poyson euen from their mothers wombe Esau before his birth was refused and froward from his mothers Gen. 25. Mal. 1. 2. Rom. 9. 11. wombe when hee came to discretion hee furiously reiected the blessing of God which afterward hee could not recouer though hee sought it with teares It is an ancient opinion that euery man had his good and euill angel which albeit it wanteth sufficient warrant of holy Scripture yet most true it is that God by his holy spirite doth gouerne his elect who also haue by God his appoyntment holy angels to minister vnto them when it pleaseth God to his glory and their own saluation There are few of the reprobate that liue to years of discretion that haue bard by any means of the Law and the Gospel but they are some tyme put in mynde by the mations of God his Spirite to leaue their wickednes to the which because they do not obay their owne consciences shall condemne theÌ„ And because they yeelde no obedience vnto the motions of the spirit of God therefore hee giueth them ouer vnto their owne lustes and temptations of the Deuil To his temptations God his chosen are some tyme subiect * To the ende that the light of Gods elect in honesty of life Matt. 5. 16. and good woorkes may shyne amongst men to the good ensample of others and glory of their father which is in heaueÌ„ * That the tryall of their fayth much more precious then 1 Pet. 1. 7. Gold might bee to theyr prayse at the comming of the Lord Iesus to iudge the quicke the dead Great are their troubles and their temptations very greeuous but God deliuereth them out of all Oh that men would therefore feare the Lord Iehouah that almighty Monarch of Heauen Earth and Hell and shew foorth the wonders that hee doth among the children of men Whereas the * Apostle sayth that flesh lusteth contrary to Gal. 5. 17. the spirite hee meaneth contrary to the spirite of God For otherwise the flesh lusteth very agreeable to the spirit that is the mynde and soule of Man vntill the holy Ghost which is the same spirite that Paul meaneth worke in man * so doth Eze. 36. 28 God put his spirite in man according to his promise and then beginneth the battayle betwene the spirite and the flesh which is the whole man and which is compact of body spirite of lyfe mynde and soule c. And al that rest on Christ Iesus 2 Gor. 5. 17. are willed to become new creatures * which is that new and second birth without the which none shall inherite the kingdome of God * Satan is the strong man which possesseth the house of Mat. 12. 29. mans mynd and the holy Ghost is the stronger man that driueth Satan from his possession And when an vncleane spirit is displaced hee wandreth about a whyle and returneth to proue if hee can enter agayne which if hee do then hee bringeth in with him seuen woorse then himselfe so is his ende woorse then the beginning except hee bee the chosen of God to whom Satan geueth many foyles And when they haue fallen into sinne by Satans slightes they can not ryse they cannot repent they cannot returne to God of their owne power * For no man can come the Sonne Iohn 6. 44. 14. 6 except the Father draw him * Christ Iesus his Sonne is the way the truth and the lyfe and no man can come to the Father but by him Many are called but few are chosen But all those that Mat. 20. 16 are and shal bee enhâ—ritours of the kingdome of heauen were chosen therunto before the world began and after birth comming to years of discrecion they are called so effectually that they cannot chose but come to the Lord notwithstanding the pestiferous malice of Satan and his ympes both bodily and ghostly The meanes of calling are commen to all in places where the truth is professed as reaâ—ing and hearing the holy Scriptures preached taught or talked of the chosen receaue it by fayth to their saluation The refused of God are called by yâ— same meanes but they are so effectually holden backe by Satan and his impes bodily and ghostly that when they haue beleeued they 〈◊〉 no power to hold it but let it slip agayne in the end to their daÌ„nation Concerning such as liue not to yeares of discretion and such as are not called by the meanes aforesaid I leaue them to the secrete meanes which God at his pleasure may vse Rom. 11. 36 For * of him through him and for him are all thinges to him be all honor foreuer Amen For hee is all in all hee woorketh all in all and is not tyed vnder any lawe by his owne decrees neither can any other ympose statutes vnto him and therefore hee cannot doe euil what soeuer hee doth because all is his owne and hee onely and none but hee may doe with his owne as hee list CONCERNING THE VARIETY of Spirites that woorke diuers effectes in mankinde CAP. 13. IT shall eskape mee very much agaynst my will if I put downe any thing that is not to be found in holy Scriptures or gathered of the same by tru interpretation or souÌ„d argument grounded on the holy text Genesis chapter 41. verse 14 Ioseph had the Spirite of interpretation of Dreames Daniell 2 19. the interpretation of Nabuchadnezers dreame was opened vnto Daniell in a vision Exodus 28. 31. 2. 6. God filleth men with the suirites of conning in artes sciences handy occupations and all worldly wisedome Nombers 5. 14. 15 the spirite of Ielousy 27. 18. eod libro the spirit of gouernment in Iosua Iudges 6. 34. the spirit of boldnes and hardines in Gedion Iudges 9. 23. God sent an euil spirite between the King and his Subiectes And 11. 29. The Spirite of hardines in Iephta and 13. 25. the Spirite of strength in Sampson 1 Samuel 10. 6. Spirites of prophecie and 16. 13. a good Spirite came vppon Dauid 14. the good Spirite departed from Saul and the Lord sent an euill spirit to vexe him 1 Kinges 22. 21. to 28. Spirites of enticementes and lying In Esai 19. 3 Spirites of diuination 28. 6. 29. 10. Spirits of slumber and amasednes Ecclesiastious 39. 28. Spirites created for vengeance c. Math. 10. 1. vncleane spirits 12. blind dumbe spirits Mar. 9. 17. to 29 dumbe and deafe Spirites Actes 23. 8. 9. Spirits and Angels haue some time spoken vnto men The Saduces say there is no resur rection nor Angell nor Spirite the Pharisies confesse both 1 Tim 4 1. Spirites of error and Deuilish doctrine 2 Tim. 1. 7. Spirites of feare and loue And as there are dreamers of dreames and seers of visions so are there spirites both good and euill to moue dreames to shew visions and stirre vp phantasies in folks myndes some to good and some to euill * One man as wee reade had a legion of Deuils in him Marc. 5. 9. which by some mens accompt is 12500. and by other some 6000. footmen 732. horsmen what an infinite nomber of legions let euery man thinke are among so many mad men as presently liue in the world of all degrees high and lowe rich and poore I grant many are worldly wise but few haue right wittes in Godlines * For many are called but few are Mat. 20. 