Renowned Cities therein contained It remaineth now to discourse of the Living Creatures comprised within the same and their natures a point doubtlesse that would require as deepe a speculation as any part else thereof whatsoever if so be the spirit and mind of man were able to comprehend compass all things in the world And to make a good entrance into â—his treatise and History me thâ—â—â— of right we ought to begin at 〈◊〉 for whose sake it should seem that Nature produced all other creatures besides Though this great favour of hers so bountifull and beneficiall in that respect hath cost full deare In so much as it is hard to Judge whether in so doing she hath done the part of a kind Mother or a hard and cruell Step-dame For first and formost of all other living Creatures man she hath brought forth all naked and cloathed him with the good and riches of others To all the rest given she hath sufficient to clad them every one according to their kind as namely shells cods hard hides pricks shagge bristles haire down feathers quils scales and fleeces of wooll The very trunks and stems of trees and plants she hath defended with bark and rind Quando firmum cibis os Quandiâ— palpitans vertex summae inter cuncta animalia imbecillitatis indicium Jam morbi totque medicinae contra mala excogitatae hae quoque subinde novitatibus victae Caetera sentire naturam sâ—am alia pernicitatem usurpare alia praepetes volatus alia ire alia nare Hominem nihil scire sine doctrina non fari non ingredi non vesci breviterque non aliud naturae sponte quà m flere Itaque multi extitere qui non nasci optimum censerent aut quà m ocyssimè aboleri Vni animantium luctus est datus uni luxuria quidem innumerabilibus modis ac per singula membra uni ambitio uni avaritia uni immensa vivends cupido uni super stitio uni sepulturae cura atque etiaÌ„ postse de futuro Nulli vita fragilior nulli rerum omnium libido major nulli pavor confusior nulli rabies acrior Denique caeter a animantia in suo genere probè degunt Congregari videmus stare contra dissimilia Leonum feritas inter se non dimicat serpentum morsus non petit serpentes ne maris quidem belluae ac pisces nisi in diversa genera saeviunt At Herculè Homini plurima ex homine sunt mals yea and the same sometimes double against the injuries both of heate and cold Man alone poore wretch she hath laid all naked upon the bare Earth even on his birth-day to cry and wraule presently from the very first houre that he is borne into this world in such sort as among so many Living Creatures there is none subject to shed teares and weep like him And verily to no babe or Infant is it given once to Laugh before he be forty daies old and that is counted very early and with the soonest Moreover so soon as he is entred in this manner to enioy the Light of the sun see how he is immediatly tyed and bound fast and hath no member at liberty a thing that is not practised upon the young whelps of any beast among us be he never so wild The Child of man thus untowardly borne and who another day is to rule and command all other lo how he Lyeth bound hand and foot weeping and crying and beginning his Life with misery as if he were to make amends and satisfaction by his punishment unto Nature for this only Fault and Trespasse that he is borne and brought into the world O folly of all follies ever to think considering this simple beginning of ours that we were sent into this world to live in Pride and carry our head aloft The first hope that we conceive of our strength the first gift that time affordeth us maketh us no better yet then foure-footed beasts how long is it ere wee can goe alone How long before we can prattle and speake feed our selves and chewe our meat strongly What a while continueth the mould and crown of our heads to beat pant before our braine is well setled the undoubted mark token that bewrayeth our exceeding great weaknesse above all other creatures What should I say of the infirmities sickness that soon seize upon our feeble bodies What need I speak of so many medicines and remedies devised against these Maladies besides the new diseases that come every day able to check and frustrate all our provision of Physick whatsoever As for all other Living Creatures there is not one but by a secret instinct of nature knoweth its own good and whereto he is made able Some make use of their swift feet Others of their flight wings some are strong of limmes Others are apt to swim and practise the same Man only knoweth nothing unless he be taught He can neither speake nor goe nor eate otherwise then he is trained to it And to be short apt and good at nothing he is naturally but to pule and crie And hereupon it is that some have been of this opinion That better it had been and simply best for a man never to have been born or else speedily to dye None but wee do sorrow and waile none but we are given to excesse and superfluity infinitely in every thing and shew the same in every member that we have Who but we again are ambitious and vain-glorious Who but we are covetous and greedy of gathering good We and none but we desire to Live long and never to die are superstitious careful of our sepulture and burial yea and what shall betide us when we are gone Mans life is most frail of all others and in least security he Liveth No Creature Lusteth more after every thing then he None feareth Like unto him and is more troubled and amazed in his fright and if he be set once upon anger none more raging and wood then he To conclude all other Living Creatures Live orderly and well after their own kind We see them flock and gather together and ready to make head and stand against all others of a contrary kind the Lions as fell and savage as they be fight not one with another * Juvenal Sat. 15. v. 145. Sensum à caelesti dimissum traxinaus arce Sed jam Serpentum major concordia Parcit Cognatis maculis similis fera Quando Leoni Fortior eripuit vitam leo quo nemore unquam Expiravit aper majoris dentibus apri ndica tigris agit rabida cum tigride pacâ—m Perpetuam Saevis inâ—er se convenit uâ—sis Aspicimus populos quorum non sufficiâ— ine Occidisse hominem sed pectora brachâ—a vultum Crediderint genus esse cibi Quid diceret ergo Pythagoras quo non fugeret si haec monstra videret Like Ps 49. 20. Man being in Honour is become like the Beasts that perish Isa 1. 3. The Oxe
Flesh or to Free himself from the Servitude of the Flesh These and the like Inconveniences have perswaded some to attribute this whole work unto the Spirit of God which is able to do all things without the Coagencie or Consort of the Spirit of Man But thus to avoyd the former Inconveniences is but as if a man having found a Way out of a thicket of Thornes should instantly intangle himself in the Bryars For it is not so Great a Solaecisme to say That the Spirit of Man or man himself should be an Agent in this businesse As to Affirme That whence it would follow that The Spirit of God should in this work of Mortification be mans Instrument For that which Man worketh by the Spirit Man is more properly said to work it then the Spirit Now our Apostle saith that we must mortifie the deedes of the Body And he that Mortifieth is the Agent That by which we work this Mortification is but our Instrument And better it were to say That the Spirit of Man should be mans Instrument in this work rather than the Spirit of God 2. It were according to our Former Principles easily answered that Wee by Our spirit Mortifie the Deedes of our Bodies Consecutivè non Formaliter aut Efficienter that is not by any Efficacie in us or Influence derivable from us The Spirit of God must directly work or Effect it But though this be True yet is it not Punctual to the point proposed For by this Answer the Spirit here meant should only be the Spirit of man For by this Spirit only we work our Mortification Consecutivè That which the Spirit of God doth work in us it works Directly Immediatly and Entirely and in produceing its proper Effects it hath no Partner or Co-Agent It may notwithstanding be yet further replyed that we must Mortifie the Flesh by the spirit of God not as by any Instrumental Cause subordinate to us but in such a sense as we say Inferiour Magistrates do the Acts of the Magistracie by the Kings or Supreme Magistrates Authoritie unto which they and their Magistracie are Subordinate Thus some good * Pasqualius Interpreters upon this place say that we must Mortifie the Flesh by our own Spirit but by our own Spirit as it is Subordinate to the Spirit of God and Consequently to this Assertion it must be granted that this Subordination of our Spirit to the Spirit of God is in this place necessarily included or persupposed though not expressed by our Apostle All this for ought I know may be most True and Orthodoxal but withall too General For Inferiour or subordinate Magistrates are more properly said to be the Agents Even in those things which they do by the Authoritie and warrant of the Superiours whereas the Spirit of God is not only the Author or sole Authorizer but the Principal Actor or Agent in this work of mortification For a more particular and punctual Resolution of the Question proposed we are to unfold the divers acceptions of these Words or Termes to wit THE SPIRIT and MORTIFICATION 3. There is the Spirit of God and there is the Spirit of man Both of them have their several and divers Importances in scripture The Spirit of man may be considered as it is in the Natural Man or in the man altogether unregenerate and This Spirit is at Enmitie with God or in the Man as yet unregenerate yet in the way to Regeneration And the Spirit of this man is privatively opposite to the Spirit of God so as Darknesse is to Light Blindnesse to Sight or Death to Life There is a Spirit likewise in the man Regenerate the same for Substance with the Spirit of the Natural Man the same for Substance that it was in himself before Regeneration but altered in Qualitie And This Spirit though it cease not to be in man yet is it not usually called The Spirit of Man as being no way opposite unto the Spirit of God but Subordinate unto it so Subordinate unto it that it is called The Spirit that is of God and sometimes The Spirit of God 4. These diverse Acceptions of the word SPIRIT as likewise the Distinction or Opposition between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of man are set down by our Apostle 1. Cor. 2. from the ninth verse unto the end of the Chapter What Man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God ver 11. He doth not say the spirit of God which is in God or with God And when He saith What man knoweth the things of man save the Spirit of Man he supposeth there is even in the Natural and unregenerate Man a Spirit able to discerne the secret thoughts and imaginations of his heart though blind and ignorant in the things concerning God Againe when he saith the things of God knoweth no man he excludeth the Natural man only or the man to whom God hath not imparted the Gifts of the Spirit For so he hath said ver 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Into What Mans heart have they not entred Or unto What Man doth this Negative belong Only to the Natural or unregenerate Man For so he adds verse 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 5. What Spirit is this which searcheth all things Even the deep things of God the Spirit of God which is without Vs or which communicateth knowledge and reveales things hidden unto us If this Spirit were here meant How should those deep things of God be revealed unto us Revealed to us they cannot be unlesse they be known by us and known by Us they cannot be but by the Spirit which is in us So he adds more expressly Ver. 12. Now we have received not the Spirit of the world that is the Spirit which is of man but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to Vs of God If by the Spirit which we have received we know the things which are freely given to us of God This Spirit must be made Ours it must be One with Our Spirit it is not the Spirit of God which is Without Vs or which works our Regeneration but the Spirit by which we become formally Regenerate and Spiritual And Punctually to this purpose the Apostle haveing said ver 14. The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him Neither can he know them so long as he remaines a Natural Man because they are Spiritually discerned he adds by way of opposition ver 15. 16. But he that is Spiritual judgeth or discerneth all things Yet He himself is judged of no man For who hath known the mind of the Lord
on the Right Hand of Majestie on High 'T is plain then And there he sitteth on the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty that That Part of this Tenth Book which explicitly treates of Christs Priesthood as it supposes Christ Risen and ascended so it relates specially to that portion of the Creed 8 This Glorious High-Priesthood of the Son of God then is The Office of Perfection The completing finishing or Crowning office That Office amongst us which hath it's name from Finalis Concordia is in no proportion so usefull for agreements or Atonements civil betwixt man and man as This Transcendent Priesthood of Christ is Effectual to all that sue to Him with such Fervence and Reverence as he in the dayes of His Flesh did unto His Father for Reconciling us mortal wretches unto God 9 And here now besides what is said above of the great Excellencie of Christs Priesthood The Intertainment of three or four meditations Homogeneal to this Subject and which so Voluntarily offer themselves as that I cannot reject them As 1. That Melchizedek King of Salem probably Shem the Great certainly Some person of Eminent Pietie as well as Dignitie An Ideal patern of all perfections required in both the sons of Oyle King and Priest A Pater sui seculi A Resemblance of the First Adam but A most lively Type of Christ Had the Priesthood conveighd unto him in some Signal Manner so that Text seemes to imply And he was THE PRIEST of the Most High God 2. That Aaron who was also a Type of Christ did not take this Honour upon himself but was most solemnly and satisfactorily called of God thereto and stated himself and his successors therein 3. That our Lord Jesus Christ The Son The Only Son of God and so by natural Inheritance intituled to the Kingdom and Priesthood of the world did not glorifie himself to be made an High priest but had besides the immeasurable Vnction of the Spirit the Office founded upon him by A most Ample Patent In the Volume of the Book it is written and invested in Him and only in Him by The word of the Oath of God Hebr. 7. 20. c. Doth render me wonder-strook at four sorts of men most Active in this Busie Age. 1. At such as think it a Piece of their Christianitie to loath and and despight the Name of Priest as of some pernicious vermin bred out of a Putrid Jewish Carkass whereas it Signifies neither less nor more then a Person intrusted and who is sufficient for that Thing with some part or Branch of Christs Priesthood which is here on earth to be managed and Executed for the Benefit of mankinde even of Him that so Hates the name 2. That the Bishop of that Antient Sea Apostolick should by vertue of such a dimme Commission as cannot be read without Spectacles of Phansie made at Rome Grasp at All in gross as if all Power which Christ Himself doth not personally exercise in the Heavenly Sanctuarie was to pass and be derived by imposition or under the Signature of His Hand and to be shared and dispensed at his discretion 3. That those our Brethren in Christ if yet they will allow us to call them Brethren which have welnigh given over to say Pater Noster who so zealously hate Innovations should contrarie to the Church-Practice of 15. Ages together not only 1. take upon them to Ordain or commissionate men to execute part of Christs Preisthood and 2. to Censure offenders without consent of that Order which hath so fair a Patent to shew and so long Prescription somewhile for the sole Power alwayes for the Main Stroke in Both But even 3. to censure and excommunicate some Persons of that Order and 4. the very Order it self in submission to which when time was they seemed to us to live with a good conscience and in a comfortable Communion with their conforming Brethren which hath in effect proved the cutting off that Goodly Bough whereof themselves were Branches not considering either how ill themselves take it when any thing by others is affirmed that contains in it but a Consequence which will condemn the Practise of the Reformed Churches of these two last Centuries or How ill a Physiognomie the very outward Face of the Act caries as of a Strife managed even unto Blood for Cheif Roomes in Synagogues who should be the greatest or have the Greatest share in Exercising such parts of Christs Priesthood as be concredited to men A thing flat contrarie to the Precepts of Christ and to the humilitie of a Christian whose only strife is to preferre others in Honour before Himself whose onely Ambition is to become like one of those little ones that are weaned from the Breast 4. That the volunteeres of the People who have improved the former Transgression of removing the Ancient Church-Marks which our fathers had set rather the Fathers themselves set for Land-marks and Guides to a total Demolition casting off the sons who had cast out their Fathers and the Branches which had pluckt up their own Roots and so succeeding both as Augmenters and Revengers of the sin especially that any which among them pretend to the Fear of God and Love our Great High-Priest should not scruple at all to execrate all consecration of Persons to serve in Christ's stead and yet Dubb themselves officers when as God knowes they be as far from Abilities to discharge as they are from Authoritie to undertake the duty The Catechizing of their own children and servants in their own private Families and whetting upon them the Confessed Duties of Christianitie Humblness of mind Meekness of Spirit Puritie of Heart c. Being a task large enough for Better Qualifications then the common sort of men generally Have He that searches the hearts knows This is not spoken out of envie at the people of God I could wish all of them were Prophets and my self the most ignorant man in the world not that I would know less then I do but have all others know more then my self The sence of my deep unworthiness to be numbred among those that have obtained a lesse lower part in the Ministery works a remorse for entring though by the right Door yet so praeproperè into it and expresses from me this profession That if it were now to do I should haply as Thales did in another case either find my self too young a novice or too old a Doater to put my shoulders under so formidable though honourable a weight of trust and care 10. When I have besought three of those sorts concerned in these particulars with all the Humilitie and meekness their charitie can imagin in a Dissenting Brother and by the Bowels of mercy in our most Compassionate High-priest Redire ad Cor to take these things into serious thoughts without prejudging their Conscience by and sinister considerations and when I have made supplication to the Almighty who Commanded light to shine out Darkness That
