Host and Army of the nether Heavens and the Starres are the Hostes of God which inhabite and are in Garrison in the second Heavens and the Hosts of Heavenly Souldiers Saints and Angells are the Armies of the third Heavens Luke 2. 13. which Heaven is called solum gloriae for Heaven is his throne it is called the habitation of Gods holinesse Esay 63. 15. And God is described by this place Matth. 5. 34. Deus qui sedet in Coelum Psal. 121. 2. so his place is in the third and highest Heavens and from thence cometh the true winde and spirit John 3. 8. and the true rain and dew and water of Grace and life John 4 14. and from thence discended the true bread of life John 6. 32. and the oyle of joy and all good things spirituall whatsoever and from thence we are to look for them Thus we may consider of Heaven though we might here rather know and learn the way thither then curiously to search what it is which we cannot finde nor comprehend 1 Cor. 2. 7. I come to the two other Heavens because this place teacheth and warranteth us only but of these two Touching the second Heaven this we finde that it is a glorious body Exod. 24. 10. though it consisteth of and by the waters as St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 3. 5. as in the water we see no diversity or variety yet in the bodie of the Heavens there is great variety for it is as it is in natural things In a kernel we can perceive no variety but yet it bringeth a tree forth which hath great variety as a body of wood bark leaves blossoms and fruit and by this incarnation we have participation of those graces Heb. 10. 20. and he calleth all to him to buy these waters John 7. 38. 39. and by his spirit he will power them into our souls Rom. 5. 5. Water of Meditation and of these waters the Patriarchs and we tasted 1 Cor. 10. 3. and by these waters of Grace we have passage and navigation from Earth to Heaven Act. 2. 17. 18. by our waters we can passe from one Country to another Waters of Grace These waters of Grace are contained in the clouds of the Law the preaching thereof doth drop gratious words as the dew Deut. 32. 2. and therefore the wiseman saith that the lipps of instruction are a well-spring of life so the preaching and ministery of Gods word is the clouds and bottels which hold this water Therefore Acts 14. 3. and Acts 20. 32. Gods word is called verbum gratiae which doth contain heavenly grace as the clouds doe water which by the inluence of Gods spirit is made aqua vitae vivificans John 6. 35. for the word is as seed but the spirit giveth life and so that is made effectuall in us and we made fruitfull unto God and as a sweet ground whom God hath blessed Gen. 26. 12. Now as God in the name of Heaven holdeth up the finger as it were and saith here is waters to be had and looked for so the same word of God which made the Heavens must give these waters from thence and therefore they which want wisdome and knowledge let them ask and seek them of God Jam. 1. 5. 17. The bucket by which we must draw this water is a true faith Esay 12. 2 3. Prov. 12 17. 19. and then our souls became like a well watred garden Jer. 31. 12. This water it yeeldeth for meditation There is also profitable matter to learn for 〈◊〉 For as we see God doth here we must expresse the like in our actions that we may be like unto God First When we have received our light of knowledge we are taught by the order of Creation that the next course in regeneration is to extenuate our earthly affections and to sublime and elevate and to lift up our mindes to Heaven Phil. 3. 20. So St. Paul willeth us Col. 3. 2. this is the laying up of treasures in Heaven Matth. 6. 20. we must think on Jerusalem which is above if we will be free Citizens in it Gal 4. 26. Secondly for the division As there is a Heaven and Earth the two parts of the world so is there in man two parts correspondent the earthly Adam made of the dust and the spirit and soul which God gave 〈◊〉 12. 7. which is called the Heavenly Adam 1 Cor. 15. 47. 48. God will first say let be a separation our souls must be separated from earth earthly and carnall things as we said before and ascend And as all earthly things which make for the flesh are brought into a narrow compasse of the Earth which is but a prick in a circle whereas God hath reserved the large spatious roome of the Heavens for our souls so must we bring our carking cares of this life into a narrow room of our hearts and let the whole compasse of our souls and thoughts be filled with the study and care of the Kingdome of God Thirdly As the part of waters which ascended became a Firmament and are most sure and immutable unto the end of the World so must our souls having begun in the spirit ascend to Heaven be constant firm and immutable to the end of our lives and never end in the flesh Gal. 3. 3. nor fall to the Earth as those starres did Rev. 6. 13. for it it is the part of a foolish and wicked man that is mutable and wavering Prov. we must not be Rubenites Gen. 49. weak and inconstant as water for a just mans heart is firm and shall not shrink nor be moved but 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in God Psal. And this is the part of Martyrs for though they are by nature weak and fearfull and as waters yet by Gods grace are made as the Firmament more sure against all Gods enimies than a wall of brasse Matter of thankfullnesse The last use is for matter of thankfullnesse and gratefullnesse with which we will close up all For we see that when the Earth sendeth up but a thin and a small myst the Clouds requite it by powring down showers So Cursus Dei gratiae dependet in recursu nostrarum gratiarum actionis for as the Clouds will send no more rain if the Earth will send up no vapours nor breathe up any mists so only Gods Graces will discend into our Souls when our gratefullnesse doth from thence ascend up to God for then they cease distilling down on us when we leave off to be thankfull Wherefore let us be thankfull for Coelo aëreo for without the benefit and purenesse of it we cannot breathe and live Psal. 65. and let us be thankfull pro Coelo aethereo for the comfortable and sweet influence of the starres because the Earth hath no power to bring fruit without the virtue of the Heavens And lastly Let us 〈◊〉 thankfull pro Coelo Coelorum or Coelo Coelesti that is for the third Heavens for as we must praise God for
lights to the glorie and praise of Gods name so shall we come from the light of the Sunne to continue in the everlasting light of righteousnesse Then shall the light of the Moon be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven fold Esay 30. 26. This place hath no need of the Sunne nor the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth light it and the Lamb is the light of it the people which are saved shall walk in the light of it there shall be no night at all Rev. 21. 23. Then shall the just men shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Matth. 13. 43. sic finiamus de luce of the light which light God of his mercy grant us all Amen Et creavit Deus Coetos maximos animantia omnia repentia quae abundè progenuerunt aquae in species ipsorum omnesque volucres alatas in species suas viditque Deus id esse bonum Gen. 1. 21. Preached January 16. 1590. HEREIN is the second part of the work of the fifth day Here is the return of the Precept Creation of Fishes This is Gods water-work first the creating of the great Whale then of the shoale of small fishes It is said creavit and not fecit you shall finde this word creavit in three several verses only of this chapter in the first in this and in the 27. verse Creavit Creavit is applyed in the first to being in this verse to living in the 27. verse to understanding In the holy tongue aget in the first verse is to be Cara is to have life and Sagar in the 27. is to have understanding So that creavit goeth by degrees from being to living from living to understanding which is the perfection of creation the first of the Heavens lacking sense the other of Fishes and Fowls having life the other of Man having understanding Barha in Hebrew in the first verse is not only creare ex nihilo aliquid but ex nihilo magnum quod est miraculum The Master-peece Artificers among their works have one especiall which they call their Master-peece God in his creation hath in the Heaven one especial Master-peece namely the shining Sunne having his being from the Creator he hath in the Water the great Whale who hath life from above He hath in the Earth Man his Master-peece who from God hath his understanding Whales These Whales are the great monsters of the Sea In creating them saith Ambrose Creavit vastitates stupores even at the sight of him shall one perish Job 40. 28. the Tunny is a great fish the Whale is a great tyrant The great Leviathan God hath made even to play in the Sea Psal. 104. 26. He hath made him saith a Father to be vectem maris a barre of the Sea so great is a Whale Sathan the tyrant of the world is compared to Leviathan the tyrant in the Sea Esay 27. 1. AEqualia habent montibus corpora saith Ambrose The nature of the Sea is to be abyssus these great Whales are immensae moles in hoc abysso though he be huge yet the Sea is deep though he be strong yet the Sea keepeth him in warde Job in his 7. chap. and 12. vers Am I a Sea or a Whale fish that thou keepest me in warde the greatnesse and strength of a Whale is declared in the 40. of Job the 20. verse to the 41. chapter He cannot be drawn with an hook neither can his jaws be pierced with an Angle thou canst not fill a basket with his skinne nor the fish-panner with his head And in the 4. chapter God saith None is so fierce that dares stirre him up In the fourth verse of that chapter it is said A double bridle cannot hold him Who shall open the dores of his face his teeth are fearfull round about In the 6. verse The Majestie of his scales is like the strong sheilds In the 9. verse His neesings make the light to shine and his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning out of his mouth goe lamps and sparks of fire In the 11. Smoak commethout of his nostrils as out of a boyling pot in his neck remaineth strength In the 15. verse His heart is strong as a stone and hard as the nether mill-stone In the 18. He esteemeth iron as straw and brasse as rotten wood When the Sword doth touch him he will not rise up He laugheth at the shaking of the speare the Archer cannot make him flie the stones of the sling he accounteth as stubble In the 22. verse He maketh the depth to boyle like a pot and maketh the Sea like a pot of 〈◊〉 when he foameth the depth seemeth to have an hoare and white head He is made without fear he is a king over all the children of pride This Leviathan is left here by Job for an Epilogue of Gods great works He like the Serpent in the 12. of the Revelation the 15. casteth out of his mouth waters as a flood This his greatnesse is an especial and infallible example of Gods strength who created him and his hugenesse Creation af all other Fishes Furthermore he created all living and moving things in the Waters in great aboundance The small fishes are not the superfluity of nature saith Ambrose He shewed as much power in creating the small fishes as the great Whales totidem syllabae ad creandum pisciculos ut ad creandum coetos nec labor at Deus in maximis nec fastidit in minimis both are miraculous there are miracula magna parva sape parva sunt magnis majora saith Austin There is as much admiration in the small shrimp as in the great Leviathan Living Souls Every soul is the matter of this creation but not the body At the resurrection he will doe a strange miracle but this is a greater for plus est ut educat Deus animam viventem quam ut reducat Deus animam viventem this is the miracle in this creation that God gave sense life moving to the fishes Soul The soul is distinct from the body there is a soul and flesh Esay 10. 18. the soul is distinct from life My soul is cut off though I live Job 10. 1. the soul is distinguished from the breath Genesis 8. Moving of Fishes Further every thing moving that moved of it self not one way as heavy things doe downward and light things upward not by any circular motion as doe the Heavens but that moved all wayes every way and that moved as the shell fishes doe by expansion The moving in this place signifieth a gliding applyed to fishes in waters and worms on the Earth there are other motions as the flying of birds the pacing foot by foot of beasts and of men The sense of fishes is dull yet their motion is perfect and swift If they had sense only to feel their hurts and not
it is spiritus Dei which he breathed into our bodies Now to consider of the words somewhat more seriously we see that the soul is a breath but so that it is Neshema a spirituall and celestiall breath which properly is understood of the winde and ayre by which we see that is next of kynne to the Spirits which have no body as our bodyes are next of kynne to the wormes that are in the earth which soul for that cause is invisible but not unperceiveable As we cannot see the winde and the pulse yet we perceive them by divers effects So is our Soul and the excellency of it made known and discerned And that it might not be imagined or thought to be only a bare blast of breath or as a puffe of winde he therefore addeth a spirit of lives And least we should deem the soul and the life to be but one thing and to end and vanish away together Job telleth us 27. 3. that the spirit or soul of a man is one thing and 〈◊〉 life is another distinct Though there be a spirit of life in beasts and not only in earthly creatures but also in celestiall spirits yet only the spirit of man is spiritus vitarum that is of more lives than one which our Saviour Christ telleth us in Matth. 10. 28. Men may take away the one life of our body but they cannot the other life of the soul that is only in Gods power This then is the difference between the soul of a man and all other things which confuteth the Epicures 1. which held that the Soul was but a hot salt humor to keep the body from rottennesse and corruption Moses maketh choice to compare the Soul to breath First because it hath a piercing and a searching quality being Totus in toto totus in qualibet parte Pro. 27. 2. This candle of the Soul diffuseth his light and heat and life in every member searching and piercing all Secondly the Soul is compared to breath to humble us and not make us presume on this life seeing the soul and body is but knit and conjoyned together vinculo aëreo by an airie thred Esay 2. 22. Mans breath is in his nostrills which being stopped his life is gone Psal. 103. 14. 15. which causeth our life sodainly oftentimes to be taken away and our soul and our body in an instant or moment to depart a sunder Psal. 78. 39. Even because the union that holdeth soul and dody together is but a little blast of aire and winde easily broken and smitten asunder so sodainly doe we passe away and are gone This may teach us the shortnesse and sodainnesse of this life and death The use of which is that seeing we received our life from God therefore we must now live the life of all godlynesse seeing we live by the spirit of God naturally we must seek for the spirit of God and the graces of it that we may live holily seeing our Soul is the light of God let not this light become darknesse in us for then great is that darknesse Seeing our Soul is the Image of God we must not deface it with the ugly form of Sathan The holy man Job 26. 4. hearing his friends speak foolish and vain words asketh 〈◊〉 spirit cometh out of them As who should say seeing you have the spirit of God speak not such words as if an evill or vain spirit were in them So must we say to those men that doe evill works Whose spirit or what spirit hast thou in thee These deeds are the works of evill Spirits but thou had'st in thee the good spirit of God 2. Now we are come to the second estate of our soul which is set down in this So man became a living Soul which is added to shew that God not only gave that spirit inspired into him a power of life by which it could live but also another power unto the body which before was a dead peece of Earth wherefore the soul being in every part of the body so made by and by it was lively in every part and stood up and performed the actions of life which now it doth in us This is a good and profitable sense of these words as some doe understand But the best Divines weighing these words more deeply doe finde out another state of the soul which sheweth another priviledge of the soul of man For besides that it is as we have seen a spiritual essence occupied in spiritual actions being immortall and pertaining and leading to another life Besides this speciall priviledge it hath here also another common prerogative namely to enforme the body that is in a word besides being a spirituall essence it is also a natural essence it had hath and shall have a power to live without the body and also it hath a power in the body to quicken and give life to it and every part thereof that is it can animare informare corpus which we know the Angels and celestial spirits cannot for when they appeare in a body their souls of life though they live yet they doe not informe that body but they are in it as in a Case which they take to them and leave off again But our soul is not only a spiritual essence and consistence as the Angels but also a natural consistence in the body to inform and animate it which the Angels have not And this is the other prerogative There is none that doe doubt but they have naturalem animam and thereof they are called naturales homines 1 Cor. 15. 46. But by their actions one would think that their souls were only fleshie souls because they never give them selves to spiritual and heavenly actions as a Celestiall spirit shall move them But only they are given to actions of this bodily life which is temporall yea to earthly fleshie and sinfull actions as if the soul that were in them were but after that fort a natural soul of life for a time They see by their natural studies senses motions and actions that they have a natural soul of life quickning the body which else could not live But they think not that it is a spiritual soul and heavenly essence which shall have an eternall being after this life and therefore they never care to 〈◊〉 for such heavenly and spiritual actions of Godlinesse wherefore we will briefly prove and shew that the state of the soul is celestial and 〈◊〉 that we may be moved to think of such actions as that estate doth require And first that the soul and the life and estate thereof doth not depend upon the body but hath his being and life without the body after the body is dead and turned to the Earth because it hath his dependence on God which is immortall and eternal which appeareth to reason in the judgement of the Heathen because the soul hath in the will a power and faculty and ability to effect and perfect an action
of his blessings on him in this happy place which sheweth Adam in all justice worthy to be condemned as filius mortis 2 Sam. 12. 5. in that he having such infinite store of all good trees that were yet was not content but did impiously and ungratefully take away and steal from him which had but only one tree From both these we gather that it is not lawfull in respect of Gods will nor against the Law of nature but it is allowed and permitted to man in the estate of innocencie to desire and to use and enjoy both plenty and variety of Gods blessing here on Earth which are pleasant and good that is such good Creatures which may serve for delight and profit David Psal. 23. 5. giveth God thanks for both for God gave him balme which is a thing for pleasure and an overrunning cup which is for plenty And Salomon 2 Chro. 9. 21. and in the 1 King 10. 22. when his Navie went to Ophir he took order according to the wisedome God gave him that they should bring him Apes Peacocks and Parrots c. which we know are only for delight and hath a use for pleasure so he had both a desire and fruition of such things and our saviour Christ which is wiser than Salomon John 18. 2. he often resorted to and reposed himself in a garden and took pleasure therein and Luke 24. 43. there we see he cate of an honey-Combe for the pleasure of taste and St. Augustine giveth this reason because God caused Bees not to gather honey for the wicked only but for the godly also The desire then and the use is lawfull only we must take this Caveat by the way and beware that we long not after the forbidden Tree that is that we both in respect of our wills and desires in regard of the means to obtain and get these things and also of the use and enjoying them must beware that we doe not that which is forbidden for to desire those things in affection immoderately to seek them by evill means inordinately and indiscreatly or to use them in excesse unthankfully is the abusing and making them evill unto us And let this suffice for the first part Now for walking about the Garden Moses here calleth us into the mid'st of it and we know that usually in the mid'st of their places of pleasure men will have some curious devise so God applying himself to the nature of men is said to have a speciall matter of purpose in the mid'st which Moses will have us now see and consider We read in the 1 Cron. 16. 1. that in the middle of the Temple and in the mid'st of the middle part God caused the Cherubins and the Ark to be set where his glorie and presence did most appear for there he contriveth and conveyeth the most excellent things in all Paradise and setteth them in the mid'st thereof to be seen which were no where else that is to say the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill which he expresseth by name as for all the rest he hudleth them up in a general term as not worthy the naming in respect of this Touching which two St. Austin saith well that we must note that they came out of the ground not out of the Aire that is they were not fantasticall trees as some men have imagined but very true and substantial trees as the rest not differing but only this in prerogative and special fruit which by Gods blessing they brought forth fructus erat non ex natura arboris sed ex gratia Creatoris as è contra it was not an evill or hurtfull tree ex voluntate plantantis sed ex culpa comedentis for by Adams sinne it became deadly We see then that as Paradise was a natural place though it had reference to a spirituall place for in this tree of life is both matter of Historie which proveth the very true and essential being of it and yet withall matter of mysterie For as it is a true use to be applyed to the body and natural life to maintain it So besides that History in it was a mysterie to signifie a heavenly matter to be spiritually applyed to our souls as the Scriptures doe teach And in these two respects we shall have a perfect comprehension of these trees in the middest Touching the tree of life and the corporal use of it we must remember that it is said in the 7. verse that God gave man a spirit of life and made him a living soul that is such a soul which could give life to every part in the body with the functions and faculties thereof as to eat and drink to move goe and stirre which the soul of Beasts also giveth to them naturally Touching the natural life and living soul of Man all Physicians doe well agree with divinity in this that it standeth in two points and that there were two causes ordained by God by which it should be maintained or impaired the one is set down Deut. 34. 7. Humidum radicale the natural vigor and strength of nature in moisture the other is called Calor naturalis 1 Reg. 1. 1 2. that is natural heat So long as they two are perfect and sound the bodily life doth continue perfect but when there is a defect or decay of them then the natural life doth cease and end Wherefore God taketh order that by eating and drinking there should be a supply of that natural moisture which should be spent in us by travail and labor Jer. 18. 15. And therefore it is called a refection and recovering by food that moisture which before hath been decayed in us now because the moisture and juice which cometh of meats and drinks would at last by often mixture become unperfect as water being mixed with wine is worse therefore God gave this tree of life for mans bodily use that whatsoever naturall defect might grow in these two yet the fruit of this tree shall be as balm as it were to preserve his bodily constitution in the first perfect good estate of health Secondly though there be no decay of moisture or that yet sinne which is the sting of death might impair or destroy this immortall life 2 Chron. 15. 16. For when God doth punish or chastise man for sinne then even as a moth fretteth a garment so doth sinne consume our life Psal. 39. 11. Therefore God ordeined also the other tree of knowledge to a remedy for that that as the body should be sustained by that corporall fruit of life so his heart also might be propped up or upheld by grace Heb. 13. 9. which this tree of knowledge did teach him to apprehend And thus much of the corporall use of these trees which were truely in the Garden as this History doth shew Now for the other part it is not to be doubted but that as it hath a true matter of history So it hath in it also a spirituall mystery
the Creation of the Woman therefore he would be alone that he alone might be known to be the only maker of the Woman and that he had no help or Counsell in the framing of her For the like cause God suffered the Disciples to fall into a deep and heavy sleep in the garden when Jesus Christ our Saviour was in the agony that it might not be doubted but that he alone wrought and brought to passe all the work of our Redemption without the help or comfort of his Disciples as it was prophecied of him before Ille Torcular calcavit solus So Almighty God purposing to have all the glory of the whole World alone and that Adam might not challenge any jot thereof therefore without his counsell help or consent he would doe it while Adam was fast asleep Which must teach us this Lesson That especially in this weighty matter of Wyving when we see we want that holy help we must not think by our own policie and strength to get us one meet and good for us but rather by prayer commend that work to Gods care and providence who then no doubt will bring that work to passe which shall be most fit and meet for us while we are fast asleep Object If any ask Why she was taken out of his side which is the middle part of mans body and not out of his head or foot Resp. This answer may stand with good reason That she was not taken out of his head or shoulder Ne insolesceret foemina that is lest affecting a superiority over the Man she should take upon her arrogancie to be the top of his head or to ride over his shoulders If any doe so let them know that it is not the Womans part nor place to exalt herself so high On the other side God of purpose would not have her taken out of the foot Ne eam homo sub pedibus contereret make her too much an underling as scarce good enough to wash his feet If any so use their wives let them know God made them not to so base and contemptible offices but would have good and vertuous women to be set next themselves as their matches in all dutie and love for God hath made her of his side that she might be collateralis that is be thought worthy to stand and sit and lye by his side therefore it is said that the Kings spouse being brought to him was set on his right hand Psal. 45. 9. And indeed if women did consider their estate they would know it to be farre better and safer for them being the weaker vessell to shrowd themselves under their husbands arms for defence as their protector than to sit above his shoulder as Lord and superior over him Again Women may see that God made them of a rib which is a strong bone that they might be a means and prop to their weaknesse to uphold and be a stay to them and their estate and not a weakning and decayiug of their estates and strength as many doe And as they learn this of the nature of their matter so they must learn to avoid one thing which is the bone of which they were made namely they must not be crooked and perverse and 〈◊〉 bones to their husbands heart for such wives saith Salomon are not bones to help us but putredo in ossibus and a grief to their heart Now we may consider that of this matter God made him not many wives not two wives yea not more than only one which condemneth 〈◊〉 for many reasons and respects for many inconveniences and griefs come to the man and the family where more than one hath been it was the cause occasion of strife and brawls as we may see in the example of Elkana his two wives 1 Sam. 1. 5. 7. 8. for they did not only vexe one another but both of them were a vexation to him The like example we have in Sara and Agar so ill did they agree under one man that one house was not able to hold them wherefore Gods ordinance is who knoweth what is best for us that one man shall have but one only wife A word now of the supplement for it is said that God taking out a rib made a wound and healed it up again and made flesh to be the supplement thereof By which we 〈◊〉 becanse Woman is the weaker vessel therefore God would have her to have some of the Mans strength and lest the man should be too strong and rigorous he hath imparted some of the Womans weaknesse to him Which must teach man and wife to know that God hath made them so that they should bear one with anothers infirmities And there is nothing which doth more make void the bond of love and unity which God hath so strongly confirmed between man and wife as this one thing that the one doth not bear with the others infirmities and imperfections Extruxitque Jehova Deus ex costa illa quam sumpserat de Adamo mulierem eamque adduxit ad Adamum Gen. 2. 22. Octob. 23. 1591. IN these words according to our last division are conteined the manner and fashion of her Creation which is here said to be after the manner and form of a building and also the end why she was made namely that she might be brought to man and given him for his help It is the Counsel of God that if we will purpose to make a house or building that we first of all prepare matter and stuffe where with all to build it Prov. 24. 27. and then after to settle upon the work which course of wisdome we doe see God doth here take and observe for having taken the rib out of the mans side as the meetest matter to build this beautifull matter for man now all things being in a readinesse and nothing wanting he proceedeth without delay to the framing and perfecting of this work of Woman Touching which we must know that it is not Moses purpose in this place to treat of the making of the Womans soul but only of the frame of the body for he had before in the 7. verse of this Chapter sufficiently and fully performed that narration shewing that God having made the body of Man and Woman then he breathed into them the breath of life and made them both alike living souls which confoundeth that prophane shamelesse objection of irreligious men which whether in jeast or in good earnest I know not have said that Women have no souls because in this verse Moses speaketh not but only of the frame of her body To falsifie and disprove which saying ye shall hear Rebecca say Gen. 27. 46. Taedet animam meam vitae meae And the Virgin Mary will confesse that she hath a soul as well as Man Luke 1. 46. saying Magnificat anima mea c. But we must know that this soul the Woman had not of the man but of God the Creator as Adam had
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
nineteenth They that live in ease are weary of it Salomon in the first of the Kings the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse died in his age Abraham in the twenty fifth of Genesis and the eighth yeelded the spirit and died a good age Death is a resting from Labour and from sinne and death is not only a resting from labour but from sinne also Paul in the seventh to the Romans and the twenty fourth desireth to be delivered from the body of sinne which he calleth the body of death The holy Fathers on that place but this difference that the Martyrs desire to die that they might not sinne the Malefactors because they have sinned A delaying of the punishment The other part of the delay is the chiefest which is the consideration that there is an exemption of death from the best part of man a qualifying of the punishment A bodily punishment for the soul and body both offended but the body only is punished the soul mans better part is free that is not touched He saith not here thou shalt die the death but thou shalt return to dust for as it is in the third of the Preacher and the twentieth all 〈◊〉 of the dust and all shall return to dust It is the body only that returneth to dust but the soul returneth to God that gave it Mans heavenly part shall be free from this sentence The Soul immortall the head of man his soul which is neerest God shall be safe though his heel be bruised The earthly part shall return to that it was but the heavenly 〈…〉 still the immortality If Christ be in us the body is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousness sake the eighth of the Romans and the tenth This then giveth comfort in death that though the body die the soul shall live for ever This gave comfort to Adam that he had thus well escaped Hevah the Mother of the living that in the very next verse he calleth his Wife with joy Hevah which is the Mother not of the dead but of the living for Hevah is mater viventium In the twentieth of Luke the thirty seventh and thirty eighth verses The Lord is Deus viventium The Lord is called the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob yet is he not the God of the dead but of the living for all live unto him yet then the Patriarchs were dead but though the Grave had their body God had their soul the Patriarchs died their soul lives the third of Exodus the sixth to be compared with the former place for after death they were not dead but removed to another state of life God will bring his again from the depth of the Sea Psalme the sixty eight and the twenty second The first death so the godly shall suffer the first death Revelations the twenty first and the eighth expoundeth that place But the wicked and the accursed shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death The second death the first death is the death of all the first death only is the death of Saints but the second death is the death of sinners Davids soul is delivered from the sword Psalme the twenty second and the twenty first but death seedeth 〈◊〉 upon the wicked as sheep feed upon a Common and as their life was without repentance so their death shall be without end the godly wish for death to rest from their labours the wicked wish for death that live in torment which is great Revelations 9. 6. The gates of death are mentioned in the Psalmes and in the seventh of the Proverbs and the twenty seventh Penetralia mortis the Chambers of death The wicked live not only in the Gates in the Courts in the Chambers of death but even in the Dungeon of death in the twenty third Psalme and the fourth verse and in the seventh of the Romans the twenty fourth are to be delayed in the one is mention of umbra mortis in the other corpus mortis they are to be delayed with the 9. of Marke the 1. where it is said that some there are that shall not taste of death till they have seen the Kingdome of God come with power So that the first death takes hold of the gody but the second death toucheth them not For they that be faithfull unto death shall be crowned with a crown of life Revel 2. 10. and in the 11. verse the godly that overcome shall not be hurt of the second death Isaiah 26. 19. Death naturall and eternall they are subject to the naturall death but free from the eternall death This is their comfort in the first death to have deliverie from the second death Resurrection By the resurrection of the dead to life is a second return for by the first return the body returneth from dust to dust but the second is from dust to glorie Return which is a return not of the soul but of the body also according to that of Job This body of flesh shall be covered with immortalitie and according to that of Hosea the 13. Chapter and the 14. verse The godly shall be redeemed from the power of the grave and death and according to that place of the Prophecie Christ will be the death of death it self but most plain of all is that of the 1. of the Revelations the 18. spoken of Christ That he is alive but was dead but now he is alive for evermore and he hath the keyes of hell and of death This then doth alay and qualifie the bitterness of this sentence The use hereof is diverse to learn Hence now may we gather use to our selves in these five things 1. Humility The first is though it be bitter yet it is wholsome the first use is taken out of pulvis es Learn hence unde es from whence thou art thou art but of a clod be not proud thou treadest upon that thou art made let that put thee in minde of humilitie boast not of thy honour for thy honour is in the dust There is nothing in the grave whither thou goest Preacher 9. 11. Quid ergo attollis cervicem in pulverem reversuram this is a means to learn humility learn of your selves what you are and then be humble Austin saith that the time will come to give an account to God of thy doings remember thy own frailty and be not proud for God knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth we are but dust Psal. 103. 14. 2. To regard things of this life as dust The second use is out of pulvis in pulverem dust to dust We must remember whither we are to goe we are now dust but sub alienâ formâ in the likeness of flesh but we shall be dust in the likeness of dust it self our flesh of dust shall be turned into dust and according to that of
