9. Hardnesse of heart desperation the blacke-moore will not wash for hee may as soone wash his skin off as take away his colour the leopard cannot change his spots and so is it with them that are accustomed to doe euill Lastly 10. Presumption the hope of a good day as we say makes men put off their washing as they will wash at Christmas on Sunday or when a holy day comes or some feasting day so many a soule vnder the hope of mercie puts off the day of his visitation and meanes to repent in his old age But alas repentance is the gift of God and therefore not to be commaunded at their wills I remember the good counsell that one gaue to one of these delayers who inquired the best time to repent the answer was made according to his mind one day before his death that is well saies he but yet I am not resolued for I know not when I shall die neither doe I saies his Counsellor yet this is my counsell to preuent that danger repent euerie day and then shall you bee sure to repent the day before your death And these may be some of the reasons why men will not bee ordered by Gods lawe and therfore verie requisite that God should haue another booke for the ordering of sinne and sinners and that is the conscience which is to be vnderstood in this place yet so that the other ought not to be excluded for this can doe nothing but by the information of the former for this booke is as I may tearme it the application of the former this makes vse of the precepts laid downe in them and therefore conscience is verie necessarie that the law might haue his worke in commaunding and forbidding sinne now the conscience from the euideÌ„ce that the law giues in either absolues or condemnes and so the Lord hath made it a little Iudge sitting vpon his throne in the soules of men Before The proposition in the originall giues vs to vnderstand that after the ordering of sinne sinne should be so visible that it were impossible for a wicked man to looke off it it shall still meete him in the face and suffer his conscience to take no rest night nor day Thee The originall hath it in thine eyes Eye of the body man hath a threefold eie first the eie of the bodie but that is no discerner of sin for wicked men haue this eie actiue enough to behold vanity and pleasure Hence riseth the extraordinarie sensualitie of mankind after the pleasures and profits of this world they liue all by sense blinded in their vnderstanding and conscience but this eye is not meant in this place The second eie is the eye of vnderstanding Eie of reason no sufficient iudge in the matters of sin which is the true discerner of all Gods works for God hauing made all for man he must needs giue him an eie to behold all things that were made for him By this eie Adam was able to name the creatures to knowe their natures ends and vses this eie since the fall is notably bleered in heauenly things which truely concerne God hee can see nothing at all because the obiect is too farre distant and cannot be reached vnto by any facultie in him euen as an aged man can see things about him but to looke afarre off he is not able neither can he discerne any thing so our aged vnderstandings can see some things at hand as what belongs to this estate as hee is a man for ciuill societie hee can doe some morall duties exercise himselfe in ciuil matters and labour to maintaine his naturall life Yet in all these his eye is so dimme that he commits many disorders in them all for his morallitie see how he abuseth it in the first of the Romans for his ciuillitie see how he breaks the legs of iustice makes him lie in the streets for strange be the contentions that are in the world betwixt men to supplant one another in their rights to infringe good titles and make vp broken and for this purpose many a lawyer hath euen sould himselfe to bee a man of contention for himselfe and his neighbours and so farre he makes himselfe for euery bodie if so be he can make euery bodie for himselfe Lastly in naturall things he hath lost the vse of sobrietie and therefore in eating and drinking he becomes either a glutton or a drunkard therefore this eie cannot be quicke enough for the sense and feeling of Gods iudgements Lye of conscience the best iudge therefore God aboue sense and reason hath giuen a third eye which is the eie of conscience and this is a most powerfull eye in so much that the learned haue affirmed that conscience is supra hominem infra deum aboue man vnder God Concerning the third booke which is the Conscience Conscience in signification is nothing els but knowledge with an other when I am perswaded that another knoweth with me and that all my secrets are as well knowne vnto him as they are vnto my selfe Hence conscience may be said to act three parts Conscience the Lawyer Register and Iudge first part is the Lawyer which pleads the cause and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pure part of the conscience Saul if he had pleaded with his conscience and taken counsell of this best part hee should haue beene informed that rebellion was as the sinne of witchcraft but we blind this eye of our conscience and therefore we will do what pleaseth our selues be it right or wrong Second part is the act of a register which enâ—oules all matters of fact against the times of inquisition so the conscience is called a booke or bookes Reuel 20.12 the act of this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assuming part of the conscience for as the first laid downe the propositions maximes and generall rules so this assumes from them as for example Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft but I Saul haue rebelled constat de facto and this my rebellion shall for euer be written in the leaues of my conscience which page and line shall bee easie to turne vnto as often as God shall call me to an account The third part is performed by the conscience as a Iudge that concludes the sentence and this is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these parts are alwaies contained in a syllogisme the proposition is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that explaines the cause and layes downe the controuersie like a skilfull lawyer the assumption which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pleads guiltie and the conclusion out of both is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that giues sentence Proposition Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft Assumption But I Saul haue rebelled Conclusion Therefore I Saul haue committed a sinne as the sinne of witchcraft After the conscience hath thus propounded assumed and concluded the disposition of the heart may be seen
according as he had vse of them So God made all these things fit for his glorie this fitnesse was good and absolutely willed of God and the vse that God made of this fitnesse was likewise good but no excuse for mans sinne no more then the fitnesse of an house for habitation an excuse when it is made a denne of theeues whores and prophane persons Of the second speciall booke wherein Sinne is ordered to wit the Morall Law THe Law of the Lord is the perfect Rule of righteousnesse and the forbidder of all vnrighteousnesse it shews vs what ought to be our worship of his sacred Maiestie and the loue we must beare vnto our neighbour In the first Commandement all our sinnes of Atheisme either in not worshipping God or worshipping another god or preferring any thing before him whether it be in thought word or deede In the 2. Commandement we shall haue ordered all our ill worship deuised by others or our selues in the seruice of God In the 3. we shall be condemned for all kind of prophannesse and light estimation of God and his goodnesse and here will come in an infinite number of sinnes called in one word vngodlinesse In proper signification impietie is against the first Commandement superstition against the second and vngodlinesse in this third which was a principall sinne in these hypocrites In the 4. Commandement all imployments of the seuenth day to any other vse then it was appointed of God whereby holy exercises are hindred and here alas a whole yeare would scarse suffice to number them vp but I doubt not but he that said he will order will make a quicke dispatch and yet leaue none out of his catalogue For the 5. in this Commandement shall come in all neglect of dutie toward our superiours In the 6. all want of care and neglect of my brothers life In the 7. all kind of vncleannesse whatsoeuer yea in the very thought In the 8. all corrupt dealing In the 9. all lying yea euery speech that may doe harme vnto my neighbour In the 10. all repining and enuying at another mans prosperitie O Lord thy Law is perfect thy testimonies are sure thy statutes are right thy commandements pure thy iudgements truth but alas who can vnderstand his faults surely thou canst order all our sinnes O therefore for the merits death and passion of thy Sonne cleause vs from our secret sinnes Iames 1.25 teacheth vs how we may be blessed Gods law the true discerner of complexions if we vse the perfect Law of God as a glasse appointed of the Lord and is able to shew vnto vs the good face or the bad face of our conscience what kinde of complexion we beare whether well tempered ruddie fresh and well-liking hauing the blood of Christ sprinkled vpon vs in iust proportion and measure that the King of glorie may be delighted with our beautie or ill tempered with the pale and deadly complexion of our sinnes and transgressions hated and detested of God on which God can shew neuer a good looke It is reported of a certaine fountaine in which a glasse beeing dipped and holden before a man sicke on his bed if it shew him a deadly face then it is a plaine signe he must die but if a cheerefull countenance then he is sure to liue of the truth of this I will not dispute yet this I am sure of take this glasse of the Law and dippe it in the blood of Christ if it shew a pale face then there 's no hope of life because the law shewes nothing but a man looking vpon it with his deadly sinnes hanging vpon him but if it shew a merrie countenance then the law shewes that we haue the beautie of Christ reflected vpon vs and this may assure vs of life and saluation Now as a glasse helps to order men in the cariage of thēselues for their bodies among men so the law of God doth direct and shew vnto vs what course we are to take to walke with God And herein it declares three things The law shewes what is comely and vncomely what apparell must be put on what off and then what must be our behauiour First what is comely or vncomely Eph. 5. To be followers of God as deare children and walke in loue as Christ hath loued vs is a seemely thing but fornication vncleannes couetousnes filthines foolish talking iesting c. are things not comely and rather giuing of thankes then the very naming of these things becommeth the Saints Secondly after it hath shewed vs what beseemeth Saints it teacheth what apparell we must off and what must be put on Eph. 4.22 The old man with his whole conuersation must be cast off the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines must be put on Thirdly after we haue apparelled our selues it will order the behauiour and carriage of our selues all the daies we haue to liue vpon this mortall earth Tit. 2.12 For the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared and teacheth vs to denie all vngodlines and worldly lusts and to liue holily righteously and soberly in this present world Yet may we admire what should be the reason that for all this sinne is no better ordered when the Lord hath left vs so perfect a law The law no false glasse better then all the looking glasses in the world for it tells men most truly their bad faces and their good faces it beguiles no man in making him better thē he is nay it hath a priuiledge aboue all other laws to wit many particular examples which are as little glasses contained in this great glasse wherein men may see their owne faces by the face of another As good Kings may not onely see themselues in Gods law what is to be done and left vndone and what is the reward of both but they may see themselues in Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Iosias Ezekias true reformers of religion euill Kings in Saul Ieroboam and Manasses good rich men in Abraham euill in Dives ambitious persons in Hammon contented in Mordecai couetous in Iudas liberall hearted in Zacheus euill counsellers in Ahitophel good in Samuel 1. king 12. embracers of the world in Demas close stickers vnto Christ and his seruants in Philemon sound friends in Ionathan rotten at the heart in Ioab faithfull children in Salomon rebellious in Absalom good seruants in Abrahams seruant euill in Onesimus obedient and louing wiues in Sara euill in Michal Dauids mocking wife Alas will neither precept nor example deale with man but the Lord must bring in a third bnoke to order sinne and that is to set it in the eyes of the conscience as he doth in this place surely it were not amisse by the way to shew the reason of this last refuge of the Lord and this last appeale to the court of conscience Reasons why Gods law can order sinne no better but the last refuge must be to
of Samaria whose eyes were opened to let them then see how they were in the midds of their enimies that meant to doe a mischiefe vnto Gods messenger so the deuill hath lead these men blindfoulded into the midds of hell and there the Lord hath opened their eyes to let them see what they haue done against himselfe and all his Saints The summe then of the words is thus much A briefe recapitâ—â—ation these things that is these sinnes before mentioned done that is committed and I held my tongue that is was mercifull in sparing and thou thoughtest that is framed me and my silence to thy owne conceit and liking like thee that is of the same mind nay more then that one altogether like thee and that which is most shamefull should neuer alter my mind toward thee but I wil reproue thee that is most certainly I will plague thee and set them that is sinne shall be brought vnto his own place In order that is make the booke of conscience most euident that thou may read in it distinctly without all confusion and haue it so fixed before thine eyes that I will keep thee to thy reading though thou would faine turne thine eyes another way Before thee that is in the eyes of thy conscience which shall be so vnlocked that it shall be impossible for thee euer to get them shut againe And thus much of the words CHAP. III. Concerning the disposition and reasons NOw I come vnto the reasons contained in the words The logicall analysis and as I goe along with them I shall raise my doctrines and my vses which after resolution is our imitation of Gods worke And therefore I first enter the consideration of the disposition of the words secondly of the simple inuention the first shewes how reasons are ioyned together the second what they are asunder For the first the bond that tyes them is twofold generall or speciall the generall bond is in this word but all that goes before it is called the antecedent all that followes the consequent The nature of the bond is to set apart such things as doe not disagree in themselues but in respect of some third thing vnto which they cannot both bee giuen and this alone makes them disagree So in this place the antecedent which containes the mercie of God and the consequent which containes Gods iustice do agree in themselues for mercie and iustice kisse each other and therefore the hypocrite hath set them at variance that God must no longer bee mercifull but iust in punishing him Partiuâ—◠〈◊〉 partium discreâ—es Therefore in this bond are two things to be iudged first the truth of both parts secondly the distinction or disagreement Truth is required on both sides for falsifie the one side and the other will not stand good because both of them make but vp one ioynt truth from whence these obseruations are truely gathered Obser 1. First that that God is equally iust and mercifull hee that will haue his mercy must be sure that he falsifie not his iustice for a breach of the one makes a breach of them both Reason 1. Because they are equall in God for they are indeed his verie beeing Hence ariseth an impossibilitie in God to forgiue an offence against his iustice by his mercy vntill a satisfaction of his iustice be made for the Lord cannot denie himselfe indeed men may passe by offences committed against them without satisfaction because their iustice is not their being but a qualitie in it and therefore the iniurie is lesse but in nature we see that whatsoeuer makes against the beeing of it cannot be indured or any peace made with it and therfore sinne beeing against the very beeing of God God can make no peace with man vntill reconciliation bee made by Christ that hath giuen a ful satisfaction to Gods iustice for the sinnes of his children Reas 2. Is the manifestation of his glorie God will equally haue the glorie of them both wicked men should neuer glorifie God except it were for his iustice Indeede we graunt that in regard of man there is an inequalitie for God may be said to be more mercifull vnto them that are saued then iust to them that are condemned for of condemnation the iust cause is in man but of saluation it is wholly from grace yet in himselfe they are both equall and also by them he is equally glorified seeing that nothing in God can receiue augmentation or diminution Reas 3. Is to leaue man without all excuse for he shal haue no cause to complaine of his iustice aboue his mercy but shall confesse that the Lord is equall in all his doings Vse 1. For confutation of errour 1. If God be equal in iustice and mercie then no mercy to bee expected but that which will stand with the iustice of God therefore mercie in Christ must stand with the iustice of God and Christ must bring in mercy by perfect fulfilling of the law Christ is the cause of life and saluation In Adam dying to die was necessarie vpon the transgression els peraduenture we shall die had been true therefore die we must either in Christ or in our selues if in Christ then by his death we are freed from that sentence of the lawe In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death being dead in Christ we are iustified from the sentence of condemnation But yet there is an other more effentiall part of the lawe Passiue obedience might free from death but actine brings life and that is doe this and thou shalt liue and God may as well free vs from death without dying as bring vs to life without doing We grant then that the passiue obedience of Christ hath taken away death and this is legally done on Christs part but most mercifully in regard of vs if then no more but this righteousnesse were imputed it would prooue of workes in regard of Christ though of grace in regard of vs. So then this mercie of our deliuerance from death is equall with Gods iustice Here is dying in stead of dying and so that part of the law that is sinne and die is repaired and fully answered but as yet all righteousnesse is not fulfilled for I am sure that this is a righteousnesse of the lawe as well as the other doe this and thou shalt liue and if this bee not done then Christ hath not fulfilled the speciall part of the righteousnes of the law for vs To doe and liue was our debt vnto God and therefore Christ our suretie must fulfill it for vs. And this wil prooue a wonderfull mercy to miserable man that hath Christ to pay his debts and bestowe the whole purchase of life and saluation vpon him It is a false dreame to think that non peccator and iustus a iust man and no sinner are equipollent tearmes For non peccator is a contradiction to peccator but iustus is an opposite habite and in act an