is in Christologie in the display of the Mysteries of Christ which he never thinks done till he have layd the Type and shadow upon the substance and the Prophesie as the Prophet did his Body upon the Event Face to Face Hand to Hand Part to Part c. And his powerfulness in This hath gotten him so deserved esteem amongst divers Learned men though of different Judgment in some points that in their works they have quoted him as An Author 19. What unworthy paines my self have taken about the work in the space of 6. or 7. Months may be summ'd up in two lines The falts of the Presse be few smal yet I am not only to be blamed for them not undertaking more then to assist Any Error in the notes marginal or final is to be imputed to my weakness For the Authors Text I have not in the least degree alter'd intended or remitted his sense in any one Assertion or point of Doctrine But which is the Dutie of an Editour have been Scrupulously Carefull to deliver his Work as he left it meant it not attending to gratify either mine own or the Readers opinions 20. What Fate abides either my self or this Orphan-Book is only known to God It is of this Authors Works for number the Tenth for bulk larger then the most for learning Equal for Excellencie of subject matter superior to any of the other Nine for it is Of the Knowledge of our selves Servants to sin And of the Son of God by the exercise of His Everlasting Priesthood making us Free from sin And so in just Decorum as it affords Royal Dainties so it deserves the Choicest Patronage that any of his fellows had even of such as have Right to Receive Tithes yet seeing it so fals out by the ever to be Adored admired providence of God that such it may not have now It comes forth under the more Immediate Patronage of the Almightie God the Father the Word the Holie Spirit Especially I pray under the most Auspicious shelter of Him whose Office it describeth defendeth The Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession the Great Shepheard King Bishop of our soules Jesus Christ our Lord. He give it favour in the Eyes of the Reader and prosper it to those Ends for which the Author writ it and as the Prefacer wisheth it Who is the most unworthy of all those that share in His Office B. O. Tunc Desinent Donatistae esse Fratres Nostri si desierint dicere Pater Noster S. Aug. Tom. 8. in Psalm 32. Conc 2. A Table conteining the Principal Arguments of the several Sections and Chapters in this Book Sect. I. Of the First Mans Estate and the Manner how he lost it How Sin found entrance into the world Of the Nature of Sinne How it was and is propagated to Adams Posteritie pag. 3003 CHAP. 1. Of the Primae val Estate of the first Man and of the varietie of Opinions about it 3003 2. Wherein the Righteousness of the first man did consist 3004 3. Whether Original Righteousness were a Qualitie natural or a Mean between Natural and Supernatural 3005 4. Of the manner how Sin found entrance into the works of God and did seize upon all mankind the Man Christ Jesus only excepted 3007 5. Of the right use of Reason or Rules of Art for the determining controversies in Divinitie whereof the sacred Scripture is the sole Rule 3010 6. The usual distinction between the Act and Obliquitie of the Act can have no place in the first oblique Act of our first Parents 3013 SECT II. Of the properties or Symptomes of Original Sinne and of the nature of sin in General 3017 7. Containing the State of the Controversie or the debate betwixt our Saviour and the Iews Joh. 8. 30. 3017 8. Of the sin of the first man and of sin Original which was derived from him of sins Actual and the difference between them That of sin Original The Heathens had a Natural Notion 3019 9. Of the Properties of Effects of sin Original known by the Light of Nature and by Scripture 3024 10. Containing such description or Definition of Original sin as can be gathered from the effects or properties of it before mentioned 3028 11. Containing a Resolution of the main difficultie proposed viz. How the first Actual sin of our first Parents did produce more then an Habit of sin an Hereditary disease in all their Posteritie 3029 12. Containing the True and solid Definition of sin whether Original or Acquired by vitious Acts or Dispositions 3032 13. Calvin and Martyr c. Consent with Illyricus in the Description of Original sin How farr sin Original may be said to be The Pollution of the whole Nature and faculties of Man or the faculties of man as they are polluted 3036 Sect. III. Of Servitude unto sin who be properly servants unto it and by it unto Satan 3039 CHAP. 14. That even Those Iewes which in part did believe in Christ were true Servants unto sin 3039 15. Containing the General Heads of this whole Treatise and of the Distinction betwixt Slaves and those which are called Hired Servants or Apprentices or Free-born persons in their Nonage 3042 16. That the former difference of Servitude or distinction of Servants is set down and allowed by God himself 3044 17. What Analogie or proportion Civil servitude hath with True Servitude unto sin 3047 18. Of the several branches of servitude unto sin 3051 19. Of the excellent Notions which Tullie and some Heathen Romans of Lewder life then he had of Servitude unto sin or vice 3055 20. Of the fruitlesness of the former Notions in the best Heathens 3059 21. Of the manner how Satan brings men to be his Slaves 3062 22. A short discourse upon our Saviours words John 8. 36. If the Son therefore shall make you Free ye shall be free indeed 3063 23. The second Discourse upon John 8. 36. If the Son therefore c. That that sowre Replie We be Abrahams seed c. was made by those very Jews which are said ver 30. to believe on him And that men which for a while believe may in Temptation or strong assaults of passions fall away 3072 Sect. IIII. Of that faculty of the Reasonable soul which we commonly call Free-will Of the Root and several Branches of it in the Generalitie What Branches or Portion of this Free-will is in the Man altogether unregenerate or in debauched and heinous sinners 3080 24. Of the difficulties of the Controversies concerning Free-will with the Reasons why they have troubled the Church so long 3080 25. Of the divers acceptions or Significations of Freedom or Freenesse and of the several sorts or degrees of Freedom in Creatures Inanimate Vegetable Sensitive and Rational 3082 26. Conteining the Definition and Properties of Free Causes or Agents properly so called 3087 27. Of the difference betwixt Servitude and Freedom in Collapsed Angels and unregenerate men and of the inequalitie of
such For whether Original corruption be wholly derived from Adam or whether we draw it in part from our immediate Parents No man I am perswaded was never by Nature or by corruption meerly Original Nemo sponte malus How far true of disposition so wicked and ungracious as that he did or could directly desire intend or affect to be unnatural or disobedient to his natural Parents to be contumacious or rebellious towards Magistrates or other superiors whom the Law of God commands him to obey and honour Corruption meerly Original impels no mans Reasonable Will to desire or affect to be an Adulterer a Drunkard a Murtherer or an Intemperate person It impels no man to desire or affect to be a Thief to be a perjured infamous or envious person or to be a notorious offender or criminous Transgressor of the second Table or of Laws agreeable to it There is no man but is naturally I mean by the bent or inclination of corrupt Nature it self more unwilling to be tainted either with these mentioned or with any other like crimes forbidden by the six last Commandments then he that is Free-born is to be subject to the Legal Estate or condition of a Servant And yet the most of men in the issue or in some part of their course of life become subject to some one or other of these Crimes mentioned The most part of men have their wits and affections usually and customarily imployed in some one or other part of Satans Service in some businesses which in the end brings them to be such men as they do no way desire to be that is either unnatural disobedient cruel intemperate fellonious perjured or envious persons men in whose Souls Satan hath purchased a greater Interest over whose desires and affections foul and unclean spirits have gotten a greater Command then earthly Lords or Masters have over the bodies or bodily Labour of their Servants a Power or Command to make them forbear those things which their minds and Consciences do most approve a Power to impel them unto those courses which they sometimes most abhorred and over some a Power to change or invert their Wils or desires even to make them willing to continue and increase their Native slavery and misery 2. The means and manner by which Satan gets this Power and Soveraignty over mens Souls are the very same with the means and manner by which bodily and earthly Lords or Masters gain a Title or Interest in the bodily labours or imployments of such as by this interest once gotten become their Servants No man is naturally willing or desirous to be another mans servant All men rather desire to be Free Yet inasmuch as all men naturally desire the continuance of bodily life and health and neither life nor health can be maintained or continued without food and rayment and other necessaries Hence it is that the more inbred and deeplier rooted desire of life and health doth oversway the natural desire of Liberty and Freedom in all such as are not provided of things necessary for the maintenance of this life not able to satisfie their natural desire of meat drink or apparel otherwise then by resigning or making over their bodily imployments or labours to some other mens use which in lieu of these will satisfie their former natural desires of food and rayment and affoord them means necessary to hold Soul and body together 3. The Original Temptation by which men are drawn to Satans slavery The Original or Fundamental Temptation by which Satan draws men into this snare of Servitude or bondage spiritual is by enlarging or improving their desires not of things simply evil but of things either natural or indifferent that is for their kind or quality not unlawful These desires ☜ being improved unto the Full or unto some Excessive Measure do by long custome or continuance require satisfaction by as strong a Law of ‖ See Chap. 18. last Necessity at least as importunately as our natural desires of food or rayment do The more excessive or exorbitant any desire is the more impatient it is of repulse It is as impossible for a greedy or Ravenous Appetite to be satisfied with a spare or moderate Diet as for a moderate appetite to be satisfied without any food at all A vain Fantastick that takes proud Cloathes to be Part of Himself is as desirous of change of suits or costly apparel as a poor man is of apparel it self or of such stuff as is sufficient to keep out cold and wet An Ambitious Spirit is not so well content with an Ordinary place or rank amongst Free-men as an ingenuous mind will be with the estate or condition of an hired Servant if no better by means fair and honest be likely to befall him A Man apt to over-prize himself and Jealous withall of Contempt of wrong or of grosse abuse is not so easily appeased with streams of bloud as a calme and gentle spirit is with an ingenuous acknowledgement of wrongs done or with a curteous answer for wrongs suspected The desire of wealth or worldly goods after it hath once exceeded its lawful bounds becomes as unsatisfiable as * Esay 5. 8. Hab. 2. 5. Hor. Epist 6. l. 1. Mille talenta rotundentur totidem altera porro Tertia Succedant quae pars quadret acervum Persius Sat. 6. Fine Vende animam Lucro mercare atque excute Sollers Omne latus mundi Rem duplica Feci Jam triplex jam mihi quartò Jam decies redit in rugam Depunge ubi sistam See Juvenal Sat. 14. v. 110 c. 326 c. Sume duos Equites fac tertia quadringenta Si nondum implevi gremium si panditur ultra Nec Craesi fortuna unquam nec Persica regna Sufficient animo nec divitiae Narcissi Hell It enlargeth it self by often satisfaction and of all earthly and mortal things it knows no stint or period of grouth but grows strong and lusty by waxing old 4. None of these desires of meat of drink of apparel of satisfaction for wrongs done or suspected of honour riches or preferment are in themselues or for their qualitie unlawfull Their Vnlawfulness consists only in their Excess But even the best of these or like desires being improved beyond its measure will for its privat satisfaction betray the Soule which gives it harbour into Satans hands Hee doth not Hee need not tempt any man directly to be a Thiefe a Robber or a Murtherer For as S. James tells us Chap. 1. 14. Every man is tempted to these and the like crimes by his owne Concupiscence And our Concupiscences and sensuall desires are alwayes increased by custome He that hath long inured himselfe to exceed either in qualitie of meat or drink or to fare deliciously desires only to satisfie his appetite or to observe his delightful Custome So these may be satisfied he hath no desire to be a Thief to be a Cheater or Couzener But rather then
End then the Ambitious or aspiring mind The Port which this Bravado is bound for at His first setting forth is Superiority Rule or Dominion over others perhaps his Equals by Birth and for good qualities his far Betters But ere he can attain to this Heaven of Happiness as he esteems it He must ‖ See Horace 6 Epist lib. 1. Si Fortunatum c. couch down like Issachar between two burdens take Chams Curse upon him for his Viaticum or Loading in his way or journey He must be a Servant to Greatness though in despight of Goodnesse a Vassal to the dispensers of that Honour which he seeks though these be Vassals to Basenesse or other bad Qualities a Slave unto the Corruption of Time and in a preposterous imitation of our Apostle he must become all things to all men and even enforce himself against the bent of proud affections to fawn upon such as can feed him with hopes of Honour to lenifie the rotten sores of their Vlcerous consciences with a smooth flattering tongue If he be a Clergy-man or Messenger of Christ that ☜ is tainted with this Humour he must become more then a Balaam to every Balak such a One as Balaam would have been if the Angel had not withstood him He must set himself to blesse where God hath cursed and to curse where God hath blessed There is no part of this Servitude of Sin or Satan so irkesome as this to an Ingenuous spirit or to a mind fraught with any internal worth but especially with the knowledge of Christ and Him Crucified No Slavery of the Soul so odious to God none that includes greater Enmity or Antipathy to the Wisdom and Son of God none that includes greater affinity with Satan This unquenchable desire of Honour falsly so called as some Philosophers from due examination have determined the question commands all other Affections whatsoever even Love it self whether towards Parents towards Wife or Children Kindred or Country And by this Affection of Ambitious Pride Satan hath often commanded the Greatest Commanders in more vile and detestable Services then he can impose upon the most vile and most abject Creatures living Unto this Idoll or to so small a piece of it as may be inshrined in some One great Mans Brest whole Lâ—gions whole Armies of men for whom Christ shed his Dearest Bloud have often been Sacrificed For whose Burnt-offering Goodly Towns and Cities have been set on fire What absolute command Satan gets over mens Souls in which Ambitious desires come to their full height and growth may easily be calculated from those detestable Services into which Satan by so little a sprig of this Forbidden Tree as many Christians would not suspect to bear any forbidden fruit did impell Pontius Pilate This Man thought in his Conscience that our Saviour was Innocent that he was more then a man and was exceedingly willing to have saved him from death And yet Satan works him not to do as Pilate himself would but as Satan would have him to do Pilate saith the Evangelist sought to release him but the Jews cryed out saying If thou lettest this man go thou art not Caesars friend For whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar And when Pilate heard that saying he proceeds to sentence And when the Chief Priests further prosecuted their wonted Form We have no King but Caesar He delivered Jesus unto them to be crucified John 19. vers 12 15 16. To have corrupted this man by Bribes or Gifts to have given wrong sentence against our Saviour had been impossible for these Jews Satan himself had not command or interest in his Service by this Title The only possession or interest he had in him to this purpose was not so much desire of new or greater Honour then he had as Fear of disgrace or disrespect with Caesar if when the Mutinous Jews protested They had no King but Caesar he should suffer a man to live that was accused and in some sort convicted to have suffered himself to have been Entitled King of the Jews Though his Ambition was not great yet it exposed him to desperate base and detestable Servitude or bondage It is not half so base or servile to be an Hang-man or other more contemptible Minister or Executioner of publick Justice as it is to be the Instruments or Ministers of Greatest Caesars in condemning the Innocent or sentencing such to death as have no wayes deserved it If Pilate had taken Courage to protect this Just and Holy One against the malicious calumnies of the Jews Gods providence no doubt had protected and shielded Pilates breast from the violence of Pilates own right hand Whereas he after having lost Caesars Favour which he sought by these unjust means to retain did out of the apprehension of his discontent or disgrace make away himself as the Ecclesiastical * Eusebius English Book 2. ch 7. History tels us Such are the best rewards that Satan bestows upon his Servants though miserable and shameful death be rather the earnest and pledges only of the wages which he never fully payes to his Servants till after death when he hath got their Souls into his Custody 8. If the desire of any Honour if the Fear of any Disgrace or disrespect with men were in themselves or of their own kind Absolutely Good or were any Honours to be desired For Themselves or such that their Excesse could not draw us into Satans Servitude or bondage then certainly desire of being members of Gods Visible Church The dangerous Slavery into which the Romish Church hath brought her self or fear of being cast out of it as Hereticks were of all Secondary Means or desires the most safe But through desire of yielding Absolute Obedience to Gods Visible Church and through immoderate Fear of being by the Church disgraced or Excommunicated Satan hath twice drawn a great part of Gods people Such I mean as professe the knowledge of God and of his anointed Christ into a Slavery or bondage more detestable and greater by a Three-fold Measure then any Slavery or bondage into which he was able to draw the most wicked and most Idolatrous Heathen since the first Revolution of time affording him opportunity of Temptation The First notorious or famous Conquest that Satan got over the visible Church was in the dayes of our Saviours pilgrimage here on Earth The Second over the visible Romish Church within these later years wherein they have resumed the Title or Prerogative which the Jewish Church did stifly challenge but with lamentable successe for some years after the first and second Destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem The Title which that Church did challenge but with greater moderation then the present Romish Church doth was the Absolute Infallibility of the Church representative that is of the chief Priests and Elders Yet this Absolute Infallibility the Jewish Snagogue did never confine unto the bosome of the High Priest either sitting in Moses