the Kings the 22. 27. The reign of the King is the service of God for in the thirteenth of the Acts the thirty sixt verse it is written David after he had served his time slept with his fathers yea in the fift of Johns Gospel the seventeenth verse Jesus saith His Father worketh and he himself worketh also for Jesus for our sakes made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant the second of the Philippians the seventh verse and only by this his obedience as a servant he hath made us all righteous the fift to the Romans the ninth verse The third use Take this also for a third use ut operaretur terram de quâ sumptus est to teach us that we must doe service to the Country wherein we live Every one is content and forward operari terram quae est to take pains and labour in trimming the earth de quâ factus whereof he was made his own person a mans private every one respecth and will for flow no means to perfect his own state but he must operari terram de quâ desumptus est he must occupie his diligence and service in the earth from whence he is taken It is the office of the Prince the Priests and People to pray for the peace of Jerusalem Psalm 122. 6. The King the 〈◊〉 and the Soldiers or Captains joyn in the building of the Citie Nehemiah 2. And according to that of 2 Sam. 10. 〈◊〉 The Souldiers are 〈◊〉 and valiant for their People and the Cities of their God they fight for the 〈…〉 they were taken Salomon the King bestoweth his 〈◊〉 and his pains 〈◊〉 inrich and better his land Not only 〈◊〉 but the 〈◊〉 Queen Hester though with danger of her life resolved to make petition to the King for safety of her People Hester 7. 3. she prayeth not only for her own life but also for the life of her People and if they had been sold only for servants or hand-maids she would have held her 〈◊〉 And Moses after the People had fallen to 〈◊〉 such was his zeal for the safety of his People that he 〈◊〉 more than once for the safety of them and that God would pardon them or if he would not to 〈◊〉 or raze him out of his book And Christ himself would 〈◊〉 rebukes for our sakes Rom. 14. 3. We must wish and work the good of the Land wherein we live both for this life and for the life to come though it be with the 〈◊〉 of the losse of our own lives with Moses Hester and our Saviour Women not exempted Further that we may joyn Women in this also who though they are not named yet they are not exempted from occupying themselves in this service of the Earth for though her husband be imployed abroad yet she overseeth her houshold and she 〈…〉 the bread of idlenesse saith the wiseman Prov. 31. 27. She is to doe her husband service She will doe him good and not evill all the dayes of her life She seeketh wooll and flax and laboureth with her hands And with her hands she planteth a Vineyard And by the whole discourse of that chapter it appeareth that she is not to live in idlenesse Here shall be work in the earth for women also For she shall eat of the fruit of her own hands and her own works shall praise her in the gates the thirty first of the Proverbs the thirty 〈◊〉 verse And Paul in his second chapter of his Epistle to Titus the fourth and the 〈◊〉 verses sheweth the duty of Women to love their Husbands to keep at home and to be subject unto them The especial matter of consideration is this that we were not altogether taken from earth but we have also a Heavenly part God breathed in us the breath of life we had a breathing from God So that as we owe service to the earth from whence our bodie was taken so we owe service to God from whom the Heavenly part of our soul came for the soul of man is 〈◊〉 substantia then we owe not all our service unto the earth but a greater service unto God for vain is it when man 〈◊〉 all his labour for his mouth but his soul is not 〈◊〉 the sixt of 〈◊〉 the seventh 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 for the soul As the body is 〈◊〉 so the Soul is 〈◊〉 by mans service unto God for ut anima est 〈…〉 so 〈…〉 vita animae the soul is the life of the body and God is the life of the soul. Besides as heretofore we have considered in his other 〈◊〉 that he joyneth Mercy with Judgement so likewise he joyneth Mercie here with his Justice yea his Mercie exceedeth his Justice Mercie and Judgement are joyned together in a good man the hundred and twelfth Psalme and God is mercifull and full of compassion the hundred and eleventh Psalme the fourth verse yea which is more by the hundred fourty 〈◊〉 Psalm the ninth verse His mercie is above all his works yea his 〈◊〉 shall not only be joyned with his Justice but even triumph over Justice The ancient Fathers doe gather the second mercie by or out of this sending and they doe expresse it out of the eighth chapter of this book by the sending of the Raven and the Dove out of the Arke for Noah sent forth the Raven which returned not when the waters were diminished from off the Earth but after the waters were abated the Dove returned with an olive leafe in her bill The Dove when she came brought hope of returning to the earth from whence Noah and his familie were taken In the fourty seventh of Genesis the twentieth verse though Joseph bought for Pharaoh all the Land of Egypt yet after Joseph gave them seed and only the sift part of the increase was for Pharaoh the rest for themselves and they were well content to till and husband the land and to become for this relief in their famine the servants of Pharaoh And out of Missus they gather another mercie God shall send us one and his name saith Jerom is Missus one sent upon the word Shiloh mentioned in the tenth of Genesis the twenty fourth verse and of Silo or Siloam which is by interpretation sent the ninth of John the seventh verse Moses in the fourth of Exodus the thirteenth verse when God would send him to Egypt saith Oh my Lord send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou shouldest send The Prophet in the sixteenth of Esay the first verse saith send ye a Lamb to the Ruler of the world from the rock of the wildernesse This Lamb there prophecies that was sent was our Saviour And this word Missus sent is appropriated to Christ and he is sent that we might return again to Paradise Adam had hope that by one which should come from the promise in the seed of the woman he should once return again You have a plain example in the twenty
shall leave a seed behinde him Cain and Abell resemble all mankinde Elect Reprobate as the variety in names so in natures and dispositions Secondly you heard that from this tree doe sprout two branches that is a pair of brethren to whom all mankinde may be reduced from whom both Sion the City of God and Babell the City of Satan take their beginning concerning whom in the variety of their names we observed the variety of their natures the one called Cain that is a possession sets out those people whose felicity is to get and which count it the only misery to lose the things of this life the other called Abell that is vanity doth set out unto us those which reckon all things in this life to be vanity as the Preacher teacheth us to value them thereby we considered what account we made both of the one and the other In the world Cain is called a great Jewell and Abell despised as a thing of naught Second and third Division Now we are come to a second and third division 1 In their Trades For in this verse they are divided by their trades and calling 2. In their Religion in the next by their religion and profession in the service of God both which divisions have their ground the second chapter and the seventh verse Man consists of Body and Soul to fill both Earth and Heaven For where man is said to consist of two parts body and soul the one formed of the dust of the earth the other breathed by God that is to shew that as according to Gods commandement the first chapter of Genesis and the twenty sixt verse He hath a care to fill the earth by bringing forth children so he must be as carefull to fill heaven by a second generation that as he was to till the earth from whence his body was taken chapter the third Mans vocation maintain life and religion a spirituall life So he must imploy his study in Gods service from whence he received his soul his care must be not only to leave behinde him a long generation but semen sanctum Mal. the second chapter as they must have a vocation whereby to maintain naturall life So they must be religious and offer sacrifice that leading a spirituall life here on earth they may obtain eternall life in heaven 1. The naturall life then the spirituall and why But as Cain was first born after the flesh and then Abell So alwaies flesh goeth before the spirit nature before grace as the Apostle witnesseth the first of the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall Therefore God was first to feed the Israelites with Manna and to give them water out of the rock the sixteenth chapter of Exodus before they would receive the Law which after was published upon mount Sinai the twentieth chapter of Exodus For as the Apostle sheweth there is a debt due to the flesh Rom. the eight chapter which must be paid before the spirit can with quietnesse attend upon Gods service which being provided for the spirit is the fitter to attend upon Gods worship Children are not to be trained up in idlenesse and why Before we come to their severall vocations we have first to consider in generall that Adam would not have either of his children trained up in idlenesse and therefore he sets not only his younger sonne But to labor in a vocation but even his heir to a trade and occupation knowing that whereas God hath ordained that man shall live by some painfull vocation chapter the third there is a thing that both touched him and his the necessity whereof is such as Job saith Man is born to labor even as a bird to flie the fifth chapter of Job and the seventh verse And as he imployeth in trade as well the eldest as the youngest So Abell the good no lesse then Gain the wicked sonne for the godly have no liberty to live without some honest calling and therefore the Apostle saith Let a man abide in that calling wherein he is called the first of the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the twenty fourth verse If the godly may not live idlely much more ought wicked children to be set to some trade of life The second point to be observed is that there is no sooner mention made of the birth of these two brethren but presently the Holy Ghost setteth down their trade commending unto us from Adams example that which Salomon after teacheth the twenty second chapter of the Prov. Teach a childe in the beginning of his waies and he will not depart from it when he is old Seasonable instruction in youth and why for without seasonable instruction children and youth are but vanity the eleventh chapter of Eccle. and the third verse All are not fit for one and the same calling and why Both these sonnes are not set to one vocation to shew that all men are not fit and meet for one and the same calling for as there is this diversity in the earth out of which man is taken that one part of it is sandy some clay and some gravell And as in the heavenly light there is that diversity which the Apostle speaks of the first of the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter and the fourty first verse one star differing from another in glory So the like variety appeareth in the dispositions of men in so much as we see all men are not meet for one thing Fourthly from hence we learn that albeit the labors and trades of men be diverse Callings must be such as God alloweth and are serviceable to the Common-wealth and why yet they must be such as both God alloweth and such as are serviceable to the publique wealth we may not say because Cain a reprobate was a husbandman that therefore God dislikes husbandary for God affirmeth of Noah that he was a just and upright man and yet he was an husbandman Genesis the ninth chapter nor that the office of keeping sheep is therefore lawfull in Gods sight because Abell the just was a sheephcard for Juball the sonne of wicked Lamech was the father of them that dwelt in tents and kept Sheep Genesis the fourth chapter and the twentieth verse and yet himself a wicked man the person doth not make the calling lawfull but it must be taken from God himself and be such as God alloweth touching husbandry Christ saith My father is the Husbandman the fifteenth chapter of John and the first verse and you are Gods husbandry saith the Apostle the first of the Corinthians the third chapter and the ninth verse Therefore the calling of an husbandman is allowable for the other calling God himself is called the Shepheard of Israel the eightieth Psalme and the first verse and Christ saith of his Church I have other sheep which I must gather under my government
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
is the fountain of joy and life Therefore howsoever we labour in this life to lay up treasure for our outward maintenance yet we must chiefly take care for the life to come and lay up for our souls a good foundation the first 〈◊〉 to Timothie the sixt chapter but the following of the good things of this life doth hinder us from this care We are like the Israelites that cared not for the promised bread because they had the flesh pots in Egypts so as they could be content to have turned thither So it was with the two tribes and half who for that they had convenient pasture for their Cattel on the other side of Jordan cared not for travelling into the land of Canaan Numbers the thirty fift chapter Another hindrance is the labor and trouble that must be suffered for the purchasing of eternal life We have a spiritual sluggishnesse like the sloathfull person whom Salomon speaketh of He would fain have had bread but was loth to labour for it It was cold and there was a Lyon in the way Proverbs the twenty second chapter So the great trouble and danger that must be born doth keep us from seeking the bread of eternall life as the Israelites said The Land is a good Land but the People are many and strong Numbers the thirteenth chapter and so had no lust to seek to enter into the land of Canaan So we confesse that eternall life is the better but we have so many comforts in this life and finde it so troublesome to attain to the other life that we leave off all care for it and content our selves with our 〈◊〉 state The trouble and danger that stayeth us from seeking life eternal is that which the Scripture setteth out All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution the second epistle to Timothy the third chapter By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of Heaven Acts the fourteenth chapter And the way is narrow and the gate streight that leadeth to life Luke the thirteenth chapter To take away the first hindrance the holy Ghost sheweth that there is a better life and greater joyes reserved in the life to come The eye hath not seen the eare hath not heard the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter And that the other should not hinder us he saith All the afflictions in this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed Romans the eight chapter In both which places we see God would kindle in us a desire of eternal life As there is a life that endureth so there is a meat for it We know the body needs bread therefore we seek for bread for it so must we seek for the food of the soul. The joy of the body must be a memorial to stirre us up to provide food for the soul. Fourthly This food we doe not seek We are so intangled in the pleasures of this life that we think not of eternall life the pleasures of this life while we enjoy them doe quench the care of the life to come But being once past they are as nothing and we are never the better for them though we desire eternall life yet we perswade our selves we shall have it without feeking the food for it We think it necessary to seek bread for the body but not for the soul though we doe think it necessary yet we neglect it and deny in our works that we think it needfull We doe not labour for it as we are here commanded The sluggard would fain have bread but shall want it because he labours not for it in temporal things as riches honour preferment a great deal will not content men But in Religion and matters spiritual they are of Agrippaes minde aliquantulum persuades Acts the twenty fourth chapter great store of worldly goods is nothing but a few good works are sufficient If we sow to the spirit in never so little measure we think we have done a great deal but if we sow never so much to the flesh upon apparel and vanity all is too little if we spend all the six dayes about our own profit yet it is not enough but we will encroach upon the Sabbath therefore the people ask When will the Sabbath be ended Amos the eighth chapter But if we spend but one day in the week or one hour in Gods service it is tedious to them We take part with Martha and as for Mary that was occupied about Gods worship we think not so well of her though Christ testifie of her that she chose the better part Luke the tenth chapter If we vouchsafe once in seven dayes to come unto Gods house yet it shall be late before we come and we think it long till we be gone Operemini non cibo qui perit sed cibo illi qui permanet in vitam aeternam quem filius hominis c. John 6. 27. Novemb. 19. 1598. AFter the four points of accusation before handled now follow two more for direction First That we must seek for the bread of life that endureth rather than for that which perisheth Secondly That we must seek for it of the sonne of Man whom God the father hath therefore sealed that he should give us the bread of life In the first part we have two parts to observe First That we must labour for this meat Secondly We must labour for it more than for the other When Christ saith labour he means not that they should only desire it It is a good thing to desire the bread of life as they desire it Da nobis semper panem hunc John the sixt chapter and the thirty fourth verse Those sodain flashings that arise are not to be despised for they are the seed of greater virtues God begins with a little seed of Godlinesse and proceeds till he have wrought men to some perfection Zacheus at the first did but only desire to see Christ but from this little seed proceeded great fruit of Justice and mercie towards the poor so that he not only restored but gave to the poor Luke the nineteenth chapter Therefore the seed of repentance and faith if it be never so little is not to be rejected if it be but as the grain of mustard seed He that doth not quench the smoaking flax though it doe not flame Matthew the twelfth chapter will not despise the least desire of Gods grace but that we should not content our selves only to desire the bread of life he wills us not only to desire but to labour for it It is not enough to long and desire for the bread of life but we must labour and take pains for it The desire of the sloathfull shall slay him Proverbs the twenty fourth chapter The sloathfull would fain have bread to sustain life but he saith There is a Lyon in the way Proverbs the twenty second chapter he is afraid of labour and danger but we must not refuse to take
any pains nor fear any danger to obtein the bread that endureth for ever In other things of this life we doe not only desire that which seemeth good to us but we seek for it till we have it So the Prophet speaks Cupiunt rapiunt Michah the second chapter and the second verse So we must not only desire the Kingdome of God but must violently seek after it for The Kingdome of God suffereth violence Matthew the eleventh chapter Secondly this word labor is opposed to seeking for Christ saith here Matthew the sixt chapter Seek the Kingdome of God but labor for the meat that endureth This labor is that work of God which is ascribed to faith John the sixt chapter by which we labor for the bread of life we must use an excessive kinde of labor in this work of God for that to labor for the bread of life is no bodily labor and therefore we must work for it earnestly for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jeremiah the fourty eight chapter Therefore when Christ pronounceth them blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse he commands us not only to seek and desire it in our hearts but to hunger for it as we doe for the food of our bodies Matthew the fifth chapter and as he commands us to doe so so he hath left us his example for as it becomes him to fulfill all righteousnesse so he protesteth that it was his meat and drink to doe the will of him that sent him John the fourth chapter so did Mary earnestly labor for the meat that perisheth not when she was sitting at the feet of Jesus for though her sister called upon her to help her yet nothing could draw her from this spirituall labor Luke the tenth chapter and the fourty second verse So did the people labor that pressed to hear Christ Luke the eighth chapter they laid violence to the Kingdome of God as also they that hearing Paul preach would needs have him preach the same thing again to them and for that end came together in great companies to hear the next Sabbath Acts the thirteenth chapter If we thus seek the bread of life striving and wrastling with God in our praiers as Jacob did with the Angell then we doe indeed labor for it as Christ willeth us to doe The second sense of laboring is that we must labor for this bread more than for the other and not at all for the other in comparison of this All grant that we must labor for the bread of life but not for it more than for that which nourisheth this life we must observe in what manner we ought to labour as well as that we are to labour for the excessive desire of this life makes us defective in the desire of the life to come The desire of this life is not oppofice but subordinate to the desires of the life to come But we must desire this life so farre as it may further us to the other life Some doe make this life the end of all their desires and doe heap up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath 〈◊〉 the second chapter But the care and indeavor of the Saints of God is that in this life they may lay up for themselves a good 〈◊〉 for the life to come the first epistle to 〈◊〉 the sixt chapter Men are bound to be carefull to make honest provision for this life and not to be idle and burdensome to the earth For when Christ willeth us not to be carefull for this life yet from the example of birds we may learn that we must not be negligent for they are made to flie as it is in the Provarbs And so we are by Gods appointment to provide for our maintenance in this life Matthew the sixt chapter When Christ saith We shall give account for every idle word he means we shall be called to account That we have not spoken the good words that we ought Matthew the twelfth chapter The Apostle 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 stote to steal no more but to labour Ephesians the fourth chapter and the twenty eighth verse The reason is that for want of labouring in some honest calling for our outward maintenance we shall fall to poverty and Poverty will make us steal and use unlawfull means Proverbs the thirty chapter Though a man were able to live without labouring yet remembring Gods sentence that we 〈◊〉 eat in the sweat of our faces we shall say 〈◊〉 tram Domini 〈◊〉 the seventh chapter and the ninth verse And that made the Apostle say That if any will not labour let him not eate the second epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the third chapter And the blessed man shall 〈◊〉 of the labour of his hands Psalme one hundred twenty eighth Thus we are to provide for this life But if comparison be made we are to labour more for the life to come and for the food that belongeth to the maintenance of it It were a thing hard enough for us if Christ should command us to labour for the heavenly food as we doe for the earthly but yet it is necessary that as the soul is more excellent than the body so we should be more carefull to maintain the life of the soul than of the body The excellency of the soul made the learned Philosophers to 〈◊〉 from many bodily pleasures which otherwise they could not have forborn but that they knew the life and felicity of the soul is 〈◊〉 better than all the profits and pleasures of this life Of the good things of this life Christ saith What shall it profit a man to 〈◊〉 the whole world and lose his own 〈◊〉 Matthew the sixteenth chapter So we are to seek the good of the next life rather than of this Touching our defence from bodily miseries Christ saith 〈◊〉 not him that 〈◊〉 kill the body and not the soul but he that can kill 〈…〉 Matthew the tenth chapter that is if he that 〈◊〉 not a due care to provide for the soul rather than for the body Some use the soul is if it were to serve the body whereas the body ought to serve it But seeing our body is Corpus mortis Romans the seventh chapter because either it shall be destroyed by death or while it liveth is under the dominion of death Romans the sixt chapter Therefore whatsoever care is bestowed upon the body shall perish with it for they that sow to the flesh as it is corruptible shall reap corruption but as the spirit is immortal so they that sow to it shal reap immortality and life ever lasting Galatians the sixt chapter The good estate of the body will not make the soul the better but rather the worse but the souls estate being provided for the body shall be farre the better If we seek Gods Kingdom first then that care will cause all other things to be added Matthew the sixt chapter If our conversation be in Heaven it shall cause our
bodies that are corruptible to become glorious Philippians the third chapter and the twenty first verse If in this life we keep our selves from the filthinesse and pollution of worldly and carnal lusts our bodies shall be glorious after death therefore we are to be more careful for the soul than for the body Of this life Job saith It is but short Job the fourteenth chapter It is like a vapour that suddenly ariseth and vanisheth away James the fourth chapter It is as grasse the first epistle of Peter and the first chapter And it standeth not in the aboundance of riches that man hath Luke the twelfth chapter Man walks in a shadow and disquiets himself in vain Psalm the thirty ninth He is every moment subject to death and howsoever death it looks a young man in the face as it doth old men yet it is as neer to him while it stands close to the other Therefore the Wise man saith All the cares of this life are but vanity and vexation of spirit And howsoever while we are in our joyes drunk with the pleasure of the world as Naball the first epistle of Samuel and the twenty fift chapter So that though we be wounded we feel it not like the drunkard Proverbs the twenty third chapter Though we have not grace to say Quid prodest totum mundum lucrari Matthew the sixteenth chapter yet when it is too late we shall say What hath it 〈◊〉 us to have enjoyed the pleasures of this life Sapi. 5. The life to come is void of all misery and torment There is the fulnesse of joy and pleasure for evermore Psalme the sixteenth But all the pleasure and profits of this life if it were possible to possesse them all are not answerable to the joyes of the life to come With which present pleasures are joyned many griefs and torments If a man be never so rich or humble diseased or afflicted it will marre all his joyes But all the afflictions of this life are not comparable to the future glory Romans the eighth that shall be revealed which swallows up all our troubles that we suffer here because it is hard to root out of mens hearts the cares of this life and Christ doth not forbid them altogether to be carelesse But first seek the kingdom of God and all things else shall be cast upon you Matthew the sixt chapter If ye neglect earthly things for heavenly you shall not only obtain heavenly things but earthly things withall If we only seek bodily things and not heavenly we shall want both But if we seek for the soul we shall have things necessary for the body for the Lord 〈◊〉 said I will not for sake thee Hebrews the thirteenth chapter And David affureth himself that because the Lord is his 〈◊〉 he shall want nothing Psalm the twenty third If Salomon ask not riches nor honour but wisdome he shall have not only wisdome but riches honour and all other things the first book of Kings the third chapter the seeking of things pertaining to this life 〈◊〉 the care of the life to come but the seeking of Gods kingdom includes the care of all other things The 〈◊〉 that it is Christ the sonne of man that gives us this bread of life Muerial bread is the effect of Creatures but the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 is the effect of the redemption But seeing all things were made by Christ John the first chapter therefore it is Christ that gives us both eartnly and heavealy bread Christ made 〈◊〉 materiall bread of nothing but this bread he maketh of himself the one he made 〈◊〉 but the other cost him the shedding of his 〈◊〉 His flesh simply is not bread but his flesh 〈◊〉 for us caro 〈◊〉 prodest John sixth chapter the bread that perisheth and all the works of the Creation he performed in six dayes but the bread of life was not made but during the whole space of his life upon earth The six point is where the bread is to be found touching which he saith say not with thy heart who shall goe up to heaven to fetch this bread nor 〈◊〉 down to hell komans the tenth chapter and the sixth verse It is the Sonne of man that gives it for God the Father hath sealed him for this end In which words we have First a 〈◊〉 Secondly an Affirmation The direction hath a Correction for we think we deserve it by seeking and labouring for it For Christ tells us it is not to be had except the Sonne of man give 〈◊〉 Christ gives us the bread of life three wayes First When he gives his flesh to be crucified for us in his 〈◊〉 for in death only it 〈◊〉 power to quicken us into eternal life as the Apostle witnesseth By death he did destroy him that had the power of death Hebrews the second chapter In thy favour is life Psalme the thirtieth But we are brought into Gods favour no otherwise but by the death of his Sonne Romans the fift chapter So that by his death we obtain life By the sacrifice of himself he hath done away our 〈◊〉 Hebrems the ninth chapter Secondly he gives us the bread of life in the sacrament his flesh is made bread for us in his passion when he dyed but is given and applyed to us in the Supper The expiation for sinnes was once performed upon the Crosse By one sacrifice hath he perfected for ever Hebrews the tenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse But 〈…〉 is often applyed to us in the 〈◊〉 Thirdly where as there are two 〈◊〉 of giving offert and confert he gives us this bread when he doth not only 〈◊〉 it unto us but makes us 〈◊〉 it If we 〈◊〉 hold of the bread by faith which is the work of God and 〈◊〉 that he is the food of our souls then 〈◊〉 will give us it and make us partakers of 〈◊〉 as Christ saith This is the 〈◊〉 That light came into the world and ye loved darknesse rather than light John the third chapter So it shall be our condemna ion if God doe only offer us the bread of life and doe not withall give us it and make us to receive it All bodily meats being a power nutritive but profit 〈◊〉 except they be a power digestive So though the body of Christ crucified have a power to give life and nourishment yet except we digest it with faith it shall doe us no good For our assurance hereof Christ saith of the Sonne of man that God the Father hath sealed him that is he hath power and authority to be the bread of life and to conserve life to them that feed on him He hath sealed him First with his nature being the very Sonne of God He is the similitude and ingraven form of his person Hebrews the first chapter and the third verse We need not to doubt of the remission of our sinnes for Christ as he is God giveth power to forgive sinnes Secondly as he is sealed with Gods