haue the silence of God first in regard of the first death the Lord did not presently depriue him of all the goods of bodie whether internall or externall Internall first in the sense of his nakednesse it pleased God to couer him in the losse of his created maiestie wherein stood his shame it pleased God a little to releeue him for the beauty of his bodie it pleased God not to make him altogether deformed for the health of his body not presently to make him wearie of his life leauing him to dangers filling him with diseases and setting the footsteps of death in him Againe for the externall goods of bodie seruing for honestie and necessitie were not presently remooued for first hee left him some dominion ouer the creatures some honour and friendship amongst themselues Lastly for goods whereby his life was maintained some releife from the earth though with his labour and the sweat of his browes from among thornes and briers some from the creatures first cloathing secondly possession though in the first was his shame and in the second calamitie and losse Thus was the Lord silent with man in regard of the first death onely concerning the incoation of it but when the perfection came then the voice of the Lord breakes out as he did to the rich man This night shall thy soule out of thy bodie thy body to the dust and thy goods to their owners Secondly for his silence in regard of the second death first in the incoation of it and that in regard of the conscience or some extraordinarie iudgement in regard of the conscience not presently the extremitie of horror and feare whereby man flieth from God and hides himselfe nor dead securitie whereby there is no sense of hel but desperate searing vp of the conscience Lastly the Lord is silent a long time before hee bring some extraordinarie iudgement vpon them as he did vpon Baltashar Saul Ahithophel Hammon Iudas and this is Gods silence with wicked men in regard of the second death but when the perfection is come the Lord breakes his silence and saies my creature away from me packe into hell where I will roare vpon thee as a lyon for euer So then it plainely appeares that God is onely silent in regard of mans miserie in the incoation of the first and second death Indeede prophane men restraine Gods silence to an other obiect to wit their sinnes and hypocrits to their good actions Isa 59.3 We haue fasted and thou seest it not we haue punished our selues and thou regardest it not Lastly the Saints to their troubles and afflictions wherin they thinke the Lord is too silent and too slow in hearing of their cries but all these three haue brought in an obiect about which the Lords silence can not be conuersant for wicked men haue the Lord alwaies calling by his word to forewarne them of their sinnes and hypocrites blaspheme against God in saying he regardeth not goodnes and the children of God haue forgotten the consolation which speaketh vnto them as vnto children Heb. 12.5 My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him And thus haue we cleared the point by the word of God The Rhetoricke is this first these things for these doings secondly these doings for these sinnes thirdly these sinnes for the deferring of the punishment of these sinnes for in that is the Lord silent Concerning the Logicke the arguments are the subiect and the adiunct wherein is contained an agreement of reasons and therefore we may take notice how the Lord out of sinne a deadly enemie vnto his will can frame himselfe an obiect wherein he will delight from whence the obseruation riseth that the Lord hath great respect vnto the miserie of man Observ God that is holy in all his waies and such a God that wills no iniquitie is able in the excellencie of his wisdome to see something in sinne which shall mooue him to pitie and compassion euen that which the creature feeleth not the Lord laies it vnto his heart for Gen. 3.22 the Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of vs to know good and euill c. is not an Ironie but a kind of pitie and sorrow for the miserie of man and therefore we find in the Scripture phrase that the Lord is mooued with good to loue it with sinne to hate it and miserie to pitie it Reasons 1. Gods creation he loues the worke of his owne hands and it pities him to see it any waies out of order Gen. 6.6 It repented the Lord that he made man in the earth and he was sorie in his heart 2. Reas Mans miserie Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwaie striue with man because he is but flesh Gen. 8.21 I will henceforth curse the ground no more for mans cause for the imaginations of mans heart is euill euen from his youth Psal 78.38 39. Yet he beeing mercifull forgaue their iniquities and destroyed them not but of times called backe his anger and did not stirre vp all his wrath for he remembred that they were flesh yea a wind that passeth away and commeth not againe 3. Reason his promise Act. 13.18 About the time of fourtie yeares suffered he their manners in the wildernes because of his couenant Psal 105. where all the good that he did vnto his people is brought in by reason of the couenant and promise that he made with Abraham sware vnto Izhak confirmed vnto Iaakob and left it to Israel for an euerlasting couenant 4. Reason is the measure of sinne which the Lord will suffer to be made vp Gen. 15.16 For the sinnes of the Amorites is not yet full 1. Vse reprehension First confutation of wicked mens conceits of the silence of God thinking that all is well with them as long as they heare of no messengers from the Lord of hosts alas it is the miserie of their sinnes that mooues the Lord a little to pitie them and therefore small cause to conceiue so highly of Gods mercie Indeede it were well if they would magnifie God in this his mercie by humbling of themselues and confessing the long abuse of his silence but they on the contrarie set vp themselues and confidently beleeue that they shall neuer be mooued Againe this confuteth the hypocrite that takes the silence of the Lord for the approbation of his thoughts words and actions when alas all is but a silence at his sinne and a pitying of his miserie the Lord can not but be angrie with them because they draw him into a league of iniquitie dishonour him before men and conceiue amisse of him in thēselues Lastly it confutes all despisers of the riches of Gods bountifulnes patience and long suffering hauing no knowledge how the bountifulnes of God should lead them to repentance and therefore after the hardnes of their hearts heape vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath Secondly a correction of the godly in the want of Christian
hath the keyes of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth which shutteth and no man openeth And for the sunne in the other hand they haue none for how can they hold out the Sonne of righteousnes that neuer had him in their hearts by faith they shine indeede but it is like vnto a blazing starre which seemes to mooue as though it came from a true starre indeede but alas it is in the fall and presently comes to the earth and then what is it but a lumpe of very crude matter and as cold as a stone or like glow-wormes which in the night time make a shew of fire but when a man takes them in his hands and bruiseth them they are nothing but a deale of crude rough blacke blood So these hypocrites they come from heauen like lightning by the taile of the deuill and fall to the ground and then their glorie appeares no more they were alwaies cold at the heart and therefore their shining vanisheth when the true Sonne of righteousnes appeareth to trie them Let vs then examine the hypocrite and wee shall finde that although his sword and all the weapons of his profession be ouerspread with honie yet a bee shall sting him at the last and make him know that all that honie was none of his owne but that hee had stollen it from Gods bees and therefore beeing but the waspe must be cast out of Gods hiue The fisher oftentimes when he bragges of store of fishes puls vp a scorpion in his net which becomes his death so these hypocrites they fish for heauen but the scorpion is alreadie in their bosomes which will sting them to death they hatch cockatrice egges whatsoeuer commeth from them is poyson and death they weaue the spiders webbe all their religion comes to no proofe he that eateth of their egges dieth and that which is troad vpon breaketh out into a serpent For it is impossible that all mankind being the seed of coruption and secondly the most of them the seed of the serpent should bring forth any other thing but corruption and young serpents And therefore hypocrits remaning in their former estate must needs be farre from God and all true holinesse They are not washed therefore not in Christ Secondly they are in their filthinesse therefore in themselues Not in Christ because they know not the father by the Son through the holy Ghost They are most busie with the father but alas for Christ and the spirit they cast them both off God will haue mercie and God forbid that any man should think that God meant to damne his creature but alas they are silent of his iustice Christ is little in their mouthes for the satisfaction of Gods iustice and the onely foundation of Gods mercie to come vnto them the spirit is farre estranged from them as appeares by their sanctification But let them know that Gods saithfull ones make an other kinde of demonstration then to beginne with the father first Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ but how shall that be knowne surely by that which followeth which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit but how shall this be knowne why looke into the Gal. 5.19 to v. 24. That this may the better appeare let vs see how hypocrites pull downe the old building and reare vp the new for vntill that be gone there is no hope of a better That they would haue the old building stand it shall euidently appeare in the 7. of the Romans first if you looke vnto their mariage you shal see they will sticke to their old husband the lawe yet will they haue Christ too and therfore commit adulterie for God will but permit them one husband therefore either Law or Gospel doing or beleeuing Christ or Moses both can not stand together to make vs the spouse of Christ Secondly let vs see their seruice and obedience that they yeild vnto their husbands It is not in the newnesse of the spirit but in the oldnesse of the letter surely an hypocrite is all in the letter no iot of inward sanctification is in him but Law and Gospel speaks vnto him as a deafe man and so for power both of them are but dead and dumbe vnto him Thirdly they loue no innouations they would haue the old ordination to stand to doe and liue but now to be slaine by the law and to haue sinne made sinne indeede and haue their hearts euen bleede to the death by it that can not be indured for men naturally loue life better then death but now it is come to passe by our fall that except the Law kill it can not saue Fourthly they haue no discorning spirit to see how the Law is spirituall and they carnal fold vnder sinne for they alwaies allow that which they doe their will and doing goe together their hatred is not their doing when Paul saith hee wills one thing by Gods good spirit and by his flesh doth the cleane contrarie hee hateth sinne by the spirit and yet often is made to doe it by his owne corruption thus doth hee iustifie the lawe and and makes it good and substantiall but himselfe euill and naught when hypocrites take the law to make them good for they are iustifiers of themselues Paul by this meanes came to see that it was not he the newe man that did these things but sinne that dwelt in him and therefore hee onely iustifies not Gods law to condemne himselfe but also he makes a glorious confession that all power may be taken from himselfe and ascribed vnto the holy Ghost for his sanctification for I know that in me setting the spirit aside and therefore I meane in my flesh and corruption dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but I find no meanes to performe that which is good And surely reasons of this I haue many First the strength of my corruption secondly it is yoked with me and therefore beeing the stronger drawes me vnto euill thirdly I am a double person or a double man the inner and outward man which is so rebellious that I neuer liue at peace with my selfe fourthly these two haue their lawes and the outward man doth often captiuate me and make me a slaue vnto sinne and I am so sore oppressed that I must needs cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death yet thanks be to God through Iesus Christ our Lord that my mind is so good vnto God and his lawe though my flesh will not as yet shake hands with sin But hypocrits are of another mind they will neither iustifie lawe nor gospel which shall condemne themselues they will not ascribe all vnto Gods spirit that is good and the rest vnto themselues they haue means enough to doe well they are Papists they can supererrogate they feele not the strength of sinne they are not yoaked to drawe contrarie waies like oxen they can drawe
vpon him Where by the way he shal take notice of his holinesse whereby he is so pure a God from all sinne that he cannot away with it so likewise of his iustice whereby he is so exactly iust in himselfe that he cannot but execute iustice remuneratiue and rewarding for weldoing and inflict punishment or iustice vindicatiue for euill doing yet least he should complaine that summum ius is summa iniuria hee shall see that which Aristotle called the moderator of iustice to witte equitie remitting of the full extent of iustice for if the Lord had dealt so with man he should neuer had his hand off him for either should his iustice haue burnt more remissely against sinne which is called anger or more sharpely which is called wrath or fully executed which is called reuenge for as sinnes be inaequalia so should the punishment haue beene in all these Now because his iustice may admit of these degrees ratione obiecti you shall see the Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringing in mercy whereby he vseth compassion toward his creatures offending First his gentlenesse whereby in his iustice he remembreth mercy patience whereby he most gently suffereth sinners and deferreth their punishment longanimity whereby a long time he expecteth their repentance lastly bountifulnes whereby he being rich in goodnesse powreth forth his good gifts vpon them notwithstanding their sinnes And this they may obserue by the way in Gods setting of fin in order The infliction of the punishment followes by the causes They may assure thēselues that euery one that had their hand in sinne as the authors of it shall be punished most seuerely Neither shall the instrument escape the deuill shall haue his head crushed and all his deuises brought to naught hee shall be hardened in his sinne that he cannot repent and finde mercie and lastly he shall be vtterly banished from heauen into the elements which are reserued 2. Pet. 3.7 vnto fire against the day of condemnation and of the destruction of them and all vngodly men The serpent shall not go without his iudgment a curse shall bee vpon him aboue all the beasts of the field enmity betwixt him and the woman and sensible feeling of paine in creeping on his belly and eating the dust of the earth The woman beside her common miserie with man shee shall be in subiection to her husband full of griefes in her conception going with child and trauaile But for the man his punishment shall in speciall manner bee ordered wherein all his progenie may take notice of it his punishment shall bee with sinne and death sinne originall the exorbitation of the whole man both inward in himselfe and outward in the gouernement of the creature Hence plainely appeares that mans wit and will are set the wrong way their faces cleane turned from God and therefore no free will to doe any good that may please God but vnderstanding and will enough to do euill and that continually Againe in the necke of this followeth actuall sinne as the streame from the fountaine the branches from the root and this is a continuall iarring of man vpon outward obiects for originall sinne hauing turned all the wrong way it is necessarie that as often as any wheele in man mooueth it should meete a crosse with euery good thing and therefore iarre vpon