Apprehensions or Boastings and that is given us by our Saviour himself in this Gospel Chap. 14. vers 15 23 24. If ye love me keep my Commandments And again Chap. 15. vers 10. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love How many may we find who in distresse or danger whether by Sea or Land specially in grievous stormes or sicknesse will seriously purpose and Resume that Branch of their Vow in Baptism ☜ To for sake the Devil and all his works the Lusts of the Flesh the Pomps and vanities of this wicked world And yet the Same Men being restored to health and probable safety will of Late zealous Professors and solemn votaries turn Gaderenes or Gergesites ready upon new Opportunities or Provocations of untame Desires to wish Christ to depart out of their Coasts rather then His Residence in their Hearts or Brains should give a continual check to their swinish appetites or Brutish Fancies And thus to do is not to keep but to violate Christs Commandments which whosoever doth not keep as well in This Particular of mortifying the works or Lusts of the Flesh as in other Duties doth not truly Believe in him shall not without hearty Repentance or new Purification of the heart and spirit either see God or be partaker of Christs Kingdom 11. Another Precept of Christ there is more General then the Former Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you even so do unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets So far is the whole Christian world as we call it from keeping this Commandment that the Practises most Contrary to it are so Vniversal and so violent as that both the Casuists and professed Interpreters of Scriptures have almost lost the true meaning of it at least have utterly neglected the extending or branching of it into useful Rules of Good life or for bringing forth the Fruits of the Spirit And which is worse such learned and pious men as have undertaken the Cure of souls and have been solemnly sworn to the faithful Execution of Pastoral Charge dare not press the Observance of this Great Commandment upon their Flock which daily and hourly most shamefully transgresse it partly by the uncontroled Practises of stubborn people partly by Authorized Rules in Courts of Justice No Prophet of the Lord dare speak his mind or interpreter of the Gospel or spiritual Governour dare put his Commission from Christ in Execution unlesse such as are resolved to suffer a Martyrdom from their flock or from the Professors of the one or other Law established throughout this Kingdom Without Reference to any particular Cause or Person I dare boldly pronounce in the General That not the Twentieth Part of Tedious Suits or Vexations in Law or other Grievances or oppressions would either be set on foot by the People or suffered to be prosecuted by Men in Authority if the Fear of God Belief in Christ Loyalty to their Soveraign Lord or Good Affection to their Country were planted in Either of them truly or indeed 12. The General Neglect of this Great Commandment of doing as we would be done unto in former times of our security and Peace hath been alwayes Dangerous But the Violation of it in these Times of Mortality of Calamity and more then wonted danger of worse to ensue is Prodigious For preventing the Execution of Gods Judgements threatned for our Violation of This and other Commandments of Christ I must entreat all Sorts of men that hear me this day in the same words for sense and meaning which a Zealous and Learned Father sometimes used in like case Parcite Regi Parcite Regno parcite Populo Anglicano parcite Animabus Vestris If there be any true Love and Loyalty in us towards our Gratious Soveraign Lord and his Royal Issue any good Affection towards our Native Country or to our souls Let us abate our wonted Pride and Luxury our wonted Covetousnesse Let us not think it sufficient to abstain from Unjust Unchristian Vexation and Oppression of our Neighbours unlesse we seriously account that measure of Contentment of our desires of what kind soever which heretofore hath been Lawful to be in these times more then most Vnexpedient To use that Plenty of Diet or measure of Recreation but especially that Benefit or Advantage of Laws for advancing our selves or increasing our Fortune which heretofore we have done perhaps without sin Let This also in these times be esteemed Impious or a sin not to be Expiated without hearty Repentance and extraordinary Performance of works of Mercy Dan. 4. 27. The End of the Second Sermon 13. * The Authors Connexion of the 21 Chapter to the 4 Section as it was before These two Sermons were inserted But the more we labour further to unfold this Argument of our Natural Servitude unto sin the faster we shall draw another Knot or the more we presse the several Branches of this Servitude upon the Conscience of the Untegenerate or not well sanctified man the greater Perplexity we shall Create unto him in another part of Theology whose Knowledge is altogether as Necessary and as useful as our Experience of Natural Servitude unto sin is The Knot or perplexed Difficulty is What Kind or what portion of Freedom of Will is or can be Compossible with Absolute Servitude unto sin in the Vnregenerate or Vnsanctified man SECT IV. Of that Faculty of the Reasonable Soul which we commonly call Free-will Of the Root and several Branches of it in the Generality What Branches or Portion of this Free-will is in the Man altogether Vnregenerate or in debauched or heinous Sinners CHAP. XXIV Of the Difficulties of the Controversies Concerning Free-Will with the Reasons why They have troubled the Church so long 1. IF we should abstract this Problem from the Difficulties wherewith it may seem to be intangled by the former discourses Concerning our Servitude to Sin and consider it only in its own Nature and Essence this Question alone hath ministred more matter of intricate Disputes The main Point about Free-Will scarce well stated in any Age since the Apostles times then any other Controverted Point in Theologie He that hath leasure skill and opportunity to take an accurate Historical Survey of the the true State or rather of the Instability or ill stated Tenour of this Point since the death of our Saviours Apostles or other Canonical Writers of the New Testament will easily discover that the Disputes about it Pro and Con have been like to a Pair of Scales which never came to any Permanent Stay or constant Settling upon the right Center but have one while wagled this way another while that way The Orthodoxal Truth Concerning this Point as it was taught by our Saviour himself and by his Apostles and maintained by those who did immediately succeed them is That there was no other State or Fatality in Humane Affairs or Events save only This That such as sought after Glory and Immortality by
a Necessity upon themselves of intending nothing but that which is hurtful to the Sons of men but they do not Necessarily intend This or That Particular Hurt which they do de Facto and no other nor do they so Necessarily hurt This or That Particular Person at This Instant but that it was possible for them to let him alone and to hurt some other Some or more it may be of this infernal Crew are alwayes attending our Publick or Private Meetings especially about Sacred Affairs or Devotions The only End of their coming is to dishonour God and to do mischief unto man In respect of this End indefinitely taken they are not Free unlesse with that kind of Freedom which is opposed only unto Coaction Both Branches of this End they intend so willingly that they cannot cease to intend them or to will the Contrary 9. Yet notwithstanding this Necessity they have Freedom left to cull or chuse out the Parties whom they mean to tempt And after they have determined on the Party they have Freedom left to make choice of the Particular Temptation as whether to sollicite them to Pride rather then to Lust whether to provoke them to Anger or to ungodly mirth A true Freedom likewise they have after the choice of temptation made to continue or change their Baits to prosecute or give over their particular present Pojects 10. The Angels which kept their First Station when the Rebellious did forsake it have since by Gods Providence lost all Freedom of Will to do Evil but with increase of their Freedom in doing well A Necessity is Laid upon them of serving God and him only yet not hereby necessarily constrained or wrought no not by the Incomprehensible and Sweet Contrivance of the Divine Decree to do Him this Particular Service at this time and no other not Necessarily enjoyned by Gods Will or their own to abide so long in this place as they do and no longer or shorter while Their Intentions to wards man are alwayes Good yet not Necessarily bound to do that Determinate Good which they do to this man and no other To make choice of the Party whom at this instant they especially mean to Protect is as Free for them as it is for us among a multitude of Beggars to make choice of some one or two on whom to bestow our Benevolence Now in the dispensing of Alms to the needy or bequeathing Legacies to our friends we are I take it Free not only from Necessity of Coaction or constraint but also Free from such Necessity as by vertue of the Eternal Decree is Inevitable CHAP. XXVII Of the Difference betwixt Servitude and Freedom in Collapsed Angels and unregenerate men and of the inequality of Freedom in respect of divers Objects and degrees in Natural men 1. BUt before we come to speak of the Unregenerate Mans Free-will and its proper Subject What Free-Will in the Natural or unregenerate Man we must lay this Charge upon the Reader not to interpret or rather mistake us as if we Questioned Whether Man were able to do Any Thing or no without Gods Concourse or Assistance or any Spiritual Good Thing without Grace We only seek what kind of Freedom or Possibility of avoiding Evil or doing better or lesse Evil then oft-times we do is appointed to man by the Immutable Decree If this Decree allow or permit us any Freedom of Will in these Points they wrong mankind much and the Divine Nature more that seek either by Nice Distinctions utterly to take it from us or by Timorous Scrupulosities to quell or weaken our spirits or industrie in use of It. This Point also I would commend to every Readers Consideration That between a meer natural man and a Man utterly forsaken of God there is a Mean or Difference yea perhaps a greater Difference in respect of the end of these insuing Quaeries to wit the salvation of mens souls then is between the State of a man Utterly for saken of God and of Satan and his Angels 2. In respect of Good and Evil the Humane Nature in the First Creation was as truly and as properly Free as the Angelical The First Man was Like his Creator truly and inherently Good indued with Power of doing Well But this his Power was matched with a Possibility of doing Evil. And by his Free and wilful Reduction of this Power into Act He and his Children have utterly lost all Possibility of doing Well By nature All of us are the Children of Wrath the Servants of sin from our birth Nor can we be Freed from this Sâ—rvitude till we be made the Sons of God by the Grace of Adoption 3. But though this Tenent of Reformed Churches be most true to wit That the Humane Nature before Adams Fall was as truly Free as the Angelical and that all the Sons of men since his Fall are as truly subject to sin as the collapsed Angels yet neither was our Freedom before his Fall equal to Angelical Freedom nor this Servitude of sin in us so great as that which is in the Devils For not to speak of the Elect or such as are certainly destinated to salvation the State of Cain the Father of Reprobates before he slew his Brother Abel though we consider it with reference to the Eternal Decree of Reprobation was not so desperate as the Estate of the old Serpent For God certainly did never use that mild and gentle Language either to Satan or his Angels which he did to Cain a little before he slew his Brother And the Lord said unto Cain why art thou wroth and why is thy Countenance fallen If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well sin Lieth at the door and unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him Gen. 4. 6 7. Howbeit if at any time it had pleased the wisdom of God to make Loving Profers of Impossibilities to his Creatures Choice Satan and his Angels by rule of Retaliation had been the fittest Subjects of such Profers ☜ because it is their continual Practice to delude mankind in their misery with fair promises of those things which either they are not able or never purpose to perform 4. But seeing the sons of men until they be redeemed by Christ and wicked Spirits are both alike Servants to Sin though their Servitude to it be not Equal the Question is Wherein the Inequality of their Servitude consists The Depth of the Angels Fall was by the Eternal Rule of Justice proportioned to the Height of their knowledge and Happinesse when they stood Now their First Station was much higher then mans the one in Heaven the other in Paradise And as they sinned more wilfully and haughtily so they continued more wilful and stubborn in the course of sin then man The Necessity which they brought upon themselves is Two-fold First a Necessity of doing alwayes that which is in its Own Nature Evil Secondly a Necessity of doing
evil Now to use our Free-will further amisse then is Necessary is meerly Contingent no way Necessary Albeit he could do nothing as he ought yet he might have done lesse ill in being imployed in some honest Vocation or Lawful Exercise then by giving himself over to Pamper Ease and Sloth In Lawful imployments we are commonly freed from all other ill Guests besides our selves In Living Idlely or doing nothing we make our very hearts our brains and souls like Empty Rooms for the Infernal Spirits to set up Shop in The Poets Observation is very useful for all but most Peculiar for Younger Students and expressed in Terms to their Liking Si non ante Diem librum cum lumine poscas Hor. Epist 2. Invidiâ vel amore vigil torquebere Lib. 1. si non Intendas animum studiis rebus honestis If Men would give some Divine Precepts or Sentences full Possession of their Morning Thoughts these would serve as so many Armed Men to keep out the suggestions of the Devil ☜ the World and the flesh from entring into their Hearts 11. To hold this Freedom of Will in avoiding Occasions or motives to sin is most agreeable to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches All which if I mistake not permit a Moderate and lawful Vse of Vows not only to men already sanctified or in the estate of Grace but unto all such as desire to avoid sin and the Motives thereunto that they may be sanctified In these two Points I hope we shall all agree First That we may not Vow any thing which is not in our Power Secondly That the avoidance of Occasions or Motives to grosse or known sins is one of the most proper and most safe Objects of solemn Vows 12. Some of our Wise and Godly Founders of Colledges which died before Reformation begun do not tye us by oath never to transgress in matters of Manners or Crime But to undergo punishment for breach of good manners they strictly tye us Virtute Juramenti What is the reason Surely that which we said before They well knew that to undergo ordinary punishment as losse of Commons or the like was in our Power and Consequently just matter of Vow But to avoid al actions punishable was not as they foresaw in our Power No part of the Object of our Free-will and therefore they made it no Branch of that Solemn Vow which we make to God for Observation of their Statutes 13. Now as it is Lawful to Vow strict Observance of outward means either useful for avoiding grosser sins or for repenting for them once committed So God upon diligent and faithful observance of our Vows in these or the like subjects doth not only free us from being led into grievous temptations but so enlargeth our Freedom of Will in other Points that by the assistance of his Gracious Providence we gain some Power over our own desires and affections which before we had not This cannot seem strange in the course of Nature especially if we consider it as subject to Gods Favourable Providence For seeing our carnal appetites or affections are alwayes nourished and strengthened by External Occasions or Opportunities they must needs be starved or weakned by Substraction of this their Nutriment And the weaker they are the better hand the spirit or Conscience gets over them the easier they are to be tamed and nurtured 14. Many men have not the Power to abstain from Dainties when they are set before them or when they are invited to taste them And the more yielding they are to such Invitations the greater Liberty will their Appetites take and leave them lesse Power to abstain from riotous Feasting But until Long Custom hath brought forth a worse disposition then we bring with us from our Cradles it is farr more Free and Easie for us to abstain from Houses of unhallowed Mirth or Good-Fellowship as they are termed then to abstain from those Courses which are usually followed in them after we be once accustomed to them In respect of every Negative Precept or things forbidden it is always More Easie to avoid the First * This is manifest in that Great Example and Champion of Chastity holy Joseph Who durst not stay to struggle for his Garmēt though it cōcerned him highly to have got away that which he knew would be made a Cloke for his Mistresses sin and a Colour of His but hasted and fled Chusing rather to leave behind him a seeming Argument of his Guilt then by longer stay or Reasoning after those two Arguments of Wrong done a Good Master and Sin against a Good God would not disswade to incur a Real Danger of becoming Guilty Even so it is commanded 2 Tim. 2. 22. Fly away from Lust We may and must resist the Devil and fight it out against Him but for Lust the only way is as when the house it on fire Avoidance and Flight Haste away Escape for thy life and Thy Souls Life Look not behind Thee nor stay lest the fire overtake thee and so thou be consumed in the Flame Occasions then to resist insuing Opportunities And the more Careful we are in avoiding First Temptations the more Capable we are as was before intimated of Gods Peculiar Providence to shield us from the assaults of Satan Not that the lesse Abuse of our Free-will in Evil or in avoiding Occasions that lead unto it can Merit any such Favour but the Extream Abuse of such Free-will as we have Exempts us from those Priviledges which Gods Infinite Bounty bestowes on us 15. But let us take a man which hath been so far from avoiding that he hath been alwayes industrious in seeking out Occasions to transgresse a man that by continual entertainment of all Opportunities to sin hath yielded up his soul to many foul and grievous sins What Freedom of Will what choice of means for working Mortification or amendment can be imagined to be left in such a Man shall we say he hath Freedom of Will inter Mala What portion of Freedom is in such as Sin Extreamly This were Destruere Suppositum We will rather suppose him to have so far abused that Free-Will which men naturally have in doing Evil that of Two of Three of Four or more Evils proposed together he would be ready to chuse The Very Worst alwayes prone to imbrace those Opportunities with greatest speed which lead to greatest mischiefs One Cui e malis id maximè placet quod est maximum Is there any Method or place for medicine to this disease The wicked saith the Prophet are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Esay 57. 20 21. Now as the most dangerous and turbulent seas do not rage when the winds are calm So neither do the wicked some out their shame when Actual Temptations or provocations cease And in as much as Occasions and Opportunities do not at all times
