the bringing in is referred to store of wealth delight is referred to pleasure 〈◊〉 or making afraid hath his end in revenge In those things stands the facility of the first Enoch and of all those that dedicate themselves to this world For as we heard Cains Enoch sets his minde on things present nihil sperans quod sequitur but Seths Enoch which came on the seventh day hath a course by himself that is looked to things to come Thus by their names we see their affections and the same we shall see by their actions and professions Jubal is said to be a Grasier and not only so but the first that back'd horses and made other beasts fit for their uses for which they were appointed by God that is the first bringer in of all riches and wealth Secondly to Jubal belongs the invention of Instruments whether they be such as are to be played on with fingers or with the winde Thirdly Tubal-Cain was the first of those that gave an 〈◊〉 and point to brasse and iron and applied it to warlike use to the end he might have weapons to fight with and to 〈◊〉 all he world subject to him and his 〈…〉 Add 〈◊〉 this his fair Daughter
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
populus Dei Abrahami quia Deisunt protectiones terrae valde excelsus est Psal. 47. 10. Januar. 7. 1598. IT is a prophecie of the manifesting of Christ to the Gentils and of the gathering of them into the flock of Christ which is the third of the three benefits which we celebrate in the great solemnity of Christs birth and is called by the Fathers the Churches holi-day for Christ is the head to his Church and the Church is his body and the fullnesse of him that filleth 〈◊〉 in all things Ephesians the first chapter and the twenty third verse 〈◊〉 signifie unto us that Christ is an unperfect head till all the body consisting both of Jews and Gentils be gathered to him Christ had a Church before his nativity which was the Synagogue of the Jews but he had not a Church of the Gentils till he was come in the flesh Presently after his birth some of the Gentils which came from the East were called to be as it were Proctors to the rest of the Gentils before which time they were not incorporated into the Church of Christ which is his body Ephesians the third chapter and the sixt verse Neither is it said only of a few of the Gentils or as Christ saith A scattering of the Gentils John the seventh chapter and the thirty fift verse But the whole company of the Gentils or as the Apostle speaks That the fulnesse of the Gentils should come in to be of Christs Church Romans the eleventh chapter and the twenty fift verse Not a few of the common people but the Kings and Princes of the people And this is Christs second nativity For as he was first born at Bethlehem of his mother the Virgin so he hath another birth foretold by the Prophet Psalm the eighty seventh and the third fourth verses I will think of 〈◊〉 and Babiton behold Palestina Tyrus and Ethiopia loe there is he borne not at Sion only but among the Gentils he shall be manifested to be the God of the Gentils as well as Jews In those words we have first a Prophecie Secondly A Reason rendred In the first we have to consider First The calling of the People Secondly Of the Princes of the people First touching the God of Abraham it is Christ whose day Abraham desired to see and in seeing whereof he did so much rejoyce John the eight chapter that is not only the day of his birth which he saw as we learn by the oath which he caused his servant to take Genesis the twenty fourth chapter but also the day of his passion which he saw long agoe and rejoyced in seeing of it when he said to his sonne Isaac in the mount The Lord will provide a sacrifice Hic providebit Dominus Genesis the twenty second chapter and the eighth verse Secondly The People of the God of Abraham are his children and posterity not only they that are the seed of Abraham comming out of his loyns and are the children of the flesh Romans the ninth chapter the eighth verse but the children of the promise for if they that come out of Abrahams loyns were only his children then the Agarins the Turks and Ismaelites should be the people of God but in Isaac shall thy seed be called They that lay hold of the promise by faith They that are of the faith are the children of Abraham Galatians the third chapter and the seventh verse That have the same spirit of faith the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter that Abraham had As the Apostle saith He is not a Jew that is one outward but a Jew inward is the true Jew Romans the second chapter the twenty eighth verse They that worship the Messias by beleeving in him with the faith of Abraham they are Abrahams children and the people of 〈◊〉 God which thing John Baptist affirmeth Matthew the third chapter God can of stones raise up children to Abraham So the Gentils which worshipped stones and therefore were like unto them Psalm the hundred and fifteenth were notwithstanding raised up to be children to Abraham Concerning which joyning of the Gentils to the Church of Christ which is the bringing of them into one flock John the tenth chapter and the sixteenth verse The ingraffing of them into the true Olive Romans the eleventh chapter And the incorporating of them into his body Ephesians the third chapter That we which are sinners of the Gentils Galatians the second chapter might have hope God hath from time to time left recorded in his word that this should come to passe And because under two or three witnesses every matter is established 〈◊〉 the nineteenth chapter and the fifteenth verse therefore before the Law we have chosen three proofs First Noah saith God shall perswade Japheth to dwell in the tents of Shem Genesis the ninth chapter and the twenty seventh verse Secondly In semine 〈◊〉 omnes gentes benedicentur Genesis the twenty second chapter And which 〈◊〉 the people shall be gathered to him Genesis the fourty ninth chapter and the tenth verse Again in the time of the Law three testimonies First of Moses Deateronomy the thirty second chapter alleged by St. Paul Romans the fifteenth chapter and the tenth verse Rejoyce ye Gentils with his people Secondly Of 〈◊〉 Numbers the twenty fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse There shall come a starre of Jacob and shall bring under all the sonnes of 〈◊〉 that is all wicked Thirdly Job who though he were a Gentile yet being a member of the Church of Christ did by a true faith confesse I know that my Redeemer liveth Job the nineteenth chapter After the Law and before the second temple the Prophet saith In the name of God Isalah the fourty ninth chapter and the fixt verse It is a small thing Hosea the first chapter and the sixt verse I will call them a people that is no people applyed by Paul Romans the ninth chapter And Joel the second chapter I will poure my spirit upon all flesh alleged by the Apostle Acts the second chapter and Romans the tenth chapter After the second Temple Agga veniet defideratus cunctis gentibus Hagga the second chapter Great people and mighty Nations shall come to seek the Lord they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a 〈◊〉 and say we will goe with you Zacherie the eighth chapter and the twenty third verse And from the rising of the Sonns to the going down my name is great among the Gentils 〈◊〉 the first chapter and the eleventh verse This God hath from all times revealed That the gate of faith should be opened to the Gentils to enter into the flock of Christ. This was shewed by Abrahams matching with Keturah a Gentile by Mosos matching himself with Zipporah a Midianite and Gentile by Salomon matching with Pharaohs daughter as in the Genealogie of Christs birth Salomon is matched with Rahab Booz with Ruth to signifie that Christ should save both
this place Touching the first We see by experience that in this life many unprofitable servants that bury their talents doe for all that enjoy light and withall have great joy and gladnesse and therefore the holy-Ghost tells them that howsoever they escape here yet in the world to come they shall be sure to be cast into darknesse and to weep continually they shall hear that Memento which the rich man received from Abraham Luke the sixteenth chapter Thou in thy life time receivedst pleasure but now pain So shall it be with the unprofitable servants that are not diligent to imploy their talents to their Masters glory Secondly He alludes to the measure of weeping which is found in this place for many unprofitable servants lose their talents in this life and are deprived of the comforts that should cheer them up they weep and indure much sorrow But because our weeping in this life is mixed with many comforts which doe mitigate our grief the Holy Ghost tells us That howsoever they may finde means to delay grief and weeping here yet the greatest weeping is behinde in the world to come where shall be no mitigation of grief Rachel wept and lamented much for her children because they were not but the weeping and lamentation of these men shall be far greater not only because they are destitute of comfort in the midest of these miseries but for that they shall never finde any means to mitigate their anguish and grief Therefore as one giveth counsel Sic legat homo histerias ne fiat historia so sic audite parabolam hanc ne fiat is parabola Pro puero isto supplicabam praestititque mihi Jehovah petitionem meam quam petebam ab eo Quemobrem ego quoque precario datum sisto eum Jehovae omnibus diebus quibus fuerit ipse rogatus precario est Jehovae c. 1 Sam. 1. 27.28 Febr. 2. 1598. THey be the words of Hannah the mother of the Prophet Samuel uttered by her when she offered him unto God being weaned in the Tabernacle but are applyed by Prosper to the Virgin Mary offering up Christ to God his Father in the Temple Luke the second chapter It is certain That not only that Prophecie which Malachi uttered touching the comming of the Lord of Hosts into his Temple in his own person Malachi the third chapter and the first verse must be fulfilled but that also of Daniel That being come he should also be offered up to God signified by that vision which the Prophet had of one like the Sonne of man who was brought to the ancient of dayes that was to God his Father Daniel the seventh chapter and the thirteenth verse Which thing was truly performed on the day of the Virgins Purification For as the day of Christs nativity is a memorial of Christ given to us by God so the Feast of Purification is a memorial of Christ given to God by us Oblations were of two sorts Numbers the twenty eighth chapter and the fourth verse agnus matutinus and agnus vespertinus the representation of Christ in the Temple by his Parents was the morning Lamb and the offering up of himself as a sacrifice in his passion was the evening Lamb. In his oblation he was the author and beginning of our saith in his passion the finisher and accomplishment of our faith Hebrews the twelfth chapter For the application of this Scripture that it may not seem strange but lawfull and warrantable both by Scripture and practise of Christs Church we are to know that it is lawfull and usual to compare things spiritual not only with things natural as with seed Matthew the thirteenth chapter with things artificial as husbandry and building the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the third chapter with moral and occonomical as when God is compared to a housholder Matthew the twentieth chapter but things spiritual with spiritual Scripture with Scripture and one story with another to apply that which is spoken of one member of Christs Church Zechariah the fourth chapter and the twelfth 〈◊〉 to another member of the same body 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse and not only so but it is usual to apply that to Christ the head which is affirmed of the body as where it is said of the Congregation of the Jews Hosea the eleventh chapter I called my sonne out of Egypt the same is applyed to Christ the head of that body Matthew the second chapter Out of Egypt have I called my sonne because as Christ the head was truly the sonne of God so he makes all the members of his mystical body to be sonnes So that which God spake to a part of the body the second book of Samuel the seventh chapter I will be his Father is by the Apostle applyed to Christ the head of that body Hebrews the first chapter and the fift verse And so is this speech of Hanna in offering her sonne to God applyed by the ancient Church to the oblation of Christ in the Temple as those were of the Prophet Lamentations the first chapter and the twelfth verse to the sacrifice of his passion So this application is warrantable For if Hannah did offer to God Samuel her sonne much more ought the Virgin to offer up Christ in token of thankfulnesse who is a greater than Samuel as he was greater than Salomon Matthew the twelfth chapter This composition is fit and hath congruity both in respect of the mothers their songs being compared together 1 Sam. 2. Luke 1. which in effect are all one and for the persons of the children for they were both Nazarites verse eleven Luke the second chapter He shall be called a Nazarite Secondly Though there have been some that were both Prophet and Priest or King and Prophet yet all three Priest Prophet and Prince did not concurre in any but in Samuel who therefore was a representation of Christ annointed by God Prophet Priest and King Thirdly Samuels love to his enemies for whom he ceased not to pray the first book of Samuel and the twelfth chapter expresseth Christs love who prayed for his persecutors Luke the twenty third chapter father forgive them which love Christ also shewed in that when we were enemies he reconciled us to God Romans the fift chapter In respect of which resemblance Bernard saith Fortior est compositio quam positio In those words we have to consider two donations First Gods giving to Hannah vers the twenty seventh Secondly Hannahs giving back again to God verse the twenty eighth As the first donation begins with prayer and ends with gift so the latter begins gift and ends with prayer And it is agreeable to reason that the child which came by intercession should end with intercession Concerning which donations we are to note joyntly First That we can give nothing to God but we must first receive it from him As Hannah could not offer her child to the Lord unlesse she first had received him
from the Lord For so saith King David the first book of the Chronicles the twenty ninth chapter and the fourteenth verse Quae de manu tua accepimus damus tibi Secondly When we have received any blessing from God then we must give to him as we are exhorted Psalm the seventy sixt and the eleventh verse and Psalm the ninety sixt the eighth verse Bring present and joy into his Courts Of those things that are to be given some are laid upon us of necessity As the tenth of the fruits of the ground which the Lord challengeth to himself Leviticus the twenty seventh chapter and the thirtieth verse and hath set over to the Levites that it should be given to them Numbers the eighteenth chapter Then there are 〈◊〉 or free-will offerings such voluntary gifts as the people gave of their own accord for howsoever they were bound to offer their first born yet they might redeem the life of them Exodus the thirtieth chapter To speak 〈◊〉 of them Gods donation hath two parts Hannahs Prayer and Gods Gift In Prayer we are to observe two things The sense of Want And the desire of the Heart For it is the supply of want which makes her break forth into prayer for 〈…〉 indigentiae Wherefore howsoever the want of so great a 〈◊〉 as is the bearing of a child did move Hannab to break forth into this desire of Prayer Yet it is most certain that the Virgin 〈◊〉 more needed a Saviour for which she confessed her spirit 〈◊〉 than Hannah needed a sonne And as her need was greater so her prayer was stronger than Hannahs prayer for Hannah prayed alone but as for Maries prayer it was accompanied with the desire and prayer of all Creatures as both the Prophets and Apostles doe shew Heaven and earth was reconciled to be God Ephesians the first chapter and Colossians the first chapter and the third verse Therefore they did greatly desire Christs comming And therefore when there was hope of his comming they are exhorted to be glad Rejoyce ye heavens shout ye lower parts of the earth Isaiah the fourty fourth chapter and the twenty third verse and the Apostle saith that the Creatures 〈◊〉 groan waiting for the redemption Romans the eighth chapter much more shall 〈◊〉 desire his comming and therefore the Prophet saith desideratus est 〈◊〉 is gentibus Haggai the second chapter As all Nations did ignorantly worship the unknown God Acts the seventeenth chapter so they all had an ignorant desire of his comming but especially the Saints of God have not only desired in heart but prayed for this gift as Jacob Genesis the fourty ninth chapter I have waited for thy salvation Psalm the fourteenth and the seventh verse O that salvation were given to Israel out of Sion Isaiah the sixty fourth chapter and the first verse Utinam dirumpat caelos descendat such a desire had this Virgin for the comming of her Saviour as she expressed in her song when she confesseth he hath filled the hungry Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel so did Hannah the Prophetisse Luke the second chapter So that whether we respect the Prayer or Desire of Prayer we see that Marys prayer is greater than 〈◊〉 If we respect the effect of the Virgins prayer we shall see it more fully persomed in her than in the other Prayer is compared to a Key wherewith as Elias opened the Heavens when they were shut up Luke the fourth chapter and the twenty fift verse So when God shuts up the wombs of women Genesis the twentieth chapter and the eighteenth verse that they become barren then prayer is the key that opens them By this key was the 〈◊〉 of Hannah opened and she brought forth Samuel But if we consider that by this key God opened the womb of a Virgin that she conceived and bear a sonne that is a greater wonder and a matter more highly to be extolled but so did he open the womb of the blessed Virgin Elias opened the Heavens when they were shut and obtained rain for the earth But the Virgins key of Prayer accompanyed with the prayers of all Gods People in all ages opened the Heaven of Heavens so as they dropped down righteousnesse Isaiah the fourty fift chapter and the eighth verse Even the Sonne of Man that came down from Heaven John the third chapter that is Jesus Christ who is our righteousnesse our sanctification the first epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter and the thirtieth verse The effect of Hannahs Prayer is Dominus dedit which is the inscription of all the things we possesse as King David confesseth O Lord all this aboundance is of thine hand the first book of the Chronicles and the twenty ninth chapter But this inscription is peculiarly given to children and the fruit of the womb Psalm the hundred twenty seventh which indeed are an inheritance and gift that commeth of the Lord for he saith Scribe virum istum sterilem Jeremiah the twenty second chapter and the thirtieth verse So he punished Michal which despised David so that she had no child to the day of her death the second book of Samuel the sixt chapter and the twenty third verse But if he blesse this working and so make them fruitfull then is it a blessing and gift to be acknowledged with all thankfulnesse especially when the children are as arrows and darts in the hand of a Gyant that is spiritual in Church or Commonwealth Psalm the hundred twenty seventh for such a child was Samuel therefore Hannah confesseth it thankfully But if we come to the composition we shall finde that Christs gift to us by God is a farre greater gift if we consider that Salus data est 〈◊〉 Isaiah the ninth chapter that God hath manifcsted his love to the world by giving a sonne to us John the third chapter and the sixteenth verse He is Donum Dei John the fourth chapter which if we could receive we should perceive how farre he exceeds Samuel but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second epistle to the Corinthians the ninth chapter and the fifteenth verse Gods unspeakable gift We must not talk of any other gifts for he is the great gift of God to us and that gift which we must offer to God for our sinnes without whom it is in vain to bring burnt offerings and sacrifices for he only putteth away iniquitie Isaiah the fourty third chapter And God having given us such a gift how will he not with him give us all other things Romans the eighth chapter Samuel was a great gift to Hannah for he proved spiritual in the People of God as a dart in the hand of a mighty man but yet he was but a type of Christ who is the greatest gift that ever God bestowed upon mankinde The second Donation is on our part to God In mans judgment if God gives us such a gift we are best to keep it but this gift is given us not to be
the fruit thereof then is God able as well to give such a power to the Creatures of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament that albeit they are dead of themselves to convey into us the life of grace even as the tree of life did prolong natural life for so saith Christ John the sixth chapter and the fifty third verse Except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his blood ye have no lifein you Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life he that eateth me shall live by me And he that 〈◊〉 of his body shall live for ever There is no life but in God first 〈…〉 the thirtieth chapter ipse enim est vita mea and he committeth life to the sonne Therefore it is said There is a River of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb Apocalyps the 〈◊〉 second chapter and the first verse And as the Father hath life in himself so he hath given to the Sonne to have life in himself John the fift chapter and the twenty sixt verse And as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them so the sonne quickneth whom he will John the fift chapter and the twenty first verse God being the fountain of life draws life to his sonne as into a Cistern from whence we draw life therefore it is said of the wisdome of God that is Christ that he is a tree of life Proverbs the third chapter and the eighteenth verse of whom it is now said in ipso er at vita John the fourteenth chapter and therefore he calls himself this life John the fourteenth chapter This is the Cistern of life to give life to them that are dead in original sinne by the sprinkling of his blood in 〈◊〉 And when they are dead in actual sinnes he gives new life to them that are 〈◊〉 of his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Supper In this Sacrament Christ hath provided a tree of life of graces against the death of sinne whereof they must be partakers that will eat of the tree of life which Christ here promiseth So that whereas the Wiseman saith Fructus justi est lignum vitae Proverbs the eleventh chapter and the thirtieth verse The seed of this tree is here sown and bringeth forth the root of a better tree for as grace is the root of glory so glory is the fruit of grace Here in this life the root of grace is planted in us and brings forth the fruits of righteousnesse that in the life to come it may make us partakers of the tree of glory and to assure us of this life we are sealed with the holy spirit of promise as the earnest of our inheritance Ephesians the first chapter and the thirteenth verse and the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter and the twenty second verse That albeit we are fallen and can be overcome of finne yet if we fight better and doe the first works we shall be partakers of the life of glory The kernel of grace is planted in us by the participation of the body and blood of Christ of which kernel commeth a tree which bringeth forth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnes in our whole life Which God will in due time reward with the Crown of life and glory in the world to come Cupimus autem ut unusquisque vestrûm idem studium ad finem usque ostendat ad certam spei persuasionem Hebr. 6. 11. August 24. 1599. AS in the old testament the Prophetisse Deborah in the service of the Children of Isha against Jabin doth specially praise God for the willingnesse of the people Judges the fift chapter so here the Apostle commendeth the Hebrews for the work and labour of their love in that they spared no cost in shewing themselves good Christians Now the crown of our rejoycing is the summe of our desire and therefore as there Deborah desireth to have the promptnesse and readinesse continued in the people so the Apostle wisheth that all the Hebrews as they have been carefull to practise the fruits of faith so should they still shew further diligence in that behalf The special drift of the Apostle is to shew that the Christians comfort standeth in the perfection of their hope The Apostle Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the first verse maketh their hope for to be the definition of faith For though matters Historical and Dogmatical pertain to faith yet chiefly faith hath hope for its object for as Augustine Credimus non ut credamus sed 〈◊〉 speremus therefore the Apostle saith the end of all Scripture is that we may have hope Romans the fifteenth chapter and the fourth verse and that which he affirmeth in the first epistle to the Corinthians the ninth chapter That he which planteth planteth in hope is as much true in all actions the ground whereof is the hope we conceive of some benefit for he that soweth soweth in hope he that saileth saileth in hope and he that marrieth doth it in hope that his estate will be bettered thereby For sure it is that it is but a comfortlesse thing to beleeve that there is everlasting joy and glory laid up in Heaven except a man be perswaded that he shall be partaker of it Exanguis res fides sine spe quia spes fidei exanguis est Amb. And as hope is the blood of faith as the Prophet saith Isaiah the thirtieth chapter and the fifteenth verse In quietnesse and in confidence shall be your strength so hope is that which whets diligence and therefore the Prophet saith in the second book of the Chronicles the fifteenth chapter and the seventeenth verse Be strong and let not your hands be weak for your work shall have an end And in the new Testament the Apostle saith Be stedfast and immovable knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord Quod labor vester non erit inanis in Domino the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the fifty eighth verse So nothing is more to be desired than to have hope in the evil day and the means of this hope is to shew forth diligence But for the easier intreatie of the contents of this verse the points which the Apostle holdeth are first That we are not only to beleeve but also to hope Secondly Not with a feeble or faint hope but with the fulnesse of hope Thirdly This hope must not be for an hour as Christ speaketh of St. John John the fift chapter but continuing to the end Then for the means of this hope his request is First That Diligence be used Secondly This Diligence must be shewed forth For the first point the Apostles desire is That they should hope for that which they beleeve wherein standeth the real difference that is between the faith of the Devils and men reprobate and the faith of the Children of God for even to the Devils the Apostle ascribes
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
