allurement to sinne The costlinesse of the apparel sheweth the pride of the minde Job in 29. 14. saith I put on Justice and it covered me my judgment was as a robe and a Crown Justice and Judgment did cover and adorn Job Esay prophecieth in chap. 61. 10. that Christ shall cloath the faithfull with the garment of salvation he shall cover them with the robe of righteousnesse he shall deck them like a bridegroom or a bride with her jewels Adam was created after the image of God that is in righteousnesse and true holinesse as it is in Ephes. 4. 24. in a word the spouse of the Lamb Christ Jesus whose wife is the Church she shall at the latter day be arrayed with pure fine linnen and shining and the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints Revel 19. 8. The apparel that covered Adam was his innocencie and the robe of righteousnesse melior est vestis Innocentia quà m Purpura Innocencie is better apparel than purple or scarlet say the Fathers out of the first of Proverbs 31. 22. where Salomon speaking of the wise woman saith that her family are cloathed in scarlet and purple is her garment that is the outward vesture But in verse 25. he saith strength and honour is her cloathing that is say they the inward decking of the soul it is not the outward apparel that God regardeth but as Peter saith in his first Epistle chap. 3. 4. If the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt with a meek and quiet spirit before God it is a thing much set by Purple and scarlet are the chief colours and most esteemed of by men yet yet they are the colours of shame and confusion Man in his Innocencie was in honor innocencie and righteousnesse were then his cloathing but when Man obeyed Sathan and disobeyed God he put on the Divels livery which was sinne and shame according to that in Psalme 132. 18. God saith He will cloath his enemies with shame Homo spoliatus honore indutus pudore after mans fall he was spoyled of his honor and wrapped in a few clouts to cover his shame this was his change from honor to misery We must now labour by all means to recover this first innocencie and seeing that we are become wretched and miserable poor and naked we must follow the counsell of the Angel in Revel 3. 18. We must buy of Christ the white rayment that we may be cloathed and that our filthie nakednesse should not appear We must put off the old man with his works Coloss. 3. 9. And we must put on the new man which is Christ who is renued in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Jacob the younger sonne must put on the cloaths of his elder brother Esau chap. 27. 15. And we must put on say the Fathers upon that place the apparel of righteousnesse of our elder brother Christ eldest sonne to God the faithfull are called the Children of Abraham Galath 3. 7. But we by the faith we have in Christ Jesus hope to become the Children of God and heirs of everlasting life as in the Gospel it is said that his wounds doe heal us so may it as well be said that his nakednesse must cover our nakednesse by his passion he washeth away our sinnes he dyed us with his purple blood he dyed an Innocent that we by his death might be unblamable his apparel is red and his garments like him that treadeth the Wine-presse it was he alone that trod the Wine-presse and all his rayment shall be stained Esay 63. 3. It was the purple of his blood that dyed us again in original righteousnesse the souldiers when they had crucified him took off his garments so that he hung naked upon the crosse John 19. 23. You see by the 12. to the Hebrews 2. that he endured the crosse and despised the shame to deliver us from shame and eternall punishment So that we must repose our selves in him and not be ashamed of him for who so shall be ashamed of Christ Christ shall be ashamed of him when he shall come in his glorie Luke 9. 26. But all our glory and rejoycing must be in the dear and only begotten sonne of God in whom we have redemption through his blood that is the forgivenesse of sinnes who is the image of the invisible God the first born of every Creature by whom and for whom all things were created 1 Coloss. 14 15. We must put off the old man and put on the new and if we be apparelled with Christs righteousnesse we shall not be ashamed We must not cloath our selves with our own works and our own righteousnesse which is corruption and shame but we must cloath our nakednesse with the nakednesse of Christ the immaculate Lamb. In a word his wounds must heal us his nakednesse must be our cloathing his shame must be our glorie his death must be the means to attain our life Then we shall hunger no more nor thirst no more we shall be impassible of cold and of heat and the Lamb which is in the middest of the faithfull shall govern them and lead them unto the lively fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes Revel 7. 17. And if we be washed with his blood we shall be whiter than the snow then shall we be cloathed with innocencie by him our corrupt bodies shall put on incorruption and after the mortality of this our body we shall be cloathed with immortality of body and soul 2 Cor. 5. 4 c. This is it that I thought good to speak for the opening of this verse AMEN LECTURES PREACHED UPON the third Chapter OF GENESIS LECTURES Preached in Saint PAULS Church LONDON Serpens autem erat astutus astutior quâvis bestiâ agri quam fecerat Jehova Deus Gen. 3. 1. Novemb. 〈◊〉 1591. HITHER TO hath been shewed at large the happiness and perfection of Adams estate while he continued upright in Paradise Now lest any of us comparing our estate with Adams and finding so great an alteration and difference between him and us because he was holy we corrupt with sinne he was happy and blessed having all things wanting nothing which might increase his happiness we miserable subject to all calamities and distresses which may encrease our miserie he without shame or sorrow we confounded with them both Therefore lest we should enquire how this Change and Alteration came to our natures the Prophet in this Chapter will shew it us that we may be out of doubt As therefore we have had hitherto the building beautifying and perfecting the Frame of all the world and of all the works of God So now we shall see the ruine and lamentable overthrow of all which Saran by sinne brought unto all For whatsoever God hath done in the great world in generall as it is set down in the first Chapter or whatsoever we have seen excellent and glorious in the little world which
good we must not call light darkness nor good evill Esay 5. 16. Secondly In regard of the light of grace we see as Job saith that there are some which are Lucifugae which fly and hate the light such Creatures are unclean Levit. 11. 19. 30. as Batts and Owles among birds Moules and Rats among Beasts they are odious to all men so among places Dungeons and darksome Roomes are odious also And as this is so in things natural so in things spiritual lucifugae actiones are of the like evill nature and odious to God and good men because both such men and their doings have an opposition to light and the author of light They come from darkness of the minde that is ignorance and unbelief and they are begotten by the Prince of darkness the Divell Ephes. 6. 12. and in the end they goe to utter darkness and therefore they are called the works of darkness Rom. 13. 12. And so no marveil though they love darkness and hate light if any cannot abide the light of Gods word to be reproved by it as Herctiques and Hypocrites such dig deep pits to hide their Counsells Esay 29 15. because they see the light is to them evill and as the shadow of death Job 24. 17. The emptiness of good things and the bottomlesnesse of ill things and the deformity of both proceedeth and commeth from darknesse and was inclosed in it as we have seen in it And so spiritually is all found in the ignorance of the truth Ephes. 4. 18 19. either the blindness of mens mindes which is natural or else that which is wilfull when men doe wittingly winke and will not see the light Wherefore we see God made light first before any other good And so our selves must receive spiritual light of knowledge before he will give us any better grace The third sort of men are catchers and fault finders with Gods Creatures such which think to know how Gods works which now are good might have been farre better as if God might have done well to have craved their counsell and help but Gods works both in particular and general are so good and perfect that they could not be mended Wherefore if the light seem ill for us we must confesse and acknowledge that the fault is not in Gods work but in the illnesse and infirmity of our eyes and understanding If the Word seem evil to us know that it seemeth so to us because we and our works are evil and therefore cannot abide the light John 3. 20. Wherefore to conclude that which God hath called and sealed up to be good let no man presume to call and count to be evill Act. 10. 15. For a work belongeth to such which call that is good evill and evill things good and darknesse light Esay 5. 20. But if we love the light of nature and praise God for it Psalm 148. 5 6. And if we love the spirituall light of grace in his word and glorifie and praise God for it 1 Pet. 2. 9. that hath called us out of darknesse into his marveilous light then God will at last reward us with his light of glory and bring us to that inaccessible light wherein he dwelleth which is the father of lights unto which no man can attain unlesse Christ the light of the World bring him and therefore let us pray that the father for his sonnes sake will make a way for us by his spirit of light to which three persons in unity be all praise and glory for ever Amen Et distinctionem fecit Deus inter hanc lucem tenebras Gen 1. 4. verse THere was in the first verse nothing before God made something of nothing after which at the first we saw it to be a 〈◊〉 dark heap without any good form or ability to receive any better But after followed the impregnation and indowment which God gave by which the things first created had a faculty and power given to receive this form which now they have Fourthly ensued the essence and being of all creatures they were prepared by the Spirit and perfected by the word of God where we considered first the essence and being of light and then the nature of it And lastly of all the goodnesse of the light both in regard of the presence of God who in his counsell thought it to be good and also after the creation by his approbation allowed the use and continuance of it unto us Now followeth the distinction and dividing which giveth yet a degree of perfection to the former light more than it had before for at the first he gave light such a being which should prodire in actum and not every being but a speciall good being which is a degree further of order and distinction against disorder and confusion to be in all respects laudible and that not every good being but that which is more an ordered and distinguished and comely good being which work of all other is the perfection of Creation as we shall see in the rest for things though they be never so good in them selves as St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 14. 7. of another thing in the like case yet they cannot be discerned of men to be so neither are they meet for any good use of men unlesse they have a certain distinction and order Order Therefore order is as some say very goodnesse of goodnesse it self for there are many good things which doe cease from being good to us yea become hurtfull being without the rank order and degree either of their set and distinct place or time As fire though it be good in the Chimney yet it is not good nay it is very evill in the top of the house Fire is very good in the Winter to warm us but in the Summer it is not so good but shunned of men So the light not being tempered and proportioned orderly but being any degree too-bright it hurteth and blindeth our eyes that we cannot see Act. 22.6 11. Excellens objectum corrumpit sensum So the fire being in any degree too fierce and too hot in the Chimney and Winter that is not moderated and ordered in a good degree it doth us no good Wherefore we see that a set and a distinct order must be observed in good things both touching the place time and degree And that the contrarie inordination deordination or want of order in these things which is called Babell hereafter that is a confusion maketh things to cease from being good to us which in their own nature are very good It was necessary therefore that God should proceed to this work of distinction as he in wisdome doth This then is as if Moses had said the light was good for else extingueret non distingueret Deus si non esset bonum he would not else have distinguished it but dashed it in peeces and destroyed it again Therefore because it was good he separated it and set it apart from darknesse by it self