present themselves Even he that hath no power to resist the least temptation that offers it self nor Freedom of Will to refuse the greatest Evil and chuse the least when both are actually proffered may in the Cessation of Actual Temptations Reflect upon his former Acts and take a survey of his life past especially if he be thereto occasioned or perswaded by a discreet Admonitor one that will not affright him with the Marks of Reprobation The first Branch of Freedom or rather the very root of Free-Will in every Reasonable Creature is seated in this Power of Reflexion upon its own Acts. This is the First Point or Property wherein Reason doth exceed Sense Now he that hath but this Branch of Freedom to Calculate his former Acts hath with it a Power to Charge his Soul with the heavy burthen of his sins The Conscience will alwayes be ready in quiet thoughts to accuse the Flesh and urge the Soul to bear Testimony against it And the soul or Conscience once brought to loath or dislike some special sins is thereby made more Free apt to bewail all other sins whatsoever whether Actual or Original Unlesse David had been throughly stung with the Conscience of murther or Adultery that sweet Confession had never found such perfect vent as it did Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Psal 51. 5. Every Creature on whom the Creator hath bestowed any sense or feeling of pain or pleasure hath Power to imploy some motive Faculty for avoiding things grievous or hurtful or for attaining things pleasant and useful for bettering their present Estate And if man have any sense or feeling of his heavy burthen he cannot but in some sort or other desire to be released from it Upon this Principle is that Exhortation of our Saviour Grounded Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will ease you Mat. 11. 28. 16. So then albeit there be a true Freedom of Will in all the sons of Adam which are not utterly or finally forsaken of God yet is not this Freedom the same in all neither in respect of its Objects or Acts nor in respect of its Degrees or Strength Some have a Competent Measure of Liberty to avoid Occasions or external Motives to known sins but either no portion of like Liberty or a very Little One to resist such temptations to foul sins as come upon them unexpectedly Others have a Competent Measure of like Freedom to resist Temptations or Opportunities to grosse sins but little or none at all to bewaile their natural misery or to beat down their inbred Pride by Contemplation of Sin Original or by Reflecting upon sins of Omission or Positive Acts of ordinary Transgression Others again which had deprived themselves of all Freedom for avoiding Occasions or resisting Temptations to certain sins have a Larger measure of Freedom then others have to be humbled under Gods Mighty Hand which is in Order the First and by disposition of the Divine Providence the most Available means for attaining Mortification which must be the Subject of the next Discourse wherein I must follow my Method proposed to wit To discusse the true meaning of those Scriptures wherein the Difficulties or Questions Concerning this Duty are properly seated To begin with that of our Apostle Rom 8. 12. SECT V. Of the Great Duty of Mortification And of the Vse of Free-Will for performing it CHAP. XXVIII Of the General Contents which concern the Duty of Mortification And which be the Special Works of the Flesh we are to Mortifie ROM Chap. 8. Vers 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Vers 12. Therefore Brethren we are Debters not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Vers 13. For if ye Live after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit do Mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 1. A brief Paraphrase upon Rom. 8. 12 c. THis Portion of Scripture is more fit to ground the Connexion of what goeth before or cometh after it from the beginning of this 8 th Chapter unto the end then to receive any Bounds or Limitation which it is capable of from any Reference to other Passages either for the plain and full Grammatical or for the Moral and Theological Sense The Grammatical Construction of the 12 th verse though for so much as some of our Modern Translations suggest unto us it afford but One Proposition and that a Negative We are debters not to the flesh yet according to the Original Character or full Construction it contains Two Emphatical Propositions the One Affirmative the Other Negative The Affirmative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Debters we are and Debters for a greater Sum then all Mankinds either Real or Personal Estates in this world are able to discharge The Negative Debters we are in no wise either in whole or part unto the Flesh unto which we owe nothing besides Revenge or Mortification of It that is by delivering it up Captive to the Spirit unto whom we owe more then our temporal Estate here on Earth our very Souls The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full Declaration of both Propositions follows vers 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die this is the unsupportable debt which the flesh hath brought and seeks to bring upon us But if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall Live for ever This is a greater Boon then we can deserve as much as we can desire more then we can make any part of requital for it 2. For stating Cases of Conscience not for dealing betwixt man and man but but betwixt the Judge of Quick and Dead and our own Souls I know no portion of Scripture whether in the Old or New Testament of better or more frequent Use then This 13 th verse Let such as are so minded maintain Tenents already set on Foot or multiply Questions to the worlds End about the Certainty of their Personal Estate in Grace or Final Salvation or bestow their Marks and Tokens whether of Absolute Election or Reprobation as they please yet unto honest hearted Christians or such as desire so to be there can be no Sign or token of Salvation either Firmer in its self or more Certain to them then the right Computation of their constant Progresse in the Mortifying of the Flesh by the Spirit The First Question or Examination of our Progresse in this Duty is to know What be the deeds of the Flesh or Body which we are to Mortifie And How far we are to mortifie them The Second How the flesh is Mortified by us How by the Spirit The Third which happily will intermingle it self here and there with the first and second Quaeries is The Limitation of these Two Propositions
that he may instruct him But we have the mind of Christ When He saith WEE have the mind of Christ he includeth ALL such as He was that is All Men truely Regenerated by the Spirit whom God hath instructed to discern the things of God By The Mind of Christ the Apostle meaneth the self same thing that he did by the Spirit of God Between the mind of Christ communicated unto us and the Spirit of God communicated unto Us and received by Us there is no difference or distinction The importance of both Speeches is the same Our mind being Changed from Evill to Good or from minding of Carnal things to the minding of Spiritual things is called The mind of Christ by Participation so likewise The Spirit of God by Participation But the Spirit of God which communicates this Mind or Spirit unto us or by which we are said to receive it hath not alwayes the same Importance Between the Importances there is no Dissention yet a Distinction Sometimes by the Spirit of God God the Spirit or God the Holy Ghost is meant who in a peculiar manner is said to sanctifie Us to Regenerate Us to Quicken Us to work Mortification in Us. Sometimes again by the Spirit of God is meant The Spirit which is in Christ which is the Fountain from whence all gifts of the Spirit are immediatly derived unto us though the derivation be immediately wrought by the Holy Ghost And when the Apostle saith that we have the mind of Christ this Mind of Christ which we have received supposeth a Mind or Spirit in Christ which participates it unto us or from which we receive it by Participation We may not imagine a Transmigration or Transmission of the Spirit which is in Christ from Him to Us but a Participation only God hath anoynted him with the Oyle of gladnesse above his Fellowes God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him From the fulnesse of this Spirit in him we receive Grace for Grace Albeit this Grace be distributed or Portioned out unto Us by the Holy Ghost Christ sends the Spirit of Mortification or Regeneration into our hearts as the Fountain or Conduit head doth the water into a Citie The Holy Ghost prepares our hearts to receive this Spirit of Christ and brings it unto Us after such a manner as He that makes the Aquaeducts or Conduit pipes doth convey water into a Town or Citie otherwise destitute of good water 6. But what doth the Apostle mean by the Spirit of man as it is Contradistinct or opposite to the Spirit of God the whole Reasonable Soul or Form of man by which he is distinguished from other Creatures Or some principal part which hath least commixture with the Flesh or Body that which we commonly call the Conscience This part of the Soul even in the unregenerate man oft times disallowes such things as are entertained by the Reasonable Soul and condemnes such Actions as are undertaken by Reason and mannaged with Extraordinary understanding When the Gentiles saith our Apostle do by Nature the things contained in the Law they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their CONSCIENCE also bearing witness and their thoughts accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 2. 14. 15. In this Accusation or Processe in the very Heathen there is a Combate or Conflict between the Spirit and the Flesh or between the Mind and the Affections 7. But may not the same part or Facultie of the Reasonable Soul disallow or Condemn at one Time the self same things which at another time it well approves If it may there is no Necessitie of Distinction between the Soul and the Spirit But if there be any Conflict between Reason it self and the Spirit at one and the same time there must needs be a Distinction betwixt them Now it seemes that even whilst the Reasonable Soul doth contrive mischief or give her Consent to things unjust or unexpedient whilst it Hatcheth Haeresie the Conscience doth secretly check it and endeavour to restrain it And this Conscience could not do unlesse it were in some sort distinct from that Reasonable part or Facultie of the Soul which is indued with Freedome of Will For there can be no Conflict but between two different Parties or Capacities 8. This is most Consequent to Plato's Philosophie and to true Theologie For as the Platonicks distinguish between the Soul and the Mind So our Apostle distinguisheth between the Soul of man and the Spirit of Man 1. Thess The Spirit of man is not said to be mortified but Quickened by the Spirit of God 5. 23. And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Our Sanctification is not entire or universal in respect of the Parts universal it cannot be in respect of all Degrees untill the Soul as well as the Spirit untill the Body as well as the Soul be thus Sanctified as our Apostle wisheth Every part of man must be in Part or in some good measure Sanctified But before this entire or whole Sanctification can be wrought there must be a Mortification of the Body or of the Flesh and under The Flesh as hath been observed before The Reasonable Soul with its best Faculties is usually comprehended by our Apostle Howbeit we do not read of any Mortification of the Spirit but of Renovation Vivification or Quickening of it 9. What shall we say then That the Spirit or conscience of man is altogether free from the Contagion of the Flesh that it stands in no need of Mortification 1. Cor. 8. 7. St. Paul tells us of some men whose Conscience being Weak is defiled But the Conscience in his Language perhaps is not altogether the same with the Spirit But the Synteresis in all likelyhood is And again He tells us that there be men of Corrupt minds and destitute of the truth which suppose that Gain is Godliness 1. Tim 6. 5. And we read of a Soundnesse of mind 2. Tim. 1. 7. But that defilement or corruption of the Spirit or mind Seemes by our Apostle not to be Ordinary However the mind or Conscience may be polluted by the Contagion of the Flesh yet are they not so radically polluted as the Flesh is The Flesh is the seat of the disease The Idiopathy as Physitians speak is in The Soul the Sympathy only in the Spirit or Conscience So that if the deeds of the Flesh be mortified there needs no peculiar Cure or Mortification of the Spirit So it falls out in diseases of the Bodie If the Protopathie be cured the Sympathy will fall of it self As many are vexed oft times with great Aches or pains in the Head Some with Fitts of the Epilepsie or Falling-Sicknesse when as the root of the disease is in the Stomack In these Cases there needs no peculiar Physick for the Head But cure the Stomack and the Head
And many Naturall men as a * I think he means Plinie Junior in that excellent 26. Epistle Lib. 7. See the note in the end of Ch. 36. Heathen confesseth being thus visited first begin seriously to think themselves but men subject to miserie and Mortalitie and that there is a God or Divine Power which is the Author and Giver of Life Others are prone to incurre danger of death by abundance of Wealth which the more it abounds the more it commonly increaseth the disease For Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia Crescit As money or wealth increaseth so ordinarily the Love of it increaseth And these God oft times in mercie visiteth with losse of Goods or with some other Crosse or Affliction which either deprives them of opportunities or deterres from the means of increasing wealth And this is a part of the Cure or a preparation to it and is usually wrought by Contraries Others are prone to incurre hardnesse of heart by Pride and overprizing of themselves And these God oft times visits with Disgrace with Contempt or Scorn of Others Now the Rule is General That if the Parties thus visited or cured in Part by Contraries duly compare their Visitation with their sinnes ☜ which in Justice have procured it the Spirit gets great advantage of the Flesh and is more capable and sensible of the Motions or Impulsions of Gods Spirit Howbeit man himselfe and the Spirit of man in this first Cure or Part of Mortification is meerly Passive And it is wel if by often ruminating or Reflecting upon what hath befallen him by the Providence of God and by the sense or feeling of the impulsions of His Spirit he can content himself to be meerely Passive or a Towardly Patient in the next Degrees of his Mortification or Conversion which are stil wrought by the Spirit of God as by the Agent or efficient Cause 4. From these Observations the Resolution of the Former Question so farre as it concerns the Man unregenerate is Easie and perspicuous The Question was How this Mortification is wrought by the Spirit of God which is without us but alwayes assisting us How by the Spirit of Man or by the Spirit which is in Man though partaker of the Spirit of God The Answer is So much of the Cure as is wrought is wrought by the Spirit of God as Present to man but not in Man as by the only Agent or Efficient Cause For that is the Efficient which begins and continues the motion The same Cure is wrought by the Spirit which is in Man as by the Immediate and Formal Contrarie that is it is Formally wrought by the Spirit which is in Man as by an Agent per Emanationem as it it moved by the Spirit of God So the Native Cold is expelled out of the water by the Fire as by the only Agent or Efficient And yet the same Cold is immediatly and Formally expelled by the Heat which the fire produceth in the water as by a Formal and Incompatible Contrary The only End or immediate Effect at which every Natural Agent directly aymes is the Assimilation of the Subject whereon it works unto it selfe And this Assimilation is wrought by introducing the like qualitie in the Subject unto that by which the Agent or Efficient worketh As the first thing which the Fire seeks to Effect is to produce Heat in the Water but the heat once produced expels the Cold as immediately and as formally as the depression or pulling down one scale lifts up the other The manner how this Mortification is wrought in us by the Spirit of God is the very same The immediate and direct Effect at which it directly aymeth is the Transformation of our Spirit into the similitude of the Spirit of Christ And this consists in the Production or Creation of the Spirit of Grace The Spirit of Grace being produced in us Or our Spirit being touched by the Spirit of Christ as the Steel is by the Adamant Formally expels or abateth the Lust of the Flesh And when the Flesh is thus truly mortified by the Spirit that Sanctification of which the Apostle speakes 1 Thes 5. 23. is wrought in us 5. The first Part of this Cure as was said is wrought by Contraries that is by Freeing the Spirit of the unregenerate Man from the burden of the Flesh which overmasters it or inticeth the Soule to such Practises as the Spirit dislikes And from this Burthen of the Flesh the Spirit of God or his peculiar Providence doth free the Soule or Spirit of Man by laying some one kind or other of Bodily Affliction upon him which is more displeasing to his Nature then the Former Motions of the Flesh were pleasant But the Spirit of Man thus Freed in part from the Burthen of the Flesh wherein it lay smoothered or much oppressed cannot so perfect Mortification begun as Nature freed by Physick from oppressing humours digests the Reliques or remainder and by digesting them recovers health and strength What Advantage then doth accrue unto the Spirit of Man by weakening the Inclinations of the flesh Much every way For the Flesh being thus weakened the Spirit doth hereby become more Towardly Passive then it was before more apt to be moved by the Spirit of God and by such motions more capable of Spirituall Cure Every Motion of our Spirit by the Spirit of God doth abate or weaken the Inclinations of the Flesh and every such Abatement or Degree of weakening the Flesh is a Degree of Mortification 6. These First Degrees of Mortification are commonly wrought by interposed Fits or Motions of the Spirit of Man produced by the Spirit of God The men that are partakers of them have Libertie or Respite in the meane time to Reflect upon them and by thus reflecting upon them or by taking them into serious Consideration are enabled to avoid such External Occasions as strengthen the Inclinations of the flesh and to cut off their Food and Nutriment For albeit the Spirit of man be in the first Cure meerely Passive yet it is not so Passive as stocks and stones or other senselesse Creatures are It hath a true sense or feeling of the Motions put upon it or produced in it by the Spirit of God Nor is the Spirit of man sensible only of such Motions in such sort as Flyes or Gnats or other imperfect sensitive Creatures are of bodily motion that is sensible only for the present without any remembrance of what is past or consideration of the like to come Partly from the Memory of former Motions which have been put upon it Partly from the Representation or Consideration of the like apprehended by it as Possibly Future or approaching the Spirit of Man though it cannot move or expell the inclinations of the Flesh by way of proper Agencie or Efficiencie is yet able so to Countersway them as that they cannot exercise their intended Motions or accomplish their Attempts 7. This is the Apostles
