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
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
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
and fewest in nomber they waite in fearful patience what God is about to doe Some of them not well resolued in this sentence of the Sonne of God * Many are called and fewe are Mat 29. 16. Luc. 12. 49. chosen For they are greatly amased to see the true feruent zeale of Gods holy seruice euen the fyre that the Sonne of God brought into the World and wilâ—ed that it should burne in mens hartes to bee now almost quenched or at the least the substance wherein it should woorke â—o consumed that there resteth but only embers raked in the ashes And therefore seeing men regard not to maintaine that fyre of true zeale which the Lord himselfe willed to burne in mens hartes There are great likelihodes by many coniectures that God will shortly kindle the fyre of disturbance and in the end consume his enemies For euen now the angell of God speaketh vnto the diuers states as hee did vnto the congregations of the Laodicians saying * let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayth vnto the churches A men the true faithful witnes euen the beginning of the Creatures of God sayth these thinges I know your woorkes that yee are neither cold nor hote I would yee wer cold or hote so then because yee are lukewarme end neither cold nor hote I will spew you out of my mouth because ye say I am ritch and encreased with goods and need nothing and you know not that yee are wretched miserable poore blind and naked Therefore I counsell you to buy of mee Gold tried in the fyre that yee may bee ritch and white raiment that yee may bee clothed that your filthy nakednes do not appeare And annoint your eies with eie salue that yee may see As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten be feruent therefore and repent saith the Lord. Behold I stand at the dore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the dore I will come in vnto him and suppe with him and hee with mee To him that ouercommeth will I graunt to sit with mee in my throne as I haue ouercome and sitte with my Father in his throne By this let them that haue eares heare what the Spirite saieth to the congregations They are monstrous may med bodies that want eares to heare the woord of God and yet haue eares doing their office in hearing all other thinges Now where the fault lyeth of this wauering zeale this dulnes in hearing this lukewarmnes in following this slownes in beleeuing and exercising the word of God or who deserueth the blame thereof I leaue that in question For to be an accuser of crimes is perillous namely wher the Iudges want vpright hearing there it is not only a lost labor and thankles office but also obtaineth vnwoorthy blame and hatred for good wil. Notwithstanding I say an accusation may bee made in Christian charity for the amendment of such as walke inordinatly whereupon I say proue it as I can that euery person is bound by duty to bee an eie and an eare to the maiestrate to declare vnto him in christian charitie the enormities which he seeth among the people because he can see no further then a maÌ„ except god do inspire som maÌ„ with more vertue that way theÌ„ coÌ„monly is in men Therfore wheÌ„ falts be told the magistrats for charity sake duty to god those persons haue discharged the duty of good Christians And then if the maiestrates do not trie out the truth execute iustice the sinne is vpon him Therfore in praier I humbly beseech the almighty God for his dear sons sake to send his holy Spirite into the hartes of all that euen from the highest that sittes in the roiall throne vnto the lowest and simplest in whole kingdoms dominions that euery one may remember that the ende of their creation both in body soule is to glorify God And therfore let euery one that desireth saluatioÌ„ endeuour now themselues to walke vprightly and deale truly honestly and faithfullie in their vocation pray hartily to God in this time of vrgent necessity that the feruent zeale of Gods most sacred seruice according to his owne word may be surelie engrafted in the hartes of all and most chiefly in Princes counsellers Nobilitie magistrates and officers That the same true zeale and the vertue thereof may discend from them by degrees in good example into the harts of the commons euen to the poorest and basest subiectes That all with one found minde may praise the holy and dreadfull name of Iehoua the most glorious almighty and eternall God the onely Monarch of Heauen and Earth that in the name of Christ Iesus for whose sake our praiers are pleasant and acceptable vnto him for otherwise he can not abide nor brooke them As King Dauid was moued and sollicited doubtles by holy motions which were in him the woorke of the holy 2 Sam. 7. 1 Chron. 