sustained and held up by the same power Heb. 1. 3. So that it is q.d. I must give a caveat to you because you set your eyes too much on nature and art attributing things now to the influence of the heaven or the industry of things on earth that it is none of these means but only God that still 〈◊〉 rule and maintain all for under these two rain above and man below is comprehended all other ordinary means we are wont to ascribe all things to Sol homo Therefore Moses to prevent that evill that we tie not these things either to nature or art but that we may ever in all things look up to God which is before them above them and can doe all things without them and will rule all things after them therefore he doth teach us this point he telleth us that howsoever things doe concurre and meet together in humane matters here below yet we must defie these ordinary means and evermore glorifie God who is able either without rain or the help of man to make the earth fruitfull Now this which Moses speaketh of rain and man holdeth in all other things as in Fish Fowl and Cattell But because it were too tedious to reckon up all the particulars therefore he maketh choice of the earth and the fruits thereof which doth most need the help of man and benefit of rain for other things being put together will alone bring forth and multiply by kinds without mans help But the fruits of the earth are most laborious for before the earth can bring forth it requireth our help both to till and plant it and the influence also of the heavens doe most appear in these things insomuch as the fruits of the earth may seem to reason to be the effect of mans labor and the dew of heaven But Moses by telling us that it is not so in this teacheth us how we may have a right judgment in all the rest for it holdeth in all as in this touching earthly fruits he setteth down two kinds Virgultum agri herbas horti The first comprehendeth all that hath wood in them the other all which have sinowy substance as every green tender herb hath Touching which he reasoneth thus seeing these which need most the labor of man and seasonable rain were brought forth by Gods power before either rain or man ever was Then God is much more able to doe any otherthing without the help of man or any thing else The fruits of the earth doe need two things 1. First a power of being Secondly a power of growing 2. Remove rain and the labor of the husbandman and we cannot see how either they should live or grow yet saith Moses God without either plough or showers did cause all things to grow out of the earth and to bring seed grain and fruit For the meaning of this verse we must mark these three propositions 1. First that the originall fountain of things naturall as now they stand is from God and his blessing not of ordinary means for rain mens art industry though they be naturall yet have they a blessing and virtue from God by which they are available But to speak more specially of rain 38. 28. Asketh Quis est pater pluviae The answer is God for he granted out a writ decree or mandate for rain Job 28. 26. He giveth us rain and seasonable times Act. 17. 26. And as it is his royall power and authority to command it so is it to countermand it and to give an inhibition to restrain it Esay 5. 6. And lest any should make exception against him he saith Amos 4. 6. It is I which doe cause it to rain upon one City and not another It is not Plannets nor nature nor fortune but God himself Judg. 6. 37. We see both set down his giving out a commandement for the ground to be wet and restraint for the flesh contra seeing then it is in his only power to give or restrain therefore there is a prayer made a prayer nominatim for rain 1 Kings 8. 35. 36. And there is a speciall thanksgiving for this benefit Psal. 68. 9. And this is the reason saith St Augustine why God made not the rain as a sweat to evaporate out of the ground and so to moysten the clods but would have it rather to ascend upwards into his place that we might lift up our eyes to know and acknowledge that it cometh only from him 2. The second royall prerogative of God is that though we have never so much rain or men to help yet all is nothing worth and cannot avail without Gods blessing doth accompany it which is shewed 1 Cor. 3. 7. Paul may plant and Apollo may water there is the husbandry and rain but both the tiller and waterer is nothing unlesse God giveth the encrease therefore we must see and behold God in them all for if when God sendeth rain he give not his blessing with it and make it pluviam benedictionis Psal. 80. 19. Or if he send in tempestivam pluviam unseasonable rain nor the first nor the later rain Ezekiell 34. 26. Or if he send it not in plenty Esdras 10. 9. For they had rain yet they wept for want or if he sendeth too much what good will it doe the earth 3. The third prerogative of God is that God without rain can make things fruitfull but the rain cannot doe so without God It is not these means of tillage or rain that can doe it Deut. 8. 3. But God without them can doe it 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is all one with God with a few for quantity yea with no means to doe things a little oyle and meal shall streach it self out and encrease untill rain come So Christ in want can make five loaeves and two fishes to feed five thousand and so for the quality the worst and most unnourishing meat which they durst not give Daniel 1. 〈◊〉 for fear lest they should not look faire by Gods blessing made them look with better countenance than the rest which fared more deliciously Wherefore saith Daniel Try us for we know that God can doe it without means or with base means 2 Kings 4. 40. the Prophet by Gods word without 〈◊〉 quality yea to shew Gods power could make poysonfull meat which is contrary to nourishment to nourish he made Coloquintida to nourish them which of it self would excoriate the intralls and scowre them to death 4. The fourth and last prerogative is not only to doe all this but to make that which is by nature clean opposite and contrarie to a thing that it shall be a means effectually to work his effect as the putting in salt into salt water can make the water fresh which is contrarie to nature for it maketh fresh water salt 2 Kings 2. 20. So Christ by putting clay upon a blinde mans eyes caused him to see which was enough to make him blinde
understood Object But it may seem hard and unjust that seeing only the Body did take and eat of the forbidden fruit that the Soul also should be condemned to this death as well as the Body Resp. But to satisfie this doubt the Fathers say That as well the Soul as the Body was in the transgression alike guilty and therefore in Justice should be alike punished and this they make plain by this familiar parable and comparison Be it say they that a blinde man and a criple or lame man should be in an Orchard and this one charge should be given alike to both that upon pain of death they should not take and eat of this one tree The blinde man of himself could not steal of the fruit because he could not finde where the tree was the lame man for his part could not alone take of the fruit because though he saw yet he was not able to goe to it So when neither of them without other could be guilty they conspired both together and agreed that the blinde man should carry the lame man to the tree and so to take their pleasures and fulfill their desires by which means they both became guilty of death Such a thing say they in resemblance was between the body and the Soul the Soul had a desire and appetite being forbidden but could not perform the Action wherefore the inward affection within moved and conspired with the outward action of the body and so perfected the sinne joyntly and therefore together are worthy of this death Object Notwithstanding this It seemeth to some that here is meant only the second death spirituall to be the punishment and not the corporall and temporall their reason is because God saith In what day thou shalt 〈◊〉 of it thou shalt dye therefore seeing present death and 〈◊〉 insued not the sinne but some lived nine hundred yeers after therefore they are induced to think that God here intended especially the second death of the Soul Resp. But to refell this opinion we see Gen. 3. 19. that in the same day they sinned the sentence of the bodily death was denounced irrevocablo 〈…〉 in pulverem reverter is which also is shewed by debarring him from the tree of bodily 〈◊〉 And that it is plainly meant of the corporal death also St. Paul sheweth it Rom. 5. 15. For only this death came to all Gen. 7. 21. 1 Gar. 15. 21. It is the death from which we rise again wherefore we make no 〈◊〉 but that this is meant of the bodily death and as of that so we say of the death of the Soul we all being 〈◊〉 transgressores in Soul are said 〈◊〉 in soul to be dead and to have this sentence given out against us Our Saviour Christ saith Matth. 8. 22. Sinite mortuos sepelire mortuos that is let the dead in soul bury the dead in body Also our 〈◊〉 is set out in the lost 〈◊〉 Luke 15. 31. He was dead but is alive again that is spiritually dead in sinne and alive by repentance And St. Paul more plainly saith 1 Tim. 5. 6. They being alive are notwithstanding dead By death here is understood the death of miseries Rev. 9. 6. that is the calamities and 〈◊〉 of this world which sinne will bring upon us which are 〈◊〉 more grievous and bitter than death it self for it is said that men being alive in those 〈…〉 wish and desire death as being lesse horrible than it On the contrary side to the Godly there are provided such joyes which are better than life it self Psal. 63. 5 6. for Gods loving favour and the light of his countenance is better than the 〈…〉 in this life in which regard the 〈◊〉 esteem 〈◊〉 of life but wish to be out of this life that they may enjoy that The Jews by 〈◊〉 of this 〈◊〉 eating 〈…〉 eat and 〈…〉 doe gather this By the first that he might eat both for necessary use and also for delight and pleasure And so by the second which containeth the punishment they make this 〈◊〉 〈…〉 dye that is 〈…〉 Heb. 2. 9. For the first and bodily death is but a sipping and tasting or death but when he saith thou 〈…〉 the death that is say they thou 〈◊〉 suck and 〈◊〉 up the very dreggs of death both which are comprehended in these two words Rev. 20. 14. Mors 〈◊〉 Death and Hell Object Hereout then 〈◊〉 another 〈◊〉 that is Whether God in 〈◊〉 threatning intended the pains of Hell fire There have been 〈◊〉 men that have 〈◊〉 that Moses in all his books spake not either of Heaven or 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 or of death Resp. but they were 〈…〉 〈◊〉 32. 21. 〈…〉 conceive that the 〈…〉 Statute and Law 〈…〉 priviledge of faith in Christ is reversed and taken away 4. Point Now we are come to the fourth point which is the time for this hath bred a scruple and been a bone for some to gnaw upon for seeing Adam is said to live so many hundred years after his fall Gen. 5. 5. which is answered diversly of sundry men Some say out of Peter 2 Epist. 3. 8. that with God 〈◊〉 dies est 〈◊〉 mille 〈◊〉 and therefore seeing Adam reached not to a full thousand years old he may truly be counted with the Lord and in respect of his reckoning to dye in the same first day The ancient Writers doe say that by assigning the time quo die is only an extent of the Law and is not extended to the punishment when it should take place So that they say it is q.d. Thou shalt ever and at all times oboy and no day break it As the like is Luke 21. Cavete ne qua die c. as if God allowed no day or hour in which the contrarie should be done Et semper ad semper faciendum est so the negative bindeth for ever But touching this matter the Judgment of Augustine and Theodoret I like best who say That not the act and execution of Death was presently to be inflicted the same day in which he should sinne but the sentence of death should that day be denounced as we see it was Gen. 3. non actum moriendi sed debitum mortis for then death was made a debt and became such an inevitable sentence which should not be revoked They received the sentence before the execution of Gods Judgments So did St. Paul 2 Cor. 1. 9. We received the 〈◊〉 of death in our selves because we should not trust in our selves but in God c. And in the Law he is accounted a dead man which hath his judgement and hath received the sentence of death And after this sort Adam and all his Posterity were dead in the same day 〈…〉 erat in dominium mortis saith St. Paul Rom. 6. 9. that is God delivered him being guilty and condemned for sinne unto the Sheriff of death to be kept and reserved unto the execution day which is