fruit so unlesse a man abide in me he cannot bear fruit but he is sarmentum a dry branch and is cast forth into the fire Whereby we see that all shall not be saved but only they that are gathered into the mysticall body of Christ and as members of his body doe live by his spirit working in them Secondly This incorporation standeth of two points First of generation Secondly of nourishment For there can be no body except it be begotten and the body being begotten dissolves again and turns to nothing unlesse it be nourished Such a thing we are to conceive of our incorporation both parts whereof are expressed by ingraffing and watering For in all things he that will be preserved in any estate must first enter into it and then he must remain in it The Analogie of these two we shall finde to be in the mysticall body of Christ. First he that will be of the body must come in by regeneration Titus the third chapter and the fift verse He must be ingraffed into Christs body Romans the sixt chapter and the fift verse He must put on Christ as the Apostle saith Galatians the third chapter as all they doe that are baptized into Christ Jesus Then being as it were begotten and ingraffed into the body he must be nourished and fed that so he may continue in that estate he must as a new borne babe desire the sincere milk of the word whereby he may grow up the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the second verse He must be watered the first epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter He must eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood that so he may abide in Christ and Christ in him John the sixt chapter and the fifty sixt verse By these a man is made partaker of the body of Christ by the other of the spirit By baptisme we have our incorporation by drinking the blood of Christ we receive the spirit Thirdly Why doth not the blood of Christ immediatly incorporate us into the Church without the mediation of water in baptism and drinking of Christs blood in the Lords Supper The ancient Fathers hold two reasons hereof First Taken from the love of Christ that ever since Corpus assumit sibi Hebrews the tenth chapter and the fift verse since he took part with the Children of flesh and blood Hebrews the second chapter and the fourteenth verse as he consists of a spirit and a body so he delighteth to work not only by a spirit but by a body also and this is an honor that he imparteth to bodily things Secondly He useth this course to shew his power which appears hereby to be great in that albeit these elements of water and bread and wine be weak and beggerly elements Galatians the fourth chapter and the ninth verse yet by his power he 〈◊〉 them and makes them effectual means to incorporate us into his body and to set us in that estate wherein we may be saved So the one reason is a testimony of Christs humane love the other a token of his divine power Secondly If we demand Why he makes choice of water bread and wine rather than of any other elements It is in regard of the proportion and analogie that they have with the things signified The seed Where with we are begotten is a waterish substance and as the Scripture sheweth water is the seed of the world for the spirit of God moved upon the waters Genesis the first chapter Therefore is water used in the Sacrament of our regeneration and because it is 〈◊〉 it doth nutrire The juice and nourishment that we suck out of the 〈◊〉 digested is that which nourisheth our life and therefore the element of wine is used in the Sacrament of our nutrition that is after we are born a new and washed with water in baptism to signifie our new birth then we must receive bread and wine in the Lords Supper to confirm our saith in the body and blood of Christ whereby we are sealed unto eternall life There is another reason why God worketh our incorporation by the means of these elements and that is that as out of darknesse he commanded light to shine the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter so he might work our salvation by that which was our destruction Therefore because the destruction of the world was by water wherein as Peter saith All the world perished except a few even eight persons So it is his pleasure by the water of baptism as an outward means to save us the first epistle of Peter the 3. chapter That as by water was the deluge of the world so by it might be the deluge of sin It was the eating of the forbidden meat that destroyed the world therefore he hath thought it good by eating to save men that as then it was said If ye eat ye dye Genesis the second chapter so now it is said except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man ye have no life in you John the sixt chapter and the fifty third verse Now the mediation of these elements are no lesse necessary to preserve and keep us as lively members of the mysticall body of Christ than bread and wine are to maintain natural life The People whom Saul commanded to 〈◊〉 no bread were so 〈◊〉 with fasting that their soul was ready to goe out of them the first book of Samuel the nineteenth chapter Therefore when David and his men were hungry and 〈◊〉 and thirsty in the wildernesse Barzillai and others came and brough provision the second book of Samuel the seventeenth chapter and the twenty ninth verse When Abraham returned from the 〈◊〉 of five kings Melchisedeck met him with bread and wine Genesis the fourteenth chapter So it is with the faithfull unlesse this spiritual life be susteined with these outward helps Therefore the Apostle faith We are all made to drink of the same spirit Our of which words for matter of Doctrine where Christ saith Drink ye all of it the Adversary saith that it was spoken to the 〈◊〉 and therefore it is lawfull for none but Priests to receive the Cup in the Supper But Paul speaketh more generally Nos omnes potati sumus not only the Clergy but Lay men And that both parts of the Sacrament was administred to all sorts appears by D. Aropagita and as the Apostle faith We are all partakers of one bread the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the seventeenth verse he doth not excluse the other part So here by drinking he understands both parts of the Sacrament Secondly We see there is a necessity of eating in as much as God appoints that the means where by he will communicate his spirit Acts the fift chapter He gives the spirit to none but such as obey him Therefore we must obey him when he commands us to use this means especially seeing he commands them with a nisi John the third chapter
imperfect and therefore not commendable and the cause and fault of it not to be in the matter of which it was made but of the efficient which made it But if any thing be good perfect and commendable the cause of it is the goodnesse of the maker not of the matter for the matter of all things is nothing or a thing rude and unperfect and therefore of it can proceed nothing of worth In mens works if the matter whereof we make things were as permanent and durable as the form which the work-man setteth to it our works would be long and very lasting for we see that if the matter of a house or garment would continue and were perfect the form and fashion of it would continue and not decay but because the matter is ruinous and subject the one to be rotten and the other to be thread-bare Therefore our works cannot last so all the defects and imperfections both of Body and Soul doe come from the defects of the matter of which we were made not of the form in which God made us from thence therefore had Adam and his posterity an ability and possibility to be subject to return to emptinesse to darknesse and to deformity to be without goodnesse and full of evill because he was made of the rude matter which was so But if any good thing remain in us it is because of the relicks of that form in which God made us Thus much of goodnesse in generall now for a more particular consideration of the goodnesse of light We see that God first praiseth that which indeed causeth all other things to be praised and therefore it must needs be good and most commendable Secondly God is the testis and witnesse which affirmeth it to be so Who dare deny it Thirdly yea who can deny it for our own eyes being judg and witnesse we must needs also with God say it is good for it hath aspectabilem in se bonitatem yea it is a means by which we see how good God is Psal. 34. 8. Behold and see how good God is Goodnesse hath two respects the one is in regard of it self the second in respect of others when it is good to other things and in asmuch as it doth good and delighteth others besides it self by communication of his quality to others And hereunto ariseth the threefold distinction of bonum which all Philosophers gaze at and speak of so much The first is bonum honestum Second bonum jucundum Third bonum utile all which doe much differ Psal. 133. 1. unity and amity of brethren is bonum atque jucundum Titus 3. 8. many things may be bonum utile jucundum but this light is good in all respects 〈◊〉 47 3. verse For the first That is good which is desired in and for it self as Eve therefore desired the Apple Gen. 3. 6. but we desire to see the light only for it self propter videre lumen and therefore having no pleasant object at all Yet we still love to have our eyes open because it is good to see and behold the light of the Sunne Also all good things and vertues are in a league of great affinity friendship and amity with the light which argueth that it is somewhat like it in goodness Ezek. 13. 9. 17. 22. veritas non quaerit angulos for truth feareth and hateth nothing more then to be kept and imprisoned in darkness and all evill things cannot abide the light but hate it as deadly because light is contrarie to their evill nature but honest and good things delight in the light Secondly It is delightfull for others to behold as the apple Gen. 3. 6. as well as Bonum in se for we count it a miserable thing to eate our meat in darkness though our meat be good Preach 11. 7. and 5. 6. It is a pleasant thing to see the Sunne Preach 11. 7. Blindness is an uncomfortable thing as Tobie confesseth yea such things as have not sufficient light are less comfortable and delightfull for the house which hath little store of light we finde fault withall as melancholy and uncomfortable Therefore it hath a nature to be comely also and amiable or beautifull Psal. 147. 1. Lux habet venustatem it is sightly for the pleasure of the eye and therefore is called mater pulchritudinis the colours that have most brightness and light in them are best liked and so are the silks which have the greatest and fairest gloss But without light there is no beauty the eye is without pleasure or delight in any object for in the dark a russet coat and a scarler robe is all one no difference between a ruinous Dungeon and a princely Pallace Therefore in this degree of good light is very good Thirdly touching the profit of it Which utile also caused the desire of the Apple Gen. 6. 3. light is very profitable and commodious both in matters of expediencie and also in things of necessity for all our knowledge cometh of light and is compared to light Ephes. 5. 8.9 In Job 37. 22. it is compared to gold both propter venustatum utilitatem necessitatum and if you will know throughly the price value and estimation of it then see the value and estimate of the eye for one would rather lose all his gold and treasure for a ransome than depart from one eye for that did grieve Israel most 1 Sam. 11. 2. and why should one make any reckoning of his eyes if it were not for the light for without it our eye and our nose can see both alike yea we have no use but trouble of it without light we may know and consider the price of light by this that in the night which is a naturall absence of light rather than we will sit in the dark and want the benefit of light we will redeem and buy it with money and some know what cost some are at in buying of light Out of this consideration ariseth matter of meditation both for our profit and amendment of life And first it sheweth the condemnation and rebuke of three faults in three sorts of men For we say that the action which crosseth Gods action is very ill but the judgment and opinion which crosseth contradicteth and denieth Gods judgment and approbation of a thing is farre worse God when he saw the light said it is good How dare any person be so ill as when he seeth the light to say it is evill Yet there are three sorts of men which doe thus It is a usuall thing in the sale of such Wares and Merchandise which are adulterate evill and corrupt men will say this light is evill it is not good for us what soever God saith and therefore they doe frame and make false and deceiveable lights But seeing the light the brighter it is the beter it is they which will sell good and lawfull Merchandise must not make to themselves dimme and deceiveable lights for seeing this visible light is
tend to honour and excellency this work of ours sheweth our own basenesse that we are but fimus and limus the creeping worm called in Hebrew Adama hath alliance with Adam which man who is but a worm as saith Job he confesseth himself to be vile Job 39. 37. In the 22. Jeremy 29. the prophet exclameth saying O Terra Terra Terra Adam or Man is not every kinde of Earth he is not sandy but of a serviceable and profitable gleeb for he is for Gods especial use and made to his own likenesse In Gods temple there was no tymber but of fruitfull trees aliquid Deus creavit exnihilo hîc ex infimo maximum at homo malus otiosus ex aliquo facit nihil Though David were an holy man yet did he see corruption Acts 13. 36. For man is of the Earth earthly and born mortal subject to corruption Galen the Heathen saith that the Anatomy of a man is Hymnus Dei He saith to the Epicure take an hundred year to work but one part of a man and thou canst not mend it for in man God hath been so absolutely a work-man that nothing in him may be mended Miranda fecit pro homine sedmagis miranda in homine I will praise thee O Lord saith David Psal. 139. 14. for I am wondrously made 3. The form of Man Thirdly The form of man in our Image juxta similitudinem nostram though man be de terra in terra yet he is not propter terram God created his former Creatures secundum speciem suam according to their kinde God createth man secundum similitudinem suam Man is Microcosmos so say the Heathen but divinity saith he is Imago Dei in omnibus Creaturis vestigia sunt Dei sed in homine non solùm sua vestigia sed imago sua Est enim non solum opus sed imago Dei Miscen upon this place saith upon Imago Dei that in una hac voce innumer as habemus voces Who fo sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed the reason is this for in the image of God hath he made man Gen. 9. 6. So there is no exchange of mens souls in imagine sua we are created without blemish Now when Adam was an hundred and thirty yeers old he begat a childe in his own likenesse after his image chap. 5. 3. that was blemished by his sinne Our perfection in the image of God is esse constmiles filio Dei for we are predestinate to he made like the image of his Sonne that he might be the first born of many Brethren Rom. 8. 29. We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Perfect felicity is the Image of God virtue is the way to this felicity sinne deformeth this Image in us Here is Imago similitudo Similitudo Similitudo is the genus and comprehends both similitudo is as a union in quality here it is added as a perfection to the Image the lineaments hereof by the Fathers are said to be first The essence of the soul is in the body in omni unaquaque parte as God is in the world ☜ Secondly the soul is immortal God is so Thirdly there is a triple power of the soul Understanding Memory and Free-will Understanding is every where in Heaven in Earth in the deep on this side and beyond the Seas there is an ubiquitie of the soul as of Gods presence every where Memory the infinitenesse thereof is as that of God who is without limitation quae est haec immensa hominum capacitas saith a Father the will and conscience cannot be bound but it is free to think so God what him pleaseth that can he doe God by his power createth man and make h a natural World And Man likewise maketh artificialem mundum as ships for carriage temples for service lights and candles as artificial starres creavit etiam homo alteram quasi naturam Imago Dei nata creata There is a primitive Image which is Imago nata that is of Christ the Sonne of God Imago autem creata Dei is of man Christ is the Image of the invisible God the first born of every Creature Coloss. 1. 15. Zeleb in the original tongue is nata Imago quae est Christi Tohar creata Imago quae est Adami In the Redemption Christ made himself as our Image Man planted may fall so did Adam but being replanted by Christ he cannot fall The first man Adam was made a living soul the last man Adam was made a quickning spirit 2 Cor. 15. 45. ad similitudinem nostram Imago Dei est omnium hominum similitudo autem est paucorum the one is the bare face the other is the robe royal the one we have by essence the other by virtue the one by nature the other by grace We ought to put off the old man with his works and put on the new man which his renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Colloss 3. 10. and love is the bond of perfectnesse so that knowledge is recommended in the Image and love in the likenesse which two are as the Urim and Thummim of the Law Our soul is as a glasse to behold his virtues and humble precepts Luke 6. 27. In his similitude to be as he is as farre as we may Hence have we a thankfull remembrance that he will crown us with glory everlasting if we finne not against nature and draw on instead of his similitude larvam Demonis the visor of the Devil but put on the new man which after God is created unto righteousnesse and 〈…〉 and give not place unto the Devil Ephes. 4. 24. We have in us Earth in regard of the body and Heaven in regard of the soul in the one is time in the other eternity Christ calleth the Gospel The Gospel of every Creature Mark 16. 15. Ambrose saith posuit Deus in homine Terram Coelum non ut Terra mergat Coelum sed ut Coelum elevet Terram totum hoc est 〈◊〉 se assimulare Deo Let thy inward thoughts and outward conversation be good and agreeable for this is the end of all Fear God and keep his commandements this is the whole duty of a man for God will bring every work with every secret thing unto Judgment whether it be good or evil Ecclesiastes 12. 13. 4. The end of mans creation to rule other creatures After God hath crowned man with knowledge and love in the latter part of this verse he giveth him a Scepter and maketh him Vicegerent over the Sea the Aire the Earth over all the fishes fowls beasts and creeping things therein bidding him to rule over them He brought before man the beasts and fowls he had created to whom Adam gave their names Gen. 2. 19. The Image is of perfection the Similitude is in wisdome in knowledge in the Sonne in love in the Holy Ghost
in power of the Father Miscen saith Fecit Deus hominem nudum to shew that he needed the help of other Creatures for cloathing and for meat Mans soveraingtie is to have at his command and to serve him the whole earth and the furniture thereof If God bid him to rule over the fowls fishes and the beasts over the better sort then surely over the worser Yea God hath made the Sunne the Moon and Starres with all the hoste of Heaven to serve man and hath distributed them to all People Deut. 4. 19. He hath given him dominion over the beasts that is the priviledge of hunting into what parts he please and dominion over the Earth which is the priviledge of Husbandry Oh let us live after the similitude of him whose Image we are and let us not be like nay worse than beasts pejus est comparari bestiae quà m nasci bestiam For man though he be in honor he understandeth not but is like to beasts that perish Psal. 49. 20. We are here to note the obedience of the Creatures while man was obedient and that the mutinie and discention between them and their disobedience to man did arise by mans rebellion to God his Maker Adams disobedience caused their disobedience When Adam stood then the cattel the fowl and the beasts of the field came and did homage unto man and were content to be named by him chap. 2. 20. But after his fall fugiunt fugant they some of them flie from him and other some make him to flie Now we serve the cattel before they can serve us This commeth to passe by disobedience by blotting as much as in us lyeth the Image of God Let then our own wickednesse correct us and our turnings back reprove us for know and behold that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast for saken the Lord thy God Jer. 2. 19. It is Gods bounty to be created in the Image of God according to his likenesse Let therefore our care be that these his great benefits be not bestowed in vain by our own sensuality lest by that means we be cast from his likenesse for at the first God created man without corruption and made him after the Image of his own likenesse Wisd. 2. 24. Itaque creavit Deus Hominem ad Imaginem suam ad Imaginem inquam Dei creavit eum Marem Foeminam creavit eos Gen. 1. 27. Februar 6. 1590. GODS deliberation was in the former verse Here he entreth into consultation in this image his person is represented this verse is the accomplishment of the former Fuit sic was the return of the other dayes Three creavit's in this verse but he useth another course here the three creavit's iterated thrice is a specifying of great joy of God in this his work it is saith a Father triumphus Creatoris It expresseth the tender affection and dear love God hath to man in a speech of affection Salomon saith Prov. 31. 2. What my sonne and what the sonne of my womb and what oh sonne of my desires Paul likewise ravished and carried away with this fervent affection useth this treble iteration in the 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen yeers agoe whether he were in the body I cannot tell or out of the body I cannot tell I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell which was taken up into thethird Heaven Others doe conceive that God by this treble iteration blew a trumpet to the Waters Earth and Heaven that is to all the World that they should all know that man was their Governor Thus much for creavit in general and the treble iteration thereof Now we will consider the especials Faciamus was a word suspicious so that some thought God had the help of Angels but here by creavit the doubt is answered that is was one by the Deity ☜ Imago nostra was suspicious here ad imaginem Dei ad imaginem suam taketh away the doubt Creavit thrice iterated in this chapter the first is creating essence the other life the other understanding Creavit is here thrice mentioned for that all these three essence life and understanding are in this one Creature Adam He hath being sense and reason est autem ratio anima animae pupilla animae all which three are expressed in chap. 2. 7. God made man of the dust of the ground that is his essence and breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a living soul there is the person of God the Father in the creation All things were made by the word and without it was made nothing John 1. 3. So by this conceit Gods purpose is understood Here the Fathers in treble iteration finde trinity of Person in creavit unity of Godhead The Image is for knowledge the similitude for love and power is given him for execution The minde or heart receiveth Deut. 6. 6. the will affecteth the power or dominion executeth There is contemplation affection and action brought forth by this triplicitie Now of the considerations apart Three parts of this verse This verse hath three parts Two of the soul one of the body the two first concern the soul the last the body as is apparent By the two branches of the soul is signified a double care of the soul and a single care of the body Our soul is coelum our body coenum the one heavenly the other earthly The opinion of the better sort of Interpreters is That God useth this often repetition for the better credence saying ad imaginem suam ad imagine ejus cujus respondet ad imaginem Dei Man carrieth the image of God not of Caesar not of the World Date ergo Deo quae sunt Dei The best sort say it is for the emphasis for our learning and for our memorie alledging the 22. of Proverbs 20. Have I not written unto thee three times in councells and knowledge It is ad perpetuam rei memoriam Jeremy saith thrice Oh Earth Earth Earth in regard of our humiliation Similitude Imago Here Moses sheweth that though in regard of our bodies we are Earth yet in regard of our souls we are Heavenly To the peace of God we are called in one body Colloss 3. 15. Christ took upon him our vile Image to redeem us The woman is of the man the man is by the woman but all things are of God 1 Cor. 11. 12. By sinne we have lost this Image but fear to sinne reneweth this Image which who hath not he is no man But what is become of Gods likenesse the Image is twice mentioned but sometime the Image is taken for the likenesse as in the 3. James 9. Men are made after the similitude of God The Fathers take the similitude for a perfection not a generalitie St. Ambrose saith Est Imago quam babemus est similitudo quam
querimus The Butter-flie can be glorious the Ant provident the Wasp can revenge but to think of God belongeth to man alone whose Image he is Bernard saith Imago quam omnis vivens habet nullius est momenti condemnatio est mundi per peccatum sumus deformes ad imaginem pecudum the beautifying 〈◊〉 in the similitude Man is not Imago Dei sed ad Imaginem Dei Basil saith the image is by nature the similitude by grace for the similitude is the perfection of the image The image of God is knowledge The new man is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Coloss. 3. 10. In the likenesse is love which is the bond of perfectnesse the 14. verse of that chapter This is to be created in the new man in his likenesse of righteousnesse and holinesse these are the colours of this likenesse and the oyle of these colours is truth the which he poureth into us Luke 10. 34. and so having this similitude man is perfect But the Divel envying this beauty gave man a pensill of his own will and had his colours of malice vain device and lust and these drown men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6. 8. But Miscen saith While the Devil poysoneth mens affections let not reason assist Sathan and his temptations are but bubbles But if the conscience and judgment of man be corrupted thence commeth all the transgressions of Mankinde then is their agricultura peccati Of the bodie Male and Female Now of the body Male and Female created he them The image of God is common to all the similitude to a few this diversity of sexes is in regard of the flesh for there is neither Jew nor Grecian neither bond nor free neither male nor female but yee are all one in Christ Jesus Galath 3. 28. Male and female created he them and called their name Adam in the day they were created chap. 5. 2. There is in Adam the similitude and the sex he understandeth things spiritual and things earthly therefore he hath soul and body He is as a Theater to behold God and as a glasse to view Gods likenesse He was created without corruption Wisd. 2. 23. Only this have I found saith Salomon that God hath made man righteous Preach 7. 29. Man is made straight in respect of this body wherein is resembled the inward righteousnesse of his soul Ne habeamus ergo curvam animam in recto corpore let us strive to be inwardly as God hath made us outwardly that is to have upright thoughts and a straight conscience toward God and toward man Mans study is not the care to preserve Gods image So that we carrie about us Gods image to be the condemnation of the World We should shew in our body the image of God renewed in us There be those that say that God made the upper part of man and the Divel made the lower part but God made man from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Male and Female Moses therefore saith Male and female created he them both were made the sixth day The manner of making the Female is the 21. verse of the next chapter of the rib of Adam was Eve made both Male and Female God made shewing in them his mercy unto thousands The like did God promising in the seed of Abraham all Nations should be blessed Psal. 105. Before in dominentur they were both foreseen There is a difference of sex in others as in Birds and Beasts but the same is expressed only in the principall Creature Adam was not ex semine mulieris saith Ambrose He created Adam and out of Adam he took Eve He created but one and wherefore one because he sought sanctum semen an holy seed Malach. 2. 15. He created not Marem Foeminas nor Mares Foeminam but Marem Foeminam So this is no refuge for Adultery but it is the institution of the holy estate of Matrimony so that from thence issueth the holy seed The Adulterers like pampered horses doe neigh after their neighbours wives Jer. 5. 8. committing abhomination with others wives forcing their own sisters and their fathers Daughters 〈◊〉 22. 11. but lawfull marriage begetteth children to God not to the World Before God created other his Creatures after their kinde severally but here God taketh the Female out of the Male being both bone of the same and flesh of one flesh that so love might perfectly be grounded between them but as the woman is of the man so is the man also by the woman 1 Cor. 11. 12. Mulier est exviro vir per mulierem Man inclosed Woman in the Creation but woman incloased man in the Redemption Jeremy in his 31. chapter 22. saith The Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth a Woman shall compasse a Man Eve came out of Adam Christ out of the Virgin Mary without any knowledge or copulation of the flesh These are high mysteries and works wonderfull The man was not created for the woman but the woman for the mans sake 1 Cor. 11. 9. Hence is observed the state Ecclesiasticall Politicall and Occonomicall Out of this verse the observation of the primitive Church hath been First in the Image of God is resembled the estate of the Church the Ecclesiasticall estate In dominentur let them rule over the Earth and Sea the Fowls and Fishes is the ground of a Common-wealth Though Christ were abased yet all the Nations shall worship him The Kingdome is the Lords and he ruleth among the Nations Psal. 22. 17. 18. The perfect are to rule the unperfect the Man hath dominion over the Beasts and all the Earth this is the resemblance of the Politicall estate In creating them Male and Female is the perfect resemblance of the Oeconomicall estate of every House and of every Familie Deinde benedixit eis Deus dixit eis Deus Foetificate ac augescite implete Terram eamque subjicite dominamini in pisces Maris in volucres Coeli in omnes bestias reptantes super Terram Gen. 1. 28. Februar 9. 1590. THE second speech God here useth concerning man The creating of Mankinde is whereby he createth Mankinde as before he created Man Propagation For though creation be a great benefit yet this is a further benefit of propagation or continuance God by Nathan promiseth to David that his Kindome shouldbe stablished for ever though David said Who am I oh Lord and what is my house 2 Sam. 7. 18. Though Davids people were small yet did God multiply them and gave continuance to his seed Two parts of propagation There are two parts of propagation A Heir an Heritage The one is to have an Heire the other to have an Heritage both are here given unto Man Of them in order Adams Heirs are Mankinde God restraineth not his bounty unto these two Adam and Eve Esay in his 49. chapter 6.
shall you rule Even as it is in the text Over the fishes of the Sea by the Angle Christ bids Peter cast in his angle and take the fish Matth. 17. 27. Or by the net Christ also bid Peter let down his net to make a draught Luke 5. 4. Angling and fishing are to man both for profit and for pleasure And over the fowl of Heaven By Fowling by Hawking by power or by policie either killing them with arrows or taking them in pits or by snares as in Prov. 7. 23. the 20. Joshua 13. God for the Ravens and for the young birds prepareth their meat Job 39. 3. So that the fowls and birds are to man for service for solace and their notes of musick And over every beast This is indeed a large Charta de foresta We are permitted and authorized hereby to hunt the wild beasts of the forest and being hunted to eate the flesh thereof Levit. 17. 13. Thou mayest eat flesh even what soever thy heart desireth Even as the Roe buck and the Hart is eaten so shalt thou eat it Deut. 12. 22 23. There they were permitted the eating of all kinde of flesh they might before eat the flesh of that they had hunted as of the Roe-buck and of the Hart. It was caro justitiae which they got by hunting it was dainty meat unto the Hunter for unto the hungry soul every thing is sweet Prov. 27. 7. The Hunter had his snares Psal. 91. 3. The Hound hunteth the Deer both are serviceable unto man there is pleasure in the hunting and chasing the game is for meat when it is pulled down We have rule over Horses and Doggs who serve us though not to feed us The Dogge defendeth our flocks from the Wolfe our houses from theeves our bodies from injurie the swiftnesse of the Horse helpeth our slownesse the Elephant in battel helpeth our weaknesse the Sheep help our nakednesse cloathing us with their wooll the Oxe plougheth the ground to give us bread and eateth grasse to be our food he giveth his hide to shoe us and every thing that moveth in the Earth is for man We finde great goodnesse many wayes in the Bee and in the Silk-worm God saw man feeleth the goodnesse of those things God hath created So that subjicite terram is the tenor of all Law a giving possession of inheritance and dominamini is a rule and dominion given to man over the utensils the riches of the Sea Land and Aire A spiritual Analogie There is here also observed by the Fathers a spiritual Analogie in dominamini In man there is a spirit and a soul in him there is also Earth the cares of the body ought to be lesse than those of the soul est enim anima in homine coelum corpus autem coenum saith Basil non sit coenum coelo superius sed sit coelum coeno superius Let the soul have dominion over the body and the concupiscence thereof the body is earthly given to lust anger envie pride Here they admonish us to subdue these beastly affections and to tame the savagenesse of our corrupt nature The whole nature of beasts and of birds and of creeping things and things of the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed of the nature of man but the tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evill full of deadly poyson this place doe they allege out of the 3. James 8. And as James saith that the tongue should be tamed from evil speaking malicious slandering back-byilng lying and dissembling so say they and that very well that all the brutish affections ought to be tamed and subdued that so the soul might reign in the body and the body be subject to the soul. Praeterea dixit Deus Ecce dedi vobis omnes Herbas sementantes semen quae sunt in superficie totius Terrae omnesque Arbores in quibus est Fructus arboreus sementantes semen vestrae ad comedendum erunt c. Gen. 1. 29,30,31 Februar 11. 1590. THIS is Gods third speech of this sixth day concerning man The first in the 26. verse is of his power in creating him The second dixit in the 28. verse is of his providence in preserving mankinde This third speech is Gods further care for the nourishment of them whom he hath created and by propagation preserved In the 30. verse God sheweth his love to man having before given unto man the beasts of the field yet he giveth to his beasts their meat The last verse is the closing up of the sixth day Mans meat The Argument of the 29 verse is for provision for mans meat An Objection Here ariseth a question made by some Man in the estate of his innocency was immortall what need had man then of any meat The Answer True it is that Adam was created immortal yet having a possibility to be immortal Thereupon the School-men say there is a double immortality posse non mori fuit Adami mori non posse est Dei for Christ only who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords hath this immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. which is bestowed upon us by way of reward through Christ our Saviour whereby our nature is ingrasted in the divine nature of the second immortality for the first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam was made a quickning spirit that is bringing us from Heaven the spirit of life the first was of the Earth earthly the second of the Heaven heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 45. Adam was created with a possibility of immortality the part immortal of mans creation was from God but through mans disobedience and ambition when he did eat of the forbidden fruit of good and evill God shut him out of the garden of Eden lest he should take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever chap. 3. 22. whereby Adam was deprived of life for it was said in the 2. chap. 17. When in that day he did eat of the forbidden fruit he should dye the death So that by mans disobedience man became mortal who before in the state of his innocencie had a possibility of immortality for then he had the Image of God perfectly but by sinne came death per peccatum mors and so by mans transgression Gods Image was defaced for by one man sinne entred into the World and death by sinne and so death went over all men by this Adams sinne even Babes were subject to death though they had no actuall sinne Rom. 3. 12. And life came to Mankinde through one that is Christ Jesus As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the justifying of one the grace abounded to all men to the justification of life the 18. of the foresaid chapter For by him this mortall must put on immortality this corruptible incorruption for Christ swallowed up death in victorie saying Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie 1 Cor.