17 22. Ghost to build a Temple vnto the mighty God of Israell which when hee had purposed to doe and prepared much costly stuffe for the building Nathan the Prophet warned him to the contrary God would not haue it of his dooing And why Euen because of his bloody handes Therefore hee commaunded to leaue it to his son Salomon by whose innocent handes God would haue that most famous and glorious figure wrought before Satan should corrupt his vnderstanding leade him captiue for a time as afterward hee did in most shamefull wife as in the 11. of 2. booke of Kinges Euen so I by like motions from time to time haue bin and am continually sollicited to meditate vppon Gods Monarchie and the Deuils Kingdome But whether the Lord worke in mee to the end I may rightly frame and performe it and time to finish the same to the benefite of his Church because of my bloudy handes and sinnes of my youth the Lord Iesus knoweth and not I. Yet through his grace woorking in mee for my selfe I can not thinke a good thought I haue gatherd togeather good and sound stuffe for some other that labor in Gods vineyard to frame the same or like peece of woorke Men ought to examine al doctrines by the word of God and chiefly consider what is spoken or written and not so much regarde the speaker or writer For it is a grosse error to thinke and more blockish to bee spoken That the true interpretation of holy Scriptures should rest onely in â—â—ole men Whereas wee finde by daily experience that many of them are enemies to the glad tidinge of Christ Iesus Now if any man obiect or take exceptions against the auctority of the bookes called Apocripha out of which I haue heare and there alledged somewhat I answere thus that in all pointes wherein they doe agree with the Canonicall Scriptures they are in my opinion to bee preferred to all other mens writinges Doctors what or who soeuer which canonicall Scriptures God hath most miraculously preserued
behold gaue precepts touching Sampson and assended in the flame of the burnt sacrafice * King Dauid 2 Sam. 24. 17. 1 Kinges 14 5. 7. 43. Luk. 1. 11. 26. saw the angell of the Lord smyte the people and there died â—xx in three dayes at the pestilence * The angell touched Elias and a voyce spake twise vnto him * The angell foretelleth â—achary of his sonne Ihon the foregoer of Christ Iesus The angell Gabrell was sent from God to the Virgin Mary to forewarne her of her conception of Christ Iesus * An angell of God warned Ioseph not to go from his Matt. 1. 20 2. 13. wyfe commaunded him to take the childe and his mother and goe into Egipt called him home agayne when Herod was dead * An Angel of God appeared vnto the sheperdes with Luk. 2. 9. Of Angels and men him a multitude of angels singing praises at yâ— birth of Gods anoyâ—ted and our sauiour the tydings whereof was great * After Satan had tempted our Lorde Iesus the holy Mat. 4. 10. 11 Iohn 5. 4. Luk. 22. 42 c. Act 1. 10. angels came and ministred vnto him * At a certayne season an angell went downe and moued the water of the poole Bethesday alias Siloe and whosoeuer went next into the water was healed of whatsoeuer disease an Angel from heauen appeared to comfort Christ in his agony feare of death * Two angels stood in mens lykenes by the Apostles while they looked stedfastly after Christ Iesus when hee was taken vp into heauen told them that he should come agayne in like manner as he ascended * And against his comming to geue iudgement Mat. 24. 30 c. hee shall send his angels with sounding the trompet togather togeather his chosen people from the fower wyndes that is to say the whole worlde For of all the nations of the worlde some must bee blessed according to the * promise made Gen. 22 18 to the most honorable mere man that euer was Abraham the father of all the faythfull * The law was geuen by the ministery of angels but grace Act. 1. 53. and truth came by Christ Iesus which to that Michaell which with his Angels fighteth full agaynst the dragon Satan and his angels for whom and for the damned seed of Adam * hell tyre was prepared in which they shal be euer tormented Ecul 23. 10. Amos 3. 6. Esai 4 5 6. 7 and neuer rest But * an angels voyce was hard from Heauen saying write Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lorde for they rest from theyr labours so shall not the highe minded bent to wickednes that dye without repentaunce I haue omitted many and many places of holy scriptures concerning the ministry of Angels to auoyde tediosnes But these I haue recited to the end that no man may doubt but euery man assure himselfe that God worketh some time in this worlde by Angels both good and badde For thus it is writen of the holy angels * Are they not all ministering Hebr. 1. 14. spirites sent foorth to minister for theyr sakes which shal bee heyres of saluation Yes doubtlesse and to that end they cocker and flatter the wicked reprobate and preferre them in this world For albeit that God loued and choose Iacob and â—ated and refused Esau yet Esau by following the suggestions of Satan and his angels became of greater power and auctoryty then Iacob during theire lyues in this world * Therfore God is called the father of spirites which were Hebr. 12. 9. created and some of them fallen from blessed state before he created man for neyther angels nor men can keepe themselues from falling if God keepe them not And as the same God is almighty eternall and without beginning or ending so hath he purposed in himselfe before the world was that he would make both angels and men * some to honour and some Rom. 11. 21 to dishonour to shewe himselfe to bee the glorious God of mercy and Iustice The Lord hath made all things for his Prou. 16. 