him yet God limits this iarring that it can goe no further then he shall direct it to wit vnto his owne glorie and some particular good end in his Church This sin receiues degrees indeede the other is equall in all because the same measure metes it out vnto all but this is a greater or lesser sinne in respect of whom or against whom it is committed likewise in respect of the matter and manner of working it whether it be done of knowledge or ignorance of infirmitis or stubbornnesse or with an high mind and all these stand vpon two heads sinnes of commission in doing that euil we should not do and of omission the not doing of good that should bee done And all this will the Lord doe in setting in order which shall be a iust punishment vpon all malefactors The rest of Gods methode is more fearefull and better felt of man that is death the method wherof consists in the beginning and ending of it wherein shall be a continuall losse of life and subiection to the miserie thereof which shal make vs worse then if we had neuer beene This death brancheth it selfe into two parts the first and the second death the first death is a subiection to the miserie of this world the inchoation and beginning whereof is the miserie which comes by the losse of the good things of the bodie as of health whence commeth sickenesse deformitie sence of nakednesse wearines and subiection to dangers Secondly subiection to the miserie which comes by the losse of externall things as of friendship honour rule and dominion ouer the creatures of things necessarie for this life as meat drinke apparell c. now the perfection of this death is the going of the spirits out of the bodie whereby the soule departeth from the bodie and the bodie afterward is resolued into the elements especially the earth which did beare the greatest part in his making The second death hath this order first it subiects a man to the miseries of the world to come the beginnings whereof are in this life the forerunners of the extremitie of woe that are to come in the next world the forerunners are emptinesse of mind in regard of all good ignorance of God terror of conscience fleeing and hiding himselfe from the presence of God or else a deepe securitie and senslesnesse of miserie despaire and a fearefull expectation of iudgement the perfection and consummation whereof shall be an eiection from the face of God and iniection of the soule immediately after the first death into hell a reseruation of the bodie in the graue as in a dungeon against the day of iudgement when after the resurrection both soule and body shall be cast into the same place which is prepared of God for the eternall punishment of the wicked both angels and men where is nothing but weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth there shall be found no Limbus puerorum or purgatory but either heauen or hell must be their resting place Neither will the Lord breake his methode or leaue them any cauil for some defect with what reason can the Lord so deale with men seeing all that wee haue heard is concerning Adam must the children smarte for the fathers sinne I hope that God is more iust Well consider that the Lord will not leaue this without his order for all the posteritie proceeding from Adam and Euah by ordinarie propagation as they should haue had happinesse if they had stood Propagation of sinne so are they obnoxious to all these miseries hefalling And this is done iustly by all kind of lawes first of nations for Adam was a prince of all
his sleepe forsakes him when he speakes he is little bettes when he keeps silence he boyles in disquietnes the light doth not comfort him and the darknes doth terrifie him All other afflictions are tolerable because temporall and pursue but to death yet this beeing not â—uâ—ed endeth not in death Mens lawes transgressed may be helped by bribing of the magistrate or if the offence be capitall that there can be no pleading for him yet he may flie his country and so escape but God will not be bribed neither is there any flying from his presence Psal 139. nay alas we shall neede no seeking out we shal neede no apparitor to summon vs no baylâ—ffe to fetch vs no accuser to giue in euidence against vs sinne it selfe will arrest vs for he lieth at the doore our conscience will impanell a quest against vs our hearts will giue in sufficient euidence to conuict vs and our owne iniquities will plead guiltie to our faces This made the heathen to kill themselues thinking death to be an end of all miserie and thus like fond fishes they leape out of the pan into the fire out of the hell of their consciences into hell it selfe Let them doe the best they can get them to merrie companie laugh their sinnes out of countenance yet let them know that with Nero they may change their chamber but their chamber-fellow shall neuer leaue them They may sacrifice vnto the Lord humble themselues weepe with Esau confesse with Iudas lay hold on the hornes of the altar to mitigate their paine but onely the expiatorie sacrifice of the immaculate lamb is able to giue them rest and quietnes of soule Indeede this distresse of conscience soone becommeth melancholike vile and base turneth reason into foolishnes and disgraceth the beautie of the countenance How conscience may disiguâ—e the body and transformeth the stoutest Nebuchadnezzer becomes a beast so easily is the bodie subiect to alteration of minde and soone looseth with anguish and distraction thereof all the support of his excellencie In melancholie the heart is troubled with vaine seares vpon euery small obiect the very eye by a false apparition may strike him the eares with the imagination of euery voice sounding may dolefully appale him a very touch may make him startle and many such like troubles which are whelps of that melancholie litter bred of that corrupted state of bodie altered in spirit in blood in substance and complexion This may increase the terrour of the afflicted minde double the feare and discouragement How distemper of body may increase this wound and hinder all cure by counsell and aduise and shut vp all meanes of consolation for it must enter by the senses to the minde Now the instruments of sense beeing altered by the humour and their sinceritie stained with the obscure and darke spots of melancholie receiue not indifferently the medicine of consolation As the braine the original and fountaine of all sense and motion is thus euilly disposed so the heart the cherisher and refresher of our nature beeing in no better case and acquainted with terror and ouerthrowne with that searefull passion imptisoneth the spirits contracts it selfe and hardly yeilds to perswasion of comfort whatsoeuer it bringeth of assurance For though the griefe strike down at the first respecting no time place person condition or opportunitie of working but breaketh through all such considerations and beareth downe all resistance yet the comfort requireth them all and the missing of one makes the affliction to be long and hard in the cure The Comforters person his manner of handling the patient the time and place of performance with the braine and heart which are as the gates and entrance vnto the soule may hinder or aide the consolation No distemper can hinder the inward comfort of Gods grace But all this is to be vnderstood of outward meanes for the inward meanes to wit the grace of God and his mercie his comfortable spirit and gratious fauour in like swiftnes without meanes may restore the minde thus distressed which lieth open equally to the kind of cure euen as it lay to the wound Therfore seeing the body workes nothing vpon the mind altogether impatible of euery beeing sauing of God alone and secondly that the efficient can do it without helpe of the bodie and thirdly that the comfort is not procured by any corporall instrument nor the discomfort directly procured by the same lastly because all is done by causes in subiects nothing corporall and producing effects of an other nature then corporall it must needes bee concluded that there is great difference betwixt these two troubles The punishment of bodily racking is not the passion of the heart but a cause of it so that racking of the soule by sinne is not a melancholie passion but yet may it cause it and therefore makes the distinction not so cleare for oftentimes the symptome of a disease is taken for the disease it selfe The affliction of mind The persons which are hable to this sorrow to what persons it falleth and by what meanes is thus to bee resolued All men are subiect to this by reason of our fall the breach of Gods lawe and the wrath of God that followeth thereupon yet of all sorts of men melancholie persons are most subiect vnto it not from the humour but because he is most doubtfull and iealous of his estate for life temporall and life spirituall For temporall physitians and apothecaries shops will beare sufficient witnes for if they be able to walk we find them for the most part in these places And I would to God they were as readie for their spirituall life to bee with Gods spirituall physitians and in the shops of the true balme of Gilead By experience we find that when they beginne to examine how their actions answer the naturall and written line of righteousnesse and wanting the arch-pillar of faith and assurance in Christ Iesus our hope presently feele the very anguish due vnto sinners and in that most miserable condition fall into flat despaire The manner how this is done is when the curious melancholie person carrieth his mind into the senses of such mysteries How it befalls them as exceed humane capacitie and is desirous to knowe more then is reuealed in the word of truth and yet being ignorant of that which is reuealed he suddenly falls into the gulfe of Gods secret counsells which swalloweth vp all conceit of man or angel and measuring the truth of such depths by the shallow modell of his own wit is caught and deuoured of that which his presumptuous curiositie mooued him to attempt to apprehend Of this we haue a memorable example of a vertuous gentlewoman in this land who was carried along in this course doubting verie often of her saluation and making her case known vnto a worthy minister of God he often couÌ„felled her to take heede of inquiries further then Gods word and trust assuredly that shee might
the Lord hath two parts Holinesse both which are contained in the second part of this sentence and they are mercie and iustice for a holy God must be a mercifull God and a iust God his mercie in these words I held my tongue and thou thoughtest that I was like thee his iustice in the rest Mercie Gods mercie is described by foure things First by his adiunct or qualitie silence 2. By the subiect about which it is conuersant and that is the doings of the wicked 3. By his accidentall effect and that is the thoughts of the wicked 4. By the forme and manner of these thoughts and that is to make God like themselues or measure God by themselues The second part of Gods holinesse is his iustice Iustice described by power and comely order by power in these words I will reprooue thee where wee haue foure things to manifest the power First the efficient cause the Lord and therefore most powerfull iustice Secondly the forme reproofe iustice vindicatiue or punishing not remunaratiue or rewarding and therefore so much the stronger the touch of his little finger is able to doe much and therefore what shall be the power of his whole hand and the strength of his arme his breath which in man is nothing yet in himselfe makes smoaking coles and flames of fire issue out of his mouth to the destruction of all sinners 3. From the obiect sinne which all the iustice of man is not able to find out yet shall this iustice search it to the quicke and ransacke it to the bottome 4. Because of the person which is an hypocrite who for the most part deceiues the whole world yea and his owne soule too yet now woe vnto him for hee hath fallen into his hands that can not be deceiued The comely order in these words And set them in order before thee First giuing vs to vnderstand that sinne is confusion and disorder and all sinners are confused and disordered persons 2. That there is an order to be taken with all sinne and sinners 3. That when God shall haue taken order with them then the conscience shall take horrible notice of their sinne and the punishment thereof to their euerlasting shame and confusion in plagues and punishments that neuer would see any disorder in sinne and wickednesse V. 22 The application followeth in the 22.23 v. and it is twofold First to the wicked an earnest admonition Secondly to the godly a serious instruction the earnest admonition to the wicked is in the 22. ver amplified first from due consideration Oh consider this make good vse of my iudgements let them not be idle speculations but profitable instructions to your soules Secondly from the forlorne negligence of all wicked men which is to forget God euen in the time of iudgement Thirdly from the imminent danger and that is tearing in peeces of the Lord Fourthly from the ineuitablenesse of it and the vaine confidence of helpe in these words And there be none that can deliuer you V. 23 In the conclusion of all which is the application to the godly vse is made of the whole Psalm for the glorious comming of the Almightie his mercifull proceeding with his Saints and the fearefulnes of his iudgments with the wicked ought to be a threefold cord to drawe them to true obedience and learne the instruction of their God See therefore the vse of the first part of Gods proceeding He that offereth praise shal glorifie mee would you know my mind O my louing Saints Why this it is in briefe and take it for your conclusion The best sacrifices are praise for they alone shall glorifie mee and giue mee full contentment For the second the vse that you ought to make of my conviction of an hypocrite is this in breife that seeing he hateth to be reformed and casteth my words behind his backe and therefore must needs be condemned though hee haue made a faire shew in preaching of my ordinances and talking of my couenants see you therefore vnto it for I promise faithfully to cuery one that disposeth his way aright shall be shewed the saluation of God and therefore God grant that euery one of vs may haue more of the power of religion in the heart then a shew in outward profession CHAP. II. Of the particular explication of the words ANd thus haue I vnfolded the whole Psalme which if I shall perceiue to be a profitable way for the instruction of Gods Church I shall proceed in the rest but if it shall be disprooued I will trouble the world with no more discourses for wee haue alreadie bookes enough which make vs wast our times vnprofitably but I trust in God seeing that I am not guiltie vnto my selfe of any priuate motion that it is the worke of the Lord and therefore as alreadie it is approoued of some so I doubt not but they that loue the Lord will beare the like affection And therefore I pray with the Apostle that both I and they may consider what is said and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things I. Part. Of the arraignement day and persons The generall discourse of the Psalme is alreadie cleared only I haue selected this one verse for the ground of all my future proceedings I call it Gods arraignement of hypocrites first because the Lord himselfe brings in the euidence against theÌ„ Euidence These things hast thou done Patience in tryall Secondly because the Lord hath made long tryall of their repentance I held my tongue Thirdly Abuse of Gods patience because they had fulfulled the measure of their sinne by making God an idle iudge of them thou thoughtest that I was like thee Fourthly because God vpon good euidence long experience and the full measure of impietie could contain no longer from the sentence of condemnation Sentence of iudgement I will reprooue thee and set them in order before thee the cheife Iustice must handle the cause euen in the court of conscience because no reproofe will serue the turne but that which arraignes him before himselfe and makes his conscience his own executioner I might well tearme it the Criticall day of an hypocrite Dâ—â—â—indicances 〈…〉 Physitians obserue two kind of dayes in the sickenesse of their patients first the indicatiue dayes and then the criticall dayes the indicatiue dayes goe before and shew what hopes are approaching of death or life these dayes I may well say went before from the 16. verse to this 21. ver euery day prognosticating nothing but some horrible accident to befall on the criticall day first he will no wayes bee reformed in his life and for counsell he casts all Gods words behind him hee no sooner sees the way of death but he runnes into it and for any vncleane behauiour he will become a partaker with the worst his mouth is as blacke as though the fire of hell were within him and his tongue is so scorched that it can forge