is but short as the Fathers say it endureth no longer than while a man may be eating an apple the continuance of all pleasure is momentarie the pleasure remained but while the fruit was a eating The punishment of disobedience But for this transitorie and vain pleasure she incurred endlesse pain of body and of soul for as the Fathers say well the eare that would not hear the words of love ne comedite eat not of it shall once hear this speech of Gods wrath discedite maledicti depart you accursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his followers The eyes that beheld with joy and delight the pleasure of the forbidden fruit those eyes shall be weeping and wailing for their amisse all whose tears shall not avail them The feet that did run unto iniquitie shall be bound in iron and heavie chains the hand of Gods wrath shall be stretched out against that hand that presumed to stretch forth it self to take of the fruit that was forbidden as it is in Esay 9. 12. And the mouth that did eat of the forbidden fruit thinking thereby to attain all pleasure shall be full of gnashing of teeth according to that In Hell there shall be weeping and wailing stridor dentium In a word the wormes in the grave shall devour and eat her body that did eate of the fruit which the was forbidden and the Dragon shall devour her soul both her body and soul shall be in endlesse pain still dying never dead for the reward of sinne is death God hath said they should not eat yet she did eat and by eating fell into many sinnes simplex est Dei verbum but multiplex comedendi peccatum Twelve sorts of sinne The ancient Divines upon this place say that there are twelve sorts of sin whereof the first three they doe call peccatum occasionale the second three they doe call peccatum primitivum the next three peccatum derivativum the last three peccatum instrumentale which they gather out of Job 24. 13. They abhorred the light and continue not in the paths thereof Three occasionall 1. Ingratitude The first of the three occasionals is Ingratitude or the neglect of the due measure of thankfullnesse to God for all the benefits whatsoever bestowed upon Eve in Paradise and us in this world in that the mouth is not imployed in the praising of God for all his benefits but he filleth his mouth with this ne forte lest peradventure This first is the neglect of love 2. Securitie The second is a neglect of fear which is a security God he hath made me Monarch over all the Creatures he hath given me all the trees which are infinite in Paradise what though I eat of an apple surely I shall not dye for so small a matter God will not punish me 3. Carelesse curiositie The third occasion is negligence of that wherein we ought to be most carefull we should not enter when God had forbidden the tree this is carelesle curiositie by the seeing the pleasure of vanitie more than the will of God himself These are the three causall sinnes The neglect of love the neglect of fear the negligence of that is commanded and the curiositie of that is needlesse Three primitive The three primitive sinnes concern the superior part of the soul the three derivative sinnes the inferior part of the soul Of them in order first of the superior after of the inferiour 1. Incredulitie First the reason is infected with incredulitie to God and credulitie to the Serpent whereby they beleeved not that if they should eat they should dye the death but if they did eat they should be as Gods 2. Tediousness The second primitive sinne is Discontent a malecontented minde which is the tediousnesse of this yoake whereby this commandement and easie restraint is a burthen unto them 3. Self-love The third sinne of this kinde is of the lower part of the soul which is self-love Accounting her self as if she had made her self not as if she were made by God I see the tree is wholsome and to be desired why should I then seeing this refrain from it Three derivative Now for the three derivative sinnes 1. Stupiditie First from Incredulitie in Gods word commeth a Child which is the credulitie in the Serpent which is called stupor an astonishment at the Serpents speeches which is a blockish patience in being content to hear the most abject Creature a silly worm a subtle Serpent which is pejor omnibus viventibus worse than any living Creature even 〈◊〉 God And from self-love are derived two other sinnes 2. Pride for from thence commeth pride 3. Ambition and from pride commeth ambition pride and ambition are not one sinne but several sinnes for ambition is the lifting up of that which pride hath conceived So that pride and ambition are the two Daughters of self-love Three Instrumentall The last is the instrumentall sinne 1. A licentious seeing The first whereof is that of Jeroboam who stretched out his hand to take the Prophet of God and his hand withered 1 Kings 13. 4. 2. A presumptuous reaching The second is that of Lots wife who would look back to Sodom yet was forbidden to see the vain pleasure wherefore she became a piller of salt 3. A greedie eating The third is Esaus eating of his pottage for which he lost his birth-right Eves eye saw the fruit her arme reached to take the same her mouth did eat the same The first is a licentious beholding the second is a presumptuous taking the last is a greedie eating and devouring of the forbidden fruit Etiamque dedit comedendum viro suo secum qui comedit Verse 6. Novemb. 27. 1591. THese words I have now read unto you I told you contained Adams sin which words if you mark them doe contain Adams first sinne and Eves second sinne for after she had eaten of the fruit her self she gave of the fruit to him there is her second sinne and he did eate there is his first sinne The Wiseman in 42. 17. of his book saith very well God hath appointed that his saints should declare all his wondrous works which he hath stablished by his Majesty But behold Eve who was a Saint when she became a sinner published not Gods commandement but the Serpents words and the commendations of the forbidden fruit this is the woman that representeth iniquitie Zach. 5. 7. She is as the woman in Rev. 17. 13. that gave her power and authority to the Serpent Not only to eat her self but to give also to Adam the forbidden fruit is as a Father saith well propinare Adamo to drink to him in the golden cup of sin in giving him the fair and pleasant fruit of iniquitie that they 〈◊〉 may eate The Serpent in his first question speaketh of him and here Dixitne Deus ut non comederitis hath God
said ye shall not eate 〈◊〉 speaking of both And again in his second dixit he saith They shall not dye the death and their eyes shall be opened and they should be as Gods By his saying they their he meaneth not Eve alone but Adam also This plural dialect of the Serpent argueth that he tempeth both Eve Adam At what time the Serpent beginneth his temptation he beginneth with one not with both with the woman not with the man with the weaker with her that was but a rib of mans strength with one that is more credulous of his word than man to whom the commandement is delivered in a word he maketh her to fall who is lesse able to stand So that there were then but two sinners in the world the Serpent and the Woman Adam was still upright But here when Adam eateth of the forbidden fruit he maketh up the third sinner So that Sathan Eve and Adam are all sinners Sathan in the Serpent inticed the woman by his curious question in all subtilty to commit sin and indeed prophane and vain bablings they doe increase to more ungodlinesse 2 Tim. 2. 16. The Serpent when he hath plaid his part and made her eat he is gone But as the Sepent was the Devils instrument to tempt the woman so here the Devil instead of the Serpent will work the destruction of the Man by the Woman causing her to give the forbidden fruit unto him Sathan by the Serpent which was the most craftie and the most sabtle made his first assault And here he made his second assault upon Man per charissimam by her that was most dear unto him for in that he saith of her in chap. 2. 23. she is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of man that she weth his affection of his earnest love to her He useth subtilissimum and charissimum that which is most craftie and that which is most deare as his two instruments He tempteth the weaker and simpler by subtiltie the wiser by affection As I told you before he assaulteth the weaker Woman that was but a ribbe having the commandement but by tradition from her husband who had it from God himself and so here in his temptation of man he assaulteth the affection which is the weaker part of mans soul For S. Gregorie saith very well Quod est vir uxor in vinculo nuptiali idem est ratio affectio in vinculo naturali that which the man and his wife is in the bond of Marriage that is the reason and the affection in the bond of Nature reason is the stronger as the husband affection the weaker as the wife Sathan he knew well that such was the affection of Man to his wife that he reposeth such trust in her that he will not examine what she demandeth nor refuse what she offereth for the heart of her husband trusteth in her Prov 31. 11. he 〈◊〉 semitam animae suae the way of his soul and that way will he assault Adam In 2 King 3. 14. Elisha the Prophet not because of Jehoram King of Israel who was wicked but only that he regarded Jehosaphat King of Judah he would not have looked toward Jehoram nor seen him So the Serpent doth here deal with Adam Adam he would not have looked toward the Serpent nor toward the tree had it not been that he regarded the presence of Eve This is his means by the perswasion of the Woman to get his affection and that so Sathan may seize upon it But this is the counsell of Nahum chap. 7. 5. Trust not in a friend nor in a Counsellor keep the door of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosom There is neither trust in friend nor wife this is the mithridate for this poyson we are to beware of Domesticall servants and professed friends which do draw men to mischief more than sworn enemies wherefore follow the advise of our Saviour Matt. 18. 8 9. If thy foot or thy hand cause thee to offend cut them off if thine eye cause thee to off end pull it out better is it to goe into life halt and blinde than to goe with a sound body to Hell fire Cast from thee whatsoever is neer and deer unto thee even the wife of thy bosome rather than to be tormented in the everlasting flames of Hell fire The Devils resolution here is by the woman whom Sathan had enforced to assault man Perverting Gods Councel and purpose So he shall be sure first to pervert the councell of God Secondly the woman shall enter deeper into sinne by making man to sinne Thirdly that Sathan might be Master thereby of them both The disordering of Gods purpose is in this he hath made her for an help but Sathan maketh her an hindrance to obedience The wife should be beautifull as the Vine upon the sides of thy house Psal. 128. but she is become as the Ivie to destroy the tree whereby it groweth she giveth the fruit to Adam to choak him he giveth her to Adam as Saul gave his daughter Michal to David that she might be a snare unto him 1 Sam. 18. 21. He made her to him as Jezabell was to her husband Ahab who by her counsel sold himself to work wickednesse by her counsel he gave himself wholly to serve sinne 1 Kings 21. 25. But woe be to the man by whom offences comes Matth. 18. 7. 1. The womans deeper entrance to sinne It was one thing peccare to sinne and peccare facere to cause another to offend In that she took of the fruit and did eat her self she did sinne she gave to Adam she caused him to sinne and this is an aggravation of sin to make her sinne the more 2. The Devils gain and Adams losse Lastly is the Devils gain by the losse of Adams soul which standeth upon two parts the one is on Eves part and the other on Adams part Eve gave to her husband and Adam did eat For the former Eve after she had eat of the fruit she wiped her mouth and gave of the fruit to Adam like the adulterous woman in Prov. 30. 20. that eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I have not committed iniquity after she hath satisfied her own desire she maketh as though she had not offended When she had sucked the gall of Aspes and when the Vipers tongue had slain her Job 20. 16. she then wipes her mouth as though there were nor death nor danger in the same and having eaten her self she giveth to her Husband to eat also Evill did Sathan doe and knew it to be so Eve she had after the fall flattering inticements in her mouth her words were as oyle but the end of her speeches was bitter as wormwood her feet goe down to death and her steps goe down to Hell Prov. 5. 4.5 But yet Eve here thought she had done well Sinnes bringeth forth sin You
