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
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
euen in the handes of the enemies of the truth therein contayned And that in the daungerous tymes of darke ignorance and cruel persecution and albeit Satan woorking in some of the enemies haue sought and endeuoured to corrupt some part thereof by false translations and wicked gloses Yet notwithstanding God hath euermore appointed some by working of his holy Spirite to restrayne the wicked from vtter currupting and destroying them And likewise haue wrought in some of his elect in all ages to preserue some true copies therof vndefiled with their wicked leuin euen through all the ages of Papistes and other enemies The holy glorious and dreadful name of almighty Iehoua the onely Monarch of Heauen and Earth be euer more praised and magnifyed for that and all other benefites done vnto mankinde in general but especially for his mercies in Christ Iesus on his elect only THE CONTENTES of this Booke Chap. 1. A Declaration what God is and that hee is the only Monarch of Heauen and Earth and of Satan who hath his power from God Fol. 1. 2 A description of the name and nature of Satan and what power it hath pleased god to giue him ouer mankind as well the godly as godlesse viz. the elect and the reprobate Fol. 6. 3 Of the knowledge that man may haue of the Godâ—ed in this bodily life Fol. 14 4 Of Angels together with their seruice which they doe vnto mankinde as messengers from God Fol. 19. 5 How it hath pleased God by the contrary actions operations of his creatures to manifest his own glory as wel in iustice as in mercy Fol. 25 6 Of Gods eternall purpose of choosing and refusing of mankinde and of the annoyance that it receaueth by Satan and his angels Fol. 31. 7 Gods eternal purpose proued by the holy Scriptures and how by his wil each thing is brought to his forepeinted ende Fol. 52 8 The fulfilling of Gods threatninges in afflicting K. Dauid and his posterity Fol. 79. 9 How the most part of mankind serueth Satan and of his reward for their seruice Fol. 85. 10 Of the broade and narrow waies of the wide and the straite Gates and of the little infinite flocke which God hath chosen to saluation litle infinite in compaâ—ison of the great infinit multitudes which God hath left vnchosen which are his refused people reprobate Fol. 98 11 Of the flocke which God hath chosen Fol. 104 12 Concerning nature lawes for all creatures visible and inuisible reasonable and vnreasonable sensible and incensible Fol. 108 13 Concerning the variety of Spirites that woorke diuers effëctes in mankind Fol. 115 The ende of the Table ⧠A DECLARATION Chap. 1. what God is and that hee is the onlye Monarch of Heauen and Earth and of Satan who hath his power from God IF ANY MAN BE DEsirous to know what God is let him search the holy Scriptures hee shall siâ—de it thus God is the only Monarch of Heauen Earth hee is the most glorious inuisible spirite omnipotent of him selfe who hath created set in order conserueth and ruleth all thinges in Heauen Earth and Hell being the right Maister of all indeede of euerlasting being had no beginning shall haue no ending without emparing or alteration through time there is nothing new vnto him neither can he waxe olde For to him there can bee no time past nor time to come but from euerlasting to euerlasting one and the same time is euer present with him Therefore the distinction of time is for Angels Deuils mankinde and other creatures which had beginning and not for God which had no beginning Vnus est ille Deus semper idem The same God is that almighty power which the Philosophers of old time found out to bee the first mouer that causeth all mouing and springing thinges to moue and spring to increase and diminishe as well sencible as insencible as wel reasonable as vnreasonable creatures Also they found him to be the cause of all other causes wherin they differ not much as touching the property of the diety from the Apostle Ephes 1. 23. Colos 3. 11. who sayth * that Christ Iesus as God is all in all Other knowledge they had not of him to giue him his right name because it pleased God not to open him selfe further vnto them Therefore the notable wise men of the famous Citty of Act. 17. 