from the obligation of the law That which is bound to the lawe is properly the subiect of the breach of the law now men and angels are only bound to Gods law therefore men and angels may only be tearmed the subiect their actions therefore onely as belonging vnto them are sinfull that is flowing from sinners and so are their workes so that mans nature worketh and sinne and God mans nature worketh and hath God working in it and so the action is good againe God beside his general influence concourse with his creature hath a speciall worke in the action which concernes himselfe and that is likewise good yea and verie good for it is the last end of the creature but the other cause which is sinne cleauing so fast vnto our nature qualifies our nature to doe sinfully The sunne-beames comming thorough a red glasse shines on the opposite wall with the tincture of the colour of the glasse now the question is whether the red colour be onely in the glasse or likewise in the shining surely it seemes that the whole colour remaines still in the glasse and rather dimmes the shining then infects it so the beames of Gods wisedome shining through our corrupt soules seemes to be an action tainted with sinne but surely the corruption stickes in our soules and onely hindred the bright beames of Gods glorie from appearing in our actions Reason 3. from the sole nature of an effect That which is onely an effect can neuer be a subiect nowe the motion is onely an effect and can no otherwise be considered and therefore is alwaies ioyned with his cause as a sinfull action is in sense and reason the action of a sinneful man that is whereof sinnefull man is the cause Hence beeing an effect it must needes exist or stand out by many causes and therefore according to euery cause hath his speciall affection so a sinfull action hath one reference vnto man an other vnto God and yet may stand out of both Christs death had many causes and all subordinate causes were according to Gods determinate counsell the action was sinfull yet the sinne did inhere in Pilate Herod and the accursed Iewes Reason 4. from the nature of goodnes That which is simply good cannot bee the subiect of sinne now actions are of this nature the reason is because causes giue beeing vnto things and therefore are absolute as causes now motion hauing no other being but that which it receiues from causes Causa cuius vi res est This vis must needs be Gods and causes producing that by a motiue force in themselues which force is from God cannot any wayes leaue in the effect an euill inherent but onely in themselues which wanted true force whereof the effect should haue existed hence we call sinne rather a deficient cause then an efficient cause Rom 6.12 Rom. 7.5 Indeede sinne in vs is said to raigne and haue force in our members and so sinne with his subiect is exceeding powerful but it is by turning Gods created force the wrong way euen as a wheele set a running wrong way is carried with as great force as when it runne the cleane contrarie so mans nature set a rebelling against God turnes Gods created forces against himselfe that the force is put into the action it is Gods but that it was put in by the hand of a rebell it became sinfull yet God will acknowledge his owne force in the action and turne the fault and crime to the proper owners That the Iewes and Pilate laid hands on Christ it was Gods created force in them but the abuse of it is their owne and takes vp a proper habitation in their miserable soules then causation beeing a created force and motion onely acknowledging the same well may the motion be Gods and yet no cause at all of sinne Reason 5. from priuation Sinnes are properly the priuation or want of action and therfore though they may bee both in one subiect yet neuer can the one be the subiect of the other for so should deadly enemies become louing freinds and the worst kind of opposites be reconciled for I am sure that priuation though he be no being yet he denies a beeing in the selfe same subiect which is capable of it Blindnes is a worse not being then not seeing for not seeing may be in a stone which is neuer the worse for it but blindnes can be no where but where sight may be and therefore the eye is much worse for it if then sinne bee the priuation of an action it can neuer bee in an action but alwaies against an action Reason 6. from action and passion which seeme to differ but in respect of the agent and patient and therefore the patient should sin more then the agent seeing the action wherein lies the sinne is most properly in the patient but frō the agent The action from the worker is a passion in the receiuer and therefore if sinne were in the action it should goe along with it to the patient yea rather should it be in the patient then the agent seeing the action rests most in the patient Hence murther should rather be the sinne of the patient then the agent seeing the action of murther as it is from the agent so most properly is in the party slaine and therefore the murtherer should be the murthered which is against reason It is plaine then that sinne abides in the murtherer the action is good let this therefore be obserued that God may be iustified euen in sinnefull actions yet no cause of sinne because sinne alone rests in the bosome of fooles and will not stirre one iotte out of that subiect it is therefore dangerous to defend that an action is the materiall cause of sinne for so should sinne not onely be said to be in the action but of the action and then I know not how God should worke the action and bee freed from sinne for causa causae est causa causati The words then are thus to be expounded Things are here put for actions by a metanomie of the cause for the effect for actions proceed frō things then actions for the sinnes which are committed by sinnefull things and so the action is an effect of the sinnefull man and is put for his cause which be sinnes in the things Neither is this any newe opinion Motus modus actionis for all agree that the motion is good onely the manner of doing is euill Now examine the point well and we shall alwaies find the manner in the doer and not in the thing done and therefore the euill is properly in the doer and not in the thing done onely it is said to be in it in that regard that an euill cause wrought it and so the motion is both Gods and mans yet not both of one manner of working Mans fall was an action therefore Gods and mans but man wrought it one manner of way and
not consent Quitacet consentire videtur yet he will spare mee for a time or howsoeuer I will hold mine own conclusions whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe vnto me IIII. Part. Of Gods reproofe and order in sinne Reprooue This word signifieth foure things First to argue or reason vpon any matter secondly by reasoning to prooue or disprooue any cause thirdly by proouing or disproouing to absolue or condemne any person fourthly after condemnation to punish or execute This fourth signification is specially meant in this place for he had his conuiction before therefore to reprooue in this place is as much as to plague for the reason following makes it plaine Oh consider this least I teare you in peeces shewing plainly what his reproofe was nothing but vengeance Set This word presupposeth things out of place secondly the placing of them againe in their rankes and orders shewing vs the nature of sinne First that sinne is gotten out of his own place for neuer a creature of God by his creatioÌ„ did acknowledge him and God himselfe did alwaies abhorre him therefore before the fal of men and angels Gods erâ—ation a deadly â—uemie to sinne sinne was like vnto that which we call in nature vacuum which is so abhorred of nature that the verie fire will descend and the verie water ascend before they wil yeeld him the least corner in the world so sinne by Gods creation was wholly excluded and God giueth his testimonie that euery thing that hee made was good and very good therefore that sinne should obtaine that in nature as to get him a place in the best of Gods creatures was neuer the placing of the Lord therefore the Lord cannot bee said to set sinne in this manner The way of Gods placing Cane The second setting is here vnderstood to wit bringing that into his proper place which hitherto hath beene out of his place and is done two manner of wayes First by bringing it vnto himselfe and the rule of his wisedome and so sin is set in the decree of God and ordered by his wisdome for that of the Philosopher is true Veritas iudex sui obliqui but what need we the testimonie of the Philosopher seeing that we haue the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.7 I knewe not sinne but by the lawe and without the law sinne is dead now the rule is alwaies before the breach of the rule therfore must needs determine of euerie fault Secondly sinne is set in order when it is brought vnto man by making him feele what his sinne was by the punishment of it Order Includeth three things Confusion diâ—ontion iâ—â—â—uâ—ination first confusion secondly comely disposition thirdly plaine reuelation as in the creation of the world Gods order is set forth vnto vs in the confusion of the first matter wherein all things were buried as in a dark dungeon Secondly how the Lord proceeded to bring out of this the heauens in their ranke with all the host thereof the firmament in his place the water and all therein in his place the earth and all thereupon in their place and thus was the worke of the Lord comely and full of beautie Thirdly the Lord brought foorth a light to separate from the darkenes and so was there a plaine reuelation of his workes so in this place here is sinne a greater confusion in mâ—n then euer was in that first chaos Secondly as the Lord brought all things out of that into their place so will he bring all the sins of man vnto a comely order so that plainly in the third place euery man shall see what he hath done to the dishonour of his creator This order is threefold according to a threefold booke the first is the booke of decrees 3. Bookes Gods decâ—es Law Consâ—ence the second is the book of Gods law the third the books of conscience and these three bookes doe most plainely order sinne The first booke being secret ordereth sinne secretly yet most iustly because most wisely for if the wisedome of God should not be seene in sin then should not God haue his glorie out of sinne therfore to answer all obiections that may arise out of this ordring of sin the prouing of the truth of this point I will in a few words take in hand the clearing of these two things first the remoouall of that which may obscure the truth secondly I will bring reasons for the confirming of this difficultie Answer The first obiection may be out of the words of the Psalme I will set them in order before thee therefore the order that is taken for sinne is after that sinne is committed For first God saith These things hast thou done 2. these things will I order 3. before thee all which plainely prooue that this order followeth sinne Answer To which I answer that in this place we are to vnderstand that the third booke which is the booke of the conscience is here to be vnderstood not excluding the former as though they were not but onely shewing that the bookes of conscience for the condemnation of a wicked man are sufficient and the onely cause of the execution of Gods plagues vpon him as appeareth plainly Reuel 20.12 And the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works Here is mention of two bookes the booke of Gods decree and the booke of the Conscience Why the Lord tearmes the booke of conscience bookes called bookes because of the manifold bills and inditments that are written in the leanes of the conscience which are sufficient for the iudgement of the wicked therefore as often as we heare of Gods executions in punishing we heare nothing of the booke of his decree because to what purpose should God bring in his decree to conuince a wicked man when his conscience giueth in euidence sufficient against him it might rather cause cauill then true conuiction But in the execution of his mercie we heare of the booke of life because therein lieth a principall cause of our saluation Therefore I take it in this place Death only froÌ„ finne and therfore hath no â—â—gher cause further then the cause no inquiâ—â—e that the Lord speaking of bookes and of a booke would haue vs take notice that for iudgement we neede to looke no further then the bookes of conscience therefore I take it that the Scripture neuer speaketh of a booke of death Againe when we looke vpon our saluation we must eye the booke of life that so we may ascribe all the praise of our saluation vnto the Lord. So in this place the Lord is about his execution vpon the wicked God in himself workes out of all time in the are â—ure in due time therefore he pulls not out the booke of his decree but appeales vnto their owne consciences so that order which was before the Lord from all
God seeing man this way to determine his will Mansâ— determination made the determination thereof a iust way for his owne glorie God decreed mans fall and he also decreed that he himselfe would not be the cause but that man himselfe should onely cause his own ruine Thus then God did absolutely decree but not absolutely determine mans wil for that was left vnto man himselfe Determination no impulsion yet the determination of that determination was absolute and that without impulsion or coaction of mans will for determination is alwaies of things vnto their ends therefore is called absolute in regard of the end but coaction is onely of an efficient which is not necessarie for an absolute ende All Gods ends are absolute and necessarie yet the meanes that God vseth are of all kinds contingent necessarie dependent independent Suppose God had decreed to haue giuen man actuall grace as alreadie the angels haue it in heauen had it therefore been necessarie that man could not haue fallen or that God should haue constrained his wil to haue imbraced this grace no assuredly therefore on the contratie God decreed not to giue man this actuall grace of standing is therefore his auersion necessarie and constrained no but God by this meanes gaue way vnto the sinne of auersion and permissiuely yet willingly did suffer it for to enter for otherwise it could not haue entred and by a positiue decree resolued that auerting himselfe from the fountaine of all goodnesse and the rule of all righteousnesse he should runne into innumerable dangerous euills and grieuous sinnes both of commission and omission Omission is alwaies the first sinne Omission a priuation for a man falleth first from the loue of God before he can loue or desire any other thing now this sin beeing a neglect hath no positiue cause it selfe being a priuatioÌ„ neither need we seek any higher spring of it Non 〈…〉 then the will of such a creature as is defectiue and therefore doth not alwaies necessarily attend to the rule it should conforme it selfe vnto and thus of the first sinne we can find no cause in God because hee is no wayes defectiue The second sinne is commission which is a positiue act and therefore hath a positiue cause now God that neuer ceaseth to doe his worke of moouing but alwaies carrieth forward all things with restlesse motions cannot but cause the verie substance of a sinne of commission 〈…〉 of the Schâ—olman neither here am I of the opinion of the School-men that defend the very deformitie of this sinne to be nothing but the act and very substance of it for an act is a generall tearme and hath speciall limitations added vnto it therefore it is said to be well done when it keeps his rule euill when it misseth his rule now the Lord in no action goeth against the rule of his wisdome therefore he can work no deformed act only man that is defectiue may goe against the rule and so causeth the deformitie A cunning artificer makes a clocke but he suffers his apprentice to helpe to ioyne it together the deformitie of the motion is none of the artificers but onely from the vnskilfull apprentice yet will the skilfull artificer haue his praise in correcting of that aberration and turne the motion to his owne ende The causes then why sinne entred as efficient are properly the deuill and man as determined to an ende properly Gods who might well so determine of man seeing he created him mutable But to come more neerly How Gods lawe works sinne we may expresse this most familiarly in a comparison taken from an earthen pitcher dashed by the hand of a man against a stone wall that the wall breaketh it that is no fault of the walls but rather the coÌ„mendation of it working according to his owne nature but the fault is in the partie that dashed it against the wall so man being dashed by the deuill and himselfe and the serpent and the woman vpon the law of God too hard to bee ouerwrastled of man was broken in peices yet the lawe was without all fault onely the fault was in the deuill Adam and the woman the law therefore a most iust and holy cause of mans fall as the law caused mans sinne so I dare boldly say that God cansed it yet most holily and iustly Hence it followeth most plainely that God was no bare permitting cause or a forsaking cause but a working cause euen in the fall of man now as God did it so he was able to doe it and so to decree it to his owne glorie according as it seemed best vnto his own wisdome and so might it be willed as absolutely good and iust and therefore no sinne God made them the beginners of their owne actions beeing indued with free will by well doing they might deserue both praise and prize and by ill doing might deserue both dispraise and punishment But you will obiect then God might both will it and not will it Very true as God willed it it had respect of good and was iust and therefore to be willed but as they willed it it was euill and so God hated it and his law forbad it The sonne may desire the death of his father and so may God too but in so doing the sonne sinnes against God yet God is free from sinne the Iudge desires that a malefactor should die so doth the hangman yet may be the hang-man is guilty of murther when the Iudge is a true executioner of iustice Obserue then for the entrance of sinne these positions Positions for sinnes entrance First that to sinne is directly beside the scope intent and purpose of the law and therefore if the law cause sinne it is by acccident as to the law so to Gods wil which can neither intend purpose or will any impietie and therefore sinne is accidental and externall in regard of God now an accidentall principle is either in regard of necessitie or fortune How a cause by accident may be giuen vnto God now for necessitie to sinne that cannot be giuen vnto God for he can suffer of no causing principle and fortune is too strange a tearme to stand with Gods prouidence where then is this externall principle I answer if wee soberly conceiue of the nature of a cause by fortune we shal not much swarue if we say sinne was chance in regard of Gods will for chance and fortune according to true reason is nothing but the accident or euent of any thing beside his end and scope now only good is the end and scope of Gods will and therfore sinne which is not good is beside Gods scope and ende therefore it is accidentall in Gods scope and end But you wil say then God was ignorant of mans sinne I answer no because sinne is not onely accidentall to a good ende but also an aberration from the true rule of wisdome and must stand to the iudgement and sentence thereof