of the Apostle in taking arguments from the Sacrament is double First to perswade Christians to cleanness of life which he doth in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and the table of Devils Secondly bending him self here against Schismes and contentions that were amongst the Corinthians he takes another argument from the nature of this Sacrament to exhort them to the unity of the spirit that for as much as they all are partakers of one Sacrament and drank all of one spirit therefore they should seek to be at unity and concord with themselves The Apostle sheweth this to be a good consequence from the beginning of the chapter and we see an example of this kinde of argument in the ninth chapter of Luke where the Disciples say Master we saw one cast out Devils in thy name and we forbade him because he followeth not us And this Apostle saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter that because they were divided so that some were Pauls some of Apollo therefore they were no true Christians Thus we see that as from the Sacrament of cleanness he exhorts them to cleanness of life so from the Sacrament of unity he moves them to love and concord and tells them they ought to avoid dissention To perswade unto unity and love nothing is more effectuall than the consideration of the naturall body which although it have many members diverse in quality situation and use so as the one is more noble than the other yet they grudge not one at another For the foot doth not say because I am not the hand I am not of the body nor the eare because I am not the eye I am not of the body in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the fifteenth verse neither doe they contemn one another For the eye which is the most excellent member doth not say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the foot I have no need of you in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twenty first verse but contrariwise there is a sympathy and fellow feeling So as if one member be grieved all the rest are grieved and if one be honored all the rest rejoyce with it verse the twenty sixt so if men could be perswaded that they are one body there would not be such divisions and dissentions in the World as there are for howsoever they be diverse in respect of nature Some Jewes some Grecians as also in respect of estate some bond some free as the Apostle here speaks yet their diversities are not greater than those which we see between the members of the body naturall And now the Apostle goes about to perswade them they are one body and therefore ought to be at unity which he doth thus That body which hath one beginning and one nourishment is one body But all the faithfull have one beginning in the fountain of regeneration that is in baptisme and are all nourished with one nourishment for they are all baptized into one body by one spirit and all made to drink of one spirit therefore they are all one body and consequently should live in unity one with another In regard of which unity which the body hath not only with Christ her head but with the members among themselves the Apostle calleth the body Christ in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse Now to come to the consideration of these things our way is First to set down the necessity of being of this body Secondly the means how we come to be of this body that is by the spirit Thirdly that the spirit is the means so as withall baptisme and drinking is required that is our incorporation into the body of Christ which is his Church is both by the spirit and by baptisme For the obtaining of the spirit two things are to be practised First that we have a thirsting desire after the spirit Secondly that we ask it of God by prayer First For the necessity of our incorporation whereas the Psalmist saith Psalm the eighty ninth God hath not made all men for nought we must first set down this that there is a necessity that some should be faved for it falls not into a man that is wise to doe any thing in vain much less may we think that God the fountain of wisedome will suffer all men to perish and therefore that there are some elected and chosen out to be saved Secondly and therefore our speciall aim should be to be of that number but scattering renting and dividing is an enemie to safty and they that will be safe must be recollected and gathered together under some head It that which made Moses pray to God to set a rule over his people and that the congregation of the Lord should not be as sheep which have no Shepheard Numbers the twenty seventh chapter and the sixteenth verse When Christ saw the multitude he had compassion on them because they were dispersed scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepheard Matthew the ninth chapter and the thirty sixt verse and not only so but Christ did that that he might gather together in one the Children of God which were scattered John the eleventh chapter and the fifty second verse Thirdly before Christ had a body and before he was manifested in the flesh the Congregation was called a Synagogue because it was then sufficient for them to be gathered together sub uno pastore though they were not ruled by one spirit But now they must be not only under one Shepheard but must all be one body and that not a dead Carkasse but a living body such a body that liveth not by a soul but by a spirit for that is the difference that the Apostle makes between Adam and Christ in the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter The first man Adam was made a living soul but the second Adam was made a quickning spirit This quickning spirit is it by which the mysticall body of Christ liveth which goeth through the body and giveth life to every member This is a mysticall incorporation and is spiritually to be conceived and the union between Christ and his mystically body is so straight that speaking of it he saith Acts the ninth chapter Why persecutest thou me and the Apostle understanding the Church calleth it Christ in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse then he that will be saved must not be a part but be gathered and that into the body of Christ because Christ is only the Saviour of his body Salvator corporis Ephesians the fift chapter and the twenty third verse So that if a man be out of the body and be not a member of Christs body he cannot be saved and so Christ himself tells us John the fifteenth chapter If the branch abide not in the vine it cannot bear
fruit so unlesse a man abide in me he cannot bear fruit but he is sarmentum a dry branch and is cast forth into the fire Whereby we see that all shall not be saved but only they that are gathered into the mysticall body of Christ and as members of his body doe live by his spirit working in them Secondly This incorporation standeth of two points First of generation Secondly of nourishment For there can be no body except it be begotten and the body being begotten dissolves again and turns to nothing unlesse it be nourished Such a thing we are to conceive of our incorporation both parts whereof are expressed by ingraffing and watering For in all things he that will be preserved in any estate must first enter into it and then he must remain in it The Analogie of these two we shall finde to be in the mysticall body of Christ. First he that will be of the body must come in by regeneration Titus the third chapter and the fift verse He must be ingraffed into Christs body Romans the sixt chapter and the fift verse He must put on Christ as the Apostle saith Galatians the third chapter as all they doe that are baptized into Christ Jesus Then being as it were begotten and ingraffed into the body he must be nourished and fed that so he may continue in that estate he must as a new borne babe desire the sincere milk of the word whereby he may grow up the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the second verse He must be watered the first epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter He must eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood that so he may abide in Christ and Christ in him John the sixt chapter and the fifty sixt verse By these a man is made partaker of the body of Christ by the other of the spirit By baptisme we have our incorporation by drinking the blood of Christ we receive the spirit Thirdly Why doth not the blood of Christ immediatly incorporate us into the Church without the mediation of water in baptism and drinking of Christs blood in the Lords Supper The ancient Fathers hold two reasons hereof First Taken from the love of Christ that ever since Corpus assumit sibi Hebrews the tenth chapter and the fift verse since he took part with the Children of flesh and blood Hebrews the second chapter and the fourteenth verse as he consists of a spirit and a body so he delighteth to work not only by a spirit but by a body also and this is an honor that he imparteth to bodily things Secondly He useth this course to shew his power which appears hereby to be great in that albeit these elements of water and bread and wine be weak and beggerly elements Galatians the fourth chapter and the ninth verse yet by his power he 〈◊〉 them and makes them effectual means to incorporate us into his body and to set us in that estate wherein we may be saved So the one reason is a testimony of Christs humane love the other a token of his divine power Secondly If we demand Why he makes choice of water bread and wine rather than of any other elements It is in regard of the proportion and analogie that they have with the things signified The seed Where with we are begotten is a waterish substance and as the Scripture sheweth water is the seed of the world for the spirit of God moved upon the waters Genesis the first chapter Therefore is water used in the Sacrament of our regeneration and because it is 〈◊〉 it doth nutrire The juice and nourishment that we suck out of the 〈◊〉 digested is that which nourisheth our life and therefore the element of wine is used in the Sacrament of our nutrition that is after we are born a new and washed with water in baptism to signifie our new birth then we must receive bread and wine in the Lords Supper to confirm our saith in the body and blood of Christ whereby we are sealed unto eternall life There is another reason why God worketh our incorporation by the means of these elements and that is that as out of darknesse he commanded light to shine the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter so he might work our salvation by that which was our destruction Therefore because the destruction of the world was by water wherein as Peter saith All the world perished except a few even eight persons So it is his pleasure by the water of baptism as an outward means to save us the first epistle of Peter the 3. chapter That as by water was the deluge of the world so by it might be the deluge of sin It was the eating of the forbidden meat that destroyed the world therefore he hath thought it good by eating to save men that as then it was said If ye eat ye dye Genesis the second chapter so now it is said except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man ye have no life in you John the sixt chapter and the fifty third verse Now the mediation of these elements are no lesse necessary to preserve and keep us as lively members of the mysticall body of Christ than bread and wine are to maintain natural life The People whom Saul commanded to 〈◊〉 no bread were so 〈◊〉 with fasting that their soul was ready to goe out of them the first book of Samuel the nineteenth chapter Therefore when David and his men were hungry and 〈◊〉 and thirsty in the wildernesse Barzillai and others came and brough provision the second book of Samuel the seventeenth chapter and the twenty ninth verse When Abraham returned from the 〈◊〉 of five kings Melchisedeck met him with bread and wine Genesis the fourteenth chapter So it is with the faithfull unlesse this spiritual life be susteined with these outward helps Therefore the Apostle faith We are all made to drink of the same spirit Our of which words for matter of Doctrine where Christ saith Drink ye all of it the Adversary saith that it was spoken to the 〈◊〉 and therefore it is lawfull for none but Priests to receive the Cup in the Supper But Paul speaketh more generally Nos omnes potati sumus not only the Clergy but Lay men And that both parts of the Sacrament was administred to all sorts appears by D. Aropagita and as the Apostle faith We are all partakers of one bread the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the seventeenth verse he doth not excluse the other part So here by drinking he understands both parts of the Sacrament Secondly We see there is a necessity of eating in as much as God appoints that the means where by he will communicate his spirit Acts the fift chapter He gives the spirit to none but such as obey him Therefore we must obey him when he commands us to use this means especially seeing he commands them with a nisi John the third chapter
old man is corrupt through lust and the abandoning of that corruption must bring us to the participation of the divine nature and it is comparance that makes us avoid this corruption For unlesse we temper our affections we shall never be partakers of the divine nature Secondly It follows the natural power of 〈◊〉 Having placed Knowledge which is a virtue of the reasonable part he comes next to the affectioned part that is Desire 〈◊〉 temperance answers he would not have sensuality grow 〈◊〉 nor the body to govern the soul The upper part 〈◊〉 already perfected the lower part must next in order be made perfect as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter That which is natural is first and then that which is spiritual So moral virtues are the perfections of men in this life and theological virtues are the perfections in the life to come Thirdly Knowledge being the virtue that teacheth what is good or evil Temperance follows it very well in as much as it is a helper forward and a preserver of good It keeps us from the graves of lust Numbers the eleventh chapter It preserves reason which is the power of the minde For by worldly cares we doe gravare cor overcome the heart Luke the twenty first chapter and the thirty fourth verse but this temperance makes it and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of keeping the minde and understanding safe And for the body we see the effect of this virtue in Daniel the first chapter and the fifteenth verse therefore the Apostles counsel to young men is in the second epistle of Timothy the second chapter and the twenty second verse Flye the lusts of youth and Titus the second chapter and the third verse To be temperate and sober minded It preserves knowledge not only by keeping the body in order but Proverbs the twenty third chapter the fourth verse and Romans the twelfth chapter and the third verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to deal in genealogies and curious questions which are unprofitable but to be wise with sobriety Titus the third chapter and the ninth verse and the first epistle to Timothy the first chapter and the fourth verse So it follows by good order in as much as it preserves the virtue going before Secondly Touching temperance what it is and wherein it stands When knowledge hath taught what to chuse the next thing is nullis inde illecebris avocari and that is it which Temperance performs For in the beginning this corrupter of the world sought to draw our Parents away from their duty by a baite he shewed them bonum delectabile that was the goodly fruit so fair to behold the allurement being offered concupiscence flyeth to it as a bird to the snare Proverbs the seventh chapter and the twenty third verse Every man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James the first chapter and the fourteenth verse There is a bait offered to lust to catch at therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrews the twelfth chapter sinne is so pleasant that if concupiscence be not weaned there is no child desires the mothers breast more than it desires sinne Psalm the hundred thirty first and the second verse men being in this case and add drunkennesse to thirst Deuteronomie the twenty ninth chapter and the nineteenth verse and seek baits to allure concupiscence therefore our concupiscence needs a bridle to wean and restrain this soul. Lust is two fold the first Epistle of John the second chapter and the sixteenth verse carnis occulorum The corruption of the 〈◊〉 is either for the belly as it is in the sixth chapter of St. Luke or that carnall pleasure that Felix and Drusilla were over come with Acts the twenty fourth chapter so that he could not abide to heare Paul dispute of temperance the eye lusteth for faire apparell as Luke the sixteenth chapter to bee cloathed in purple for that is a hait of 〈◊〉 as Achan when hee saw the Babylonish garment desired it Joshuah the seventh chapter So also the eye delighteth in bedding and furniture for houses as Jer the twenty second chapter and the fourteenth verse to have it shine with Cedar to lye on beds of Ivory Amos the sixt chapter and the fourth verse Temperance is the refrainer of all these For the desire of the belly the first of the Corinthians and the ninth chapter They that run a race absteyne from all meat that may hurt For carnall pleasure If they cannot contein let them marry the first epistle to the Corinthians and the seventh chapter And for apparell that must bee done in temperance the first epistle to 〈◊〉 and the second verse thus wee see what is the object of temperance which virtue performes two things First to bee able to want those things as Philipians the fourth chapter possum deficere then having them to use them moderatly as the Apostle counsels in Timothie 1 Timothy 5. modico vino utere for many comming to have the possession of these things exceede in Ryot For the first it is a dangerous lust how pleasant soever it bee not to bee able to want them if wee make necessary lusts of them so as wee must have our lusts satisfied though it cannot bee without sinne wee bring our selves under the power as it is in the second epistle to the Corinthians and the eight chapter if wee make our selves debtors to the flesh so farre Romans the eighth chapter A man that cannot refraine his appetite hee is like a City broken downe and without walls Pro. 25. 28. Thirdly for the end why the Apostle exhorts to this virtue It is first to eschue corruption and so to bring us to the divine nature and Temperance is the virtue by which wee eschue corruption both of soule and body for as those things that are sweete doe stop and putrisy the body so doe those corrupt desires of the minde and the corruption of mankinde desires to corrupt man with these allurements If wee love wee are not the servants of sinne we are servi corruptionis as it is in the second epistle of Peter and the second chapter For the body it corrupts it also for so hee sinneth against his owne body the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the sixt chapter and such doe corrupt the Temple of God the first epistle to the Corinthians and the third chapter The flesh spotteth the garment as it is in the epistle of Saint Jude the bed desiled Hebrewes the thirteenth chapter so that wee cannot possesse our vessels in holinesse Fourthly that it bee not so Temperance must effect this so it disposeth us to the participation of the divine nature who is a spirit John the fourth chapter as they that are spirituall minded are for they that take care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Romans the thirteenth chapter doe make their bellies their God the thirteenth chapter of the epistle to the Philippians and minde earthly things such are
say we have no sinne we are not only proud but lyars the first epistle of John and the first chapter The Prophet saith All we like sheep have gane astray and turned every one to his own way Isaiah the fifty third chapter The direction of the Law is Not to sinne But the comfort of the Gospel is that albeit we have sinned yet we are turned as the Apostle saith here Ye were as sheep going astray but now ye are turned So in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixt chapter ye were sinners of all forts haec 〈◊〉 but now you are justified and sanctified So then if men erre the next point is to confesse 〈◊〉 not to continue in sinne If a man persevere in sin he is out of his right way but if he will goe no further in it he will redire ad cor as Luke the fifteenth chapter we must return to our selves that is it where unto the Apostle exhorts them Acts the third chapter and the nineteenth verse Repent and turne as Joel 〈◊〉 Return to the Lord with your whole heart Joel the second chapter Of which repentance we must conceive as of a tree that must bring forth fruit as Acts the twenty sixt chapter To bring forth works worthy of repentance The works worthy of repentance are first To judge our selves the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter then to punish and take revenge of our selves the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse Secondly these are turned ad 〈◊〉 which give over an evil course of life but after they turn to another hat is worse that is not repentance As a man having been an Idolater to become a sacrilegious person that is worse Romans the second chapter such a one is not turned to the Bishop of our souls So when a civill man becomes worldly or a prophane person proveth a Schifmatrick The last point is That when a man is turned God doth not only speak peace to him but he will speak to his Saints that they return not again to folly Psalm the eighty fift the ninth verse When we are turned to Christ he will say Luke the twenty fourth chapter Mane nobiscum that was said to Christ after his resurrection So at the feast of 〈◊〉 we come to the Pastor and Bishop of our souls and confesse we were turned therefore being now risen again we must tarry with him we 〈◊〉 not turn again to folly We must consider how it was with us when we trampled his pasture under our feet and 〈◊〉 the waters yea we wandred on the mountains and upon every hill 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth chapter We must 〈◊〉 if it were better with us before as Hosea the second chapter And being turned we must make this conclusion Ephesians the fift chapter Ye were 〈…〉 now are light therefore walk as children of light So we were as sheep going astray but now being turned to Christ the 〈◊〉 and Bishop of our souls we must continue under the protection of our Pastors and when the chief Shepheard commeth we shall receive the crown of life which he hath purchased the first epistle of Peter the fist chapter an incorruptible Crown of glory Paulisper non conspicietis me rursum paulisper videbitis me quia ego vado ad Patrem Job 16 16. THEY be the words of Christ spoken to his Disciples to comfort them being in heavinesse because Christ was to be taken from them verse the sixth for here is matter of double sorrow For first That they should not see him Secondly That he was to goe such a journey from them But there is a double comfort answerable The comfort of not seeing him is after a while ye shall see me The comfort against his departure is that he goeth to his Father The words in effect are as much as if he said within a while I shall suffer death upon the Crosse and be buried and within a while after I shall arise again and ascend up to my Father which is a special matter of comfort and rejoycing as John the fourteenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I goe to my Father They knew not what he meant by those words verse the eighteenth therefore our Saviour maketh a commentary on them verse the twentieth ye shall not see me that is ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce And again ye shall see me that is your sorrow shall be turned into laughter and joyes Again he makes it more plain with a comparison verse the twenty first non videbitis that shall be to you as the pangs of a woman labouring with childe and ye shall see me that is like the joy she conceiveth after her deliverance For the first point he saith verse the fourth he did not tell them of his departure from the beginning nor yet a great while before his passion but only now that is some diminishing of their grief But in the second point there is much more comfort that is albeit he must be taken from them yet they shall not only see him again but very shortly after The vision that is for many dayes 〈◊〉 us to long and thirst after the accomplishment of it but Christ cells them they shall see him again and that very shortly The same course he keeps in the reason for he saith quia vado not to the crosse and passion that was not a matter so pleasing but ad Patrem that is it that doth increase their joy Wherein we are to observe Christs method of comfort not to minister comfort before the time To see is a good and comfortable thing Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter the want of which benefit made Tohias that he had no joy And as God giveth sight so hath he made many excellent Creatures for us to 〈◊〉 whereof the Wise-man saith non satiatur oculus And there are not only real but personal objects Adam opened his eyes and saw the light but saw nothing till God made one like himself The personal object is the more comfortable But in the person many things make it more desirous As to see a person whom we love and who loveth us that is a sight of comfort So was it a great joy to Jacob to see Joseph Genesis the fourty sixt chapter such is the joy of the Spouse to see Christ Canticles the sixth chapter Touching Christs love himself saith John the fifteenth chapter Majorem hac charitatem habet nemo he loved us being his enemies If then the view of a man be comfortable what shall we say of the fight of God that must needs be Visio beatifica In him is fullnesse of joy Psalm the sixteenth The pure in heart shall be blessed quia videbit Deum Matthew the fift chapter That was it that made Philip say John the fourteenth chapter Ostende nobis Patrem sufficit But he that seeth Christ