But here on the contrarie part Adam exalted himself he became even disobedient unto the death the everlasting death of body and soul could not withhold him The motive to sinne was small and 〈◊〉 the retentive was great and terrible 4 The manner The fourth circumstance is the manner of sinne It was citò factum soon committed Peters denyall was ad vocem ancillulae at the 〈◊〉 of a sillie made Adams transgression was without delay at the voice of his wife 5. The Place The fifth circumstance is of the place It was in Paradise that he was polluted But though Lucifer were the most glorious in the Heavens yet for his pride God sent him headlong from the Heavens Man was Monarch of the earth all in Paradise were at his command yet for his disobedience God sent him out of Paradise 6. The Time The sixt circumstance is of the time He was servent in obedience in the beginning but he continued not therein many dayes time as a file filed away his righteousnesse he sell in the beginning 7. The Punishment The seventh circumstance is of some notable hurt aliquod damnum that should come to man by his disobedience whereby both God and man are damnified It before while he was righteous he were in the image of God for in the likenesse of God was Adam made chap. 5. 1 then surely by mans disobedience Gods Image in man was defaced Adam who was now unrighteous was no more like God who was only righteous and 〈◊〉 of Wisdome but Adam as David speaks Psal. 73. 22. was foolish and ignorant he was even as a beast before God and his sinne was not only his own confusion but the ruine of us all of all mankinde It is Christ Jesus that will make our sinnes and iniquities to be no more remembred Heb. 10. 17. It was the transgression of Adam that brought grave jugum super 〈◊〉 a grievous burthen to all the world from this sinne came all sinnes hence came the heap of all evill The Fathers say that Omnia 〈◊〉 sunt appendices 〈◊〉 all misehief doth depend upon this disobedience of Adam and they say that because this is the greatest sinne it deserveth the greatest punishment The ancient Divines consider a difference in Eves sinne and in Adams sinne Eve she sinned in three respects First In hearing Gods name reproachfully blasphemed Secondly In that she heard this blasphemie not from the mouth of an Angell of light but from a paultry and abject Worm And lastly In that she became scandalum a means to slander God and seduce Man Adams sinne is seen in three other respects First The man was stronger and yet he was seduced by the weaker Secondly Man was made as the womans head and therefore when he heard her say she had eaten when he did see her offer him of the forbidden fruit it was his part to have reproved her Thirdly the root of nature was in him not in her yet the corruption of all came by Eve unto Adam and from both to us all which hearing the words of the Serpent and the Woman which seeing the pleasant fruit which eating of the forbidden tree did bring the punishment and death of body and soul to all men living The Remedy But the remedy for this so vile and 〈◊〉 a sinne and the redresse of this punishment is by the promised seed our Saviour Christ born of a Woman It was our Saviour that for the flattering 〈◊〉 of Adam heard all reproaches Adam beheld the fruit which was pleasant in his eyes Christ he was buffetted about the eyes Adam took the tree in his hand Christ was fastned to the tree for the stretching out of Adams hands to take of the fruit his hands were stretehed out and nailed upon the crosse Adams eating of this pleasant fruit was 〈◊〉 by his eating of bitter gall and sharp Vinegar according to that Psal. 69. 21. They gave him gall in his meat and in his thirst they gave him vinegar to drink Man had his side pearced but Christ had his heart opened All these things did God doe to deliver us out of that miserie whereinto by Adams sinne Mankinde had fallen who shall deliver me from the body of this death but God through Jesus Christ. In Ezechiel 3. 3. they that shall eat the roll that God shall give them it shall be in the mouth as honie In beleeving Christs name we shall have life John 20. 31. If then we eat of the forbidden tree eat not of the promise which we have in Christ we shall dye the death both body and soul shall be tormented We must not say Quid mihi tecum Christe Christ what have I to doe with thee but we must receive him that is our Redeemer In the 〈◊〉 we must therein eat of the bread which is his body Mat. 26. 26. who brake the bread in his Supper and offred his body on the Cross Christ through suffering death tasted death for all men that through affliction the Prince of our salvation might be consecrated Heb. 2. 10. And by our faith in him death shall be to us but as the tasting of the poyson which death shall not swallow up our soul though our body dye our soul shal live for ever But the sinners that eat of the tree that commit wickedness if they repent not shal be cast into endless afflictions As by Adam we all eat of the forbidden tree in the mid'st of the Garden in the beginning of the bible so by Christ the blessed shall eat of the tree of life in the mi'dst of the heavenly Paradise wherein there are twelve manner of fruits and the leavs thereof doe serve to heal all the Nations of the Earth Rev. 22. 2. The leaves of this tree in the end of the Bible will serve for medicine here in this life but after this life ended this tree of life shall fill us all with 〈◊〉 joy and glorie everlasting Which God of his infinite mercy grant c. Amen Tunc aperuerunt sese oculi amborum noveruntque se nudos esse consutis foliis ficulneis fecerunt sibi subligacula Gen 3. 7. January 25. 1591. THE opening the eys of our first Parents by which they saw that they were made naked which was the former part was sent from God that they seeing that sin which was against God was a losse of their glory which is called bonum utile and that instead thereof brought unto them nakednesse shame and confusion which was against bonum honestum and also that it did cast them into that distresse and anguish of minde that they could not tell what to doe or finde to cover their shame but figg leaves which was against bonum jucundum which opening of the eyes comming from God was to this end that by seeing this they might return to their own hearts Esay 46. 8. and enquire as Esay willeth them 5. 19. wherefore they had done this and transgressed Gods
it was seemly to cover his shame for to cover a starre or the Sunne is a blemish to either a Rose or a Lilie are best uncovered in their proper natures and so Adams nakedness in his innocencie was best without apparel The just man shall shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of his father the thirteenth of Matthew the fourty third verse The second regard out of this covering or clothing is That the birds are covered with their own feathers the beasts with their haire and wooll but man must die for nakednesse unlesse he hath his cloathing from others Thirdly Goe to the brute beasts and wear their skinnes and by looking on them learn that if thou hadst been obedient thou hadst not need of such clothing and repeat that of the fourty ninth Psalm the twentieth verse Man was in honour and understood it not and now he is become like beasts that perish Lastly From the beasts being slain To put him in minde that though he may preserve his bodie for a while yet in the end in pulverem revertêris though these must die to feed and cloath thee yet in the end thou must die thy self These penitentiall meditations may be taken from this modell of apparell The nakedness of the soul. Now touching the nakednesse of the soul and the covering thereof spiritually hereto may be applied that of the sixteenth of Ezekiel the seventh verse Jerusalem was naked and barren but thou hast got thee excellent garments we are wretched poor and naked the third of the Revelations the seventeenth verse then this nakednesse which is of the soul it must be covered it is that whereto that of the sixteenth of the Revelations the fifteenth verse hath relation Blessed is he that keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and men see his filthinesse And God through his mercie covereth our sinne and it must be covered with a covering of skinne the brutish affection must be covered with morall virtues the brutish affection of anger of the Lion must be covered with patience the brutish affection of 〈◊〉 of the Goat must be clothed with chastity the pride the skinne of the Lamb of God which was the 〈◊〉 of the Serpent with the humilitie of the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world the thirteenth of the Revelations the eighth verse must be thy cloathing and we put on Christ by Baptism the third to the Galathians the twenty seventh Jacob was clothed with skinnes which did represent this If then we goe to the soul it is to be clothed analogically with the bodie the nakednesie thereof is to be clothed by faith with Christ Jesus the Lamb of God Et dixit Jehova Deus Ecce homo estne sicut unus ex nobis cognoscendo bonum malum nunc igitur videndum ne extendens manum suam accipiat etiam de fructu arboris vitae ut comedat victurus in seculum Gen. 3. 22. Januar. 14. 1598. IN the former verses of the Sentence I told you their several uses and that in the last of them was matter for penitentiall meditation The execution of the Sentence I told you was laid in these three last verses This verse containeth a deliberation or a resolution of what God should doe and it is as it were the writ for execution In the two next verses is conteined the execution it self God hereby seemeth so respective of them that he is so unwilling to execute upon them yet is he carefull of his truth for he said at the first restraint in the seventeenth verse of the former chapter Thou shalt die the death if thou eat the forbidden fruit and that God hath said must be performed for his words are not bruta fulmina and therefore that all may concur in his Sentence was imposed on him a painfull life and that it may be more painfull he is here deprived of Paradise and likewise the corruption of life was appointed him which in him and his posterite we see daily verefied that dust returneth to dust and here it is made more manifest by the taking away of the tree of life This verse divideth it self into two general parts the one in these words Behold the Man is become as one of us to know good and evill the other in that which remaineth For the first part I agree fully with the opinion of the ancient fathers which are the most wise and the most learned that these words the man is become as one of us c. is no Ironie but as one of them saith very well est vox magni fragoris it is a voice of great thunder wherein is written the misery that Adam is in as Christ at his death had a superscription whereby was expressed wherefore he suff red Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judeorum or as Malefactors have written in Papers on their heads wherefore they are punished So these words are a publishing wherefore they are thus used because they would become as God knowing good and evill that they and others may know the cause of their fall that as it is in the twenty ninth of Deuteronomie the twenty fourth verse If any shall aske wherefore hath the Lord done thus They shall answer because they have broken the 〈◊〉 of the Lord their God because they went and served other Gods and worshipped them even Gods which they knew not And here because Adam obeyed the Serpent whom he knew not and disobeyed God whom he knew because he would be as God and know good and evil he tasted the deserved punishment of Gods wrath The form of the words Now for the matter conteined herein the ancient Fathers doe gather hence Matter of faith first matter of faith quasi unus ex nobis Adam is like one of us hereby is taken a certain apprehension of the Trinity to refute the Jews that God speaketh not as Princes doe and like Emperors We charge you It is our pleasure c. that though he be one that speaketh yet he useth the plurall number but this doth resute them for what Prince or Monarch saith Like one of us to shew the unity of Godhead and trinity of persons he said not like unto Angells but like one of us In which words he sheweth both a remembrance or token of the unity and the Trinity in the fourth of John the twenty third verse the person of the Father in the twenty seventh verse there following the person of the Sonne saith I am he So that in one is the Godhead in us is the persons So much of the character Ironie Secondly It may seem God speaketh this as an Ironie in a scorning sort for surely it cannot be spoken directly for he is not become like God that knoweth all things but rather like the brute beast without understanding he is become by his disobedience liker the Serpent that seduced him than God that made him Sarcasmus Some take them as Ironicall or which is more as a Sarcasmus or