16. chosen Another reason they esteeme not of Gods woord they haue no desire to obay it nor to refrayne their couetous desires and wicked lustes they haue no wil to praye to fast nor geue almes to shew their loue and obedience to God who hath ordayned those thinges to exercise all such as wil bee his Our Sauiour Christ sayth it is the spirite that quickenneth Iohn 6. 63. the flesh profiteth nothing who knoweth not that the body without the spirite is deade and can doe neyther good nor euill But while the Spirite of lyfe the mynde and yâ— immortall sowle are ioyned with the body the man is continually woorking speaking or thinking good or euill So that it is the Spirite that quickeneth both wayes yet not one and the same spirite but a good or euill spirite Among the diuersity of Spirites there are none more perillous then the spirites of hipocrisy dissimulation and flattery For by the allurementes of those pestiferous subtlâ— spirites Satan who by those meanes * doth seem an angel 2 Cor 11. 14 of light can so finely frame his worldly ministers by whom hee woorketh as Gods elect euen they that walke most seuerely can not make a fayrer shew of Godlines then they And all to disceaue such as will not warely walke in the fear of God Yea such pernitious wicked spirites shall worke in some that shall auouch falshed for truth * And therfore called false Christes and false Prophets which shall shew signes wonders Mar. 13. 22 to disceaue if it were possible the very elect of their saluation Therefore wee must watâ—h and pray take heed because wee know not the moment of the Lordes comming nor the day of our death Certayne creatures on earth haue the Spirites of life the minde and bodily sences as seeing hearing smelling tasting feeling knowledge memory and agility of bodie common with mankinde If man had receaued no more hee had differed but in shape onely from other seemly beastes but vnto vnto man onely was giuen a reasonable and an immortal Spirite euen a reasonable soule whereby hee exceedeth all other earthly creatures Therefore to mankinde onely it is sayd * Bee not lyke horse and mule which haue no vnderstanding whose mouthes must be holden with bit bridle Psal 32. 9. Therefore most happy for euer blessed are they to whom God hath geuen true vnderstanding godly wisedome right iudgement and grace to follow the motions of God his most holy spirite by whose assistance wee are made able to eschew euill and doe good to seeke peace and keepe our soules in paâ—ience walking in holines and righteousnes till wee receaue the reward of our fayth euen the saluation of our soules and bodies for euer
it were Therefore it is not without great causes and many necessary considerations that the true feare of God to saluation is so carefully and most excellently set downe with such conâ—â—endation in so many places of holy Scriptures for it is not onely the beginning of wisedome appertayning to the elect of God but it is also the totall summe and ful perfection thereof Therefore when people through infidelity pride and disobedience cast of this holy feare of God then God giueth such folkes ouer into * a reprobate mynde into Rom. 1. 28. 29. Satans power to woorke all manner of euilles euen with pleasaunt greedines And that is the sorest punishment and heauiest burden that God vseth ordinarily to cast on folkes in this lyfe euen to withdraw his holy Spirit from the disobedient and leaue them to their owne hartes lustes then the which plague none can bee greater For immediatly the Deuil as it were possesseth them euen by Gods appoyntment for hee sendeth euill Spirites to such as cast off the feare of God as hee did to king Saul to lead such wicked from euil to woorse by that meane to punish their former sinnes for in this lyfe God punisheth sinne by sinne and man by his owne inuentions and abhominations whereunto hee is naturally inclyned And this is most true that all the euilles committed in thoughtes woordes and deedes being most filthye and execrable before God and his elect as well Angels as men done by Satan and his adherentes bodily and ghostly they haue neuerthelesse their being moouing disposition and woorking from the power of God and are forepoynted and limitted by him for the accomplishment of his eternall purpose And of necessity it must bee so because hee is all in all and yet in him none euill at all For if God did not forepoint hold and gouerne Satan and his members visible and inuisible within certayne limittes al the euils pretended by Satans woorking in and by wicked people would bee accomplished The contrary whereof is found by daily experience that wicked folke can not bring all their deuilish deuises to their desired end And this is most true that vnlesse it were Gods forepointment it were vnpossible for any euil to haue either being mouing or working for neither good nor euil may be sayd to be vnwares of God or against his secret will seeing hee is all in all and can doe none euil whatsoeuer hee doth and is euery way good and none good but hee and those whom he maketh and alloweth for good And because there is none other chiefe workman then onely this almighty Monarch that worketh all in al thinges of necessity it must stand that hee hath forepoynted all that euer was is or shal bee done for the accomplishment of his eternall purpose wâ—th the matter the meanes and the maner howe euery thing should proceede succeede and come to his forepoynted ende and all to make iust matter for himselfe whereon to execute iustice * and to Exod. 33 19 Rom. 9. haue compassion and shew mercy on whom it pleased him Then for as much as Satan hath his being mouing and his power of working from the almighty God it followeth of necessity that he is limitted by him from whom he receiueth his power and cannot do any thing otherwise then he is forepoynted for the execution and accomplishment of his eternall purpose which no man ought or may call in question further then is truly to be gathered vpon the right vnderstanding of holy scriptures And it ought to be so because his almightynes hath created set in order conserueth and continually gouerneth all thinges in Heauen and Earth by his almightye power his holy law vnwritten which some cal the lawe of nature incomprehensible to any creature vesible or inuisible Neuerthelesse he hath subiected mankinde during this lyfe vnder his written lawe to be obserued of them vppon payne of damnation From which damnation no one is exempted Except that one which in no wise can bee subiect and that is God himself Therfore whatsoeuer that one God worketh by the seruice of Satan and his trayne visible and inuisible and in mans iudgement contrary to the written law the same in God cannot be euill but euery way good because it is the performance of his most holy will which ought to stop all mens mouthes and it is also the execution of his most righteous iudgements which all people in the end shall obay will they nill they For his holy will and iust iudgement are out of the compas of mans vnderstanding and euery way beyonde his abilitie except the man Christ Iesus Neyther can Satan exercise his tyranny vntill God geue the hippocriticall beleuers and other beastly infidels into his power whom then Satan * holdeth captiue at his will they 2 Tim. 2. 