And Christ saith My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me John the fourth chapter by which is signified the delight and contentment of the minde So whatsoever the Serpent delights in that he may be said to eat and seed upon Secondly this word implyeth not only a delight but a devouring and a destroying as in the Prophets it is said The sword and famine shall devour the second book of Samuel the third chapter and the twenty sixt verse not that it can devour but is a means to consume and destroy This eating the Apple ascribes to the Devil when he saith of him That he goeth about seeking whom he may devour the first epistle of Peter the fift chapter and therefore he is said to stand by ready to devour the child so soon as it should be brought forth Apocalyps the twelfth chapter that is there is none so soon born anew in the Church of spirit and water but the Devil seeks presently to kill it And in 〈◊〉 two points standeth the spiritual eating of the invisible Serpent For the dust which is appointed for his food there is a spiritual thing correspondent also to it for where God promiseth unto Abraham Thy seed shall be as the dust Genesis the thirteenth chapter and as the starres of Heaven Genesis the twenty second chapter upon these places the Fathers gather That of Abraham should come both a dusty and earthly generation not expressing the faith and obedience of Abraham and also a heavenly generation that should shine and give light to the world as it were starres with the purenesse of their life And David saith plainly That the ungodly art as dust Psalm the first for whatsoever lyeth along upon the earth will 〈◊〉 dust the earth it self being without moisture turneth to dust so that the least winde that comes bloweth it away So the idle person that lyeth along and hath no vocation to follow doth gather dust and is subject to be scattered with the wind And they that somtime had some moisture and dew from Heaven if they lose it so as their soul waxe dry Numbers the eleventh chapter the Devil will send them a winde that shall carry them away for his delight is to be in dry places Matthew the twelfth chapter and in places without moisture Luke the eleventh chapter The winde wherewith they shall be carried away is every winde of doctrine Ephesians the fourth chapter Therefore we must beware that we be not clouds without water as Jude calls the wicked verse the twelfth and that we fall not from our own stedfastnesse the second epistle of Peter the third chapter and the first verse which we cannot chuse but doe if we loath prayer and other spiritual exercises whereby the dew of Heaven doth descend upon us And as it is in Religion so also in matter of the Common-wealth wherein we shall finde that this drynesse is a cause of much evil for those light and idle persons which Jerohoam took unto himself turned to his destruction the second book of Chronicles and the thirteenth chapter Seeing the Devil delights in these dry souls and loose parts of the earth how is it a punishment laid upon him to feed on them It is indeed a punishment he would have other meat for so soon as 〈◊〉 is borne anew by regeneration the Devil is ready to devout the childe Apocalyps the twelfth chapter So he would have devoured Christ himself Matthew the fourth chapter So he desired to have sed on Job and all other godly men which are the starres of Heaven But he is excluded from that food and is to feed only upon the wicked who being dry and destitute of the grace of God are fitly compared to the dust And as the Devil himself is accursed so they that are allotted to him for food are cursed Children the second epistle of Peter the second chapter Thirdly It is said all the dayes of thy life This punishment is laid upon him as God speaks here because thou hast done this upon him not as he is the red Lyon but the Tempter as he is a spirit he is immortal and hath no end of life but the dayes of his temptation shall have an end at the comming of Christ to judgement as he is the red Dragon condemned in Hell he hath no end but shall goe into everlasting fire where he shall have no end of torment The Dragon the old Serpent is loose but for a little season but after he shall be bound and cast into the bottomlesse pit Apocalyps the twentieth chapter the second and third verses Here is matter of admonition That we avoid those sinnes which we see so severely punished by God in the invisible Serpent especially Malice in speaking evil of God and hurting our neighbours Then to beware of Pride which God doth punish with basenesse Lastly to detest the prosecuting of our own inordinate lust because that will deprive us of the blessed food so as we shall have nothing to feed upon but the dust We must not putrifie in idlenesse but get up and take our strength unto us and cherish the moisture and dew of Heaven which we have received Isaiah the fifty second chapter So here is matter of faith and comfort for this Curse pronounced by God upon the Devil turns to a blessing to us For Adam and Eve had cause of comfort seeing that God took their fall wrought by the Devil so grievously God here professeth himself an enemy to the 〈◊〉 that was and is our enemy and so giveth us hope that howsoever we by his perswasion are fallen from our first estate yet he will be mercifull to us Praeterea inimicitiam pono inter te mulierem hanc similiter que inter semen tuum semen hujus Gen. 3. 15. Jul. 2. 1598. IN this verse we have the second part of the Sentence given by God upon the Serpent The former part concerned the Serpent himself but this part hath respect also to us and is much more grievous unto him than the other three branches And it is that which he doth most hardly digest Concerning which as it directly containeth a Commination and Curse so as we must acknowledge it to be Gods doing and to be marvellous in our eyes Psalm the hundred and eighteenth In this Curse is 〈◊〉 a singular Blessing and in this 〈◊〉 we have a great and pretious promise the second epistle of Peter the first chapter and the fourth verse Touching this verse nothing can be spoken good enough seeing upon it the new Testament hath his foundation and that all the rest or the Scripture is nothing else but a Commentary upon it for there beginneth a new creation of all things and the new 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speaks of in the second epistle to the 〈◊〉 the fift chapter and the sevententh verse For seeing the world which was lately created by God was presently corrupted by the malice of the Serpent it hath pleased God
he had sent for him Israel said I have enough Joseph my sonne is yet alive chap. 45. 28. So then children are a comfort to their Parents and a staffe to their age they are a beauty to the Common-wealth The sonnes growing up in their youth as plants and the daughters as the corner stones graven after the similitude of a Palace Psal. 144. 12. They are also a strength unto the Common-wealth As the arrows in the hand of the strong man so are the children of youth Psal. 127. 4. The Prophet in repeating the blessed estate of Jerusalem after the return from her captivitie saith in the 8. Zecharie 5. That the streets of the Citie should be full of children playing in the streets thereof The other is an Heritage The other benefit in this place is the Heritage the latter part of this verse This is an approving of his former counsell it is a Deed of gift of Gods Creatures of the Earth it self and an intayling of it unto man and his posterity Subjicite terram The first is a tenure of the Earth saying subjicite eam and giving to man an interest in the furniture of the Sea Aire and Land God is the chief Lord of all God he is the chief and absolute Lord of all things and over all things The Heavens are his the Earth also is his he hath laid the foundation of the World and of all that therein is Psal. 89. 12. The furniture also is his All the Beasts of the forest are his and the Beasts on a thousand mountains Psal. 50. 10. The glorie of Lebanon the beauty of Carmel is the Lords Esay 35. 2. The riches of the Earth the gold is his and the silver is his Aggey 2. 9. God in his own person in 41. Job 2. saith that all under Heaven is his Mankinde hath the Earth Sea and the Aire in Fee-farm But God here delivereth unto man possession of the Earth and his Creatures bidding him to rule over them God reserveth the Heavens to himself even the Heavens are the Lords terram autem dedit filiis hominum Psal. 115. 16. He giveth the Earth as it were in Fee-farm to the sonnes of men God the cheef Lord of all things maketh man ruler over the Earth maketh the Earth as the Germans doe say a Countie Palatine So that men are no usurpers but lawfull rulers All titles in the Law in Manors Lands and Dominions are from hence In subjicite terram are imployed these three seising keeping and imploying of the Earth Jus primae possessionis Jus est primae possessionis first possession was a right in the beginning wherefore it is said in the 11. Deut. 24. All the places wheron the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours If two came together to one place they divided the possession by consente as did Abraham and Lot chap. 13. 11. Or else they divided the same by lots as in the 15. of Joshuah 1◠A comparison The Earth was at first as a dish of meat at a Table where every man might cut where him pleased but when one had cut forth his peece and layed it on his 〈◊〉 it became private and it were injury to take from him that is now his own by possession God promised to the seed of Jacob the Land of Canaan the lot of their inheritance Psal. 105. 11. For the Israelites by their just carriage and honest conversation obtained the promise and having injury offered them by the Canaanites took revenge under Joshuah Possession Jure Belli and possessed the Land jure belli Jacob gave unto Joseph at his death one portion above his brethren which he got out of the hands of the 〈◊〉 by the sword and by the bow chap. 48. 22. The right he had was by the sword and by the bow and this was his own That the former world had by just warre and subduing of Tyrants was a right If we winne a Countrie where no habitation hath been or which hath not been habitable for wilde beasts by chasing from thence the beasts and by subduing that Countrie it becommeth our own by subjicite terram When the most high God divided to the Nations their Inheritance When he separated the sonnes of Adam he appointed the borders of the people according to the number of the children of Israel Deut. 32. 8. Every one had a mark-stone to know their own several Deut. 27. 17. Thereupon saith the wise man in the 22. Proverbs 28. Thou shalt not remove the ancient bounds which thy fathers have made David smote the 〈◊〉 and the Moabites he subdued them and made them tributaries 2 Sam. 8. 2. God hath assigned 〈◊〉 Mankinde the bounds of their habitation Acts 17. 26. Israels possession three hundred years was a good right Judges 11. 26. Thus much of Heirs and Heritage concerning the 〈◊〉 upon others lands and keeping their own The last point of subjicite terram is the imploying that is to labor turmoil to break it up to harrow and plough it this is for Husbandrie to dung it and manure it for pastures to make houses and buildings for Architect to make gardens and inclosures for solace The mold also is to be imployed as the sand the chalk the clay for the brick and tyle is to be imployed Salomon when he builded the Temple had great occasion to search quarries of stone there were great and costly stones sent from Hyram for the foundation and beautifying thereof 1 Kings 5. 17. God gave to man industrie whereby to finde the metals also the riches of the Earth in the bowels of the same God gave the Earth to man God subdued it not for but he bad man subdue it Subjicite eam non dedit subjectam sed subjiciendam God made man not of loose sand but of a molde of gleeb to labour not to be idle and therefore Adam in the state of his innocencie was put into the garden of Eden that he might dresse it and keep it chap. 2. 15. Man labored then not with sweat for his labour was not laborious for by mans transgression Gods curse came that in the sweat of his face he should eat his bread chap. 3. 19. Dominamini Now of Dominamini Plenitudo terrae est jam hominis In dominio sunt haec quatuor usus fructus consumptio alienatio In use First for Use we have power to tame some as the Horse for all his strength yea even the Lyon for all his courage and the Elephant for all his hugenesse Those which will not be tamed we rule over them by imprisoning them Fruit In regard of fruit We have the wooll of Sheep the teeth of Elephants and the horn of Unicorns Consumption For consumption or spending They are some unto us for meat and others for medicine Alienation In respect of alienation we buy and sell them daily Over Fish Birds and Beasts Further Over what
wife into our hand as he did here into Adams hand What Marriages are excepted And by the course of these seven verses exception is taken to three sorts of Marriages 1. With Infdels First Against the matching with Infidels For that Marriage was instituted not only for the Oeconomicall estate and strength of houshold but for the Church for the Ecclesiasticall union Secondly The wife must be an help to make us cleave to God without separation Thirdly She must be like unto him in the best part of his likenesse wherin he is like unto God that is in holinesse and righteousnesse of life Fourthly God is said to build the wife for the spirituall edification of them both And fifthly Because Deus non adduxit uxorem among the Infidells These reasons make such Marriages to be excepted for that wives that are without virtue and the fear of God are hindrances to Man whom God will not bring to Man wherefore Paul saith Let every one marry tantum in domino only in the Lord So that Heathen and prophane Marriages are excluded and wantonnesse is excluded such was that of Sampson to Dalilah in Judges 16. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 Marriages Secondly All incestious Marriages are excepted For say the Fathers when God made Eve he made her not of the loynes or seed of Man not by any mixture of his blood naturally but she was made of a rib of a bone artificially We are to forsake Father or Mother or any of our kinne where there is any mixture of blood to cleave to our Wife so that we must not marry with our parents or our kinred God himself saith in his Law These be unlawfull Marriages and are forbidden in Leviticus 18. 5. touching consanguinity in the 11. touching affinity There was no affinity between Adam and Eve neither any consanguinity and as it is in Leviticus 18. 9. We must not marrie with the daughter of our Father or of our Mother whether she be borne at home or without whether she be lawfully or unlawfully begotten and this must be a 〈◊〉 Law to all the Nations of the Earth 3. Marriage with an 〈◊〉 or one 〈…〉 The third sort of Marriages that are excepted follow She that was Adams wife was taken out of Adams side was Adams ribbe So that those Marriages on the contrary side that are conjoyned with those that have been joyned with other men I mean in Adulterie are disallowed for he that coupleth himselfe with an Harlot is one body 1 Corinth 6. 16. To match with her that is joyned to another by carnall companie or by contract is not to be permitted These three sorts of Matches are unfit The direction to choose a wife Now for the directing of our choise Pleasure Profit and Virtue 3There are three allurements to love and liking Pleasure Profit and Virtue For the first Eve had beauty in aedificavit Deus in that God builded her For the second She had profit in adjutorem in that she was a meet help her matter for strength was of a bone And for the third She had virtue in that Deus adduxit The solder must be tempered of all these together for the direction of our choise out of Boaz choise who took Ruth to be his wife Why Not only because she was beautifull or because she might be an help unto him in his age but because all the Citie knew that she was a virtuous woman Ruth 3. 11. for he knew that favour is deceitfull and beauty is vanitie Mulier autem timens Dominum ipsa laudabitur as it is in Prov. 31. 30. where a great Dowrie or a womans beautie is the glue of this bond there the glue will goe asunder if wealth decay and beauty perish and sometimes riches take the wings of an Eagle and flie away It is virtue that maketh man and wife cleave faster together Next to virtue and the fear of God we must choose a woman of like disposition unto us or that by her discretion may be of a likely disposition a Woman as Peter speaketh of a meek spirit Abigall was a woman of singular wisdome who by her meeknesse and discretion salved the foolishnesse of her husband she saved the life and preserved the wealth of Naball from utter destruction Abigall that was wife and gentle by her discretion did agree well with Naball who was foolish and a Churl and 〈◊〉 a gratious and modest woman attaineth honor Prov. 11. 16. She openeth her mouth with wisdome and the Law of grace is in her tongue Prov. 31. 26. And thirdly as she is builded by God so she must be such a one as will build up her husband for 〈◊〉 Salomon in Prov. 14. 1. A wise woman buildeth her house but the foolish destroyeth it with her own hands This property here that I mean is that she should be a good Houswife as we call her such a one as overseeth the wayes of her houshold and eateth not the bread of idlenesse Prov. 31. 27. they should be as a snail still at home And Paul in 1 Tim. 5. 13. biddeth us to refuse such women as be wanton idle goers about from house to house pratlers and busie-bodies A wife must be modest and such a one as can govern her house such a one as will bring up her Children in virtue that her sonnes in their youth may be as flourishing plants and her daughters as Ivorie Palaces Psal. 144. 12. She must both preserve and enlarge her husbands wealth for if she be like the Merchants ship she will bring her food from far Prov. 31. 14. She considereth also a field and getteth it And lastly they must leave that is bad and cleave to that which is good and unto Gods Lawes and their love must be without dissimulation Romans 12. 9. Thirdly When such a partie as we have spoken of is found we must not like Horses ranne after them neighing as Jeremie speaketh nor we must not assumere nobis uxores we must not take wives our selves for our selves but we must take her that shall be given unto us God here brought Eve and gave her unto Adam Parents consent which authority and prerogative God giveth unto Parents to give their Children 1 Cor. 7. 38. in Marriage and to take wives for their Children In chap. 24. 4. Abraham appointeth whence a wife shall be taken for his son Isaac and Abrahams servant craved the consent of the Parents of Rebekah the 51. verse of that chapter Ishmael was content to have such a wife as his mother took for him out of the Land of Egypt chap. 21. 21. Not only Isaac was content with the wife his father had provided him but even Ishmaell that was ungratious was content with the wife his mother had ordained for him So that in Marriage nothing must be done without the consent of the Parents Though Sampson were fervently in love with the woman he saw in Timnah which was a Philistine yet he came to his father
with a groane and by all lawes of Nations the husband is above the wife Touching the particulars of the Text. Her Sorrow First hee will greatly increase her sorrowes besides the sorrowes in conception and bringing forth children her sorrow is afterwards increased many a woman breedeth and beareth her owne sorrow she may beare her childe to misery if shee see it beg it increaseth her sorrow shee may beare it to execution as wee have too many lamentable examples but the sorrow of a mother is much more increased if it live so wickedly that shee beare it to hell fire For the sorrow of Child-bearing in the Psalmes and throughout the Prophets the greatest sorrow is compared to a womans laboring with childe which is so great that many a one dyeth of it as did Rachell Gen. 25. 18. never was childe borne without pain according to that old verse Nascitur haud sine vae fuerit qui filius Evae But here God sheweth even in judgement his mercy for shee sinned in soule is punished but in body and that punishment is temporary though the sinne deserved death eternall and which is further there is a blessing even in this Sentence for to have children though with pain is a great blessing and by the ancient Fathers is called the blessing of the womb and brests and barrennesse of woman is held a greater sorrow and payne than to have children with much griefe and payne for when the childe is once borne the payne is forgotten but barrennesse is to her a continual grief in the 30 of Genesis vers 1. When Rachell saw shee was barren and Leah fruitfull shee envied her sister and so great was her desire of children that unlesse shee had children shee would die So it is a Sentence of Justice mingled with Lenity the punishment is not with rig or but with indulgence it is tanquam fraenum non flagellum as a bridle rather to check than a scourge to bruise it is but a chastizing of sinne in Eve non est quasi Coluber as a Serpent to sting but an easie correction Her subjection The second part of her punishment is That shee shall bee subject to her Husband and there is mercy in this also for the best are of opinion that in time of integritie there was order and subordination for order is the mother of perfection The two ends of marriage here is a subordination of affections the womans to the husbands and of occonomicall government for generation and cohabitation are the two ends of marriage and in both shee is to bee ruled by her husband some idle-headed fellowes gather hence That seeing women are to bee subject to men therefore men ought not to bee subject to women but marke hee saith viro tuo to thy husband Touching the Rule of Women now the rule of women as in most Common-wealths hath beene allowed even so in Scripture for Candace Queene of the cast and Sabaes Queene are commended nay it is Gods owne Law Numb 27. 8. That if a man die without a sonne his inheritance shall fall to his daughter then the daughter of a King is not barred government which is her inheritance but oeconomicall subjection here is chiefly understood that made Sara call her husband Lord. In the first of Ester you see Vasbti the Queene punished because shee would not obey Ahashuerus the great King of Persia a great Monarch shee came not when hee sent for her advice was taken how shee should bee punished for her disobedience this offence was not only against the King but by example against the Princes and People for in the seventeenth verse of that Chapter This example among other women shall make them despise their husbands and therefore a solemne Sentence was pronounced against her That shee should bee divorced and deposed the end of which Decree was as appeareth in the end of that Chapter That all the women through that huge Monarchy should doe their husbands honor both great and small and further the King sent forth his Letters to every People after their language That every man should beare rale in his own house Esther her selfe was example of this who worshipped with reverence her King shee must bee subject unto man in regard of her weakenesse and infirmities as Paul speaketh in the Corinthians Woman is not her selfe her own for at marriage she giveth not her self but is given to her husband by a man and after marriage shee loseth her own name and beareth her husbands bee the husband wise or simple hee must beare rule over her for subjection is the condition of all Wives to all Husbands Abigaiell in the first chapter of Samuel and the twenty fith verse must as well obey Naball her husband as David even of Religion this obedience is this is the Mercy that though hee shall rule her yet they both shall rule their houshold hee shall rule her not as a King his subject or a Lord his slave not in feare but in love Adamo verò dixit Quia auscultavisti voci uxoris tuae comedisti de fructu arboris illius quo interdixeram tibi dicendo ne comedas ex isto maledicta esto terra propter te cum dolore comedito proventum ejus omnibus diebus vitae tuae Eaque spinam carduum proferto tihi tu verò comedito herbam agri In sudore vultûs tui vescitor cibo donec revertaris in humum cum ex eâ desumptus fueris nam pulvis es in pulverem reverteris Gen 3. 17.18.19 Septemb. 17. 1598. SAint Chrisostome writing upon this place saith sedet Judex non surgit God who is the Judge sitteth still and riseth not Adams punishment he continueth his Court and giveâ—h not over till he hath given judgement upon all the offenders This is as it were the third O yes saith that Father upon Adams offence which sentence is conteined in the 17. 18. and 19. verfes In the Sentence upon Adam two things In which sentence are conteined two parts the one is the fault contained in the beginning of this verse the other is the penaltie contained in the end of the 17. vorse to the end of the 19. verse First the Fault Secondly the Penalty Of both these in generall these are the proceedings of God whence the rule and patern of all Justice is grounded for God goeth here to sentence upon a cause because thou hast heard the voice of thy Wife and eaten the forbidden fruit and upon a Cause not alledged by an Accuser but confessed by the Offender the 12. verse before so that in justice God will say to Adam ex ore tuo te judico I will judge thee even out of thine own mouth thou evill Servant Luke 19. 22. In the sentence two things Particularly In the fault are two parts or branches first there is an inordinate consent the other a disordinate act The first is the hearing the voyce of
in all diligence and in your love to us so see that ye abound in these graces also Respexitque Jehova ad Hebelum ad munus ejus Ad Kajinum verò ad munus ejus non respexit Gen 4. 4.5 April 29. 1599. WHich words contein the acceptation of the service of Cain and Abel with God which is the matter of greatest moment and which putteth the greatest difference between them and all the world and is a pattern of the distinction which is between the godly and the wicked begun in this life and perfected in the great day of the Lord when he shall set Abell and histure Worshippers on his right hand and Cain and his false Worshippers on the left In the denomination of the name which Eve gave her first Son I told you what is the worlds censure viz. that Cain is a name of great price in the judgment of the world but as for Abell that is a name of great contempt and such as Abell was are persons of no account but here we see Gods censure upon them both is otherwise for as the Apostle saith He that praiseth himself is not allowed but he which God praiseth the second to the Corinthians the tenth and the eighteenth verse so Cain that was so precious in the eyes of the world is of no account with God but Abel which was of no reckoning with men but despised as a thing of nought he is highly accounted with God for he hath respect to his oblaion but as for Cain and his oblation he respected them not So we see that as on the one side God makes the stone that was refused to be the head stone of the corner Psalm the one hundred and eighteenth and the twenty second verse so on the other side we see it true in Cain and Abel which Christ affirmeth in the sixteenth of Luke and the fifteenth verse that which is high in the account of man is abominable with God The words contain two points first Gods regard to Abel and his offering secondly his want of regard towards Cain and his oblation first that we may understand what is meant by regarding respicere is not only aspicere for God beheld Cain and his offering no less than Abel God seeth all things be they never so private he seeth Sarah when she laugheth behinde the Tent door Genesis the eighteenth and the twelfth verse whether we flie up to heaven or lie down in hell he is present with us we cannot goe from his spirit nor flye from his presence Psalm the one hundred and thirty ninth and the seventeenth and eighteenth verses but respicere is when one likes a thing so well that he looks on it again as we behold those things that we love God seeth all things and all present when he loves he beholds with an amiable look for ubi amor ibi oculus so God beheld Abel and his offering with an amiable look as not contenting himself to look once upon it The example of a Nurse Isaiah 66. 12. which gracious respect of God is set out by a loving regard that a Nurse hath to the Child when she beareth it on her lap Isaiah the sixty sixt and the twelfth verse Of the next oblation offer this which Noah offered to God it is said that the Lord smelled a savor of rest the eighth chapter of Genesis and the one and twentieth verse by which smelling and by this seeing and beholding with the eye is meant nothing else but that God received them in good part and therefore the Paraphrast expoundeth these words suscepit Dominus which exposition is grounded upon the words of the Prophet Malachy the first chapter and the eighth verse the offering is no more regarded nor received acceptably in his hands On the other side the Lord beheld Cain and his offering but he suffered not his eye to stay upon it for hee did not allow of it Testified by visible signs this acceptation the Fathers say was testified by a visible signe and they ground this opinion upon the word for the Apostle saith the eleventh chapter to the Hebrewes and the fourth verse God bears Abel witnesse that hee was just for it was usuall with God to testifie his liking of the service of his servants by outward and visible testimonies Leviticus the ninth chapter and the twenty fourth verse there came fire from the Lord and wasted Aarons burnt offering to shew that hee allowed it so hee approved Gedeons Sacrifice Judges the sixth chapter and the one and twentieth verse when the Angell touching the flesh with the end of his staffe caused fire to come forth and consume the flesh whereby hee knew that his offering pleased God So when Salomon had ended his Prayer fire came downe from heaven and consumed his Sacrifice and Oblation the second of the Chronicles the seventh chapter and the first verse but it is plain in the first of the Kings the eighteenth chapter and the twenty fourth verse By fire The God that answereth by fire let him bee God saith Elias to shew that the true God doth by outward tokens testifie who bee his true worshippers But to come in particular to Abels Oblation Gods liking is upon two things upon the Person and then upon the Gift for non ex seipsis placent munera sed ex offerentibus and St. Augustine non ex muneribus Abel sed ex Abel muner a placuerunt And St. Ambrose priùs is qui dabat quam ea quae 〈◊〉 placuerunt so the person hath the first place but he respected not the person only nam ne vanae putentur oblationes it is not said he had respect to Abel and not to his offering but respexit ad Abelem munera that is not to Abel alone but to him and his gift The person must first be pleasing to God before his gift be accepted the person must first please before the gift can be accepted but as he respects the person so will he have the gift withall and therefore God that said I will have no Bullock out of thy house nor Goats out of thy folds saith gather my Saints together that make a Covenant with me with Sacrifice the fiftieth Psalm and the fifth verse and where he saith thou desirest no sacrifice he means God chiefly respects the persons of men that they be such as may please him otherwise all their oblations are to no purpose but when they are so qualified that they can offer to him a contrite and a broken heart then God will accept of their Sacrifices which they offer upon his Altar the fifty first Psalm and the ninteenth verse non est detrahendum oblationis sed adjiciendum 〈◊〉 as Abel offered by faith the eleventh to the Hebrews and the fourth verse so we may not take away obtulit but joyn fides with it so shall our oblations please when our persons are by faith in Christ reconciled to him the person