Army of Frogs which God hath in the Waters where you shall see that God hath such great power in these weak things that they can annoy the mightiest Kingdomes upon Earth Exod. 8. 14. Armies of Earth For the Earth it self that can swallow up Gods enemies Numb 16. 32. And on the Earth you may take the Lyons for a strong Army 2 Kings 17. 25. but his power is most of all seen in the weak Host of Grashoppers Exod. 10. 14. and of Locusts and Caterpillers Joel 2. 25. Yea of Lice he can make such an Army that c. Exod. 8. 16 17. If we come to men the Inhabitants of the Earth they are Gods Host but they fight not against other Creatures but with their own kinde not one against one but thousands against thousands even in pitched fields not with natural Instruments as the Boare with his tusk the Bull with his horne but with artificial weapons of divers sorts with whose kinde of forces the World is too well acquainted Thus we see that there is no creature in Heaven or Earth but is a Souldier in pay with God and all these hoasts are in league with us so long as we serve God Job 5. 23. And keep our sacramentum militare which we make in our Baptism otherwise they come upon us like armed men and are prest against us to punish our disobedience And every part of Heaven and Earth then will send out an Army to conspire our destruction and overthrow and this may suffice for a brief view of these Armies A word of the third perfection we have seen perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now we are to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First The World was a great House perfect in respect of the parts but yet the rooms were emptie and unfurnished Then God replenished garnished and furnished it with its hoasts as we have heard But yet there wanted a third perfection which is a head to guide and an owner to possesse manure and occupie all Man the perfection of Gods work God made the Earth as his work-house and shop and Heaven as his chamber and place for a rest and reward and both for one and that is man God made the Earth as the Tent to prepare our selves and to put on our Armour as the Field Lists or Tiltyard to trye masteries or to fight in against Gods enemies 1 Pet. But the Heavens and Firmament he made as locum triumphi that is the Court to triumph in So that when man was made to be a Souldier in the one and a Conqueror in the other all was perfected God made the Earth in its parts absolute and gave it erecta 〈◊〉 depressa vallium densa silvarum and furnished it with beasts and cattell of divers kinds but did perfect all by making man the owner of all In a Battell though the Field be appointed the Ordinance planted and the Souldiers encamped yet all is unperfect till there be a Generall of the field to marshall them and a Captain to lead them so was all unperfect till man was made Object Seeing man was the perfection of all things what ayleth it now That being so many men we can see nothing absolute and in its perfect estate David saith Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Law is perfect as if he should say there is nothing else perfect now the Heavens are called often imperfect Levit. 26. 19. The Ayre is infectious the Seas dangerous the Earth also groweth in her imperfections So the Beasts are unto us In our bodies we finde troops of diseases and in our souls heaps of sorrows and care which shew our imperfections Resp. Perfectio creationis Though the finishing of Heaven Earth and Man be the perfection of Creation Deformatis 〈◊〉 perfectionis Yet now we must understand that the sinne of man brought in death and so an imperfection or deformation Finis peccati mors Rom. 6. 21. Et peccati finis damnatio Phil. 3. 19. verse Thus then standeth our estate and condition Ratio The reason of it is because the Captain and Lieutenant man being set to resist the enemy Satan grew in a league and conspiracy with him against God and so apostatavit non militavit as saith St. Ambrose wherefore seeing he was not content with his estate to be Lieutenant but would be chief generall sicut Deus Gen. 3. Therefore consequently followed his decay And this is the means whereby from perfection he came to desection and so to imperfection for when he which was the perfection of all things became imperfect then all things which were ordeined for and given to him grew subject to alteration and vanity Rom. 8. and so per consequence imperfect And thus saith David we have seen an end of all perfection under the Sunne Perfectio redemptionis Yet that perfection of nature being lost see the unspeakable mercy of God we have another new perfection 2 Cor. 5. 17. in Christ In whom we are made new creatures And that perfection to the which nature would have brought us that is never to dye but to be translated with Enoche to the same will Gods grace through Christ restore us again And as in the sixt day man was here perfected So in the sixt age of the World Christ came and made his Consummatum est which is the second perfection of redemption at which time as St. Peter saith all things lost by nature shall be restored by grace Yet there is another further perfection then this of grace and redemption that is the perfection of glory in the life to come for then shall the last end and perfection come Matth. 24. 14. When that which is imperfect is done away then that which is perfect shall come 1 Cor. 13. vers 11. Quam autem perfecisset Deus die septimo opus suum quod fecerat quievit ipso die septimo ab omni opere suo quod fecerat Gen. 2. 2. vers April 24. 1591. THe other day I shewed you that these two verses doe as links in a chain depend one upon the other for the Holy Ghost telleth us that when he had made man he perfected all his works and here when he had perfected and finished all then he rested It is the right order to work and labour still untill we have attained to the perfection of our work which done it is reason we should leave off and rest For whereas that is perfect whereunto nothing can or may be added and Gods works now being so having that perfection within which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fit joyning and knitting together of parts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the furnishing and adorning of the parts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the setting a head over them there wanteth now nothing else to be added but only an end and conclusion to be
and all that might be attained unto by bodily labor and work and not to seek for blessednesse in the six dayes work but only in the blessing of the seventh day given by his word which is above and beyond all that is in the Creatures But the other reason is more sensible which is because every one of the six dayes brought his reall blessing with it Of which Jobs wife had skill Benedictus Deus in donis suis Job 3. 9. Which is Oses blessednesse Benedictus dominus quo ditati sumus But the world hath no feeling of St. Pauls blessings which are spirituall who saith blessed be God which made us rich in all spirituall riches in Christ. Wherefore that we may know that we have more cause to blesse God for his spirituall blessings given unto us on the Sabbath day by his word then for his temporall blessings which we receive at other times by his Creatures therefore did he specially blesse this seventh day for God knoweth we are easily brought to say blessed be God and blessed be this day in which we receive temporall blessings and that place we will call the valley of blessing 2 Cro. 20. 26. And on the other side we think that day a cursed day as Job did in which we receive evills Job 3. 8. But seeing all true and eternall blessings doe follow and shine from the blessing of this day it is indeed to be esteemed a blessed day Object But I will ask Whether the other dayes were not also blessed Resp. Yes every one of them as we may see Gen. 1. chap. had his Benedixit which though they were temporall yet they have a very good Analogy and fit proportion with the spirituall blessings of this day of this day for as we have a natural good use of the goodnesse of the Creatures on the six dayes by their blessings given them So here on the Sabath we have a spiritual use of the Creatures For as the temporal and corporal use of the six dayes is ad cultum corporis so this spiritual use of the seventh day is ad cultum animae that so having blessings provided both for body and soul we may by both kindes of blessings come unto God in whose presence is the fullnesse of joy and blessednesse for ever Psal. 70. 4. Touching the blessing of the Sabath We say that thing is blessed of God to which God vouchsafeth some peculiar or special favour So Isaac is called Benedictus Domini Gen. 26. 12. because God shewed him such special favours It was the strife between Esau and Jacob because of the blessing that is the superiority Gen. 27. 37. What maketh the Sabath the chief day in the week Therefore this day having the special blessing is by it made the head and chief day of the week The honor which is given to this day is holinesse which is expressed by sanctifying or hallowing which consisteth in two things The first is Levit. 20. 26. which is separation or setting it apart from common and prophane uses to the which they were or might be applyed before before which they were called things common and prophane So was this day first a common and an ordinary day like to all the other ordinary dayes yea it might be thought to us before a waste emptie day bringing no good with it to us but now being set apart the day which the builders would refuse by this is made the head and chief day of building for as a man being set a a part to be a Magistrate is thereby made above ordinarie men so is this day now among other dayes being set a part by Gods word As the separation of it from prophane uses is the first part so consequently ensueth for the sanctifying of any thing the appropriation of it to Gods holy uses to the which he hath appointed it Levit. 27. 28. as the sanctified Instruments of the Temple must not serve to any other uses but to that holy use and purpose in the Temple for which they were made If we then so use this day and separate it from prophane things to holy exercises it will be a blessed day to us for Gods blessing given to this day is a real blessing and will cause us to grow in holinesse here and by it to blessedness in the life to come For this must needs be granted that he which 〈◊〉 it blessed it for some body if for some body then for himself or for some other but he made it not for himself for he is God for ever and ever blessed And as St. Paul saith Omnia munda mundis Titus 1. 15. so we may say Omnia sunt sancta sanctis and therefore all things being holy to him which is holiest of all it is sure that he sanctified it not for himself Then it followeth that it must needs be either for Man or for some other Creature but not for any other Creature because they themselves were all blessed and sanctified for us and our sakes so saith Christ Sabatum erat propter hominem non homo propter 〈◊〉 Now we come to the counsell of God in the institution of the Sabath the Psalmist saith 111. 2 3 4. That the works of God are great and to be sought out of all them which have pleasure in them And again That God hath so wrought his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance It is Gods will and counsel therefore in these works first that we should have a remembrance of them and not to forget his benefits in them for he made them that we should not only have a corporal use of them but a spiritual use also as David had Psal. 143. 5. Recogitavi or recordatus sum omnia opera tua that is it should be our delight and pleasure to call to minde again and again his bounty and magnificence in his works that blessing him for these benefits we may be blessed of him for ever in the world to come Thus we see the dependence of this work and the counsel of God therein to the end that this counsell of God may prosper and succeed well that we may have fit occasion to call to minde his works to blesse him for it and to be blessed of him It was requisite and necessarie that God should take order to appoint a time in which setting aside all other worldly duties of our calling we should only and wholly as much as our weak nature can suffer apply our selves to this Christian duty of meditation and serving God which here is set down to be the seventh day in which circumstance of time we have four things to consider 1. First That some day or time must be appointed to that end 2. Secondly That it should be a day or time certain 3. Thirdly That the certain time should be in a certain number of dayes which the Fathers call taxatio temporis 4. Fourthly That it should be the seventh day
John 9. 6. The rock of 〈◊〉 which is set in repugnance to water Numbers 20. 11. yet out of it he caused streams to gush And this power of God appeared most in the beginning of the Gospel in setting abroad Christian Religion for as he in the beginning out of darknesse brought light 2 Cor. 4. 6. So by men of no learning no authority or countenance strength or wealth did cause the Gospell to be planted in all the World that we may know this Caveat to be worth the noting that he is the cause of things natural now in the state of generation as he was of things supernaturall in the beginning of Creation And that we may know that he is able to doe things above besides and without yea and sometimes contrarie to these ordinarie means that so we may be taught neither in the want of them to dispair nor when we have plenty to be proud and presuming in them but ever look back to God which is above all means and of himself as able to doe all in all To whom be all honour glorie power wisdome and dominion for ever and ever Amen Aut vapor ascendens è Terra qui errigaret universam superficiem Terrae c. Gen. 2. 6,7 18 May 1591. TOgether with the conclusion of the works of Creation in the fourth verse I told you that 〈◊〉 in the 5. verse adjoyned a necessary Caveat touching second causes lest now we should ascribe the proceeding and doing of things either to ordinary means or second causes either naturall as to rain or artificiall as to mens labour and industrie which two doe include all other means whatsoever To this end he declared that God is the Author of second causes and therefore as he did all things before them so now they are he is likewise able to doe and bring any thing to passe as well without them yea with means and by causes contrary to such an effect as well as with all the means that are in the course of nature or may be invented by the industry of men Moses then now passeth from the Creation of other things unto the narration of the History of Man by the 6. verse which sheweth the generation of rain spoken of in part before that so there might be an ordinary proceeding from one thing to another Now then to speak of them both apart First Touching the Creation of the Rain we must lay this ground That God either without vapours or clouds can if he please bring store of rain to the Earth 2 Kings 3. 17. which plenty by Gods power was without winde rain or clouds But for the naturall generation of Rain we must note that there are two issues proceeding from the Earth which here are set down as the causes of it 1. The first is a moist or foggie steem or vapour 2. The second a dry smoke fume or exhalation It is not wonderfull that the Earth should yeild a dry fume because it is naturally inclined to drynesse but it is strange that the Earth should give out a moist fume for that is contrary to her nature and qualities There are three estates and degrees in the generation of Rain out of the words 1. The beginning and originall of it is vapor expirans a moist steem loosned from the Earth 2. The proceeding of it is vapor ascendens lifting it self into a cloud above 3. The perfecting of it is vapor descendens which is the dissolving of the cloud and so dropping down these are three proceedings of this generation God is able to rostrain this course of the rain Job 36. 27. and might have caused 〈◊〉 not to be loosed from the Earth 〈◊〉 ascend up but to sweat out to moisten the dry clodds as it is in our bodies But God caused it to lift it self thither that he might water the Earth from his Chamber Psal. 104. 13. But being loosned from the Earth the nature of such a cloud is vanishing and dissipating it self in the Aire to nothing James 4. 14. therefore God bindeth it together in a cloud and maketh it a compact and condense matter Job 26. 8. And for the dissolving of the clouds he is said Cribrare aquas 2 Sam. 22. 12. And these are the three proceedings of rain and the three degrees ingendring it Finxit verò Jehova Deus hominem de pulvere terrae sufflavitque in nares ipsius halitum vitae sic factus est homo anima vivens Verse 7. NOw touching the 7. verse at which I said 〈◊〉 the repetition of the Historie of Man and his generation That we may not trust in him nor his help we read Gen. 1. 26. that Man was created but not whence nor how nor after what sort these circumstances are not there set down there we read that man was made Male and Female but the order how is not set down Therefore that which briefly he touched omitting some things there now here he supplyeth shewing that God first made the Man and out of his side took the Woman Concerning which having shewed that Man is made the chief Creature of all the rest both in regard of his superior part of the soul as also of the inferior part of his body and also in the end of this verse he expresseth more fully the other part of his soul and in handling both he observeth the very order which he used before First to speak of the lesse perfect and more base part of the body and then of the soul. Touching the body in the first part of the verse there is two things expressed to be considered of 1. First the Matter 2. Secondly the Mould in which he was made and framed in his bodily shape The dust is the origine and beginning of Man which though it be often repeated yet God is fain in the 3. of Gen. 19. 〈◊〉 tell it to Adam again to humble him that he may know how absurd a thing it was for him once in pride to imagine that he should be as God for he must needs see by this that he should be but an earthen God if he were any which is as bad as to be of stone or wood The Saints of God have ever confessed this to humble them As Abraham Gen. 18. 27. Job 10. 9. Psal. 104. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 47. 2 Cor. 5. 5. which doth shew that we must take notice and regard of this point to humble us that the clouds and rain were made before us and of a purer more fine and better matter than our bodies were for they were of the vapour of the Earth but we of the base and grosse clod and dust of the Earth but 〈◊〉 comfort us in this thought he telleth us that that which is wanting in the matter is supplyed in the form and shape of our bodies God by saying that he framed Man speaketh after the manner of men Rom. 9. 20 21. In which phrase of speech he is 〈◊〉
and resembled to a Potten which doth frame 〈◊〉 out of the Earth with his hand and to a Maker of glasses which with his breath and blast of his mouth doth fashion and maker his glasse of a fraile and 〈◊〉 substance by which borrowed speech Moses doth 〈◊〉 shew that by the one he is willing to expresse that God with more art and regard did make mans body in the outward form than he did any other of the Creatures And by the other that God did give him a more excellent and perfect soul which is the inward form within than he did to any other Creature To this end he changeth the word gnasha used in making the other Creatures into Jelsar which he applyeth properly to man and we know that formare is more than facere because the form and fashion importeth a mould in which it must be made or an especiall Idea artificially conceived after which it must be made It is therefore as if he should say you see that man is not made outwardly in the proportion and countenance which beasts have for his face is upwards theirs downwards That which the Earth brought forth looketh down to the ground but those men which God made doe look up naturally to God who made them and and gave them life That which the Earth doth producere doth also prospicere terram But we whom God did formare doe intueri Coelum The Prophets and Apostles doe oftentimes delight to use this phrase of speech and these words to shew the framing of our bodies now as Esay 45. 9. Esdras 64. 8. Zach. 12. Rom. 9. 20. Job 10. 9. Psal. 139. 16. Jer. 1. 5. and divers other places in which places they so speak to shew that the same frame and fashion is now expressed in generation of us as was in the creation of Adam and no other manner In the 4. of Job 19. he saith that brick and tile and we all are made of one and the matter of the Earth And therefore that which Saint Peter calleth Earthly Tabernacles 2 Cor. 5. 1. Job calleth plainly houses of Clay That which St. Paul in a better term saith Act. 17. 26. We are all of one blood Job saith more plainly to the matter Job 33. 6. We are all de eodem luto made of the same clay Esay 29. 16. and 45. 9. Rom. 9. 20. They demand whether it be reason that the clay should say to the potter Why dost thou make me thus or thus to shew that we must avoid wandring curiosity and nice questioning to expostulate with the maker either about the matter Why he made thee of this and not of that or about the forme Why he made this man a Vessell of honour and that man a Vessell of dishonor Rom. 9. 20. 21. 2 Tim. 2. 20. 1 Thes. 4. 4 5. We must not search nor pry over curiously into the counsell of the Potter that made us but know that his revealed will is that every one of us should possesse our vessels in bolinesse and not in sinne and sorest The use of this is that which I have touched before that seeing we be made of Earth yet that Earth signifieth good and profitable mold we were not made of high-way ground or sand therefore we must not be unconstant or unstable but we are made of gleabe to teach us to imploy our selves profitably in our calling according to the matter of which we came for else it had been better that our Earth had lien still on the ground to bring herbs rather than it should now lye unprofitably and idly in thy skin to destroy the fruits of the Earth Another point for us is that which partly was shewed also before That if God could frame us to this proportion and life out of the dead dust then why should we once doubt but that though we be dissolved and turned into dust again that he can raise us up by the same power Phil. 3. 21. And this is our hope for the resurrection Wherefore though this be our conclusion Job 7. 21. we must return to our dust yet this hope is our comfort that God will one day say Esay 26. 19. Arise out of the dust and stand up even as he every yeer raiseth up the flowers that were withered in the field and this was Jobs hope and comfort of the resurrection Job 19. 26. saying I know that my redeemer liveth c. And it was Davids assurance Psal. 37. 5. Who at his death committed his soul to the God of truth his Redeemer And Psal. 16. 9. doth then let his flesh rest in peace untill he be awaked again This then is our stay in death knowing that the same God which made us of the dust hath the same power and is able to raise us out of the dust again The second part of man is the Soul touching which the Prophet by his phrase of breathing into us the breath of life is willing not only to tell us that the Soul is the more principall superior and excellent part of man but also that it is farre a more excellent Soul than the other creatures had as shall appear by the name and nature of it here expressed 1. In the first part of which we are to note that Neshema signifieth a Spirit of two lives which God inspired into man 2. Secondly he saith That that Spirit of lives was made a living Soul neither of which is affirmed of any other creature but of the soul of man only In Gen. 1. 21. 25. We may see that of every other creatures soul it is said creavit Deus God did beath the soul of man into him Chrysostome saith well that the Soul of all other things is quasi cera rudis as a rude roll of wax without forme or print but anima hominis est cera regis as a peece of wax that hath in it the shape or forme of the King and is made his Seal out of which for the prerogative of man which we shewed before we may ad these First in respect of the substance for Neshema signifieth a spirituall and heavenly substance which consideration made David say Psal. 139. 14. I am fearfully and wonderfully made we have not then an earthly soul as the Beasts nor a watry soul as the Fifties which received them out of their elements but a divine and 〈◊〉 Soul which God himself gave unto us Preach 12. 7. As the rain is vapor terrestris so our soul may be called vapor caelestis a vapor descending from the heavens for it is of the same root and nature which heavenly Spirits are Another priviledge is in respect of the cause for God is the cause of it produxit Deus it was his breath or inspiration and therefore the Heathen called it Divinae particulam 〈◊〉 as the body was particula terra a little cantell of the Earth Salomon Prov. 12. 17. calleth it Divina lux or lucerna Dei as it were the candle of God and here
without any help of the body or power thereof separately of himself yea it causeth a man to believe and know many things of it self even against the bodily senses and contrarie to them as that the bignesse of the Sunne and Moon is of a huge greatnesse though it seem to our sense but two foot yea the same power of the soul causeth us to desire many things contrarie to the outward sense as that it is healthfull sometimes to fast eat nothing c. Now of this they conclude that of these things there must needs be principium agendi where there is potest as agendi therefore a separate essence and being of the Agent Cause Thus by this separate action the Heathen rose up to this notice of the separate essence of the soul. Again the moving of this question Whether there be a God and eternity and a Heaven and spirits This we know that there is no outward thing which giveth occasion to our senses to move this question therefore the principium movendi is the power of the soul in reason who alone by his own light according to the state of his own nature moveth these things for a blinde man that never saw nor heard of colors can never in reason make question of colors So for as much as there is nothing without to tell or move him to this they conclude that the soul only was the cause and beginning of it within Touching the coupling of soul and body together into one living Man we know that Gods purpose and meaning in it was that the soul should rule the body and be a means to lift it up to Heaven and to God that it might so be made of the same excellent nature and estate which the soul had But now it is perverted and by sinne the course of nature and ordinance of God is changed and naturally our body doth labour to pull down the soul and make it earthly base and miserable But by grace we must endevor the contrarie it is Gods will it should be so and no reason to the contrarie But men seem by the care and cost they bestow on the body that the soul is worthy no care or cost at all But we must remember that many things and much time must be bestowed in seeking to garnish our souls Matth. 6. 20. We must lay up treasure in Heaven Matth. 19. 21. We must make friends of this Mammon put out our money to the Exchangers Luke 16. 9. for it is to lend to the Lord and if there be any truth in him he will repay it to their soul Prov. 19. 17. If we sow in the flesh the fruit of all that is but corruption but that which we sow in the soul and spirit hath his fruit to be glory and immortalitie and this is the point which we are to cleave unto and hold You know how little we bestow on spirituall uses for the soul and how much daily we spend on our bodies therefore I am an Intercessor to you for poor men made de eodem luto de 〈◊〉 imagine beseeching you that it may please you both in regard of the honour of God who made us and them to this end that we which have should doe good to them which have not and in regard of Gods Image in them of whom we should have a care and also in regard of our own duty of imploying our goods of which God hath made us Stewards and of the reward and gain which God will repay for it That therefore you would extend your liberalitie to their relief Our Doctrine is rain Deut. 32. 2. If you as barren ground drink in the rain and yeild no fruit you may fear a curse Heb. 6. 7 8. But if you yield the fruit of righteousnesse then Gods blessing in this life is still to minister food and all other things to you and at the last the end of it is everlasting life Wherefore to the end we may shew our selves not altogether earthly and carnally minded minding only earthly and bodily things and things which make only for this short life let us in the fear of God and love of our Brethren put on the tender bowels of compassion for their relief Ornaverat autem plantis Jehova Deus hortum in Hedene ab Oriente ubi collocavit hominem illum quem finxerat Gen. 2. 8. June 5. 1591. FRom the 7. verse of this Chapter unto the 18. thereof Moses as I have said before doth deliver and add a supplement unto the historie of man for having first Gen. 27. briefly dispatched the Creation of Man under these short terms Marem Foeminam creavit eum he lightly passed it over there purposing here in this place to handle it more at large and therefore he divideth the treatie here into two parts First prosecuting the Historie of Man from the 7. verse to the 18. verse and then of the Woman from thence to the end of the Chapter he left out many things there which he expresseth here As in the 7. verse he sheweth the matter of his body and the pattern after which he was made and the separate substance of his soul The manner of making of his body was as the Potters frame the vessels and the manner of making the soul was by inspiration breathing it into him Now in this verse unto the 15. verse he describeth and setteth down the place in which he was setled and from thence to the 18. verse delivereth the end to which he was made And thus are these verses touching the glosse or Commentarie of the historie of Man reserved Touching this 8. verse it consisteth of two parts 1. The first respecteth the place 2. The second the placing or bestowing man in it The place containeth three parts 1. First The kinde of place a Garden 2. Secondly The dignity of the place as I may tearm it in that it is said God planted it 3. Thirdly The scituation of the place which is also described in the 6. verses following Concerning the first of these three we see the place wherein this Creature of excellencie is to be seated we must needs conceive it to be some place of excellency meet for him and that either to be some place of pleasure within dore or else some place of pleasure without but there was no need for him to have any place of covert or defence within because there was no such distemperature of aire then but that they might well enough yea best of all endure naked therefore God resolveth to appoint and prepare a meet place without Certain it is that all the Earth at that time was in comparison of this as it is now vallis lachrimarum a paradise of pleasure yet God made this paradise and speciall place of the Earth a more excellent place of pleasure than any other in so much that it farre exceeded any other place wheresoever in Earth both in pleasure and
Paradise in Heaven but let us detest such detestable vices which will cause men to lose such excellent glory yet though we have all lost these pleasures of Paradise by Adams fall we need not with too much sorrow lament it because that was temporall and not permanent and we are put in assurance through Christ of another Paradise much better being eternall In respect of which this below was a shadow and nothing else but quasi vestibulum and this first Paradise was but a shew of such store of earthly pleasures and blessings which God is able to bestow on his servan 〈◊〉 in this World So Luke 23. 43. the second Paradise hath in it a shew and view of heavenly pleasures and delights spiritual which he will bestow on us in the world to come And as by the default of the first earthly Adam we lost earthly Paradise which was temporall So by the second Adam which is heavenly and his rightcousnesse we have hope of that heavenly Paradise which is eternall Again as the sinne of the first Adam did lock and chain up the first Paradise So the second Adam shall open the gate of Heaven and make an entrance of free passage thither As this Paradise past was a bodily place for bodies so the other to come is the spiritual Paradise for our souls This is Paradisus veteris Testamenti but that to come is foederis novi And thus we must understand all the places of the new Testament which speake of Paradise now for by it are meant the joyes of Heaven Seeing then we are not left destitute of a Paradise but have the promise of one which is more excellent than that let us not fall into the same sinnes of ingratitude and infidelity which we see was the cause of driving Adam out of that Paradise and will be the cause to keep us out of the second which is to come for no unclean person shall enter into it 1 Cor. 15. for Christ will say to such Depart from me yee workers of iniquity Matth. 7. 23. Wherefore these sinnes must be detested and infidelity as the root of all for his beleeving the Devills nequaquam moriemini before Gods morte moriemini was the cause of his fall and of his losse Thus if we beware of this fall and losse we shall at last not only come to that Sabbatum cum intermissione which was but once a week but to that Sabbatum sine intermissione which Christ hath appointed for us and then by Christ we shall be brought and placed not in Paradise cum amissione but sine amissione which is eternall in Heaven In which place we shall enjoy an everlasting Sabbath of repose and rest without any ceasing and of such a Paradise of pleasures as are without fear or danger of losing as these earthly ones were All these things are provided for us all if we demean and behave our selves holily in the faithfull steps of the second Adam Feceratque Jehova Deus ut germinaret è terra illa quaevis arbor desiderabilis ad adspectum bona ad cibum arbor quoque vitae in horto illo arbor scientiae boni mali Gen. 2. 9. June 8. 1591. AFter the more particular setting down of the essentials of Man being created in the 7. verse I told you that Moses proceedeth to set down the place in which man was seated from the 8. verse to the end of the 14. And the vocation in which he was to be imployed from the 14. to the 18. verse 2. Touching the place we considered two priviledges expressed c. 1. One in regard of the scituation of the Garden being in the East or right side of Eden 2. The other in regard of the Gardiner which was God Now he goeth forward to commend the Garden in another respect namely of the Trees and Plants which were in it set down in this 9. verse And also in respect of the waters in the 10. and 11 verles by which he telleth us that it was both a well planted and a well watered Garden and therefore could not choose but be pleasant and profitable Concerning the plants and trees in it first he propoundeth it in general and then in special marking out two kindes of fruits by name as the tree of life and the 〈◊〉 of knowledge Here are two kindes of commendations of the trees and planting it 1. The first respecteth the excellency of the fruit that were both pleasant to the eye and good for taste 2. Secondly In regard of the plenty and variety in that there was of every kinde and sort that nothing might be missing in it God made it Nemus a grove of pleasant trees good for shadow and also Hortus an Orchard of good trees for our use and service that we might not only rest under the shadow but reach out for the fruit to taste thereof Both these degrees of excellencie are applyed and attributed to this Garden and to the trees thereof Touching pleasure and delight we know that there is voluptas remota voluptas conjuncta the one removed farre off but being 〈◊〉 unto us applyed to the sense is very good and that is the delight of raste for the eye hath its delight though the object be remote but the taste hath no pleasure if the object be not applyed The one delight is transitory for that which is pleasant for taste when we eate it it is consumed and wasted away in the use of it but the other pleasure of the eye is perdurable and lasteth not only while we look on it but remaineth long after as delightfull still God then in this Garden joyned both these delights and excellencies together making both concur that evermore the trees should be speciosae fructiferae Jer. 11. 16. Thus much of the excellency Now I come to the plenty and variety of trees for it is said that out of the ground God made to grow every tree that is every kinde of tree pleasant to the sight and good for meat which is a speciall commendation for as the Heathen man saith Non omnis fert omnis tellus Therefore Salomon was fain to send to Hyram for Cedar trees which his Country afforded not and Hyram was fain to send to Salomon for Wheat and Olives because his Countrie either wanted that or else it bare not plenty that year 1 Reg. 15. 10. So that all Countries even the best and most fruitfull have not all sorts of commodities but are driven to have enterchange for supply Only this place of Paradise had plentifull store of all kinds of fruit and wanted nothing So that we may truly say of this garden as it is said of Salomons time there came never in any place such trees and such plenty of all as was here 1 Reg. 10. 12. This then sheweth the bounty and liberality of God for he dealt not with us sparingly nor with any envious eye but poured out the aboundance
6. 〈◊〉 fides patientia integritas For if we so fear that we have faith and hope in Gods mercy and patiently endure as Christ did not digressing from righteousnesse for all the troubles of this life As these things in our hearts move well or stand still on earth so doe these four Beasts and streams in heaven move and flow to us or stand still from yeelding us any comfort Thus doth Augustine and Ambrose make a profitable resemblance and comparison between these things on earth and that which is in heaven that it may be a course to lead us to Paradise above Accipiens itaque Jehovah Deus hominem collocavit ipsum in horto Hedenis ad colendum eum ad custodiendum eum Gen. 2. 15. June 15. 1591. AT the eight verse before as ye remember we said that Moses did first deliver the Treatie of the place of Paradise which now he hath ended And now he intendeth to set down the manner of his placing and imploying him in that place His placing is set down here in two points 1. First By shewing us the place from whence God took him Secondly the place to which he brought him 2. Then he sheweth us that the things in which he was imployed were double 1. First in regard of his body He was enjoyned the duty of labour as is shewed in this 15. verse 2. Secondly In regard of his soul the duty of Obedience In the two next verses the Fathers term them Cultura horti Cultus Dei. We must begin with his placing Touching which first he telleth us that God took him from another place before he brought him to this If we ask from whence God took him We are to understand that he was taken out of the common of the World as when he had transgressed the commandement he was cast out into the wide world again Gen. 3. 23. The Prophet Esay seemeth to tell us that it is a very profitable meditation to look back into the former place and estate from whence we were taken Esay 51. 1. So did Anna in the old Testament I Sam. 2. 8. and Mary in the new Testament Luke 1. 52. in their several songs God doth raise the base from the dunghill and set them with the Princes of his People Psal. 113. 7. Joseph was taken from the Dungeon and prison Psal. 105. 17. and brought from thence to be chief Ruler in Egypt Moses was a mighty man and of great personage yet if we consider from whence he came we shall see he was taken out of the water Exod. 2. 5. c to his great honour and renown Gideon was taken from the flayle Judg. 6. 11. Saul with a naile in his purse and from seeking his Fathers 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 9. 1 2 c. David from the 〈◊〉 Psal. 78. 70 71. with divers others in the like sort the particulars would be over-tedious to recite This then being Gods course in Adam at the first from basenesse to honour from the wilde field to Paradise So ever after he used the same order in his posterity and therefore will have men consider and confesse their unde from whence they come So the old Church were bound to acknowledge their unde and to say Deut. 26. 5. My Father was a poor Syrian ready to perish with bunger and was after in cruel bondage in Egypt c. and from that poor and miserable estate the Lord brought us into Canaan c. This then kindly worketh in us the conceit of humility to consider and remember that first Man was a companion to Beasts both in the same common matter and place untill Good took and brought him into a more excellent place As we have spoken of the place from whence so now of the place to which he was brought That was Paradise wherein we must note that God brought him not thither only to shew it him that he might see it 1 King 8. 9. but that he might inhabite it enjoy it possesse and exercise himself in it to which he seemeth to have relation in the 10. Psal. 14. which proveth that Adam was not there natus sed positus nor thereof Dominus sed Colonus and he had it not by inheritance but by Deed of Gift not naturâ sed gratiâ he was not a Citizen but a Denizen he was a Proselite brought in thither from some other place 2. The second word was posuit as who would say Man was not able to put in himself he could not come thither alone but it was a thing supernatural even a speciall grace of God who put him in this place not mans natural wit or industry Wherefore this being a shadow and resemblance of Heaven it is sure that whatever we say it is not our merit or worthinesse our wit or any thing else which can bring us thither but only the free grace of God which as it teacheth us humblenesse in regard of our unde so it teacheth us thankfulnesse in regard of our quo whither that is Paradise a place full of all pleasant and profitable things and our thankfullnesse must be with trembling and fear Psal. 2. 11. Quoniam qui potuit poni potuit deponi qui potuit ferre potuit etiam auferre as he did indeed 3. The third point is his ut that is the cause and end for which God took him from the World and put him into Paradise which was to 〈◊〉 him some service both in dressing and keeping the Garden as also in doing homage unto him that he might know that he was but a servant in Paradise and had a Lord and Master Paramount farre above him and therefore that it was his duty to be carefull and thankfull to God for his benefits Also this labor was imposed him that he might understand that this Paradise was not an estate and place of his rest and all happinesse to be looked for but rather a place of strife Rev. 2. 7. which when he had performed at last he should be crowned with this end which is double and containeth the two vocations of every man The one respecting the Common-wealth The other God in his holy Church Touching the first which is set down in this verse concerning bodily labour there are two questions to be inquired of the one of Adam the other of Paradise Object The question concerning Adam is Why God should 〈◊〉 him to such labour seeing God purposed to place him in a most happy estate for it might seem a thing very inconvenient to impose labour to him which might marre and hinder all the felicitie and happinesse spoken of before Resp. For answer to that It is true which St. Augustine saith that indeed if we mean Laboriosum laborem it would have been a prejudice and let to his happinesse But if by this is understood only such a pleasant labor and exercise of body in which a man taketh more delight and comfort than by sitting still then we