and waking A third distinction is peccatum cubans and vigilans that is sinne sleeping and lying still and sinne waking that is the temptation of sinne before and while it is committed and then the remorse after The fourth and last distinction is that which 〈◊〉 a difference between the Children of God and of the Devill between the reprobate and the regenerate that in the godly there is peccatum 〈◊〉 but not dominans sin ruleth but reigneth not from hence is grounded that which the Prophet saith in the nineteenth Psalm Keep thy servant from presumptuous sinnes and in the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm Direct my steps that no iniquitie have dominion over me so the Apostle in the sixth chapter to the Romans Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies yet he confesseth in the seventh chapter to the Romans that sinne dwelleth in him By which we may see plainly what it meaneth for sinne would command a mans body his eye foot and hand yea set all the parts of his body a work about that it 〈◊〉 But that party when sinne biddeth him 〈◊〉 and goe 〈◊〉 still when sinne biddeth him stretch out his hand can clasp it close when sinne biddeth him delight his eye can shut it close when sinne biddeth take to heart and one doth with sighs shake it off he that when sin commeth running shutteth the dore against it avoideth all provocations in such a one there is peccatum currens but not dominans That is for the division and the difference between these two sorts of persons But secondly we have a main foundation which the ancient Fathers and Doctors ground upon the thirteene verses of the third chapter where God useth the same words to the woman that he useth to Cain here Why hast thou done this And the Woman said The Serpent beguiled me It sheweth that the proceding of Cains sinne was as the first sinne was for the Serpent first shewed her the fruit and she did eat and then after she shewed it to Adam and it pleasing his sight he likewise did eat This is the proceeding of sinne from the Serpent to Eve from her to Adam and so here the presuming of reason in Cain contrary to reason was as that in Eve and Adam and therefore as after God said to the woman Thy desire shall be subject to thy husbands and he shall rule over thee so here he saith Cain shall bear rule over sin and the same shall befall in mans sensuality that is his lusts and concupiscence which befell his uper part which is his reason alluring him and drawing him to sinne Therefore they call the understanding and reason which is the uper part of the soul Adam and the lower part that is the affection Eve The desire and pleasure of sinne that is the apple and sinne is as the Serpent As this is grounded upon the speech of God so is it upon the similitude and manner of sinne whereby man is caught as a fish with the bait in the first chapter of James for reason taketh the bait first Such a proceeding is in all sinne and there is no other temptation to sinne now then there was in the beginning to Adam and Eve Thus much for our state and duty arising by way of instruction and exhortation to behave our selves so as sinne get not the rule over us I come now to the last in these words But thou shalt bear rule over it Wherein we ask How shall this be fulfilled can we give to nature that power and freewill nay it is plain we cannot neither is Gods intent so to doe for we are not able of our selves as from our selves to think a good thought as it is in the second to the Corinthians the third chapter and the third verse for we have all been as an unclean thing all our righteousnesse is like a filthy cloth in the sixty fourth chapter of Isaiah and the sixth verse so that he that hath no more in him than the strength of nature is as he that followeth the steps of an harlot whose case is like to the oxe that goeth to the slaughter as it is in the seventh chapter of the Proverbs Therefore it is not to be desired neither is it in our strength to doe it for where God saith Tee shall rule over it Is our strength able to doe thus No. Further as Moses said in the 30. of Deuteronomie and the 14. that Gods meaning in giving him the Law was not that he could doe it or should of himself but it was verbum fidei the word was as near to thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart to doe it This word is the word of promise as Paul expoundeth it in the tenth chapter to the Romans The means to rule sinne is as near thee as sinne is Say not in thy heart who shall goe up into heaven the means is the word of faith which assureth thee of Christ the promised seed who shall for thee break the head of the Serpent as it is in the third chapter of Genesis and give thee the victorie over sinne for else this doctrine had been false if that promise had not gone before then there is Christ without whom we can doe nothing but sinne as himself speaketh Sine me nihil potestis facere in the fifteenth chapter of John the fifth verse It is he that giveth repentance in the second 〈◊〉 to Timothie the second chapter by whom they come 〈◊〉 amendment 〈◊〉 of the snare of the Devill And therefore as the Apostle saith Wee must be strong in the Lord that we may be able to resist in the sixth chapter to the Ephesians For we are able to doe all things in him that strengthneth us as it is in the fourth chapter to the Philippians that is by the strength of his grace enabling us For the performance whereof we must sue to him and begge it at his hands by prayer And that is the meaning of the words that we should ire ad Dominum ut in Domino dominemur 〈◊〉 must goe to him that hath trod upon the bead os the Serpent and overcome the power of Hell Sinne and Death and he shall tread down Sat an under 〈◊〉 feet in the sixteenth chapter to the Romans and the twentieth verse In the one hunderd and tenth Psalme He shall bear rule over his enemies then he may justly bid us bear rule over sinne seeing he is both able and milling to help us There is no man hath set it down more excellently than St. Gregory who saith Justus Deus instat praecepto quia cùm instat ptaecepto praecurrit auxilio so that if a man can remember what Christ hath done how that he which hath broken the Serpents head will give us power to bear rule over sinne as he is able so will he if we be earnest suitors to him for 〈◊〉 give us grace and strength whereby to resist temptations of sinne So saith the Apostle in the second to
fac cito John the thireenth chapter and the twenty seventh verse only Cain and Judas wanted but opportunity which so soon as they had obtained they committed their sinne actually The causes of Cains proceeding to the committing of this act are diverse down after diverse sorts First he seeketh a convenient place and opportunity and maketh choyce of the field because he would not be hindred in doing the murther for he could not have any opportunitie at home for Adam and Eve being at hand would have been ready to hinder him And as he makes choyce of this place not to be hindered so in that after he denyed the fact it appeareth his desire was as well not to be discovered as not to be hindred Wherein we have to respect first his great blindness that could not see the nature of sinne for in that he sought such a place for the doing of it as might be hid and unknown It is strange he could not perceive it to be a work of darkness his own conscience did condemn him for he durst not be seen to doe that which he did but in hypocrisie would seem not to be what he was this was his way and we must beware that we walk not in it Again it is strange that he was more afraid of Adam a mortall man than of the omnipotent God and was more fearfull that Adam his Father a mortall man should see him than that God who is able to grinde him in a morter should behold his fact Wherefore as sinne is a dishonest thing perswading against all reason to fear man more than God so is it a dishonest thing for that we will not be seen to commit sinne as a thing that standeth not with their credits and therefore make choice of such places as are fittest for the concealing thereof Note Secondly he deviseth how to draw Abel to that place and what means to use that Abel might goe confidently with him thither To that end though he have not now spoken to him of a long time yet he is content to speak kindly to him The heathen man saith that if a man will hate he must doe it apertè unless he will be worse thin wilde beasts for they violenly flie upon those things which they hate Dissembled hatred discovered by silence but the Devill hath taught men to dissemble their hatred that they might be worse than beasts Hatred commonly is discerned by silence one argument of that hatred and grudge which Josephs bretheren bare to him was not potuerunt alloqui illum Genesis the thirty seventh chapter and so Absolom having conceived hatred and displeasure against Ammon spake neither good nor ill to him the second of Samuel and the thirteenth chapter but as the 〈◊〉 when he most of all hated our first Parents would seem to be touched with some commisseration of their estate Genesis the third chapter Note Hath God indeed said ye shall not eate Nay but he knoweth c. So he 〈◊〉 Cain to dissemble his hatred with fair words which dissimulation is a sinne condemned not only of the heathen but abhorred by the Saints of God For when such a one as walks in the house of God with him as his friend and companion should deceive him then David had cause to pray against such a one Psalm the fifty fifth Let death seize upon him Cain though he hated his brother and purposed his death yet to accomplish his purpurpose he makes a fair semblance of love Example So Absolom being minded to murther Ammon pretends great love to him he must needs have Ammon to the Sheep-shearing or else all his cost is lost But shall not Ammon my brother come the second of Samuel and the thirteenth chapter this course took Joab with Amasa the second of Samuel and the twentieth chapter so Judas dissembled his malice with hail Master and kissed him John the twenty ninth This sin is abominable yea it containeth seven abominations as the Wiseman tells us Proverbs the twenty sixth chapter and the twenty fifth verse and they that 〈◊〉 hatred with love and slattering words walk in the way of Cain That which Cain spake with Abel when they were alone as St. Jerome thinketh was that he 〈◊〉 Abel what God had said to him and what he had taught him the 〈◊〉 referres it to this verse that his words to him were eamus ad agrum whatsoever it was he said it was abominable hypocrisie Thirdly we see that Abel obeyed the voice of his elder brother for that it was Gods will he should bear rule over him so he went thinking all had been well The best natures not suspicious for the best natures are least suspicious as we have an example in Gedaliah who beleeved that Ishmael had no purpose to hurt him Jeremiah the fourtieth chapter for charity is not suspicious in the first to the Corinthians and the thirteenth chapter especially Abel had little cause to suspect him that was come from a Sermon and seemed to be a new man Note so that he spake kindly to him that had not given him a good look along time This change in Cain made Abel to goe with him and being in the place appointed Cain arose and slew him Degrees of Cains sinne 〈◊〉 Touching the death of Abel we are to observe from the words First it was a violent death for his life did not goe out of him but as the word signifieth it was rent from him Secondly it was a bloody death as the words of God to Cain shew The voice of thy Brothers blood which thou hast slain cryeth to me verse the tenth Thirdly it was a sudden death and therefore more grievous because thereby not only the body is killed but the soul also of such a party that is in state of sinne and hath not respite graunted to repent thereof In this act of Cain we have to observe these things wherby his sin is aggravated First the sinne which he committeth is murther a sinne the more grievous for that it is the defacing of Gods Image Genesis the ninth chapter Secondly his fact the more odious for that the party murthered is one more weak than himself for he was younger than Cain therefore it was a cowardly part to set upon his inferiour It is the thing which the Wise-man complaineth Ecclesiastes the eighth chapter I saw one man bear rule over another not for good so the authority and superiorty which was committed to Cain should have been for Abels good but he abused it to the hurt of his younger brother Thirdly where God will not have any innocent blood shed but sacrifice must be offered Deuteronomie the twenty first chapter Cain kills innocent Abel which doth in a third degree aggravate his sinne for to shed innocent blood is a thing that Pilate himself could not abide and therefore washed his hands declaing that he was clear from killing Christ Matthew the twenty seventh chapter and the twenty fourth