Doctrine Gal. 5. 16 17. This I say then walke in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh He doth not say ye shall not be opposed or assaulted by the lusts of the flesh for as in the next words is included the flesh will still attempt the Execution or Exercise of its Motion For the Flesh saith the Apostle Lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other So that ye cannot do things that ye would That is The Flesh can neither do the things that it intendeth to do nor the Spirit produce those Effects which it wisheth and much desireth no more then Heat can produce its proper Effects when it is overmatched in the same Subject with Cold or then Cold is able to produce the proper effects thereof whilest it is attempered or Counterswayed by Heat Now the Spirit whereof our Apostle speakes in this place is the Spirit of man at least the Spirit which is in man though in part renewed by the Spirit of God For as the Apostle speakes the Flesh and the Spirit here meant are Contrarie And it is the nature of Contraries to be in one and the same Subject And it is the true propertie of Contrarie Inclinations to move and sway upon one and the same Centre or Point of Rest or Dependence Otherwise how strong soever the one Contrary be it could not Countersway nor Counterpoyse the other The Point or Centre whereupon the inclinations of the Flesh and Spirit doe move or sway is the Soule which sometimes inclines more unto the Spirit sometimes more unto the Flesh or Carnall Affections The whole worke of Mortification is but a Putting off the Old man and Putting on the New The more the inclinations of the Flesh are weakened the more apt is the Spirit of Man to be moved impelled or strengthened by the spirit of God And the more apt it is to be moved by the Spirit of God the more easily and Readily will the inclination of the Flesh or Old man be weakened by it So that there is a Continuall Reciprocation betwixt the weakening of the Flesh and the strengthening or renewing of the Spirit In every severall Act or motion of Gods Spirit by which the Spirit in man is renewed or quickened the Spirit of man thus assisted by the Spirit of God gets a Double Advantage of the flesh First it directly weakens the inclinations of the Flesh or old man and by weakening them gains further possession or interest in the Affections wherein the lusts or desires of the flesh were seated Secondly The Spirit of man being revived and quickned by the Spirit of God doth not only Countersway or curbe the Flesh but withall doth Purifie the Soul or the Fountain of the Affections in the next Conflicts useth the Service of the Soule and inferiour Affections to Conquer and expell the Remainder of Carnal desires or Concupiscence or at least doth keep them under that they cannot make head or open rebellion as it were to depose the Spirit of its Soveraigntie after once it hath gotten it Specially if men which have proceeded thus farre in this Conflict be warie and vigilant alwayes remembring that their Greatest strength consists in imploring the assistance of the Spirit of God in waiting His Approach and attending His Motions But let no man think he hath got the victorie over the Flesh or hath performed this Dutie of Mortification as he ought until the Desires or Inclinations of the Flesh be Mortified by the vivification or quickening of the Affections wherein they were seated or until the Spirit Soul of man renevved as hath been said by the Spirit of God have vvon the Soul and Affections unto their side or part CHAP. XXXV Wherein the Accomplishment of Mortification or of Conversion unto God doth properly Consist 1. AFter this Preparative to Mortification thus begun by the Spirit of God or by his Peculiar Providence the whole Cure consists in the Assimilation or Transformation of our Spirit into the similitude or Likenesse of the Spirit of God Some Reliques of the Image of God in man which are not in Divells and this is wrought by the Renewing of Gods Image in us Some Reliques there be of Gods Image in the natural man the like whereof are not in Divells and these are seated in The Spirit or Synteresis Howbeit these in themselves are no better then dead stocks or rootes untill they be revived by the Spirit of God and secret Influence of his Graces but so renewed they naturally diffuse the influence of life into the stemmes or branches The soul and body of the whole man are so quickened by them as the branches or stemmes in the spring time revive by the return of sap from the root Both are quickned and revived by the Spirit of God and by the sweet disposition of his Providence as trees as herbs grasse and other Vegetables are by the Sun by the sweet influence of Heaven and by the moystned Earth whereby the rootes are immediatly cherished 2. This Vivification or renewing of the Spirit in man is immediatly wrought Per Simile As our Animal or Vital Spirits in Swounds are revived by the Spirit of wine or other comfortable water First The Reliques of Gods Image or implanted Rules of Conscience have more immediate Similitude with the Spirit of God or of Christ than the inferior Faculties of the Soul or body have And yet these Reliques of Gods Image or Rules of Conscience being true parts or native branches of the Spirit of man symbolize better with the soul and body of man then this Spirit of God which worketh this Mortification doth So that albeit the Spirit of God or his preventing Grace doth alwayes begin this Mortification without any operation or Co-Agencie of the Spirit of man And albeit the Spirit of man be a Meer Passive in all the Motions by which it self is renewed and quicken'd Yet after it be not only moved but thus touched and quickened by the Spirit of God Actus agit it works not only by Countersway or Renitencie but it diffuseth the influence of Life and Grace which it self receiveth entirely from the Spirit of God throughout the inferiour Faculties of the Soul It takes the place or room of so much of the Lusts of the flesh as it Expells And as well in the Expulsion of the Lusts of the Flesh as in taking possession of the Body wherein they were seated it useth the Soul as the Medium deferens as the Mean at least for communicating life to the Flesh or Body And by this Diffusion of the Spirit of Life or influence of Grace throughout the Faculties or Affections of the Soul the second part or Accomplishment of Mortification is wrought which as was said before consisteth in the Rescuing or winning of the natural Affections from the Flesh unto the Spirit 3. For better understanding the manner how this Accomplishment of
mouth in prayer and make Supplication for his Sins When the Great Lord will he shall be filled with the Spirit of Vnderstanding Eccl. â—9 5. 6. Oh how much better had it been for us to have had our hearts filled with this Spirit the Spirit of Comfort than to have our Dwellings as now they are possessed with Grief and Heaviness and the whole People inraged with Jealousies with Furious Zeal and discontent Now all this is come upon Us for no one Sin more more for this one then for all the rest I mean our negligence in frequenting the House of God at those times or our ill imployment of those vacant times which Authoritie had sequestred and set apart for Solemne Prayer and Thanksgiving 10. Put here the Reader will remember and perhaps Challenge me either of Forgetfulnesse or of Breach of Promise for not discussing the Third General proposed Chapt. 28. Number â—2 which was The exact Limitation of these Two Propositions If ye live after the flesh ye shall die If through the Spirit ye do Mortifie the Deedes of the Body ye shall Live My Apologie must be This That haveing taken some more Paines in this Point then in the rest Concerning Mortification I find the Limitation so inwrapt with the true State of the Question Concerning Election and Reprobation that I cannot touch the One but I must handle the Other and for this Reason have Deferrâ—d not Forgotten See the Appendix at the End of this Book the Determination of the Third Point untill I have finished what I have Long Conceived of the Points Concerning Election Reprobation or Predestination Points as I have often intimated in publick Meditations of more easie and facil Resolution then most other Controversies in Divinitie if so we would take these Termes Election Reprobation c. as we ought to do in their Passive or Concrete Sense But if we take them in the Active or Abstract Sense or as they are Acts in God their Determination is to Mankind even to General Councils altogether Impossible yea to Attempt this work is either an undoubted Spice of Phrenetical Pride or an infallible Symptom of Divine Infatuation CHAP. XXXVI Containing the Scope or Summe of what hath been said Concerning Free-Will and the Service of it in the Dutie of Mortification 1. Needlesse Speculations about Free-will c. Chief Occasions of our Negligence in Good Practises THe utmost Ayme or Final Cause of all these former Discussions was to make them an Introduction unto the Second part of the Knowledge of Christ and of him Crucified and of his Resurrection from the dead and Sitting at the right hand of the Father that is in a word How he doth set us Free Indeed from the Servitude of sin and Satan The Second End and most immediatly subordinate to this purpose was to provoke or rouz up our spirits to shake off that slumber which hath possessed a great part of the Christian World specially since those Vnfortunate Controversies betwixt the Jesuits and Dominicans and the like betwixt the Lutherans and the Zwinglians or Calvinists set forth of late in a new dress between the Arminians and the Gomarists have so contentiously been debated The only Issue of which debates amongst the Learned hath been to bring their Auditors or Readers to a Gaze or Stand and to Cause them to make a Sinister use of that Maxim in Law Lite pendente nihil fit whilst the ☜ Controversie has been under debate nothing has been done even in Duties most necessary to their Salvation Both Parties how great soever the disagreement betwixt them hath been have agreed too well in this Resolution aut otiosos esse aut quod pejus est nihil agere either to be altogether Idle or which is worse to take a great deale of paines to no purpose in reading much and resolving to do nothing untill the Controversie betwixt Grace and Nature were fully determined and the Bounds or Meere-Stones betwixt Gods Part and Mans Part be set forth that we might Punctually know what he is willing or would be pleased to do and what we may and ought to do for working out our own Salvation or for being made Free Indeed by the son of God 2. The Points useful for clearing this business are but Two And both of them have been handled before The Summe of the Former in Brief was this What Freedome of will may be conceived Compatible with absolute Servitude to sin and Satan The Answer in Brief * was This See chapt 24. That without some Portion of Free-Will even in the natural and unregenerate man all the Admonitions Given by our Saviour in the 8 th of St. Johns Gospel unto the Jewes or afterwards by his Apostles to both Jewes and Gentiles had been much better bestowed on Bruit Beasts whether wilde or tame nay even upon stocks and stones then upon men For the true reason why Bruit Beasts or other Creatures cannot be Servants is because they are not endowed with Reason or which is all one with some Free-Will Everie Civil Servant or Slave hath as Free a Will as his Master hath Sometimes a great * See the notes at the end of this Chapt. deal more Free The Essential Difference betwixt them is this That a Servant hath no Liberum Arbitrium no power or Arbitrement to dispose of his own Actions or imployments according to his own Free-Will or choyce but according to the Free-Will or appointment of his Master Briefly and more Punctually thus It were impossible there should be any such Servum Arbitrium or true Servitude unto sin as Luther contended for where there is not Libera Voluntas such Freedome of Will as we now treat of And this was all that Erasmus did conclude or I take it did intend to make good against him It was an oversight in Luther and in most of his Followers Learned Chemnitius only excepted not to distinguish inter Liberum Arbitrium Liberam Voluntatem Vid. Chem. Comm. in Melan. de Libero Arbit Sive ut Chemnitius agnoscit Luculentiorem esse Titulum de Viribus Humanis 3. The Second usefull Point is to know What Branch of Free-Will either the Natural man before he come to profess Christianity or Christian Children Baptized are bound in the first place to exercise To this The Answer is easie and hath alreadie been given before * Chapt. 25. ch 29. That every Christian Child or other Capable of being Catechized are in the first place bound to exercise that part of Free will whereby mankind is radically and primarily distinguished from bruit beasts that is the Freedom or power of Reflecting upon their own thoughts or Actions or upon Others advice or Counsel for casting off the yoke of Servitude to sin Now the greater Impotencie or want of Power any man finds in himself to sett himself Free or to do well the greater Opportunitie and better Motives he hath to beseech God and the Son of God our
had suffered the Divel to deface Gods work in him and to instamp his own image upon him No son of Adam could have been born the Child of wrath unlesse this work and Image of Satan had been propagated unto him by inheritance from his Father Adam Now if to be the Son of Wrath in the lowest degree presuppose some work of Satan the estate or Condition of Reprobation alwaies includeth or presupposeth a greater measure of Satans works and unto this work not unto mens Persons or Individuall Natures is the Irrevocable Sentence of Reprobation awarded 13. To be the Son of God includeth or presupposeth more then the meer Nature essence or Individual Substance of man What more doth it Include It alwayes includes some work of God wrought in the Nature either as an Emanant Effect or Resultance of his Creation or some work of God produced in man after his Birth Conception or Creation Adam by Creation was the Son of God because he was created just and good And albeit there were not two Creations One of Adams Nature Another of his Righteousnesse Yet was his Righteousness a thing Distinct from his Nature Otherwise Adam by his Fall had not ceased to be the Son of God For after his Fall he remained the same man he was for Nature and Substance but not the same man he was for Quality It was then his First Qualification to wit his Righteousness by which he was made the Son of God and it was the losse of this Qualification which made him the Son of wrath His Nature or substance was no part of the Object of the Divine Decree not Capable either of Reward or Punishment but according to the Two former Qualifications In every Son of Adam which in time becomes the Son of God there must be a Creation or new production of Righteousness by the birth of the Spirit besides his birth or Conception natural by which he becomes a man In every Elect Person there must be a Greater work of God a greater measure of Regeneration or of new birth then that by which he is first made the Son of God And this Measare of Righteousness or of Regeneration is the Immediate and Formal Object of the Eternal Decree or of that Eternal Rule of Divine Mercy or bounty by which the Immutable Estate of Election or of Grace is awarded Election and Reprsbation look upon Qualifications The Point then is clear as the Sun That neither the Decree of Election or Reprobation are terminated to the Nature or Individual Substance of men without respect or relation to their works or Qualifications The works of Satan are Essentially and formally included in the Object of Reprobation the Works of 〈◊〉 to be wrought in man not for man only are Essentially and Formally included in the Object of absolute election 14. That which the Authors or Favourers of the Contrary Opinion I am perswaded would have said or should in reason say for Their absolute election or Reprobation is only This That albeit the works of God be essentially included in the Object of the eternal election as the works of Satan are in the Object of eternall Reprobation yet God did so absolutely Decree to work these works which are required to the Object of election that it was Necessary from eternity they should be wrought in all the Vessels of election And that he did from eternity so Absolutely Decree to suffer Satan to work those works which are included in the Object of Reprobation or those works which makes men Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction that this Qualification or Temper could not possibly be avoided This indeed is One of the Two main Questions which only ought seriously to be discussed between the Arminians and their Opposites all the rest are but Word-Bates or Verbal Quarrels arising from ambiguous or Unscholastick expressions of their Opinions or Conceipts The First Question is already discussed and is Whether men in this life ordinarily do or may attain unto an Immutable estate of Grace that is whether their election untill the hour of death be Absolute or but Conditional The Second which now remains to be discussed is Whether this Absolute estate of election or Reprobation during the time of this life being granted the attaining unto the one estate or falling into the other be from eternity Necessary so Necessary that no man which hath fallen or shall fall into the Absolute estate of Reprobation hath had or hath any Possibility to avoid his Fall Or again whether every man that now is in the Absolute Estate of Election were so destinated to the same Estate from Eternity that no Occurrences Possible could prevent it If the Arminians would yeild to the Church of England in the Former I think no true Member of the Church of England would much dissent from them in the Latter which may be expressed in Termes perhaps more Perspicuous Thus Whether God in his Foresight of all mens Natures did set apart or designe some Individuall essences or Natures with purpose to frame and fit them to be Vessels of Honour without Possibility left for them to frame themselves to be Vessels of dishonour And whether he did by the same Foresight or Inspection set apart or design Other indiviaual Natures or Substances to be Vessels of wrath or dishonour without any Purpose or Will to frame or Fashion them to be Vessels of election To discusse both Questions first in Thest then in Hypothesi that is First whether Election it self were Absolutely Necessary from eternity Secondly Whether the Election of this or that man were Absolutely Necessary from the hour of his birth or conception or rather begins to be Necessary from his progress in Grace or from his Plenary and full Conversion unto God which sometimes and in some men is not accomplished before the hour of death 15. No mans Election or designment to the Immutable state of Grace can be more Necessary from eternity then his Reconciliation is No mans Reconciliation unto God the Father can be more Necessary from eternity A Sorites then his Interest is in the Pardon purchased by the Son of God No mans Interest in this Pardon can be from eternity more Necessary then was the death of the Son of God The death of the Son of God was no more Necessary from eternity then the Fall of Adam was The Fall of Adam neither was nor could be from eternity more necessary then the First sin or Transgression was The Consequences of these Truths are most necessary most immediate If Adam had not Transgressed Gods Commandement he had not fallen into the State of Gods Wrath and curse If Adam had not fallen into Gods Wrath or curse the Son of God had not become accursed had not dyed If the Son of God had not dyed for us our Pardon had not been purchased If our Pardon had not been purchased there had been no Reconciliation of mankind unto God the Father If there had been no