because his heart 〈◊〉 at the hearing of the booke of the Lawe and did not harden his heart as Cain Thirdly in respect of God of whom August saith God bestoweth on some men the blessing of long life because he will be known to be the Author of it But lest we should think there is no other life but this therefore he taketh the blessing of long life from some of his servants to shew that there is another life wherein they shall be partakers of the promises for if God doe not reward the godly in this life doubtlesse it standeth with his justice to reward them in the world to come God will try the patience of his servants and the obedience of them that keep his commandements Apoc. the fourteenth chapter and the twelfth verse he will have it appear that we are not mercenaries and hirelings that serve him for temporall benefits The Children of God are not such as Satan thought Job to be that is one that would not serve God for nought and God to shew that Job served him without any such respect of present reward took away all that he had and so made the patence of that holy man appear So Abel served not God for a temporall reward he was as willing to sacrifice himself as the lambe which he offered so is it with all godly Saints The Apostle St. Paul cared not for his life so he might finish his course with joy Acts the twentieth chapter Note Gods favour better than life They esteeme more of Gods favour than of life Psalm the sixty third And therefore Abel said with himself I will rather forgoe my life than not offer to God such a sacrifice as should please him Whereby we see Gods end in depriving of the godly of outward blessings that it is to try their patience and though they dye yet death is to them no losse but advantage as it is in the first chapter to the Philippians For if Abel for long life on earth have eternall life in heaven he hath no wrong done him if for a life of vanity as Abel's was God give him a life of verity he hath no injury offered him But God performeth his promise of long life much better than if he suffered them to continue long in the flesh for no man liveth so long but his life shall have an end nihil est longum quod finem habet If in stead of vanity and sorrow he have happinesse and glorie he hath no cause to complain Besides the Righteous though they dye never so soon yet they shall be had in everlasting remembrance as it is in the one hundred twelfth Psalm And the memoriall of the just is blessed in the tenth chapter of the Proverbs No man but would wish to be in Abels case to enjoy everlasting happinesse in heaven and to be praised of men on earth If the husbandman bruise the grape on purpose to make wine for the comfort of the people they have no cause to complain of his dealing so we are not to murmur at Abel's death that being a righteous man yet he enjoyeth not the promise of long life for he is made our example as the Apostle saith in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews Abel defunctus loquitur But what is that which he speaketh Noli aemulari That which Abel saith is Fret not thy self because thou enjoyest not the outward blessings which the wicked have It was my case saith Abel I served God carefully yet I lived not long upon the earth I offered unto God of the fattest of my sheep whereby God was pleased and yet was for that and for no other cause hated of the world Propter 〈◊〉 non solum odium fratris sustinui sed etiam mortem as I have done so doe you This is the juice that is given us to drink out of the example of righteous Abel Quamobrem dixit Jehova Kajino Vbi est Hebel frater tuus qui dixit Non novi An custos ego sum fratris mei Gen. 4. 9. August 12. 1599. THat the death of Gods Saints is pretious in his sight Psalm the one hundred and sixteenth and the fifteenth verse it appeares as by many other arguments so by this that he maketh inquisition for their blood Psalm the ninth for at this verse God begins to hold a judgment concerning the wicked and unnaturall fact of Cain in murthering Abel which judgment is continued to the sixteenth verse for the ninth conteins an Inquiry or Examination the tenth a Conviction of Cain the eleventh and twelfth the Sentence is pronounced upon him in the thirteenth and fourteenth he is permitted to say what he can for himself in the fifteenth is set down his repriving or mitigation of his punishment But before we proceed we must call to minde that this is the second judgment which God held The first was held upon our Parents in Paradise Genesis the third chapter This second is held upon Cain out of Paradise from whence we gather that albeit man was now cast out of Paradise yet not out of the compass of Gods providence for as the Apostle saith Though we beleeve not yet he is faithfull and cannot deny himself in the second to Timothy and the second chapter so whether we be in Gods favour or out of it yet his providence extendeth to us which providence of God hath appeared in nothing so much as in the discoverie of blood Cain not out of the reach of Gods providence for albeit Cain were out of Paradise yet he was not out of the reach of Gods providence so far but God knew well the murther which he committed and therefore calls him to account for it and many such testimonies doth God daily shew of his providence in the discovery of bloodshed which make men confess verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth Psalm the fifty eighth Secondly from hence we are to note that whereas the first Judgment in Paradise was for an offence committed immediately against God himself and this for an offence done to man so his will is that justice shall proceed not only for trespasses done against himself but when we offend one against another Note Therefore in the Commandements of the Law God hath allowed one Table to himself and another to man to teach us that he will call us to account not only for the breach of faith towards himself as he did Adam and Eve but for breach of charity one man towards another as Cain for the sinne he committed against his brother The point it self is a citation or conventing of Cain by God before his Judgment Seat not by any secret or inward working of his spirit which is the usuall way whereby God worketh repentance in mens hearts but with his own audible voice from heaven Out of which is offered both matter of comfort to Gods Saints which are the posteritie of Abel by imitation and also matter of terror to the
of every man even of every beast in as much as he hath first taught beasts to kill men by his own confession it is just that as the Prophet speaks Micah the seventh chapter and the fift verse The Wife of his bosome and the Children of his loyns shall break the bonds of nature with him as he before hath thewed himself unnaturall to his brother And this is a great part of Cains punishment that albeit there be none to kill him yet he shall be in continuall fear of death that a man shall not only fear Gods threatning but his own fancy that he shall fear not one but every one that meets him as if every one knew his fault that he shall fear not only where there is cause of fear as wilde beasts but tuta timere and this is a part of Gods curse that God will send faintness into their hearts so as they shall be afraid at the shaking of a leaf Leviticus the twenty sixt chapter and the thirty sixt verse at every shadow as the Midianites were of their dreams Judges the seventh chapter and at every noise and rumor in the second of the Kings the seventh chapter and the sixt verse These feares are great punishments and arguments of a guilty conscience and this sheweth that albeit wickedness be secret yet it will not suffer a man to be quiet Wherein we are to observe how Cain de scribeth the state of them that are out of Gods favour and cast from his presence that they fear either no fear as Psalm the fifty 〈◊〉 If the Prince frown upon a man there is no hope of favour any where else so if God be once offended so that a man despair of his favour he will fear every creature the starres of heaven fought against Sisera Judges the fift chapter and the twentieth verse The stones in the street will cease to be in league and peace with him Job the fift chapter therefore when God saith quaerite faciem meam Psalm the twenty seventh our soul must answer thy face Lord will I seek For if we seek the Lord our God we shall finde him Deuteronomie the fourth chapter and the twenty ninth verse and that is so necessary that the People say If thy presence goe not with us carry us not hence Exodus the thirty third chapter and the Prophet speaketh Cast me not from thy presence Psalm the fifty first for without the assurance of Gods favour and protection we shall fear every shadow every noise that we hear Secondly Cain in these words sheweth what was his chief fear and what did most grieve him that was that he should die not the death of the soul but the bodily death by the hand of man he feares the shadow of death but not the body of death as the Apostle speaks Romans the seventh chapter but eternall death is that which he should have feared most of all for it hath a body and shall be found though the bodily death is often sought and cannot be found Job the third wherein Cain shewes what he is that is animalis homo in the first to the Corinthians the second chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phillippians the third chapter not having the spirit so was Saul afflicted in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter Honour me before the people he respected worldly honour more than Gods favour whereupon saith Augustine quid tibi honoratio haec proderit miser If 〈◊〉 death fall upon Cain what shall it profit him to live on earth but this sheweth plainly that the life of the body was Cains chief felicity and that the greatest grief he had was for the death of the body as if he should say let me live though it be but in fear and sorrow This is the affection of flesh and blood as the Devill saith of Job Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job the second chapter that is so long as life is not taken away man is well This being Cains complaint it is an implied petition and the request is Quasi pro magno beneficio ut non 〈◊〉 which request may be well uttered if it be rightly taken for not only the wicked feare death but the godly say themselves we sigh and would not be uncloathed but cloathed upon in the second to the Corinthians the fift chapter they would passe to immortality without the dissolution of the body and soul. That prayer for life is well if it be for a good end as Hezekiah praieth he may live to the end he may bewaile his sinnes in the 〈◊〉 of his soul Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter repentance is the end that he sets David saith I will not die but live and praise the Lord Psalm the one hundred and eighteenth the Apostle Paul albeit in regard of himself he desires to be dissolved yet because it is profitable for the Church that he should still remain in the flesh he desires to live Philippians the first chapter and the twenty second verse so life may be sought if it be for this end to doe good but if our end be the escaping of death for a time the case is otherwise Touching the end of Cain's desire It may be he 〈◊〉 life that he might repent and praise God and doe good for charity 〈◊〉 the best in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the thirteenth chapter But we see what doth continually vex Cain and all the wicked that is the doubt of the forgivenesse of sinne which is the worm of the spirit and a continuall fear of death which they know they have deserved at the hands of all Gods creatures Dixit verò Jehova illi Propterea quisquis interfecerit Kajinum septuplo vindicator imposuit Jehova Kajino signum ne eum caederet ullus qui foret inventurus eum Gen. 4. 15. Septemb. 26. 1599. CAINS chief complaint and petition therein implied was handled verse the fourteenth This verse contains Gods answer which is a yeelding or granting to that petition of his and that effectuall for God provideth for the safety of Cain's life not only by his word and command but by a visible mark which he set upon Cain Wherein we are generally to observe First That as the Prophet tels us in the one hundred and tenth Psalme God dealeth not with any sinner according to his sinnes and deserts for if God did not in wrath remember mercy 〈◊〉 the third chapter he should not in justice have suffered Cain to open his mouth for it is just that he which turneth away his car from hearing the law when he prayeth should not be heard Proverbs the twenty eighth chapter and the ninth verse That he which will not hear Gods Prachers shall not be heard of God when he prayeth And the Lord in the Propher saith more plainly in the second chapter of Zechary and the thirteenth verse that as he by his Prophets cried unto the people and they would not
hear so they cried and he would not hear them Yet not withstanding we see God is content to hear Cain's petition and by his example to set down a pattern unto others that the sentence being pronounced and the party condemned yet he is to be allowed to speak Secondly That God having heard Cain wonder at his punishment as if it were not proportionable to his sinne hearing him odiously recounting and remembring his punishment where he should have thought upon his sinne and transposing Gods order in that he complaineth for that he is cast out of the earth before he speaks of his casting out of Gods favour hearing him shew plainly that he was more grieved at the penalty inflicted upon him than the fault committed by him and at the earthly part of his punishment more than the spirituall whereas upon his own confession God might justly have said Luke the fourteenth chapter ex ore tuo judico as thou confessest thy self unworthy to live so whosoever shall finde 〈◊〉 shall kill thee yet he is not only content to hear but also to consider the voyce of his prayer Psalm the sixty sixt and the seventeenth verse Thirdly We set that God granteth his suit for whereas Cains request is that the sentence may not presently be executed so that whosoever meeteth him shall kill him God saith I will take order that thy life shall not presently be taken from thee but I will reprieve thee to further repentance Wherein we see as Augustine noteth quod nunquam deo sine spe supplicatur in as much as Cain a man condemned hath obtained to be heard of God It is verified which David saith Psalm the ninth and the tenth verse Thou Lord never failest them that seek thee and that which our Siviour Christ saith John the sixt chapter eum qui ad me venit non ejiciam for as not only here we see a reprobate hath his request granted but wicked Abab that sold himself to work wickedness for that he humbled himself escaped the evill which the Lord purposed to bring upon him in the first of Kings the twenty first chapter and whereas Cains life is spared it is an argument that if Cain had asked more God would have granted it It was but Angustia mentis his minde and understanding could not conceive what to ask besides the benefit of this present life It was not the narrowness of Gods mercy for had he asked more more should have been granted him for God affirmeth of his liberality Psalm the eighty first Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Therefore by that term of expecting Isaiah the third chapter and hearkning Jeremiah the eighth chapter The meaning of the prophet is that God is willing and ready to give more if men will sue to him In the mean time we see in these words a mitigation of Cains fear whereby we are taught that God mitigateth the punishment of those that are dejected though he taketh it not away for that which the Prophet affirmeth Psalm the sixty fift That God is the hope of all the ends of the world is no otherwise verified of those that are out of the covenant but in respect only of the mitigation of their punishment For albeit those that pertain not to the covenant have not their punishment taken away yet it may be mitigated So Christ saith of Tyre and Sidon that their estate shall be easier and their punishment more remisse in the day of Judgment Matthew the eleventh chapter and the Servant that of ignorance committeth things worthy of stripes albeit he be not beaten with many stripes as he that knew his Masters will and sinneth yet he shall not escape unbeaten Luke the twelfth chapter and the fourty eighth verse The grant consists of two parts The word or command of God touching him that shall kill Cain and the mark which he sets upon Cain that he may be known from all other men For by these two God sets down an order for the preservation of mans life For the first Where God saith not whosoever killeth any man but whosoever killeth Cain that hath the form of a pardon Secondly That no man should kill him wittingly he saith he shall be punished seven fold Thirdly For that no man should ignorantly kill him God setteth a mark upon Cain whereby he may be known from all other men In the Command which God giveth we have to consider his Pardon and the Penalty threatned to him 〈◊〉 wittingly kills Cain In the pardon or mitigation of the sentence the Councell of God doth first respect Cain himself for if God had presently swept away Cain upon the sentence pronounced he could not have repented but in giving Cain a long life upon earth that he should not presently be taken away but live gemens tremens it might at length come into Cains minde wrastling with sorrow and fear to say with the Church in the second chapter of Hosea I will return to my first husband for as it is usuall with the people of God after many afflictions to conclude upon repentance It was the case of the lost childe in the fifteenth chapter of Luke for a time he bare out the miserie which he had brought upon himself but at the last he is faint and saith redibo ad patrem so Gods purpose in delaying the execution of his sentence upon Cain was that by a long and tedious life he might be brought to repentance For that is it which Ambrose saith that when long life is granted to a man as it was to Hezekiab Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter the reason is ut vita sit mors peccati but if insteed of funus peccati it be foenus peccati if instead of burying sinne we put it out to increase then life is nothing else but thesaurisatio irae dei in diem irae Romans the second chapter This is the first part to be considered in Gods councell that himself may be the better Secondly in sparing Cain God hath a respect of others for there is not simplex contritio Serpentis but aliquando conteritur Serpens ad pernitiem aliquando at theriacam that is to make treakle Though the Serpents head be not so bruised that he dye of it yet so as of it wholesome medicines may be made for the healing of others though themselves be not healed for the Apostle saith there is in us a spirit that lusteth to envy as well as in Cain James the fourth chapter and the fift verse and therefore we have need to have his example before our eyes to keep us from his sinne for his shedding of blood is to us insteed of a bath to wash our footsteps in Psalm the fifty eighth that is in this sparing there is not only a use to Cain himself to amend but though he doe not yet his example may cause others to amend seeing how God doth punish Cains sinne with a miserable life that contains nothing but fear and grief
Thirdly In this proceeding of Gods councell and wisedome if neither of these take place that neither Cain himself nor others are the better for this mitigation yet as the Woman said in the second of Samuel the fourteenth chapter that albeit one of her Sons had slain the other yet she would not be deprived of him that was alive for that she was willing that her husbands name and 〈◊〉 should continue upon earth so it stood with Adam he had two Sonnes whereof the one was the bane of the other and albeit Cain deserved to die presently yet God doth not so consider the greatness of his sinne that he will forget the nature of man which himself had created and therefore as well to preserve mankinde as to shew that godly posterity is not hereditarie he suffers Cain yet to live For as Adam had a Cain so from Cain who was that evill one in the first epistle of John the third chapter Gods purpose was to derive such as should pertain to the Covenant Of one and the same Parents Gods will is one shall be born after the flesh another after the spirit and he that is born after the flesh shall persecute him that is born after the spirit Galatians the fourth chapter and the twenty ninth verse As we say of his wisedome so it stands not with Gods justice that whosoever findes a Malefactor shall kill him for God doth plainly expresse his will that a Murtherer being worthy of death in himself for all that shall not be murthered of every one Therefore God saith whosoever shall presume of himself to kill Cain though it be with this pretence that he is a murtherer shall be punished seven fold for it is not in every mans power 〈…〉 If any man have committed a crime the Judge shall see whether he be worthy of death and as the Judge shall judge him so shall he be punished Deuteronomie the twenty 〈◊〉 chapter Exodus the twenty second chapter The Magistrate being Gods Ordinance Romans the thirteenth chapter hath power to put a murther to death for he hath the Sword committed unto him for that end But he that taketh up the Sword shall perish by the Sword Matthew the twenty sixt chapter For if every one that findeth a mans 〈◊〉 might kill him it would soon root out all mankinde And that this inconvenience should not fall out God takes order that every man shall not doe that to Cain which Cain hath done to Abel no man may kill a Murtherer unless he have authority committed unto him for that end That is for his sparing The second point is for the punishment of him that transgresseth thus that is he shall be punished seven fold It is strange that be which kills a murtherer shall have a more grievous punishment than he The number of seven is numerus complens hebdomidem therefore by the 〈◊〉 punishment Gods meaning is that he will lay a compleat and consummate punishment upon such a party but howsoever it seem strange yet it is justice for that as God will not have him spared whom he condemns to death as Saul spared Agag in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter nor let him goe whom he hath appointed to die in the first of Kings the twentieth chapter and the fourty second verse so it is a grievous sinne to kill him whom God will have spared and this is it which makes the sin of such a party grievous besides the consideration of Gods wrath against them that doe addere afflictiones afflicto Zechariah the first chapter and the fifteenth verse God saith he will be 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 that help forward the affliction of them with whom he was a little angry and therefore such a one shall not escape but before plagued and the Prophet saith the Lord will not judge and condemn a man twice for one fault Nahum the first chapter and the ninth verse Such a man committeth a sinne more grievous than Cains sinne in two respects First Cain transgressed only the Law of nature written in his heart but the other transgresseth not only the naturall Law but Gods express Command who gave order that no man should of himself presume to kill Cain Secondly It is more grievous in that he maketh Cains example a warrant to commit murther but God saith he must not doe so for if a man seeing Cain punished for his sinne shall notwithstanding sinne as he hath done he addeth to his transgression and must therefore have a greater punishment than Cain From those two parts already handled we may gather that to those that sit as Judges in Gods place there is left a power of life and death a power to crucifie and a power to let loose as Pilate said to Christ John the 19th chapter verse the tenth that they have power both to mittigate and to abrogate the punishment of Offenders For the first David was fain of necessity to forbear Joab being himself weak and old and to delay his punishment when he had murthered Abner and Amasa men more righteous and better than he till Salomon his sonne was established in the first of Kings and the second chapter But the reason why Cain's punishment is delayed is not any forbearance of necessity but because the lengthning of his punishment is a better means to restrain men from the like sinne than if he had at once been punished with death For this cause the Prophet saith Psalm the fifty ninth and the eleventh verse Slay them not least my people forget it but scatter them abroad by thy power It is magis ad bonum publicum that the Offenders be spared If Cains life had been presently taken away it might have been doubted whether Cain had ever committed any such sinne or no or if they did beleeve it yet they might soon forget the punishment laid upon him therefore God thought it better he should be spared that others seeing Cain live in continuall miserie might take occasion to inquire what he hath done that understanding the cause of his miserie they may be warned to avoid his sinne Secondly From hence is grounded the aggravation of punishments so that where thest is ordinarily punished with four fold restitution Exodus the twenty second chapter He that stealeth a poor mans sheep that hath no more is by Davids judgment the child of death in the second book of Samuel the twelfth chapter he that finneth upon contempt of Gods command and not of any necessity as he that gathereth sticks upon the Sabbath day Numbers the fifteenth chapter such a one is more grievously to be punished When the party offended will have a man spared then to kill him contrary to his command is a sinne that deserves extraordinary punishment for mensura peccati is that which brings us unto plagarum modus Deuteronomie the the twenty fifth chapter and the second verse Cain being warned from the law of nature kills his Brother and therefore deserves punishment but he that being warned