4. owne cause yea euen the wicked for the day of distruction For his election and reiection his choosing and refusing both of angels and men are most euedently proued in holy scriptures For angels thus Saynt Paule prescribing orders in the Election and reiection of Angels Church hath these wordes to Tymothy * I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and his elect angels that thou obserue these thinges without partialityeâ— Now it followeth of necessity that where when Angels were elected there also theÌ„ angels were reiected For of contraries there is euer a contrary reason and therfore where chosing is there is also refusing of them that bee not chosen But God elected some angels the consequent is hee reiected other some angels for if hee had preserued all and let none fall from him then had there bene no election at all neyther any deuill but some hee chose and some hee refused And iniquity whereof Iob * Iob speaketh was found in those which he had refused by which fall of angels it is manifest that they had a lawe or precept which they transgressed otherwise they coulde not haue committed iniquitie It is Saynt Paule his argumeÌ„t Ro. 14. 15. 2 Pet. 2. 4. * where no lawe is there is no transgression But Saynt Peter sayth * God spared not the angels that sinned Ergo they had a lawe or precept which they brake otherwise they could not haue sinned Thus it appeareth that God hath delt with angels as with men concerning creation election and reiection sauing that all angels sinned not as all mankinde sinned in Adam for wee reade not of the redemption of angels as of the redemption of mankind so many as it pleased God to choose were redeemed So then hee created both angels and men as the cheefe parte of his works purposed in him selfe to set forth his eternal power honor and glory Heâ— made the angels of inuisible substance and man of both inuisible and visible and all both kindes in perfect purity in holines and fredome of will it pleased God to make them in such sorte as he put it in theyr owne choyce to obay or disobay they had power in themselues to keep or change theyr blessed state wheriâ— they were created For if they had not had that choyce in themselues with reuerence be it sayde God could not with iustice haue punished theyr disobedience But God can do nothing vniustly therefore he had most iustly punisht theÌ„ hauing fore poynted which and how many should by his grace stand to serue him in theyr first purity the rest he left to them selues which through infidelity pryde and disobedience fell from theyr blessed state and became his euerlasting enimies Thus it pleased God to make iust matter vnto himselfe to exercise both mercy and iustice which two most excellent vertues do chiefly magnifie and extol his eternall
him appoynted in his holy worde by which wee are to receaue his giftes and spirituall graces which lye hidden in many people for want of Godly exercises wherin wee ought to bee occupied Therfore * wee must stirre vp the giftes of God that are in vs as Paule admonished Timothy the meanes are hearing 2 Tim. 1. 6. reading and folloing the holy scriptures and holy wrytings and preachings grounded thereon For as God is the soueraigne goodnes it selfe euen so all goodnes cometh from him * euery good gifte and euery perfect gift cometh downe Iam. 1. from the father of light and his holy spirit mouing vs wee thinke good thoughts speake good words and do good dedes and not otherwise For when soeuer we thinke speake or do if it bee good * it is God that worketh in vs both the will and Phil. 2. 13. 1 Cor. 3. 6. the deede * For of our selues wee cannot thinke a good thought And contrarywise Satan is the capitall euil and the extreme euill it selfe * for hee is the tempter which by his Angels and worldly adherents puts all euill thoughts into meÌ„s Matt. 4. 3. Gen. 3. 1. 2. Iohn 13. 2. hartes * Thus hee delte with Eue and so disceaued Adam * hee put in the harte of Iudas Iscariote to betray his maister Therefore all wicked motions and filthy thoughts are stirred vp by the Deuill in our corrupt nature wee being his subiects For by Adams fall wee are all in Satans possession And it is the batayle of mans lyfe to striue agaynst his temptations agaynst infidelity pryde of the minde and lustes of the flesh Therfore our sauiour hath taught vs to pray to bee deliuered from euill from which wee cannot kepe our selues without God his especiall grace gouerning vs by his Spirit OF GODS ETERNALL PVRPOSE of chosing and refusing of mankind of the anoiance that it receiueth by Satan and his angels CAP. 6. NOw to proue Gods eternal purpose of election and reiection of man Male and Female * wee know that all thinges worke for the Rom. 8. 28. 9 11. Gen. 25. 23. Exo. 33. 19. Malac. 1. 2. best to them that loue God euen to them that are called of purpose * And of the children not yet borne hauing done neither good nor euil it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esaw that the promise of God might stande according to the election and not by woorkes but by him that calleth what shall wee say then is there vnrighteousnes with God God forbid For hee sayth to Moses I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy and haue compassion on whom I wil haue compassion So then election is not in him that willeth nor in him that ronneth But in God that sheweth mercy on whom it pleaseth him Psalm 107 8. 15. Rom 9 16. Exo. 9. 