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
When a man hath done 〈◊〉 either he shameth which as we say is a signe of grace or else he hardneth his face like a stone and is not ashamed but shamelesse this is objected against the People of the Lord in Jeremie 3. 3. that though they were wicked and punished for their wickednesse yet they would not be ashamed Harlots were wont to cover their faces to cover their shame but now Harlots are become shimelesse this was the reason that Judah supposed Tamer to be an whore chap. 38. 15. for that she had covered her face God cannot abide the sinfull man but he will punish sharply those that will not be ashamed when they have committed abhomination Jeremy 6. 15. Now we are clothed and ashamed for the minde condemneth the deformity of sinne by shame and to be ashamed at our faults now is accounted a virtue shame now bewrayeth the sinne that is covered Adam and Eve were naked in body innocent in minde and were not ashamed of their nakednesse But since the Fall it is otherwise as in chap. 9. 22. Ham saw the nakednesse of Noah his father and was accursed but Shem and Japheth went backward and covered the nakednesse of their father whose nakednesse they saw not and for that they shamed to see their fathers nakednesse they were blessed God in the 20. of Exodus 20. commandeth Moses not to make steps up to his altar lest when he went up by the steps his filihinesse were discovered thereon when the young man in Mark 14. 52. that was clothed in lynnen upon his bare body and they would have caught him he left his linnen cloth and fled from them naked as being ashamed In the 21. of John 7. when Christ appeared to Peter and heard him speak he cast himself into the Sea not naked as he was but gyrded to him his coat But what maketh nakednesse lawfull and laudable what maketh want of shame commendable in Adam and Eve to be now a thing blamable and whereof to be ashamed There were certain Cynical Philosophers and notable Hereticks called Adamites that went naked but at length they were weary of their opinion they were not able long to continue naked and were at last ashamed of their nakednesse But to answer the said question we will consider first Adams original state and then the state of him and of Mankinde by his Fall The 〈◊〉 of Adams Innocencie was when the word of God was above all when mans reason was subject to Gods word when his will was obedient to his reason when his concupiscence to his will and when his flesh was subject to his concupiscence so all in Man was straight and right he was upright within and without his reason was obedient his will was not perverse his concupiscence was chaste the nakednesse of the body corrupted not the soul it was original righteousnesse that was the complexion of Mans soul when Man was innocent there was then no hindrance of good nor any inclination to evill All this while there was no shame for there was nothing whereof man had cause to be ashamed Innocencie and uprightnesse brought forth chastity chastity brought forth courage and this it is that made them though they were naked not to be ashamed But after the Fall when all came out of joynt as Paul speaketh our concupiscence became a Rebell to our will our will to our reason our reason to the Law of God mans body would not yeeld obedience to his soul nor his soul unto God according to that of Paul Rom. 7. 23. I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see 〈◊〉 Law in my members rehelling against the Law of my minde and lending me captive to the law of sinne which 〈◊〉 in my members the corruption of the fleshrebelleth and riseth against our spirit our carnall members doe raise up the flesh against the Law of the minde and against our will and these members 〈◊〉 called the fire-brands of 〈◊〉 It is not the hand not the leg not the arme not the seemly parts but the basest part the unseemliest member that striveth against the spirit Yet by Marriage upon those members of the body which we think most unhonest put we most honesty on and our uncomely parts have more 〈◊〉 for our comely parts need it not but God hath tempered the body together and hath given the more honor to that part 〈◊〉 lacked by this bond of Marriage whereby they two become one flesh Levit. 18. 6. And in diverse other places God faith 〈◊〉 shalt not come neer any of the kinred of his flesh to 〈◊〉 her shame though it be under title of marriage the uncovering of which shame turpe est vobis dicere it is a shame to tell though marriage be honest and honourable yet there is a shame in marriage which is the shame of the carnall members whereof both Man and Woman have their shame Man may be ashamed of his fire-brand of concupiscence all finnes are to be shamed at but lust above all is to be ashamed of which causeth other sinnes as in 〈◊〉 Adultery and Murther and the members of lust and carnalitie we are to cover and so to cover our shame and to this shame of 〈…〉 men are subject which sinne 〈◊〉 us more like bruit beasts than othervices the theef by the Law might make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that committesh adultery destroyeth his own 〈◊〉 the wound and 〈◊〉 of that teacher 〈◊〉 man was death Prov. 6. 33. neither the Law of God nor the Law of Nature admitted any 〈◊〉 for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Amnon committed his inceft 2 Sam. 13. 13. she said to him Commit not this folly how shall I put away my shame and than 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 of the fools of Israel he should be accounted even as a beast that hath no regard of kinred he should for that inoest be esteemed as a 〈◊〉 person He that is inticed by the flattery of an Harlot and felloweth her is as an one that goeth to the slaughter 〈◊〉 7. 22. He is like 〈…〉 neighing after his neighbours wife 〈◊〉 5. 8. 〈…〉 God that begat him and that formed him Deus 32. 18. It is 〈◊〉 begetteth sinne and sinne begetteth 〈◊〉 there was no sinne no filthinesse in Adam and Eve at the first where fore though they were naked yes they were not ashamed But in chap. 3. 7. after their Fall when they knew they were naked they made them 〈◊〉 to cover their privie and incomely parts and yet the covering of their shame takes not away 〈◊〉 shame And we should 〈◊〉 thus of apparel that it is to defend our nakednesse we being passible of weather to cover our shame and we have 〈◊〉 great cause 〈…〉 thereof seeing it is but as a clout wherein we doe wrap and cover our own shame we must take heed that we make not our shame to be our glory apparel should be a covering to shame but alas it is even now become a provocation and an
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
waters of blood and bitternesse gotten with peril To be desired to get knowledge But happily the bellie might be satisfied with the fruit of some one of the trees that were permitted yet all the pleasure of the other trees in Paradise were not so pleasant in Eves eyes as was this The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing Preacher 1. 8. That every tree in the Garden of Eden was pleasant to the sight and good for meat chap. 2. 9. In Eves sight this tree was more pleasant and better for meat than all the other trees in Paradise In 1 Sam. 6. 19. the men of Beth-shemash would needs be looking into the Ark of the Lord which none might touch into which none might look but the Priests this was the reward God slew fifty thousand and seventy men Eve will eat that she might not eat But when we will see that we ought not to see this desire of vanitie will admit the fruit of the forbidden tree to be both good for meat and full of pleasure The chiefest of the three goods is that it is atres to be desired to get knowledge whereupon chiefly she relieth that she shall attain the knowledge of good and evill every one desireth knowledge Triplex est tentatio this latter temptation is treble Eve seeing the tree is tempted by necessitie by vanitie of the eye and curiositie of reason she should have followed the advise of Paul in Heb. 12. 1. seeing she was compassed with such a multitude of assaults she should have cast away every thing that would have withdrawn her from obedience she should have taken away the occasion whereby sinne would have hanged on she should not have beheld the tree This amplifying of the goodnesse of this tree for meat for pleasure and for knowledge and for what so might be desired argueth a notable fetch in the Devill that she busying her eyes in beholding the same and being imployed in thinking of the great good that should come to her by eating thereof might at length take and eate and never think of Gods words in quocunque die comederitis mortem moriemini but rather regarding the Serpents words in quocunque die comederitis ex eo eritis sicut Dei scientes bonum malum He cloyeth her with pleasure he maketh no mention of punishment The Children of Israel in Exodus 16. 3. being a little pinched with samin they could murmur and remember their flesh pots in Egypt and that then their bellies were full of bread but they bring not in remembrance the sirie furnace wherein they were inforced to make brick Sathan in Matthew 4. 8. in the 〈◊〉 of our Saviour oftendit sibi regnum mundi gloriam regni he shewed him the Kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them but he shewed him not the cares and dangers that are in Kingdomes For Kings themselves have termed their Governments of their Kingdomes splendidam servitutem a glorious service or servitude Here the Serpent causes Eve to see three things in this tree The fruit was wholsome for meat the pleasure to the eye and that it was good to be desired to get knowledge So he might have told her of three things written for the eating of this fruit which he omitteth The first whereof is Gods wrath the second is death and the third death again moriendo moriêris dying thou shalt dye the one is the death of the body which he incurred willingly the other the death of the soul which he must consequently run into for the reward of sinne is death and for the goodnesse of the tree it shall have the bitternesse of sinne for the beautifull fruit which his eyes beheld tenebrae exteriores outward darknesse for the desire to know all things man shall have Gods nescio vos I know you not In every sinne there is an allurement and a punishment as it is in 1 Tim. 6. 9. there is an allurement and a snare as in covetousnesse Lust bath a bait and an 〈◊〉 covered and not seen as may appear by James 1. 14. When a man is tempted he is drawn away by his own concupiscence and is inticed Tenebantur eorum oculi their eyes were holden that they could not know Christ Luke 24. 16. And here the eyes of Adam and Eve were holden that they should not see the truth for it is Gods punishment because they will hearken to the words of the Devill because they have sinned against the Lord therefore they shall walk like blinde men Zephaniah 1. 17. God he saw that if they did eate of the tree forbidden they should 〈◊〉 die the Serpent he saw they should not die at all but if they did eate their eyes should be opened and they should be as Gods what God saw they would not see but what the 〈◊〉 that would they 〈◊〉 Here Eve saw that the fruit was good for meat for meat for the body and for meat for the soul that is knowledge where with Paul Philip. 4. 18. saith he was filled In 2 Kings 4. 39. they put 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 and knew it not and were not poysoned The fruit of this tree was to Eve such meat as was the wine of the Vine of Sodom for 〈◊〉 it is in Deut. 32. 32. The Vines of Sodom Gomorr ah were pleasant to behold but what followeth the wine of those Vines is the poyson of Dragons the cruel gall of Aspes So here the tree is pleasant to the eyes and beautifull in outward shew but the fruit to them is most 〈◊〉 in the taste The former part of this verse is Eves sinne the latter 〈◊〉 sinne which we will not now handle for the occasion of 〈◊〉 was in her seeing the goodnesse whereof res ipsa loquitur Her disposition to 〈◊〉 is in her taking the fruit and stretching her hand to the same The sinne it self is in the eating of that which God hath said you shall not eat Eve by seeing took the fruit A Father saith well Dedit Deus 〈◊〉 propter bonum dedit palpebr as propter malum God gave us eyes only to behold good and eye lids that we should not see evil But seeing they have abused Gods commandement God hath put this tree as a stumbling block of their iniquitie before their face as it is in Ezech. 14. 3. As before we did justly reprehend Eve for her hearkning to the Serpents first speech which was a question So now much more Eve is to be reprehended for her hearkning to the Serpents second speech which is meerly repugnant to the word of God you shall surely 〈◊〉 saith God you shall not dye at all Sathan saith Where she heareth not a speech of his dissimuled subtiltie but even the speech of 〈◊〉 maliciousnesse and open blasphemy apparant to the simplest for now she should have stopped her eares she should have stepped upon the Serpents head and she should even have stamped the Serpent which was so malicious under
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
shall see the nature of sinne that sinne bringeth sinne unlesse it be extinguished by repentance for Austin saith well of sinne Quod nisi deleatur duplicatur which unlesse it be extinguished it is doubled In Esay 14. 29. the Prophet saith That out of the Serpents root shall come a Cockatrice and from the Cockatrice egge shall come a firie flying Serpent and here from the Serpents malice came Eves sinne and from Eves sinne came Mans fall the Serpents temptation brought forth Eves disobedience and that Cockatrice egge hatched Adams downfall and so they were both robbed of their righteousnesse This is their discending from Jerusalem to Jericho Luke 10. 30. Rebellion with sinne Againe after the woman hath eaten this her giving of the fruit to her husband to eate is a further circumstance in the nature of sinne to add rebellion unto sinne for the devill will not only seduce the woman but by her will seduce man for he draweth also the mighty by his power Job 24. 22. The Serpent will destroy both the weak and the strong the foolish and the wise The sociablenesse of sinnes Thirdly Sinne will be associate for the sinner will try the righteous if he will offend that even here Adam may be as deep a sinner as her self for indeed good fellowship is not so apparently seen as among sinners for they joyn hand in hand manum in manu saith Salomon Prov. 16. 5. They doe consult in heart and make a league against the Lord Psal. 83. 5.6 The Ishmaelites and Moabites c. Sinners are as thornes folded one in the other Nahum 1. 10. This is the sociablenesse of sinne Sinne infectious Fourthly it is hence observed that sinne is infectious The Serpent he infected Eve with his breath of craft and maliciousnesse made her beleeve him and eat of the fruit and she being infected her self infected him This is called Pollution He that toucheth pitch is defiled She went not only out of the way her self but she caused many to fall from the Law Malach. 2. 9. her word did fret as a canker as Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 2. 17. for sinne is contagious it poysoned Eve and Adam also See 1 Tim. 1. 6. Austin upon this saith well That if God strook blind the soul of Eve she could not see her own miserie from her originall righteousnesse The Serpent gave and Eve gave the fruit The Serpent gave to Eve and Eve gave to Adam the same material fruit but not with like affection She in giving to Adam of the fruit thinks she doth him an especial favour and that whereof he needs not fear for though by the giving him the same she take away from him original righteousnesse the favour and fear of God yet she accounteth that she makes him a great reward But this her reward may well be compared to the present of Ehud Judges 3. 16. who presented Eglon the King of Moab with a curious made dagger wherewith after he killed him The Apple wherewith Eve presented Adam was his destruction but yet as I said she did it not with the minde of the Serpent for he caused her to eat of a malicious minde knowing it would be her bane Yet Eve she gave it to Adam of a good affection not of any malicious intent 2. Means that women seduce men Now the means wherewith she induceth man to bring him to eate are of two sorts which are the two means that women use to seduce men withall both are by the voice as you may see in 17. verse following Adam obeyed the voyce of his wife so that it should seem that she used some oration to perswade him blanditiarum verba 1. Flatterie and flatterring words 1 King 11. 4. The idolatrous wives of Salomon turned his heart to Idolatrie blanditiis by their flatterie And here Eve saith to Adam as it were thus You may see that I have eaten and find the fruit to be pleasant I have eaten and yet I am living and thus with a protestation of love she wisheth Adam that he would eate Adam in the mean while as a Father saith well stood in doubt either to eat or not to eat inter preces uxoris cōminationes Creatoris between the prayer of his wife and the threats of his Creator God had said in the day they did eat thereof they should die he saw she had eaten and yet was living Salomons wives blanditiis by flatterie overcame Salomon 2. Importunity The other thing wherewith women overcome men is Importunity It was this that Delilah used to overthrow Sampson she was importunate with him continually and therefore he told her all his heart Jud. 16. 16. So that these are the two means wherewith woman overcommeth man namely blanditiis importunitatibus by flatterie and importunitie And he did eat Now it followeth to speak of Adams sinne And he did eat In the 17 verse of this chapter God curseth man because he had obeyed the voice of his wife and for that he had eaten of the tree whereof God had commanded him that he should not eat whereby you see that not only the giver of the forbidden fruit but the taker thereof also both the perswader and the consenter to sinne deserve death The manner how he consented is in this with her Adam he came to her not she to him say the Fathers For although God had created Man in uprightnesse though he were placed by God in Paradise and though Gods love to man were shewed in making Eve to be his help yet he gave no eare to the speeches of Gods love nor to his threats but rather hearkned unto Eve and her allurements The woman hereby is convicted of carelesnesse and the man of negligence in that he permitteth her to wander from him where she pleaseth but the woman must not depart no not a little lest she fall A third thing is Eve and Adams curiositie of this tree they would eat it to try what virtue was in it they would try a conclusion if they should eat thereof whether they should dye as God had said or be as Gods knowing good or evill Moses commanded That there should be no manna reserved till the morning yet Exodus 16. 20. some there were that would try conclusions that obeyed not Moses but reserved it till the morning and it was full of worms and it stank Again as it appeareth in that chapter to try conclusions some there were contrarie to Moses words that upon the Sabbath day went forth to gather Manna Paul 2 Cor. 11. 3. saith I fear lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ. In Adam his body from his soul his sense from his reason should not have swerved Eve beleeved not God but the Serpent Adam beleeved not God but Eve Paul Coloss. 2. 7. would have us rooted and builded in Christ and stablished in the faith But the
you are now ashamed Rom. 6. for God giveth shame and confusion and the devill sendeth only a handfull of vanity for all that 〈◊〉 have done Rom. 11. 8 9. God sendeth spiritum compunctionis and the Devill sendeth a snare and stumbling block for the recompence of their sin Learne a Parable of the fig-tree saith our Saviour Christ Math. 24. 32. which Parable as the best and ancient writers think is taken from this here for by way of Parable they say that this fig-Tree which the devill planteth fast by the Tree forbidden hath two mighty great and mayne armes which grow out of it each whereof hath divers branches and maine leaves growing thereon The one is the arme of excuses whose leaves are to hide sinne and shame by excusing it Psal. 141. 4. The other hath growing on it divers pretences to defend their sinne by making policies to cover it withall The first chiefe and principall is when men will set a good face and justifie their ill-doing as Jonas did Jo. 4. 9. Doest thou well to be angry Yea saith he I doe well to be angry at the heart this is a fig lease of justifying and defending his fault The second is tergiversatio Mark 14. 68. when one is challenged and accused of a fault to seeme ignorant and simple and therefore innocent of any such matter I know not what you meane I heare you not The third is Recriminatio 1 Reg. 3. 16. that is To lay the fault on another as the Harlot being accused to smother another womans childe she thinketh to shift it off this way Shee hath smothered my childe The last is translatio when wee confesse the deede but yet can post and put it off to another from our selves as Jacobs sonnes did Gen. 37. 32. Joseph is slain here are his clothes and it is like that some wilde 〈◊〉 hath done it this is a fig-leafe to lay the fault on the innocent for the other there are fig-leaves of circumstances to excuse sinne when we cannot defend it as the circumstance of place time and person For the time Hushaye saith 2 Sam. 17. 1. at this time and occasion it is not good so some will say at this time and upon this occasion it is not ill for the place and person they say though it were evill if any other had done it in another place yet this man doing it here it is not evill but good and lawfull there is no vocation or trade of life but hath these fig-leaves of excuse the Lawyer hath his excuse and pretence saying This is the Law wee cannot help it so did the Jewes Wee have a Lawe and by our Lawe hee must dye there is no remedy wee cannot doe it Divinity and Religion have their fig-leaves and excuses to cloak sinne Jacobs sonnes pretended circumcision Gen. 34. 15. Absolon pretended Sacrifice 2 Sam. 15. 8. And Jesabel a Religious fast The last pretence and excuse is that which is Rom. 9. 19. to excuse their sinne by saying it was Gods will that I did it and who could resist or withstand it as Christ saith to Nathaniel John 1. 48. I saw thee under the fig-Tree so may it bee said of us for it is all our case naturally to bee under this vaile of hypocrisie thinking our case well being covered therewith and this Christ seeth and findeth us when he cometh to convert us but Christ before he went to his passion is said to curse the fig-Tree Mark 11. 12. 13. 14. Maledixit ficui because it only had but leaves on it without fruit to shew us that untill the leaves of hypocrisie fall off and till our fig-Tree beare fruit Christs passion will doe us no good Deinde audiverunt vocem Jehovae Dei itantem per hortum ipsum ad ventum illius diei quare abscondit se Adam uxor ejus à facie Jehovae Dei inter arbores illius horti Gen. 3. 8. January 29. 1591. UNTIL the cool of the day that is untill the Evening Adam and Eve remained in their covering of fig-leaves and so long God patiently waited expecting their Repentance But wee see that so long they never betooke themselves to God but all this while yet thought themselves in very good case being secure in their own Covert which they had made therefore God must shew one mercy more to them seeing shame will not excite them or else they would have perished in their sin God expected patiently all the day long their comming unto him but they hid themselves all this while and therefore he vouch safeth to come unto them Elizabeth said Luke 1. 43. ut veniat ad me mater domini Usus but how much more then may Adam say how is it how commeth it to pass that my Lord himself commeth to me wherefore all along in this history we may mark and see that God in justice remembreth mercy to miserable men A Second consideration of this is that as shame is the outward Sergeant which seizeth on the body and flesh appearing in the face so fear is the Seargeant of the heart seizing on the Soul within and as shame for his object is seized with ignominie and infamie so fear hath for his contrarie object danger and doubts of evill either present or imminent and shame belongeth and is seen in them only or especially which have some grace and ingenuity and humane disposition or reasonableness for beasts are not said to blush or be ashamed for it pertaineth not to unreasonable Creatures So long as we have any grace reason or hope of humanity and ingenuity God 〈◊〉 to win us by shame but when men are become bruitish and as beasts without understanding then he sendeth them the other Sergeant of fear which we know is effectuall to move bruit beasts for the dullest Asse is moved with fear Differentia inter pudorem timorem thus we see the different nature of feare and shame the one moveth those which are ingenious and have grace and wit in them but the other is sent to move those which are bruitish and blockish and of a servile nature Now we will come to the words of this use in which we are to consider two points the one is in Adams part the other in Gods behalf that which concerneth God is set down in four speciall points Walking that was the manner of his comming First that God came Secondly that he came walking Thirdly that he came with a voice and was sensibly heard And lastly for the time of his comming that was in the cool of the day which is the evening of which four points First for the first we must know That when God is said to come to walk or to speak that Gods spirit in the Scripture useth those poor phrases and manners of delivery for our weakness and infirmitie because we cannot otherwise well conceive these things in God for to speak properly to come to a place which indeed in his own nature is every
his too much safe in not taking pains to withstand her is labour and travail wherein is observed a very just analogie between the sinne and the punishment I come now to the particular sentence against the Serpent wherein before we can intreat of it there are two questions to be handled First when he speaks of a Serpent we ask What Serpent because there is a visible Creature called a Serpent but so also there an old Serpent which is the Devill or Satan Apoc. 12. that is a spirituall and mysticall Serpent as well as a naturall and bodily Serpent and the Sentence is against both and as it is certain according to the letter all cannot be meant of the one so neither can it be meant of the other therefore as the ancient Fathers teach it is mystically and not literally meant of both for as it is said that the Devill eats no dust so for the other Serpent we say not that the seed of the Woman shall bruise his head therefore is it to be referred to both the naturall Serpent as well as the other as our Saviour Christ John 3. 14. by the elevating of the Serpent in the wildernesse shews there is another Serpent to be lift up that is the Sonne of Man By our Saviours warrant that this stretcheth as to the spirituall Serpent called Satanas so to the naturall Serpent also In the second place we inquire Whether it were in Justice that that Serpent should be punished in so much as being a bruitish Creature without understanding he could not understand that which he was set about by the Devill The answer is That it was great Justice as to punish sinne it self so the instrument all cause of it For the Creatures being created for the benefit and service of Man when it became a cause adjuvant in the destruction and overthrow of Man so as he loseth the blessings and becomes subject to the curse in this case it was but Justice to punish that Creature It will better appear of like importance the righteousnesse of which dealing is in the Law for Exod. 21. 28. God saith If an Oxe gore a Man that he dye the Oxe shall dye And the reason of man doth accord to it and Levit. 20. 15. If a man lye with a beast the beast shall be slain But that which the ancient Fathers stand most upon is this That the body of Man the arms and other parts and joynts of the body are nothing but the instruments of sinne as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. 13. The members of the body are but weapons of unrighteousnesse We make no question but the body may be whipt or burned the eares and hands may be cut off howbeit the sinne is in the soul and the body the soul being gone out of it can doe no such act therefore the Sentence against the Instrument is according to Gods Law therefore God himself gave order that the golden Calf should be burnt to ashes Deut. 9. 21. there was a Sentence executed against a thing not only void of reason but without sense But more fully to our purpose is the judgement executed by Ezechia upon the brasen Serpent 2 Reg. 18. 4. If that sentence might be pronounced upon that Serpent that healed those that looked upon it then without question this sentence may be executed upon the naturall Serpent that was the Devills instrument to work mans destruction the rather if we add hereto that God had an intent not only to punish the Serpent but to make him an exemplary and visible chastisement that he remaining so the horror of him might strike into mans minde how he is punished and that thereby they might be put in minde to take heed that they be not the instruments and occasioners of sinne for here we see that they that are occasioners and helpers in any sinne are subject to the sentence of Justice And that may suffice concerning the outward Serpent for so the other which the Prophet calls the crooked Serpent Isay 27. and St. John calls the old Serpent Apoc. 12. there can no question be but that the sentence may justly and must reach to him that it is agreeable to equity and great reason in as much as it was he that spake in the Serpent that Qui in Serpente loquitur cum Serpente maledicatur saith Augustine and he doth receive it in that order because in the habit of a Serpent he presumed this as 1 Sam. 28. where the spirit that appeared in the likenesse of Samuell was called by the name of Samuell after the same manner the Devill making his apparition in the likenesse of a Serpent carries that name still In the Sentence it self we have to consider two things that is the Reason and the Punishment the reason comprehended in these words because thou hast done this therefore the punishment or Sentence followeth thou art cursed wherein there is yet another thing to be noted before the particular handling of it because in comparing this verse with the verses following we shall see a diverse course holden for there to the Woman and Man God saith Quare fecisti hoc alowing them their tryall and examination for the justifying of themselves before he proceeded to give sentence But no manner of tryall is allowed to the Serpent but saith he Quia fecisti hoc thou art cursed he is not permitted to come to his answer the reason is plain for if we take it spoken to the natural Serpent he being void both of reason and speech could render no reason he comes only under the cause instrumentall and for the other there was no reason of a reason either to be rendred by him or to be demanded of him for he was before condemned as the Fathers have noted Isay 14. 14. and out of the sixth verse of Judes Epistle And consequently being in the state of a Rebell was condemned already and so was not to have the benefit of the Law as Paul saith Rom. 2. 12. They that sinne without the Law shall perish without the Law as on the other side it is just ut qui sub lege peccat sub lege pereat but there is no reason that the benefit of Justice should extend to Rebels that are lawlesse and therefore in Militarie affairs we see that Military Law executeth such without sentence Again God knew that that which was committed by man and Woman came not by themselves but by the malice of the Devil and therefore he ordeined that they should have more favour and have their tryall that they to whom the malice of the Devil had been prejudicial to them the goodnesse and mercy of God should be beneficiall that they might be saved by the goodnesse of God that had been cast away by the envie of the Devill and therefore saith Augustine he seeks them out when they fled from him and not only so but he gives them a time to repent and a time of answer because there was in them hope of
Sam. 2. 29. those that honor me I will honor their own evil shall bring forth this crop it shall be the sparks of their own sinne The other poynt is this That God shews us plainly that there are in 〈◊〉 many and diverse degrees in that he saith not only he is cursed but cursed above all Cattel and every Beast of the field there are curses in lesser degrees and in greater degrees for as the Fathers note there is stillans maledictio a curse that comes by drops as Dan. 9. 11. And there is a curse that is powred upon us by whole buckets full as it were whole Seas full of curses And in the next Chapter God pronounceth Cain accursed as here the Serpent but not in the same degree that the Serpent is cursed Now for as much as no beast is venomous and hath poyson but the Serpent thereby we see he hath received a curse above all other beasts Now we see how it is verefied both of the naturall and spirituall Serpent 〈◊〉 naturale malum justi venenum saith the Philosophers for all other things had and may have and use and were good for some purposes so that if we goe to nature naturally there is no evill but in the Serpent Touching which evill we say in the Creation as we make no question but that the body of Man being natural was subject to mortality except it had been preserved by Grace 〈◊〉 being united to the soul a spiritual substance thought it were 〈◊〉 it should have been preserved by Grace from being mortall so we make no question but the venom and poyson of the Serpent was made so but it should have been preserved in the 〈…〉 it should have been no curse and no 〈◊〉 should have come 〈◊〉 by and so being evil maledictus it draws evil consequently as evil 〈◊〉 and evill reports it can be no otherwise said of them then as 〈◊〉 speaks Matth. 23. 33. The Serpents the generation of 〈…〉 should they escape the damnation of Hell Thirdly we say 〈…〉 so in respect of every beast both wilde and tame they doe both 〈◊〉 reversari serpenti not only man but all beasts are 〈…〉 the Serpent and abhor and flie his 〈◊〉 so there is in 〈◊〉 that natural curse above all other but that is not so much 〈…〉 as the other the verefying of it in the mysticall and 〈…〉 in whom is such evil and mischief that Christ 〈…〉 him evil it self and having evil in 〈…〉 man 〈…〉 in so much as the wicked and ungodly doe curse him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even they that are the children of the curse as Jude 〈…〉 is none be he never so the Devils child but will speak evil of him as the children of wisdome are justified of her enemies so the children of folly and the Devils will not stick to curse him Thirdly Maledictus prae this curse takes deeper root in him than in any other Creature as his evill is in a further manner in him than in any other there is no beast doth that which he causeth man to doe for there is no wrath in wilde beasts so malicious as in man submitting himself to the pleasures of drunkennesse and whatsoever sinne else no beast will drink more than shall doe him good nor be drunk as man nay it is a shame to speak the things that are done of them in secret by the instigation of Sathan and malice of the Devils wrath Ephes. 5. 12. and the beasts never banded themselves together with weapons to fight as men doe and they fight but with those weapons which nature yeelds them but man hath devised Guns and Spears one to goare another neither doe they give themselves wholly to all excesse as man doth This evil wherewith man is infected by the Serpent is above that which is in bruit beasts yea above all evil of Creatures both wilde and tame And it is said in that respect only but in this also that there is no beast of the field nor Creature in Heaven or Earth but keeps and continues in his first condition and estate wherein he was first created but the Devill hath left his and man by the seducing of the Devil hath lost his state also and keepeth not his course in obeying his Maker as all other Creatures doe as Psal. 110. where a reason is rendred of it and Psal. 32. Man is compared to the Beasts yea like Horse and Mule which understand not If it be thus with beasts then much more may man be ashamed that hath reason and understanding and yet committeth these things which bruit beasts refrain and therefore when there is a comparison between man and the beasts as Chrisostome saith Pejus est comparare bestiis quam nasci de bestiis and that man that shall live so like a beast is worse than he that is turned into a beast as Nebucodonoser In these three respects he is cursed above all other The last point is that which the ancient Fathers set down upon this division that God puts down and names both these beasts that man hath service of and in beasts those that he hath no use of wilde beasts as Tygres and Lyons and such and this degree saith Augustine that the Devil translates himself into both names both shapes which shews that the Devil can take either shape and as we know in his livelie temples wherein he dwells as Sorcerers and such he shews himself sometime in them Jumentum a tame beast to help and serve man as Acts 16. in the Maids possessed with a spirit of Divination and sometime he will be in them a roaring Lyon to fear us But in whether shape he appears whether in Maids or Boyes he is maledictu in both for his intent in both is accursed namely to seek our ruine and destruction so that whether we respect the condition or comparison it is verefied in the Serpent above all other beasts Mulieri dixit Admodum multiplico dolorem tuum etiam conceptus tui in dolore paries liberos quin erga virum tuum appetitus tuus esto ipse praeesto tibi Gen. 3. 16. August 27. 1598. THE breefe of his divisions upon the Text were Eves Punishment That this was Gods just Judgement upon Eve in this Sentence upon her Parêre Parere which the Fathers very briefly and aptly expresse by these two words parêre parere that shee should bring forth with payne and obey in the first is an apt correspondence to her offence her pleasure is punished with paine her delight with sorrow according to the old Proverb sweet meate and sower sawce and so likewise is there an apt correspondence in the other part of the punishment for whereas shee tooke upon her to have more knowledg than her husband and by her meanes hee was seduced from his obedience shee shall bee obedient to her husband shee is punished first in the law of Nature and of Nations for all that beareth young doeth it