take the sword and revenge his own quarrel but in case of necessity when there is none to defend it is lawfull to use the Sword for his defence It is not lawfull originally for Cain to make his 〈◊〉 his Wife as the Fathers prove Genesis the 2. chapter and the 4. verse so where God saith therefore shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife his meaning is he will not have friendship kept within one Familie but will have men so to marry that 〈◊〉 Families may be linked together in love Again where both in Genesis the second chapter and Matthew the ninteenth chapter it is said they two shall be one flesh that is not true where Brother and Sister are joyned together for they are one flesh already in as much as they are born of the 〈…〉 Therefore where there is unity of blood between such 〈◊〉 is no lawfull marrying but necessity is without law and therefore Cain is dispensed withall because necessity caused him Touching the mixture of Brother and Sister it is 〈◊〉 to the Lord and his soul abhorrs it Leviticus the 〈◊〉 chapter and the twenty third verse but if this kinde of copulation were originally lawfull it would not be so abhominable that he would punish it in such sort Besides we see this is a thing so unlawfull that John Baptist chooseth rather to hazard his life than he will suffer this sinne unreproved which he would not have done but that it was originally unlawfull for Herod to have his Brothers Wife Matthew the fourteenth chapter For the knowledge Cain had with his wife we see that as Adam when he was cast out of Paradise knew his Wife so Cain being departed from Gods presence to a Land of trouble and disquietness having lost spirituall comforts seeks for rest in carnall delights For the procreation of Children as Sarah speaks Genesis the eighteenth chapter is an act of pleasure which albeit it be lawfull for Adam a repentant sinner yet not for Cain being in that state that he was for in the time of repentance the Bridegroom must come forth of his Camber and the Bride out of her Bedchamber Joel the second chapter and the sixteenth verse and they that are married may not so give themselves over to the flesh but that upon speciall cause sometime they give themselves to prayer and fasting in the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the fifth verse but Cain standing as he did at this time transgresseth the Command of God And yet touching the third point Gods goodness appeareth herein that for all that he so blesseth 〈◊〉 which was unlawfull that she conceiveth It was in Gods hand and his sinne deserved it that she should have been barren for Jeremiah the twenty second chapter in the second of Samuel the sixteenth chapter the sinne of Jeconiah and Michal is the cause of their barrenness Therefore in Gods justice it is a due punishment to all sorts not to have Children but yet as he brings light out of darkness so to shew he can of evill Parents bring forth good Children he gives Cain issue as he brought good Ezekiah out of Achan and Josia out of Ammon For this cause he gives the wicked Children as also in this regard to shew that he is able to break the Serpents head not one way only by killing sinne in men but by making them examples of his justice as in Pharaoh Romans the ninth chapter For this cause have I stirred them up even as we see the bodies of Malefactors are given to Chyrurgeons for Anatomies that in them men may see the state of our bodies and so it may be for the good of others For as it were inconvenient that evill Parents should only have evill Children because by this means evill would be infinite so it is as inconvenient that good Parents should have none but good Children for so that which is of grace would be ascribed to nature And so we see that albeit the act be unlawfull and the seed stolne yet being cast into the ground we see God so blesseth it that it is fruitfull The fourth point is that Cain called his Sons name Enoch the meaning whereof is a dedication or consecration and this gives hope as if there were some goodness remaining in Cain for those things that are built to be dedicated are Altars and Churches things for Gods use as Noah built an Altar and offered burnt offerings Genesis the eighth chapter but that which Cain built is no Altar but a City and we know Cities and Towns are dedicated to the world and the consecration that he makes is to no God except he make the world his God Philippians the third chapter his position is that gain is godliness in the first to Timothy the fourth chapter and therein he bestowes his service But after we have another Enoch so truly called Genesis the fift chapter the Son of Seth who did not depart from Gods presence as this Enoch did but consecrated himself to God and became a Preacher of righteousness who as well by his preaching as by uttering the censure of excommunication behold the Lord commeth with a thousand of Angels as Jude speaks dedicated himself to the Church but the first work that Cains Enoch sets himself about is the world This is the difference between Cains Henoch and Seths Henoch the one builds a City on earth the other seeks for a City from above whose builder is God So that there is no hope of Cains return he consecrates his Sonne and City but it is to the wrong God if to any Secondly Touching the building of the City which is a matter respecting the world before wee come to that we must know there was now a great distance of yeeres betweene the time that Cain knew his wife and the time that hee built the City for hee built not the City only for himselfe his wife and childe but was now grown to bee so great a number that hee must have a City to place his posterity in for God respecting mankinde rather then the sinne of man made the seede sowne plentifull They that came of Abraham Isaac and Jacob came but to twelve and in few yeeres of those twelve came seventy five and for the increase of mankinde Hee makes the barren families like a flock of sheepe as it is in the hundred and seventh Psalme Therefore when Cain was grown to so great a multitude he built him a City It is true of Cain which the Apostle affirmeth Hebrews the third chapter No man departs from God but by an evil heart of unbelief So Cain thinks that albeit God hath cursed that part of the earth where Adam was yet it may be the Land toward the Sun rising may be better and therefore he makes triall like the Isrealites which being forbidden to keep any of the Manna till morning for all that would trie whether it would be full of worms and being forbidden to
the Kingdome which he had usurped began to meddle in Religion and to set up two Calves saying Behold your Gods in the first of Kings the twelfth chapter so Irad calls his Sonne Mehujael First what thing is God such a one as saith with Pharaoh Who is the Lord Exodus the fift chapter that is that cared not for God And as Abraham when he came to Gerar said Surely forasmuch as the feare of God is not in this place they will kill me Genesis the twentieth chapter so Mehujael that cared not for God begets Methujhael that is a desparate fellow that cares not for death and his Sonne is Lamech that is a violent fellow a persecutor and an oppressor one that spoileth and treadeth down every man On the other side as Cain hath Irad one that would exalt himself to be Lord so Seth hath Jerad one that is content to goe down for Mehujael a contemner of God among the Children of God there was Mahalaleel id est anuncians or laudans deum a religious person that would praise God For Methushael among the godly there was Methushelah whose name tells us death is triumphing because it is the reward of sinne and hath a worm that dieth not and a fire that is never quenched For Lamech the wicked he is the seventh from Adam as Enoch the Sonne of Seth but this Enoch being the seventh respects things that pertain to the seventh day wherein Lamech is given to oppression This Enoch prophesied an excommunication against sinners that did wickedly spake proudly saying The Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against them as it is in the fourteenth verse of the epistle of Jude and we shall not see any in the Scripture that spake so proudly as this Lamech for he not only brags of his sinne but contemns Gods threatnings and saith he will kill any that come to him therefore this excommunication concerns him for as Seths Enoch walked with God so Lamech that comes of Cain walked after the spirit of the world In the story of Lamech there are two things to be observed First his overflowing lust Secondly his contempt of God and the punishment which God threatned The excesse of his lust stands in this that he took two Wives Where we are to note that he is the first that durst vaunt of poligamie he is primus sacrilegus nuptiarum for in so doing first he did violate the institution of God which is A man shall forsake Father and Mother and cleave 〈◊〉 his Wife Genesis the second chapter and the twenty fourth verse not to his Wives and they two shall be one flesh not three in one flesh Secondly His taking of two Wives is a violating of humane custome for he is in the seventh generation from Adam Adam had but one Wife no more had Cain nor the rest but Lamech treading all custome under foot takes two wherein it is plain that a breach is made of the primitive custome for as Christ saith Matthew the ninteenth chapter non sic fuit abinitio Thirdly Marriage is a mysterie Ephesians the fift chapter and the thirty second verse for God commends unto us a sacred thing in marriage that is the spirituall and holy conjunction of Christ with the Church In which regard persons in that state should not exceed in lust but possesse their Vessels in holiness in the first to the Thessalonians the fourth chapter and the fourth and fift verses and not in the lust of concupiscence As Lamech sinneth against the institution of marriage in these three respects so in regard of the ends of the same which are three First To be a remedy against fornication in the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the second verse but Lamechs two Wives were an allurement to it rather and no remedy against it for every man must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the third verse therefore if he have Wives it is an allurement to lust Secondly The end of marriage is propagation of Children that there may be not only a seed but semen sanctum Malachie the second chapter For that cause he made Adam but one Wife whereas he had spirit enough and might have made him more but he sought a holy seed therefore if any seek seed by more Wives it is not a holy seed but semen nequam semen corruptem Isaiah the first chapter Thirdly The end is for mutuall help but to have more Wives at once the one is a hindrance and no help so were Rachel and Leah to Jacob Genesis the twenty ninth so were Annah and Peniah to Elkanah in the first of Samuel the first chapter Assumpsit autem sibi Lemec uxores duas prioris nomen fuit Hada nomen secundae Tzilla Peperitque Hada Jabalum hic fuit autor habitantium in tentoriis pecuariae Nomenque fratris ejus fuit Jubal hic fuit autor omnium tractantium citharam organon Tzilla verò ipsa quoque peperit Thubal-Kajinum qui erudivit omnem fabrum aerarium ferrarium sororemque Thubal-Kajini Nahamam Gen. 4. 19.20.21.22 Decemb. 16. 1599. IN which verses is set down first the Marriage and after the Race and Ofspring of Lamech The former point verse the ninteenth the latter in the three verses following Concerning the Marriage of Lamech we have already made an entrance into it besides that which hath been already said If we will know what to reckon of this second Wife which Lamech took the Holy Ghost doth set it out unto us in her name For even in the names of holy Scripture as we have heard is engraven most excellent divinitic His second Wifes name was Zillah which hath relation to his first for it signifies her shadow but truth and shadowes are opposite and therefore the Holy Ghost by this name tells us a second Wife is no true Wife but a false and that in such a marriage there is not the body and substance of Gods Ordinance but only a shadow of it as our Saviour Christ said to the Woman that had five Husbands John the fourth chapter and the eighteenth verse He whom thou now hast is not thy Husband And the sentence and judgment of the Hebrew Writers is that where Lamechs former Wifes name is Adah taken from a word that signifies an open assembly and the second Zillah that is a shadow or secret place it is to teach us that Lamech had his former Wife only for a shew but he kept Zillah in secret places to satisfie his unclean lust privily Now because we see this evill act of Lamech hath not so much as a good pretence it is so much the worse and that he wanted a good pretence we shall finde if we inquire what moved him to break out so farre contrary to the Ordinance of God in the Creation who therefore created Adam but one Wife to teach him he might not have more at once
〈◊〉 and we shall see that 〈◊〉 man 〈…〉 himself to this present World can have more 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Secondly For Gods hand and 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Children this ground is to be laid that these 〈…〉 are from God for Jubals invention 〈…〉 from God 〈…〉 butter of Kine and 〈◊〉 of Sheep with 〈◊〉 of Lamb 〈…〉 in Basham He gives the grain of wheat and 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 the thirty second chapter and the four 〈◊〉 and for making of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 It is God that 〈◊〉 songs in the night Job the thirty fist chapter and the 〈…〉 For Tubal-Cains invention of 〈◊〉 of warr It is the Lord that teachet hour hands to 〈◊〉 and our 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and the fourth 〈◊〉 These inventions are all 〈◊〉 God whereby we see it is not with God as 〈◊〉 said to Isaas his Father Genesis the twenty seventh chapter Hast thou but one 〈◊〉 God hath for the Sonnes of men 〈◊〉 only heavenly blessings that 〈◊〉 the life to come but even such as pertain to the 〈…〉 In his lest hand he hath riches and worldly honour but in his 〈◊〉 hand 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 life Proverbs the third 〈…〉 the fix teenth 〈◊〉 he hath not only donum 〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 James the first 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 verse 〈◊〉 in temporall things as well as spirituall to 〈◊〉 upon 〈…〉 we fed God saith Exodus the thirty first chapter 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 and Aholiab so as they were able 〈◊〉 work in the 〈◊〉 so all mechanicall arts are to be ascribed to 〈…〉 that was for 〈◊〉 Tabernacle So Hir 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 to work in 〈◊〉 for the Temple in the second book of Chronicles the 〈◊〉 chapter and the fourteenth verse These 〈◊〉 came from the 〈◊〉 of counsell and understanding The second thing to be observed is Gods 〈…〉 herein that he 〈◊〉 to the wicked good 〈◊〉 pertaining to this life as Christ 〈◊〉 He suffers 〈…〉 to shine 〈◊〉 the godly and 〈◊〉 Matthew the fist chapter so he bestowes temporall 〈◊〉 upon the posterity of Cain as well as upon the Children of 〈◊〉 and this they obtain of God gratiae gratis datae but not 〈…〉 Secondly His mercy appeares herein that he 〈◊〉 gives 〈◊〉 a supply of those blessings which their sinnes 〈◊〉 them of Thirdly His 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 order that the world 〈◊〉 be furnished with things necessary for this present 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 world Psalm the seventeenth And that they which have 〈◊〉 themselves to the things of this world should have 〈◊〉 excellency in things 〈…〉 the same above the Godly as the 〈◊〉 est of worldly men in this 〈◊〉 so their 〈◊〉 stands in earthly things and the godly 〈…〉 in respect of 〈◊〉 For the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 in their 〈…〉 the Children of light Luke the tenth chapter but come to things that pertain to the other life there they that seem to be most childish in things of this life goe far beyond the Philosophers of whom the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians the second chapter The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God But he hath hid them from the wise and prudent of this world and revealed them to babes Matthew the eleventh chapter and the twenty fift verse Fourthly We are to consider the equity of Gods dealing in recording these things in his own book which is the Library of the Holy Ghost These things are enrolled by an honourable name that is the name of a Father shewing plainly that they which bring forth actions that are profitable no less are to be counted Fathers than they that bring forth Children and that they ought accordingly to be honoured and reverenced as Fathers The ancient Fathers make a question Whether these men were the inventors of these things first It is certain that Cain being an husbandman had use of iron workes as the Coulter and Share and albeit he did invent iron tools fit for his purpose yet that which is ascribed to Tubal-Cain was excultio expolitio that is the perfecting of that work which Cain had begun Abel was a shepheard and could not but have use of tents but yet the perfecting of that cunning in that kinde is 〈◊〉 to Jubal Mahalallel was one that used to praise God as his name signifieth which he could not doe without some kinde of musick and therefore in as much as he was farre ancienter than Lamech it follows there was musick before Jubal invented Instruments and Organs This distinction therefore must be held in this point which the School men make that the one is quoad modum simplicis the other quoad modum singularis And therefore in as much as Jabal-Jubal and Tubal Cain are called Fathers of these arts which were in use long before them it is plaine that not only the first inventors of any art are to be honoured but even they also that add any excellencie or perfection to any thing which they professe To draw to an end Lamech being thus blessed of God in things naturall and pertaining to this life ought to be thankfull to God Jacob when God gave him a sonne called his name Judah saying I will praise the Lord Genesis the twenty ninth chapter but he is so farre from praising God that he speakes hard things against God If Cain be avenged seven times then Lamech seventy times seven fold And for men he was so cruel against them that he said no man should stirre against him He would kill a man in his rage Therefore he called his third sonne Tubal Cain that is another Cain as if he would have the name of Cain remembred which God would have buryed All these mercies moved not Lamech to any amendment but as it is in the twenty sixth chapter of Isaiah Let mercy be shewed to the wicked yet will he doe wickedly so did Lamech And albeit these things which they invented tended to the benefit of men yet they were to their own destruction Hypocrites can discern the face of the sky but cannot discern the signe or the times Matthew the sixteenth chapter The Heathen by the works of God attained to a knowledge of God but were not the better for it because they did not worship him as God Romans the first chapter so in as much as they imploy not that 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 which God gave them to his glory it will be to their destruction As we are to have a right estimation of those things where with God blessed them outwardly so we must beware that having the like blessings we be not as they They desired to be mighty men on earth and men of renoune Genesis the sixth chapter that was the end of their desire and they were so but as Christ saith accepêrunt mercedem suam Lamech as he desired proved a mighty man and so did his posterity but when all is done when the men of this world as Lamech have Children at their 〈◊〉 fire Psalm the seventeenth yet they lye in hell
like 〈◊〉 Psalm the fourty ninth so we see their earthly felicity turne 〈…〉 miserie Therefore we must not dedicate our selves wholy to the world as Lamech we may not desire to be of that absolute power and force that no man shall be able to resist We may not only seek to delight our selves with musick to drink wine in bolls Amos the sixt chapter and the sixt verse That was it that Cains Enoch desired we must have respect to the second Enoch and so desire to be well in this world that we may also be well in the next world that as he is in heaven in glory so we may be in glory with him The beginning of worldly mens desire is Cain that is the getting in of wealth the end is Naomi that is pleasure and enjoying of it that was the course of the covetous rich man Luke the twelfth chapter I will pull down Barns and set up bigger and gather my corn thither and then say to my soul thou hast enough take thy pleasure but as Naomi was turned into Mara so this pleasure is turned into bitternesse Ruth the first chapter The pleasure which worldly men enjoy here is turned into the dreadfull torments of the world to come On the other side the generation of the godly begins with Enosh Genesis the fift chapter and the sixt verse and ends in Noah Genesis the fift chapter and the twenty ninth verse that is their beginning is sorrow but end in rest as the 〈◊〉 saith Psalm the one hundred twenty sixt They that sow in teares shall reap in joy the end of wicked mens pleasure is bitterness but the godly after sorrow are made partakers of rest in the evill day Therefore as the Scripture hath a use for correction and instruction so here not only they are corrected that follow the generation of the wicked posterity of Cain but we are instructed to follow the generation of the godly Tum dixit Lemec suis uxoribus O Hada Tzilla audite vocem meam uxores Lemeci auribus percipite Sermonem meum nam virum interfecero ad vulnus meum etiam adolescentem ad tumicem meum Cum septuplo sit vindicandus Kajin utique Lemec septuagies septies tanto Gen. 4. 23.24 Januar. 20. 1599. IN Lamech who was the seventh from Adam by the line of Cain the Holy Ghost propounds the example of a perfect wicked man as in Enoch the seventh from Adam by the line of Seth he sets out the pattern of a man perfectly righteous Concerning Lamech we heard his name is an oppressor First of chastity by violating Gods institution making three in one flesh where God saith two shall be one flesh and then of charity by proclaiming to the world that no man should hurt him but he should die for it So that where there are two wayes that overthrow that excellent virtue of love and charity that joyns man to God we see that Lamech by turning love into fleshly lust and charity into hatred and revenge gives the world an example of both In both he justifieth Cain as the Prophet saith of Juda That she justifieth Samaria and Sodom because she exceedeth them in their abominations Ezekiel the sixteenth chapter and the fifty first verse for Cain was content with one Wife but Lamech gave the reins to lust so as he took two and though Cain murthered Abel his brother yet he adds not murther to murther as Lamech did who saith That first he slew a man in his wound and then a young man in his hurt but to these two he adds that which the Wise-man calls profundum malitiae that is contempt Proverbs the eighteenth chapter and the third verse For then is a man come to the depth of wickedness when he contemnes God and his word and this is it which the Sonne of God calls the depth of Satan Revelations the second chapter the twenty fourth verse for he scoffs at Gods words which he spake concerning Cain verse the fifteenth saying If Cain shall be avenged seven fold truly Lamech seventy times seven fold verse the twenty fourth Secondly We doe not consider this by it self which Lamech did but we consider him as by this sinne he became the corrupter of mankinde so as it may be said of him that he made the whole world to sinne as Jeroboam made Israel to sinne for he was the first that brought in the sinne of uncleanness and cruelty which are as the Prophet speaks Psalm the eighteenth and the fift verse Torrentes Belial that is the floods of wickedness which brought destruction upon the old world Genesis the sixt chapter For as one saith there was priùs eluvio vitiorum before there was any deluge of waters for so the Holy Ghost witnesseth that the wickednesse of man was great upon earth and the earth was filled with cruelty and all flesh had corrupted his way and all this proceeded from his example for he gave the world a pattern to give the reins to lusts and make no conscience of bloodshed which brought destruction upon them Thirdly When as he had contrary to Gods Ordinance taken two Wives Adah and Zillah the one that set her felicity on painting of her face like Jezabel in the second of the Kings the tenth chapter the other to be to him as Herodias was to Herod Matthew the fourteenth chapter When God for all this spared Lamech and did not punish him as he deserved but rather blessed him with Children and earthly prosperity yet he is not any thing the better for Gods mercy but growes from one sinne to another till his sin became as the Apostle speaketh Romans the seventh chapter Out of measure sinfull and till the chief sinne appear in him which is even the head of the Serpent In whom we finde that verified which the Preacher saith Ecclesiastes the eighth chapter and the eleventh verse that if God presently punish any sinne he is counted cruel But when sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily then the hearts of the children of men are fully set to doe evil as the Apostle also sheweth That whereas Gods patience and long-suffering should lead us to repentance the wicked abuse his goodness and take occasion thereby to add sinne to sinne and so to heap up wrath for themselves against the day of wrath Romans the second chapter and the fourth and fist verses The discovering of these sinnes is plainly opened in this oration which Lamech makes to his Wives for sinne discloseth it self two wayes either by Cains way that is by the eye or countenance as Cain when his heart grew malicious shewed it presently in his countenance verse the fifteenth or else Lamechs way that is by the some or froth of the mouth for we see here according to Christs rule Matthew the twelfth chapter That Lamechs mouth speaketh from the abundance of his heart for the tongue is the Trumpet of the minde and as a Galilean may be known by