heirs not therefore in the estate of absolute election because they are in the estate of the sons of God or heirs with Christ by Baptism For many whom God hath graciously accepted for his sons many who during the time of their Infancy have enjoyed the estate or Priviledge of the sons of God may in riper years turn Prodigal sons and disinherit themselves and none can be disinherited but he that hath been in the estate or Condition of an Heire or untill with Esau he have sold his birth-right Both parts of this Assertion That all that are Baptized in their Infancy become the Sons of God and during their Infancy do live to God 2. That Sin even in such may revive and wound some grievously others mortally are included in our Apostles dispute Rom. 7. 9. I was once alive saith the Apostle without the Law but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed Doth he speak this of himself only or of all men without exception or restraint that were without the Law Not Absolutely of all Men that were without the Law for so the Gentiles which were not under the Law which knew not God nor his Lawes should have been so alive as the Apostle there saith he sometimes was because they were more without the Law then he at any time was Nor doth he speake this of himself alone but of all such as he was That is of all such and only such as were the Seed of Abraham and had been circumcised the 8 th day and by Circumcision became under the Law though for the present without the Law So that as Baptism now so circumcision then did free the Children of Abraham from the curse of the Law did Translate them from the estate or Condition of the Sons of wrath to the Condition or Priviledge of the Sons of God But did the Apostle or his brethren which were made alive by Circumcision in their Infancy continue in the same estate of Life untill their mortal Lives end No The Apostle expresly adds But when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed So that sin before the Commandement came was dead and revived when the Law came And the Apostle before the same point of time was alive but then dyed When then did the commandement come which by its coming did bring life to sin and death to this our Apostle and such as he was It is an Observation of very good Vse which S. Basil hath to this purpose in his Comment upon the first Psalm See S. Basil's words at the End of this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When our Reason comes once to ripeness or perfection That is fulfilled which is written Adveniente mandato revixit Peccatum when the Commandement comes Sin revives For when such as have submitted themselves to the Law of God come to the use of Reason or to take their Estate into Consideration they begin to examine their Consciences by the Law of God and sin which was before Inherent though quiet being called in Question grows desperate and rebellious against the Law by which it is examined against the Judge which condemns it against the Party which calls it in Question The Extract as well of our Apostles speech as of S. Basils Observation upon it confirms the Truth Chap. 29. n. 5. which was before delivered in the Treatise of Mortification That the same measure of Regeneration which sufficeth during the time of Infancy or Childhood sufficeth not to save the same Parties when they come to Use of Reason or Consideration for then the Commandement comes upon us a Commandement to Mortifie the deeds of the Flesh by the Spirit to enter the Lists or Combate with sin reviving in us which will certainly kill us unless we mortifie it as it reviveth in us or quell it as it rebells against us So that the estate or Condition of such as have been baptized after once they come to the use of Reason is an estate different from their estate in their Infancy or Childhood an estate likewise different ordinarily from the Absolute estate of Election But of this estate and of our Christian demeanour in it I shall now only say thus much in Generall This Mortification of the Flesh which our Apostle injoynes Rom. 8. 13. is that Reasonaâ—le Service which the same Apostle requires Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your Reasonable Service But why a Reasonable Service In opposition to the Service of the Law which did consist in the Sacrifice of Buls and Goats and other Reasonless Creatures which yet were offered by the holy men of God in Testification of their Faith or Expectation of the promised Messias This Reasonable Service or Mortification of the Flesh must be performed by us in Testification of our Beliefe that he hath accomplished the Sacrifices of the Law by the Sacrifice of himself Again this sacrifice or offering of Our selves that is of Mortifying our Brutish or unreasonable affections by the Spirit Aurum Thus Myrrham Regique Hominique Deoque says Juvencus an old Poet and Father that lived An. xii 330. is a great deal more acceptable to God then the offerings which the three Kings or Wise men offered unto our Saviour Jesus Christ They offered Gold Myrrhe and Frankincense in testimony or acknowledgement that the child then born was the King of the Jews But in as much as we know that we are not redeemed with silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish we cannot either Symbolize with the Sacrifice of our High Priest or attain to that live Sympathie with him by the offering of silver gold or any other kind of offering besides the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit If as He offred himself by the eternall Spirit to God the Father for us So we again offer up our selves to him by Mortifying our earthly man by the Spirit then his Bloud as the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 14. shall throughly purge our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God and finally cleanse us from all our sins Unto this Reasonable service or offering up of our selves We were consecrated by Baptism This was a Sermon preacht upon the Epiphanie as I take it and bound by solemn vow then made and if we continue constant in performing this Vow after we come to riper years we shall continue in the state or Condition of the Sons of God which we had by Baptism and by continuance or Progress in this estate we shall arrive at the Immutable state of grace or absolute election For the end of the Son of Gods appearance or manifestation was that he might thus lead us on from strength to strength untill we appear before our God in Sion The Doctrine of Mortification and the consequences thereof were it thus Taught and Laid to the
Consciences of Christian People as a main Part of their Baptismal Vow and pressed home as a Duty that concernd their everlasting Salvation would by Gods Blessing be likely to prove fruitfull as indeed it is usefull For somewhat to enlarge that which hath been Toucht on The use of the former Doct. to condemn sloth to prevent presumption and despair in the foregoing Chapter this may be more particularly considered First It leaves Sloth and Negligence in this Good Dutie of so high Concernment clean without excuse Secondly Being rightly applyed it serves as an Antidote both against Presumption and Despair 20. There is no way to make a Coward Hardie or Resolute in sight but by putting him upon some manifest exigent or apparent Necessity either of killing his Adversary or of being killed by him So long as there is hope to escape by Flight or Non-appearance it is a matter almost impossible to make a Timorous spirit try his strength or ability The foes or enemies with whom we are here enjoyned to fight are our own Bodies or our own Flesh which still fighteth against our soules from whose assaults there is no possibility of flight There is an apparent Necessity layd upon us either of killing the Deeds of the Body or of being more then killed by them For if we Live after the flesh or suffer the works of the Flesh or deeds of the Body to live or raign in us we shall dye the death of the Soul Did we truly apprehend the Necessity of this choyce how were it possible for us to deferre this Conflict with our own flesh for one Moment 21. Some not withstanding there be which see in part this necessity of dying by living after the flesh and yet submit their Wills and Affections unto the desires and lusts of the Flesh as Men Condemned by Law do their Bodies to the Officers of Justice or Executioners This These poor souls do Some out of Conscience because they hold it unlawfull to resist Authority Some out of weaknesse as being not able to prevail if they should struggle with Authority But neither of these Motives can have place in the former Case For First the Conflict or Resistance of the Flesh is not only Lawful but necessary so necessary that if after our promise in Baptism and participation of the word and Sacraments we neglect the undertaking of this warre with our own bodies we are in the same case that Souldiers are which after they have received Presse-money and good pay run from their Colours We justly incurre the Sentence of everlasting death by not seeking to put the Deeds of this mortal Body to death We become perpetuall slaves to Satan by refusing to fight with sin which is Christs enemy and Satans Agent 22. Nor can we pretend that our endeavours to mortifie the Deeds of the Body are hopeless or vain because we are not able of our selves to think a good thought much less to give good success to our best endeavours For the Apostle as you heard before enjoynes us to work out our Salvation with feare and trembling that is as men afraid to be idle or slothfull for a moment even for this Reason Because it is God that worketh in us both the Will and the deed And though the same Apostle hath elsewhere said That it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy yet it is a Generall Rule in Divinity Finis dicendorum est ratio dictorum our Apostles speech must be taken from the end or General Scope at which he aimed To what end then doth our Apostle give us the former or like Rule To the end that we should not will or desire our Mortification nor run with alacrity towards the Goal which in every Epistle he sets Before us to wit the Mortification of the Flesh and life of the Spirit or rather to kindle our desires to work and stir up our alacrity in working yet so as we still rely not upon our works or indeavours but meerly upon the Good will and mercy of our God He that saith See Chapt. 41. 42. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy did never say that it was not the Good Will or Pleasure of God to shew Mercy unto all that abandoning all other wayes run with what speed and alacrity they can unto his Mercy He that saith God will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth did never say that it was Gods Will to harden any which deny themselves and their own doings and wholly betake themselves to his Infinite Goodness His meaning sure in that place is that as God will have mercy on none that seek salvation by works or other prerogatives of the flesh so he wil harden none that put their confidence not it their works but in his mercy 23. The Summe of all that can in this Point be said is That no man can be partaker of the promise of Life but he that faithfully seeks for Mercy in Christ Jesus And no man can faithfully seek for mercy in Christ but he that sincerely renounceth his own works and merits And no man can sincerely and truly renounce his own works and merits but he that is industrious and laborious in these works of Mortification here enjoyned Hypocrites and ungodly persons will be ready in the day of Tryall to deny all hopes of salvation by works Chapt. 36. or confidence in merits But as was intimated before No man can be truly said to renounce those good works paragr 7. which he hath left undone but those works which he hath done No man can truly deny himself but he that exerciseth himself in these works of Mortification We cannot possibly know our own Impotency or want of strength to perform these works of Mortification as we ought unless we make proof or triall of our strength in working them as we can The more we try our strength the more insufficient shall we find our selves and the better Experience we have of our own Insufficiency the more earnestly will we if we do as we ought for our own good crave the assistance of Gods Spirit the more Faithfully will we rely on Christ who is our strength and the Rock of our Salvation and so not presume 24. Again The former Doctrine is useful to prevent Despair in the dayes of Temptation Albeit we find our Transgressions of this precept to be great and many Our Apostle saith not If ye have lived after the flesh ye shall dye for so no flesh should be saved But his words are if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye If any man find his Conscience burdened with an heavy load of the works of the Flesh let him not take the frights no nor the Scarres of Conscience wounded by sins past or the impressions by sin present as undoubted marks of Reprobation yet let him call to
or more then a Prophet which should work great wonders for the good of the Hebrews or Israelites his kinsmen according to the flesh which could not be effected Rebus sic stantibus As the case stood then without dangerous prejudice to the Egyptians Upon the like jealousie occasioned by more then a publick Fame an Authentick Prenotion That there should about the latter end of Herods raign arise A Star in Jacob a true King of the Jews the bloodie Tyrant caused all the Males of Judah and Benjamin about Bethlehem which were under two years to be cruelly murthered and yet left the true King of the Jews the Heir of David the Flower of Jesse and Hope of Israel untouched The Second Circumstance or remarkable similitude between Jesus and Moses was this Moses after the first cruel Pharaohs death was commanded by God to return into Egypt his native soil upon assurance given him that they were dead that sought his life Joseph is warned in a dream or Divine vision by night to return with Jesus and his Mother out of Egypt into the land of Israel Because they were dead that sought the young childs life to wit Herod and his Complices Mat. 2. 20. But my aim in this place of which I hope I have not fallen much wide or short was to set the Parallel aright between the Induration or Infatuation of the Egyptians in Moses his dayes and the Excaecation of the Jews after their contempt of our Saviours miracles and more then Prophetical Monitions The Kalender made by the learned Author of the Book of Wisdom for the opposite Fates or Destinies of the Egyptians and of the Iews began in his own time and shortly after our Saviours Resurrection to be out of Date and more then so quite inverted Versâ tabulâ currebant qui modò stabant the Lot or destinie which this good Author assigned unto the ungodly Egyptians did fall upon his Presumed Holy Ones the Iews his Countrey-men Vnto these the destroyer gave Place and was afraid of them for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath But as for the ungodly wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end for he knew before what they would do Wisd 18. 25. and 19. 1. of the Jews saith St. Paul They please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost or to the end The Author of the Book of Wisdom Whosoever he were Philo or some other did slide or draw himself into a Twofold error only by overstretching two undoubted Canonical Truths He had rightly observed that as the Canaanites so the Egyptians were an accursed seed from the beginning as being the Off-spring of Cham and that the children of Israel were a seed two waies blessed as being the Progenie of Sem and of faithfull Abraham Wherein then did he erre or fail in his Collections First in that he presumed the curse derived from their Father Cham should be perpetually upon the Egyptians Secondly that the blessing derived from Sem and Abraham unto their seed should be absolutely everlasting Our Apostle St. Paul partly by Observation but especially by the Spirit of Prophesie did know or fore-see that the Seed of Sem and of Abraham should fall into a greater measure of Induration to continue for a longer time then that which had befallen the Seed of Cham or the Egyptians Yet did he not hence Collect or occasion us to think that this curse upon his Countrey-men the Iews should be either universal or perpetual but to continue only untill the Fulness of the Gentiles were come in Neither doth he intimate that this blessing upon the Gentiles Rom. 11. 11. specially the sons of Japhet which were heires in Reversion unto the Blessing bestowed upon Sem should continue unto the worlds end but rather to determine with the recalling of the Jews whose Restauration it is Probable shall be wrought or occasioned by the Infatuation or Obduration of the Gentiles which through their ingratitude and contempt is likely to become more grievous then the Induration either of the Egyptians in Moses dayes or of the Jews after our Saviours death ☜ 27. If we would look upon the Face of Christendom at this Instant How small a Portion of it shall we find not either besmeared with its own blood or disfigured with wounds and scarrs or other like signs of more then Jewish Infatuation and which is of all the rest the most Ominous Praesage or Symtom the hearts of most Princes and States-men are so addicted to their own Politick Resolutions that if Gods true Embassadors though Prophets raised for this purpose from the dead should take upon them to forewarn them as boldly as Moses did Pharaoh to submit themselves unto The Lord they should find more harsh entertainment in ordinary Assemblies then Moses did in Pharaohs Court as bad as our Saviours Apostles and Disciples found in Jerusalem or in Jewish Synagogues The best excuse or Apologie which best Divines or Preachers of the Gospel throughout most Christian or other Nations can make for their backwardness or want of boldness to deliver Gods Message unto greatest Princes or other States-men will be this That seeing the Spirit of Prophecie is now taken from them they may not take upon them to use the boldnesse or animositie which Moses and Aaron and other ancient Prophets did even in the Presence of greatest Princes One duty notwithstanding the Ministers of the Gospel or Christs Embassadors may duly practise without danger in the middest of this perverse and crooked Generation in every State and Kingdom a duty which we of this Church and Kingdom are specially bound to perform that is to pray and intreat the same God and Lord Iesus Christ which hardened King Pharaohs heart to remove his Plagues from all Christian Kings and States-men as also from Turkish Mahumetan or heathenish Princes and to use these and the like Parts following of our English Letanie or Liturgie more then thrice a week as we are injoyned twice at least every day evening and morning either in our Publick or private Devotions From all blindness of heart from pride vain-glorie and hypocrisie from envie hatred and malice and all uncharitablenesse c. From hardnesse of heart and contempt of thy word and commandements Good Lord deliver not only all Christians Kings but even such Kings as Pharaoh was by Profession and take from all Iews Turks infidels and Hereticks all ignorance hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and make us all One Flock under One Shepherd Jesus Christ the great Bishop and Shepherd of our Soules Amen CHAP. XLI SALVATION ONLY FROM GODS GRACE Or An Exposition of Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy THese words as every