destruction of the living and in the eighteenth of Ezekiel and the twenty third God hath no desire that the wicked should die but if even the wicked return from his waies he shall live so that Adam and his sinne was the cause of death death was made by him for God is the God of life It was the sinne of Nineveh that made God to threaten destruction to Nineveh within fourty dayes but when as it is in the third of Jonah and the eighth they returned by repentance from their evill waies God shewed mercie and they were not destroyed Adam he forsook God of himself and so he brought death to himself So long as he shewed his obedience unto God the other Creatures were obedient unto him there was no enmity between him and the other Creatures in time of obedience he was not in danger of death God breathed into Adam life Adam brought death The Prophet in the 104. Psalme 29. saith If thou take away their breath they return to their dust so that life is Gods but dust is their own ground and they have their moisture and when that moisture is dried up and taken away it turneth to dust ex argillâ fabricavit hominem Deus Job in his tenth chapter and ninth verse saith to God Remember that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me to dust again for if the moisture of the grace of God be taken away what are we but dust The Heavens send down the dew from above to moisten the Earth Isaiah 45. 8. It is the spirit of God that giveth the moisture to beliefe John 7. 39. If that be taken away we are but dust Thus farre of it as a Sentence A Law Now of this as of a Law To dust shalt thou return First touching the certainty of it in these words to dust thou shalt return of the uncertainty when donec untill There are those that escape the first part of this punishment of Adam that live not in the sweat of their face qui non vivunt ex labore sudoris there are those that live at ease and yet fare daintily that have aboundance and take no pains that lie upon their Beds as the door turneth upon his hinges Proverbs 26. 14. But though they escape that part of the Sentence this part takes hold of all for all must die this is universall this is certain Statutum est it is a Statute and a Law that all must die from the first to the last Adam the fift to the Romans the fifteenth David himself saith of himself in regard of mortalitie of the body Psalme the twenty second and the sixth I am a worm and not a man We have comfort in Jesus Christ to live for ever this was it that Jesus said that John should not die the twenty first of John and the twenty third and by him we look for the resurection of the body This it was that made Job in his nineteenth chapter and twenty sixth verse to say That though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh A universall Law Touching the extent of this that it is universall to all to die it is plain not to be denied for as it is in the eighty ninth Psame and the fourty eighth verse What man liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the grave Though God hath said to Kings and Princes and Judges of the earth yee are Gods and Children of the Almighty yet yee shall die as men and fall like others Psalme the eighty second and the seventh laquei mortis the snares of death compass about the Godly their body goeth to the grave but their soul returneth to rest Psalme the one hundred sixth and the seventh verse and as it is in the second of the Preacher and the sixteenth The wise man dieth as well as the fool Look what sentence is given upon man falls upon the rest of the Creatures for man is the great Count-palatine of the world and the chief mover in the Sphear as he moveth all are moved and the Elements and Birds and Beasts were subject to Mans change his disobedience made all disobedient and out of order yea as the Wise-man saith in the nineteenth of Ecclesiast and the fifth All the living know assuredly they shall die So much for the certainty to all Uncertainty Donec untill Now of the uncertainty of the time donec untill which is verie uncertain Isaack though he were old and neer his death yet in the twenty seventh of Genesis and the second he said senex sum diem mortis nescio I am now old and know not the day of my death The men of this world have their Portion in this life there are the gates of death as David speaketh and laquei mortis the snares of death This time cannot be discerned it is nighest us when we think our selves most secure For when the rich man had layed up store for many years and said to his soul take thou thy rest even then came it hâc nocte this night thou shalt die Death is pronounced upon all but a flaming fire and vengeance belongeth only to the ungodly the second to the Thessalonians the first chapter and the eighth and ninth verses Mercy in death Now touching the mittigation of this death in this sentence of death for as the Wise-man speaketh in the seventh chapter and the seventeenth verse The vengeance of the wicked is fire and 〈◊〉 this bitterness must be alayed for as Bernard saith non est crux sine Christo non est punctio sine unctione there is no cross without comfort no punishment without ointment The fear of death Christ delivereth them from the fear of death that is Gods anger that all their life were subject to bondage the second to the Hebrews and the fifteenth The hope of life so then the fear of death must be alayed with the hope of life For though the wicked be cast off for his malice yet the righteous hath hope in his death the fourteenth of the Proverbs and the thirty second This is joy to us even in death that Christ will change this vile body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body the third to the Philipians and the twenty first and according to the fourteenth of the Revelations and the thirteenth their hope is with a blessing beati mortui qui in domino moriuntur blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their laboures Now in the verie words of the Sentence are implied two sorts of this delay Donec implieth an end of labour Donec implieth that they shall labour untill then untill implieth no eternity there is a consummation of labour there is end of labour and an assurance of rest the blessed rest from their labours tempus est refrigerii there is a time of refreshing the third of the Acts and the
third of Luke the fourty third verse of the two Malefactors that sufferd with our Saviour he saith to one of them Hodie eris mecum in Paradiso to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise there is the return of one to Paradise And again in the 2 Corinthians 12. 4. you have another taken up into Paradise this is then a sending of the Dove with a branch in his mouth in hope of return it is no 〈◊〉 of the Raven not to return But this returning is to the Paradise of God for unto him that over commeth will God give to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God the second of the Revelations the seventh verse So that that place sheweth a manifest return to eat of the tree of life and to take again the benefit of Paradise And in the twentieth of Johns Gospel the fifteenth verse Christ appeared to Mary Magdalen as a gardiner whence the Fathers infer that he shall bring us again into a better Garden then was Eden into the heavenly Paradise there to eate of the Tree of life by mercie through his owne sonne shall he send them in againe as with Justice mingled with Mercy he sent them out So much for this time Quumque expulisset hominem instituit à parte anteriore horti Hedenis Cherubos flammamque gladii sese vibrantis ad custodiendum viam quae ferebat ad arborem vitae Januar. 18. 1598. THIS is the putting forth of Adam and Eve from Paradise for they being sent forth before from the garden of Eden it may seeme that God dealt with them with such mercy that he spake to them but in jest But to shew that this execution was in earnest and that not only the Sentence should be executed but the execution prosecured with effect it followeth in this place to shew how the man was cast out of Paradise and how it was fenced and how the passage to the Tree of life was stopped with a 〈◊〉 sword shaken The occasion whereof was the slipperiness of mans nature who though he were in misery yet would desire to eate of the tree of Life and so live in eternall misery seeking by all means to shake off this penitential life therefore God useth all meanes to draw him to repentance and to think of his former happiness and of his present misery In this verse then a caveat must be had that there be no daliance in the execution but that the execution in all points be fulfilled whereupon they are cast forth there are Cherubins set who are armed with fire and sword to prosecute the sentence and execution and defend the passage into Paradise that so all his statutes may be found true For all that God doth and saith are done in equity and truth the hundred and eleventh Psalm and the eighth verse The Tree of Life fenced 〈◊〉 Another point is this that of God and Justice he fenceth the Tree of life with an armed Angell with fire and sword And therefore look where the precept and law of God is contemned a Cherubin and a Sword followeth according to that of the twenty sixth of Leviticus and the twenty fifth verse Mittam gladium super vos I will send a Sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant In the twenty second verse before in the sentence the Tree of life was not fenced at all therefore here God provideth for it a fence and a better guard which is Cherubins and a Sword The Seraphin in the sixth of Esay and the sixth verse Had a hot 〈◊〉 in his hand which he took from the Altar Another Cherubin in the tenth of Ezekiel and the seventh verse Stretcheth forth his hand 〈◊〉 the fire and giveth of it to him that was clothed with linnen thus then was the pastage of Eden guarded with an Angell a Cherubin armed with a fiery Sword in regard of the justice of God The end of the fencing The end of this fencing thus of Paradise and of the Tree of life is as the Fathers say because that it is the will of God Inseparatio Paradisi ligni that the Paradise of God and the Tree of life should be inseparablie together that none should enjoy the Paradise of God but should easte of the Tree of life and none should have the Tree of life but should likewise enjoy the Paradise of God that so whosoever should enjoy the one should have the other for as it is in the thirty fourth Psalm and the twelfth verse And likewise in the first of Peter the third chapter and tenth verse Every man naturally hath a longing desire after long life and to see good daies and to live long and happily to have eternity and the Paradise of 〈◊〉 for small is the comfort to live long and have no happinesse or to have happinesse and not enjoy it long and therefore man when he was cast forth he was debarred hereby both of the state of felicity and of eternity that God might be true in his words and just in his works A Cherubim and a firie Sword Now touching this guard it self this fence it consisteth of two parts the one is a Cherubin taken and sent from Heaven above the other a fiery Sword from the Earth below that Adam and Eve might consider that Heaven and Earth were armed against them to be a terror to their Soul and Body this was a spirituall and civill punishment for there was in Adams sinne an inordinate desire of the Soul to seek curiously into Gods secrets and to know good and evill and likewise an inordinate appetite of the body to behold and taste of the forbidden fruit thinking that was a fruit more pleasant than all the trees in the garden and God doubteth in the twenty second verse that he will put also forth his hand and take of the tree of life and live for ever and therefore to fence this Tree he setteth an Angell not naked but armed to defend it I say an Angell with a shaking Sword in his hand Cherubims And that these Cherubins are Angels it is doubtlesse by the whole course of the Scriptures both new and old and there of the ancient and new writers make no doubt they say that as the committing of sinne was by an evill Angell so emissio the punishment for sinne was by an Angell their putting out of Paradise was by means of the evill Angell and the passage was kept against them by an Angell armed with a burning Sword he came like a Serpent to provoke them to sinne and he was punished by a Cherubin an Angell of that order mention is made of the Cherubins in the time of the Law in the twenty fifth of Exodus and the eighteenth verse And in the building of the first Temple of Salomon were placed the Cherubims in the inward house the figures of Cherubims compassed the house and the dores of the Oracle were
we were like to perish till he provided for us so we must give him a present even the first fruits of that we have acknowledging that all came from him in the twenty sixt chapter of Deuteronomie The ground of our oblation is to testifie so as the ground of our oblation 1. our thankfulness is the testifying of our thankfulnesse 2 our subjection to God Another end is the testifying and acknowledging of our subjection to God that as he gave us our souls so we confesse we ought to bestow our souls on God And that we shall doe if when our own reason cannot attain to see how that should be just which he requireth 1. to give and subject our souls to God yet we be content to make our souls subject to him and to bring them into the obedience of Christ in the second of the Corinthians and the tenth chapter If as we have grieved the spirit of God with our sinnes so we be content to grieve our souls and to break them with sorrow which is a sacrifice to God in the fifty first Psalme and the seventeenth verse 2. to subject our bodies to God Secondly as we have received our bodies from God so we must make them subject to God by abating the desires which our flesh delighteth in that we may delight in that which God requireth and that we be content to impoverish the body to chasten it and bring it under by fasting in the first of the Corinthians and the ninth chapter From both soul and body our mouths must shew forth Gods praise that it may be more fit for his service we must not only acknowledge in our soul that we owe our selves both soul and body to God but we must open our lips and shew forth his praise with our mouthes in the fifty first Psalme 3. We must honour God with our substance And lastly we must honor God with our substance in the third chapter of the Proverbs And not content our selves with the oblation of the lips as a sacrifice that cost us nothing in the second of Samuell and the twenty fourth chapter The sacrifice also hath two grounds The sacrifice also hath two grounds 1. The confession of our sins aud why First The confession of our sinnes for in that the poor Lamb or other beast whatsoever hath his throat cut what is it else but a confession that what the Lamb suffereth the same we our selves deserved to suffer As the Lamb dieth so we deserve the death both of body and soul And as the Lamb was burnt to ashes so we deserved to be burnt in the lake of sire and brimstone in the twentieth of the Apocal. and the tenth verie For sine effusione sanguinis non est peccatorum remissio in the ninth chapter of the Hebrews And so in that the poor beast hath his blood poured out we doe thereby confesse that we cannot have remission of sinnes without the shedding of blood if we seek it in our selves 2 The confession of our faith in Christ which maketh the other perfect and why But there is a second ground of the sacrifice and that is the confession of our faith which maketh all the other confessions perfect for how is it possible that a Lamb should be worth a Man and that the death of an unreasonable creature should be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of a reasoable soul the Apostle saith It is impossible that the blood of Lambs and Goats should take away sinnes in the tenth chapter of the Hebrews and the fourth verse It cost more to redeem souls then so vise a price or the price of the most pretious things in the world in the fourty ninth Psalme Christ the Lamb slain by whose blood we have remission of sinnes and why Therefore the reason why they offered sacrifice was to make confession of their faith in Christ whom they confessed to be the Lamb of God slain from the beginning of the world by whose blood we have remission of sinnes So the Lambe which Abel offered in the fourth chapter of Genesis which Esay foresaw should stand before his shearrer in the fifty third of Isaiah whom John Baptist pointed at John the first chapter and the twenty ninth verse Ecce Agnus Dei is Christ the Son of God slain from the beginning of the world to take away sinnes Apoc. the thirteenth chapter And in the blood of that Lambe are the sinnes of the whole world purged as it is in the first Epistle of St. John the first chapter and the seventh verse 4. The warrant whereby they offered oblations and sacrifice Fourthly The warrant whereby they offered their oblation and sacrifices was not any expresse command of God in the Scripture and God only knoweth what kinde of service best pleaseth him and of themselves they were not to devise any thing 1. Adam was instructed by God and they by Adam but they were taught by Adam and Adam was instructed by God As Adam had experience that God was able to bring light out of darknesse so he taught Adam by his spirit that as by the tree of life he would give life so by death he would give life For as in the Sacrifices of the Law the Jews were taught that out of death God would give them life We by our Sacraments so now in our Sacraments Christians are assured that by the death of Christ whereof the Supper is a commemoration the faithfull obtain life Made known 1. By the light of nature The meanes whereby God made this known to them was first the light of nature That they had offended God which told them that seeing so many infirmities and sicknesses lay upon them it was for that they had offended som body 2. That they owe thankfulness for all they had to be acknowledged in heart word and works Secondly that all they possessed was from some superior power to whom they ought to be both thankfull and dutifull and to acknowledge both these in words as well as in heart and to expresse this subjection by works that is by offering somthing to God 2. For the confession of faith no reason or light of nature taught but by Gods spirit But as for confession of faith no reason of man no light of nature that could apprehend that but as Christ saith in the sixteenth of Matthew it was the Revelation of Gods Spirit which taught them that Christ the Lambe of God should be offered as a Sacrifice for sinne of which all the sacrifices that went before were types Concerning Cain and Abell we are to observe two points First what they had in common Secondly what severally All both poor and rich must offer For the first As we learn that all must offer both in the Law in the thirtieth chapter of Exodus for God will have his offering be we rich or poor and in the Gospell where Christ alloweth
sinne then we must proceed another way yet true and very profitable and so say ad te appetitus ejus ejus saith Augustine cujus numquid fratris absit Nay saith he it is appetitus peccati and Augustine doth ground this upon Jeremiah the fifteenth chapter and the ninteenth verse where it is said If thou return and in the same verse ipsi convertantur ad te non tu ad illos and so after Austin St. Jerome saith excellently ne peccatum illi sed ille peccato dominaretur not that sinne might have dominion over him but he over sinne and so in a manner dealt all the ancient Divines It is well known St. Jerome knew the tongues and was well acquainted with the Scriptures and so the sense is more perfect and compleat this way than the other This then is the point of instruction as before by way of praise and threat so here God deals by way of admonition which is brought in by way of supposing an excuse as if one should say I would not 〈◊〉 but I cannot doe otherwise I have no power over my self to rule my self or 〈◊〉 this grief how then can I rule over it that is over sinne But against this supposition of Cain Gods instruction is thus though sin be turned towards him yet God saith he may be Master over it that he needs not yeeld to it as if God should say to Cain I would have thee doe that which my grace offereth unto thee and not that which the concupiscence of sin leads thee to Here are two things propounded First our own state in these words but unto thee his desire shall be subject Secondly our duty what to doe thou 〈◊〉 rule over him For the first I grant it thou canst not live without it for sinne lyeth at the dore knocking and will run in and embrace thee if thou open the dore to it it is not possible but ad te appetitus ejus sinne will be taking hold of thee as it is exactly set down Hebrews the twelfth chapter sinne hangs on fast This is your state saith God and take notice of it but then doe your duty when sinne knocks look that you shut the dore against it when sinne runs to you see you turn your back on it and when it desires let it be in vain and then saith St. Austen surgendo proferendo frustra defatigetur ut tandem mihi proferat discat amplius non surgere and this it is that God would have us to remember to repell sinne by striving against it and not become Slaves to it by serving the lusts of it For as many times as a man refuseth the conversion and turning of the oportunities of sinne it is the redoubling of so many rewards and crowns in the Kingdome of heaven so that I tell you as often I have that it signifies both comfort and exhortation that that which exhorts should comfort and that which comforts should exhort too First for comfort not that any man should think himself forsaken and out of the compass of Gods favour when sinne runs to him for therefore it is called conversion it is the motion that water hath in hollow places that howsoever on hills or steep places it runs down yet in hollow places it staieth such is the nature of sinne As if God should say seeing your nature is such that it is naturally inclined to sinne by the teint and corruption of the poyson of that Serpent which first beguiled your first Parents which every man in his own nature hath sense of yet he feels no more than all the dear Saints of God have felt Therefore that it should not seem strange to any man when he seeth sinne run to him and findes those temptations of sin and motions thereunto for it is no other thing than what is incident to all the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the thirteenth verse No temptation hath taken you but such as is incident to man Now that is our inclination naturall which we cannot avoid here in this life and that is comfort against the objects of sinne that our case is no worse than other mens But withall to this comfort God joyns exhortation that for as much as we shall be continually provoked and assaulted by sinne and sin will run to us and ly at the dore yet we are not to goe and meet it and if not goe meet it we must take heed we draw it not to us with cart-ropes as if it came not fast enough Isaiah the fist chapter and the eighteenth verse and as Ezekiel speaks we may not be as dragons sucking still Ezekiel the fourth chapter and the second verse nor put the stumbling blocks of iniquity before our face Ezekiel the fourth chapter we may not plough for sinne Proverbs the twenty first chapter and the fourth verse as if he should say sinne will come fast enough in the fallow grounds therefore we need not to provoke our selves by pictures lewd songs enterludes and such like means 〈◊〉 draw it to us but to abandon them all It is that which the Apostle exhorts all men to in the second to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter and the twelfth verse to cut off all occasions to sinne observing what that is that provoketh them to sinne and cut that off that we draw not sinne to our selves and so be accessary to sinne and cause of our own woe If the water be comming that we give no passage to it if the coals lye before you spit on it you may but beware you blow it not and if sinne would have passage stop it 〈◊〉 serving sin you be carryed away captive of sinne for of whomsoever a man is overcome his servant he is the second of Peter and the second chapter and his servant you are to whom you obey Romans the sixth and the thirteenth verse Therefore give not your members as weapons of unrighteousness to sinne but give your selves to God This is our duty which we must doe and perform for as the former part is set down for our comfort so this serves for our instruction So there is a comfort in our estate comming by this exhortation and there is exhortation out of the comfort to doe our duty on sinne which shall stand us in great stead in the day of the Lord. Here are four divisions or distinctions First God saith There is sinne in body and sinne in soul there are as well corporall sinnes as mentall and as well actuall as cogitable 〈◊〉 a sinne against man as well as God Secondly Si bene feceris nonne acceptaberis so that God saith plainly he that beareth malice doth not well that is he sinneth against his brother for a man may as well sinne against man as against God for that Gods command is Love thy Brother or Neighbour as thy self therefore a man should not imagine that except he offendeth God he sinneth not That is a second distinction Sinne sleeping
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
wicked which are the ofspring of cursed Cain For albeit it seemed God had no care of his faithfull servant Abel in that he suffred him to be slain yet we see he takes care for his blood so that it shall not be shed but he will call Cain to account for it So that they may learn this for their comfort that howsoever we reckon of it Yet the death of Gods Saints is pretious and of high estimation in Gods eye Psalm the one hundred and sixteenth and that whether they live or dye they are the Lords in the fourteenth chapter of the Romans for as both our bodies and souls are Gods in the first to the Corinthians the sixth chapter and the twentieth verse so no doubt but he takes care of both wherewithall we are to observe that God is so carefull of his servants that he careth not for himself to shew his care to them for he had received many indignities himself from Cain in that he without any regard offered to God that which came first to his hand not making choice of his sacrifice as Abel did Note And again when notwithstanding the Sermon which God preached to him he doubted not to proceed from one sinne to another till at last he had murthered his Brother but yet God calls him not to account for these but only for the wrong which he did to Abel his Servant A comfort and so the godly see to their great comfort God seeth our wrong to revenge it that howsoever in regard of present afflictions God seemeth to have cast off all care of them yet he will forget himself that he may be mindfull of them The point of terror to Cain and his posterity is that howsoever they 〈◊〉 themselves Psalm the ninety fourth and the seventh verse The Lord shall not see neither will the God of Jacob regard it yet here we have a plain instance that God doth see Cain murther his Brother though he doe it in the field He seeth Sarah laugh within her self behinde the Tent dore Genesis the eighteenth chapter His eyes behold the way of the Adulterer though he wait for the twie light and say no eye shall see me Job the twenty fourth chapter and he doth not only see them and their works but videt requiret in the second of the Chronicles the twenty fourth chapter and the twenty second verse that is as Job and Salomon affirm Hee will after this life call them to an account and bring them to judgment for every thing they have committed be it never so secret whether good or evill Job chap. 19. Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter and the fourteenth verse wherewithall we are to note that that is here verified which Jehu spake in the second of Kings and the tenth chapter that is that no word of the Lord shall fall to the ground For before Cain had committed this murther God told him If thou doe evill sinne lyeth at the dore And we see here that albeit Cain used all the means he could to cover his fact yet it is discovered by God and though his sinne seemed to be asleep while he concealed it within himself yet God will not suffer him but wakes him out of his sleep Note And so we are to know whosoever are guilty of these or the like sinnes that we cannot keep them so closs but he that hath the key of David will open the dore of our consciences and bring them to light The Examination standeth upon two parts first Gods Question and secondly Cains Answer In the Question we shall see that the wayes of God are Mercy and Justice Psalm the twenty fifth First Touching his Mercie if we ask what was Gods intent in asking Cain this Question we shall finde doubtless that it was not to learn where Abel was for he knew that Cain had slain him though Cain thought within himself that his fact was unknown to any For his intent St. Ambrose tells us what it was ignorantiam simulat ut confessiones urgeat and as Austen saith non interrogantis ut discat sed invitantis ut poeniteat The gate of repentance is confession of sinne the gate of repentance is confession of sinne and God makes as if he were ignorant what was become of Abel that so he might provoke Cain to confess his fact and so consequently shew himself sorry for it for the sore or wound cannot be healed so long as it is kept secret but when it is disclosed the Physition is willing to cure it and as a Judge is the more provoked by the importunacy and obstinacie of the offendor so nothing doth appease him so much as when the offendor doth willingly confess his fault and by voluntary confession shew that he hath grace This was that which God desired in asking this Question and the reason is that Cain by his voluntary confession if he had not been hindred with the hardness of his heart might as Joshua said to Achan Joshua the seventh chapter Give glory to God that is by accusing himself to clear God We must confesse that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was Cains part to have confessed that as he was the cause of Abels death so he slew him being not inforced thereunto but using all means he could to dispatch him and that God is not to be charged for his death in any respect for that he laboured before by all means to diswade withdraw him from that vile fact Touching which voluntary confession and accusing of our selves the Fathers out of Proverbs the eighteenth chapter and the seventeenth verse say justus in principio sermonis est accusator sui and they read these words of the Prophet Isaiah the fourty third chapter and the twenty sixt verse dic tu iniquitates prior utjustifioeris for the way to be justified before God is to accuse and condemn our selves for it is a thing acceptable to God that we accuse and judge our selves worthy to be destroyed for our iniquities Ezekiel the thirty sixt chapter and the thirty first verse Judging our selves we prevent Gods judgement for as the Apostle saith the judging of our selves is the way not to be judged of God in the first to the Corinthians the eleventh chapter for by this means we prevent his judgment so that Gods intent herein was an intent of mercy wherein we are to observe these three qualities whereby God draweth men to repentance his goodness and his long suffering and patience Romans the second chapter and the first verse which goodness of God towards Cain appeares herein that having already used perswasions and preservative physick to keep Cain from sinning he contents not himself but ministreth medicine curative now he hath sinned Here the words of the Prophet are fulfilled Psalm the sixty second and the eleventh and twelfth verses Semel atque iterum loquutus est Deus and both speeches of mercy the first in the seventh verse ne peccet the
fair day after a storm For in the eight former verses there hath not been any mention made of God or godliness but marriage upon marriage murther upon murther vaunting of finne past and to come deriding of God and his holy word as if he were a person that favoured wicked men and not contenting himself with the punishment which God inflicted but a devising a new kinde of revenge as we see in Lamech who not contented with the punishment which God appointed for murtherers that is seven times would challenge to himself seventy times seven times Now at last we come to a verse that hath the mention and name of God and of a good man of whom a succession of good men should be raised And it was fit that the Man of God Moses should keep this order because the faith of Adam and Eve might quail and they might think God not true of his promise in regard of that which they saw For as for the threatning which God denounced against Cain wee see it is not performed but Cain and his posteritie in stead of being plagued for his wickednesse grow to be great men rich Grasyers such as have all things that tend either to delight or defense As for Adams promise which was That the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head it fell out clean contrary for we see to what a great number the spawne of the Serpent was grown when as there was none of the Womans seed And whereas God promised the Womans seed should bruise the head of the Serpent wee see the spawne of the Serpent 〈◊〉 the head of the Womans seed For Abel who was the Womans seed is slain by Cain who was of the Serpents seed which falls out many times in the world The promise made to Noah was That Cham should be a servant Genesis the ninth chapter and yet we see it fell out clean contrary for Genesis the tenth chapter 〈◊〉 who was of Chams race was the first Emperour upon earth And in the new Testament the people of God when Christ was born were in that state that Herod an Edomite was become their King Matthew the seoond chapter That wee may see that as the Prophet speakes in the one hundred and ninteenth Rsalm and the hundred twenty sixt verse Then it is time for God to lay to his hand when mankinde looking into his word and seeing that it is not fulfilled which God hath spoken doe decay in faith that he may shew himself a true God and able to accomplish that which he doth either promise or threaten that so the faith that was yet left upon earth might revive and take breath again The verse it self consisteth of two parts First Adams knowledge of his Wife Secondly The nativity of Seth. For the first Not to say any thing of the term which Moses useth which is Adams knowledge for that we have handled it heretofore we will consider the word iterum which gives us plainly to know that for a great while Adam gave over that Act being stricken and amazed with this consideration that one brother should kill another that is in bewailing Abel that was 〈◊〉 and Cain that was cut off from the Church Adam and Eve were in this state of minde that they were as it were dead seeing their first Ofspring sped so unhappily that the one was slain bodily the other was under the sentence of death both of body and soul when I say they considered that they should either beget children to be murthered which was Abels case or else to be cast into hell in respect of Cain it made them say with Rebecca Genesis the twenty fift chapter and the twenty second verse si mihi sic futurum est quia necesse est parere for these considerations they had clean given over Out of which example of Adam and Eve we learn to conform ourselves to crosses and heavy accidents as God layeth upon us that is to forbear and give over matters of pleasure when God calls us to mourning for it is a thing agreeable to Gods will If when the Lord God of hosts shall call to weeping and mourning there be nothing but joy and 〈◊〉 slaying of Oxen c. the Lord himself sayeth that is a sinne which shall not be pardoned or purged with any sacrifice till they die Isaiah the twenty second chapter and the twelfth verse It is that which Christ teacheth Matthew the ninth chapter and the fifteenth verse When the Bridegrome shall be taken away then shall they mourn and fast that is when either he shall be taken from us or when men shall drive him from them by their sinnes then there is cause of mourning and sorrow Therefore we see albeit it was Gods will that Aaron and his Children should eat the offerings of the Children of Israel yet he refused to eat them in regard of the Judgments of God upon Nadab and Abihu his Sonnes saying Thou knowest such and such things have come to me this day and if I had eaten the sin-offering 〈◊〉 it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 chapter and the ninteenth verse Therefore David mourned so for the death of Abner that he said God doe so to me and more if I eat bread or 〈◊〉 else till the Sun be down in the second of Samuel the third chapter and the thirty fift verse But hence there appears another thing unto us which is that 〈◊〉 and earthly sorrow in a naturall man is a thing stronger than any worldly pleasure that in regard of the naturall man there is more strength in grief than in pleasure or joy for if a man have 〈◊〉 in never so much pleasure all 〈◊〉 life yet if he come to a little sickness it takes away all remembrance of his former pleasure And this is a means to make a man think of such an estate Wherein he may have that pleasure and joy which shall not be taken from him as Christ speaketh John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse Now when Adam had relieved himself with this cogitation that as the Prophet speaks Psalm the eighty ninth God hath not made all men for nought it made him to return whereupon there followed by Gods blessing not only a seed but a chosen and holy seed that is Seth. Concerning whom first we will speak of his birth wherein we have this to observe that those Children whom God gives to Parents upon a plentifull contrition and repentance doe usually prove men excellent in all spirituall graces The first example hereof is Seth who is not only the foundation of the Church but of mankinde for since the flood all the Sons of men are called the Children of Seth. It is also shewed in Joseph whom God gave to Rachel having opened her wombe which before was shut up so as she was barren Genesis the thirtieth chapter and the twenty second verse It also appeared in Hannah who having bewailed her own