26 falling into his snare by following theyr own lustes and affections by which means they are by Satan enticed not only to sinne but also to percist therein so then are they snared indede and driuen by Satan to heape sinne vpon sinne so proceding alwayes from euill to worse vntill theyr vtter distruction I meane only those whom God hath not chosen to saluatioÌ„ As Iudas for example who hauing long time and many wayes vsed his him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his further punishment * was solicited by Satan to 〈◊〉 is Lord and 〈…〉 ster Christ Iesus Luk. 22. 3. Iohn 13. 2. 2â— Mat. 27. 5. Iohn 17. 12 and for a small plague Satan made him dispayre and hang himselfe for a 〈…〉 ewarde of al his filthynes and horible treason the consideration of these thinges ought to driue mankinde in to the true feare and humble obedience of God Thus it is manifest how God punisheth sinne by sinne and man by his own abhominations let al people beware therfore of Satans fleyghts and subtill enticementes and of heaping synne vppon synne And let them pray to God in the name of Christ Iesus to bee guyded by his holy spirit for otherwise it is impossible for man to think a good thought much lesse to do good deedes and keepe himselfe from euill For as good thoughts are raysed in vs by the spirit of God euen so are our euill thoughts * by the messenger of Satan and mans 2 Cor. 12. 7 owne corrupt nature and yet both by Gods owne forepoyntment For as God being a spirit and the souerayne goodnes it selfe hath holy spirits Angels whose ministery he vseth to the saluation of his elect euen so Satan is aspirit the extreme â—uilâ—es it selfe hath his cursed angels whose seruice hee vseth to the condenmation of the wicked when it pleaseth God to suffer him It is a thing too well knowen that some wicked scoffers All are of the spirite as well as of the flesh at God holy peligion do Ieare and Iybe at such simple ones as are zealous in the gospell calling them all of the spirite Yet I say that those Iearing Iesters may also righely be
esteeme for the greatest happinesse because they want right iudgement and grace to discerne betweene good and euill For as to get ritches is doubtlesse a worldly blessing of God euen so it behoueth mankinde to consider by what meanes they are gotten For they consider not the difference how God hath made two sorts * of men whereof hee hath called many and chosen Mat. 20. 19 Mat. 25. 21. c. but few and that few * shal bee on his right hand and many on the left hand on whom he bestoweth these temporal blessinges which his elect in Christ vse to his glorye and their owne saluation the other abuse these benefytes to their own condemnation But yet God is good vnto all * hee maketh Mat. 5. 4h his Sunne to shyne and rayne to rayne on the good and bad on the iust and vniust Therefore no man can tell whether himselfe or this man or that man bee in the fauour of God to saluation or no by any outward thing pleasant or noysome that chaunce to any person in this lyfe * For it happeneth Eccle. 9. 1. alyke vnto the Godly as to the vngodly to the cleane as to the vncleane to the vertuous as to the sinner to him that for sweareth himselfe as vnto him that is afrayde to bee forswoâ—ne Therefore this lyfe is vyle and wretched because it happeneth to all alyke to mans iudgement For the hartes of meÌ„ are fulâ— of wickednes and mad folishnes because they consider not or else the forget that all is vanity and shall perish And although men knowe when they thinke on it that they shall dye and haue no more part of any thing that is done vnder the Sunne yet they care not for those thinges but wilfully neglect them and as blind men grope in the darke euen so they as in a waking dreame runne amazd worshipping satan and his adherentes for the thinges of this world not regarding Iob 9. 24. what Iob sayth * that the earth is giuen ouer into the handes of the wicked whose faces God doth couer euen the Iudges of the land but not all for a few are chosen from among many that are called For S. Paul speaking of the effectuall calling of Gods elect sayth that * not many worldly 1 Cor. 1. 26 wise men not many noble not many mighty are called meaning effectually called to the dignity of Gods election to saluation Psal 11. 6. Therefore they take their portion in this life * But vpon them in the lyfe to come shal râ—yne snares fire brimstone stormie tempestes those thinges then shal be their portion Example of the ritche glutton and poore Lazarus yâ— ritch was answered thus * remember that thou in thy lyfe tyme Luc. 16. 19. 19. hadst thy pleasures and Lazarus paynes Therefore now hee is comforted and thou tormented Although it cannot bee knowen by any thing that happeneth in this lyfe who God loueth or hateth neyther which they bee that shal bee saued or damned neither ought men to be curious to search further the secrets therof then holy scripture teacheth And so farre men ought to know by commauÌ„dement * serch the Scriptures c For to some of the elect Iohn 5. 39. Luke 8. 10. is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of God but to the reprobate they are spoken in parables that hearing they should not vnderstand Therefore Christ Iesus was sent into the world not onely to redeeme such as were forepointed to possesse the ioyes of heauen but also to open and declare the same secrete which was hidden since the world began except Col. 1. 26. here and there one of the fathers prophets which spake now and then but darkely of it vntill Christ Iesus reuealed cleerly the same in his preaching And wrought the true beliefe thereof in the myndes of his disciples who most cleerly and faythfully committing the same to writing * And whatsoeuer is written by them is written for our learning That wee which are allotted to godly lyfe in Christ Iesus to suffer persecution through patience and comfort of holy Scriptures might haue hope in God and bee lyke mynded one to another as Christ Iesus is towarde them that surely beleeue and trust in him Notwithstanding all these circumstances God hath subiected euery reasonable creature and bound them to the obseruation of his holy Law wherein Adam fayled at the beginning which is so strayt that it is not in mans power of himselfe to keepe and fulfill it the cause why hee made it so strayt is euident Euen to the end that al mankind * should be shut vp vnder sin which is their damnation therfor he hath Gal. 2 22. Exo. 33. 19. Rom. 6â— 18 mercy on whom he wil whom he wil he hardneth their hartes When the Israelites through iniquity and ingratitude had forgotten God then hee by taking his holy spirite from them * made them to err and hardned their harts from Esai 63. 