23 Athens worshipped him among the rest of their Gods * by the name of the vnknowne God by which their doinges it appeareth that mans wisedome and learning how excellent so euer it is of it selfe is not able to reatch to the right knowledge of the true God * except hee bee drawen thereunto by â—â—tt 11. Iohn 1. the spirite of God and taught to knowe the Father by the Soâ—urâ— This first mouer in the only Monarch of al power and dominion who hath created and set in order all thinges visible and inuisible by whose incomprehensible power will and direction euery thing hath his being in Heauen Earth and Hell Therefore of necessity it must followe that whatsoeuer or to what end soeuer things are by him created moued encreased or diminished or by Angels or men in deed or word committed or in thought conceaued yea euen by Satan and his Angells they all haue their mouing and disposition of working by his forepointment and direction only This conclusion cannot iustly bee denied except another power be imagined that of it selfe can bee moue worke dispose and direct thinges besides and contrary to the power and will of this Almighty and eternall Monarch of all power and dominion by which false vile imagination the almightines of our one eternall God to bee creator director of all things visible and inuisible should bee vtterly denied Therefore let all people beware and eschewe the wading in that bottomlesse gulfe of damnable imagination vnlesse they care Reuel 20. 3 Mar. 9. 46. not to bee drowned * in the bottomlesse pit where the worme dieth not nor the fier euer goeth out This is that Almighty Monarch and eternall God who after the Heauens and the Earth with their contentes were set in order created Adam the first man placed him in Paradise a most delicate place for pleasure with all commodious thinges and gaue him in commaundement what to doe and what to leaue vndone which commaundement man wilfully brake hee had also forepointed in his euerlasting and eternal counsell both the meanes and the matter to bring his holy glorious purpose to his forepointed end Therefore by his sacred lawe * hee hath concluded all vnder sinne whereby his Gal. 3. 2â— Exo. 33. 19. taketh iust occasion to shew mercy in Christ Iesus on whom it pleaseth him and to doe iustice on the rest to the miraculous admiration as wel of the holy Angels and his elect people as of all the reprobate wicked people with the Deuill himselfe and his cursed Angells For if hee had shewed mercy on all then
made of Satan the deuill the capitall enemy to God and all godlines Neither can Satan be described without declaration of Gods almighty power These woords Satan and deuil signify welnigh one thing that is to say an aduersary enemy or an accuser which was once the good creature of God as â—an was at the first but through infidelitie pride and disobedience an infinite nomber of Angels and mankind became euerlasting Gods enemies And yet not vnwares to God neither without his forepointmâ—nt And all that notwithstanding God hath giuen to Satan such an vnspeakable power to impugne and resist his owne woorkes and goodnes euery way as is not fully to bee conceaued by the wisedome and reason of man and therefore impossible to bee expressed of any albeit God hath geuen eloquence to some men abundantly For as God is a spirit euen so satan is a spirite And as * God hath his inuisible holy spirits Mat 25. 31 called his Angels euen so satan hath his inuisible vnholy spirits * called his angels But as God is the most holy inuisible 25. 41. Spirite and omnipotent of him selfe able to doe all thinges euen so contrary wise Satan the deuill is the most vnholy filthy inuisible spirit and vtterly impotent of him selfe vnable to doe any thing For albeit hee hath free will in his naturall wickednes yet hee hath no power of him selfe to execute his mischieuous lust except where when and vpoÌ„ whom God alone hath forepointed him This accuser Satan as Captayne of an army with an infinite nomber of his adherentes called his angels being then in equall state for the time with the holy Angels through infidelitie pride and disobedience became rebels which was that * iniquity that God found among his Angels Iob 4. 18. 15. 15. 1 Pet. 24. Iude. 1 9. * And therefore God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe into hel and deliuered them into the chaines of darknes to bee kept vnto damnation Agayn * the Angels that kept not their first estate c. God hath reserued them in euerlasting chaynes of darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Thus it appeareth how some of Gods Angels became his enemies and deuils whereof there are infinite nombers For * if one mad man had a hole legâ—on which by some mens Mar. 3. 9. accompt is 125â—0 by others 6732. c. the question is what vnspeakable infinite nombers are dispersed among so many innumerable nombers of mad people as are presently in the worlde which passe their liues indeuelish madnes as though there were no God Rom. 11. 32. c. Therfore we may cry with Paule Oh the vnspeakable passing wonderfull deipnes of the secrets of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements his wayes past finding out Now of this infinite nomber of wicked spirits there is one that seemeth to be principall and all the rest are his Angels for whom * euerlasting hell fire was prepared Hee is called Mart. 25 41. 12. 24. 2 Reg. 1. 2. 9. 11. Reuel 12. 