of the division should exhaust the whole or integrum divided As if a Geographer should say Of the inhabitants of the earth some are seated on this side the Line others beyond it This Division is not formal nor so exact as is required in arts or just under it the division were good but very imperfect if he should say Some are seated between the Tropick of Cancer and the Artick circle others betwixt the Tropick of Capricorn and the circle Antartick for a great many are commodiously seated betwixt the Tropicks as experience hath taught later ages to reform the errour of the Ancient and some likewise betwixt the Polar circles and the Poles But in matters arbitrarie and contingent as matters of common use for the most part are to exact alike formal or accurate divisions is ridiculous especially when as well the members of the division as the dividend it selfe are terms indefinite As if a man should say of men Some are extraordinarily good some extraordinarily bad or of Academicks some are extraor dinarily acute some are extraordinarily dull though every one will grant the division to be indefinitely true yet no man almost would acknowledge himself to be contained under either member as the most part of men are not indeed Or if one should say Every Prince sheweth extraordinary favour to some of his subjects and some others he maketh examples or subjects of his severitie who could hence gather that no part or not the greatest part were left to the ordinarie course of justice or to the priviledges common to all free denizons Now we are here to remember what was premised in the entrie into this Treatise That albeit Gods Will be most immutable yet is it immutably free more free by much than the Changeable will of man So are the objects of this his Free-will more arbitrarie than the designs of Princes The Objects of his Will in this our present argument are mercie and induration and these he awards to divers persons or to the same persons at divers times according to a different measure Whence if we take these termes in that extraordinary measure which is included in this division That most men are not comprehended under either member of this division the most part of men with whom we shall usually have to deale do not fall within either member The proper perhaps the only subjects of this division it self in Moses time were the Israelites and Egyptians in our Apostles time the cast-away Jews and such of the Gentiles as were forthwith to be ingrafted in their stead If we take mercie and induration in a lesser measure according to their lower degrees or first dispositions scarce any man living of riper years but hath devolved from the one part of this division unto the other oftner then he hath eaten drank or slept Christs Disciples saith Saint Mark Chap. 6. v. 52. had not Considered the miracle of the loaves because their hearts were hardened yet shortly after to be mollifyed that Gods mercie and Christs miracles might find more easie entrance into them Our habitual temper is for the most part mutable how much more our actual desires or operations And whatsoever is mutably good or mutably evill in respect of its acts and operations One and the same man according to the diversitie of time or qualification may be the true and proper subject of both parts of this division which are sometimes de bono sometimes de malo objecto hath its alternant motions from Gods decree of hardning towards his decree of shewing mercie and è contrà 31. The doctrine contained in this passage of Scripture will never sound well for the right setling the affections and consciences of such as be Novices in faith untill they be taught to run this division upon the same string Hast thou been enlightned and tasted of the heavenly gift made partaker of the Holy Spirit Thy sin is great and thou art found a despiser of the riches of his bountie unless thou embrace these illuminations as undoubted pledges of his favour and assured testimonies of his good purpose to make thee heir of eternal life Worthy thou art to be numbred among those perverse and wayward Jews whom our Saviour compares to children playing in the market if while these Good motions and exultations of spirit last thou givest not more attentive ear than he that danceth doth to him that pipeth or harpeth unto that sweet voice of thy heavenly Father encouraging thee in particular as he did sometimes the host of Israel Oh that there were such an heart in thee alwaies that it might go well with thee for ever But eschew these and the like inferences as cunning Sophismes of the great Tempter that old and subtile Serpent I thank God I have felt the good motions of the Spirit I perceive the pledges of his good purpose towards me but his purpose is unchangeable Therefore is my Election sure enough I am a sealed vessel of mercy I cannot become a vessel of wrath If such thoughts have at any time insinuated into thy heart or be darted upon thee against thy will remember thy self in time and thus repell them If God harden whom he will if his Will be immutably and eternally free it is as free for him to harden me as any other And consider withall that albeit thou canst not make or prepare thy self to be a vessel of mercy yet thy untimely presumption if it continue long in the end will make thee as in the begining it doth prepare thee to be a vessel of wrath This was the disease whereof the whole Nation of the Jews did perish Doest thou see thy Brother one baptized in the name of Christ go on stubbornly in his wicked courses thou dost well to threaten him with the sentence of death Yet limit thy speeches by the Prophets Rule Jerem. 18. pronounce him not for all this an absolute Reprobate or irrecoverable vessel of wrath give him not forthwith for dead but rather use double diligence to prevent his death and tell him If God shew mercy upon whom he will shew mercy if this his VVill be eternally free it is as free for him yet to shew mercy upon supposed Castawaies and to harden uncharitable and presumptuous Pharisecs for the present manifestation of his glory as it was for him to reject the Jews and chase the Gentiles Finally this Division though we take Mercy and Induration according to their Indefinite or lowest measure is not more universally true in respect of the Innumerable Subjects or parties unto whom it may fittly be applyed then it is in respect of the Time wherein it may be applyed to any determinate Individual Subject which hath not made as yet either the Full Measure of his iniquitie up to the brim or his Election immutably sure Of all and every Person and Subject not thus qualifyed it is universally true He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he
of any doubtful or difficult place of Scripture The people were in a manner taught to believe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere to believe this Article was sufficient to Salvation live they in the mean time how they list This foolish Doctrine did begin and propagate it self in Germanie before Melancthon did correct Luther or as Chemnitius thinks did record his own Recantation But the infection in the mean time did so farr overspread the Church of England before it heard of the remedie that it moved Sir Thomas Moore to lay aside jesting and deplore the miseries of his times in earnest to see men given over to Revelling Bouzing or drinking or to other worse vices and yet continue Confident that the sufferings and Passions of Christ should fully pay the shot or discharge the reckoning how great soever it were 3. It was but an Implicit Branch of the former Error which at the first did not break forth in expresse Termes to teach men to Believe Secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with full Assurance of Faith that Christ dyed for them in particular before they had any assurance that Christ dyed for All men A strange Conclusion which they sought to cover or overshadow with a more dangerous branch of the same Error to wit That every man was to have Fiduciam or full assurance of his own Estate in Grace or interest in Christ not from Gods General promises made in Him but from special or Particular Faith This was that unfortunate Doctrine which gave such Scandal to the beginning of Reformation in Germanie that not three hundred Bellarmines not so many Valentia's or other learned Jesuites which have lived since could ever withdraw the tenth part so many from Reformed Religion as Dr. Hessils did with-hold from embracing it by exagitating this Sensual Doctrine as he styles it as if it had been conceived or maintained of purpose that some professing Reformation might continue and encrease their drunken and voluptuous Others their lascivious and wanton kind of life and yet be as sure of their Personal Salvation as either St. Peter or St. Paul were during their Pilgrimage here on Earth This was that Ginne or Noose which Satan sought to draw upon them as knowing that he had this kind of people at greater command then ever he had any besides For as is intimated in some former meditations published and in some Others in due time to be communicated to Learned and Pious Readers There is not There cannot be any possible Evasion out of this snare but by recanting the former Opinions or Errors themselves For every Novice in Arts hath Learned that every Vniversal Negative Proposition may be Converted Simpliciter Now the Scripture gives us this Universal Negative again and again That no Adulterer no Covetous Person no Slanderer or Reviler of his Neighbours no Seditious or Rebellious Spirit shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven The other Vniversal Negative which they deliver up as their Deed and Writing unto the Father of Lies and of all wicked cunning is This That no Man which must of necessitie enter into this Kingdom though he dye this day or to morrow can be an Adulterer a Covetous Person a Slanderer or Reviler of his Neighbour or carrie a Seditious Rebellious or Traiterous Spirit to his King and Countrie Now by this Noose or Gin which they have cast for themselves the Great Tempter can draw or lead them to all manner of mischief and Hypocrisie to envenome their thoughts with malice and slander with Treason Sedition and Disloyaltie and yet assure them that they are no Slanderers no Traytors c. but Zealous and Godly persons because they must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven The Last and worst branch of the former bitter Root is an Assertion which I never read in any forraign writer but of late set down in Terminis Terminantibus by some English Zelots whose study and practice it hath been either to improve or malignifie Forraign Errors The improvement of the former Errors which Outlandish Writers did rather not take into Consideration then maintain is The Division of all Mankind into Two Sorts that is into Elect and Reprobate An Error I confesse which can do no great harm upon such Sawcy Malepert Vocalists as have the gift to let the Word of God runne as fast out at their mouthes as it comes into their braines either by the Ear or Eye But if it enter once into the thoughts of a Sober Conscientious Spirit whose brain and heart have dayly entercourse or Commerce it is impossible but it should put him into a Dangerous Perplexitie either of being carelesly Presumptuous or of falling into utter despaire Experiments of this Later evill have been more frequent in our Church and in these times then in any other Church or times before us 4. For Conclusion of this Tragical Consideration I would request all such as sit in judicature specially in Causes Criminal to call to mind or suffer Me to be their Remembrancer of a Grave saying delivered by a great Praelate in the high Court of Parliament That Severitie without instruction is a kind of Tyranny More particularly my humble request is that with good leave I may put such in mind as judge seditious turbulent or enormous practises or Censure Fellones de se that they shall mightily condemn themselves by judging them unless they be as forward withall to quell the Erroneous Doctrine whether by Lawes Ecclesiastical or Civil whence the former Practises spring As that kind of Sedition Stubborn disobedience disloyalty Scandalum Magnatum or privie Conspiracie under whose heavie burden this State and Church doth now sigh and groan These and divers other like Branches of the Divels service are as true and proper Effects or natural issues of the forementioned preposterous Belief or Doctrine of Special faith or Division of all Mankind into Two Sorts as Christian Charitie Humilitie Obedience Penitencie or Contrition of Spirit are of the true and wel-grounded Belief of Jesus Christ and of him Crucified 5. The best instructions that can be given for rectifying the former Errours is that of our Apostle Rom. 4. Though we follow the Interpretations or Hints of those Writers whom these Zelots most admire He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to performe And therefore it was imputed to him for Righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our Justification Vers 20 21 22 23 24 25. CHAP. LII That Iustification Consists not in one Single Act. In what Sense Fides est Fiducia is True 1. MUst we then with the Romish Church admit of a First and Second
of God ver 1 2. And again more fully ver 8 9 10 11. God commendeth his love towards us in that whilest we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being now justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the attonement The Ground then of our Hope or of such Certaintie as we can attain unto in this life is our Reconciliation to God of which our Apostle speakes more fully and divinely 2 Cor. 5. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Old things are past away behold all things are become new and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministerie of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation ver 17 18 19. But if this Reconciliation were sufficient for our Certaintie of Salvation what need were there of a second Reconciliation or a second part at least of the same Reconciliation which our Apostle presseth upon us ver 20. 21. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him The first part of Reconciliation is Active or at the most part but a Grammatical Passive As a man is said to be Called when he is summoned to appear though he make no Personal Appearance so are we said to be Reconciled to God when pardon for our sins is proclaimed though before we could take notice of it The Second Reconciliation is a Real passive and includes a Turning unto the Lord by Acceptance of our Pardon and by serious pursuing the Allowance of it The former part of Recenciliation is wrought by meer Imputation of Christs death and merits The second is wrought partly by Imputation but especially by Real Participation of Grace from Christ and gifts of the spirit These are They that must defend and guard our soules against the Re-entry or Re-possession of Satan and wicked spirits whether by fair or forcible means 3. Answerable to the Two Sorts or Degrees of Reconciliation there are Two Sorts or two Branches of Iustification The One by meere Imputation of Christs Death and Passion which was once wrought for all at his Consecration to His Everlasting Priest-hood The Other by Participation of his Grace or Operation of his Priesthood since his Resurrection and Ascension During the time of Legal Sacrifices whether for sinnes against the Ceremonial or Moral Law the People were bound upon new occasions to bring new Sacrifices unto the Priest and he bound to offer them up unto the Lord for their Reconciliation or Attonement For us Christians to think or conceive of more Sacrifices for sinne then One that was Once offered for all were to deny Christ or the Efficacie of His Everlasting Priesthood But as for the Sacrifices of prayers prayses or thanksgiving for what is past or supplications for the assistance of Christs Spirit for the time to come These we are bound to offer up to God by Christ more frequently then the Jews could offer up their bloudy Sacrifices or then the Priests could attend this service which they were to attend only at certain houres or Solemn Times because they were but mortal men and could not perform their Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Christ since his Resurrection and Ascension is not only an Everlasting High Priest but doth exercise this his Function without Intermission Every Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins But this Priest after he had offered one Sacrifice for sin sate down on the right hand of God For ever So the Syriack reades Points it much better then the Ordinary English doth or the Greek as may appear from a Parallel place Hebr. 7. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He remaineth a Priest for ever 4. Briefly though every sin perhaps every Gross sin which we commit after our Justification by the Resurrection of Christ and reall Participation of his Grace doth not work a Total Interruption in our Estate or Interest in him yet every such sin doth work a decay or diminution of Grace or some extinguishment of the Spirit of Life both which must be repayred by the Efficacy or Exercise of his Everlasting Priest-hood None is so just whether by Imputation of his merits or by Encrease of Grace but may and must be dayly more justifyed So that the Son of God doth set us free First by his sufferings upon the Cross Secondly by the Laver of Baptism and by Participation of his Life and Spirit and Lastly he will set us Free indeed at the Resurrection of the Just when we shall be translated into that heavenly house or mansion wherein he abideth for ever 5. Thus much of the Knowledge of Christ and of him Crucified and of the exercise of his Everlasting Priest-hood Points wherein I could wish to take more pains though to the wasting of my bodily Spirits upon Condition I could perswade a great part of the Clergie of this Kingdom not to make Christ Crucified and raised from the Dead a meer By-stander in most of their Disputes concerning Election c. as if he had shed his precious bloud to no other purpose save only the purchase of their own Salvation or the Eternal Excommunication or Damnation of others Now whether I have justly charged them with denyal of Christs Everlasting Priest-hood or of his Absolute Dominion or Final Judicature I here solemnly appeal unto Him in that great Day when he shall come as I verily believe He shall to judge the Quick and the Dead To reward every man according to all his workes whether his Writings Sayings or Actions C. Reader THE main Work of the sixth Section was to prepare and clear the way for The Exercise of Christs Everlasting Priesthood by amoving that Great Mountain of the Rigid Decree which in the Authors judgment did obstruct the general approach to the Throne of mercy and the issues of Grace flowing thence It making Christ a meer Spectator at most an Instrument to Execute a Decree passed before all Worlds and no Actor Advocate or Intercessor This following eighth Section treats of Certain Errors which though some of them do not wholly Evacuate or null yet do all of them disparage and Entrench upon the vertue and Efficacie of Christs Priest-hood Some of them were toucht before here they are more fully handled SECT