17. fearing him Oh that al people would feare this incomprehensible Monarch that ruleth commaundeth and woorketh all in all whatsoeuer is done in Heauen and earth and hath al things at his beeke euen at the twinckling of an eye Therefore he may haue mercy on whom he wil and at his pleasure doe iustice on all the rest Hee made all if hee destroy all who can let him * If God take from any man that which he hath Iob 9. 12. giuen him who can make him restore it And what soeuer hath bene done from the beginning or shal be vnto the ending of the world is done by Gods forepointment be it good or bad vnto mankynde for all is good vnto God For although the breach of his commaundements is euil in Gods sight because it is the sinne of man yet it is not God nor in God for hee Psal 91. 10. c. is the soueraygne goodnes it selfe Who * appointeth his holy angels that no euill should come neere to his elect much lesse neere himselfe Therefore I say whatsoeuer things are wrought or done by the ministration of good or euill spirites or angels all are done by his almighty power and the same forepointed in the eternal counsel before the world was Now although it is not in mans power to obserue this holy law yet whosoeuer doth not loue the law endeuor theÌ„selues to frame their lyues thereby Whosoeuer doth not beleeue and confesse the same to bee full of al holy wisdome euery way tending to the preseruation of mans life in purity and holines to sustayne the society of mankynd on earth in honesty of lyfe ciuile policy vpright iudgement and dew execution of iustice Those I say do not shew them selues the children of God but seeme to be his enemies and children of the Deuill I liken this dangerous law to a Kinges standerd in the field vnder which his subiectes of necessity must fight I cal it dangerous for that is the
which his chosen people sucke iuice to their saluation and his refused people to their damnation So is Gods eternall decree that each thing shall keepe his own course and haue his naturall being * for thornes can not Mat. 7. 16. bring foorth grapes nor thistles figges Natures lawes in the firmament in the planets in the signes in the elimentes in the trees and fruits in the herbes and flowers and what soeuer springeth of the earth each thing yeeldes foorth his vertue to mans vse as God did first decree for the blessed spirites holy angels woorke Gods will in heauen and in this world A law of such humility obedience willingnes to please God as they haue neither will nor motion to the contrary which law is so naturally engraffed in them that they cannot erre by any meanes Therefore our Lord Iesus taught vs to pray that our heauenly fathers will may bee done in earth as it is in Heauen Natures law in cursed spirites the Deuill and his angels in Hell and dispersed in the ayre and working some tymes in the myndes of men doing their naturall offices seeking whom they may deuoure and are most noysome to Gods elect who by reason of their corrupt nature can not chuse but sinne And yet Gâ—d by his grace through the ministery of his holy Spirite doth restrayne his chosen calling them backe to repentance And sometyme they are tempted by Satan for triall of their fayth and constancie towardes God as was Iob Daniel and others But Gods refused people are still possessed by wicked spirites and caried on continually from euil to woorse to their vtter destruction And that their cursed exercise is to them a law engrafted so deeply in their nature by their fall as they cannot breake it But in Gods elect that wicked nature by the ministery of his holy Spirite by his mercy and grace is altred yet can not be taken clean away during this life * But when the elect moorn 2 Cor. 1â— 8. 9. vnder the burden of sinne and pray to bee released then is the grace of God sufficient for them Natures law in all kynd of beastes and creeping things on earth fethered foules and fish in the waters salt and fresh God hath insinuated by his woord in the creation into the vitall spirites of each creature in his kynde to keepe his course by natures lawes And it is a monster in nature whom any doe contrary to their kyndes By natures law God from the beginning hath doth now and euer shall gouerne ordinarily all creatures in Heauen and Earth mankind onely excepted while hee liueth in this world whom hee â—ath diuided in two sortes as hee had â—â—uided the angels and al for the accomplish ment of his eternal purpose and endlesse glory So is mankind onely exempted from this law of Nature by commaundement during this mortall life For whereas God insinuated and ingrafted into the vitall spirites of each liuing thing in his kinde to keepe the law of Nature which among them is very seldome broken Contrariwise God hath put vpon mankinde a law vtterly disagreeing and most contrary to the corrupt nature of maÌ„ a law of commaundementes in woordes playnly written for mans vnderstanding preceptes so hard as it is impossible for man by his owne power to obserue them If it had pleased God hee was also able to haue giuen power to fulfill it and so should mankynd haue liued as the holy Angels but then his mercy and iustice should not haue bene so manifestly sette foorth vnto his glory as now they are and as was most meet they should bee Yet God to set forth his loue toward man and the dignity excellency of mankind by his mere mercy offered vppon our nature hee did forepoynt that the nature of man should bee personally vnited vnto the deity In respect of this coniunction especially some thinke it is written * that God made man litle inferiour to the Angels it Psalm 8. 6. is most true that God preferred Christ Iesus vnto the Angels * For vnto which of the Angels sayd he at any tyme sit Heb. 1. 4. 5. 13. thou on my right hande vntill I make thyne enemies thy foot stoole And by vertue of the sayd holy coniunction all Gods elect are made so woorthy and deare in his sight that all the holy Angels are ministring spirites sent foorth to serue for their sakes which shal be heires of saluation and then of necessity it must needs follow because euery thing hath his contrary that the Deuil and his angels are also ministring spirites sent foorth to minister for their sakes which shall bee heires of damnation * For they goe about lyke roring Lyons 1. Pet. 5. 8. seeking whom they may deuoure The consideration of this woonderfull diuision ought to moue all people to feare and tremble in presence which is euery where of this onely Monarke of Heauen and Earth * Psal 107. 8. 8. 15. tel forth the wonders that he doth among the children of meÌ„ It is before proued that God hath dealt with Angels as with men chosing some refusing other some the chosen remayne in their first blessed state they refused for their infidelity pride and disobedience were cast out of Heauen with their thiefe Captayne or King * Abadon the angell of the bottomles Reuel 9. 11. 12. 9. pitte * which deceaueth all the World and those infinite nombers of multitudes of disobedient spirites that fell with Mat. 25. 