or dishonour Seuenthly contraries 7. Position though they can neuer agree to the same thing according to the same part or in the same respect or in one and the selfe same time yet they must both of them be about the same thing or els the opposition ceaseth If I should say a man is blind and not blind it were no contradiction if I vnderstand his blindnesse of two diuers subiects to wit he is not blind in his body but blind in his soule therfore the law and mans sinne Gods wil and mans wil are not opposed except we conceiue it to be about one the selfe same thing therefore though sin be against Gods decree wil and law yet may both sinne mans wil Gods decree will and law all be about one thing and that is Gods glorie and so for Gods glory sinne may be decreed willed and approoued by the lawe yet for all this haue no agreement at all with sinne and thus much for the entrance of sinne The progresse of sinne is to be considered in the effects Sinnes progresse and consequents of the first sinne for out of that did spring the whole miserie of man The effects are three blame or guilt or punishment blame is the next effect of the fault committed guilt is the tying of vs to vndergoe punishment punishment is the iust anger of God vpon Adam and all his posteritie The subiect of this punishment is the deuill his instruments and man to passe by the two former and come to man His punishment is either sinne or death sinne originall and actuall originall the exorbitation of the whole man both inward and outward inward in himselfe outward in the gouernment of the creatures actuall the iarring of man vpon outward obiects by reason of naturall or originall exorbitation euery thing he meetes withall either in thought word or deede is either a sinne of commission or omission death is the depriuation and losse of life and thereby subiection vnto miserie The progresse beeing cleare let vs see how God workes in it For the blame God is altogether to be freed for the guilt that likewise is a thing that nothing concernes God let man looke to both these Punishment But the third which is punishment beeing an act of his iustice and respecting his holy law is a thing that onely he acknowledgeth For death we neede make no question but the whole controuersie is about sinne as a punishment Matter contratâ—etieâ—â—onseâ—â—â—â—â— In the punishment we may note three things the matter with which a man is punished the contrarietie betweene the partie and the punishment and the order of consequence that where such an offence went before such an euill shall follow to make the partie offending feele the smart of it In those punishments which be punishments onely and not sinnes God is the author of all these things implied in the nature of punishment in those which be punishments and sinnes God is the author onely of the order of consequence and the contrarietie betweene them and the partie punished not of the matter wherewith they are afflicted and punished As for example pride is punished by enuie enuie is not of God but the contrarietie betweene it and the soule of man which maketh it bitter and afflictiue is and the order of consequence that where pride went before enuie must follow The reason that iustifies this is fetched from the rule of reason all contrarietie is a wisdome of God for it is a logicall argument and therefore if Logicke be Gods wisdome then euery rule in Logicke The other is iustified by method which can not be without him that is the God of all order the order of sinne is that originall should follow the first actuall sinne and then all actuall sinne originall this order is a wisdome oâ— God for sinne in his owne nature is meere confusion and his order must needs be Gods and so God professeth that he will doe in this place set mens sinnes in order Furthermore God doth not onely punish one sinne with another where there is such a dependance of one vpon the other that where one goeth before the other must follow but oftentimes when there is no such necessarie dependance yet he withdraweth his grace and for the punishment of one sinne letteth men runne into another In this sense there are three things attributed to God in the punishment of wicked and godlesse men 1. the blinding of their vnderstanding 2. the hardening of their hearts 3. the giuing of them vp vnto a reprohate sense Esa 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat their cares heauie and shut their eyes c. These things God is said to doe three waies 1. in denying grace which should lighten the vnderstanding and soften and mollifie the hearts of men 2. permitting Sathan to worke vpon them and no way either strengthening them against him or weakning his force 3. occasionally and by accident when God doth that which is good which yet he knoweth through the euill disposition that is in men will increase their wickednes and make it greater then it was before Efficienter 〈◊〉 effecta moraliter vt iudiâ—ia permissiue vt peccata non concedendo sed non unpediendo To this agree other Diuines that say God works in the progresse of sinne 1. positiuely as it is a physicall act 2. morally as he makes it a iust punishment of sinne 3. permissiuely as it is a sinne not by giuing his consent vnto the doing but in not hindering of them from the execution Lastly for both entrance and progresse a double action is giuen vnto God 1. limitation 2. direction For the first that God setteth bounds to wicked men in their wickednes not onely in respect of the effect and euent but also in the very inward purpose affections and designes and at his pleasure stoppeth them when he will is a thing denied of none that confesse a God Iob. 1.12 The deuill was limited how farre he should proceede in afflicting Iob neither Matth. 8.31 could he enter so much as into a heard of swine without leaue obtained of Christ the proudest sea must stay her waues where Gods laies his command Secondly for direction that is most necessarie he puts no sinne into men yet he directs it for the kind that it should be rather this sinne then another rather against these persons then others and the time when it shall breake forth and for what end and purpose it shall be committed For often men are wicked in that sort which had rather shew it in another kind it breakes forth at such a time when they would faine haue kept it close and it falls vpon such men which they had rather should haue beene done to others whome they more maligne and desire to despite if they were left to themselues God may stoppe all waies of sinning and open onely one yet without all fault As for example suppose a man were in an high tower
being yet because the subiect into which he is receiued by reason that he alwaies lookes vpon his adiunct giues him the denomination of beeing as long as he rests with him yet in his simple nature the neuer can be so considered but as a meere tyrant to beeing and essence which agree so ill that if the one come the other must be gone And this is the reason why originall sinne is said to raigne which could not be but for our members which giue him leaue to stay with vs. The Ivie hath no roote or existence from a proper principall of life but most louingly embraceth the Oke and for all his strength the Ivie will eate out his heart secretly and bring him to death so sinne hath no roote of his owne yet most familiarly be closeth with our nature and eateth out the heart of all goodnes within vs and speedily bringeth vs vnto miserie For the last obiection sinne is called an habit and qualitie therefore beeing The answer is as sinne is habitus in subiecto it hath that name yet properly sinne is no habit for it is alwaies his negation and opposite therefore can not properly haue the name of his opposite yet beeing crept into vertues closet desires to put on his habit that so he may haue the more loue and welcome as tyrants when they haue gotten the kingdome of lawfull Princes will be very glad to put on any title that might please them whome they desire to become their subiects and for this cause will be content to change their names so sinne a meere tyrant will maske it selfe in the habit of vertue that so we may esteeme the better of him and willingly subiect our selues to his vntolerable yoke Obiections from the testimonies of our Orthodoxall Diuines whereby they are said to haue made God the author of sinne Obiect 1. The obiection may be formed according to these foure heads 1. from Gods will 2. from the effect of his will his decree 3. from the subiect of his decree man 4. from the ende reprobation of man The argument in generall is thus framed They which make the will of God euill his decree causam energeticam an effectuall cause of sinne the will of man compelled to sinne and his ende euerlasting punishment without consideration of sinne make God the author of sinne but this is defended by our Diuines I will at large inforce euery obiection because it is one of the most damnable opinions that blasphemously the Papists vrge vs withall The obiections against our Diuines concerning Gods decree Obiect 1. That they make the will of God euill it may thus be pressed Voluntas mala dicitur a volitione mala volitio mala est quae fertur in obiectum non debitum obiectum non debitum est malum ergo volitio mala est qua quis vult malum qua vult malum fieri distinctly that will is euill whose act of willing is euill the act of willing is euil which is carried vpon an vnlawfull obiect Vellâ— ma … velle melur … 〈◊〉 sunt idem now an vnlawfull obiect is nothing but euill All this is laid vpon our Diuines to attribute it to God which seemes thus to be prooued He that wills sinne to bee or that it may fall out either whereby he may sport himselfe as Nero did when he had set Rome on fire or else that he may vse it for some good ende as he that bids a man take poyson that he may shew his art in curing him or another steale that he may couer the naked or feed the hungry is all one as to will the sinne it selfe The truth of this is thus cleared to will sinne to bee or exist or happen is all one with sinne it selfe For first what is the beeing of sinne but sinne it selfe what is the existence of sinne but that it exists from that beeing this existing or standing out of the causes of his beeing what is it but the euent so then as God wills sinne to bee exist or happen so he wills sinne it selfe God as he loues not sinne so he loues that sinne should not be exist or happen he wills againe that sinne should be exist and fall out for his glory with as good reason may he be said to will sinne for his glory so that no difference is or can be giuen betwixt the willing of sinne and sinne to be exist or fall out If it shall be resolued God wils non impedire peccatum sed permittere peccatum that is Distincta sunt 〈…〉 not to hinder and stop sinne but permit it to be this will not free the speech for these three things are distinct first to will sinne not to be that is to hinder it that it shall not bee secondly to will it to be or fall out thirdly to will to permit it or not to hinder it The two former are affirmatiue acts work for the willing or not willing of the thing the third is a negatiue act willing but not working this permission in willing is an act but in working a negation first not to hinder others in their libertie and power secondly not to helpe but yeeld the whole carriage of the sinne to themselues and their owne free wills yet hereby explorare to trie and prooue what they would doe and secondly vpon his euill doing to make way that for euill doing the Lord might doe well and become mans greater benefactor Againe to will sinne for a good end is no excuse of this euill non sunt facienda imo nec volenda mala vt eueniant bona we must not doe nay not so much as will euill Velle perpâ—â—rare that good might come thereof for the first sinne is to will the second to doe and he sinnes that wills euill though he does it not A third consideration to excuse the point is how sinne can be the obiect of Gods will Here it is said of our Diuines that sinne in his causes and circumstances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly considered hath a double respect one to man as sinne another to God decreeing it as good but this seemes also with a dry finger to be defaced it needs no washing for it washeth away it selfe seeing all Gods considerations of sinne are of sinne as it is sinne he permits it not as good but euill yet his permission is good he punisheth sinne as sinne he forbids it as sinne he forgiues it as sinne he decrees his permission and this comming betwixt sinne and Gods decree giues him libertie to produce what good he can out of it not qua bonum as good but as sinne and euill the reason is good euerie thing hath his best consideration according to his definition And thus much from Gods will to the obiect A second thing that they impose vpon our men is Contradiction put vpon Gods will that they make God in his will contradict himselfe to will sinne to bee and to will sinne
necessarily must needes be a cause The answer is it is a necessarie conclusion by way of ratiocination or discourse but not from the argument it selfe the disposition makes it necessarie but the third reason is no necessarie cause seeing that the action of Gods decree as out of himselfe and in the creature is externally and materially to be considered and so is not necessarie but contingent temporarie and mutable and therefore if it had pleased God it might haue fallen out otherwise for euery necessarie truth is an eternall truth And therefore that which is in time and not eternall is contingent mutable and alterable That which is said to the interceding cause betwixt Gods decree and the fall Of the interceding cause to wit mans free will to exempt God from sinne is most true for God did not immediatly worke mans fall But you obiect that the remote cause is as well sinfull as the next because the deuill was the remote cause and yet guiltie of the same sinne Adam commited A speciall neuerprooues a generall The answer is when the causes are vniuocall homogeniall and of the same order of working but in causes heterogeniall and equiuocall which are of diuerse natures the remote cause is neuer tainted with the same fault that the next cause is As wine is a remote cause why a man is drunke yet no faultie-cause of his drunkennesse The Gospell and our Sauiour Christ came to send a sword into the world but yet were no true causes of sedition and quarrels among men The Sunne raiseth putrified creatures out of dead carkases it can harden as well the clay as melt the waxe A sonne desires the death of his father so doth God One thing effected of diuerse causes may bee faultie in one but not in another but the sonne breaks Gods commaundement God doth it according to the true rule of iustice a sonne would haue his father liue God would the contrarie yet a sinne in neither And therfore a remote cause is onely guilty of the same offence with the next when they worke all after one forme and manner otherwise the immediate cause is the onely author of the sinne al the rest by accident and by abuse The Gospel is the sauour of death vnto death as well as the free will of man but not eodem genere causandi after the same manner of working Pharaoh hardneth his owne heart so doth God but the one immediatly the other mediatly by the abuse of mans freewill Therfore the answer is from the distinction of remote causes in vniuocall causes the remote cause is as guiltie as the next and therefore the deuills will In causes vniuocall all are guiltie of the same crime but not in equivocall and mans will working vnivocally are both in the same offence but Gods will and mans worke equiuocally the one one way and the other another and therefore no neede of participation seeing they haue no next genus of a cause in which they should communicate Answer to Gods desertion To the third euasion betwixt infallibilitie and necessitie it is granted that man fell infallibly but not necessarily except we vnderstand it of Gods decree in himselfe and then the truth was an eternall truth And in this sense our Diuines hold it not of any necessitie in mans will therefore it was only necessarie in Gods wll but contingent in mans yet the truth it selfe in the thing is to God and man contingent to God most certen but to man vncertaine For desertion we hold that God did not forsake man in any necessarie requisite for his true obedience vnto the law onely he with-held his confirmation of man If a man were set in some office for triall of his gifts is it necessarie that he should be confirmed in it I trow not and therefore this desertion was of confirmation and not of necessarie helpes for execution And here our Orthodoxe writers when they answer to that argument that iustice and mercie presuppose misery Misâ—rie potentiall reall habituall make answer of a threefold miserie first actuall which is in sense and feeling secondly habitual which is in the bosome of a man but as yet puts not forth it selfe the third potentiall into which a man may fall and this they call a miserie in comparison Iob 4.18 Behold he found no steadfastnesse in his seruants and laid folly vpon his angels Iob 9.2 Howe should man compared vnto God be iustified Habituall and actuall miserie had no place in man by his creation but possible or potentiall miserie was laid in the freedome of his will which if God had inclined vnto good and man so determined then had he come into the estate of the blessed Angels and so miserie had been impossible and his estate should haue been confirmed vnto him with God for euer not from the freedom of his will but from his obedience and Gods promise thereunto Therefore that desertion and not collation of necessarie helpe to auoide sinne is to be vnderstood of this third grace which was not a grace of creation but a further liberallity which God might haue bestowed if it had pleased him But I dare not rest satisfied with this answer because I see this third grace was onely to be obtained by the obedience of the creature that is if he did the will of God then would God haue beene as good as his promise thou shalt liue therefore in my iudgement Confirmation of life by creation was to follow our obedience vnto the 〈◊〉 confirming grace was a subsequent grace to followe obedience and not an antecedent grace to goe before it and so the angels obtained it by their obedience and from their obedience are confirmed if then without their obedience they could not be confirmed then must confirming grace belong vnto the law of creation as well as any other for what grace should man haue receiued by creation but that which God would haue communicated vnto him by the rule of obedience doe this and thou shalt liue to confirme him in life was vpon his doing I answer therefore Desertion 1. in not rebuking Sathan 2. In diuiding of the lawe and his facultie 3. In that God suffered man to be distracted and did not hold him close vnto his law in despite of the deuill that desertion is no cause of mans sinne but that God was wel-pleased to suffer the deuill to worke more strongly in the temptation then mans will should be able to oppose not for power giuen but for present act and as in this temptation the law forsooke man so God may most iustly bee said to forsake him I haue before declared that two things are most necessary for euery good action rule and power which if both concurre not the action cannot bee produced Now the law concurred not and therefore man was forsaken of the lawe not actiuely but passiuely euen as a master should promise his seruant all aide and succour as long as hee would