1. by diuers names as * Belzebub prince of the Deuils Belzebub * was the God of Ecron In the history of Tobias is mencioned a deuil called Asmodeus * He is called Abaddon King of Locusts Hornets and such lyke horrible flyes Also hee is named the Angell of the bottomlesse pitt and the great dragon which with his Angels fought agaynst Michaell and his Angels But that Michaell Christ Iesus was to strong for him for this dragon euen this olde serpent called the diuell and Satan which deceaueth all the world had no more place in heauen but was cast out * And the sonne of God Luk. 10. 18. him selfe sayeth I saw Satan fall from Heauen like lightning It sufficeth that Christ Iesus saw him fall though he tell not what yeare and day * He is also called the God of this worlde And did take vpon him like a God * when hee would 2 Corin. Mart. 4. 9. Ephes 2. 2. haue had Christ Iesus fal down worship him He is called the * Prince that ruleth the ayre euen the spirit that euer hath doth now and euer shall work in the children of disobedience Thus we see that as God is the imperiall Monarch of all power and dominion Euen so hath hee giuen a kingdome for the accomplishment of his eternall purpose to his enemie and hangman Satan For * if Satan be deuided agaynst himselfe Luk. 11. 10. how shall his kingdom stand ergo Satan hath a kingdom for a time And as God indeede hath giuen him an vnspeakable power Euen so according to his lying nature he would haue all the world beleue that all is his And therfore in reproch of the reprobate whom God hath refused he is called the Prince and God of this worlde And this must stand of necessitie that the creation of Angels and fall of Satan and his trayne was before the creation of mankinde for otherwise this enemie this naturall murderer could not haue bene so redy in the serpent doing his office to bring mankind to confusion imediatly after his creation as to mee seemeth â—y the text * The deuil is the father of all Iohn 8 44. the wicked reproâ—ate and his lusteâ— they do the deuiâ— an his adherentes butâ— bodely and ghostly haue beneâ—â—ats and murtherers from the beginning for hee is the father of those qualities and of all other euils * When in the mount hee had Luk. 4. 56. shewed Christ Iesus the glory of the world hee promised to giue him all that glory if Christ would fall downe and worship him for sayth he they are deliuered vnto me to whom I will I giue them This promise was like himselfe for all his promises are to a false end And yet the most parte of mankind as both high lowe and ambitious tyraunts necromancers sorcerers enchaunters witches Idolaters blasphemers murtherers adulterers fornicators vnlawful couetous â—â—zers and al other filthy wicked persons doe beleeue all such false promises and haue no grace to beleeue the truth to their saluation but do fall down dayly to woorship Satan by obeying their filthy fleshly lustes and sinfull couetous desires to obtaine the riches and glory of this world Yea God hath giuen to this forepointed aduersary such power to be transformed into an Angell of light as once he 2 Co. 11. 14 Mar. 13 22. was and thereby to woorke such woonders * as should deceaue the very elect of their saluation if it were possible Therfore let al that feele the mercies of God through Christ Iesus giue humble thankes for their election because it can not fa 〈…〉 Moreouer the reprobate reiected sort of mankind are as deuils incarnat being lead with wicked spirits for our Sauiour said * I haue chosen twelue of you and one of you is Iohn 6. 70. a deuil an accuser a traitor Iudas And yet vntill the time appointed that his wickednes should appeare bee
power and glory which to haue knowen and praysed is his chiefe scope And who dare say vnto him why hast thou dealt thus with angels and men * shall the pot say to the potter why hast thou made Rom. 9. 20 mee thus hath not the potter power ouer the cley of one and the same lumpe to make one vessell to honor and another to dishonor For as he hath wrought all things for his owne purpose as visible things to man of inuisible substance Euen so hee sustayneth and conserueth them by an inuisible strength and incomparable power And as Iob sayeth if hee destroy al agayne who shall call him to accompt shall the creature say to the creator why hast thou made mee thus Such rebellion sour moâ—â—ceth in euill all the highe treason that worldly subiects do to theyr Princes the rewarde whereof is death of body * But God condemneth both body and soule into hell Mat. 10 28. Luk. 12. 5. Moses a figure of Christ Iesus fire * Therefore feare him Wee read of Moses as a figure of Christ Iesus And of Pharao as a figure of Satan For as Pharao held the children of Israel vnder him in a slauish subiection vntil God deliuered them by his seruant Moses Euen so doth Satan hold all mankind while wee are in this Egipt this vale of miserie in his filthy slauery vntil God deliuer his elect out of Satans power by his sonne Christ Iesus working by power of his spirit and by seruice of his holy Angels God promised Moses before he sent him back into Egipt Exod. 4. 