41 him are called his angels * for whom Hell fire was prepared And it stands with reason that he his traine became enemies fel from Heauen before God made man on earth otherwise hee could not haue but so ready in the crafty serpent * to seeke mans confusion immediatly after his creation as Gen. 3. 1. to mee seemeth in and by the text Man male female were â—eceaued through their own infidelity and negligence in not beleeuing Gods holy woorde and for coâ—iting contrary to Gods woord they were desirous to be lyke Gods in knowing good and euill And so it fell out that In groping after glory They founde eternall follye In seeking glorification They found their owne damnation And that not to themselues onely but to all their corrupt posterity For then and there Satan ouer came them and from that tyme there was neuer any conceaued of a woman by the seed of man gotten and borne but by that wound which the Deuill gaue mankinde was wrapped in iniquity * in sinne mothers Psal 51. 41. conceaue their children All the elect of God from the beginning haue bene are and shall bee so conceaued to the ende * And how can that bee cleane which commeth of an vncleane Iob. 14. 4. Esai 61. 6. Psalm 58. 3 thing * All mans righteousnes is lyke a filthy clout The vngodly whom God hath not chosen * are strangers from God they are froward they speake lyes they are ful of Satans
Anwick his MEDITATIONS vpon Gods Monarchie and the Deuill his Kingdome AND Of the knowledge that Man in this life may obtaine of the almightie eternal and most glorious Godhed WITH other thinges not only worth the reading but also the marking and the retayning Wherein If Patience knovvledge reade And Charity giue eare Then slaunder nor enuye I shall not need to feare But if furious ignorance ioine with auctority Then truth must be silent and suffer the iniurie IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY Gerred Dewes dwelling in Powles Churchard at the signe of the Swan 1587. TO THE RIGHT HOnorable Sir Fraunces Walsingham Knight one of her Maiesties principall Secretaries and of her Highnes most Honorable priuie counsell I. A. wisheth the euerlasting blessing of God through Iesus Christ MOST HVMBLIE BEseeching your Honor that you take it hot for presumption that I haue dedicated vnto your Honor these my studious meditations vppon Gods Monarchie and the Deuilles Kingdome for it is holy and true doctrine grounded on the word of God which you haue loued and exercised euen from your youth especially sythens your Honors being in that honorable estate and office it is manifest and famously spred abroade that you haue bene not only aâ—e bolds fauourer but also an earnest furderer both of holy religion and of al other good actions for profit of the common weale Moreouer considering your fauorable curtesie towards me of so many yeares continuance I could not finde so fitte a Patrone as your honor vnder whose shade I might shield my selfe and my litle Booke from commune cauillers and such dayntie readers as looke more for Method and ornamentes of arte then for the goodnes in substaunce whereas the truth and goodnes of the matter haue no neede of such curiosities For truth deliteth to bee clothed with pure simplicitie and sincere playnnes to please God and not mans vanity Humblie desiring your Honor to accept them in good part for the debt which I owe vnto your Honor for your accustomed goodnes and curteous fauour alwayes towardes mee Thus wishing your Honors health and happines in the Lord Iesus and long continuance of lyfe amongst vs to the commodity of the Church and Common Weal I rest humblie at your Honors good pleasure and diuotion And with my continuall prayer I committe your Honor and all yours to the mercie and tuition of the Almighty Monarch through Christ Iesus our Lord who euer keepe your Honor from euill and with his holy Spirite gouerne your life and doings encrease and establish your fayth that your soule may cheerfully depart in his peace and bee receaued into his Heauenly ioy when your naturall dayes shall ende The often chaunging of the tyme Is a sure witnessing That of Earthly matter Age altereth all thing I. Anwick THE PREFACE TO the Reader FOr a while after the Gospell was freely preached in England there were but two sortes of people not 〈◊〉 knowen those were Papistes and Protestantes which diuersitie of names were deuised to put different 〈◊〉 true Christians and false Because all that were once vnder the Popes vsurped auctoririe were called Christians without distinction althouâ—h neither in the manners of their life nor in the matter of their beleefe they deserued so honorable a title But the loosenes of the times sithence hath bene such for want of correction of manners that there are now diuerse sectes wherof I wil touch one especially a third sort which are of no religion named Atheistes A people without God hauing no feeling of God nor knowledge of their owne horrible state * Neither here nor cold neither feeling their Reuel 3. 15 owne misery nor regarding their owne shame Of which wicked sort the nomber is now greatter in diuers landes then both of Papistes and Protestantes And they are so much worse and more pestiferous then the Papistes as they faine to bee of all religions as occasion and company may serue their turne And yet indeede are of no religion at all But because the Papistes religion is more pleasing vnto the carnall sences of man then the strait rules of the Gospell There is no doubt but they will ioyne with the Papistes against the Protestantes when any stirre happeneth for religion Which God forbid if it bee his holv will Therefore if such monsterous cloudes of Satans sleightes did not presently hang ouer our heads and therewithall such stinking mistes of horrible iniquity enclose vs round aboute euen readie to choake all our sences Satan therby endeuouring to seperate vs from God and his holy woord it might seeme too too curious a question to aske is there a God or no Seing that ther hath not bin nether yet is heard of so tude a Nation vnder the Sun that hath not â—n euery age imagined to themselues one thing or other of whom to craue helpe and woorship for a God Sauing this pestiferous kind of Deuils incarnat these Atheistes * who are the fooles that Dauid speaketh of that say Psal 14. â— Ephes 2 in their hartes there is no God * They are without Christ they are aliantes from the common weal of Israel they are straungers from the couenant they haue no hope because they think there is no God and vnlesse order were taken put in vre for correction of manners they would shortly become so brutish as to vtter it in speech Therfore seing this generation of viperoâ— Atheistes that say in their hartes there is no God do daily increase by the pestileut pollicy of Satan their father it is now most necessary in this daungerous time to declare vnto theÌ„ that they shall finde at last an almightie and euerlasting God euen he that is the onely Monarch of Heauen earth and Hel as holie Reuel 1. 