his speech Matthew the twenty sixt chapter so by a mans talk it will appear how his heart is affected His speech consists first of a preface Heare my voice ye wives of Lamech hearken to my words Secondly the body of his oration I have killed or will kill a man in my wound and a young man in my hurt Thirdly If Cain shall be avenged seven times then Lamech seventy times seven times In which words he saith in effect that he will neither doe right not suffer wrong His Preface we see is a solemn and grave Speech as if Solomon himself were delivering some great piece of wisedome or as if some Prophet were to declare some weighty matter in the name of the Lord. That we may see that the wicked are as carefull in stirring up the hearers to hear their blasphemies as the Prophets and Saints of God are to crave attention to their heavenly doctrine They are like the words of Jacob to his Children Genesis the fourty ninth chapter and the second verse Hear ye Sonnes of Jacob hearken to Israel your Father where to hearken is more than to hear and the speech is more than the voice whereby Lamech willeth his Wives with all attention to bow their eares to that which he saith which sheweth that he imagined that which he spoke was some great matter whereas indeed it is nothing but a vain boasting of his power that he can doe mischief Psalm the fifty second for the Prophet saith That the great men speak out the corruption of their hearts and they wrap it up Micah the seventh chapter and the third verse and so doth this great Gyant Lamech we see by his words he hath this opinion that he ought to be heard being a man of this power For as the Wise-man saith of the practise of the world If the rich man speaks all must hearken to his word but the poor when he speaks cannot be heard but see what is the effect of his speech for all his good preface therefore we must not presently impute wisedome to every one that beginneth in this solemn manner Of the body of his Oration be two parts First a proclaiming to the world What he will doe if he be touched Secondly If Cain be avenged seven times then Lamech seventy times seven fold Of the former there are two readings the one is I have stain a man being but wounded and killed a young man in my hurt The latter is I would kill a man If it be the former it is a Commemoration If the latter a Commination wherein he breatheth forth threatnings as Saul did Acts the eighth chapter against any that should doe him wrong The one is a bragging of his strength that he feels himself so strong as if he were wounded yet he is able to be avenged of him that shall touch him The other shewes his vindicative spirit that is so far from suffering that if he be but touched he will kill he threatens pro vulnere mortem In the first by that which the Apostle saith in the second to the Corinthians the tenth chapter That if God give strength and power to any man it is not to destroy but to 〈◊〉 We see it is no true boasting which Lamech makes he doth not boast aright that saith he is of strength to doe hurt the commendation of strength is not in killing and wounding but in saving and defence For the second interpretation we are to know it is no just dealing to kill him that hath but inflicted a wound for justice is there should be talio wound for wound and not death for a wound If it be read as the Fathers read it I have killed a man in my wound then it is a confession Now we know confessions proceed of repentance but that was not the cause of Lamechs confession for then he would not have chosen these confessions but it is in the spirit of arrogancie that he confesseth to his wives what he hath done He saith that when he had killed one man in his wound then he proceeded to kill a young man that is he added blood to blood It is enough for a man to sinne though he doe not brag of it but when they doe as the Sodomites did that is praedicare peccata sua Isaiah the third chapter and the ninth verse then they are come to the 〈◊〉 of wickedness if they brag of their sinne and are so far from sorrowing for their finne that they seek applause for it as if they had done well This preaching of sinne and that rejoying in wickedness which the Wise-man speaks of Proverbs the second chapter and the fourteenth verse exultat in rebus 〈◊〉 falls upon none but such as are in profundo peccatorum that is grievous sins and at the pitch of all naughtiness Naturally men are ashamed of sinne and it is a signe of grace so to be affected therefore the Lord saith Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination but where instead of covering their faces with shame for sinne Men have 〈◊〉 foreheads and will not be ashamed Jeremiah the third chapter and the third verse that is a sinne out of measure sinfull for shame is a 〈◊〉 of that singultus cordis that is of that inward grief of heart in the first of Samuel the twenty fift chapter which they conceive that they have offended God but when instead of sorrow and shame there is an exaltation or rejoycing of the evill they have done and a hardness of heart so as they cannot be touched with any grief of their 〈◊〉 These are the tokens of one that is past grace and these appeared in Lamech of whom the Apostles words are verified That his shame is his glory Philippians the third chapter In both these he justifieth Cain for he was ashamed to confesse that he had killed Abel and therefore answered the Lord I know not am I my brothers keeper and after he is very sorry and greatly cast down and therefore saith My sinne is greater than can be pardoned This is it we learn in the 〈◊〉 part The second is worse for where there is no shame there may be fear He that hath lost shame for 〈◊〉 is like the beast 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 ninth for the beast is not ashamed of any thing but though 〈◊〉 beasts be without shame yet they have fear for they will 〈◊〉 willingly run into the fire it is so terrible to them therefore he that feareth not when he 〈◊〉 the danger of sin he is 〈◊〉 than a 〈◊〉 yea than the Devils themselves Who 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 the second chapter Therefore where as 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 to kill and murther him that should but wound him having not 〈…〉 That if a man 〈◊〉 evill sinne 〈◊〉 at the dore but 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 of Gods wrath upon Cain for murther that is a sign that his 〈◊〉 is greatly hardened A man would think the very 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be
fair day after a storm For in the eight former verses there hath not been any mention made of God or godliness but marriage upon marriage murther upon murther vaunting of finne past and to come deriding of God and his holy word as if he were a person that favoured wicked men and not contenting himself with the punishment which God inflicted but a devising a new kinde of revenge as we see in Lamech who not contented with the punishment which God appointed for murtherers that is seven times would challenge to himself seventy times seven times Now at last we come to a verse that hath the mention and name of God and of a good man of whom a succession of good men should be raised And it was fit that the Man of God Moses should keep this order because the faith of Adam and Eve might quail and they might think God not true of his promise in regard of that which they saw For as for the threatning which God denounced against Cain wee see it is not performed but Cain and his posteritie in stead of being plagued for his wickednesse grow to be great men rich Grasyers such as have all things that tend either to delight or defense As for Adams promise which was That the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head it fell out clean contrary for we see to what a great number the spawne of the Serpent was grown when as there was none of the Womans seed And whereas God promised the Womans seed should bruise the head of the Serpent wee see the spawne of the Serpent 〈◊〉 the head of the Womans seed For Abel who was the Womans seed is slain by Cain who was of the Serpents seed which falls out many times in the world The promise made to Noah was That Cham should be a servant Genesis the ninth chapter and yet we see it fell out clean contrary for Genesis the tenth chapter 〈◊〉 who was of Chams race was the first Emperour upon earth And in the new Testament the people of God when Christ was born were in that state that Herod an Edomite was become their King Matthew the seoond chapter That wee may see that as the Prophet speakes in the one hundred and ninteenth Rsalm and the hundred twenty sixt verse Then it is time for God to lay to his hand when mankinde looking into his word and seeing that it is not fulfilled which God hath spoken doe decay in faith that he may shew himself a true God and able to accomplish that which he doth either promise or threaten that so the faith that was yet left upon earth might revive and take breath again The verse it self consisteth of two parts First Adams knowledge of his Wife Secondly The nativity of Seth. For the first Not to say any thing of the term which Moses useth which is Adams knowledge for that we have handled it heretofore we will consider the word iterum which gives us plainly to know that for a great while Adam gave over that Act being stricken and amazed with this consideration that one brother should kill another that is in bewailing Abel that was 〈◊〉 and Cain that was cut off from the Church Adam and Eve were in this state of minde that they were as it were dead seeing their first Ofspring sped so unhappily that the one was slain bodily the other was under the sentence of death both of body and soul when I say they considered that they should either beget children to be murthered which was Abels case or else to be cast into hell in respect of Cain it made them say with Rebecca Genesis the twenty fift chapter and the twenty second verse si mihi sic futurum est quia necesse est parere for these considerations they had clean given over Out of which example of Adam and Eve we learn to conform ourselves to crosses and heavy accidents as God layeth upon us that is to forbear and give over matters of pleasure when God calls us to mourning for it is a thing agreeable to Gods will If when the Lord God of hosts shall call to weeping and mourning there be nothing but joy and 〈◊〉 slaying of Oxen c. the Lord himself sayeth that is a sinne which shall not be pardoned or purged with any sacrifice till they die Isaiah the twenty second chapter and the twelfth verse It is that which Christ teacheth Matthew the ninth chapter and the fifteenth verse When the Bridegrome shall be taken away then shall they mourn and fast that is when either he shall be taken from us or when men shall drive him from them by their sinnes then there is cause of mourning and sorrow Therefore we see albeit it was Gods will that Aaron and his Children should eat the offerings of the Children of Israel yet he refused to eat them in regard of the Judgments of God upon Nadab and Abihu his Sonnes saying Thou knowest such and such things have come to me this day and if I had eaten the sin-offering 〈◊〉 it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 chapter and the ninteenth verse Therefore David mourned so for the death of Abner that he said God doe so to me and more if I eat bread or 〈◊〉 else till the Sun be down in the second of Samuel the third chapter and the thirty fift verse But hence there appears another thing unto us which is that 〈◊〉 and earthly sorrow in a naturall man is a thing stronger than any worldly pleasure that in regard of the naturall man there is more strength in grief than in pleasure or joy for if a man have 〈◊〉 in never so much pleasure all 〈◊〉 life yet if he come to a little sickness it takes away all remembrance of his former pleasure And this is a means to make a man think of such an estate Wherein he may have that pleasure and joy which shall not be taken from him as Christ speaketh John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse Now when Adam had relieved himself with this cogitation that as the Prophet speaks Psalm the eighty ninth God hath not made all men for nought it made him to return whereupon there followed by Gods blessing not only a seed but a chosen and holy seed that is Seth. Concerning whom first we will speak of his birth wherein we have this to observe that those Children whom God gives to Parents upon a plentifull contrition and repentance doe usually prove men excellent in all spirituall graces The first example hereof is Seth who is not only the foundation of the Church but of mankinde for since the flood all the Sons of men are called the Children of Seth. It is also shewed in Joseph whom God gave to Rachel having opened her wombe which before was shut up so as she was barren Genesis the thirtieth chapter and the twenty second verse It also appeared in Hannah who having bewailed her own
case in the bitterness of her soul received from the Lord a blessed seed that was Samuel who restored religion and setled the state of the Kingdome in the first of Samuel the first chapter and the sixteenth verse but it is most plain in the birth of Solomon for after Davids great fall and the grievous punishment that God laid upon him upon his great repentance which followed whereof the fifty first Psalm is a perpetuall monument God gave him a Sonne that was Solomon the like whereof was never before nor hath been since in the second of Samuel the twelfth chapter As on the other side they that are born according to the flesh and begotten in the strength of nature prove wilde and rebellious as Israel and Absolom and of a contrary disposition to them that are born to them that are in the state of grace Secondly For his name and that little Sermon which Eve makes touching his name that is she called him Seth and renders a reason quia posuit eum 〈◊〉 semen aliud pro Abele quem occidit Cain In which Sermon there is no one word which hath not its severall sense It is said First He is positus Secondly By God Thirdly As a seed Fourthly Another seed Fiftly instead of Abel Sixthly Of Abel whom Cain slew For the term of putting or setting we have it in the third chapter of Genesis and the fifteenth verse where God saith I will put enmity Psalm the hundred fourty eighth He sets them a law Proverbs the twenty second chapter and the twenty eighth verse Remove not the ancient bounds which thy Fathers have set in the first epistle of John the fifth chapter The whole world is set on mischeif By which setting or putting is added stedinesse and permanency But we shall see the nature of the word most plainly in the twenty eigth chapter of 〈◊〉 Pono in Zion lapidem where it is used for laying a foundation or for the setting of a rift or graffe or root which as we know is set to growe and not to be pulled up by and by there is the sense of the word set or put In which sense it is not only referred 〈◊〉 to Abel who as we know was a transitory and no permanent seed for he was no sooner shewed to the world but presently he 〈◊〉 as taken away as one of whom the world was unworthy Hebrews the eleventh chapter But also to Cain whose land was the land of Nod To teach us That in the felicity of Gods Saints there is stedinesse and continuance but as for the pleasures of the wicked they continue not one hour but are uncertain So that it is in effect as if God should say before indeed I gave Abel but it was not my minde to have him continue but this seed whom I will give Adam shall stay so as neither Cain nor Lamech nor the gates of hell shall prevail against him Matthew the sixteenth chapter That is the meaning of the word set or put which was the first observation And this seting or putting receives great strength from the setter that is God whole weaknesse is stronger than the strength of man And therefore look what he sets shall continue to teach us that albeit the first Saint was taken away yet now he will have Saints to continue They shall not only be shewed to the world but shall have a foundation and take root being set by God Touching the wicked Eliphaz saith Their foundation is as an overflowing of water for they shall be carried away as Cains posterity was with a flood Job the twenty second chapter and the sixteenth verse But the righteous shall have an everlasting foundation Proverbs the tenth chapter For as when God will have a thing crooked no man can it make streight Ecclesiastes the seventh chapter and the fifteenth verse so what God will 〈◊〉 and have to take root it cannot be pulled up or removed Positi sunt ad hoc saith the Apostle in the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter and the second verse and in the eighth verse They were ordained to stumble at the word Therefore being appointed by God to that end it is impossible they should be otherwise That is for the wicked On the other side Whom Christ taketh to his custody he saith of them in the tenth chapter of St. John No man shall take them out of mine hand and as the Apostle saith in the second to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 second chapter and the nineteenth verse The foundation of God abideth sure and stedfast Novit 〈◊〉 qui sunt 〈◊〉 neer 〈◊〉 this is that which the Apostle calls deposition that is 〈◊〉 thing 〈◊〉 to trust in the second to Timothy the first chapter and the fourteenth verse for even so God will have Saints and the 〈◊〉 of the godly to continue in the world till he come to call them out of it Thirdly it is said of Seth he is positus in semen for there is a person that is no seed that was Abel before God gave a man to Adam but he gave no seed to him for that is called seed of which there growes something But of Abel there came no 〈◊〉 or seed 〈◊〉 but as it is said of Christ that when he shall lay down his life videbit semen longaevum Isaiah the fifty third chapter that is a seed though not issuing out of his loyns yet 〈◊〉 from his spirit So we are to understand that spiritually there came a seed of Abel for there is a spirituall generation as well as a carnall so spiritually Elisha was the Childe of Elias because the spirit of Elias was doubled upon him in the second of Kings the second chapter and John Baptist is called Elias Matthew the seventeenth chapter because in these graces of the spirit that was in Elias he resembled him as the Child doth the Father It is the saying of the Prophet Isaiah the sixt chapter semen sanctum est substantia mundi and therefore Seth is appointed and set by God to be the spirituall seed of the Church as the seed of mankinde by carnall generation Fourthly But why should God need to give Adam and Eve seed he had seed enough already that was Cain and his posterity which were come to seventy seven persons yea but they are not content with that seed but would have another Cains seed pleaseth them not therefore they are earnest Suters to God for a holy seed As God promised Abraham first a seed that should be sicut pulvis terrae Genesis the thirteenth chapter and the sixteenth verse that is such as should grow in the earth and set their affections therein and after another that should be sicut stellae coeli Genesis the eighteenth chapter that is such a seed as should set their mindes in heaven and seek for a heavenly country Hebrews the eleventh chapter So Adams two seeds first Cain and his posterity which were like the dust of the earth such as were earthly affected and
therefore they would have another seed like the starres of heaven such as should have their conversation in heaven it is that which the Prophet tells us there is semen nequam Isaiah the first chapter that is a naughty and corrupt seed such was the seed of Cain and there is semen sanctum Isaiah the sixt chapter such a seed was it that Adam desired Cain was a naughty seed but they would have a holy seed for there is not only good seed but tares as Christ sheweth Matthew the thirteenth chapter Such is the difference that is in seeds A holy seed is such as shall sinne but yet shall not doe sinne in the first epistle of John the third chapter that is not operarius iniquitatis Matthew the seventh chapter because the seed of God is in them but they that sell themselves to all manner of sinne are the corrupt seed such as power out themselves to all wickedness because they have not the seed of God in them but the Serpents seed of whom it may be said verò ex patre Diabilo estis John the eighth chapter Fiftly This other seed might be another seed yet not like Abel that is a seed more civill and temperate in the course of this life than Cain was and his posterity but they desire a seed for Abel that is such another seed as Abel was They desire a Child not simply but pro Abele that is such a Child in whom they may finde the spirit of Abel that they might say here is another Abel that though Abel be taken off yet there might another like Abel be ingraffed The last point is in these words For Abel whom Cain 〈◊〉 There were many things that Cain could endure well enough in Abel but the cause why he 〈◊〉 him was for that he had a desire to please God and to sacrifice to him in the best 〈…〉 could his desire was to offer plurimam hostiam 〈◊〉 the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse that is a Sacrifice that should be in 〈◊〉 more and in quality de 〈◊〉 of the best of his sheep so they would not only have one religious as Abel but one that should be opposite to Cain and as it were the Heir of Abels 〈◊〉 one that might accomplish that which was lacking on Abels part in the first to the Thessalonians the third chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse 〈◊〉 as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him 〈◊〉 was born after the spirit Galatians the fourth chapter so they might have one to maintain his quarrel and might uphold that holy seed Concerning which as God hath a purpose that the patience of his Saints should appear Romans the ninteenth chapter 〈…〉 patientia Sanctorum for which cause he suffers Abel to be 〈◊〉 so he will have his providence appear too and therefore he sets up Seth so as Tubal-Cain with all his armor shall not remove him So we see in every of these words there is a power They would have this other seed like Abel in all things saving in this that Abel was but shewed only to the world but they would have Seth a permanent seed So doth God make the distinction between his Saints to some he saith as to Peter John the twenty first chapter Follow me that by thy death thou maist glorifie me Of others he saith as of John the Evangelist I will have thee tarry still that is he will have some Saints to be 〈◊〉 as Peter and others he would have to live out all the dayes of their life as John the Evangelist and John that dieth in Domino is no less blessed 〈◊〉 Peter that dieth pro Domino So 〈◊〉 he would have Abel 〈◊〉 taken a way and 〈◊〉 to live out the course of nature yet the one is no lesse acceptable to him than the other Lastly These words contain a plain 〈◊〉 of Eve not only in regard of her stile for of Cain she said I have obtained a man of the Lord but of Seth Deus posuit The one is 〈◊〉 Evae the other positio Del. But in regard of that account which now she makes of Cain Why should not Cain be still her Jewell as before for he lives still and hath a great and mighty seed She faith the cares not 〈◊〉 him for that he is cut off from Gods Church a stranger from the promises of God And as for Abel whom before she 〈…〉 now she desires one like him though he should be 〈…〉 Abel 〈◊〉 So she condemnes her self for having so great a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisedome at last is justified of her Children For a time 〈◊〉 〈…〉 accounted of but at last Abel shall be found to be 〈…〉 case Out of which we see that which the Prophet 〈◊〉 That men must not make too much 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 Isay 〈◊〉 twenty 〈◊〉 chapter if the Lord 〈◊〉 and come not so soon as we 〈◊〉 we must wait and he that 〈◊〉 will come Hebrews the second chapter Give not over if Abel be lost God will provide another seed Secondly We see here the propriety of the Church it is a thing set as the Prophet speakes in the twenty eighth chapter of Isaiah I will lay a Stone in Sion a chief corner Stone upon which Stone the Church is built so as the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Matthew the sixteenth chapter Therefore the Apostle saith Colossians the first chapter the faithfull are radicati fundati in fide whereupon it followeth that as God himself is from everlasting and world without end Psalm the nintieth so he will be with his Church to the end of the world Matthew the eighteenth chapter so we see there is a reward for the righteous though he were killed touching the body yet he lives still in heaven And now in as much as there is one like Abel he revives in earth and so he hath his reward in heaven and earth Howsoever before Cain was preferred before Abel yet now by the testimony of Adam and Eve is counted one not worthy the ground that he treads upon but Abel is acknowledged to be a great blessing and therefore hath his desire one like him Sed ipsi Schetho genitus est filius cujus nomen vocavit Enoschum tunc coeptum est invocari nomen Jehovae Gen. 4. 26. Februar 17. 1599. YOU see here that albeit Moses might have deferred these two verses to the next chapter wherein he drawes down the genealogie of the godly seed yet he could not contain himself but before he concludes this chapter he will make some mention of some that regard the worship of God as well to shew that God did not clean forget his promise and his people as also that he might counterpoise the evill of the wicked that went before as last of all that he might make a good conclusion that as he had a good beginning in Abels oblation so he might end it well in the invocation of Enosh and he doth end