21. saying * I will harden Pharaos hart that hee shall not let my people goe That is to say I wil blind all his sences that hee shall neither beleue vnderstand nor regard the wonderfull signes and horrible plagues which I wil bring vpon him and his people to their forepointed destruction * For God Exod. 9. 19. Rom. 9. 17. saith to this end haue I raised thee vp and appointed thee that I may shew my power in thee to make my name knowen through all the world Euen so without all contradiction God before the world was did orâ—eine Satan and his adherentes both bodily and ghostly to bee his aduersaries as he raised vp Pharao and hardeâ—ned his hart And gaue Satan and his Angels such an vnspeakable power as should euermore impugne and resist all the good woorkes of God and yet all the glory redoundeth to God himselfe For God worketh all to the ende that his almighty power his infinite goodnes his louing kindnes his mercy and iustice might be the more magnifyed and praised of his elect both Angels and men For as the benefite of light is best discerned by his contrary which is darknes Euen so the almighty and most wonderful power of the infinite God appeareth the more glorious and admirable when the inferiour power which God him selfe hath giuen to Satan is compared with it If any lyst to argue why God hath so dealt with Angels men if the notes of holy Scripture herein coated do not satisfy him I leaue him to dispute with God himselfe vpon whose ordinance prouidence and power euery thing depends without exception for all thâ—nges haue of him their being mouing working and power to dispose and distribute And then it followeth of necessity that Satan dependes on him as sure as all the rest HOW IT HATH PLEASED GOD by the contrary actions and operations of his creatures to manifest his owne glory as wel in iustice as in mercy CAP. 5. THese things are manifest or may easily bee made plaine to euery one of meane wisedome so they bee not vtterly ignorant in holy Scriptures and void of the grace of God And it is not a new opinion to speake of two sortes of men whereof God hath forepointed the one to saluation and the other to damnation Eccl. 33. 10 For Iesus Sirach sayth * All men are of the ground For Adam was created of the Earth but the Lord hath deuided them by great knowledge and made their wayes diuerse some of them hee hath blessed exalted and made them his owne And some of them hee hath cursed and cast downe from the blessed state For as the Cley is in the hande of the Potter so are men and Angels in the hand of their Creator hee may do with them as hee list And hee hath set euil against good the vnbeleuer agaynst the faythful death against life c. So that in the infinite miraculous workes of the most high we may see that there are euer two things the one contrary to the other of insencible things it is proued by Phisick one thing bindeth another looseth one thing comforteth mans nature and another destroyeth it Wee find by experience falshod agaynst truth ignorance agaynst knowledge fleshly loue agaynst spirituall loue loue in adultery and fornication agaynst loue in mariage and godlines false and fayned friendship agaynst true and honest friendship false and idle faith agaynst true and working fayth flattery dissimulation and hipocrisie agaynst plainnes faithfulnes and true zeale of Gods seruice And whatsoeuer vertue there is there is also a vice his contrary and so of euery thing from the beginning First of Angels the good agaynst the euill secondly of men the elect agaynst the reiect the wicked agaynst the godly brother agaynst brother Cain agaynst Abell Ismael agaynst Isaack Esau agaynst Iacob Pharao agaynst Moses a false God agaynst the true God a false Christ against the true Christ For all vertues and vices are contrary And wee see that God in creating all thinges hath made each creature in theyr kyndes and one mortal enemie and deuourer of another for what thing soeuer driueth feare into an other thinge is enemie to the thinge that conceaueth the feare Example The Wolfe to the Sheepe the Firret and Wezell to the silly Conny the Cat to the Mouse the Spider to the Flye are natural deuourers And likewise of al maner beastes and wormes on Earth And whatsoeuer of them the same of the foules of the ayre and fishes in the waters both salt and fresh Finally the same in effect is Satan and his adherents both bodily and ghostly to Gods elect while they remayne on Earth So that euery creature liuing hath by natures ordinance as some speake which is in deede Gods prouidence a mortall enemie and deuourer for as the Wolfe is to the Sheepe euen so in efect is Satan to mankinde And all these hath this almighty God of nature wrought to set foorth his owne glory to Angels and men namely to shew him selfe to bee the wonderfull God of mercy and Iustice For Amos the Prophet sayeth * is there any euill in the Amos. 3. 6. Citty which the Lorde hath not done that is to say is there any plague or other punishment which men call euill that God hath not forepoynted and doth coÌ„maund to bee done * I Esai 45. 67 am Iehouah sayeth God
