suspected to be vneffectuall This the Apostle doth plainely testifie 1. Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies that those who are approoued may be made manifest that is God doth suffer schismes and diuisions to be among you that by this meanes it may appeare whose holinesse is sounde and whose is hypocriticall or at the least light and ineffectuall Secondly men truely regenerate receiue a greater measure of particular graces as of faith loue and patience then the other doe Yea they doe daily increase in grace whereas the other doe commonly stand at a stay neuer attaining to any great measure of godlinesse but abide in a certaine indifferent kinde of mediocrity being neither hotte nor colde Besides true graces are fruitfull but the shadowes are barren eyther wholly or in part as the faith of these men doth not worke and shewe foorth it selfe by loue their loue is without workes of compassion and Christian communion their good works without alacrity Lastly the shadowe of regeneration doth often come to nothing and is turned into meere Atheisme and want of all religion but true regeneration can neuer wholly decay as Math. 3. 20. Some receiue the worde with ioy and afterwarde fall away and Heb. 6. 4. 5 we reade of those who being once made partakers of the holy Ghost doe afterwardes fall away from Christ yea while they doe retaine this resemblance of true sanctification they are not constant but variable in doing good Iam. 1. 8. A double minded man is vnconstant in all his waies that is a man halfe carnall and halfe regenerate doth not keepe throughout the course of his whole life a constant tenour of godlinesse but often changeth his minde opinions affections and practise By these and such other notes which may be obserued in the scripture and by daily experience this shadowe of holinesse may be discerned from the trueth yet we ought not peremptorely to iudge or rashly to condemne any man for there may be found euen in men truely regenerate many wants errours sinnes and alterations as afterwards will appeare Therefore we ought to thinke the best where we see any likelihoode of good and where there is none to hope for better in time to come and so leauing other men to Gods iudgement to censure our owne profession and regeneration by these rules Yet it is both lawfull and needfull that we shoulde knowe howe to distinguish trueth from falshoode right from wrong good from euill the shadowe from the bodie in the professions of our brethren The which it is the parte of euerie Christian to marke and consider to trie and thinke of it according to the trueth of the worde of GOD but in iudging and speaking to vse greate moderation and wisedome CHAP. V. Of the particulars in this supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse THe first and most vsuall part of this supernaturall decrease of sinne is the illumination of the minde whereby a carnall man who before did not beleeue the doctrine eyther of the law or of the gospell is brought to see and acknowledge the trueth of the one or of both To beleeue the law of God to be true is to haue a sight and a sense of sinne to see sinne is for a man to know himselfe to be so sinfull in nature in soule body in life and actions as indeed he is To feele sinne is to know that for his sinne he is subiect to the wrath of God which is eternall death This first part of illumination is far more easely oftē wrought in a naturall man then is the other because by the light of nature man hath some knowledge of good and euill and that the righteous are to be rewarded as the wicked are tobe punished Hence it is that many make this first step in this shadow of regeneration and goe no further Thus Cain and Iudas with many others did see their sin the punishmēt due vnto it but yet had no beliefe of the doctrine of the gospel for remission of sinne The second part of illumination is to thinke the doctrine of the gospel to be true namely that remission of sinnes and eternall glorie is to be had by faith in Iesus Christ. Heb. 6. 4. This knowledge GOD worketh by his spirit and word in manie reprobates Act. 8. 13. Simon magus beleeued and was baptized of whose reprobation although we can affirme nothing because the Apostle doubteth of it Vers. 22. Yet it is plainely out of the 21. verse that he was not as then truly regenerated Yea many carnall men attaine to so greate a measure of knowledge that there is no point or heade of christian religion which they doe not in some sorte conceiue vnderstand and beleeue although not fully for that is impossible yet so as that they are able to performe the duty of teachers in the Church in laying open plainly and euidently to the capacitie of the hearers the mysteries of the gospel in resoluing al doubtes cōtrouersies questions obiections and arguments which are moued about anypoint of doctrine Thus did the teachers at Corinth of whome the Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 13. 2. Though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and knowledge and haue not loue I were nothing So Math 7. 22. Prophecie in Christes name whome he doth not acknowledge as his This knowledge is commonly called an historicall faith a gift common to the elect and the reprobate yet not so common as it seemeth to be Yea in truth more rare in respect of the greate multituds of professours and christians then it is common in respect of the small number of true beleeuers For to let passe those who know nothing of religion we are not to thinke that all they who are learned and as we say great clarkes in diuinitie and profound schoole-men do in their mindes and iudgments hold these things to bee true Yea it appeareth plainly in the example of Iudas who although he did preach the gospell with his tongue yet he did not beleeue it himselfe as Christ witnesseth Ioh. 6. 64 that manie doe goe about to perswade others that to bee true which they them-selues thinke to be false And no maruaile for why should it bee thought easie and common for a naturall man to beleeue that which is contrarie to naturall reason we se Ioh. 3. 12 that Christ could not or rather did not make Nicodemus a teacher in Israel beleeue the doctrin of spirituall regeneration And so we may well thinke that many otherwise learned thinke that it is no such supernaturall work but that it may be attained by natural means Likewise how many thinke wee are perswaded in their heartes that this worlde shall neuer haue an ende or that there shal be a new world wherein the bodies of men which were consumed to nothing many thousand years before shalbe raised vp liue for euer But to proceede of the decrease of ignorance commeth the decrease of infidelitie For as