are taken away There are two natures in a Cole that is the Cole it selfe which is a dead thing and the burning nature and heate that it hath which setteth out first Christs humane nature which is dead in it selfe And then his divine nature containing the burning force of that is represented in this burning Cole So the element of bread and wine is a dead thing in it selfe but through the grace of Gods spirit infused into it hath a power to heate our Soules for the elements in the Supper have an earthly and a heavenly part Secondly that Christ is to bee understood by this burning Cole wee may safely gather because his love to his Church is presented with fire Cantit the eighth chapter and the sixth verse It is said of Christs love the Coles thereof are fiery Coles and a vehement flame such as cannot be quenched with any water nor the floods drown it even so all the calamities and miseries that Christ suffered and endured for our sakes which were poured upon him as water could not quench the love that he bare us Thirdly quia non solum ardet ipse sed alios accendit so saith John the Baptist of him There cometh one after me that shall Baptize with the holy-Ghost and with fire as it is in the third chapter of Luke the sixteenth verse therefore the graces of the holy-Ghost are also represented by fire Acts 3. the union whereof hath a double representation First it is signified by water in Baptisme for sinne that is derived 〈◊〉 us from another being as a 〈◊〉 may be washed away with water and therefore the Propher saith there is a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of 〈◊〉 for sinne and 〈◊〉 Zach. the thirteenth chapter and the first verse therefore 〈◊〉 said to Saul bee Baptized and wash away thy sinnes Acts the twenty second Chapter and the sixteenth verse that is meant of originall sinne and the corruption of our nature by which wee are guilty of the wrath of God but because through the whol course of our life sinne by custome groweth more to be strong and to stick fast in our nature so as no water can take it away therefore 〈◊〉 Grace of God is set out by fire as having a power and force to burn 〈◊〉 sinne for by custome sinne is bred and setled in our nature and is 〈◊〉 drosse that must be tryed and purged by fire so the holy Ghost speaketh of actuall sinnes the first of Isaiah and the twenty fift verse and the sixt ter of Jeremiah and the thirttieh verse Ezech. the twenty second chapter and the eighteenth verse The house of Israel is to mee as drosse that is by custome of sinne and in regard of this kinde of sinne there needs not only water to wash away the corruption of our nature and the qualitie thereof but fire to purge the actuall sins that proceed from the same The sinnes of Commission came by reason of the force of concupiscence and from the lusts that boyle out of our corrupt nature and the grace that takes them away is the grace of water in Baptisme but the sinnes of omission proceede of the coldnesse and negligence of our nature to doe good such as was in the Church of Laodicea Rev. the third chapter and the fifteenth verse and therefore such sinnes must bee taken away with the fiery Grace of God Secondly for the quality of the Cole it is not only a burning Cole but taken from the Altar to teach us that our zeale must bee 〈◊〉 and come from the spirit of God The fires that are appointed by earthly Judges to terrifie malefactors from offending may draw a skinne over the spirituall wounds of their Soules so as for feare they will eschue and sorbeare to sinne but it is the fire of the Altar and the inward Graces of Gods spirit that taketh away the corruption and healeth the wound therefore as in the Law God tooke 〈◊〉 there should ever bee fire on the Altar Leviticus the sixt chapter and the ninth verse so for the sinner that is contrite and sory for his sinne there is alwaies fire in the Church to burne up the Sacrifice of his contrition and repentance even that fire of Christs Sacrifice The love which hee shewed unto us in dying for our sinnes is set 〈◊〉 unto us most lively in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood unto which wee must come often that from the one wee may fetch the purging of our sinnes as the Apostle speaks and from the other qualifying power si in luce John the first chapter the seventh verse wherefore as by the mercy of God we have a fountain of water alwaies flowing to take away originall sinne so there is in the Church fire alwaies burning to cleanse our actuall transgressions for if the Cole taken from the Altar had a power to take away the Prophets sinne much more the body and blood of Christ which is offered in the Sacrament If the hem of Christs garment can heale the ninth chapter of Matthew and the twentith verse much more the touching of Christ himselfe shall procure health to our soules here we have not somthing that hath touched the Sacrifice but the Sacrifice it self to take away our sins Secondly the Application The application of this Cole is by a Seraphin for it is an office more fit for Angells than men to concurre with God for taking away sinne but for that it pleaseth God to use the service of men in this behalfe they are in Scripture called Angells Job the thirty fifth chapter and the twenty third verse Malachi the second and the seventh verse The Priests lips preserve knowledge for hee is the Angell of the Lord of Hosts and the Pastors of the seven Churches in Asia are called Angells Apoc. the first chapter and the first verse for the same office that is here executed by an Angell is committed to the sonnes of men to whom as the Apostle speaks Hee hath committed the ministery of reconciliation 2 Cor. the fift chapter and the eighteenth verse to whom hee hath given this power that whose sinnes soever they remit on earth shall bee remitted in heaven the twentith chapter of Saint John and the twenty fift verse So when Nathan who was but a man had said to David etiam Jehova transtulit peccatum 〈◊〉 the second booke of Samuel the twelfth chapter and the thirteenth verse it was as availeable as if an Angell had spoken to him And when Peter tells the Jewes that if they amend their lives and turn their sinnes shall be done away their sinne was taken away no lesse than the Prophets was when the Angell touched his lips Acts the third chapter and the ninteenth verse for not hee that holds the Cole but it is the Cole it selfe that takes away sinne and so long as the thing is the same wherewith wee are touched it skills not who doth hold it but wee
have not only the Cole that touched the Altar but the Altar it selfe even the Sacrifice of Christs death represented in the Supper by partaking whereof our sins are taken away Secondly the Word or invisible grace The word of comfort whereby the inward Grace is preached unto us is that the Angell said to the Prophet Loe this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity shall bee taken away and thy sinnes purged concerning which wee finde that the Leper was cured of his Leprosie not only by the word but by the touching of Christ but the Centurian said only but speake the word and thy servant shall bee whole Mat. the eighth chapter and the eighth verse so hee can doe what he will with his only word It pleased God to take away the Prophet sinnes by touching his lips And albeit he can take away our sins without touching of bread or wine if he will yet in the councell of his will he commendeth unto us the sacramentall partaking of his body and blood It is his will that our sins shall be taken away by the outward act of the sacrament The reason is not only in regard of our selves which consist of body and soul and therefore have need both of bodily and Ghostly meanes to assure us of our Salvation but in regard of Christ himself who is the burning Cole Forever since God ordained that Christ should take our nature and aptare sibi corpus in the tenth chapter to the Hebrewes and the fifth verse that so he might worke our Reconciliation As Christ became himself a man having a bodily substance so his actions were bodily As in the Hypostasis of the Sun there is both the Humane and Divine nature so the Sacrament is of an Heavenly and Earthly nature As he hath taken our body to himself so he honoureth bodily things that by them we should have our sinnes taken away from us By one bodily sacrament he taketh away the affection unto sin that is naturally planted in us By another bodily Sacrament he taketh away the habituall sins and the actuall transgressions which proceed from the corruption of our nature And here we have matter offered us of faith that as he used the touching of a cole to assure the Prophet that his sins were taken away so in the Sacrament he doth so elevate a peice of bread and a litle wine and make them of such power that they are able to take away our sinnes And this maketh for Gods glory not only to beleeve that God can work our Salvation without any outward means by the inward Grace of his Spirit but also that he can so elevate the meanest of his creatures not only the hemme of a garment but even a strawe if he see it good shall be powerfull enough to save us from our sinnes As Christ himself is spirituall and bodily so he taketh away our sinnes by means not only spirituall but bodily as in the Sacrament For if there be a cleansing power in the Word as Christ speaketh in the fifteenth chapter of John and the third verse If in prayer as Peter sheweth to Simon Magus Pray to God that if it be possible the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee in the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles and the twenty second verse If in shewing mercy and giving almes sinnes shall be forgiven as Salomon saith in the sixteenth chapter of the Proverbs and the sixth verse Per misericordiam purgantur peccata much more in the Sacrament wherein both the word and prayer and the works of mercy doe concurre to the cleansing of sinners from their sinnes Whereas the Seraphim did not take the coale in his mouth but with tongues and applied it not to the Prophets care but to his tongue We learn that it is not the hearing of a sermon that can cleanse us from sinne but we must 〈◊〉 of the bodily element appointed to represent the invisible grace of God It is true that meditation privately had will kindle a fire in the hearts of many in the thirty ninth Psalm and the third verse And the word as it is a fire Jeremie the twenty third chapter and the twenty ninth verse will also kindle a man and heat him inwardly But because in the Sacrament all those doe meete together therefore nothing is so availeable to take away sinne as the touching of bread and wine with our lips The effect The effect of this touching followeth wherein we are to consider First the efficacy of this action Secondly the certainty that as sure as this coale hath touched thy lips so surely are thy sinnes taken away Thirdly the speede that so soon as the coale touched presently sinne was taken away and purged The efficacie standeth of the removing or taking away of sinne and of the purging away of sinne The taking away and purging of sinnes have two uses Some have their sinnes taken away but not purged for something remaineth behinde Some have Adams sigge leaves to hide sinne that it shall not appeare for a time but have not Hezekiah his plaister to heal it in the thirty eighth chapter of Isaiah and the one and twentieth verse But by the touching of this Coal that is of the body and blood of Christ we are assured that our sinnes are not only covered but quite taken away as with a plaister as the Lord speaks I have put away thy transgressions like a cloud and thy sins as a mist Isaiah the fourty fourth and the twenty second verse whereby the Lord sheweth that our sinnes are scattered and come to nothing when it pleaseth him to take them away The other sense gathered from the word purging is that God doth no forgive our sinnes as an earthly Judge 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 or so that he 〈◊〉 away with his 〈◊〉 without any 〈…〉 shewed him 〈◊〉 that he likewise becometh favourable unto 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to doe us all the good he 〈◊〉 If 〈◊〉 can obtain 〈◊〉 pardon at the hands of temp orall Judges it is all they 〈◊〉 looke for but they never come to any preferment But God doth dor only give us 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 as he doth pard on out sinnes so 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 loving and kinde to us Christ doth not only take us away from God that he should not proceed to punish us for our 〈◊〉 but offers us up to God as an acceptable sacrafice as Peter 〈◊〉 Christ once suffered for sinnes the just for the unjust that he might offer us up to God in the first of Peter the third chapter and the eighteenth verse for as the wiseman saith Take the drosse from the silver 〈◊〉 shall proceed a vessel for the refiner Proverbs the twenty fift and the fourth verse So after sinne is taken away from us our nature is most acceptable to God because there remaineth nothing but his own nature Secondly for the certainty As thou hast a perfect sense of the touching of this coal so certainly are thy sinnes taken away
and the twenty second verse It is not early rising nor late sitting down Psalme the hundred twenty seventh But put case it be true which they imagine with themselves yet their life stands not in the riches so gotten It is indeed probable that a covetous man shall soon attain to riches For all is fish that comes to net with him he will not refuse any gain be it never so unlawfull If it be panis fallaciae if it be pretium sanguinis he will put it up And as he hath more means to get so he spares more than other men doe He doth no good works he distributeth not to the necessity of the poor magnum 〈◊〉 parsimonia and flesh and blood alwaies perswades her self of the best and never doubteth of any hurt The rich Merchants say with themselves We will goe and buy and sell and gain James the fourth chapter never thinking that they shall lose The rich man thought with himself I will eat and drink and take my rest but never thought that he should dye Luke the twelfth chapter So we alwaies dream of the best and never fear any evil We will drink strong drink to day and tomorrow shall be as this day and better Isaiah the fifty seventh chapter Again they may pretend further cause for the sinne of covetousnesse Aboundance makes a man abstain from many sinnes which poor men fall into of necessity For poverty makes a man to steat Proverbs the thirtieth chapter Therefore the Apostle willeth that if any man will not steal he must labour with his hands Ephesians the fourth chapter Aboundance sets them in case that they can doe many good works when the borrower is a servant to the lender as it is in the Proverbs The rich man is free from this inconvenience 〈◊〉 est abundat omnibus Riches doe make a man glorious But though all this were true yet Christ saith that life stands not in riches as the Preacher speaks by way of permission to the rich man Goe too take thy pleasure but for all this know that God will bring thee to judgement Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter So doth Christ give them scope to conceive what opinion they think good of Riches Put case thou through thy covetousnesse hast aboundance yet thy life consists not therein that this is true That man is not a whit longer lived for his wealth the Scripture shews Divitia non proder unt in die 〈◊〉 Proverbs the eleventh chapter and the fourth verse Though hand be 〈◊〉 in hand yet it shall not serve the turn the rich man dyeth as well as the poor Psalme the thirty ninth but how powerfull this is to restrain covetousnesse appears by this We will doe nothing in vain much lesse suffer in vain The Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fift chapter Wh le we are in health of body we know our riches doe us great service but if death draw neer we are ready to say with 〈◊〉 Genesis the twenty fift chapter Behold I dye and what will all this wealth doe me good Christ saith not Be not covetous for you shall not be the richer but Be afraid of covetousnesse for your life stands not in aboundance of riches to put thee in minde to provide for another life rather than for this For albeit the covetous and miserable man hath misery in this life because he disquiets himself in vain Psalme the thirty ninth and therefore is called a 〈◊〉 or man-slayer yet his future misery being 〈◊〉 with the misery of this life makes him more miserable While he is in his 〈◊〉 it is well with him though he have many worldly cares But when he is put out of his office and shall be called to account How he came by his office and how he hath behaved himself therein How he got his worldly wealth and how he hath distributed the same for the relief of his poor fellow Saints Then it he be found faulty in his account his misery is farre greater than ever it was in this life Luke the sixteenth chapter Christ takes away from covetous men the opinion of life and wills them not to think that they shall live the longer for their riches And seeing they must dye and after death commeth the Judgement Hebrews the ninth chapter it is their part rather to lay up a good 〈◊〉 for the time to come 〈◊〉 lay up their treasure in Heaven Matthew the sixt chapter becanse as they heap up riches unjustly so they 〈◊〉 up wrath for themselves against the day of wrath Romans the second chapter Though covetous men think themselves well while they live yet Christ tell them They must dye that they should take 〈◊〉 that it may goe well with them after death That when they have layd down these earthly tabernacles the second epistle of Peter the first chapter They may be received into everlasting tabernacles Luke the sixteenth chapter Nam cui haec non adsunt is caecus est nihil procul cernens oblitus sese à veteribus peccatis suis fuisse purificatum Quapropter fratres c. 2 Pet 1. 9. Decemb. 3. 1568. THE Prophet David saith Psal. the fourty ninth Man was in honor when he was first created but continued not in that state the space of a night but became like a beast that perisheth So that as God made man so honourable a creature that he thought he might be God So when man in the pride of his heart would be like God be became a beast a beast not only in body for that he dyeth as they doe but in soul For if we consider the understanding part of the soul and the knowledge that man hath in the same He is foolish and ignorant even as a beast before God Psalme the seventy third and the twenty second verse and the rebellion of his heart is such that he is compared to horse and mule Psalme the thirty second This is our downfall But God of his rich mercy will not have man continue in dishonour though he lost that honour which God gave him in the beginning And as man would not continue in honor one night so God would not suffer him to continue in dishonour one night but presently after his fall gave him this pretious promise That howsoever man had made himself a beast yet God would not only make him a man again but partaker of the divine nature the second of Peter the first chapter and the fourth verse Which promise albeit it begins to be performed when we apprehend it by faith yet faith only doth not make it perfect but we must unto faith add virtue to virtue knowledge to knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and love And these virtues if they concurre doe make man partaker of the heavenly nature At the first the Doctrine of Faith in Christ was hardly received or men thought to besaved only by Works And when they had once received it they excluded the doctrine of good Works All the difficulty that
Christ which wee should chiefly desire to see is that joyfull day of his birth whereof the Angels brought word a day of great joy to all the people that this day is born a Saviour Luke the second chapter In the desire it self we are to consider two things First the Degree Secondly the Manner of this Desire First for the Degree It is noted in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is leaped for joy of that day in regard of the great benefit which should come unto the world by Christs birth Which joy the babe John Baptist expressed who before he was borne leaped in his Mothers womb Luke the first chapter and the fourty first verse The joyfull desire here mentioned is as St. Peter speaks a joy unspeakable and glorious the first epistle of Peter and the eighteenth chapter To teach us that the day of Christs comming in the flesh is a day most of all to be desired and a matter of the greatest joy that can be Secondly For the Manner of this Desire It was a desire joyned with trust and confidence without which our desire is in vain be it never so hot Abrahams desire of seeing Christs day was joyned with hope that he should see it which he so much desired The Creatures desire to see the day of their redemption for they groan Romans the eighth chapter but this desire is without hope These desires are both to be seen in Jacob For when his sonnes being sent from Joseph told him that Joseph was alive and was Governor in the land of Egypt his heart wavered Then he had a desire to see Joseph but it was not joyned with hope for he beleeved them not But when they told him Josephs words and shewed him the Chariots that were sent for to bring him then he had a desire with hope and his spirit revived within him Genesis the fourty fift chapter and the twenty sixt verse The hope that he conceived of seeing him whom he desired to see made him rejoyce Touching the Reason of this desire he had sufficient matter of present joy for he was exceeding rich in Cattel and Silver and Gold Genesis the thirteenth chapter and the second verse Why then doth he long after a joy to come The reason is though God had blessed him with aboundance of temporal blessings yet he considered a day would come when his present joy should be taken from him John the sixteenth chapter Therefore he desires a joy that had a foundation that is not earthly but heavenly joyes Hebrews the eleventh chapter Such as should not be taken from him John the sixteenth chapter and the twenty second verse as Job knew that his Redeemer lived Job the nineteenth chapter So Abrabam desired a Redeemer and such a one he had For thus saith the Lord which redeemeth Abraham Isaiah the fourty ninth chapter and the twenty second verse That might redeem his soul from Hell Psalm the fourty ninth And his body out of the dust of death Psalm the twenty second for he confessed himself to be both dust and ashes Genesis the eighteenth chapter Dust in regard of his nature and therefore subject to corruption but ashes in regard of his sinnes by which he is subject to everlasting condemnation in respect of both he desired a Redeemer that might deliver both his body from death and his soul from destruction that might say revertite silii Psalm the ninetieth and the third verse He considered he needed a Redeemer for his soul and body that he might not be dust and ashes and therefore exceedingly desired one that would deliver his soul from being ashes and his body from the dust Secondly It is said of Abraham that he saw Christs day the notice of Gods eternal mercie herein was Abrahams desire by whose example all that will see Christ must first desire the sight of him as he did Et desiderium sit eum spectare Though Abraham did not actually see Christ in the flesh yet he had a desire which was all one as if he had seen him with bodily eyes For if the concupiscence only of evill be sinne though the act follow not then desire of that which is good is accepted albeit it be not actually performed therefore Nehemiah prayeth Hearken to thy servants that desire to fear thy name Nehemiah the first chapter and the eleventh verse The very hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse is effectual to blessednesse Matthew the fift chapter When we can say with David Coepit anima me a desider are justitias tuas Psalm the hundred and nineteenth We desire to be more desirous of it as a thing acceptable before God and though our soul desire not yet the want of it is our woe and the fainting of our joyes while we say When wilt thou comfort us Psalme the hundred and nineteenth Those are as the bruised reed and smoaking flax which he will not quench Isaiah the fourty second chapter That which Abraham did see was Christs day which is true in what sense soever we take it He saw the day of his Deity Genesis the eighteenth chapter the second and third verses when seeing three men he ran to meet them and bowed himself to the ground saying Lord which was a vision of the Trinity Secondly For the day of his death and passion he saw that too Genesis the twenty second chapter and the fourteenth verse when Abraham making the great promise of his obedience by sacrificing his sonne upon mount Moriah when after Christ was crucified said In mane 〈◊〉 provideat Dominus though he take not my sonne Isaac yet will he take one of my seed that shall be the sonne of Abraham Thirdly He saw the day of Christs nativity when he said to his servant Put thy hand under my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 by the Lord God of Heaven and God of the earth 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fourth 〈◊〉 and the twenty third verse Quod 〈…〉 ad 〈…〉 saith 〈◊〉 but it was to shew that the seed in whom all 〈◊〉 should be blessed should come out of his loins and take flesh of him for he took the seed of Abraham Hebrews the second chapter So Abraham saw all the dayes of Christ. But secondly We are to inquire in what 〈◊〉 he saw this day For which point we must know he saw not Christs day 〈◊〉 Simeon whose eyes did behold 〈◊〉 salvation Luke the second chapter nor as 〈◊〉 to whom Christ saith 〈◊〉 are the eyes that see the things which 〈◊〉 see Luke the tenth chapter that is with bodily eyes which many 〈◊〉 and Kings could not see So Abrahams outward man 〈◊〉 not see Christs dayes but he 〈◊〉 it in the 〈◊〉 man Romans the 〈◊〉 chapter He saw it spiritually with the eyes of 〈…〉 Ephesians the first chapter and the eighteenth verse And 〈◊〉 the eyes of faith which 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 things not 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 By which things invisible to the eyes of the body are made visible to the eye of the minde by the eye of
faith by means whereof that was made present to Abraham which otherwise was absent The fathers by faith beheld this promise afarre off Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the seventh 〈◊〉 c. And were as sure of them as if they were performed Thirdly He rejoyced It is said that God gave charge touching the Patriarchs and ancient Fathers Nolite tangere unctos 〈◊〉 Psalm the hundred and fift and the fifteenth verse Which 〈◊〉 was Abraham who was 〈◊〉 with the oyle of gladnesse Psalm the fourty fift By which the conceived joy when by faith he saw the day of Christs 〈◊〉 Here we are to inquire of the matter and words of this joy The 〈◊〉 and cause of Abrahams joy was deliverance which is a great cause of joy When the Lord brought again the captivity then was our mouth filled with laughter Psalme the hundred twenty sixt So Abraham 〈◊〉 to think that he was delivered from being dust and 〈◊〉 that now be might say with David They 〈◊〉 not leave my 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 nor suffer me to see 〈◊〉 Psalm the sixteenth and the tenth 〈◊〉 Secondly He rejoyced considering that by means of Christ his 〈◊〉 he should not only 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 which is death of body For dust thou art and to dust 〈…〉 Genesis the third chapter And the death of the soul which is the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 the sixt chapter But should have 〈…〉 and that not temporal but spiritual in 〈…〉 the first chapter and the third verse For as the 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 not earthly blessings but heavenly For 〈…〉 had been mindfull of earthly blessings They had 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 and had 〈…〉 them Hebrews the 〈◊〉 chapter and the 〈…〉 But the matter of Abrahams joy was the hope of a 〈◊〉 blessing 〈◊〉 Christ. This God 〈◊〉 when he promised That his seed should not only be as the dust of the earth which is an earthly 〈…〉 the thirteenth chapter but As the starres of Heaven Genesis the fifteenth chapter By which is meant the blessing of Heaven This blessing was That he should enjoy those things which the eye bath not seen the first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the ninth verse Thirdly That this blessing should come to him per semen suum not by a strange or foraign means this did increase Abrahams joy to think quod Servator Abrahae est semen Abrahae And that he whom David called his Lord was his sonne Matthew the twenty second chapter Fourthly His joy was the greater considering that this benefit was not appropriated to the Jews only that were of the stock of Abraham but that in him all Nations should be blessed not only he and all his children but as many as were to be blessed should obtain this blessednesse in him So say the Angels that the birth of Christ is matter of the Peoples joy because it belongs to all People Luke the second chapter That in this life all that are blessed with faithfull Abraham Galatians the third chapter And after this life shall be blessed by being received into Abrahams bosome Luke the sixteenth chapter For the manner of his joy As his desiring sight was spiritual so his joy is not carnal as ours but spiritual We desire to see the feast of Christs nativity and we joy when it comes but in a carnal manner but it must be spiritual as Mary saith My spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Luke the second chapter There is a joy of the countenance which is outward but the true joy is of the heart and conscience To desire Christs dayes before he come and to joy when he is come are the true touchstones of our love to him When our Parents heard God was come they hid themselves Genesis the third chapter So he that is in state of sinne desires not Gods comming or presence neither rejoyce at it They say Let the holy one of Israel cease from before us Isaiah the thirtieth chapter and the eleventh verse So farre are they off from desiring his comming And for joying when he is come they will say with the Gergasites Depart out of our Coasts Matthew the eighth chapter and the thirty fourth verse But contrariwise the godly to testifie their desire say Break the Heavens and come down Psalme the hundred fourty fourth 〈◊〉 So for joy The hope that is deferred makes the heart to faint but when it comes it is as a tree of life Proverbs the thirteenth chapter and the twelfth verse Therefore we must proceed from desire to sight and by it as also by our joy we conceive at the day of Christs birth we may examine whether we be the children of Abraham and so may conceive hope to be partakers of blessing with him But if we rejoyce as the carnal Israelites did of whom it is said The People sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play Exodus the thirty second chapter and the sixt verse If we testifie our joy by eating and drinking that is no true joy Our 〈◊〉 day shall be 〈◊〉 Malachie the second chapter This joy is the Heathens joy whose hearts are filled with food and 〈◊〉 Acts the fourteenth chapter They eate cakes and drink wine and make themselves 〈◊〉 therewith Jeremiah the fourty fourth chapter But that is not Abrahams joy it is spiritual wherein is blessednesse For blessed are the People that can rejoyce in thee Psalm the eighty ninth We must learn to rejovce a right at the day of Christs birth If we will rejoyce as Abraham did we must pray with David Remember me Lord that I may see the 〈◊〉 of thy chosen and bee glad with thy people and give thanks with thine inheritance Psalm the hundred and sixt and the fourth and fift verses Abraham knew a day would come that should take away all his earthly joy and therefore desired the day of Christs birth which might make him to rejoyce in 〈…〉 the fift chapter And rejoyce in afflictions the first epistle of Peter and the fourth chapter such a joy as na man shall take away John the sixteenth chapter As we must rejoyce at this day of Christ after Abrahams example so Christ hath a second day wherein he will give to every man according to his works Romans the second chapter If we rejoyce at this day when it comes and desire it If we love the glorious comming of Christ the second epistle to Timothy and the fourth verse If we look for the appearing of the just God Titus the second chapter and the twelfth verse then shall we shew our selves the Children of Abraham Of that day to see it he saith it shall be matter of joy Lift up your heads Luke the twenty sixt chapter and the twenty first verse For your redemption draweth neer To others matter of sorrow They shall hide them in the rocks Revelations the third chapter but we must say with David I remembred thy judgements and received comfort Psalme the hundred and ninteenth Principes populorum congregantur
both agreeable to the action we have in hand and also a good dependance upon that wherein we have been heretofore conversant But that these words are to be applyed to the holy 〈◊〉 and Sacrament of the Lords Supper appears for that before he calls himself the bread of life verse the thirty fift The bread from Heaven verse the fourty first The living bread verse the fifty first and all along this chapter there is nothing spoken of Christ but as he is the matter of this Sacrament and therefore these words are to be understood of the holy Eucharist And so these words as they yeeld comfort to the commers perswading them that they are of those whom God the Father hath given to Christ so no lesse comfort is reached to them here for that they understand from Christs own mouth That if they come to him they shall not be cast out but received of him so as none shall be able to take them out of his hands John the tenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse On the other side They that come not may know from hence that as they are not in the number of the Fathers Donatives that is such as are given to Christ but are the portion of Satan For they shall be cast out into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Apocalyps the twenty first chapter and the eighth verse And into utter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Matthew the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse Touching the dependance his words have with that part of Scripture which we usually have held when we spake of Cains departure from Gods presence we heard that he did set himself as neer Eden as he could be that he was content for a little trifling pleasure that shortly fadeth to forgoe Gods presence where is pleasure for evermore that for a little worldly gain with Balaam he gives over all godlinesse which is the true gain and that not he but the whole world through ambition as Lords doe seek the worlds honor with the losse of the honor and favour of God Being thus departed from God we heard he came to a Land called Nod that is a Land of unquietnesse and troubles both in respect of the inward disquietness of his soul by continual fear the outward vanities of the whole world where he found that having forsaken God with whom is fulnesse of joy he could not have his desire satisfied by any pleasure that the world could afford But we left not Cain there but heard that the end of that journey was woe as it shall be the end of all those that walk in Cains way Jude the eleventh verse And for that there is none but may fall into the same way it concerns every man to think how being departed from the presence of God he may come back to Christ and especially that he watch his opportunity to come at such a time as Christ will not cast him out And that is taught us here in these words where Christ saith That whosoever commeth to him as he is the bread of life he shall not be cast forth But we must watch this opportunity for there are two wenite's Come to me all ye Matthew the eleventh chapter that have departed from me to receive worldly pleasures and gain The other Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome Matthew the twenty fift chapter and the thirty fourth verse But he that will have his part in this latter venite must have his part also in the first He must come again to Christ by repentance else he cannot come to be partaker of the heavenly Kingdome In these words of Christ we have three persons First Pater dans Secondly Homo veniens Thirdly Christus non ejiciens Whereof the two former parts be the Condition the third person belongeth to the Promise The Condition stands in The Fathers giving and our comming The Promise is Christs not casting out Touching which parts joyntly we are to observe these That every one by experience sindes that the state of sinners live they never so pleasantly is but as Cain called his sonne Chanoch that is a good beginning For the mid'st of that state is unquietnesse and the end everlasting death Which being considered it will make every man willing to come again to God if there be any hope they shall be received In regard of our selves as St Paul speaketh of her that departed from her husband the first cpistle to the Corinthians the seventh chapter and the eleventh verse so it were just that in as much as we have willingly forsaken God and departed from him preserring transitory and earthly delights before his favour he should say Qui discedit discedat that being once gone from him he should not receive usagain But here we are to admire the goodnesse and mercy of God and Christ that instead of a revenger and punisher he is a mercifull receiver that where in Justice Christ might be a rock of offence to such as depart from him he will be a rock of refuge to them that he is so farre from casting out if they come that he is content to seek such as are lost Luke the nineteenth chapter and the tenth verse That he sends and sends again that they should come back Matthew the twenty second chapter That he stands at the dore knocking Apocalyps the third chapter And saith Come to us all ye Matthew the eleventh chapter So there is no doubt but Christ will receive them that come to him For as the ancient Fathers note If when he comes to us we cast not him out neither will he cast us out when we come to him And that no unworthinesse by means of any filth either of body or soul doth keep him from us we see for bodily uncleannesse he was content to be received by Simon the leper Mark the fourteenth chapter and the third verse And in regard of spiritual pollution howsoever a man know himself to be a sinner that is to have an unclean soul yet not to despair because Christ by the confession of his enemies is such a one as doth not only receive sinners but eats with them Luke the fifteenth chapter and the third verse yea he not only 〈◊〉 them that deserve to be cast out as unworthy to inher it s he Kingdom the first epistle to the Corinthians the sixt chapter and the ninth verse but doth also wash sanctifie and justifie them in his 〈◊〉 name and by the spirit of God The Condition on our part was That we come the meaning where of if we look into the ancient Fathers upon the thirty fift verse He that commeth to me is some externall part of Gods worship for so they expound it by the Apostles words Romanes the tenth chapter If thou beleeve in thy heart and confesse with thy mouth for 〈◊〉 eving is the affection of the heart but confession is outward in the conversation of life as some are said to deny God
of the Apostle in taking arguments from the Sacrament is double First to perswade Christians to cleanness of life which he doth in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and the table of Devils Secondly bending him self here against Schismes and contentions that were amongst the Corinthians he takes another argument from the nature of this Sacrament to exhort them to the unity of the spirit that for as much as they all are partakers of one Sacrament and drank all of one spirit therefore they should seek to be at unity and concord with themselves The Apostle sheweth this to be a good consequence from the beginning of the chapter and we see an example of this kinde of argument in the ninth chapter of Luke where the Disciples say Master we saw one cast out Devils in thy name and we forbade him because he followeth not us And this Apostle saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter that because they were divided so that some were Pauls some of Apollo therefore they were no true Christians Thus we see that as from the Sacrament of cleanness he exhorts them to cleanness of life so from the Sacrament of unity he moves them to love and concord and tells them they ought to avoid dissention To perswade unto unity and love nothing is more effectuall than the consideration of the naturall body which although it have many members diverse in quality situation and use so as the one is more noble than the other yet they grudge not one at another For the foot doth not say because I am not the hand I am not of the body nor the eare because I am not the eye I am not of the body in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the fifteenth verse neither doe they contemn one another For the eye which is the most excellent member doth not say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the foot I have no need of you in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twenty first verse but contrariwise there is a sympathy and fellow feeling So as if one member be grieved all the rest are grieved and if one be honored all the rest rejoyce with it verse the twenty sixt so if men could be perswaded that they are one body there would not be such divisions and dissentions in the World as there are for howsoever they be diverse in respect of nature Some Jewes some Grecians as also in respect of estate some bond some free as the Apostle here speaks yet their diversities are not greater than those which we see between the members of the body naturall And now the Apostle goes about to perswade them they are one body and therefore ought to be at unity which he doth thus That body which hath one beginning and one nourishment is one body But all the faithfull have one beginning in the fountain of regeneration that is in baptisme and are all nourished with one nourishment for they are all baptized into one body by one spirit and all made to drink of one spirit therefore they are all one body and consequently should live in unity one with another In regard of which unity which the body hath not only with Christ her head but with the members among themselves the Apostle calleth the body Christ in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse Now to come to the consideration of these things our way is First to set down the necessity of being of this body Secondly the means how we come to be of this body that is by the spirit Thirdly that the spirit is the means so as withall baptisme and drinking is required that is our incorporation into the body of Christ which is his Church is both by the spirit and by baptisme For the obtaining of the spirit two things are to be practised First that we have a thirsting desire after the spirit Secondly that we ask it of God by prayer First For the necessity of our incorporation whereas the Psalmist saith Psalm the eighty ninth God hath not made all men for nought we must first set down this that there is a necessity that some should be faved for it falls not into a man that is wise to doe any thing in vain much less may we think that God the fountain of wisedome will suffer all men to perish and therefore that there are some elected and chosen out to be saved Secondly and therefore our speciall aim should be to be of that number but scattering renting and dividing is an enemie to safty and they that will be safe must be recollected and gathered together under some head It that which made Moses pray to God to set a rule over his people and that the congregation of the Lord should not be as sheep which have no Shepheard Numbers the twenty seventh chapter and the sixteenth verse When Christ saw the multitude he had compassion on them because they were dispersed scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepheard Matthew the ninth chapter and the thirty sixt verse and not only so but Christ did that that he might gather together in one the Children of God which were scattered John the eleventh chapter and the fifty second verse Thirdly before Christ had a body and before he was manifested in the flesh the Congregation was called a Synagogue because it was then sufficient for them to be gathered together sub uno pastore though they were not ruled by one spirit But now they must be not only under one Shepheard but must all be one body and that not a dead Carkasse but a living body such a body that liveth not by a soul but by a spirit for that is the difference that the Apostle makes between Adam and Christ in the first to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter The first man Adam was made a living soul but the second Adam was made a quickning spirit This quickning spirit is it by which the mysticall body of Christ liveth which goeth through the body and giveth life to every member This is a mysticall incorporation and is spiritually to be conceived and the union between Christ and his mystically body is so straight that speaking of it he saith Acts the ninth chapter Why persecutest thou me and the Apostle understanding the Church calleth it Christ in the first to the Corinthians the twelfth chapter and the twelfth verse then he that will be saved must not be a part but be gathered and that into the body of Christ because Christ is only the Saviour of his body Salvator corporis Ephesians the fift chapter and the twenty third verse So that if a man be out of the body and be not a member of Christs body he cannot be saved and so Christ himself tells us John the fifteenth chapter If the branch abide not in the vine it cannot bear