euill which two woordes among others are too too much abused Albeit written * woe bee to them that speake good of Esai 5. 20. euill and euill of Good as the Papistes doe prayse and exalt the Popes religion and disprayse the holy seruice of God and true preaching of the Gospell They ymagin darknns to bee light and light to bee darknes therefore woe to them all other wicked â—ectes For good euil shal remayne vntill the worldes end and shal bee rewarded in euerlasting lyfe or death either with ease in ioy or els with payne in sorrow for euer As for the abuse of those woordes good and euil I wil onely name them as a good man a good horse a good dogge and il man c. whatsoeuer pleaseth our fantafieâ— we cal good and the contrary wee call euill So that as our affections vs moue and lead vs euen so wee vse or abuse those woordes good and euill with all other benefites of God But my definition of good eull before God is the keeping and breaking of his holy commaundements For whatsoeuer God willeth and commaundeth man to doe the same is good to be done in thought woord and deede And the contrary is euil that is to say sinne or wickednes Good and euill are otherwise expressed by these woordes vertue which commonly is whatsoeuer is good I liken to a fair tree hauing many bâ—aunches ladan not onely with pleasant and sweete smelling leaues but also with most dilicate and Contrariwise vice which signifyeth whatsoeuer is euill I liken also to an il fauoured tree hauing as many braunches as vertue and heuier laden but both the leaues and fruict are ful of deadly poyson most horrible to behold and lothsome to the tast of all that truely feare God And yet to the vngodly as pleasant and delicate to their sense as the fruict of vertue to the godly because gods elect which are the godly are eyther holden vp or râ—ysed when they haue fallen by the ministery of the woord woorking by the power of the holy Spirit giuen vnto them from the Father and the Sonne â— Tim. 2. 26 Iam. 4. 7. And the reprobate which are the vngodly are throwne downe and kepte vnder by the ministery of Satan and theyr owne lustes to whom they * are captiues And yet wee are exorted * to resist the Diuill and hee shall flee from vs resist him by committing our selues carefuly and harâ—ely into Gods â—uition in the name of his welbeloued sonne by 〈◊〉 fayth in his worde and promises by humble obedience to his holy lawe precepts and ordinaunce by prayer fasting almâ—sse deedes Phili. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 4. 18. and charity to all For by those meanes wee are willed * to worke out our saluation with feare and 〈…〉 ing * For if the righteous be scarsely saued wher shal yâ— vngodly appear Not that our doing the forenamed woorkes should any way deserue our saluation but being done of vs they are the fruicts of our fayth and loue towards God and our Neighebours which are the things commaunded by our sauiour Mat. 5. 1â— Iohn 14. 2â— Christ when hee sayde * Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good woorks and glorifye your Father which is in heauen And yet must we not do those works to the entent to be seen praysed of men but chiefly for the loue obedience we owe to God to geue good example to others And wheras Saynt Peter sayeth if the righteous be scarsely saued c. hee meaneth not that Gods elect are in his sight at any time in hazard of theyr saluation but in theyr own consciences to themselues it semeth yâ— they are saued with great difficulty they considering theyr manifold sinnes and often wauering in theyr faith wheÌ„ they see what is in themselues And no merueile though they stacker at the assaults of Satan for hee presumeth sawcily * without bidding as it Iob 1. 7. 2. â— seemeth among the holy Angels into the presens of God much more dare he enter into the corrupt silly mindes of mankinde to dispute with theyr soules for life and death charging them with those things which theyr consciences cannot deny As Idolatry Blasphemy Periury Murder Adultery Fornication Theft False witnes Pryde Disobedience and whatsoeuer vice els Now it is most true that Satan doth chalenge euery soule of mankinde by the seuere iustice of God because no man liueth without sinne euery soule by Adams fall is condemned Now if the soule of man reply confessing his sinnes and in repentance alledging the merits of Christ Iesus thereby to bee saued Satan will reioce and say nay that cannot be for thou hast so little esteemed of him and his precepts that hee cares not for thee * for thou cryest and hee answers not thy soule Iames 1. Psalm 77. Haba 1. 2. * Behold thou art tossed like a waue of the Sea thy fayth is between hope and â—read therfore thou canst receaue no pardon at the Lords hand And with infinite nombers of such disputations and assaultes Satan hath doth now and euer shall in this life vex the very elect of God * Therefore put Ephes 6. 1. 