1â— Scriptures teach which if they beleeue not the labor is lost on them For without fayth it is impossible to please God Therefore they that will come to God must first beleeue that God is and that hee is a most bountifull rewarder of them that seeke him and to all others a consuming fire It is the want of correction of manners that encourageth the wicked to do almost what they list The Papistes hope Papistes that they shal yet haue a day for their purpose And to that ende there haue bin great nombers of papisticall bokes froÌ„ beyond the Sea brought into the Realme whereof though a few were taken no doubt very many haue bin distributed among their sect Their confederacie must needes bee great for they haue had a long and a quiet time to consult and lay their plot togither with manie and sondry mighty fâ—endes c. The Atheistes and all other erronious sectes are careles setting their part at hazarde for it is all one to them concerning Religion which end goe forward so they may bee quiet by dissimulation But the Protestantes of this realm Protestants of all degrees I meane such as are true Christians indeede which are percel of Christ his litle flocke dispersed
did the office of an Apostle and seemed as honest and holy as the rest Euen so are all the wicked reprobate Gods enemies as deuils incarnate being lead with vncleane spirites subtle spirites dissembling spirites that can make them feem honest and godly and vse as great ciuilitie as they that are most Godly but God onely knoweth their secrets Thus by circumstances we may vnderstaÌ„d wherfore God ordained satan for his euerlasting enemy euery way to resist God al his goodnes euen to the same ende yâ— he raised vp hardned Pharoes hart against the Israelites to set out his owne glorie which is his chiefe scope in all his woords and deedes And yet is it not lawful for any man to seeke his own glorie for mankind onely was made to seeke and set forth the glory of God by words and writing which onely appertaine to men but God hymselfe is vnder no law therefore hee alone and none but hee may lawfully seeke his owne glory he being the Lord of all lawes and subiect to none And Satan is ignorant that God hath ordained him to the offâ—ce to resist him yea hee is so farre from seeking the glory of God that by his will hee would haue all the glory himselfe as when hee would haue had the sonne of God fal down and woorship him For God hath made Satan in comparison of his owne godly knowledge wisedome and power more inferiour then a dog to a godly wise man And in effect he is indeed but Gods bandogge which hee vseth to let flip to punish and torment his lawles swine which are godles and disordred people Diaboli semper est iniqua voluntas nunquam Grego est iniusta potestas quia voluntatem habet a se potestatem autem a Domino For Satans chiefe-industrie and naturall inclination is to seeke mans confusion so saieth saint Peter hee goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may be 〈◊〉 euen forepointed of God to the same purpose That he should not only tempt and â—ntice the reiected of God to their utter damnation but also trouble â—â—xt and torment the â—ery elect of God 〈◊〉 and out 〈…〉 part of them to the committing of shamefull and most horrible thinges 〈◊〉 blasphemie murther adulterie fornication c. And by those meanes maketh some of them in a maner to dispaire of their saluation which thing king Dauid had felt when hee Psal 86. 13. said * great is thy mercy towardes me o Lord for thou hast deliuered my soule from the nethermost bell that is to say from damnatioÌ„ into the which mankind fell by Adams rebellion or disobedience Yf any man deny God to haue created all those spirites good which afterward of them selues became euill Yf any man deny God to haue forepoynted Satan and his Angels to be his aduersaries and consequently enemies to him and his electe Let him or them first graunt and confesse all the artiles of the true catholicke fayth and ground his or theire argumentes on the holy scriptures and say what they can to the contrary For I beleue in the father the sonne and the holy ghoste three persons but one God creator of heauen and earth and of all thinges visible and inuisible conteyned in them For hee is the only Monarch of all himselfe is all in all hee worketh all in all and yet can do no euill at all for he is the soueraigne goodnes it selfe and no poynt of euill in him therfore no euill can proceede from him All things without exception are his owne in eternall posession Therfore hee only and none but hee can or may iustly without addition of other words say thus I will do with myne owne as I liste Let such as deny those things answere to these questions 1 Fyrst how had those spirites theire lyfe and being if they were not fyrst the good creatures of God as man was at the fyrst and of himselfe became euill Neyther could the electe Angels nor mankind yet rest of them selues in the fauoure of God except they were sustayned in the same by his almighty power loue and infinite mercy 2 How became Satan and his trayne euerlasting enemies to God and his elect without Gods forepoyntment doth any thing happen vnwares to God so to say were blasphemie 3 How came Satan his angels by yâ— naturall disposition to go about lyke roring Lyons seking whoÌ„ they may deâ—our 4 How could Gods angels fall from heauen without Gods wil and forepointment seing * a sparrow falleth not to the Matth. 6. ground nor a hayre from ones head without the fathers will 5 Whether or no hath Satan power of him selfe or doth hee receaue it from God or is hee so stâ—â—â—g that God can not rule him or is God â—â—oubles with Satans pestiferouse stuâ—bernes and most cruell rages or doth hee suffer him or any of his adherents eyther bodely or ghostly to worke any thing agaynst his almighty power and vnresistable will Let these bee answered yea or nay For I hold the Lords will to bee an euerlasting lawe passing the * lawe of the Medes Dan. 6. 12. 15. and Persians which might not bee altered For if any of those foresayde things haue bene be nowe or shal be hereafter then where is our fayth of Gods almightines for if there be eyther fortune misfortune chaunce mischaunce soden fall or working of any thing whereby good or bad might or can bee done vnwares of God or agaynst his will then were hee not almighty as all true Christians doth know and beleue him to bee It is a knowne thing to euery one that in a great house there must bee officers for euery office and seruantes of each 2. Tim. 2. â—0 degree and vessels for all purposes Heauen Earth and Hell haue many mansions and yet but one great house for Gods vse and purpose Therefore I conclude as before mentioned God hath ordeined officers and ministers throughout all his dominions And Satan among the rest to be his eternall hangman namely in this world by him and his adherents Gods executioners to punish veâ—e and torment as wel the elect as the reprobate as pleaseth God to appoint both by the ministery of Satan and yet the one in mercy the other in iustice For Satan can not doe what he desireth nor so much as he willeth For then he would confound al But God hath appointed his limits which hee cannot passe nor doe one lot more or lesse then hee is forepointed â—or so much as touch any creatures except God commaund For * hee and his traine Mar. 5. 9. Luk. 8. 20. could not enter in the Swine but by li 〈…〉 and commaundement Neither could hee haue asked leaue except the secret power of God had constrained him so to doe thereby to confesse himselfe subiect to the power of God in such sort as it is not in himselfe to moue â—â—ther â—◠〈◊〉 but by Gods appointment For â— God sent or euil spirit to vexe king