of every man even of every beast in as much as he hath first taught beasts to kill men by his own confession it is just that as the Prophet speaks Micah the seventh chapter and the fift verse The Wife of his bosome and the Children of his loyns shall break the bonds of nature with him as he before hath thewed himself unnaturall to his brother And this is a great part of Cains punishment that albeit there be none to kill him yet he shall be in continuall fear of death that a man shall not only fear Gods threatning but his own fancy that he shall fear not one but every one that meets him as if every one knew his fault that he shall fear not only where there is cause of fear as wilde beasts but tuta timere and this is a part of Gods curse that God will send faintness into their hearts so as they shall be afraid at the shaking of a leaf Leviticus the twenty sixt chapter and the thirty sixt verse at every shadow as the Midianites were of their dreams Judges the seventh chapter and at every noise and rumor in the second of the Kings the seventh chapter and the sixt verse These feares are great punishments and arguments of a guilty conscience and this sheweth that albeit wickedness be secret yet it will not suffer a man to be quiet Wherein we are to observe how Cain de scribeth the state of them that are out of Gods favour and cast from his presence that they fear either no fear as Psalm the fifty 〈◊〉 If the Prince frown upon a man there is no hope of favour any where else so if God be once offended so that a man despair of his favour he will fear every creature the starres of heaven fought against Sisera Judges the fift chapter and the twentieth verse The stones in the street will cease to be in league and peace with him Job the fift chapter therefore when God saith quaerite faciem meam Psalm the twenty seventh our soul must answer thy face Lord will I seek For if we seek the Lord our God we shall finde him Deuteronomie the fourth chapter and the twenty ninth verse and that is so necessary that the People say If thy presence goe not with us carry us not hence Exodus the thirty third chapter and the Prophet speaketh Cast me not from thy presence Psalm the fifty first for without the assurance of Gods favour and protection we shall fear every shadow every noise that we hear Secondly Cain in these words sheweth what was his chief fear and what did most grieve him that was that he should die not the death of the soul but the bodily death by the hand of man he feares the shadow of death but not the body of death as the Apostle speaks Romans the seventh chapter but eternall death is that which he should have feared most of all for it hath a body and shall be found though the bodily death is often sought and cannot be found Job the third wherein Cain shewes what he is that is animalis homo in the first to the Corinthians the second chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phillippians the third chapter not having the spirit so was Saul afflicted in the first of Samuel the fifteenth chapter Honour me before the people he respected worldly honour more than Gods favour whereupon saith Augustine quid tibi honoratio haec proderit miser If 〈◊〉 death fall upon Cain what shall it profit him to live on earth but this sheweth plainly that the life of the body was Cains chief felicity and that the greatest grief he had was for the death of the body as if he should say let me live though it be but in fear and sorrow This is the affection of flesh and blood as the Devill saith of Job Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job the second chapter that is so long as life is not taken away man is well This being Cains complaint it is an implied petition and the request is Quasi pro magno beneficio ut non 〈◊〉 which request may be well uttered if it be rightly taken for not only the wicked feare death but the godly say themselves we sigh and would not be uncloathed but cloathed upon in the second to the Corinthians the fift chapter they would passe to immortality without the dissolution of the body and soul. That prayer for life is well if it be for a good end as Hezekiah praieth he may live to the end he may bewaile his sinnes in the 〈◊〉 of his soul Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter repentance is the end that he sets David saith I will not die but live and praise the Lord Psalm the one hundred and eighteenth the Apostle Paul albeit in regard of himself he desires to be dissolved yet because it is profitable for the Church that he should still remain in the flesh he desires to live Philippians the first chapter and the twenty second verse so life may be sought if it be for this end to doe good but if our end be the escaping of death for a time the case is otherwise Touching the end of Cain's desire It may be he 〈◊〉 life that he might repent and praise God and doe good for charity 〈◊〉 the best in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the thirteenth chapter But we see what doth continually vex Cain and all the wicked that is the doubt of the forgivenesse of sinne which is the worm of the spirit and a continuall fear of death which they know they have deserved at the hands of all Gods creatures Dixit verò Jehova illi Propterea quisquis interfecerit Kajinum septuplo vindicator imposuit Jehova Kajino signum ne eum caederet ullus qui foret inventurus eum Gen. 4. 15. Septemb. 26. 1599. CAINS chief complaint and petition therein implied was handled verse the fourteenth This verse contains Gods answer which is a yeelding or granting to that petition of his and that effectuall for God provideth for the safety of Cain's life not only by his word and command but by a visible mark which he set upon Cain Wherein we are generally to observe First That as the Prophet tels us in the one hundred and tenth Psalme God dealeth not with any sinner according to his sinnes and deserts for if God did not in wrath remember mercy 〈◊〉 the third chapter he should not in justice have suffered Cain to open his mouth for it is just that he which turneth away his car from hearing the law when he prayeth should not be heard Proverbs the twenty eighth chapter and the ninth verse That he which will not hear Gods Prachers shall not be heard of God when he prayeth And the Lord in the Propher saith more plainly in the second chapter of Zechary and the thirteenth verse that as he by his Prophets cried unto the people and they would not
his speech Matthew the twenty sixt chapter so by a mans talk it will appear how his heart is affected His speech consists first of a preface Heare my voice ye wives of Lamech hearken to my words Secondly the body of his oration I have killed or will kill a man in my wound and a young man in my hurt Thirdly If Cain shall be avenged seven times then Lamech seventy times seven times In which words he saith in effect that he will neither doe right not suffer wrong His Preface we see is a solemn and grave Speech as if Solomon himself were delivering some great piece of wisedome or as if some Prophet were to declare some weighty matter in the name of the Lord. That we may see that the wicked are as carefull in stirring up the hearers to hear their blasphemies as the Prophets and Saints of God are to crave attention to their heavenly doctrine They are like the words of Jacob to his Children Genesis the fourty ninth chapter and the second verse Hear ye Sonnes of Jacob hearken to Israel your Father where to hearken is more than to hear and the speech is more than the voice whereby Lamech willeth his Wives with all attention to bow their eares to that which he saith which sheweth that he imagined that which he spoke was some great matter whereas indeed it is nothing but a vain boasting of his power that he can doe mischief Psalm the fifty second for the Prophet saith That the great men speak out the corruption of their hearts and they wrap it up Micah the seventh chapter and the third verse and so doth this great Gyant Lamech we see by his words he hath this opinion that he ought to be heard being a man of this power For as the Wise-man saith of the practise of the world If the rich man speaks all must hearken to his word but the poor when he speaks cannot be heard but see what is the effect of his speech for all his good preface therefore we must not presently impute wisedome to every one that beginneth in this solemn manner Of the body of his Oration be two parts First a proclaiming to the world What he will doe if he be touched Secondly If Cain be avenged seven times then Lamech seventy times seven fold Of the former there are two readings the one is I have stain a man being but wounded and killed a young man in my hurt The latter is I would kill a man If it be the former it is a Commemoration If the latter a Commination wherein he breatheth forth threatnings as Saul did Acts the eighth chapter against any that should doe him wrong The one is a bragging of his strength that he feels himself so strong as if he were wounded yet he is able to be avenged of him that shall touch him The other shewes his vindicative spirit that is so far from suffering that if he be but touched he will kill he threatens pro vulnere mortem In the first by that which the Apostle saith in the second to the Corinthians the tenth chapter That if God give strength and power to any man it is not to destroy but to 〈◊〉 We see it is no true boasting which Lamech makes he doth not boast aright that saith he is of strength to doe hurt the commendation of strength is not in killing and wounding but in saving and defence For the second interpretation we are to know it is no just dealing to kill him that hath but inflicted a wound for justice is there should be talio wound for wound and not death for a wound If it be read as the Fathers read it I have killed a man in my wound then it is a confession Now we know confessions proceed of repentance but that was not the cause of Lamechs confession for then he would not have chosen these confessions but it is in the spirit of arrogancie that he confesseth to his wives what he hath done He saith that when he had killed one man in his wound then he proceeded to kill a young man that is he added blood to blood It is enough for a man to sinne though he doe not brag of it but when they doe as the Sodomites did that is praedicare peccata sua Isaiah the third chapter and the ninth verse then they are come to the 〈◊〉 of wickedness if they brag of their sinne and are so far from sorrowing for their finne that they seek applause for it as if they had done well This preaching of sinne and that rejoying in wickedness which the Wise-man speaks of Proverbs the second chapter and the fourteenth verse exultat in rebus 〈◊〉 falls upon none but such as are in profundo peccatorum that is grievous sins and at the pitch of all naughtiness Naturally men are ashamed of sinne and it is a signe of grace so to be affected therefore the Lord saith Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination but where instead of covering their faces with shame for sinne Men have 〈◊〉 foreheads and will not be ashamed Jeremiah the third chapter and the third verse that is a sinne out of measure sinfull for shame is a 〈◊〉 of that singultus cordis that is of that inward grief of heart in the first of Samuel the twenty fift chapter which they conceive that they have offended God but when instead of sorrow and shame there is an exaltation or rejoycing of the evill they have done and a hardness of heart so as they cannot be touched with any grief of their 〈◊〉 These are the tokens of one that is past grace and these appeared in Lamech of whom the Apostles words are verified That his shame is his glory Philippians the third chapter In both these he justifieth Cain for he was ashamed to confesse that he had killed Abel and therefore answered the Lord I know not am I my brothers keeper and after he is very sorry and greatly cast down and therefore saith My sinne is greater than can be pardoned This is it we learn in the 〈◊〉 part The second is worse for where there is no shame there may be fear He that hath lost shame for 〈◊〉 is like the beast 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 ninth for the beast is not ashamed of any thing but though 〈◊〉 beasts be without shame yet they have fear for they will 〈◊〉 willingly run into the fire it is so terrible to them therefore he that feareth not when he 〈◊〉 the danger of sin he is 〈◊〉 than a 〈◊〉 yea than the Devils themselves Who 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 the second chapter Therefore where as 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 to kill and murther him that should but wound him having not 〈…〉 That if a man 〈◊〉 evill sinne 〈◊〉 at the dore but 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 of Gods wrath upon Cain for murther that is a sign that his 〈◊〉 is greatly hardened A man would think the very 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be