1 â—n all the armour of God that you may bee able to stande agaynst Satan for we wrastle not agaynst flesh and blood but agaynst the world and the Deuill into whose power God geueth the wicked and disobeient Saynt Paule telleth the causes at large * The wrath of Rom. 1. God is reaueled from Heauen agaynst al vngodlines of men which with hold the truth in vnrighteousnes For as much as that which may bee knowne of God is shewed vnto them euen the inuisible thinges that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the worlde being considered in his woorke to the end that men should bee without excuse because when they know God they did not glorifye him as God neyther were thankfull but became vayne in Ephes 4. theyr ymaginations theyr foolish hartes were blinded full of darkenes when they professed themselues wise they became fooles As men do in these dayes as often as they do any thinges of themselues without the counsell of Gods woord without the which there cannot bee any thing well done So were they blinded that they turned the glory of the incorruptible God into ymages not onely of corruptible men but also of birdes and fower footed beastes and of crâ—aping thinges euen vile worms wherefore God gaue them ouer into theyr owne lustes that is into the power of Satan to all vncleanes to defyle theyr owne bodies betweene themselues turning the truth of God into a lye worshipping and seruing creatures forsaking the creator which is most holye and blessed for euer Amen For these causes God gaue them into vile affections so that the weomen did chaunge theyr naturall vse into that which is agaynst nature and the men lykewise left the naturall vse of the woemen and
Lyon 1 Pet. 5. 8. But our good God for his sonnes sake doth lymit Satan his bounds which he cannot passe hee is forepointed how where when and vpon whom hee shall extend his horrible crueltie For God being Monarch of Heauen Earth and Hell doth gouerne all creatures euen Satan and his trayne with a thought Therfore some he tempteth only and can do no more because God co 〈…〉 ermaundeth him by his grace of resistance in some of those â—y him tempted Some he ouer cometh in tempting to the committing of vile filthy horrible meâ—stious and most vnnatural factes as are recited in Ro. as murdring of parentes blaspheming and vtter forsaking of God worshipping vile creatures insteede of the only creator which aboue all things is blessed for euer Of all which abhominations Satan is the only auctor the enticer prouoker mayntayner and supporter And also by Gods holy ordinaunce and forepoyntment hee is by himselfe his Angels and worldly adherentes the executioner of Gods sacred iustiâ—e or punishment of all synne whereof hee is the prouoker Satan meaning no more to execute Gods iustice then a dogge in biting the swine meaneth to â—eare them from the corne For Satans greedy and vnlatiable malice is to distroy deuour and confoundâ— all by all meanes And to that end saith S. Peter he goeth about lyke a roring Lyon seeking whom he may deuour hath his greatest spite at Gods elect against whoÌ„ he exerciseth his subtility cruelty in this world by him his adherents both bodily Ghostly by such intricate iuglings as passeth mans skil working such wonders as should deceaue if it were possible yâ— very elect of their saluation for by his pestiferous enticementes hee hath and doth lead many of the very elect blindsom to the committing of most filthy horrible factes as among the auncient fathers Aron Dauid c. And the lyke is done now c. And yet because they are Gods elect hee calleth them agayne by true repentance through his mercy in Christ Iesus otherwise they could neuer returne Thus God vseth his owne power by the ministerâ— of Satan woorking for his owne purpose aswell vpon the elect as the reprobate to punish sinne vpon both and sometyme on the elect very seuerely for tryal of their faith as Abraham Isaack Ioseph Sidrack Misaak and Abednego Daniel Iob and many others And sometymes God sendeth lying spirites into men to dreame dreames and prophesie lies instead of Gods truth of purpose to deceaue such as wilfully neglect Gods woord and as Beastes voyde of reason fulfill their filthy lustes Of such it is writen the tyme wil come 2 Tim. 4. 3. when men for their lustes wil get preachers to their fancies and not suffer true doctrine but delyte in fables It is God that sendeth the false Prophets and Moses telleth the cause why For by such meanes * The Lord your Deut. 13. 