called all of the spirite For as the elect of God are led and gouerned by the Spirite of God and his holy Angels And yet in such sorte as God letteth them fall often tymes by the pestâ—ient â—â—â—icementes of Satan and his Angels to the ende they may know that they stand not of themselues Euen so the reprobate whom God hath not chosen are led gouerned by satan his angels and yet in such sort as God doth very often put them in mynd by his holy Spirite admonishing them to turne from theyr wicked waies to the ende that euery one may be without excuse the autour of his own damnation Thus all in generall are of the Spirit â—yther good or bad but the reprobate follow the lustes of the flesh and suggestions of satan without resistance In the elect the flesh striueth agaynst the Spirit and the Spirit resisteth the flesh so that the Soule as all amazed is pulled now on the one syde then on the other side stackering too and free yelding sometimes to the good motions and many tymes to the euill motions filthy lustes Now in a litle hope and then in great dispayre and all by ignorance of holy Scriptures and neglecting the knowledge and grace which God already had or hath geuen them Therefore let vs labour in good woorkes of charity with fasting and faythful prayer to God * to obtayn the blessing of Luk. 11. 28. hearing beleeuing obeying and exercysing his holy woord that thereby we may obtayne wisedome from God to discerne betweene good and euill and that most excellent knowledge and precious gift of God * to trye the Spirites that woorke 1 Iohn 4. 3. in vs whether they be of God or no. For this is certayne that the least thought that râ—seth in mans minde is styrred either by the flesh or by the spirite and in the same moment tendeth to good or euil in Gods sight And to choose the good and reiect the euill is the ful some of al vertuous wisedome euen the precious gift of God which no creature caÌ„ obtayn of himselfe for it must come by the free grace and mercy of God through Christ Iesus being asked in true fayth as he commaundeth * Aske and it shall bee giuen you c. Matth. 7. 7. 21. 22 Mans naturall state as discended from Adam after his fall was most miserable and vtterly damned body and Soule the nombers of mankinde onely knowne to God to mans wit incomprehencible and to reason more then infinite out of which greater infinite nomber the Lord of mercy hath chosen and forepointed a lesser infinite nomber which hee hath elected by grace in Christ Iesus * And forepointed them to bee Ephes 1. 4 10. 13. adopted in him before the foundations of the World were layde And are sealed to saluation by the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance purchased by Christ Iesus euen the same that king Dauid ment when hee sayde * I should vtterly haue faynted except I had beleeued to see Psal 27. 13. the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing And so should now the elect of God faynt daily by reason of the afflictions and miseries which they suffer of the wicked worldlinges in this lyfe if it were not for the hope they haue to enioy the sweete promises of God by Christ Iesus in the world to come in Heauen which Dauid calleth the land of the liuing And â—o meruayle though Gods elect suffer horrible miseries in this World For * Satan can transforme himselfe 2 Cor. 11. 13. into an Angel of light as once he was Also his captiues the subiectes and wicked folkes by theyr hypocrisy can seeme in the sight of men as sober as honest as vertuous and holy as the very elect of God As Iudas for example beinge of the twelue Apostles hee Mark 3. 14 did his office hee preached the gospel hee wrought miracles hee seemed outwardly as honest as faythful and as holy as the rest * yea and more zealous then his fellowes and yet a Iohn 12. 5. very hipocrite which argueth that euen now among those that preach the gospell minister the holy sacramentes there may bee such Hipocrites as Iudas was Saynt Paul confirmeth 1 Cor. 9. 26. the same in saying * I runne not as at an vncertayne marke I fight not as one that beateth the winde but I bring my body in subiection least by any meanes after preaching to others I my selfe should bee reprooued which argueth that there hath bene euer are now and euer shall bee such Preachers and Ministers as are not as they would seem to bee And by those Hipocrites as well of the Spiritualty as of the Laity many of the very elect are abused and enticed to the committing of horrible Crimes manifested vnto men God seruing therein his eternall secrete purpose by the ministery of Satan to the end that none should be able to iudge of his secrets in the matter of election and reprobation who shoulde be saued or damned further then hee hath giuen scoape by the holy Scriptures * No man can iudge of another by any Eccles 9. 1. c. thinge that happeneth vnto men in this lyfe who is loued or hated of God for hee maketh the Sunne to Shyne on all alyke And as the wicked most commonly liue in greatest prosperity euen so among the poorer sort bursteth out the greatest villany what secret God hath in that I leaue to him Moreouer this pestilent vice of Hipocrisy is such a canker in the nature of mankind as cannot bee shunned nor auoyded And by it both the elect and the reiect couer their sinnes from the knowledge of man but not from God and priuily and inwardly abuse themselues in body mynd and Soule And some cary close their filthines but short tyme. Some keepe it long vnseene of man Yet in some at length it breaketh foorth to their vtter shame whereof some by Gods grace returne by repentance and receaue saluation because they are the elect of God Some through hardnes of hart cast asyde all shame and feare of God and so runne headlong into destruction damnation Some enioy * the blessing to haue their sinnes Psalm 32. 1 c. couered and forgiuen yea a speciall blessednes haue they to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Is not this a most speciall grace of God to couer some mens sins that they neuer come to light haue they not great and iust cause to bee thankfull seeing no creature can accuse them but God and their owne conscience So it pleaseth God to deale with some and vnhappy are they that enuy the happy state of others For by the ministery of his holy Spirite hee woorketh reformation in the myndes and soules of some leading them by true repentance to amendment of life without beyng openly detected * for no man liueth and sinneth 1 Iohn 1. 8. not Oh that men