old man is corrupt through lust and the abandoning of that corruption must bring us to the participation of the divine nature and it is comparance that makes us avoid this corruption For unlesse we temper our affections we shall never be partakers of the divine nature Secondly It follows the natural power of 〈◊〉 Having placed Knowledge which is a virtue of the reasonable part he comes next to the affectioned part that is Desire 〈◊〉 temperance answers he would not have sensuality grow 〈◊〉 nor the body to govern the soul The upper part 〈◊〉 already perfected the lower part must next in order be made perfect as in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fifteenth chapter That which is natural is first and then that which is spiritual So moral virtues are the perfections of men in this life and theological virtues are the perfections in the life to come Thirdly Knowledge being the virtue that teacheth what is good or evil Temperance follows it very well in as much as it is a helper forward and a preserver of good It keeps us from the graves of lust Numbers the eleventh chapter It preserves reason which is the power of the minde For by worldly cares we doe gravare cor overcome the heart Luke the twenty first chapter and the thirty fourth verse but this temperance makes it and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of keeping the minde and understanding safe And for the body we see the effect of this virtue in Daniel the first chapter and the fifteenth verse therefore the Apostles counsel to young men is in the second epistle of Timothy the second chapter and the twenty second verse Flye the lusts of youth and Titus the second chapter and the third verse To be temperate and sober minded It preserves knowledge not only by keeping the body in order but Proverbs the twenty third chapter the fourth verse and Romans the twelfth chapter and the third verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to deal in genealogies and curious questions which are unprofitable but to be wise with sobriety Titus the third chapter and the ninth verse and the first epistle to Timothy the first chapter and the fourth verse So it follows by good order in as much as it preserves the virtue going before Secondly Touching temperance what it is and wherein it stands When knowledge hath taught what to chuse the next thing is nullis inde illecebris avocari and that is it which Temperance performs For in the beginning this corrupter of the world sought to draw our Parents away from their duty by a baite he shewed them bonum delectabile that was the goodly fruit so fair to behold the allurement being offered concupiscence flyeth to it as a bird to the snare Proverbs the seventh chapter and the twenty third verse Every man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James the first chapter and the fourteenth verse There is a bait offered to lust to catch at therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrews the twelfth chapter sinne is so pleasant that if concupiscence be not weaned there is no child desires the mothers breast more than it desires sinne Psalm the hundred thirty first and the second verse men being in this case and add drunkennesse to thirst Deuteronomie the twenty ninth chapter and the nineteenth verse and seek baits to allure concupiscence therefore our concupiscence needs a bridle to wean and restrain this soul. Lust is two fold the first Epistle of John the second chapter and the sixteenth verse carnis occulorum The corruption of the 〈◊〉 is either for the belly as it is in the sixth chapter of St. Luke or that carnall pleasure that Felix and Drusilla were over come with Acts the twenty fourth chapter so that he could not abide to heare Paul dispute of temperance the eye lusteth for faire apparell as Luke the sixteenth chapter to bee cloathed in purple for that is a hait of 〈◊〉 as Achan when hee saw the Babylonish garment desired it Joshuah the seventh chapter So also the eye delighteth in bedding and furniture for houses as Jer the twenty second chapter and the fourteenth verse to have it shine with Cedar to lye on beds of Ivory Amos the sixt chapter and the fourth verse Temperance is the refrainer of all these For the desire of the belly the first of the Corinthians and the ninth chapter They that run a race absteyne from all meat that may hurt For carnall pleasure If they cannot contein let them marry the first epistle to the Corinthians and the seventh chapter And for apparell that must bee done in temperance the first epistle to 〈◊〉 and the second verse thus wee see what is the object of temperance which virtue performes two things First to bee able to want those things as Philipians the fourth chapter possum deficere then having them to use them moderatly as the Apostle counsels in Timothie 1 Timothy 5. modico vino utere for many comming to have the possession of these things exceede in Ryot For the first it is a dangerous lust how pleasant soever it bee not to bee able to want them if wee make necessary lusts of them so as wee must have our lusts satisfied though it cannot bee without sinne wee bring our selves under the power as it is in the second epistle to the Corinthians and the eight chapter if wee make our selves debtors to the flesh so farre Romans the eighth chapter A man that cannot refraine his appetite hee is like a City broken downe and without walls Pro. 25. 28. Thirdly for the end why the Apostle exhorts to this virtue It is first to eschue corruption and so to bring us to the divine nature and Temperance is the virtue by which wee eschue corruption both of soule and body for as those things that are sweete doe stop and putrisy the body so doe those corrupt desires of the minde and the corruption of mankinde desires to corrupt man with these allurements If wee love wee are not the servants of sinne we are servi corruptionis as it is in the second epistle of Peter and the second chapter For the body it corrupts it also for so hee sinneth against his owne body the first epistle to the 〈◊〉 and the sixt chapter and such doe corrupt the Temple of God the first epistle to the Corinthians and the third chapter The flesh spotteth the garment as it is in the epistle of Saint Jude the bed desiled Hebrewes the thirteenth chapter so that wee cannot possesse our vessels in holinesse Fourthly that it bee not so Temperance must effect this so it disposeth us to the participation of the divine nature who is a spirit John the fourth chapter as they that are spirituall minded are for they that take care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Romans the thirteenth chapter doe make their bellies their God the thirteenth chapter of the epistle to the Philippians and minde earthly things such are
petition Mark and regard In the Passion two things are to be considered first the grievousnesse of his sufferings noted in these words If ever there were the like sorrow Secondly the cause of it in these Where with the Lord hath afflicted me Upon which follow these three actions First to see Secondly to consider Thirdly to regard and esteem of it as a thing which concerns us As is implyed in the first words which are thus read Nonne ad vos pertinet for the first point here is some spectacle to behold in as much as he directeth his speech to them that passe by the way Omnes qui transitis viam When a stay is made not of one but of all there is some great matter and the holy Ghost tells us that there is no journy so important nor haste so great that should hinder us from considering of the sufferings of Christ. The motives that he useth to quicken our weaknesse are two the one taken from the thing it self the other from the beholders For the thing it self we know those things that are rare draw our eyes to behold them therefore he saith If ever there were sorrow like my sorrow And this reason he takes from the beholders as Doth it not concern or pertain to you For the things that were shewed chiefly are such as concern us as for other things that appertain unto us we respect them not The sufferings consist as all other doe either in sensu or damno that is either privatively or positively That which is translated sorrow or prayer is a blow or wound which is a matter of sense and it signifies such a blow as strikes off both root and leaves that is it we are to consider in this spectacle That which he felt was either in body or soul. Touching his bodily sufferings our own eyes are witnesses For there was no part of him neither skin nor bone nor sense nor any part wherein he was not stricken His blessed body was an Anvile to receive all the stroaks that were laid on him And we have no better argument hereof than Pilates Ecce homo John the nineteenth chapter for he thought they had brought him to that 〈◊〉 already that even the hard-hearted Jews would have pitied him But that which is said here si fuerit dolor sicut is not so verified of his bodily sufferings as in that which he suffered in his soul For in bodily sufferings many have been equall to him but the suffering of the soul is most grievous as the greatest heavinesse is the heavinesse of the heart the afflictions of the body may be susteined but a wounded spirit who can bear Proverbs the eighteenth chapter Therefore St. Paul calls that suffering which he felt in his soul corpus mortis Romans the seventh chapter Upon these sufferings it is that he cryeth out Ecce si fuerit dolor sicut The grievousnesse of whose suffering we argue not so much from that which is recorded of him that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark the fourteenth chapter and the thirty third verse that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke the twenty second chapter and the twenty fourth verse that his soul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matthew the twenty sixt chapter as from the bloody sweat Ecce si fuerat sudor that is verified when no uncleannesse is offered when a man lying on the cold earth for then it was cold so as they were fain to make fire then to sweat not tenues sudores but granos sanguinis He that considers this may make a cause of it that there was never any such sorrow or sweat The cause of this sweat was bought as indeed the word imports where with the Lord hath boyled me as in a furnace as after in the next verse Ignem misit Dominus he was in a furnace of Gods fierce wrath therefore the Greek Church prayeth By thy unknown sufferings good Lord deliver us For that which was taken from him that was 〈◊〉 Domini he was spoyled both of earthly comforts and heavenly graces For the first He that had gone up and down feeding healing and preaching among the Jews receives no comfort from the earth their words were not his but Barabas Again His blood be upon us and our children Lastly When he was on the Crosse they scorned him He trusted in God let him save 〈◊〉 and Thou that savest others come down and save thy self As for his Disciples from whom he might have looked for most comfort one of them betrayed him another denyed him and all forsook him and he is stript of all earthly comfort And as for his soul that was bereaved of all heavenly graces or influence there was a traverse or draw-bridge drawn as appeareth by his words My God why hast thou for saken me It is not so with the 〈◊〉 for they in the 〈◊〉 of their pains and sorrows feel drops of heavenly consolation which make them cheerfull But it was not so with our Saviour there was a sequestration whereby the influence of his divinity was restrained from his humanity whereupon ensued that cry My God why hast thou for saken me there was never the like cry Thirdly From the party that complaineth we may argue there was never the like sorrow A little thing done to a person of great excellencie doth aggravate the matter but never the like person suffered and never the like sorrow Exodus 23. 3. God takes order men shall not handle the poor beast barbarously but be ready to relieve and help him but more respect is to be had of a man although a Malefactor and much more an Innocent as he that fell among theeves and was hurt Luke the tenth chapter But if it be not only an Innocent but an exalted person as Josiah then great respect is to be had but ecce major Josiah hìc Matthew the twelfth chapter it is Christ that suffers of whom not only Pilate saith Ecce John the nineteenth chapter but the Centurion 〈◊〉 Verè hic salis est Deus this makes it a cause not to be matched The cause of those his sufferings is imputed not to the bloody Soldiers or hard-hearted Jews or high-Priests Scribes but afflixit Deus When God doth as well chasten in wrath as christen in his displeasure this is not don in his mercifull chastisement but in his wrathfull displeasure in die furoris ejus nay his colour was red When God is angry or punisheth grievously it is for some grievous sinne and is for some notable sinne of which it may be said non sicut had our Saviour deserved the wrath of God in such manner Pilate confesseth He found nothing in him John the fourteenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse Why then did he suffer It was foretold The Messias should be stain Daniel the ninth chapter and the twenty fist verse not for himself but for others He that took not a penny was made to pay for all That is the nature of surety ship
the furnace and cast them up in the 〈◊〉 and they caused a stink And David in his sicknesse saith Psalm the thirty second His moisture was like the draught in Summer Therefore in the plague of Leprosie Leviticus the thirteenth chapter and the fourty fift verse the Leper was to have his mouth shut up David in that great 〈◊〉 spoken of in the first book of Chronicles the twenty first chapter and the thirtieth verse would have gone to 〈◊〉 but be found he should not feared with the Angel Therefore the servant of God saith Proverbs the fourteenth chapter A wise man 〈◊〉 the plague and shunneth it but the foolish goeth on still But these are not the only causes For besides 〈◊〉 there is some divine thing to be considered for there is no 〈◊〉 but a spirit belongs to it as Luke the thirteenth chapter and the eleventh verse a spirit of infirmity So are we to conceive that besides natural causes there is some spiritual of the sicknesse as 〈…〉 twelfth chapter a destroying Angel So in Davids plague in the second book of Samuel the twenty fourth chapter And 〈◊〉 the thirty seventh chapter and the thirty sixt verse the Angel went forth and slue And Apocalyps the sixteenth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse The Angels poured out the Vials of the wrath of God and there fell a noysome sore So it is Gods hand that brings in these plagues The cause stands on two parts First Gods wrath 〈◊〉 which all evil things proceed For affliction commeth not from the earth Job the fift chapter and the sixt verse They are sparks of his anger And he is not angry with the waters that they should drown 〈◊〉 the third chapter nor with the aire that it should corrupt but for these things commeth the wrath of God that is for our sinnes 〈◊〉 the fift chapter He doth but make a way to his wrath and then the earth 〈◊〉 up the 〈…〉 Psalm the seventy eighth The sinnes of the people are the cause of Gods wrath Peccata morum goe before peccata humorum There is first corruption of the soul Michah 〈◊〉 first chapter and the third verse All flesh had corrupted their 〈◊〉 Genesis the sixt chapter So there is infection in mens wayes before the streets be infected There is plaga animae the plague in the soul before it appear in the body It is sinne that bringeth sicknesse and death Romans the sixt chapter So they are both joyned Psalm the thirty eighth and the third verse There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne Therefore it is our sinne and infection of the soul that must be looked into If it were some outward cause only it could not be but the plague should stay 〈◊〉 there is so great store of means Jeremiah the eighth chapter Is there no balme in Gilead But he saith Jeremiah the fourty sixt chapter and the eleventh verse Frustra multiplicas medicanda sinne being not taken away physick will doe 〈◊〉 good First the corruption of manners must be holpen and then bodily help will follow Psalm the fourty first Heal my soul for I have sinned against thee And that course our Saviour keeps Matthew the ninth chapter first he saith Thy sinne is forgiven and then Take up thy bed and walk These sinnes he calls inventions Inventions please us greatly and all new things our new omnia better than old Manna Numbers the eleventh chapter But if it be our own inventions then we goe a whoring after it Such is the delight we take in it verse the thirty ninth Our first Parents were of this minde so proud they would not take a rule of life from God but would sicut Dii Genesis the third chapter They set up to themselves graven Images Exodus the 〈◊〉 chapter They have Dii alieni such as their Fathers had Not when men living otherwise then God 〈…〉 I shall have peace Deuteromie the twenty ninth chapter and the 〈◊〉 verse These webbs that we weave our selves and these eggs that we hatch Isaiah the fifty ninth chapter are our confusion and 〈◊〉 God and great reason For Exodus the fifteenth chapter and the twenty sixt verse he saith If thou 〈…〉 to my 〈◊〉 I will lay no disease Ego Dominus 〈◊〉 But if we follow our own inventions we can look for nothing but diseases quid tibi praecipio haec 〈…〉 Deuteronomie the twelfth chapter 〈◊〉 men will be 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 that was Sauls rebellion he would not destroy all as God commanded he was wiser than so But what were these inventions It is said verse the twenty eighth They joyned themselves to Baal 〈◊〉 Numbers the twenty fift chapter that is the sinne of whoring and fornication and that impudently before the congregation committed by Zimry and Cosby It was the adoring of an abhominable Idoll a sinne so grievous as it is said many years after 〈◊〉 not enough of the sinne of Peor Joshuah the twenty second chapter it is a sinne that will not be cleansed at the first And we see daily the sinne of uncleannesse ends with a plague that is infectious For the Cure It is certain As there are natural causes so natural cures of this Diseise 〈◊〉 as some Writers doe hold had this Disease and used not only prayer but a plaister by the Prophets direction Isaiah the fifty eighth chapter But as the cause of the plague is not only natural so here is used a spiritual remedy that is in as much as contrary curantur contrariis viis If the provoking of Gods anger be the Cause of the plague the appeasing of it by prayer must be the Remedy The two remedies are out of the double sense of the word which signifieth prayer and punishing Prayer is an appeaser of Gods wrath not only in other points but in this Numbers the twenty fift chapter They all wept and prayed And David in the second book of Samuel the twenty fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse fled to this remedy I have sinned but these sheep what have they done And Hezekiah being infected with the plague turned himself to the wall Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter And in Salomons prayer the first of the Kings and the eighth chapter where plagues or corrupt agues shall hop here then in heaven And there is a good proportion between this remedy and the disease For if there be a corrupt smell the way to take it away is by the good smell of incense or perfume So as our sinne doth give an evil savour and stink in Gods nostrils so the spiritual incense will remove it and that incense is prayer Psalm the fourty first Therefore the prayers of the Saints are called odours Apocalyps the fift chapter But it must be prayer qualified in two sorts First Phinehas prayer that is the prayer of the Priest So David had Gad to pray for him Hezekiah had Isaiah Lift thou up thy prayer Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter The Corinthians had Gad to pray for them the
considered that considering how God hath plagued them in the Devil we should beware that we fall not into the like sinnes Touching the Curse of God As it is the first so the greatest part of this Sentence And is a punishment most fearfull for all men doe abhorre to be cursed and to incurre the displeasure of a man much more of God whose word is his deed so that he no sooner speaks but it is done Jacob was loth to doe any thing to deceive his Father because so saith he I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing Genesis the twenty seventh chapter Indeed as the Wise-man speaks the curse that is causelesse and proceeds from foolish people shall not light upon a man Proverbs the twenty sixt chapter and the second verse But if a godly man such as Jacob and Isaac were doe curse it shall not fail but come to passe Much more shall the curse of God take effect for it shall come into a mans bowels like water and like oyle into his bones Psalm the hundred and ninth the seventeenth verse For the meaning of this Curse the Holy Gohst hath set down a large commentary in 〈◊〉 the twenty eighth chapter and in Leviticus the twenty sixt chapter and the Prophet saith Gods curse is a flying book twenty cubits long and ten cubits braad containing the curse that gotth over the whole earth 〈◊〉 the fift chapter and the third verse It is a book written within and without with lamentations mournings and woes Ezekiel the second chapter By these places it appeareth how large Gods Curse is in respect of this life But if with this we joyn that which Christ addeth concerning the life to come that is everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Matthew the twenty fift chapter his curse will appear to be farre more large Secondly There is no malediction but in regard of some evill The evill that procured this curse unto the Devill was the evill of his malice which he shewed not only in speaking evill of God but in seeking to destroy man both in body and soul And his malice appears herein because he did those things being not provoked thereunto and for that he did it without any 〈◊〉 to himself As the Devill is malicious so are all they that are of that evill one Cain had no other cause to hate his Brother and to slay him but because his works were righteous and his own evill in the first epistle of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse The 〈◊〉 persecuted Christ not for any evill that they found in him worthy of death but only of envy Mark the fifteenth chapter and the tenth verse Thus to sinne of malice is a thing so displeasing unto God as albeit he did in mercy forgive men when they sinned through frailty yet he will punish their own inventions Psalm the ninty ninth and the eighth verse and therefore against such the Prophet prayeth Be not mercifull to those that offend of malicious wickednesse Psalm the fifty ninth and the fifth verse But consume them utterly in thy wrath that they may perish verse the thirteenth Where the Lord saith Cursed art thou and not be thou he sheweth that the curse commeth not from God but from the Devils malice and so whatsoever misery betideth us it is nothing else but the sparkles of our own sinnes Job the fift chapter and the ninth verse and as the Psalmist saith They are the dreggs of Gods wrath Psalm the seventy fift for as the Prophet speakes Wee our 〈◊〉 batch the 〈◊〉 egge that is sinne and the Serpent that is bred of this egge is the curse of God inflicted upon us both in this life and the life to come We doe first by sinne as it were cast the seed and the crop that we 〈◊〉 is all manner of misery and calamity Isaiah the fifty ninth chapter and in Justice God doth reward us thus for the wages of sinne is not only punishment with sicknesse povertie and such like in this world but hereafter with eternall death and destruction both of body and soul Romans the sixth chapter the twenty third verse In that God speaks by way of comparison Cursed art thou 〈◊〉 all beasts he doth not drop a curse upon the Serpent but as Daniel speaks the curse is 〈◊〉 upon him Daniel the ninth chapter and the eleventh verse And that this curse was verified in the visible Serpent appears hereby that not only Men but even all beasts doe shun the Serpent as a Creature principally accursed of God much more it is true in the invisible Serpent the 〈◊〉 for not only the godly but even the wicked that are of their Father the Devill 〈…〉 stick to curse him The visible Serpent being an unreasonable creature could not be so malicious But the invisible Serpent the more policie he hath the more pernitious and hurtfull he is 〈◊〉 he is so malicious that as he himself is fallen from his first estate and hath plunged himself in the bottom of Hell so he laboureth to bring all men into the same estate therefore thus was his malice rewarded Now to the two other branches of this Sentence where we shall finde two 〈◊〉 punishments for two sorts of sinnes for pride must have a 〈◊〉 and lust must loath and we shall see that they are both rewarded accordingly as Salomon saith That Pride goeth before dejection Proverbs the sixteenth chapter and the eighth verse So the Devil having 〈◊〉 himself must be thrown down to creep upon the ground for it is great equity that he that would fly should creep And as it was meet that glory should end in shame Philippians the third chapter so is it as meet that God should punish inordinate last with loathsomnesse And this is the course of Gods Justice as the Wise-man saith in Proverbs the twentieth chapter and the seventeenth verse The bread that is gotten by deceipt is sweet but at the last it will fill the mouth with gravel All the sinnes of the world may he reduced to these two that is The desire of greater glory than God hath appointed to us And of greater pleasure than is lawfull for us First we are to inquire How the first of these two punishments is verified in the visible Serpent for we know that all Creatures saving Man are dejected and creep as it were upon their belly and as one saith 〈◊〉 their breast between their feet only man being lift up with his countenance is taught not to set his minde upon earth but to meditate upon heavenly things But as Jonathan went of all four when he climbed up to the rock upon his hands and feet the first book of Samuel the fourteenth chapter and the thirteenth verse so doth man somtime grovel and creep upon earth when he is earthly minded But the difference that is between the Serpent and other beasts is this The Serpent having no legs lyeth flat upon his belly and is therefore
to create the world 〈◊〉 in Jesus Christ. By the seed of the woman is meant our Saviour Christ who 〈◊〉 of time was made of a woman Galatians the fourth chapter So that when God saith I will put enmity between thy seed and the 〈◊〉 feed we have in these words a manifest promise of Christ and it is as much in effect as if the Lord after he had by his word created all things should at length say as he did of all things else 〈◊〉 the first chapter Fiat Christus Let there be a Christ that is seeing Man is fallen and hath degenerated from his first estate wherein he was created Let there be a creation of a Messiah and Saviour by whom he may be restored By this seed we are shadowed from she firie two edged sword that was set to keep the way of the tree of life Genesis the third chapter and the twenty fourth verse and if by faith which is our victory the first epistle of Joha the fift chapter and the fourth verse we can overcome the Serpent we shall eate of the tree of life which is in the mid'st of the Paradise of God Apoculyps the second chapter and the seventh verse And unto this promise of God 〈◊〉 the Apostle speaks Hebrews the second chapter and the first verse 〈◊〉 are bound to give the more earnest heed because this Gospel was not preached by man in this world which is a vail of misery but by God himself in Paradise Wherein before we consider the words themselves these things are generally to be observed That howsoever the old Serpent that is the Devil did with grief 〈◊〉 the first part of the Sentence pronunced upon him yet 〈◊〉 was content in that he in the malice of his heart thought that he had now swallowed up man in destruction with himself and that he had so taken all the generation of Mankinde captive as that it was impossible for them to get out of his shares the second epistle to Timothy the second chapter and the twenty sixth verse Secondly That our Parents knowing the they had transgressed Gods commandement did now wait every hoot when he would give them over into the hands of the 〈…〉 to be destroyed with eternal death both of body and soul as God had threatned thou shalt dye the death 〈◊〉 the second chapter Thirdly That albeit the Devil 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 imagination that he had fully wrought out 〈…〉 God 〈◊〉 this malice by means of this 〈…〉 And 〈◊〉 our Parents in conscience of their own 〈◊〉 and disobedience were out of all hope of recovery yet God 〈◊〉 them not to despair but comforts them with this promise That the 〈◊〉 of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head that is shall both destroy him that had the power of death and set at liberty those that were subject to the bondage of sinne Hebrews the second chapter and the fourteenth verse For thus doth God speak in effect to the Serpent Thou supposest that thou hast deceived them already and taken them captive so as they shall never escape thee but know that I will take them out of thy Jaws and set them at liberty thou did'st boast in thy malice Psalm the fifty second but I will not only take away this thy boasting by delivering them from that destruction whereunto thou hast brought them but they shall have a hand over thee for where thou shalt but bruise his heel he shall break thy head On the other side of our Parents he saith on this manner That howsoever they by sinning against his expresse Commandement had destroyed themselves yet God instead of delivering them to their enemy the Devil will make them to wage warre with him and to get the victory of him And so this was a blessed disappointing both of the Serpents malice and also of mans desparation This course God took in two respects First That the Devil should not wax proud against God if his devise touching mans destruction had prospered God had said at the first Let us make man after our own Image and he created him according to the same Genesis the first chapter which although it was decayed by the malice of the Devil yet God to shew that neither mans unfaithfulnesse nor the Devils malice can make Gods faith of none effect Romans the third chapter and the fourth verse hath taken order That his Image in man should be renewed Ephesians the fourth chapter Another respect that God had herein was to shew Adam and all his Posterity That whereas the Devil would make them beleeve that God did maligne and envie their good estate this was but a false suspition for as he doth not delight in the destruction of any Ezekiel the eighteenth chapter and the thirty second verse so when men by sinne had wrought their own destruction yet he is so mercifull that he forgives their misdeeds and destroyeth them not Psalm the seventy eighth and the thirty eighth verse So when it was in his hands to have destroyed our Parents for their disobedience yet he did not destroy them but provided a means of salvation for them And as the father seeing his sonne afarre off ran and met him and imbraced him Luke the fifteenth chapter so God that our Parents should not despair of mercy prevents them by telling the Serpent that he hath a way to deliver them out of his bondage before he pronounceth any Sentence upon them for the Sentence given upon the Man and his Wife was after this promise And those two that is the Malice and Pride of the enemy at our destruction and Gods mercy are the two motives whereby the Church perswadeth God to be gratious unto her Lamentations the first chapter and the ninth verse Touching this objection Why God doth utter this promise by way of commination to the Serpent whom it concerneth not and doth not rather direct his speech to Adam and Eve it may be thus answered That beside Gods custom which is in wrath to vememher mercy Habakkuk the third chapter and the second verse in the valley of Achor to open a dore of hope Hosea the second chapter and the fifteenth verse and to cause light to shine cut of darknesse and so to make the light of his favourable countenance to shine in the face of Jesus Christ the second epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter and the sixth verse when men can look for nothing but warth and disoleasure we may see it to be reasonable that because they had deserved nothing therefore he doth not make his speech to them but to the Serpent by way of a Curse that we may know that it is not for mans deserts that God is fayourable but as the Prophet speaks It is for his own sake that he doth put away our iniquities Isaiah 43. 52. The parts of this verse are two First a proclaiming of hostility between the Serpent and the Woman and between his seed and hers Secondly a promise of victory
As if he should say my commandement and will shall be the rule and direction of your will and works so in the new Testament St. Paul saith we must not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. But that we be sober and know and understand according to sobriety which is to prove what every thing is by the perfect will of God Rom. 12. 2.3 This then is the difference between Gods commandements and those which men doe make when men though they be the greatest doe command any thing they therefore doe command things because they be good and lawfull and when we deal with them we therefore obey their Laws so farre forth as the things they command are lawfull and good because their words and commandements have no power to make things good But when we deal with Gods commandements we simply obey all that he willeth because his commandement and word doe make things absolutely good ye though they before may seem to be evill yet after he hath commanded them they are made therefore perfectly good Nos volumus qua bona sunt bona autem sunt quia voluit Deus Gods good will therefore is the best and most beneficiall thing for us and our good and the things he commandeth are the wisest things for us to follow howsoever they seem to corrupt reason and sense which are ill Judges in those matters Thus much then for our application and use that when our actions are agreeable to Gods word and law then they are according to Gods will And therefore we may be sure that it is best for our behoof Nam quo die comederis de eo utique moriturus es Gen. 2. 17. June 22 1591. EVery Law hath in it two principall parts the one containeth the body and tenor of it the other comprehendeth the sanction and penalty Touching the body of the Law we have entrcated already both of the subject and also of the action of it Now therefore we are come to the latter part to consider of the punishment threatned to the breach of it concerning which we say That as there is required necessarily in the Law giver authority and right to command so likewise in him must be a power and ability to correct and punish the transgressors or else his authority is without an edge Both these therefore are seen in the Law-maker by the parts of this Law the one being the directive part serving for direction the other being the corrective part which serveth for execution And every one may be sure that he is subject and under one of these This then is as if Moses had said Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this Non comedes but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this If you will needs eat and 〈◊〉 your will before mine and your lusts before my love then be ye sure of this That in that day thou shalt dye the death for death is the sower and bitter sawce of this sweet meat Rom. 6. 23. Touching the punishment in it self we are to know that in every punishment inflicted for offence there is required Justice to give it in a due proportion that there be an equality between the punishment and offence As in the Law he that will desire another mans Sheep and steal it he in justice is to restore four-fold Again reason and equity requireth that the punishment must be of greater force to 〈◊〉 and discourage from sinne then the sinne must be to perswade and entise us to it Such an equality is in this For because he took liberty to stretch his will and desire further than he should therefore that he should lose the first liberty he had for this is just and equall 〈…〉 etiam poneret modum beneficio and that he that observeth not the manner of using it should lose the right use which he had It is therefore reason and right that either we should Dimittere voluntatem male vivendi aut amittere facultatem bene 〈◊〉 This we say to justifie God because men think that this sinne of eating such a fruit is not a capitall offence and that God was too hard to 〈◊〉 this so sore a punishment on it Touching the second point which is concerning the cause of his death which must not be ascribed to God because the cause is found in our own selves for God saith If you eat you shall die that is you shall be causes and authors of your own death your blood light on your own heads for I am not guilty thereof which we shall the better percive and esteem if we consider that which before I have shewed that Adam was made immortall non necessitate naturae sed vi 〈◊〉 gratiae not by natural necessity but by the priviledge of Gods grace for Adam consisting of contrarie qualities by his own nature they must needs in regard of themselves be the cause of death to them as they were to the beasts But notwithstanding this subjection to mortality and possibility to dye in regard of their nature Gods grace did sustain their bodily life and kept them from death so long as they kept themselves from sinne But now si hence transgression besides the necessity of nature their sinne also did pluck death upon them and was the cause of this curse So long therefore as man kept his first estate he was united to God which was life and had use of the tree of life which then was 〈◊〉 Deo and had this grace to preserve life and by that means so long we had an immunity from death because we were 〈◊〉 with the prop of Gods grace which was the cause of our immortality but when 〈◊〉 did cause that prop to be pulled away which sustained the 〈◊〉 of our nature then we could not choose but dye both by the necessity of nature and desert of our sinne If we had leaned still to the stay of our nature and not trusted so much to our own wills and wisdoms it had gone well with us But this voluntarie forsaking of God and leaning on the broken staffe and reedis stay of our own was the cause of our fall into sinne and so unto death Thus we see God justified in this sentence saying Morieris because he is neither the Author or Cause of Malum naturae which is sinne nor yet of 〈…〉 which is death But man causing both culpam poenam doth both wayes cleer God and condemn us and our selves are proved to be the cause of both 3. Point The kinde of death Now touching the third point which respecteth the kinde of death here threatned for there are several kindes of death Rev. 2. 11. Rev. 20. 6. there is the temporall and eternall the naturall and spirituall the first and second death which of these is here in this punishment threatned St. Augustine answereth that God doth here mean both whatsoever death may be included from the beginning of our life unto the last death all that is here