16. * Oh that men would therefore feare the Lord and declare the woonders that hee doth amongest men * For hee sayeth vnto Pharao for this purpose haue I raysed thee vp that I might shew my power in thee that my name might bee declared through al the Earth Behold to what end God hardned Pharaos heart euen to the same ende as hee before the world was had ordeined the fall of Angels and of men to shewefoorth his glorye and himselfe to bee the wonderfull God of mercy and iustice Then thou wilt say why doth hee yet complayne who can resist his will Saynt Paul correcteth that question saying Rom. 9. 20. * Oh man what art thou that disputest agaynst God Shall the thing formed say vnto him that formed it why hast thou made mee thus hath not the potter power ouer the clay euen of one and the same lumpe to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor What if it please God to shew his wrath to make his power knowen in suffering with long patience the vessels of wrath ordayned and prepared to destruction and damnation and that hee might declare the ritches of his mercy vpon the vessels of mercy prepared vnto glory The text is playne inough that some are ordayned and prepared to saluation and other some to damnation And our Sauiour Christ sayth of the reprobate whom God hath refused * that God hath blinded their eies and hardned their Iohn 12. 40 hartes least they should see vnderstand and beleue and be conuerted that hee might heale them Moreouer * God did Ephe. 1. 4. elect whom pleased him euen before the foundation of the World was layed and those hee did forepoint to be adopted in Christ Iesus vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will that they might loue him For * all things work for the best to them that loue God euen to them that are called Behold the purpose of God Rom. 8. 33. of purpose And those whom hee knew before hee did forepoint and called them effectually and those he iustified those he also glorifyed * Who shal then lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen whoÌ„he doth iustify And that which the Lord hath decreed who shal make it void Thus it is manifest Esai 14. 27 46. 10. by the holy Scriptures that God did elect and reiecte whom it pleased him aswel of Angels as of men euen before the world was And al for his own purpose to shew forth his own glory himself to be the glorious God of mercy and iustice For God is glorifyed and magnifyed as much in his iustice as in his mercy for if both Angels and men had not sinned and by sinne fallen from theyr blessed state the mercy and iustice of God had neuer bene fâ—lonor spoken of amongst men But so it pleased God to deale with his own And what shal any man get to reason why or wherefore hee hath done this or that It behoueth men rather to feare him and prayse his holy name in beholding his wonderfull and passing terrible workes For hee being Monarch of all power and dominion hath all thinges in euerlasting possession therefore hee only and none but hee may doe with his owne what hee list No man can iustly say that any thing which hee possesseth is properly his owne because God hath but lent it him for a tyme. And yet there are few so ill mannered as to control any man for vsing that which God hath lent him because it is called his owne and shal wee vse lesse reuerence to God theÌ„ we do to men God sayth by his prophet * the sonne doth honor his father Malac. 1. 6. the seruant doth feare his Lord If I bee then your father where is then myne honor If I be your Lord where is the feare yee ought to haue of mee our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs by the example of the * murmuring labourers who were Mat. 20. 11 sharply rebuked for grudging agaynst the liberality of the Lord of the vineyard which is this almighty Monarch and bountifull God that dealeth so frankly and
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
the glory of God but how they doe hee best knoweth that is forepoynted to audice their accomptes And although Satan and his trayne both bodily ghostly do euermore deuise mischiefe as is their nature for they can not doe otherwise yet God as often as pleaseth him turneth their wicked purposes the contrary way As when Ioseph his brethren by Satans working in some of them did seeke to kill the poore Innocent the holy ghost wrought in other some of them to withstand that wicked purpose and when some of them had executed their malice by selling him into Egypt for a slaue because hee was so dearly beloued of his father they hated him their malicious entent was neuer to haue seene him agayne And yet it pleased God to turne their mallice and spitefull wicked entent to goodnes vppon themselues Gen. 45. 5. 