7. God doth proue you whether you loue him with all your hartes and with all your fowles For you shall walke after the Lord your God feare him do his commaundements harken to his voyce serue him and cleeue vnto him but the false Prophets shal be slayne Thus by the ministery of Satan God correcteth all but yet diuersly an 〈◊〉 sundery sortes in this lyfe For Satan is Gods executioner to whippe to scourge and torment all such as regarde not his holy worde in such ordinary or extraordinary manner as he hath forepoynted For by his almightye power and inuisible woorking Satan and his trayne visible and inuisible haue their being mouing disposition woorking for otherwise they could either bee moue dispose nor woorke any thing For â—â— the vnspeakable power of the almighty Monarch Satan and his angell are prickt and push forwarde to fulfill Gods secret determinations in the World much like as meÌ„ with Bridles spurs make brutish horses gallop turning tossing too and froe almost at theyr owne pleasure but God altogeâ—ther at his owne pleasure Moreouer Satan hath power at God his appoyntmentes send his messengers into all men so that no man euer was is or euer shal bee exempted from his a 〈…〉 es and deceitful allurementes Christ Iesus himself was assaulted by him Saint Paul coÌ„fesseth that he was buffered by the messenger of satan 2 Cor. 11. 7 that God did it to the end that he should 〈◊〉 glory in himself We reade that the Apostles were â—â—â—ers wayes tempted some with vayne glory some with dâ—strâ— of reuengement * euer with fire and brimstone from heauen Sometymes with ambition to sitte in the highest seates * Sometymes Luk. 9. 54. Mat. 20. 21. 26. 34 to deny Christ Iesus Thus wee see God giueth his electe grace sometyme to resist satan sometyme hee maketh satan giue them the foyle that they aâ—â—ay knowne they stand hâ—t of themselues but by his grace only Wee reade of Abraham and other ancient Fathers howe they haue erred by the subtil deceiptes of Satan whom God doth send of purpose both for royall of fayth and punishment of sinne Present sat 〈…〉 Iob for tryall of his fayth and constancie hee sent an euill spirit to vexe king Saul for his former wickednes Hee sent lying spirites into the mouthes of foure hundreth of Kinges Ahabs prophets to the 〈◊〉 Para. 18. 21. 1 Re. 22. 22. that through their lying prophesies hee should greedely goe to warre agaynst R 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 A thinge forepoynted of God for his destruction in reuenge of his former sinnes and all by Satans ministery and his hellish adherentes visible and inuisible to execute his iust vengeance vpon all in generall namely on such as known the wil of God by hearing and reading his holy woord and yeâ— regard it not such lazy lobbers * shall be beaten with many stripes And at Luke 12. 4 such lawes swine God lecteth slip his Satanicall â—andâ—â—s Oh it is a most fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the euerliuing Hebr. 10. 31 God And yet as often as wee breake any of the ten commaundements we fall into the handes of the almighty God who for our former sinnes geueth vs ouer into the handes of Satan who maketh vs to heape synne vppon synne so punishing syn by syn and yet it is sayd we fall into the handes of God which is most true for as much as Saâ—aÌ„ doth nothing besides Gods forepoyntment as when he was to execute his malice vppon Iob he saide to God lay thyne hand vppon him that is â—end me to do myne office on him so that Satan is the hand the scourge of God to punish whom it pleaseth him eyther for sinne or triall of fayth So their if we had the true feare of God setled in our mindes and our fayth hope and loue fixed in Christ Iesus as hee willeth we should not need to feare Cerberus nor any other Bug fayned by false dreâ—â—nes nor any of the furyes of Hell nor any worldly power how mighty or tyrannâ—call soeuer
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
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
God And those whom God hath forechosen and forepoynted to bee saued can not perish by any meanes neither shall they liue caresse in the world for they shall feare to do euill secretly they shall not dare in hope of forgiuenes so to tempt God as doe the reprobate for the holy Spirite which is appointed to guyde them * shall checke their consciences continually by Psal 18. 16. 9. 1. 1. 11. Mat. 1. 21 secrete thoughtes to restrayne their wickednes * And Christ Iesus came to saue his people from their sinnes woorking in the mindes of his elect by his holy spirite and power wherwith hee hath promised to bee with his vnto the ende of the World * And all the promises of God are in him yea and amen for 2 Cor. 1. 20. Psal 146. 6. Iames 1. 17. euer * For hee that made all thinges of nothing keepeth his promise for euer * For with God is no variablenes nor shadow by turning he chaungeth not purpose as man doth he doth not build and pull downe to mende the fashion as men doe * And although it is written that God repented that hee Gen. 6. 6. 