exercise of invocation and prayer should arise from Enosh for James the fift chapter and the thirteenth verse If any be afflicted let him pray and therefore such prayer is called oratio afflicti Psalm the hundred and second and the seventeenth verse As Abel's oblation belongs to the dayes of peace and prosperity so Enosh's invocation belongs to the dayes of affliction and misery when a man is strong to resist and full of vitall heat and spirit then he cannot skill of invocation but let God make him Enosh and then he will begin to call upon the name of the Lord. Thirdly In respect that it shewes what manner of Preacher it should be that is he must be one of the sons of Seth that is one of the Church for the prayer of a faithfull man availeth much Also it must be Enosh's prayer that is of one that is humble as the Publicans prayer Luke the eighteenth chapter so that the name of Enosh in respect of Seth shewes that Christ shall not be without his Crosse nor Christs Church without theirs And in respect of himself it shewes what shall be the afflictions of those that shall be thus called Touching his Invocation It is the title that it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to set out Enosh by and it is an excellent title 〈◊〉 Chrysostome that Enosh should be the first that called upon the Name of the Lord It was more honorable to him than to wear any gorgeous apparrell or Jewels whatsoever In this part are two things The nature of Invocation and the beginning of it set down in these words 〈◊〉 est First for the nature of Invocation Invocare 〈◊〉 vocare Deum in se or ex se and it is a speciall point Many would have God about them or near them but not in them for then they must look to govern their actions well When men lay seige to a Town they doe not think it sufficient to have them without but they desire to get them within Such an affection is required of them say the ancient Writers that will truly call upon God For the manner we must say with the Apostle in the first epistle of John the fourth chapter and the fourth verse Major est qui intus quà m qui extrà Now for the Name of God It is no unreasonable thing that we should call upon the name of those which we never saw for as we know those that dwell in the west northward parts they believe obey the word and 〈◊〉 that comes in the Princesses name and by that 〈◊〉 they arme and disarme themselves and are ready to 〈◊〉 death howbeit they never saw her nor look to see her but only because it comes in her name It is therefore currant they 〈◊〉 such a Princesse there is therefore they receive the word as comming out of the mouth of the Princesse her self and obey 〈◊〉 So we see what Invocation is and that the name of God is 〈◊〉 be invocated Now to put a difference between these three First to call upon God Secondly upon the name of God Thirdly in the name of God We say to call upon God is an expressing or 〈◊〉 of the desire that we have of his presence as all the creatures 〈◊〉 For the young Ravens call upon him in the one hundred fourty 〈◊〉 Psalm and the ninth verse and in the eighth chapter of the 〈◊〉 and the twentieth verse Omnis creatura 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 be done when a man saith nothing but only in his soul 〈◊〉 as Hannah in the first of Samuel the first chapter and the thirteenth verse and Moses in the fourteenth chapter of Exodus and the fifteenth verse Why prayest thou to me when no words were uttered that is an internall spirituall praying between God and us which all the creatures have but the invocation upon the name of God is a thing externall as the Psalmist speaks Psalm 77. and the 1. verse I will crie to God with my voyce and in the one hundred and sixteenth Psalm and the fourth verse I will call upon the name of the Lord saying Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul So that Moses meaning is to shew that not only an internall calling upon the name of God by desires but that then there began an externall and vocall serving of God with a profession of religion Now to invocate in the name is one thing and to invocate upon the name of God is another the one is the party that is called upon the other 〈◊〉 out the party in whose name he is called upon which shewes the persons distinct in the deitie as our Saviour expounds it in the sixteenth chapter of John and the twenty third verse Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you There is both God the Father that is called upon and Christ the Sonne in whose name we pray That is the difference between the two names that is they put not their trust in their own names or in the arme of flesh or in any other humane name but in God and not only invocate God but they invocate him in nomine that is in the name of another And there is no other name given by which we shall be saved but the name of Jesus Acts the fourth chapter and the twelfth verse and as in the first to the Corinthians the third chapter and the eleventh verse Other foundation then that can no man lay Now whereas we have in this verse in nomine Dei and semen aliud in the former he shewes plainly what he means by posuit deus semen aliud viz. that there is a person that shall be our seed in whose name we are to trust and invocate God so that in these verses the mysterie of Christs incarnation is plainly expressed to those that shall well look into it Now it is plain when he speaks of invocation he means not prayer only but by a part he expresseth the whole which is by a Synechdoche as in the second chapter of Joel and the twenty third verse Every one that calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved which is repeated by the Apostle Romans the tenth chapter and the fourteenth verse but you must mark what he saith after How shall they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved there is faith required Then he goes a step farther How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard as if he should say it is impossible therefore hearing is necessary And how shall they hear without a Preacher there is the office of preaching And how shall they preach unless they be sent there is the authority of ecclesiasticall power We see what duties the Apostle raiseth from invocation and consequently we must know that when they began to call upon Gods name then also they began to beleeve in him For albeit prayer is the more generall part of invocation as a crying unto God as the Fathers observe from the
say we have no sinne we are not only proud but lyars the first epistle of John and the first chapter The Prophet saith All we like sheep have gane astray and turned every one to his own way Isaiah the fifty third chapter The direction of the Law is Not to sinne But the comfort of the Gospel is that albeit we have sinned yet we are turned as the Apostle saith here Ye were as sheep going astray but now ye are turned So in the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixt chapter ye were sinners of all forts haec 〈◊〉 but now you are justified and sanctified So then if men erre the next point is to confesse 〈◊〉 not to continue in sinne If a man persevere in sin he is out of his right way but if he will goe no further in it he will redire ad cor as Luke the fifteenth chapter we must return to our selves that is it where unto the Apostle exhorts them Acts the third chapter and the nineteenth verse Repent and turne as Joel 〈◊〉 Return to the Lord with your whole heart Joel the second chapter Of which repentance we must conceive as of a tree that must bring forth fruit as Acts the twenty sixt chapter To bring forth works worthy of repentance The works worthy of repentance are first To judge our selves the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter then to punish and take revenge of our selves the second epistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse Secondly these are turned ad 〈◊〉 which give over an evil course of life but after they turn to another hat is worse that is not repentance As a man having been an Idolater to become a sacrilegious person that is worse Romans the second chapter such a one is not turned to the Bishop of our souls So when a civill man becomes worldly or a prophane person proveth a Schifmatrick The last point is That when a man is turned God doth not only speak peace to him but he will speak to his Saints that they return not again to folly Psalm the eighty fift the ninth verse When we are turned to Christ he will say Luke the twenty fourth chapter Mane nobiscum that was said to Christ after his resurrection So at the feast of 〈◊〉 we come to the Pastor and Bishop of our souls and confesse we were turned therefore being now risen again we must tarry with him we 〈◊〉 not turn again to folly We must consider how it was with us when we trampled his pasture under our feet and 〈◊〉 the waters yea we wandred on the mountains and upon every hill 〈◊〉 the thirty fourth chapter We must 〈◊〉 if it were better with us before as Hosea the second chapter And being turned we must make this conclusion Ephesians the fift chapter Ye were 〈…〉 now are light therefore walk as children of light So we were as sheep going astray but now being turned to Christ the 〈◊〉 and Bishop of our souls we must continue under the protection of our Pastors and when the chief Shepheard commeth we shall receive the crown of life which he hath purchased the first epistle of Peter the fist chapter an incorruptible Crown of glory Paulisper non conspicietis me rursum paulisper videbitis me quia ego vado ad Patrem Job 16 16. THEY be the words of Christ spoken to his Disciples to comfort them being in heavinesse because Christ was to be taken from them verse the sixth for here is matter of double sorrow For first That they should not see him Secondly That he was to goe such a journey from them But there is a double comfort answerable The comfort of not seeing him is after a while ye shall see me The comfort against his departure is that he goeth to his Father The words in effect are as much as if he said within a while I shall suffer death upon the Crosse and be buried and within a while after I shall arise again and ascend up to my Father which is a special matter of comfort and rejoycing as John the fourteenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I goe to my Father They knew not what he meant by those words verse the eighteenth therefore our Saviour maketh a commentary on them verse the twentieth ye shall not see me that is ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce And again ye shall see me that is your sorrow shall be turned into laughter and joyes Again he makes it more plain with a comparison verse the twenty first non videbitis that shall be to you as the pangs of a woman labouring with childe and ye shall see me that is like the joy she conceiveth after her deliverance For the first point he saith verse the fourth he did not tell them of his departure from the beginning nor yet a great while before his passion but only now that is some diminishing of their grief But in the second point there is much more comfort that is albeit he must be taken from them yet they shall not only see him again but very shortly after The vision that is for many dayes 〈◊〉 us to long and thirst after the accomplishment of it but Christ cells them they shall see him again and that very shortly The same course he keeps in the reason for he saith quia vado not to the crosse and passion that was not a matter so pleasing but ad Patrem that is it that doth increase their joy Wherein we are to observe Christs method of comfort not to minister comfort before the time To see is a good and comfortable thing Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter the want of which benefit made Tohias that he had no joy And as God giveth sight so hath he made many excellent Creatures for us to 〈◊〉 whereof the Wise-man saith non satiatur oculus And there are not only real but personal objects Adam opened his eyes and saw the light but saw nothing till God made one like himself The personal object is the more comfortable But in the person many things make it more desirous As to see a person whom we love and who loveth us that is a sight of comfort So was it a great joy to Jacob to see Joseph Genesis the fourty sixt chapter such is the joy of the Spouse to see Christ Canticles the sixth chapter Touching Christs love himself saith John the fifteenth chapter Majorem hac charitatem habet nemo he loved us being his enemies If then the view of a man be comfortable what shall we say of the fight of God that must needs be Visio beatifica In him is fullnesse of joy Psalm the sixteenth The pure in heart shall be blessed quia videbit Deum Matthew the fift chapter That was it that made Philip say John the fourteenth chapter Ostende nobis Patrem sufficit But he that seeth Christ