between them If ye love me saith Christ keep my commandements John the fifteenth chapter And the Preacher Seek for the mysterie of faith as in a pure conscience the first epistle of Timothy and the third chapter For they that put away a good conscience make shipwrack of faith the first epistle of Timos thie the first chapter and the nineteenth verse The Gentils did know God but did not glorifie him as God They knew the truth but did detinere veritatem in injustitiâ Romans the first chapter As they held knowledge so they should not withhold it from others but should have made manifest the same that others might have known God which because they did not God gave them over to be darkned in their understanding We must manifest our knowledge by doing some good works for he that hath knowledge and is not carefull to be fruitfull in the knowledge of Christ is in the half way to be blinded for when men receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved God will send them the efficacie of error that they may beleeve lies the second epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapter and the eleventh verse This knowledge is but a shew of knowledge and not the power of it If any man think he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing as he ought to know it the second epistle to the Corintbians the eighth chapter and the seventh verse This knowledge is like that which John Baptist speaketh of Matthew the third chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Think not to say with your selves c. rest not in this knowledge The rule of true knowledge is when it is accompanied with holinesse of life as he speaks If any man love God he is known of him the first epistle to the Corinthians the eighth chapter and the third verse The virtue that openeth mens eyes to make them see is wisdome So he that hath no care of virtue is not wise for the fear of God is wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Job the twenty eighth chapter And to fear God is the beginning of wisdome Proverbs the first chapter The Art of sowing is of pollicy so is buying and selling But the Kingdom of God is likened to the traffique of a Merchant man and to the sowing of seed Matthew the thirteenth chapter To teach us that to our knowledge we must ad spiritual wisdom without which we are blinde and ignorant He that is blinde nescit quò vadit John the twelfth chapter He considers not how he lives whether he be in the way that leadeth to life or to death he knows not what shall come to him after this life Incedit tanquam Bos He goeth as an Oxe to the slaughter Proverbs the seventh chapter But he that to knowledge adds godlinesse and holinesse of life he knoweth whither he goeth That it shall goe well with him at the last Ecclesiastes the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse So saith the Prophet Marke the righteous and thou shalt see his end is peace at the last Psalme the thirty seventh and the thirty seventh verse Secondly He is not only blinde but cannot see a farre off Two things are said to be a farre off things Spiritual and eternall and he that hath not these Christia virtues cannot see a farre off neither in things spiritual nor eternall For the first The favour of the world makes a man commit many sinnes but the favour of God keeps him from sinne Worldly pleasures make a man commit many sinnes but the pleasure of the life to come and the joyes of the holy Ghost make a man forbear sinne Secondly For things eternall the evill estate of the wicked is very bad be his temporal estate never so good therefore they are to consider what God will doe in the end thereof Quod fiat in fine Jeremiah the fift chapter and the thirty first verse The least pleasure that the wicked have in this life brings poenas inferni And howsoever Godly men be subject to miseries in this life yet their eternal estate is most happy I know that it shall goe well with them at the last Isaiah the third chapter and the tenth verse He hath forgotten that he was purged Wherein we are to consider First How true this is There are so many perswasions arising from the benefit of the purging of our sinnes that it is confest that he hath forgotten that he was purged that is not carefull to obtain these virtues First That God passeth over the time of our former ignorance Acts the seventeenth chapter Admonishesh us now to repentance That it is enough that we have spent the time past of our life the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter The consideration of this should make us to become holy The Prophet saith When thou hast enlarged my heart I will runne the way of thy commandements Psalme the hundred nineteenth But what doth enlarge our hearts so much as that all our former sinnes are washed away in the blood of Christ That now we shall runne the way and race of holinesse not in the spirit of fear but of adoption Romans the eighth chapter Not as servants but as children in obedience to God our father we need not to fear the curse of the Law which Christ hath delivered us from Galatians the third chapter Only we may look for temporal plagues if we sinne against God Psalm the eighty ninth Secondly If we consider how we are purged the which would perswade us hereunto that is Not by corruptible things as silver and gold but with the blood of Christ the first epistle of Peter the second chapter But with the blood of Christ not a prophane and common blood Hebrews the tenth chapter but a pretious blood Thirdly If we consider the end of our purging which is not to continue in sin but as Christ saith I will refresh you that you may take my yoke upon you and be obedient unto me Matthew the eleventh chapter The father purgeth the branches that they may bring forth more fruit John the fifteenth chapter And Christ gave himself for us that he might purge us to be zealous of good works Titus the second chapter and the fourteenth verse Whereby we see it is true That he which hath not care of holinesse hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sinnes Secondly We are to consider how evill a thing it is to forget the purging of our former sinnes which we shall perceive if we consider what a benefit it is to have them cleansed When Gods benefits upon us are fresh they somwhat affect us for a time but we presently forget them And we are sorie for our sinnes while they are fresh and newly committed and feel the plague of God upon us so that we can say with David I have sinned and done wickealy in the second of Samuel and the twenty fourth chapter but the remembrance of them soon departeth away But howsoever we forget them yet
God will remember them and punish them to the third and fourth generation Exodus the twentieth chapter His patience towards us whereby he would draw us to repentance makes us think him like our selves that he doth forget our old sinnes as we doe but he will set them before us and 〈◊〉 us for them Psalm the fiftieth Gen. 4 7. If thou do'st evil thy sinne lyeth at the dore and thou art to look for Gods plagues for evil shall haunt the wicked Psalm 140. 11. Our forgetfulnesse of sinne is Gods remembrance The brethren of Joseph were for a while touched with their sinne committed against their brother but when they had forgotten it then did God remember it and brought trouble upon them for it as they themselves consessed The sinne which Simcon and Levi committed was an old sinne the thirty fourth chapter of Genesis but God remembred it and put in Jacobs heart to curse them for it Genesis the fourty ninth chapter so did God remember the old sinne of 〈◊〉 committed against the Israelites and punished it in the first booke of Samuel and the fifteenth chapter so the sinne of Saul in killing the 〈◊〉 which was old was punished with a famine the second booke of Samuel and the one and twentith chapter so Job saith God will plague the old man for the sinne of his youth so that his 〈◊〉 shall be full of 〈◊〉 and shall ly down with him in the dust Job the twentieth chapter and the eleventh verse therefore David prayeth Remember not the sinnes of my youth the twenty fift Psalme and the Church prayeth That ancient sinnes might be forgiven We have sinned with our Fathers Psalm the one hundred and 〈◊〉 Remember not our old sinnes And because we are by nature inclined to forget them which we commit in our youth and have been committed in former time by our Fathers therefore we must beware that we provoke not God to punish us for them When the wicked Servant forgat his old debt which his Lord forgave him and began again to deal cruelly with his fellow this forgetfulness made God to reverse his purgation 〈◊〉 the eighteenth chapter so we must remember that God forgave our old sinnes for this remembrance is profitable to us as out of darkness God brings light so out of the remembrance of former sinnes he can make us to avoid sinnes to come Note The sinfull woman when she remembred that Christ had forgiven her many sins was provoked thereby to love him much Luke the seventh chapter and when Paul remembred that he had been a persecuter of the Church of God and a blood-shedder and that his sinne was purged it made him carefull to walk in holiness of life so as he laboured more than all the Apostles in the first to the Corinthians and the fifteenth chapter wherefore seeing the remembrance of sinnes past is so good it must needs be hurtfull to our our own souls and prejudiciall to Gods glory to forget that our former sinnes were purged by the blood of Christ. Abrahamus Pater ille vester gestivit videre diem istum meum vidit c. Job 8. 56. Decemb. 31. 1598. THEY are the words of our Saviour Christ and therefore true because uttered by him that is the truth it self Wherein affirming of Abraham that he desired to see his day that is the day of his Nativity He sheweth that Abraham was a true Christian and solemnized the same Feast which we now celebrate in remembrance of Christs birth already past which was then to come when he rejoyced And this is matter of comfort unto all men That the service which they offer to God is no new kinde of service but as ancient as Abraham and the rest of the Fathers of whom it is said That they 〈◊〉 to be saved by the Grace of Christ as well as we Acts the fifteenth chapter and the eleventh verse So sai hold Jacob Lord I have looked for thy Jesus Genesis the fourty ninth chapter and the eighteenth verse And the Prophet saith Exultabo in Jesu meo Habakkuk the third chapter and the eighteenth verse Of this day the Prophet saith This is the day which the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it Psalme the hundred and eighteenth In this day we are to rejoyce as in a day of Harvest and as in a day of Victory Isaiah the ninth chapter and the third verse So that all the Prophets that were since Abraham desired to see this day of Christs birth no lesse than he The occasion of these words uttered by Christ was that the Jews boasted that they were Abrahams children But Christ tells them they doe foolishly considering they did degenerate from Abraham and were not like him for they had neither Abrahams works nor his faith Abraham desired to see my day and longed for it though he lived long before me but ye despise me you grieve to see me but he would have been glad to see me as you doe he defined to see me and when he saw me with a lively faith he rejoyced to shew what account he made of me but ye make no reckoning of me but 〈◊〉 me Wherein we are to consider three points Abraham's desire to see Christ the sight he had of him and the great joy he conceived when hee saw him which three may be reduced to Abraham's faith and love The sight which Abraham had of Christ's day is the vision of his faith which faith of his is environed with two most pregnant effects of care that is a desire to see Christ and joy after he had 〈◊〉 him for in temporall things whatsoever men most love that they doe not only desire to have but when they obtein it they rejoyce Who will shew us any good that is the desire whereby men testifie this love to earthly blessings of corne and oyle and wine and when they have abundance of these things then they have joy of them though it bee not like the joy of heart which the light of Gods countenance bringeth to the faithfull as it is in the fourth Psalme But in spirituall things Zacheus to testifie his love to Christ did not only desire to see him but when Christ told him hee would dine at his house he came downe and received him joyfully Luke the ninteenth chapter and the fifth verse Abraham's desire offereth three things to bee considered First What hedesired to see that is Christ's day Secondly the desire it selfe hee leaped for joy Thirdly the reason of this great desire For the first hee desired to see the day of Christ which receiveth three senses either the day of his Deitie as Hierom expounds it or the day of his Passion as Chrysostome or the day of his Nativitie as Ireneus interprets it for any of these are sufficient matter of desire as Christ tells his disciples Luke the seventeenth chapter and the two and twentith verse But as Augustine saith that day of
Father This doth distinguish true Christians from Counterfeits which say I know not whether the Father doe give me to Christ and therefore I will not come but to such Christ answers Matthew the eighteenth chapter and the fourteenth verse Non est volunt as patris 〈…〉 de pusillis illis pereat De pusillis dixit saith Augustine non de 〈◊〉 Christ meaneth not such as are little in respect of the world but but little in their own eyes that are not possessed with a spiritual pride of their own righteousnesse as though they need not now to come another time will serve It was the opinion of 〈◊〉 Acts the twenty fourth chapter When I have convenient leasure I will 〈◊〉 for thee So they think another time will be more fit than the 〈◊〉 oceasion and so Christ must wait upon them they may not wait upon Christ. But as the Pharisees despised the counsel of God and would not be baptized by John Luke the seventh chapter and the thirtieth verse so doe these despise the counsel of Christ against themselves whose purpose happily was even at this time to have received them But because they despised his counsel that happeneth to them which besell Saul whom Samuel tels That if he had kept the Lords commandement he had now established his kingdome for ever upon Israel the first book of Samuel the thirteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse but for that he despised the oportunity now it is removed to another And of them that come it may be they will come but with Cains spirit not caring how or what 〈◊〉 they give to God But they must come as given of the Father and not tanquam ab hominibus 〈◊〉 they may not come like him that sate down at the Marriage without awedding 〈…〉 the twenty second chapter Who so commeth in that 〈◊〉 as he shall not be received for that he is not given of the Father so he shall be 〈◊〉 out into utter darknesse Thirdly The promise is They that come after this manner shall not be cast out Which is set out earnestly by Christ with a 〈◊〉 negation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is never at no hand This 〈…〉 for Christ doth performe it and 〈…〉 when the 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 for sakest not them that seeke 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 the meaning is they not only 〈◊〉 God but with him 〈◊〉 joyes and glory 〈◊〉 So he that comes to Christ is 〈…〉 〈…〉 out but received to be a member of 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 body 〈◊〉 partaker of the divine nature the second 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chapter and the fourth verse What is meant by being 〈…〉 appears by the 〈◊〉 out of the dry branch that bringeth forth no 〈◊〉 John the 〈◊〉 chapter which is to be cast 〈◊〉 the fire by the 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 and is cast out Matthew the fift chapter by the bad fish caught in the net which is cast away Matthew the thirteenth chapter and the fourty eight verse This casting out is a degree to that casting into utter darknesse which Christ speaketh of There is a second for as that is out of the Church as John the ninth chapter and the thirty fourth verse of whom Christ saith Mark the fourth chapter and the eleventh verse but to them which are without the first epistle to the Corinthians the fift chapter and the twelfth verse What have ye to doe with them that are without that is the Heathen And this is nothing but a disposition to the second for as that is to be cast out of the Kingdome of Heaven of which Apocalyps the twenty second chapter and the fifteenth verse for as autem er ant canes and to be cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone where their smoak shall ascend for ever where the worm never dyeth and the fire is never quenched where they shall wish for death and death shall flie from them This is the state of them that are cast out But Christ promiseth That who so commeth to him being given shall not be cast out but shall be quit from death and damnation He doth not only receive them and eat with them but receives them into that union that is inter alitum alimentum that is to be one with him which is a greater union than is either between brother and brother or between man and wife for herein is that verified That we are received to be partakers of the Divine nature by partaking whereof he is in us and we in him we and Christ are made one we receive him and he receives us So that as God cannot hate Christ so he cannot but love us being ingraffed into him Thus it comes to passe that we are not cast out but are made partakers of all the good things of Christ who saith to him that comes to him Luke the fifteenth chapter Omnia nostra tua sunt and Matthew the fifteenth chapter Intra in gaudium Domini that is the chief point in this promise As for them that come not to Christ howsoever they deserve to be cast out yet Christ doth not cast them out but they cast out themselves in as much as they sever themselves from this Sacrament which is the holy of holiest and from the memorial of his loving kindness He that commeth not to the Lords Supper sets himself in the state of the Heathen which albeit they have a kinde of prayer and a knowledg no lesse than we yet come not so farre as to celebrate this Sacrament He is in no better state than the Jews and Turks which albeit they beleeve the creation of the world and the last Judgment yet acknowledge not Christ nor come to him tanquam panis vitae But they must come to the Lords Supper if they will be bidden to the Lambs Supper Neither may they defer to come at their own pleasure for it may be now is the time that Christ will receive them and if they neglect the opportunity they shall be cast out as Saul was in the first book of Samuel the thirteenth chapter It remains that we stirre up in ourselves a willingnesse to come For to come is a voluntary action as Christ tells us John the fift chapter Vos non vultis venire adme nam qui venit ideò venit quia voluit venire unlesse we be as willing to come as Christ is to receive all is nothing Matthew the twenty third chapter and thirty seventh verse Quoties volui noluistis How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Therefore we must beware of removing this willingnesse from our selves To this end we must continually pray that Christ will work in us this willingnesse that the Father will draw us by his spirit and say with Peter Matthew the fourteenth chapter and the twenty eight verse Domine mitte me ad te venire let me be in numero pusillorum non timentium one of those little ones that
〈…〉 pronounced and executed upon the 〈…〉 as Christ sheweth in the thirteenth chapter of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 eighth chapter of Lake And the 〈◊〉 both 〈…〉 the twelfth chapter of John and 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 of the Acts of the 〈◊〉 to conclude 〈…〉 this as a reason whyther 〈…〉 not 〈…〉 had blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts Lest they should see 〈◊〉 their eyes and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed The other effect of the word was said to be a pricking this is a beginning For as the Preacher ascribes a prick or point to the word when he saith The words of the wise are tanquam acuta stimuli Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter So here we see there are certain sparks of fire in the word which will soon kindle a fire in the hearts of the hearers The pricking is referred to fear as Psalm the hundred and nineteenth Confringe cor 〈◊〉 timore tuo the warming is an effect of hope and love as Canticles the eighth chapter and the sixt verse where love is compared to fire that hath ardent coals that burn so as much water cannot quench them that is As there are some Scriptures that intreat of the wrath of God that lay mens sinnes before their eyes and tells them of the terrible and great day of the Lord when they shall be rewarded all according to their works and so breeds a fear in the hearts of the hearers as Acts the fift chapter and the eleventh verse and prick them verse the thirty seventh unlesse their hearts be stonie and their flesh a dead flesh So on the other side some Scriptures set forth the goodnesse of God and his gracious promises as when Christ 〈◊〉 the two 〈◊〉 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and to enter into glory verse the twenty sixth which shews the love of God the Father in giving his sonne to suffer for us and the love of the sonne in being given for us for no man hath greater love than this to dye for his friend John the fifteenth chapter and the great reward that God hath for his children which is the hope of glory assuring them that as Christ is entred into glory so we shall be with him And such Scripture will stirre up in the 〈◊〉 both affection of love and hope wherewith as with coals or sparks of fire their hearts are wounded And those several parts of Scripture are tempered according to the nature of the hearers or auditors for there are some that scoffe and deride and blaspheme the holy spirit of God Acts the second chapter and the thirteenth verse And ro such the threatnings and judgements of God must be laid before them as Peter doth But here we have Auditors of such nature that 〈◊〉 such as did not mock and sit in the Chair of Scorners but were 〈◊〉 in spirit and were of a faint heart which confesse we were in hope that this was he that should have delivered Israel but now our hope is faint and we quake and to such the opening of Gods love and of his great and 〈◊〉 promises is expedient In this verse we have to consider First The manner of uttering of these words for they say not Our hearts 〈◊〉 but ask the question Did not our hearts Secondly The 〈◊〉 of the verse which consists of three parts First the part wherein this effect was wrought Cor nostrum Secondly A passion or work a burning Thirdly The time when he talked with us First For the manner Did not our hearts burne Of which kinde of negative speaking there are two examples in Scripture First it is a more vehement affirmation than if a man should only affirm a truth as where Christ saith before Ought not Christ to suffer these things and to enter into glory as if he should say he ought without doubt for when the matter is questionable we use to speak affirmatively but in a plain case that is evident and out of doubt then we ask a question negatively as Doth not the Sunne shine as if one should say It is cleere We see it doth So here they knew well before Christ spake to them their hearts were cold and their hope was saint and dead but now remembring that while Christ spake to them they selt their hearts warm within them they ask Did not our hearts burn as if they should say doubtlesse we felt a heat and burning within us Another use of this negative question is asked out of Christs deed Luke the seventeenth chapter Were there not ten cleansed he marvelled what was become of the other nine This admiration serves to tax and to reprehend the unthankfulnesse of those nine which returned not to praise God And seeing the Disciples ask the Question Did not our hearts burn as if they should say seeing we felt our hearts burn within us why did we not know that it was Christ the Sonne of God that spake to us Surely it is not the work of a man to touch the heart but God only and seeing our hearts were touched thus doubtlesse it was Christ that spake to us Which shewes that at the present time that Christ spake to them they felt him not but when Christ was gone out of their sight then they remembred that their hearts felt this heat within them for by Jacob's experience we learn that God may be in a place and we not know of it for so he confesseth in the twenty eighth chapter of Genesis and the sixth verse God was here and I was not aware and in the ninth chapter of Job and the eleventh verse He will be by me and I shall not see him and in the thirteenth chapter of John Quid ego faciam tu nescis nunc scies autem posthac that is hereafter yee shall feel your hearts moved So the attention of these two Disciples was so great and they were in such an extasie that they observed no such thing for the present while he spake they perceived it not till Christ had made an end and was taken from them For as there are things that appear and are not as visards and maskes which make a shew of that which is not so there are things that appear not and yet are as the spirits and souls of men which are invisible There was one that boasted of that he had not that was the false Prophet that said to Michaiah in the first book of Kings the twenty second chapter It is impossible that the spirit of the Lord shauld goe from me to thee And in the first epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter there is one that with more modesty and coldnesse saith I think I have the spirit of God and he had it indeed The wisest that ever was of men saith There is not in me the understanding of a man Proverbs the thirtieth chapter and the second verse And Caiaphas that understood as little as any as if he only understood all said Vos planè nihil intelligitis
not put off till the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Psalm the hundred and nineteenth I made haste and prolonged not to keep thy commandements and in the third chapter looking for and hasting to the comming of the day of the Lord. As we must look for it so make haste to meet him joyfully Now we know the nature of it we will consider the degree of it in the word all not some kinde of care or indeavor but all diligence Seeing we have great and pretious promises in the higiest degree let our diligence be in the highest degree Men must not perswade themselves it is an easie matter to be a good Christian but a thing wherein all care and diligence is to be shewed and he had the spirit of God to direct him He layeth upon us no other burdens then necessary commandements Acts the fifteenth chapter and the eighteenth verse Our Saviour Christ by crying often Watch and pray Mark the thirteenth chapter Take heed Luke the thirteenth chapter Strive to enter into the streight gate Matthew the seventh chapter Labour not for the meat that perisheth John the sixt chapter calling entrance into life as hard as for a camel to passe through the eye of a needle Luke the sixteenth chapter shews men may not think but it requires all diligence and contention If the preservation of mans body cannot be without caring for apparel and meat And if humane nature be decayed and will not be repaired without cost there must be care and diligence to keep a good dyet then our union and incorporation into the Deitie is no matter of ease We must use diligence both in ceasing from evil and following good and that in as good degree as we can for when we have done what we can yet it is true in the first epistle of Peter the fourth chapter justus vix servabitur Unto which we add thirdly that the word give here used is very effectual It is used two wayes It is to bring in a thing with an opposition as if the Apostle said Heretofore ye have shewed great diligence in vanities ye can watch spend your time and money Shew the like diligence in following good The other is a sense used in the sixt chapter to the Galatians and in Judes epistle that if Hereticks cannot get in they will creep in craftily in the next chapter he saith Privily bringing in heresies and the same Jude verse the fourth So here it is brought in by imitation We must be as carefull to possesse our selves with good as the wicked are to joyn vice to vice It is Christs advise Luke the sixteenth chapter The children of light to be as wise as they of the world This joyning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath a plain expression in the 68. Psalm The singers went before the players went after This procession in order of a Quier is the true motion signified by this word It is used by the Apostle speaking of the body in the fourth chapter to the Ephesians and the second to the Colossians and the nineteenth verse This coupling of one bone with another thus orderly marching or training he calls by the same name Such a thing the Apostle exhorts unto here From hence we learn that Christianity or Religion is as a Quier consisting of many veins or a body of many parts It is not a thing stancing of one virtue they that have learned Christ truly Ephesians the fourth chapter have learned first to put off the old man and then to put on the new And so the Apostle reckoning up as a great train of virtues as Peter doth here and St. Peter saith verse the ninth They that conceive not so of Christianity are blinde and cannot see afarre off When in the Scripture we finde any main matter of weight said upon one virtue we must take a part for the whole it is but one virtue of the train As there are many parts of repentance the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter so the Apostle gives a compleat harnesse standing of seven several parts Ephesians the sixt chapter As they that are partakers of the Divine nature are a body compact of many joynts and sinnews so the divine spirit is not one alone but as the ancient Fathers define the eleventh verse of the seventh chapter of Isaiah and the fourth chapter of the Apocalyps Secondly This is not promiscuè confusedly but orderly as in a Quier one begins another follows This multitude of virtues is Acies ordinata Canticles the sixt chapter like the marching of Soldiers for it comes from God who is the God of order and not of confusion Thirdly All at once doe not break out but there is a successive bringing in one of the other In that order there are degrees First Faith Secondly Virtue Thirdly Knowledge The number of virtues be eight as eight parts of repentance in the second epistle to the Corinth ans the seventh chapter Those contain our separation from the Devils nature As the other are our union with Gods nature which are usually compared to those eight steps in Ezekiel the fourtieth chapter from the thirty first to the fourty first verse they are our assents whereby we approach to the Altar so the promises of blessednesse which our Saviour speaketh of are eight Matthew the fift chapter Another thing to be observed is That of these eight there are four pair for to a theologicall virtue is added ever more a moral Faith knowledge godlinesse and charity are theologicall to evey one of these there is a moral virtue To come to the particulars we shall observe that faith begins and charity ends as Galatians the fift chapter fides per charitatem operatur So in Peter faith works till it come to love He that will come to God must beleeve Hebrews the eleventh chapter but that is nothing without love 1 Cor. 13. Love is the bond of perfection Colossians the third chapter Above all have love which is the chain of perfection Faith is a most pretibus thing so he saith verse 1. And it hath this honor to be the root and foundation of all as Colossians 2. grounded in faith it is the ground of all vertue it is Choragus the first that leadeth the dance Men hope to receive the end of faith and that is the salvation of souls the first epistle of Peter the first chapter then faith is the beginning of it To this truth we must add another truth that as it is the first so but a part and not as the world would have it to be all Because faith commeth by hearing Romans the tenth chapter the world is all set on hearing but in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the twelfth chap. the body is not all an eare Faith is but a part and that an eighth part As here we have warrant from St. Peter it is the first ergo we must begin at it but not to stand there but goe further