VIII CHAP. LIV. Three Errors Disparaging Christs Priest-hood 1. The Novatian denying the Reception of some Sort of Sinners 2. A Late Contrary Error affirming That every Sin which some sort of men Committ is pardoned before it be Committed 3. The Romish Doctrine of the Masse giving scandal to the Jew All of them Respectively derogating from the Infinite value or Continual Efficacie of Christs Everlasting Priesthood THe First Error in this kind which did grow into an Heresie was that of Novatus Qui negavit lapsis poenitentiâ—m who would not have Backsliders or Revolters from Christianitie Of Novatus See Euseb L. 6. c. 42. Socrates Lib. 4. ch 23. to be upon any Terms or testifications of repentance re-admitted into the Church or made partakers of Absolution This Heresiâ— as all others took its Original from a plausiâ—le Truth or practise of former times The Truth is that in those times wherein men professing Christianitie were every day called unto the Fierie Tryal This Backsliding or Relapse unto Idolatrie or outward Profession of Idolatrie even after Baptism was so rife that the Church would not admitt any such as had thus revolted unto the Estate or Condition of Penitentiaries nor give them Absolution upon private testifications of sorrow for their Revolt Now if Novatus did only deny that unto such backssiders or Revolters which the Church in her purest times would not Grant them why was he condemned by the Church in Ages following for an Heretick If his Opinion were an Heresie why was not the Practise of the Antient Church Heretical Some Grave and Learned late Writers would have the Novatas Heresie not precisely to consist in that he denyed Absolution or Communion with the Church unto Revolters but in that he maintained That the Church had no right or Power to grant Absolution unto such Backsliders as Cornelius then Bishop of Rome with the Advice and consent of his Clergie did grant unto but that this was a Case reserved to God himself That such Backsliders or Revolters might at the point of death be Absolved Novatian himself had once solemnly profest But after Cornelius his Competitioner for the Bishoprick of Rome being preferred to that Dignitie had authorized this Practise he begun to set abroach his Error whatsoever that were and to accuse Cornelius and his adherents as Authors of Heresie and Novelties in the Church Had this Novatian been constant to his former Tenets and Profession made before Cornelius was chosen Bishop of Rome against him he could not have denyed either of these Two Points of Truth Either that God had mercie in store for Revolters from Christianitie when they did repent or the Churches Power to grant Absolution or other comfort spiritual unto those to whom she might out of charitable discretion presume God was merciful or to whom God had not forbid her to shew mercy or compassion For Christ had commanded her to be merciful as her Heavenly Father is merciful But it were too much Charitie to presume that a man of such a proud and turbulent Spirit as Novatian was in the depth of such discontent as took possession of his spirit upon Cornelius his Preferment to so great a dignitie as the Bishoprick of Rome unto his prejudice would be constant to his former Principles either in whole or in part As either to grant that God had mercy in store for Revolters or that the Church had power to Absolve them upon such significations of repentance as belonged unto her Cognizance Nor can we without breach of Charitie think that either Novatian or any other Heretick in those times would be so gross as to deny the Churches Power to Absolve men from any sinne from which they were perswaded God had or would absolve them And it is a clear Case that the Novatians did ground their Errour or Contradiction to the Church wherein they lived upon that place of the Apostle Heb. 6. 4 5 6. It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to renue them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame and grounding their Error or maintaining it by this place it is evident that they held Lapsos or Revolters from Christianitie unto Heathenism to be in the same estate Which modern Divines conceive all such to bâ— in as sin against the Holy Ghost But of the true meaning or extent of the Apostles words in the forecited place or how the absolute unpardonablness of sin against the holy Ghost may be thence concluded I have nothing for the present to say It sufficeth to know that this Error of the Novatians was by the Ancient Church wherein they lived Condemned for an Heresie Yet hence it will not follow that their Heresie in the Judgment of them which condemned it did properly or precisely consist in denying the Churches authoritie to absolve sinnes of what kind soever but rather in avouching this particular sin of Apostasie or revolting from Christianitie to be in it self unpardonable or uncapable of Repentance If it had been in it self unpardonable or so adjudged by the Primitive Church Navatian had been no Heretick in withstanding Cornelius Bishop of Rome and the particular Churches which consented with him or in denying to admit the Revolters from Christianitie unto the estate or Condition of Penitentiaries in the Church or in refusing to give them Absolution or to hold Communion with them after they had voluntarily or otherwise observed such a course of Life as the Church had appointed for Penitentiaries That the Antient Church did neither admit open Revolters to enter into this Course or Rule of life nor Absolve them after they had Uoluntarily though most strictly to the eyes of men observed it doth no way argue that the Church in which Cornelius lived or which lived after him did erre much lesse incurre the Censure of heresie which Novatian objected unto them in admitting open Revolters unto the estate and Condition of Penitentiaries or in absolving them from their sinnes after performance of such religious duties as were by the Church required of men admitted into that estate or Condition 2. The Primitive Church did hold both to be lawfull but not expedien for the present Times The Primitive Church did deny unto Revolters Both these Favours 1. Admission to the state of Penitentiaries 2. Absolution upon their good behaviour after testification of repentance onely de Facto not de Jure The Church in later times did onely alter the Practise or discipline as is to be presumed upon good cause or consideration And to conclude or limit the Authoritie of the present Church onely by Matter of fact or practise of the Church in former times is matter of Heresie at least of Schism And this it may be
untill we be actually cleansed from these later by the bloud of Christ. I should now proceed unto the manner how the Son of God doth dissolve those works which Satan worketh in us after Baptism or regeneration or how we are actually cleansed from sinne by his bloud 11. The Error of the sacrifice of the Mass But here again I find the Truth besett with Two Errors or Extremes the One Positive or an Heresie maintained by the Romish Church which in effect denies the infinite value or everlasting Efficacie of Christs bloudy Sacrifice upon the Crosse The Other Extreme is an Incogitancy of some men which magnisie the everlasting Efficacie or infinite value of Christs Bloudie Sacrifice not too much for so they cannot but amiss they make it everlasting after such a manner or rather make such use or application of its everlasting Efficacie or infinite value to themselves and to their hearers as makes his Everlasting Priesthood to be uselesse or needlesse To begin with the First Error or Extreme Is it possible that That Church which challengeth the Title of Catholick as her own peculiar should deny the most Fundamental Article of Catholick Faith as is the everlasting Efficacie or infinite value of Christs Bloudie Sacrifice In expresse terms or directly she doth not deny it Her Advocates dare not professe the denyal of it For so most of their Faction whom they lead blindfold would forsake them as Hereticks and Aliens from the Antient and Orthodoxal Church Yet the more stifly the greatest Scholars in that Church deny the imputation or Charge which we lay upon them the better proof we shall gain from them that they are the men which as the Apostle saith are given over to believe Lyes that they are the men on whose soules the spirit of delusion hath seazed If we shall decypher the impression or Character of that spirit so clearly that every one which is not sworn to their Faction whether Jew Mahumetan or Heathen or other more indifferent though but indued with Common Reason may run and read it Let us see then how they expose the greatest Mysteries of our Salvation unto the just scorn and derision of the lew Mahumetan or Heathen without possibilitie of Apologie for their manifest contradicting the Principles not of Christianitie only but of Common Reason Thus you may imagine any Iewish School-Boy or young Artist Catechized in the Rudiments of his own Religion would oppose the greatest Rabbines in the Romish Church We of the Jewish Nation once had our ordinary Priests which offered sacrifices daily in the temple we had our high Priest which went into the most holy place once a year with the bloud of the Anniversary and solemn sacrifices ye Christian Catholicks so ye term your selves teach your hearers as your Apostle hath taught you that the best sacrifices which our Fathers used were but Shadowes fore-signifying the taking away of sin they did not they could not take away sins or cleanse the consciences of such as offered them And why could not our sacrifices take away sin your Apostle gives this Reason because they were often offered Heb. 10. ver 1. 2. c. Ye Christian Catholicks have your high Priest who as ye say offered himself up in bloudy sacrifice unto God for your sinnes was this his sacrifice perfect or was it not Did it take away sinnes more perfectly then the sacrifices which our Fathers used or did it not ye say It did we say It did not it could not if your Apostles Principles or Expositions of Scriptures be true and your practise not false or unlawful Your Priests as you confess stand daily ministring and offering the same sacrifice which your high Priest did offer and therefore by your Apostles argument against us and by your practise this sacrifice can never take away sinne it is more the same sacrifice than the sacrifices of the Law were And yet it is offered oftner and in more places than any Legal sacrifices were 12. Some devoted to the Romish religion will perhaps say in their hearts the Doctors of our Church know well enough how to untye these knots which the Iewes cast albeit so learnedly and so subtilly that no unlearned man can perceive how they untye them If men will thus believe or rely upon their Teachers skill without any true experiment of it we cannot help it Yet if you will believe me upon the faith of a Christian I never yet could see any Romish Writer which leaves not the former knot worse then he found it after he had used all the paines and skill he had to untwist it The wisest and most learned of them usually let it slide away without medling Many of you perhaps have read what the Rhemists in their Notes upon the tenth to the Hebrewes have attempted To make you believe that all is loose The Apostle say they speakes of the sacrifices of the Law not of the sacrifice of the Mass It is true indeed he speakes of the sacrifices of the Law for he proves them to be unperfect unsufficient but he proves them to be unsufficient by such a Reason as will conclude more strongly not only against the sacrifice of the Mass if so the sacrifice of the Masse were as lawfull as the Legal sacrifices sometimes were or the Reiteration of it not more abominable in the sight of God then the restauration of Legal bloudie sacrifices at this day would be But against Christs bloudy sacrifice upon the †He meanes if it needed to be often offered Cross also The only Reason by which the Apostle proves the best kind of Legal sacrifices even whilest they were lawfully used and according to Gods appointment to have been altogether unsufficient for taking away sinne is because they were to be often offered Now every particular must be proved by an universal and A true universal Rule or Principle includes the same reason in every particular The Apostle could not prove the Legal Services to have been imperfect for this Reason that they were often offered unless this Vniversal were true and taken by him as granted That no sacrifices or sacrifice of what kind soever which is often offered can be perfect or sufficient to take away sinnes This universal Reason the Apostle takes as granted by Light of Nature and Common Reason and so frames his Argument from the Authoritie of Scriptures and the consonancie of Common Reason or light of nature ver 15. The Holy Ghost ALSO is witnesse c. It is as idle and as frivolous a shift wherewith the same Rhemists seek to put off their ignorant Readers when they tell them that Christs body was but once offered up in a bloudy manner but may and ought to be often offered up in a bloudless manner The very root and ground of this distinction if you examine it by our Apostles Argument includes a confession or acknowledgement of the CRIME or HERESIE which we object unto them to wit that The bloudy Sacrifice
earth tanquam ex Termino positivo as of the Terme or Object unto which his Creation of them had Reference that is He did not decree to make them untill the earth was made Or he did not determine to make them but out of the Earth not of the Water or other Element as he made the Fishes of the water not of the earth So that grass was made of the earth and fishes of the Sea not as of any Cause concurrent to their making or production but tanquam ex Termino aut Objecto praeviso The Whales and great fishes which God created on the fift day were not from the time of their Creation so much as a material Cause of the Fry or Spawn which proceeded from them untill God bestowed his Blessing upon them saying Be fruitfull and multiply and fill the waters in the seas The Effect of this Blessing was a true and proper Creation For hereby they became in their kinds Efficient and material Causes And from this Blessing they received the first Possibilitie of Propagation or continuance of their kind by succession or generation of the like Admitt then our Mortification as well as our Vivification is a work of Creation God Createth life in Baptized Infants And this production of life spiritual in them is like unto the Creation of the heaven and Earth or of the First Masse that is not ex praevisis operibus neither by their works nor from Gods Foresight of their works Thus much the Romish Church confesseth in the prayer used at the Burial of Infants Baptized Omnipotens mitissime Deus qui omnibus parvulis Renatis fonte Baptismatis dum migrant à saeculo sine ullis Eorum meritis vitam illico largiris aeternam sicut animae hujus Parvuli hodiè credimus to fecisse Ex Rituali Romano Pauli quinti impresso Antuerpiae 1635. in 8. Ex Offic Plantiniana Moreti in Officio Defunctorum De Exequijs Parvulorum Pag. 244. In this Creation there is no * Quaere if it be not otherwise in a Pagan â—f yeares Coming to Christianitie Without Baptisme either Obteined or Desired He cannot be saved And Baptisme he may not have without Qualifications preparative professed to the Church that he may be admitted to it And Reall in his Soul that he may have Rem Sacramenti that is become partaker of the Inward and Spiritual Grace Qualification or disposition praecedent either by way of Title or by way of Term or Object Or if we grant any Term or Object of this creation it must be the Entitie of the Infant or its Capacitie of Baptisme or the Baptisme it self 3. How it is said All things were created of Nothing But as it was the Almightie Creators pleasure not to make herbs untill he had made the earth nor fishes untill he had made the Sea out of which he made them tanquam ex termino as of a positive Term or Object praeexistent though not positively concurring to their Creation or Co-working with him So as we suppose it was his pleasure not to work Mortification or to Create Life in such as are capable of Reason untill some works which he requires be done by them albeit the best works which any can do be as little Conducent by way of Causalitie or Title to the production of Life or Mortification Spiritual as the Red Earth was to the Creating of Adam or Adam in a dead sleep was to the Creation of Eve Adam was the sole work of God and so was Eve though made of Adam aswell as the heaven and the earth were the sole works of God And so is our Election so is our New Life so is our Mortification spiritiual as truely and intirely the work of God though not wrought without some works of ours praeexistent as the Creation of Life in Infants is Gods Work although they have no workes praeexistent And as Adam though Eve was made of him had no more share with God in her Creation than Nothing had with Him in the Creation of the heavens and the Earth So neither have we after we have done the works required to Mortification any greater share or Title of Causalitie in the production of Life or Mortification Spiritual than Infants have in their Regeneration 4. It may be Objected That the works prerequired by us to Mortification spiritual are more truely Ours than any Action that can be imagined as requisite in the heavens for Creation of the Sun Moon or Starres Or in the Earth for the Creation of herbes and trees T is true Some Actions are required in us * See the 2. note at the end of this Sect chapt 36. that Grace may be created in us yet not to make us more Capable naturally of Grace but to make us Meere Passives not uncapable of it or not Positively Contradictorie to his Majestie or eternal aequitie Man from the beginning had a Freedome of Will to deprive himself of such Blessings as God in his Bounty had provided for him Our first Parents by the Abuse of their Free Will betwixt Good and Evill made themselues uncapable of any Blessing or Reward from Gods Justice or meer Bountie yet were they not hereby made uncapable of his Infinite Mercy Nor are his Posteritie made uncapable of it by Sin meerely Original but by Abuse of that Free-Will which is left them as the proper Fruit of Sin Original that is a Free-Will to do Evill We have a Power or Freedome left us to make our selves more Uncapable of Gods Mercy than we were in Adam no Power at all to make our selves more Capable of it it is God alone which increaseth this Capacitie in us That of St. Austin is notwithstanding most true in respect of All that are come to years of discretion Deus qui fecit te sine te non salvabit te sine te God which made thee without any endeavours of thine own will not save thee without thine own endeavours And yet the best of our endeavours are but to keep our selves in the same state wherein we were when we had no works no endeavours that is when we were Infants And happie is he that doth not by lewd endeavours or ill works ☜ evacuate the Fruits of Baptisme in himself For him that doth finally so Cassate or Voyd them it had been better if he had never been baptized if he had never been born For by frustrating the hopes which he had in Baptisme he makes himself more uncapable of Gods mercy for having the Spirit of Life created in him than the Earth was of Gods Power to have Man created of it CHAP. XXXIII By what Spirit we are said to Mortifie the Deeds of the Bodie 1. Of the difference betwixt the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Man IF the deeds of the Body or the Flesh must be mortified by the Spirit of man then man hath not only Freedome of Will but Liberum Arbitrium an Abilitie to Mortifie his own