aduerse to a sinner and so the arguments differ Adam by creation was a iust man in habite but not in act and according to that which the Lord required and so death beeing taken away we are in the way to iustification but not actually iust vntill actually the law be performed in our selues or another And because the point is in controuersie thereasons to establish this truth may be these Arg. 1. Lex regale 〈◊〉 iustiâ—e That which is the perfect righteousnesse of the lawe is both actiue and passiue but that whereby we are iustified is of this nature For I demaund by what rule of righteousnesse is life and saluation conuaied vnto vs If they say by faith then I demaund what is that righteousnesse of faith is it the verie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then assuredly it excludes both the righteousnesse of Christ and that of the law and yet faith is said to establish both If it be the righteousnesse of Christ then I demaund is not that morall if morall then either perfect or imperfect if perfect then actiue and passiue That we apprehend Christs righteousnesse that is of grace but that Christ hath it for vs that is of the law The second Argument against this opinion may be this Christ did all as a nâ—ediator for those that haue need of a mediator That which Christ did as a Mediator was not onely for himselfe but for vs and for vs more principally then himselfe but all that Christ did were the actions of a Mediatour his humane nature had no subsistence but by the diuine and euery action beeing in supposito was of him as a Mediatour and therfore for vs and so both actiue and passiue obedience were for vs. But they will say his actiue obedience did fit him for our Mediatorship To this I answer if his actiue obedience be the obedience of a Mediator then in his whole latitude it was for vs and as soon as he was born he was fit to redeeme so neuer an action but it was for vs. If then these actions of fitting bee properly the actions of a Mediator then they tautologise speak no sense for so that fitting was nothing but redeeming for I am sure euery action of our Mediatour is to redeeme and to redeeme is to seeke those that were lost and so his actiue obedience was for those which were lost and if that then had we neede of all Christs obedience Argum. He fulfilled the ceremoniall law both actiuely and passâ—â—ely for others ergn the moral 3. Christ fulfilled all righteousnes morall ceremoniall The ceremoniall was not fulfilled by passiue obedience but also by actiue if the ceremoniall required both then much more the morall Deut. 4.1 Sam. 22. Hos 6.6 mercie more then sacrifice and knowledge more then burnt offerings and this in both was done for others he was circumcised for others for he was without sinne and therefore in Christ to signifie any pollution circumcision had no vse so was he baptized but it was not for the washing away of his owne filthines but ours The reasons why he must keepe the law for others are these 1. because perfect obedience depended on him for the performer 2. both the law morall and ceremoniall acknowledge him for Mediator for seeing it was impossible to be fulfilled of vs it was possible vnto him 3. because he did establish and fulfill both 4. he alone is the bond of both seeing then he performed actiue obedience to the Ceremoniall law and that not for himselfe but for vs. the like must be confessed of the morall especially the ceremoniall law beeing but an appendix and addition to the morall Argum. Against reason that death should cause life 4. Christs death could not bring life because no death can be the cause of life seeing they are contraries Fire cannot cause cold neither water heat blindnes cannot cause sight neither sight blindnes Christs death to take away death is good reason but to cause life is against all reason This is very agreeable with the Scriptures reason that as Christs death doth free vs from death so Christs life doth bring vs vnto life He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Dan. 9.24 the slaying of the Messias brings in the expiation of sinne and his liuing againe brings euerlasting righteousnesse Sinne brought in death therefore righteousnes must bring in life for if death should bring in life then life should be the reward of sinne for I am sure that the Scriptures affirme that death is the reward of sinne and the reward of sinne can neuer be the cause of life What hath a schoole-boy deserued when his master hath whipped him so what haue we deserued in Christ when we are onely punished in him Sinne and the reward of sinne haue no agreement with life Therefore it is true that the expiation of sinne is wrought by Christs passiue obedience and life by his actiue Argum. 5. All types whereof Christ is the truth Types prooue both actine and passiue obedience to bee found in Christ point at this assertion first in the couenant of grace there was the Arke and the Table Exod. 24.7 in the Arke was the booke of the law and so the booke of the lawe went with the couenant and was to be found in Christ for vs. Exod. 25.22 the Mercie-seat was betweene the two Cherubims and these were vpon the Arke of the Testament Mal. 3.1 therefore no seat of mercie without the Arke of the Testament The pascall lambe must be without spot eaten with sweete bread and sowre hearbs both must be in Christ therefore not onely the soure hearbs of his death and passion but the sweet bread of his righteousnesse Vrim and Thummim must be on the Priests breast when he carries the peoples iudgement before God and this must be had beside blood therefore righteousnes beside passion Ar. 6. From similitudes familiarly applied in the Scriptures whose end purpose are to prooue this First the wiues debt is made the husbands and we beeing married vnto Christ the debt that we owe God by our creation must be payed before he will admit of vs now that debt was Do and liue and this Christ hath done and so we shall liue Secondly Christ is the head of his Church and therefore must he giue vnto his members life motion and all things needfull Thirdly the suretie must pay and discharge the whole debt of him for whome he is bound all of vs are bankerupts and stand in neede to haue a great debt discharged for vs and likewise a new stocke purchased To conclude it is foolish to make such a distinction as this seeing all the actions of our Mediator are as wel actiue as passiue his life is not taken from him but he laies it downe willingly and euen from his conception his humanitie being assisted by his deity which could not suffer turned all Christs sufferings into actions I haue bin drawne to inlarge
him how much more horrible is it to curse the King of kings the God of Gods therefore euerie one must labour to know see and discerne this wretched thought in his heart which wee may doe by Gods grace not onely the damnable actions of our times but the inward thoughts of the spirit within vs. A second thought touching God is that the word of God is foolishnesse this must especially be vnderstood of the Gospel 1. Cor. 1.21 Paul calls it foolishnesse according to the opinion of the world not because it is so in it selfe but in the iudgment and imagination of the Grecian and 2.14 that a man should be saued iustified and sanctified by Christ is foolishnes to the naturall man this also in part is to be vnderstood of the lawe Deut. 29.19 Moses bids the people take heed least when they heare the curses c. where hee intimateth that this euill thought is in mens minds to thinke that the lawe is foolishnesse and therefore not to hearken vnto the curses thereof Now this is a dangerous thought as appeares by the fruit 1. Hence riseth that deuillish opinion that religion is but a policie to keepe men in awe from treasons and rebellions Secondly hence springeth all apostasie and all departing from the faith Gal. 1. the Galatians were a worthy Church of God planted by Paul yet there he saith that some of them were departed from the truth the reason is because they thought the word of God to be foolishnes Many in the East countries and in Asia where the Gospel was planted by the Apostles by this damnable thought fell first into the herefie of Arrius and many 600. yeares after Arrius departed to the religion of Mahomet In the West church in Europe and Italio the Gospel was planted by the Apostles yet afterward fell to Papistry and about 600. yeares after Arrius death Papisme ouerspread all Europe except in some little parts of Greece and so hath raigned till this day the reason is plaine in euery mans heart lieth this corruption to thinke the word of God foolishnesse and hereupon men by nature can embrace any religion but the truth And so in England let a man broach an herefie it shall not onely at the first but afterward haue strong and stout patrones When the family tooke shipping and came out of Germany into England though it were but a very brutish herefie yet it was much broached and had beene more had it not beene repressed by the preaching of the word and good order of godly Magistrates The cause why men are so readie to entertaine a schisme or heresie is because mans heart by nature is full of blindnes and error and thinkes the Gospel foolishnesse and madnes Examination of our hearts touching this thought beeing seriously performed we shall find it to raigne in high degree for we are all content to come to the assemblies where Gods name is worshipped and submit bur selues to be taught we are content to heare the preaching of the word and herein our personall sinnes displayed the terrible curses of the lawe denounced against them viz. iudgements in this life in death and at the day of iudgement and yet we tremble not at all this our hearts are not amased and affrighted at these thunderbolts of Gods curses due to our sinnes If a man in the streets crie fire our hearts will be astonished but when the fire of heauen kindled by the breath of the liuing God is cried against our sinnes we are not mooued and why surely our hearts are forestalled with a false imagination that the word of God is foolishnes therefore that his plagues and threatnings and curses are nothing Againe when we heare in the Gospel of the pardon of our sinnes by Christ and life euerlasting repentance the kingdome of God few learne this doctrine repent and enter into it because their mind is forestalled and wholly possessed with this false imagination Psa 126. the Israelites deliuerance was a dreame much more then is our spirituall deliuerance from Sathan and no maruell for the Gospel is as farre contrarie to mans reason as light to darknes for that Christ by bearing death and the curse of God for sin should thereby free men from death and the curse is quite contrarie to naturall reason Vse 2. If this be so that all men naturally imagine the word to be foolishnesse then must we followe Pauls rule 1. Cor. 3.18 If any man will be wise let him become a foole first we must renounce our owne naturall reason denie our selues our own iudgement put out the eies of our naturall vnderstanding and suffer our selues wholly to bee guided by the doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Secondly we must all pray with Dauid that God would open our eyes that we may see his wil and vnderstand the words of his law because our reason and imagination is flat contrarie to the Gospel From this second thought ariseth an other viz. that if the word be foolishnes then I will performe no obedience to the word of God That this is mans thought naturally I prooue it thus Iob 21.14 he brings in the sinner saying depart c. there is none so wicked to say so in word but it is their hearts imagination and affection and he that purposeth to walke after his owne wayes he it is that saith who is the Lord that wee should worship him It is a disgrace for me to bee the seruant of God I will not doe it therefore depart from me O God Ier. 6.16 they say so in the purpose of their hearts Luk. 19.14 which place as it is meant of the Iewes so of all other men in the world by nature that are impenitent sinners for so long as a man goes on without repentance hee carries a purpose in heart to liue in his sinnes and so saith in heart I will not beare the yoake of Christ I will be none of his subiects he shall not raigne ouer me Come to an adultreer drunkard c. tell him of his sinne he will straight swell like a toade and shewe the malice of his heart to him that reprooues him reason because he meaneth to liue in his sinnes c. Examination of our hearts touching this thought Most will say they defie and abhorre all such wicked thoughts of not seruing God but after examination had it will be found that it raignes in our hearts We can bee content to heare the word receiue the Sacraments which are the pledges of Gods sauour and mercie in Christ and wee are content to looke for saluation in Christ but what is the cause why after all this there is so little obedience so litle knowledge and conscience so little mercy and compassion so little iustice and loue in our callings surely this because our hearts are wicked deceitful full of guile and what is this guile I will not obey the waies of God Vse If this be the well wished thought of mens hearts then we
may see what a wonderful hard thing it is to conuert a sinner a man may be a long hearer of the word and by hearing his mind may be furnished with knowledge with a good conceit with verie good vtterance so that he may teach and publish the Gospel and conceiue prayer and that verie well and yet this damnable imagination may lurke in his heart therfore he may not onely hereby deceiue others but euen his owne soule for so long as this thought is in his soule hee is voide of true repentance for where true repentance is there is a resolution to please God in all things Third thought touching God It is a vaine thing to worship God Iob. 21.15 he speakes it not with the mouth but in the heart Matth. 3.14 Nay Dauid Psal 73.13 had this thought in his heart now I see I am deceiued In vaine haue I worshipped God but yet this thought comes not into mans heart at all times but vpon occasion as when the godly seeth the wicked flourish Examination This thought takes great place in our hearts for goe to the poore mans family he works and toyles all day to get riches but neuer worshippeth God or calls vpon his name why so because the heart saith so I may haue wealth it is no matter whether I serue God or no. Come to the rich mans house there is nothing but eating drinking sleeping gaming and the like why so because his heart saith all is wel so I may haue my pleasure it is enough for me it is no matter for Gods worship The ordinarie man saith he will do as his ancestors haue done he hath as good a faith as the best hee will not come to sermons for they that haunt sermons most are vsually the worst disposed persons and none so bad as they If a man professe Christ in sinceritie hee is a by-word and a mocke to men Nay almost all men betake themselues to will-worship not onely the Papist Iewe and Turke but the common Protestant he comes to Church and serues God by mumbling ouer the Creede the Lords praier and the tenne Commandements thereby thinking to serue God as well as the best the cause is because this imagination taking place in the heart hindereth all good things in vs. Fourth thought is the thought of distrust and it runnes much in the mind of man God doth not regard me God will not helpe me God will not be mercifull vnto me This made an entrance to the fall of our first parents for first Eue lookes vpon the fruit and sees it to be very beautifull 2. There enters into her heart a thought of distrust viz. It may be there is no such danger in eating this fruit as the Lord faith there is and it may be God doth not regard vs. When the Israclites murmured at the waters of strife Numb 20.12 Moses was barred the Land of Canaan for this distrust for when hee smote the rocke as God had commanded him he thought in his heart God will not giue water though I strike the rocke Dauid Psa 31.23 Psal 78.2 is full of spirituall confidence but in an other place saies I thought all men were lyers Samuel the Lords Prophet hath deceiued mee now I see that Samuel spake not by the spirit of God as aprophet but by his own sense lyingly when he said that I should come vnto the kingdome of Israel Thus Dauid did not openly distrust God but Samuel as if he had not knowne Gods will but had passed beyond the bonds of his calling Matth. 