of God his Father and so joynt heirs with himself Romans the eighth chapter So Christ saith Ascendo ad Patrem meum Patrem vestrum ad Deum meum Deum vestrum John the twentieth chapter and the seventeenth verse By my death God is made your Father Therefore as a woman travaileth in sorrow but being delivered is glad quia natus est homo So by my death there is a new nativity and you are to be glad that by me you are made the children of God that is by my going away to the Father For the Use as Christ saith of himself non videbitis and again modicum videbitis that is verse the twentieth re shall weep and lament and the world shall rejoyce We are to reckon of the things and persons of this life that is truly said of the modicum videbitis and again modicum non videbitis their continuance is uncertain We have had much peace by the space of fourty one years during which time we saw her which now we see not it was a great time indeed but it was but modicum for a thousand years in Gods sight is but as yesterday Psalm the nintieth As all worldly things are seen for a little time and shortly after are not to be seen So for vado all things in the world are passing they vade passe away as in the first epistle of John and the second chapter The world passeth away The use which we have is the inverting of non 〈◊〉 me videbitis The world saith ye shall see me for a while and within a while ye shall not see me that is the state of the world as in 〈◊〉 the fourteenth chapter Externa gaudia luctus occipit But in Christ the not seeing goeth before and the seeing goeth after that is Psalm the 〈◊〉 Heavinesse goeth before and endures for a night but joy commeth after in the morning But the world setteth on the best wine 〈◊〉 and the worst after but Christ keepeth the best wine till last He that will follow the world shall see some happinesse here and not see after but follow Christ and thou shalt not see here that thou mayest see after Whether of these sights is better the Apostle sheweth in the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter the things that are seen here are temporal the things that are not seen eternal So that we may have our choyce either to see and not to see or not to see here that we may see hereafter which is better therefore the Psalmists prayer is Let me not see here a little while that I may see eternally So for Vado as we see worldly things a little here and then see them not any more so all worldly things passe and goe but whither the world knoweth not He that seeth not Christ here by the sight of the glasse shall never see him for he goeth to utter dar knesse Vadit ad Judicem non ad Patrem and the smoak of his torment shall ascend continually The godly that have seen Christ shall goe to his Father though through many afflictions seeing Christ saith After a while ye shall not see me to shew that he was mindfull of death We must study and labour that our end be like his that so we may be partakers of his promises I will shew my self to him which was matter of comfort as in the transfiguration That albeit to goe away be a hard way yet we be assured as Christ was that we goe to the Father Whither I goe thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me after John the thirteenth chapter that is to God the Father and to his comfortable presence where we shall have that joy which no man shall take from us John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse Whatsoever joy a man can have here it shall be taken from him but the joy of Gods sight shall never be taken from him We goe to that Father which shall give us an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not the first epistle of Peter the first chapter Adeo provocantes Deum ad indignationem factis suis ut irrumperet in eos plaga donec consistente Pinchaso judicium exercente coercita esset plaga illa Psal. 106. 29.30 THERE is in these two verses mention of the plague And as it is here said the plague was great among them so great as there dyed of it four and twenty thousand Numbers the twenty fift chapter And now God hath laid the same axe to the root of our trees and the same rasor to cut off some of our number Isaiah the seventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse Therefore our state being like theirs while they wandered in the wildernesse Every thing in the Scriptures be written for our instruction Romans the fifteenth chapter We must take direction from this principle what to doe in this case That which is set down touching them is of two sorts First The cause of this plague They provoked God with their inventions Secondly the Cure Phinehas stood up and prayed and it ceased The Cause is double First Their inventions Secondly Gods Anger provoked by them And from these two come both The wrath of God is the 〈◊〉 Cause per quod and their inventions the Cause propter quod So a double Cure Against Gods Anger is opposed as a remedy Prayer and against Inventions the executing of judgement upon these sinners The Prayer is qualified in two sorts First that is Phinehas prayer Secondly He stood up in the cause The first thing to be set down is That sicknesse and mortality of people is causall and not casuall for nothing is more contrary than Chance or Fortune and Judgement For seeing a sparrow cannot light on the ground without Gods providence such is Gods care for them though two of them be sold for a farthing Matthew the tenth chapter it is a senselesse thing to think that ficknesse can befall a man by chance Therefore the Philistims being plagued by God would try whether that disease came of Gods hand or by chance the first book of Samuel the sixth chapter and the ninth verse But the very name of plague signifying originally judgement shews it is no casual thing as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter where he saith They did eat and drink their own judgement that is that many were sick among them and many 〈◊〉 So the mortalitie at Corinth was Gods judgement and so the Latin word plaga being a stripe sheweth the same If a stripe there is a striker so then they are not casual If a Surgeon Physician or Philosopher were to give a reason hereof he will impute the cause to the infection of the aire the putrefaction of the bodies by humors and to conversing one with another and they are good causes of it For so saith God Exodus the ninth chapter and the tenth verse Mases took the ashes of
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
that there may be but one shepheard and one sheep-fold the tenth chapter of John and the sixteenth verse Husbandry and keeping sheep lawfull and why By which titles we may collect that both their callings are allowed of God and for the profit that they be serviceable the wise man saith of them the King is maintained by husbandry the fifth chapter of Ecclesiastes and the ninth verse And for Abells trade the seventh chapter of the Proverbs and the twenty sixth verse The fleece of the lambs serve for thy cloathing and the goats milk for thy food So that both are profitable And in regard of the great profit that God vouchsafeth to mankinde by both all men doe testifie their thankfulnesse to God for so great a benefit not only at the bringing of harvest in the ninth chapter of Esay and the third verse but at their sheep-sheering in the first of Samuel the twenty fift chapter and the second verse And in the second of Samuell the thirteenth chapter and twenty third verse by the example of Naball and Absalom from whence we learn not to set our selves to vain and unprofitable trades but such as are both allowed of God and serviceable to men More particularly if we ask what ground Adam had for this division we shall finde that there are two of great importance 1. Reason From Gods commission the ground of both trades The first From Gods commission to Adam in the first of Genesis and the twenty eighth verse where he willeth him to till the earth and to beare rule over all the beasts and Cattell on the earth So that God will have men to doe two things the one to follow husbandry the other to keepe sheepe and other cattell For Gods will is not that the earth shall be covered with nettles like the slothfull mans vineyard in the twenty fourth of the Proverbs nor that the cattell should wander about the mountaines and be scattered without any shepheard to seeke after them in the thirty fourth of Ezekiell But will have the one painfully tilled and dressed by the hand of the husbandman and the other diligently and carefully looked unto by the shepheard This was Adams commission and therefore he trained up his sons accordingly 2. Reason Again The earth it self taught Adam thus to dispose of his Children which as we know divideth it self into arable and pasture ground the one to bear Corn the other to feed and rear up Cattell whereupon as we see Adam delivereth to Cain the charge of Tilling that part which is arable and to be plowed and Abell is seized of the pasture grounds The prioritie is given to husbandry which is a calling of more excellency than the other and therefore is committed to the elder son For the earth being tilled and sowed by the husbandman bringeth forth bread to strengthen mans heart in the hundred and fourth Psalm and the necessity whereof is such as albeit it be an unkinde part for Cain to kill Abell that is that no ground be left for pasture yet it is a more unkind part for Abell to kill Cain that is that pasture should eat up arable ground The second ground And this ground taken from Gods commission bringeth forth a second ground For if there must be diverse works as there must be where God appointeth diverse vocations there are required diverse gifts for the performance of those works Cain must have a gift meet for him that shall till the earth And Abell being a shepheard must have that abilitie that is fit for that vocation Severall gifts required in severall vocations and why In regard of which variety of works the Apostle saith Every one hath his proper gift af God one after one manner another after another in the first to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the seventh verse to teach us that severall gifts are to be imployed in severall vocations We live either by care of minde or labour of body and why In the sentence uttered by God we have seen that it is Gods will that every one shall live either by the care of his minde or by the sweat of his body For as members of our naturall bodies have their severall offices in the twelfth chapter to the Romans and the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians So as all the members doe not labour for some doe only take care as the eye and the ear other doe labor and sweat as the hands and feet in the body Politick there are divers members and they accordingly have severall gifts from God For as there is not only labour but danger so God hath qualified some men with gifts of minde fit for the preventing and avoiding of the one and to others he hath given strength of body to endure and sustain the other Some callings require more the first than the latter and why As there are some trades that require sweat and labour and very little care so there are callings that require great care and providence and lesse labour and therefore God distributeth severall gifts for the performance of them To some he giveth more strength of body and great limbes to others he giveth excellency of wit to foresee and prevent danger Gifts given to one denyed to another and why He giveth not to all men gifts alike but denyeth to one that which he giveth to others That the eye should not say to the foot I have no need of thee in the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians but that all might be ready to succour one another The tilling of the ground requirethgreat paines and labour and consisteth of great strength of body but the office of a shepheard is not a matter of paines so much as of foresight and providence And therefore husbandmen that take great bodily paines after their seed is sowen have many holidayes and a long time of rest but the office of keeping sheepe and the care belonging to it never ceaseth but lasteth day and night Such was the care that Jacob had of Labans sheepe in the thirty first chapter of Genesis and the fourtieth verse Such care did the shepheards take every night whome the Angells found watching all night in the second chapter of Luke Therefore God giveth Cain a more strong body but Abell as his calling required lesse bodily paines so he was more weake of constitution and was 〈◊〉 with more sharpnesse of wit than his Brother Before we speak of the second calling because this diversity requires a choice to be made Abell must not be made a husbandman nor Cain a shepheard Children to be set to trades they are capable of and why That example of Adams distribution in this point should make us set our children to such trades as they are capable of David was not accustomed to bear Sauls heavie Armor but was fitter to use the sling in the first of Samuell the seventeenth chapter and the thirtie
child and the woman to be in his Throne the Angels are ready to fight for them In that it is said The Dragon prevailed not it may be gathered that for all that he might begin again but where it is added And their place could no more be found in Heaven thereby we learn that Michael and his Angels set upon the Dragon and his Angels and drave them out of Heaven That which ariseth from hence on our parts is of two sorts First The thankfulnesse we are bound continually to render to God that we are of such regard in his sight that in Heaven they fight for us the elect angels with the evil angels Michael with the Dragon and his companie It is that which Christ tells us Luke the eleventh chapter When the strong men keep the Palace all things are in peace but then comes a stronger c. Man is even in the estimation of the Devil a Palace howsoever we by our sinnes make our selves a Hogstie therefore both Christ and the Devil esteeming so highly of us we may not esteem basely of our selves The angels have charge not only to keep us Psalm the ninty first but to wage battail about us and therefore it is plain the soul of man is no mean thing The Angels as we see are ready to enter field with the Dragon and his Angels Neither doth Heaven only take this care of us but the Earth also is ready to help us and openeth her mouth and swalloweth up the flood which the Dragon casts out of his mouth Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the sixteenth verse Therefore if they have such care of us it is reason we should have care of our selves if they take such care for man that is but earth then ought we for Heaven to be carefull If no man be crowned no not the Angels themselves except they strive aright the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter no more shall we be crowned unlesse we be as carefull of our selves as the Angels If the Angels were so busie to defend the earth we must be more diligent to fight for Heaven Again here we see that to come to Heaven is a matter of fight and wrastling Ephesians the sixt chapter If we look upon Christ and the Apostles we will say it is Lucta a wrastling but if upon common Christians it is but Ludus a pastime and sport And he that stirrs up this warre and conflict is not dead howsoever he was put to the worst but only driven out of Heaven That battail which was in Heaven among the Angels is come down to men on earth and now the Dragon fights with the womans seed and therefore it imports the womans seed to fight with him For the warre we have is not only with flesh and blood that is with our own passions and affections which is the philosophical warre though we must fight with them also because fleshly lusts fight against the spirit the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the eleventh verse But our wrastling is chiefly with the spirits with spiritual wickednesse in heavenly places Ephesians the sixt chapter And what is this enemy the Dragon foolish and weak after his conquest had over finne No he is the old Serpent therefore full of experience These enemies or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephesians the sixt chapter therefore they want no power But are they discouraged upon this overthrow No but he is the more fierce and his wrath kindled knowing his time is but short Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse Then seeing we have such an enemy we must strive rightly if we will be crowned si place at Corona place at studium we must take the more heed to our selves because as Gregory saith Magis est fortis nostrâ negligentiâ quà m 〈◊〉 potentiâ Secondly As we give God thanks that he makes this account of us so are we to thank him that he hath created and commanded such excellent spirits to fight for us and to pray that they which have thus fought for us in Heaven may in earth fight with us to help us that as they have cast him out of Heaven so 〈…〉 come him in earth We are to thank God that we which by our sinnes have made our selves like the beasts that perish 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke the twentieth chapter and to 〈◊〉 that we may drive the Dragon into the bottomlesse 〈◊〉 Thirdly we are to take heed that we provoke not the Angels with our misdeeds Exodus the twenty third chapter and twenty first verse nor alienate them from us with the wicked words of our mouths Ecclesiastes the fift chapter and the fift verse If we suffer our selves to sinne by filthy words and speeches we make them turn their favour from us When we come into the Church we must come with a due regard and reverence propter Angelos the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter for by rude and uncomely behaviour in the Congregation and by suffering our mouths to utter offensive speeches we offend the Angels and deprive our selves of their favour so as they will not care for our safeguard But if as the Angel tells Danil Daniel the tenth chapter and the twelfth verse We set our hearts to understand and to humble our selves by fasting before God that may draw their affection towards us for repentance is that which doth minister joy to the Angels in Heaven Luke the fifteenth chapter Lastly By this means though we obtain not such a perfect conquest over the Dragon as the Angels did yet we shall attain to the first degree though we cannot drive him out of earth as they did out of Heaven yet we shall obtain thus much That he shall not prevail against us no more than he did against them We see it in Paul though he fought never so much yet he could not avoid it but sinne would dwell in him Romans the seventh chapter but this victory he obtained that it did not reign in his natural body Romans the sixt chapter Though till our corruption be dissolved we shall not drive him out we shall so be armed That he shall not prevail against us We must indeavor our selves that by thankfulnesse to him for vouchsafing to us this help and by intercession to continue the same we may still resist the Dragon not suffering our selves to take the soyl howsoever we cannot utterly drive him out And in this respect when we shall be like the Angels then shall we tread Satan under our feet then shall the Dragon be bound in chains and cast into the bottomlesse pit so shall we have a final conquest over him Now we must labour to 〈◊〉 to the first degree of the Angels victory and so shall we be crowned Quicquid dat mihi Pater ad me veniet eum qui venit ad me nequaquam ejecerim foras John 6. 37. Octob 7. 1559. THE words are Christs and are
seeth God the Father as he saith He that seeth me seeth the Father When Moses desired God to shew him his glory Exodus the thirty third chapter though he shewed but his back parts yet it was so glorious a sight that they that beheld Moses face saw the skin shine Exocus the thirty fourth chapter so that he was fain to cover it And as in the second epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter we are transformed into his image Christ in his corruptible nature being transfigured in the presence of his Disciples was so glorious that they desired they might goe no more home Matthew the seventeenth chapter Therefore if the fight of Gods presence be a matter of so great joy non videbitis must needs be occasion of great sorrow Which is exemplified in Adam who having sinned though he were in Paradise a place of all comfort yet he had no joy because he could not see God as he was wont Therefore Cain complaineth I am cast out of thy presence Genesis the fourth chapter And not only the Reprobate but David saith Psalm the thirty first and the twenry second verse I said in my haste I am cast out of thy presence or fight which shewed that as videbitis must be the persection of all felicity so non videbitis is the summe of all misery especially if it be not qualified with modicum Psalm the thirteenth How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever Psalm the seventy seventh Will the Lord absent himself for ever Psalm the eighty ninth And that which he faith John the fourteenth chapter and the nineteenth verse The world shall see me no more if modicum be not added there is no 〈◊〉 like this Out of this we learn to seek Gods favour as Psalm the twenty first and he saith Seek my face to answer My heart never leaveth thinking on this And if we have lost the comfort of it to complain as David Psalm the thirty first I am cast out of thy presence For albeit men in the time of their youth delight in other fights yet the dayes will come when they shall say Shew us the lights of thy countenance Psalm the fourth Turn us again O Lord shew us the light of thy countenance and we shall be whole Psalm the eightieth We shall desire to see one of Christs dayes Luke the seventeenth chapter and the twenty second verse All flesh shall see him at his appearing even they that pierced him Apoc. 6. Secondly We are to inquire what manner of sight he speaketh of for as much as men see not only with bodily eyes but with the eyes of understanding They that with their bodily eyes beheld Christ before his Passion and after his Resurrection did not understand it Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the eleventh verse As there is an outward light so an inward light of the minde into which the doctrine of the Gospel doth shine the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter as the light of the Sunne 〈◊〉 to our outward sense There are things that cannot be seen of the bodily eyes which we doe yet behold and look on with the eye of faith the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter and Moses is said to have loved God invisible Hebrews the eleventh chapter So the bad qualities of men as 〈◊〉 are invisible to the outward eye but yet we see it by the light of our understanding Such a sight is that which he promiseth John the fourteenth chapter I will make my self manifest to him He shewed himself to Judas as well as to Peter bodily But as it was a special touch wherewith 〈◊〉 now touched the hem of his garment and was healed Matthew the ninth chapter so the view that Peter had of Christ had another manner of effect then Judas beholding Luke the twenty second chapter But even this spiritual sight hath also a deceit as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the thirteenth chapter Now we see through a glasse but then face to face So there are two words to that purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see in a glasse but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to see a thing as it is The Angels doe continually behold Gods face we have but an enigmaticall sight of him in this life and it is soon lost as Christ being risen from death was seen of Mary Magdalen and others in the habit of a Gardiner To them that travelled to Emaus at one time they did see him and at another time they could not see him Touching which he that shall consider the desire which the Saints of God have of this benefit shall easily perceive what matter of sorrow it was for Psalm the ninety second My soul is a thirst for the living God Psalm the eighty fourth it saith For the City of my God again How long wilt thou forget me for ever but modicum videbitis that gives comfort again Heavinesse may endure for a night that is modicum non videbitis but joy commeth in the morning that is modicum videbitis Psalme the thirtieth The delaying of hope is the fainting of the heart Proverbs the eighteenth chapter but the desire accomplished is the tree of life Modicum videbitis is as the tree of life that quickens the sool Isaiah the sixty fourth chapter For a moment in my anger I forsake them but with great compassion will I gather them As he gives the matter of grief in non videbitis and comfort in videbitis ye shall see me within a while so in the reason quia vado that is the grief but ad Patrem that is matter of comfort He goeth but woe to him by whom she Sonne of man goeth Matthew the twenty sixt chapter that is matter of sorrow but when he saith ad Patrem that is not to an enemy that keeps me long from you but to my father the same that sent me at my birth and will send me again by my Resurrection Secondly As he went to 〈◊〉 a cruel Judge on earth so to as severe a Judge in Heaven But yet when you heare me say Why hast thou for saken me yet still he is my Father as if he should say this is a hard way but yet I must goe this way Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not quia but quòd vado that is the contrary I shall be carried up in a cloud Secondly From the consideration of Christs words verse the fift I goe my way and none 〈◊〉 me whither I goe that is to be understood as of the place whither but to what purpose for of the place Peter asked in the thirteenth chapter and the thirty sixt verse Domine quò vadis So here the placing of ad Patrem is to shew that he went to reconcile God not only that he be no enemy but propitiou and favourable not as a friend to a friend but as a father to his children to make us the children