7 had made man because wickednes did so abound in men in in all such phrases of holy Scriptures God abaseth conformeth his woordes to mans capacity and conceipte as nurses doe with yong children who some tyme with cheerfull countinance and lisping voice some tyme with frowning lookes and boysterous voice geue the auncient children to vnderstand when they please or displease euen so dealeth God with mankinde for otherwise they are not to vnderstand his will Not that God can repent or bee sorie as men are when thinges come contrary to their willes For what soeuer is done by Satan and by him in mankinde God might let if it were his wil to mankind happeneth many thinges vnaware it is not so to God For hee doth not onely foreknowe and foresee all whatsoeuer but also all thinges haue euer bene are now and euer shall bee ruled and gouerned by his euerlasting forepoyntment Neither doth hee at any tyme that which he remembred not before hee vseth no after wittes there is not in him any imperfections hee hath no defectes no passions no forgetfulnes no chaunge of diuise no intention of alteration For albeit that by the generall flood hee destroyed all thinges except the arke and all that was in it yet hee made not any thing new in the World which was not made before For hee excelleth man in wisedome goodnes and power further then Man being a Potter can exceede his Earthen Pottes who as a Creator of such Pottes may breake and destroy a nomber and make as many new of another fashion Euen so is God to man if it please him OF THE FLOCKE WHICH GOD hath chosen CAP. 11. WE are taught * to loue our enemies Matt. 5. 44. c. to blesse them that curse vs to doe good to them that hate vs and pray for those that persecute and hurt vs. Such is the goodnes of God in norishing all thinges who maketh his Sun to shyne and his rayne to fal on the good and badde * And as hee Sapien. 6. 7 hath made the great and the small euen so concerning this world he careth for all alyke But for the world to come hee hath a more special care for those whom hee hath chosen to saluation whom our Sauiour Christ calleth his little flock and sayth vnto them * feare Luc. 12. 32. not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to geue you a kingdome Those are they for whose sakes * the seede of the Gen. 3. 15. woman was promised to breake the head of the serpent This litle flocke of the seede of Abraham * the Father of all true Gen. 12. 3. 18. 18. 22. 18 26. 4. Gal. 3. 8. Heb. 6. 13. Mar. 13. 20. beleeuers to and to whom the promises were made when God sayd vnto him in thy seede which is Christ Iesus al the Nations of the earth shal bee blessed * For the fauour that God beareth to this litle flocke the euill dayes shal be shortned without altering his eternal purpose This litle flocke are those whom Christ Iesus calleth saying * Come vnto mee all yee that labor and are heauy loden Mat. 11. 28 Lut. 17. 34. Mat. 24. 40 and I will refresh you Of this litle flocke are those that at the sodayne comming of the Lord in the cloudes of two in a bedde two in the field two at a Mill wherof one shal be taken that is chosen and the other forsaken that is refused * Of Reuel this litle flocke are those that haue the marke of God in their foreheads whom Satan and his angels cannot hurt for they are commaunded to the contrary * This litle flocke is Matt. 13. 3. 10. 9. noted to be the good ground that receaueth the precious seed the word of God into their soules and brings foorth fruite 30. 60. 100. folde that is to say the fruite of true beleefe in Christ Iesus the fruite of humble obedience to God and his most holy Lawe the fruite of holy fasting praying almes deedes and godly lyfe the fruite of louing God aboue all thinges and our neighbour as our selues The precious fruite of sure hope in the mere mercy of God to receaue our saluation through the merits of Iesus Christ onely and nothing for our owne desertes nor for popish good intentes such fruits shew this litle flock to bee good ground Whereas all other people of the world in generall are noted to bee stonie thorny barrany and euill ground ouer whose soules Satan hath full power eyther to take from thē Gods word that was sowne in their myndes or els to choke it in them by vnlawfull couetousnes cares of this lyfe and filthy lustes of the flesh whatsoeuer And therefore can bring out no godly frute to saluation This litle flock are the sheepe of whom Christ Iesus is the true and good Shepeheard who gaue his life for the sheepe Iohn 10. ◠Mat. 25. 34. * This litle flocke are the sheep which Christ Iesus shall deuide from the Goats * And which the Angels shal gather together from the fowr windes to meet the Lord in the clowds Lec 14. 37. at his comming to iudge the quicke and the dead to whom hee shall say come yee blessed of my Father possesse my kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world The contrary shal bee sayd to the Goats all wicked people whom God hath not chosen to saluation goe away from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels This litle chosen flocke onely * haue eares to heare the Matt. 13. 9. woord of God to their comfort in this lyfe and to their saluation in the life to come Wheras al other people of the world no state or degree excepted haue no eares to heare * because Marc. 4.
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