14. why did Peter sinke when Christ bad him come to him on the water because his minde was troubled with the thought of distrust it may be God will not helpe me now walking vpon the sea Christ reprooues this why didst thou doubt Touching this thought two points 1. the time when it was in mans thought 2. the danger of it For the first it takes place in the time of danger temptation aduersitie sickenesse and death it troubled Iob in his affliction Iob 16. when he said God hateth me hee is myne enemie hee makes me a but Psalm 77.9 It may be God will no more haue mercie vpon me In peace Sathan tempts by presumption The dangers hereof 1. horrors of conscience and all feares and astonishments of the heart which come when the minde distrusteth 2. Desperation whereby men confidently auouch that God hath forsaken them and that he hath cut them off and that nothing remaines but death this is often in the heart of repentant sinners 3. It weakens the foundation of our saluation which stands in the certentie of Gods promises and thus it doth by weakning faith for by faith we beleeue that God is our Sauiour and that Christ shed his blood for vs in particular now this thought is cleane contrarie to faith as fire to water and where distrust preuailes there shall be no faith hence appeareth the great danger We must take heede of it Remedie and vse all meanes in the daies of our peace that it raignes not in our hearts in the daies of trouble The meanes are three 1. the preaching of the Gospel this is the especiall meanes to applie Gods mercie truly to our soules and consciences therefore a soueraigne remedie against this thought for the speach of the minister is as though God himselfe spake by vertue of the very ordinance of God if God should say to me in his owne voice my mercie belongs to the beleeuer I would surely beleeue and not doubt now whē the minister saith beleeue in God his mercie belongs to thee it is by the power of this ordinance of God as if God himselfe had said it 2. Baptisme if a Prince shall giue a man a pardon and put his name and seale to it he will neuer doubt but assure himselfe of pardon now when a man is baptized God puts the parties name in the pardon and his owne seale to the pardon of his sinnes in Christ 3. The Lords Supper wherein the bread and wine are particular pledges of Gods particular mercie to euery particular receiuer and therefore it is that euery particular man receiues for himselfe in speciall II. Point Of euill thoughts touching our neighbour To finde out what these be we must haue recourse to the commandements especially to the second Table These beeing spirituall condemne not onely wicked actions words and affections but also the wicked thoughts of man against man And they are of two sorts in the second table First thoughts without consent Secondly with consent Without consent hath the first motions and inclinations in the mind forbidden in the tenth commādement Thoughts with consent are those wherein the wil consenteth with the first motions these as they are conceiued so are they practised and are forbidden in the 6.7.8.9 Commandements 1. Thought is of dishonour against the 5. commandement the 2. of murther against the 6. the 3. of Adulterie against the 7. the 4. of theft against
societie and fellowship with the deuill and his angels which stands in this that a man by nature beares the image of Sathan and performes homage vnto him in the practise of all sin 3. all manner of calamities in this life sickenes of body damages and losses in name in goods and in friends 4. the horror of a guiltie conscience which is euen a beginning of hell fire for first it is a mans accuser accusing him for his sinnes 2. his iudge in the roome of God giuing sentence against him in his life 3. the hangman because it condemneth eternanally 4. the second death which is an apprehension of the wrath of God eternally in bodie and soule 3. Of our particular temptations wherewith Sathan daily assaults vs 1. Pet. 5.8 If enemies should inuade the land we would consider what place of the land is weakest and lay all hold to that so Sathan labouring against vs daily wee must examine what is the weakest part of our hearts and by what sinne he is most able to make breach into them and then by Gods grace we shall vse some strength against them 4. Consideration of our particular ends Exod. 32.29 1. the time of our end that is most vncertaine 2. the place likewise vncertaine Ahab repented when hee heard of his ende so did Nineueh and so must we all 5. Consideration of our reckoning in the last iugement A trauel er comes to an inne hauing but one pennie in his purse yet he calls for the best meate and spends most sumptuously will not euery man iudge him to be void of all consideration Thus deale men in the world spend all that God hath giuen them neuer thinking of the day of reckoning yet Paul Acts 24. considering this kept a good conscience before God and man 6. Of our estate whether we be members of the kingdome of darknesse or of grace A man may liue in the Church and yet belong to Sathans kingdome 5. Rule We must labour in our hearts to be assured of our particular reconciliation to God in Christ this assurance or certificate of the spirit is commonly called faith Now when this particular assurance is setled in them it will purifie them for faith purifies the heart affections and thoughts for a man beeing thus assured will resolue neuer to offend God any more but to honour and obey him euen in his thoughts 3. Obserue from hence that mens best thoughts are grieuous sinnes against God 4. Vse All Readers or students in Diuinitie ought to humble themselues before God and pray that he would open their eyes and teach them the wonders of his law before they attempt to studie and read the Scriptures because the imaginatiōs of man by nature are wicked yea whatsoeuer his heart studieth frameth or inventeth Psal 119. Dauid at least tenne times prayes to God that he would reueale to him the statutes and wonders of his lawe This example ought to be a patterne and president to all students of diuinitie neuer to read or meditate in the Scriptures before they haue prayed to God to open the eies of their vnderstanding that they may rightly discerne of that which they reade Obs The doctrine is cleare and euident that an hypocrit or any wicked man cannot thinke a good thought for he looks through his owne corruption and therefore as he is disposed so must all be that comes to his vnderstanding will or affections Againe his practise is lewd therefore his thoughts must be answerable for he cannot do otherwise then he thinketh Thirdly the heart which is the fountaine is framing thoughts which are euill in their kind all in their extent onely continually and from his infancie Fourthly there is no confideration of Gods presence of Gods iudgements of his owne sinnes or the duties he oweth vnto God Fiftly when he thinks of God he is profane when of his neighbour vnrighteous when of himselfe proud hautie and insolent Let God be good vnto him in temporall fauours be silent at his sinnes vse compassion towards him offending gentlenesse in his iustice remembring mercie patience most gently suffering him in his sinnes and deferring the punishment longanimitie a long time exspecting his repentance and lastly bountifullnesse beeing rich in goodnesse and powring forth his good gifts vpon him yet for all these he hath not one good thought to bestowe vpon God Let his neighbours liue quietly by him offer him no wrong do him the best kindnesse he can aduise him by good counsel yet can he not so much as afford him a good thought lastly let his conscience checke him and cause some hote stirres within him yet he will checke his conscience againe and put it to silence with a wicked thought against himselfe and his owne soules saluation Where then is his free will of doing good if he cannot thinke a good thought to do himself good will he thinke you busie his braine and set his temples a working to please God no assuredly for iudgement will and affections which are the principles of our actions are wholly taken away Rom. 3. There is none that vnderstandeth therefore no iudgement in spirituall matters Secondly none that seeketh God their will affections are estranged Thirdly all haue declined and are made vnprofitable there the power and endeuour are wanting 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God there is want of iudgement Rom. 8.5 they that liue after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh there the will is meerely carnall Phil. 2. God worketh both will and deed Ezek. 36.26 God giues the heart Rom. 7.14 man is carnall the law spirituall how should that which is carnall affect that which is spirituall Ioh. 15.5 Without mee yee can doe nothing Againe the counsellers 1. domestical 2. externall internall domesticall 1. flesh Rom. 8.6 2. the concupisence of the flesh Rom. 6.12 3. carnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisedome of flesh is enmitie with God 4. the will of the flesh as a queene externall 1. deuill 2. world Ephes 2.2 Man therefore hauing no principles of good thoughts and that which is to be thought vpon beeing spirituall and he carnall and hauing sixe most woefull counsellers foure at home with him in his owne breast as the flesh which can no waies sauour the things of God and therefore doth alwaies intreat for obedience to his owne Iusts secondly concupiscence wherby the flesh is made more strong and effectuall to command thirdly a carnall discourse against Gods wisedom fourthly a Queene or rather an vsurping Iezable to set vp her throne in the soule to informe and command what shall be done and lastly two outward enemies that creepe neere vnto the walls of the soule as the deuill and the world full of polices and great in strength how should it be possible that the soule should resist nay alas the watch and ward is wholly neglected and therfore ful possession is giuen vnto the enemies This doctrine then doth fully ouerturne all
pure life and he that is not this puritan shal neuer see God and let them know that the seruants of God are of the blood royal to wit Christ Iesus and therefore haue Dauids heroicall spirit durst meet them on the field and shew as good courage for a good cause as the best of them But the seruants of the Lord his faithfull ministers haue told it to the Church that her faithfull friends haue beene abused by many a Churle vnto whom they haue stood as walls of defence and therefore their affections are vp in armes against them But the Church will find cakes bottles of wine sheepe readie dressed measures of corne clusters of raisins and abundance of figs to meet all that loue her to giue them kind intertainement Bid them not regard these Nabals for as their names are so are their natures Nabals they are and folly is with them and so shall they perish for the Lord will not suffer one of them to liue that pisseth against the wall But your soules shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord and the soules of these your enemies shall God cast out as out of the middle of asling Thus shall euerie faithfull soule praise God that hee is preserued by the Church and therefore when they shall see that the Lord hath dealt well with them they shall be mooued to remember the Church as Dauid remembred Abigail with the best bond of loue Secondly correction of the godly that learne not to thinke basely of the thoughts of wicked men they dishonour God by them and therefore into their secrets let our soules neuer enter Vse 2. Instruction First an admonition of the wicked to shewe them that they haue alwayes false reasons for their thoughts Indeed it is true that we can no sooner haue sinne in our heads but the deuill will find a reason for it but alas when we bring it to our question it makes vs presently make a fallacian against our soules Silence beats vpon the minds of these hypocrites but alas the image in the glasse shall not looke to him from whom it was reflected Moses face shines but he sees it not so these men haue Gods sunne to shine vpon them his raine to fall vpon them but they perceiue neither Thus they become like wine vessels that sends out all the wine againe but keepes in the dregs God doth much good vnto them but they neuer thinke rightly of it for as infants new borne are kept from fire and water laid to sleepe shifted in their scapes but they knowe not who doth all this for them so God brightnesse it selfe shuts in heauen and earth yet our eye cannot looke against it no more then the batâ—e or owle at the bright beames in the firmament and therfore no maruell if wicked men after all Gods silence looke amisse therefore as the fountaine and all the water that springs out of it haue the same qualities so the heart and the thoughts words and deeds are all of the same nature if one filthy all filthie and purge one and purge all Now the fountaine in a wicked man beeing corrupt no maruell that these thoughts issue out of it Eccles. 8.11 Because sentence against an euil worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill here is the verie selfe-same conclusion God defers therefore they are fully purposed to sinne against God Let them therefore be admonished to looke better to their thoughts for they are in a miserable estate that makes euerie thing turne vnto their hurt Secondly a direction to Gods children that they learne not to thinke their owne thoughts speake their owne words or doe their owne actions but onely that which shall be approoued by God and his word and then shall their praise not be of men but of God Vse 3. Consolation First in all good wayes when I can say I haue serued God with a good conscience for that shall be the miserie of the wicked when the Lord shall say who required these things at your hands Secondly in their trouble to say with Hezekias Remember Lord how I haue walked before thee this is better then all the riches in the world or the vanities wherein he hath placed all his thoughts this shall stand by him in this world to iustifie him because God speakes for him in the ende of this world to free him from hel death and damnation because he hath built vpon the rocke and hath in his thoughts highly valued the blood of Christ to purge him from all sinne when all the rest of the world shall be accursed for that they haue put their trust in the arme of flesh 2. Tim. 4.6 7. Pauls ground of comfort when he is readie to be offered is this I haue fought the good fight of faith finished my course I haue kept the faith therefore he expects a crowne of righteousnesse this is no phansie but a grounded perswasion from his practise Sect. 4. Of awicked mans conceit of God Like thee The fourth thing is in the forme and manner of their thoughts and that is by drawing a paterne of God out of themselues to limit him by their owne limits and measure him by their own measure First for qualitie and condition the only patrone and fauourer of their courses one that did esteeme and approue most highly of all their waies Where we may see that hypocrits as proud Pharisies thinke themselues not like other men and therefore needes must they be like God himselfe not knowing that a third may be giuen to wit that they are so like themselues that a man cannot paralell them with any other They haue looked into the fountaine of Gods silence and surely like Narcissus they are fallen in loue with their owne shadow or like children they are so delighted with their image that they must needs kisse the glasse and thinke no babie like to that which they haue seene of themselues and thus like apes are gotten so farre in loue with their owne brood that with ouermuch embracing of themselues they kill all they touch and thus while they wil set as Queenes and ladies bragging they shall neuer be widowes presently the Lord brings vpon them both pouertie and widow-hood because they themselues haue pressed euerie thing they were in loue of vnto death so that being wise in their owne conceit we may be assured that there is more hope of fooles then of them and that drunkards and vile persons shall sooner inherite the kingdome of heauen then any proud person of them all the Publicans and grosse sinners shall sooner go into heauen then these Scribes and Pharisies Secondly this must yet be strained higher euen to the verie being and essence of God God must be altogether as they are extraordinary neere fellowship It was one of the greatest prerogatiues that was euer giuen to Abraham to be called the freind of God but what shall these be called