8 * as Ioseph told them when he made himselfe knowne vnto them yea Ioseph denied it to bee their deede and sayde playnly it was the woorke of God and not theirs And yet it is most true they did it in hatred by Satans working in theÌ„ If wee marke the course of holy Scriptures deuour mens writinges on the same wee shall finde it manifest that euen froÌ„ the beginning the holy ghost hath euer wrought in those whom God hath chosen to their saluation And Satan and his Angels in those whom God hath left vnchosen euer worketh to their damnation And the same seueral working shall continue vnto the ende of this world for as in euery kingdome vertuous or vitious folks are in auctority the common weale for religion frameth accordingly If wee note well the succession of the kinges of Iehudah among two or three and twenty kinges euen from the first king vnto the captiuity of Babilon there are scant fyue praysed for truth honesty and zeale in holy religion Gods true seruice And likewise of the nobility counsellers and maiestrates not one among twenty yâ— rightly and zelously fauoured holy religion which notwithstanding was their profession as now it is ours they bragging stil of the temple of the Lord and wee of the Gospel And yet indeede they did neyther rightly esteeme of Gods holy Law nor yet of his holy seruice in his temple The Princes and states of Israell were reproued for their Ier. 7. 1. 10. 5. 1 Cor. 1. â— 6 Mat. 20. â—6 negligence in Gods seruice * And Saynt Paul telleth vs that not many ritch not many noble not many of high degree are called to saluation much lesse chosen For * many are called but few are chosen of mankinde in generall And this I say that the greatest punishment that God casteth on mankind in this lyfe is to withdraw his holy spirite from him and turne him loose to follow his owne lustes wherein Satan dandles him like a poppit and none are sooner trapt in Satans snaâ—e then some mighty by reason of nobility and wealth being often so affected that none may admonish them without their displeasure But such as can flatter lye and vse pleasant speach suffering them to follow their lustes and desyres such they haue in great estimation Example When the forepoynted tyme of Ahabs confusion drew neare Satan put an ambitious toy in his head to conquer Ramoth in Gilead and when hee sought counsell concerning his enterprise * God sent lying 1 Reg. 22. 20. spirites into the mouthes of foure himdreth of his Prophets to encourage him in his purpose whose counsell hee followed to his destruction hee went on greedily thinking to haue returned a conquerour and was brought home a dead carcas Micheas the prophet of God told him the truth onely hee was beaten for his labour and put in prison Thus as * all thinges worke for the best to them that loue Rom. 8. 28. God euen so to them that loue him not all thinges woorke to the contrary Experience teacheth that the Eliments water ayre earth fyre al the planets signes as Sunne Mone and Stars blustring winds tempests venemous wormes wilde and cruell beastes are Gods instrumentes which he giueth in to satans power sometimes to execute Gods forepointmeÌ„t vpon the reprobate alwayes to theyr confusion sometime vpon the elect for punishment of their sins God thereby calling theÌ„ to repentaÌ„ce as he did Dauid c. The text is plain sataÌ„ was yâ— executioner of gods holy work vpoÌ„ Iob other his seruaÌ„ts Therefore let vs note the discourse by what meanes Satan The meanes and instrumentes by which God worketh Ephes 22. wrought and what instrumentes hee vsed to afflict Iob. * First he stirred vp the ShebaÌ„s on the one side which slue his seruants draue away his Oxen. Secondly Satan brought fire from Heauen * hee being the Prince that ruleth in the ayre and burnt vp his Sheepe and seruantes Thirdly hee stirred vp the Caldeans who came with violence on the other part and both slew his seruantes and draue away his camels Fourthly with a mighty blast of wynde he threw downe the house vppon his Sonnes and Daughters and kild them all so much as God gaue into his power so much hee vtterly deuoured according to his tyrannous nature And yet very ill content that hee could not touch Iobs person which at length hee gaue into his power sauing his life And what sayeth the Text Satan went foorth from the presence of the Lord and smote Iob with sore byles from the soale of the foote vnto the crowne of the head Note it wel he went foorth from the presence of the Lord to doe those things For by this history of Iob it appeareth that deadly enemies Theeues the fyer and the tempestious windes were Satans instrumentes by God his sufferance to afflict Iob and to try his fayth whom neuerthelesse God himselfe commendeth for an vpright iust man fearing God eschewing euil whose witnes is very sufficient to approue the honesty of man Now if the opinions of Heathen Philosophers and some called Christians bee true that the corruption of the ayre commes by concurrences and influences of the planets and signes and of their distemperature commes murrians pestilences botches blaynes burning feuers and other diseases then it should seeme by their opinion that those insencible creatures worke of themselues and cast foorth their effectes at a venture here and there without Gods forepointment which to graunt is a great absurdity and derogation of Gods almightines Yea there are verie many men that haue their wittes so entangled with fancies of Astrologie and Astronomie that they wil take on them to giue a naturall reason for the secret workes of God as though they were subiect to mans corrupt sences Or as though the Elementes planets and signes could breake their naturall courses without Gods forepointment But in this matter of Iob there is no mention of planets nor signes albeit I confesse them to be Gods creatures made to his glory and vse of mankinde and instrumentes by whom hee woorketh his good pleasure for 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