because he of all others began with the beginning of all John the first chapter This order we see he took of Moses who first telleth of things past from the Creation till his death and foretelleth of things which were to come to passe in the latter end and which the new Testament doth say is fulfilled The knowledge of both these things past and to come God promised to shew to his Church and after it must we seek Isaiah the fourty first chapter and the twenty second verse and these secrets are no where so fully shewed as by Moses in this book If then we intend to get knowledge and with that key to open Heaven dores and to see the glorious Majestie of God let us take this book in hand which hath in it both leaves at large both the knowledge of the Creation of all Gods works and the knowledge of the wisdome and the true word of God But some may demand What will become of Christ and of his Gospel all this while that we are meditating of Moses and Gods works I answer That if Moses did not testifie and teach us of Christ we would account the time lost which we spend in reading him Philippians the third chapter and the eighth verse and we would leave Moses learning that we might only finde Christ. But St. Paul doth assure us Acts the third chapter and the eighteenth verse that all the Prophets from the beginning of the world did speak of him and among all the Prophets it is said We have found him of whom Moses spake John the first chapter and the fourty fift verse even Jesus the sonne of Joseph And more plainly Christ saith John the fift chapter and the fourty sixth verse Moses doth write and testifie of me And this we shall see plainly in all his books to be true both in evident and direct Prophesies and also in dark and mysticall types and figures The second question is touching Moses himself How he being but a man could come to the knowledge of such secret things which were hidden from other natural men besides being supernatural and beyond mens reach I answer As we cannot have knowledg of a strange Country where we never were but by report or by Letter or relation sent from some which dwell therein so we can have no notice or certain knowledge of God and his kingdome unlesse God first by his letter written make relation thereof to us Has quidem literas dedit Deus Moses attulit God was the writer Moses the Messenger of these holy Writts many things no doubt were taught by instruction and received by tradition from the Patriarchs before as wee see in the fift chapter of Genesis and the twenty ninth verse for so Lamech knew from his fathers that the Earth was accursed by God as it is in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis and the twenty seventh verse Abraham knew from his Ancestors that he was made of dust and ashes Adam leaving it to his posterity as Abraham did teach his family that God revealed to him Genesis the eighteenth chapter and the ninteenth verse But though many things came to knowledge by this meanes yet de eo tempore scribere de quo non erat is a strange matter some may say but wee answer that this was done either knowing it by that pattern which hee saw in the Mount or else by the voice and spirit of God speaking and talking with him to teach him the so things that is hee must needs come by it by the Eye that is by vision or else by the Eare that is by Revelation For as all Scriptures came by inspiration the first of Peter and the first chapter so 〈◊〉 this booke of Moses who writ it not of his own privat motion but by the heavenly direction of the spirit of God And therefore Moses might say as Daniel did Daniel the second chapter and the twenty eighth verse It is not I that can reveal secrets but there is a God of Heaven which declareth them Moses was but the pen of that God did speak If any then shall move that question Matthew the twenty first chapter and the twenty fift verse The Doctrine of Moses whether it is from Heaven or of men We answer That it is of God and from Heaven 〈…〉 hereby appear because he was so publickly and manifestly 〈◊〉 with God and had often and long company and conference with him all Israel seeing him to goe up to the Lord. If any object that Heathens have pretended as much of their Laws and 〈◊〉 they have delivered Moses is able to 〈◊〉 him self from 〈…〉 because this thing was not done in a 〈◊〉 but in the view and before the face of all Israel and that not in a Cave or Den as they but in the top of Mount 〈◊〉 which made that 〈◊〉 of all Israel 〈◊〉 his time ever made any doubt or question 〈◊〉 but still 〈◊〉 him the servant of God 〈…〉 he called them 〈◊〉 and rebellious men Deuteronomie the ninth chapter and the ninth verse And as none durst call his truth in question so they which resisted as Korah and Dathan did were grievously punished by the hand of God And so were Appian and Julian plagued for their blasphemy which scoff and deride these holy Books For so saith Moses to his accusers Numbers the sixteenth chapter the twenty eigth and twenty ninth verses Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to speak these words if these dye not the death of all men c. Another reason to prove that his writings came from Heaven is his Rod and the miracles which God caused him to doe to confirm these things which he spake and wrote which miracles even the Heathen Chronicles doe confesse to this day Last of all Mens writings and books savour of passions and imperfections incident to men Moses is not of self-love partial to himself nor vain-glorious seeking any praise For in his writing he spareth not his own Father Exodus the thirty second chapter and the twenty seventh verse he spareth not Idolatry in his brother nor his sister Cozbies fault no nor his own fault of unbelief for which he confesseth that he could not enter into the promised Land Deuteronomie the thirty second chapter Seeing then all that is of the flesh and earth is flesh and savoureth earthly things this sheweth that Moses writing came from Gods spirit For Moses in all the warres he waged and in all the Laws he wrote he never ascribeth any thing but to the glory of God which gave them by his means exhorting to nothing but this That by holy obedience we should seek his praise The conclusion therefore must be this That seeing it is the infallible word of God sent from Heaven and not invented by men Why doe we not then with all reverence hear him and with all diligence beleeve him as a Prophet sent from God especially seeing it is threatned concerning him by name That whosoever
to doe to him is to bruise his head in pieces which we shall be able to doe in him that strengthneth us Phil. 4. That which he will doe to us 〈◊〉 that he will bruise our heel therefore we are to take heed of him By the Serpents head is meant the first suggestion whereby he stirreth us up to sinne which albeit in the beginning it were strong when he tempted Eve yet since the promise Christ hath weakned it nothwithstanding as Christ resisted the first suggestion Matth. 4. so must we after his example begin at the weakest part even at the first suggestions and provocations which seem to us to be nothing which the Prophet signified by the children of Babel which he would have dashed to the stones Psal. 137. In that respect it is that the Church would have the little Foxes destroyed that hurt the Vines Cant. 2. 12. And the Prophets counsel is That we 〈◊〉 upon the Cockatrice egge lest it 〈◊〉 a Serpent Isaiah 59. The Fathers out of Adams temptation 〈◊〉 four degrees of our spiritual 〈◊〉 The Man the Woman the Serpent the Tree By Man they understood reason by the Woman the sensuality and carnall affections of our mindes by the Serpent the Devil by the Tree the occasion Concerning which as it is good counsel to hear this spoken Command Eve so it is better counsel Take heed of the Serpent and thou shall be safe but if thou doe not look upon the tree thou shalt be safer For if we avoid the occasion of sinne then shall not our concupiscence be stirred up but he that maketh no conscience to 〈◊〉 the occasion he loveth danger and as the Wise man saith he shall perish therein The 〈◊〉 if it be lightly touched will sting and prick but if it be crushed hard in a mans hand it looseth the power So if we dally with sinne it will sting us but if we bruise the very head of it that is the first motions then it shall not hurt us Thus did Christ Matth. 4. and thus he would have us doe likewise Jacob being stirred up by his mother to seek the blessing of his father and to counterfeit the person of his brother answered That he durst not last instead of a blessing he should procure acurse Gen. 27. 12. Joseph being solicited to uncleannesse by his Mistris answered How can I 〈…〉 Gen. 39. Thus with the consideration of Gods curse and of his benefits towards us must we tread the head of the Serpent But if we be ready to make league with hell and death Isaiah 28. that is to 〈◊〉 to the suggestions of Satan If instead of treading him under feet we tread under foot the blood of Christ by which we are sanctified Hebrews 10. if where we should labour to wound the Devil we doe heal his wounds with sweet words Jer. 6. then are we faire from that spiritual enmity that God requireth and doe deprive our selves of the promise of victory This not bruising of the Serpents head will cause another contrition For that man that for lack of grace doth not tread down concupiscence and make it subject to the spirit of God shall be fain to grinde his own heart and to break it as he should have broken the Serpents head for one of them must of necessity be performed either the Serpents head must be bruised and broken or else our own heart must be broken with sorrow and grief for sinne which is that acceptable sacrifice which God doth not despise Psal. 51. Secondly Touching that which the Devil doth to us we are taught here That though he be grievously wounded yet he will not give over but make warre with the Womans seed forever If he could he would be at the head but because he cannot he begins at the heel and by little and little layeth men down all along upon the ground that so he may poyson the head Thus he circumventeth men to make them fall 2 Cor. 1. We must therefore chiefly look to that part which he aimeth at most and that is the heel and in that regard it behoveth us to have our feet shod with the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel Ephes. 6. 15. The heel hath three considerations First Calcem 〈◊〉 Secondly actionis Thirdly vitae The heel of our soul is the lowest part thereof which toucheth the earth that is as the Apostle terms them our fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. and our worldly lusts Titus 2. 12. These affections are as it were the feet whereupon our souls doe walk for the affections are the feet of the soul and minde which if they be corrupt they cause the soul to sinne therefore the Prophet complaineth That the wickednesse of his heels compasseth him Psal. 49. 5. meaning the corrupt lusts and affections of his heart For as the cold wherewith we are troubled in our head is first taken in our feet so the corruption of our opinion and understanding proceeds from our corrupt affections Secondly The heel of our actions is the end for which we doe them wherein we must be carefull that all we doe be done for Gods glory and not for our own praise this is it which our Saviour reproveth in the Scribes and 〈◊〉 They did good works they fasted prayed and gave almes but the end of all that they did was not good for they did it to be praised of men Matth. 6. For it is the Devils policie if he cannot hinder good actions yet to corrupt mens minds so as they shall not refer that which they doe to Gods glory which is the right end and only thing we should aim at but to their own praise and commendation among men Therefore we must beware for what end we doe any thing be it never so good namely that it be reserred to Gods glory according to the Apostles rule 1 Cor. 10. otherwise it not only loseth commendation but becommeth sinfull how goodly a shew soever it carry outwardly for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. Thirdly By the heel in the tird and last sense we understand the end of our life For at that time when all action is past the Devil knowing that he hath but a little time to practise his malice against us doth then most of all rage against us Apoc. 12. Therefore even then especially we must oppose our selves against him that he doe not venom and poyson our heel that is when we are ready to depart this life to give us the overthrow to drive us to desperation and make us to despair of Gods favour Thus we see his desire is and will be either to corrupt our affections that we shall desire that which is evil Or if we doe good he will poyson the end of our actions so as we shall not seek Gods glory but our own praise Lastly When we come to the end of our life then he will be busie to weaken our faith and to overcome us by taking from us all other spiritual graces And not only in these but he will hurt us in our goods and good name And we must be content to suffer these things at his hands that he may not hurt our souls Exod. 4. 3. We must not think it strange if we suffer detriment in temporal things so that he doe us no hurt spiritually to the overthrow of our souls FINIS