of heauen and earth and in earth the God of gods and ouer men the onely Lord is become the reproouer of sinne and therefore a most fearefull hand shal fall vpon the wicked The finger vpon the wal made an vnpeaceable house in Belshazzars soule what a iolly fellow was he vntill this came into his eye the time of Gods silence hee regarded not neither to his father how God gaue him a kingdome maiestie honour and glorie at which all nations trembled and feared before him he smote and put to death whom he would set vp and put downe whom he would neither to himselfe misapplying what was done vnto his father both in iustice and mercie but abused Gods vessels with his Princes wiues concubines praised the gods of gold siluer of brasse yron wood and stone which neither see heare nor vnderstand but the God in whose hand his breath was and all his wayes him would he not glorifie therefore now see his Iudge and tell mee if the power of his iustice make him not afraid Hence it is plaine that wicked men scant God in his mercies as a niggard or pinching giuer when in their sinnes they are both large and bold and thinke Gods armes bound vp in a cloth yet let them knowe that this I will reprooue will prooue no small matter for the very weaknes of God is stronger then any thing in man 1. Cor. 1. In man wee count that weaknes which his little finger hardly can touch now Gods little finger will make all smart The Magicians of Egypt in the plague of lice confesse it was Gods finger because that brought mightie things to passe Iobs afflictions losse of goods cattell children the deuill makes it but the touch of Gods finger and yet this spent all Mans breath but a weake thing Isa 40.17 yet the breath of the Lord Psal 18.8 smoake went out of his nostrhills and a consuming fire out of his mouth coales were kindled thereat great is the power of his very nostrhills and mightie is the verie weakenes and infirmitie of his wrath if his weakenes be this what is his strength compared to a Gyant or Lyon to a Gyant of all men the greatest to a Lyon of all beasts the strongest If so mightie when he toucheth but with his finger how terrible if he strike with his arme but what will he be when he comes armed with his sword his bow bent if we be far off his arrowe shall reach vs if neere his sword shall strike vs. But alas what shall be done when he shall come with whole armies of creatures against vs fire haile thunder so if the sword finde vs not the thunder shall meet with vs if the haile make not an end the fire shall consume vs if the fire can not burne then his mallet shall bruise vs. Furthermore he hath his charets euen a thousand charets in the whirl-wind and his pillars of fire to terrifie vs yea his thousand and tenne thousand of Angels to make a spoile of all at his becke Therefore we shall be sooner wearie of suffering then he of afflicting of flying then he of following We are but potters vessels if he hit but one against another we breake yea if he lay his iron rod vpon vs we shal be beaten all to powder The lion when he roareth is terrible and Behemoth is strong what canst thou doe yet the lion commeth before this God Behemoth is taken by his sword Leuiathan can not stand before him therefore a most fearefull thing to fall into the hands of this God for he is a consuming fire and cannot touch or be touched without burning The wrath of a king is the messenger of death what is then the wrath of the king of kings if one man trespas against another there may a third be found to make vp the matter but if one sinne against God saith old Eli to his sonnes who shal plead for him Therfore do no more so ye sonnes of men tremble and sin not examine your owne hearts and be still serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all that trust in him Neither is this all Gods reproouing for this is but the paine of sense but they also shall haue a more fearefull plague the plague of plagues and the onely thing that shall make them miserable and that the learned haue called the punishment of the damned as though it were all and gaue the whole denomination and that is Gods fare-well vnto his creature Oh my creature I made thee in my owne image but thou hast found out many inuentions therefore must I thy life and length of dayes the fountaine of liuing waters he in whome thou liues mooues and hast thy beeing bid thee be gone I must neuer looke on thee more as I haue done thy louing wife shall say farewell my husband thy children friends and all thy pleasures in which thou hast song a long loath to depart yet must yee needes depart or if you goe together to hell yet shall it but augement thy sorrow to remember what sweet delight you once tooke together and how now there can be no comfortable fellowship but one stabbing another at the heart Thou againe shalt say farewell God farewell wise children and all my pleasures I must shake hands with you for euer Oh heart that I could giue the some deadly stabbe that thou mightest neuer stirre againe Oh would to God that I had neuer been you that passe by will you take no pity on me Oh God I was thy child and the deuill whippes mee and hell fire scorcheth mee yet if thou wouldest but looke vpon me how would that refresh mee Well that I lie not see both these put together for I assure you that hell fire is no painted fire for the want of Gods presence shall be no dreame or idle obliuion of the departure of a kind friend but the verie sting of conscience and the worme that shall neuer leaue gnawing See both punishment of sense and the damned 2. Thess 1.9 Which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power And that the Lord will doe all this it is plaine Eccles 12. last Reu. 20.12 Daniel saw the antient of dayes vpon his throne he hath been dealing with men in particular from the beginning of the world he reprooued our first parents the olde world Sodome and Gomorrha Pharaoh Saul Iudas and he will haue a generall conclusion of this whole tragedie And therefore the point is cleare that God will reprooue Reas 1. From his iustice that cannot goe vnsatisfied for the Lord hath spoken and will bee prooued true and righteous in all his wayes 2 The glorie he must constraine out of wicked men for wicked men would neuer glorifie God except it were because God will reprooue them Reas 3. The iniurie they
not goe vnreprooued Secondly because it opposeth the light and therefore cannot long stand in opposition by clouding of the light but the light will breake out The clouds in the aire can not alwaies shade the sunne from the eyes of the world nor the darknesse of the night alwaies shut vp the morning brightnes so shall not sinne alwaies fill the world with his mysts and clouds and alwaies shut vp the day of the Lords appearance to iudgment but the Lord will breake the heauens and make the glorie of his Sonne appeare at which heauen and earth shall flee away and then shall the thoughts of all hearts be made manifest Thirdly because God must be glorified for except the Lord do it himselfe he shal neuer haue any glorie in the sinnes of the wicked for they dishonor him as much as possibly they can Isa 59 4. No man calleth for iustice no man contendeth for truth v. 14. Iudgement goes backward iustice stands farre off truth is fallen in the streete and equitie can not enter The Lord seeth it it displeaseth him and he wonders that no man will offer himselfe for his defence therefore his arme did saue it and his righteousnes it selfe did sustaine it he put on righteousnes as an habergeon and an helmet of saluation vpon his head and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeale as with a cloake Then shall sinne surely haue his reproofe and a recompence shall be giuen for euill doing he will fully repay the Islands of the world 1. Vse reprehension first confutation of the wicked that make so much of their sinnes that are not ashamed to boast of them Well let them goe too these are the very things that the Lord will reprooue to their shame and confusion Secondly correction to the godly that are so meale-mouthed at sinne that haue not a word to say for the Lord of hosts We are too often in the extreames when God is silent we would be speaking and when the Lord is speaking we would be silent especially Ministers that dare not speake when the Lord hath bidden them speake boldly and not feare the faces of the proudest 2. Vse instruction First an admonition to the wicked to beware of sinning know they not that euery time they sinne they hold vp their hands to heauen to pray vnto God for vengeance Secondly a direction to Gods children to mitigate the bitternes of their sinnes Exod. 15. for sinnes may be compared to the waters of Marah and Gods reproofe to the bitternesse of those waters and Israels murmuring may set forth the discontednesse of the soule in tasting of those waters the crie of the people what shall we drinke to set forth the thirstie desire of the soule to be satisfied with some sweet water Moses cry vnto the Lord sets forth the grace of prayer vnto God for some sweet comfort in the bitter conflicts with sinne Lastly the Lord shewing Moses a tree to cast into the waters which doth make them sweet and so giueth them a pleasant rellish vnto the soule may set forth the action of God the father giuing of Christ the tree of life to euerie distressed soule which beeing receiued by faith into his soule will make riuers of water flow out of him to eternall life and keepe him from euer languishing againe vnder the burden of his sinne therefore let this be our direction in all Gods reproofes for sinne to sweeten them in Christ and so beare them patiently 3. Vse Consolation to all that are in Christ for God hath alreadie reprooued their sinnes in his sonne and therefore shal they be free from his wrath Suppose that a malefactor were condemned to die and the day of his execution were at hand how would this affect him in his soule how would he labour to escape it trie all his friends his goods wife children kinsfolkes the dearest of his acquaintance his wealth can serue him no better but to prouide for him while he liueth see him honourably buried when he is dead his wife and children and the rest tell him they will weepe for him all these are but cold comforts to the man that must die But if one should step out and say my life for yours if that will free you hee offers himselfe to the king the king accepts of him deliuers the pardon brings it to the malefactor now he is at ease and hardly can a man imagine the greatnesse of his ioy surely if that bee true that a man may die laughing hee might as soone loose his life in this passion of ioy as he might haue done in the passion of his sorrow Euen the selfe same cause is paralelled in a man on his death-bed I am reprooued of the Lord and adiudged to eternall death for my sinnes alas how shall I escape my goods are nothing vnto thee O Lord thou wilt not take them for the redemption of my soule my wife and children and good friends standing about my bed cut me at the very heart no worldly comfort can refresh my soule Oh my God take thy Christ for the redemption of my soule he is able to stand betwixt thy wrath and my sinne in him lift vpon me the light of thy countenance for therein stands my exceeding ioy farre aboue the increase of oyle corne wine or any worldly thing Obser 2. Hypocrites shall not goe vndiscouered it shal be knowne what they are they shall see what a sandie foundation they haue laid and how all their hopes are no better then the spiders web Isa 29.13 because this people come neere vnto me with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but haue remooued their hearts farre from mee and their feare toward mee was taught by the precept of men therefore to discouer them I will doe a marueilous thing the wisedome of the wisest of them shall perish and the vnderstanding of the most prudent shall be hid Woe shall be vnto their deepes and their workes of darkenesse and they shal meete with him that seeth them and knoweth them their deuises cause them most foolishly to stand vp with the pot against his maker and with the thing formed against him that fashioned him to say thou hast no vnderstanding Well your Lebanon shall become Carmel and your Carmel a forest the best you haue shall become worse and that which is next shal become a barren wildernesse yet Iacob shall not be confounded neither shall his face be pale for he shall see his children because the worke of mine hands is in the middst of him they shall still sanctifie my name euen the holy one of Israel and shal feare him then they that erred in spirit shall haue vnderstanding they that murmured shal learn this doctrine euen the hypocrits themselues whose spirit made them erre shall know that all their profession was nothing and they that murmured often against God for not respecting them as they deserued shall learne this doctrine that
men neither are they plagued with them but pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment What then can be answered for God surely still the consequence is not good bruit beasts may goe to the slaughterhouse without all baiting and it were questionlesse the part of a mad man to disturbe them that goe as heart would wish neither would the deuill for a thousand worlds that these men should once be disquieted to turn back againe and therefore yet you sticke in the question What then will you answer to an argument drawne from their life their eyes stand out with fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they haue their tongues at libertie power to oppresse boast of it and yet presume thēy shall not be controlled for they dare speake against heauen and suffer their tongues to walke thorough the earth therefore God neither doth neither can he do any good to Israel Let Moses come to Pharaoh with let my people goe he shall be answered not as the deuills answered the Exorcists Act. 19.15 Iesus we acknowledge and Paul we knowe but who are yee It had been well if he had but said Aaron and Moses God I acknowledge and his p eople I know but who are yee that are so impudent with your king this is not his voice but who is God and Exod. 10.10 Let the Lord so bee with you as I will let you goe and your children behold for euill is before your face Here is blasphemie and execration of Gods people he imagines euill against them the Lord shall not preuent it and he desires that the Lord had no better affection to them then he was minded to let them goe What shall be answered to this proud argument that brings all into it they haue the controlment of heauen and earth and therefore how shall the Lord be good to Israel Well O flesh yet is God good to Israel this is but a small matter for neither heauen nor earth are in their hands it is an easie matter to turne their owne swords into their owne bowels for they haue fedde indeede but it is become a surfet and therefore if presently they be not like oxen knocked in the head they will pine away and neither God nor man shall haue profit by them they haue been licentious but soone may they be cooled they haue spoken wickedly of their oppression but a small matter will grauell them and bring them vnto an non plus they haue presumed but soone may they despaire they haue set their mouths against heauen but suddenly while they are about their mischiefe there may shine a most fearefull light yea lightning and thunder from heauen strike them to the ground make euerie ioynt breake a sunder the whole bodie tremble and the heart astonied neither shall they heare any voice from heauen Send for Ananias to put his hands vpon them that they may recouer their sight and haue their hearts comforted yet shall they heare a voyce from heauen Why haue you persecuted me it is hard for you to kicke against my prickes I will make your consciences pricke you to the death the sting shall neuer out of it there shall not be a Moses nor an Aaron to pray for you though you confesse with Pharaoh we haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Surely the spirit of God is strong my owne testimonie is answered the death and life of the wicked cannot euince the cause therefore I bring a third sort of reasons euen from the godly themselues v. 10. his people turne hither for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them Hence euen they say how doth God knowe it or is there knowledge in the most high wee dare boldly say the wicked prosper and increase in riches we haue clensed our hearts in vaine and washed our hands in innocencie to no purpose for daily haue we beene punished and chastened euery morning What may be said to this argument surely the testimonie of my brethren doth presse mee sore that they should bee so discouraged yet I hope when they shall haue considered my arguments propounded for the defence of their cause they shall recant their errour and say If I iudge thus behold the generation of thy children are vp against mee I haue therfore trespassed the reason was because I thought to finde out the discourse by my naturall reason but I confesse it was too painefull for mee therefore O Spirit the comforter of thy Church let me heare the arguments that will beare waight in the ballance of Gods sanctuarie First therefore I will begin with an artificiall argument which all men may gather out of the workes of God euen of his iustice They are set in slipperie places they stand but vpon the yee and therefore God may soone cast them into desolation which all the world may see to be done for how suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed all is but a dreame of their prosperitie but when I am awaked to see it and they to feele it then shall I consider my heauenly felicitie contemne all their vaine pompe and know assuredly that God makes all their image to be despised therefore I ingeniously confesse that the vexing of my heart and the pricking in my reines was because I was too foolish euen as a beast before God yet was I happie in all this for by faith I was alwaies with God and that my faith might not fall he hath holden me by his right hand Secondly for my selfe I haue taken this arguemnt that God will guide mee by his counsell and afterward receiue me to his glorie Thirdly I dare appeale vnto mine owne soule from both these arguments vnto a third whom haue I in heauen but God and I haue desired none in earth before him Fourthly I drawe an arguments from mine owne weakenesse and the daily experience I haue had of Gods goodnesse my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer Therefore now I come to the determination of the question and thus I determine it for the wicked Loe they that withdrawe themselues from God shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee and for my selfe I haue found that the deepest disputations doe alwaies bring forth the best conclusions and safest determinations therefore thus I resolue That as for me it is good for mee to drawe neere to God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all his works See but one place more Psal 77. When I entred the consideration of the dayes of olde and the yeares of auncient time called to remembrance my song of thankesginug in the night which vsually I sung in my prosperitie and now thinking vpon God am troubled and when I pray my spirit is full of auguish Thou keepest myne eies awaking all the long night it is time therefore to commune