17. 14 19. 16 1 Re. 11. 14 31. but not for euer * for Christ Iesus the Lyon of the trybe of Iehudah shall come and sitte one the spirituall seat of his father Dauid for euer * for hee is Lord of Lordes and King of Kinges euerlasting So that the seed of Dauid was afflicted vntil Christ Iesus by his death tryumphed ouer all his enemies * For God raysed aduersaries agaynst Salomon and threatned to rente his kingdome in peeces which he performed as it is written in the twelft Chapter and al to punish his beastly lyfe But for king Dauids sake God did not rent the kingdome whyle Salomon liued But hee beeing dead and Roboham his Sonne begynning to raigne al Israel came to Sechem to make him king as it were to the coronation And then and there the people hauing chosen them a Captayne and secretly conspired before hand that if the king would not grauÌ„t their necessary request by way of humble petition to make lighter the heauy burthens which Salomon his Father by impostes and taxes had layd vpon them That then they would be quite out his gouernment and reuolt cleane from him Which conspiracy was hidden from king Roboham who in asking counsell to answere the people refused the good those the euill And who was Gods instrument to cause him so to doe euen Satan that olde subtle Serpent that so slâ—ely deceaued Adam Noy Aron Dauid Salomon and all the people of the World from age to age no one hath escaped his clutches but his pestilent enticementes haue made them erre except that only one Christ Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God who was forepoynted promised to breake the Serpentes head So this Serpent Satan woorking in the mynde of King Roboham and his young counsellers caused him to refuse the aduyce of the Counsellers to his Father that gaue him good and sober counsell to rule with lenity and vpright iustice And followed the euil counsell of the young men with whom hee had bene â—rayned vp to rule with rigor and tyranny Whereupon hee answeared the people thus * Whereas â— Reg. 12. 13 my Father did burtheÌ„ you with an heauy yoke I wil make it heauier my father did chasten you with rods but I will correct you with scourges Here let vs consider what spirite wrought in the King and his counsell to cause him make this â—â—uell answere it was not the Spirite of meeknes which is of God it was the Spirite of prâ—de which is of the Deuil Vpon which dispiteful answeare The twelue trybes reuolted quite from him with the like dispitful woords * what portion haue wee with Dauid or inheritance with the sonne 1 Reg. 12. 16 11. 29. 12. 15. of Isha * Ieroboam being their Captayne who became king of those ten Tribes and was called king of Israel and Roboham king of Iehuda Thus the Lord performed his promise in renting his kingdome as well for the sinnes of Roboham as of his father and grandfather Then king Roboham began to make warre agaynst his rebels purposâ—â—g to conquere them agayne by force The lykelihood of his enterprise therein haue bene to haue lost yâ— rest for he had but 2 agaynst 10. But God had forepoynted it otherwise that one should sit on Dauids seate vntil the comming of Messias And to that ende * hee sent his Prophet to 1 Reg. 12. 12. warne him all his people not to deale that way but returne euery man to his owne house sayeth God for the thing is done by me Marke it wel it was Gods woorke who worketh all in all and yet in him no euil at all Satan and his Angels are Gods instrumentes doing their naturall office when where and vpon whom it pleased him to forepoint before the World began to bring each thing to his forepoynted end for the accomplishmeÌ„t of his eternal purpose so wrought they in king Roboham and in those whose counsell hee followed and also in Ieroboham and the ten Trybes to rebell agaynst their Prince For who puts euill conceiptes in peoples myndes who prouokes them to performe the euill conceaued who perswades Princes and their Counsellers to â—â—fuse the good and choose the euill who I say but Satan that olde enemy For he put into the hart of Iehudas to betray his mayster Iohn 13. 3. Christ Iesus Euen so whatsoeuer hath is or shall bee 〈◊〉 Gods forepoyntment it is of necessâ—ty also that hee forepoint the meanes the matter and the maner to bring each thing to â—â— forepoynted 〈◊〉 * for if the Sparrâ—â— fall not Mat. 10. 29 Luk. 11. 6. 7 Act. 27. 34. on the ground without his will neither is one of them forgotten with God if the hayres of the heads of Gods elect are nombred neyther can an hayre fal from their hâ—aâ—s without his will thâ—se beyng as small thinges as may bee deuised And yet not forgotten with God then how can these great thinges bee without his will and appoyntment Vnlesse some madde man would say that perhaps some thing done vnknowen or vnwares to God which were to diminish his almightines but all thinges are possible with God and of him euery thing hath being mouing power disposition of woorking be it good or euill in respect of maÌ„ for in regard that al that is commeth from God all is good euen that which euill spirites worke towardes mankinde for as much as they worke not otherwise then God hath forepoynted for the accomplishment of his eternall purpose Therefore whatsoeuer God doth by the working of spirites good or ill is euery way good and no degree to be tearmed euill For although he commaund man not to kil man yet may God destroy millions of millions without checke of any and geue lyfe againe at his pleasure But why he doth this or that or what hee meaneth by these or those his secrete workes ther ought no questions bee made further then is limitted by holy Scriptures but with all humble obedience let vs submit our selues to his blessed will reuealed in his word and with all reuerence let vs honor the secrets of his will vnreuealed And here withall let vs liue in all dutiful obedience to his holy law for otherwise we hope for mercy in vayne And yet I say * that by the workes of the Law no flesh Gal. 2. 16. shall bee iustifyed The iustice of God which hee executeth by the ministery of Satan and his angels as good as holy as much to be praised and magnifyed as his sweete mercy in Christ Iesus in God they are equall Therefore it pleased God in the secret counsell of his own will for his eternall purpose decreed before the world was to forepoint matter whereon to bestowe iustice and mercye And all to magnify his holy name and shew foorth his owne glory Yet is it not lawfull for Emperours Kings and Princes ouer nations to seeke their own glory for as they are commaunded in generall to seeke set foorth