men generally not onely to his Church but also to the heathen and infidels is manifest euen to the gentils For God hath made it knowen vnto them for the inuisible things of God as namelie his eternall power and Godheade are seene since the creation of the worlde being by reason or the vnderstanding gathered out of the creatures This appeareth also in al ages and nations which haue beene since the beginning of the world for although fewe of them haue had the knowledge of the true god and of his true worship yet all generally haue had and worshipped some God yea almost euery particular country citie towne village and familie hath had their proper gods whereby it is plaine that there was in their mindes the aforesaid knowledge to wit that there is a God Neyther could it be otherwise for whenas man seeth the creatures to wit the heauen the earth the sea he must needes thinke with himselfe that these dead and senselesse creatures coulde not make themselues yea that no man nor any other creature coulde make eyther them or yet it selfe for how shoulde any thing worke or doe any thing before it doe exist it selfe Thus we see what is the naturall knowledge of naturall men but what is this incomparison of that knowledge which man had in the state of innocency but mere grosse ignorance For man in his pure estate had more perfect knowledge of God although not the same particular knowledge then all the â—earned diuines in the world haue had haue or shall haue heereafter But since the fall he hath not by nature the knowledge of the true God for we cannot say that he that thinketh his idoll to be a God knoweth the true God Besides this naturall knowledge of God is not a setled and grounded perswasion but a light and wauering opinion a meane betwixt knowledge and ignorance and therefore little regarded or followed in life and easely lost out of the minde whereof it commeth that those reliques of the knowledge of God are so soone lost and by the least perswasion or occasion turned into senselesse idolatrie wherein GOD is thought to be like to man and other baser creatures But to proceed although the actuall ignorance of the naturall man be so palpable as that it cannot be denied yet he will not yeeld to potentiall ignorance that is he will not confesse himselfe to be so blockish dull vncapable of the true knowledge of God but that he might easely attaine vnto it by his owne strength and by the naturall faculties of his body and minde if so be he listed to go about it For the proofe wherof he will alledge the examples of many natural and vnregenerate men who although they neuer knewe indeed what spirituall regenerationment but did alwaies laugh at it and secretly scorne the professours of it being in their whole liues carnall worldly and dissolute yet for knowledge in all pointes of diuinity they were counted the most profound men of all others To this we answere as we are taught by the Apostle 1. Cor. 2. 14. That the naturall man doth not conceiue or coÌ„prehend the thinges of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neyther can he know them because they are spiritually discerned that is the carnall man is not onely actually ignorant of God but also vnable to conceiue and vnderstand heauenly things For although he labour most earnestly in a presumptuous opinion of his owne wit and learning to know God yet it is a thing altogether impossible for him to attaine to the true knowledge of him To this agreeth dailie experience for who seeth not that the word of God is preached diligently plainely and painefully in many places in the which most of the hearers remain as ignorant of religion as if they had neuer heard tell of such a matter whereas if a man did tell them a tale of any worldly matter belonging to their profite or pleasure they would vnderstand it at the first and cary it away so well that they would be able to instruct others very readely in it As touching the great measure of knowledge which may be seene in diuerse vnregenerate men We answere First that God doth bestow his spirituall giftes not onely on the elect but also on the reprobate as we are to declare at large in the next part and therefore they are not meere carnall men because they haue a shadowe of regeneration Secondly the knowledge of these men howsoeuer it cary a glorious shew yet in strait examination will be found to be nothing but ignorance For it beeing not wrought effectually in their mindes and heartes by the spirite of God but onely borrowed out of the bookes and sermons of other men hath no steedfast ground in them but in mingled with much doubting vnbeleef error ignoraÌ„ce For who knoweth not that it is an easie common matter for men to talke and reason at large of matters which they doe not vnderstand 1. Tim. 1. 7. They would be doctors of the lawe yet they know not what they speake nor whereof they affirme So many did prophecy in the name of christ who neither knew Christ nor shalbe acknowledged of him so we read Iohn 3. 10. of Nicodemus who although he were a teacher in Israel yet he was ignorant of the doctrine of regeneration that is of al religioÌ„ So many preach of God Christ faith the resurrection froÌ„ the dead and dispute very cunningly and subtillie of these things who thinke in their hearts that they are but vaine false doctrines inuented perhaps for a good end to make men liue an honest and orderly life but such as haue no trueth in them neither shall euer be seene to come to passe If any do maruel how men of singular wits of great capacity learning reading iudgment and wisedome should be so dull or rather dead and senselesse as not to vnderstand the doctrine of God of his nature and actions which is so plainely taught and so often iterated in the scripture the reason heereof is giuen in the place before cited 1. Cor. 3. 14. Because the thinges of God are spiritually to be discerned That is because there is a repugnancy and contrariety betwixt the reason of a naturall man and the thinges of God For the naturall man trieth the trueth of all things by his owne senses esteeming that impossible and false which caÌ„not be effected by ordinary and natural causes but the word of God especially the doctrine of the gospel hath in it many things which are impossible in nature therefore incredible in all reason as namely the incarnation of God the miraculous conception of Christ the spirituall regeneration of the faithfull the resurrection of the body eternall glory and many other the full knowledge and vndoubted perswasion whereof is farre more hardly attained by those who excell in naturall wit worldly wisedome profound learning then by those who are simple and vnlearned 1. Cor.
but especially it appeareth in those who in old times professed themselues to be philosophers that is seekers and practisers of wisedome and vertue as namely Socrates Plato with many others as Aristides Cato Seneca whose vertues we can not thinke to haue bene mere hypocrisie it being well knowen that they were so affected inwardly in their mindes as they professed outwardly in their liues Yet we confesse that this decrease of sinfulnesse is not a like in all for in some it is inwarde and true as hath bene saide but in others yea most commonly it is onely in outward life For many doe leade an honest and irreproueable life being vitiously disposed in their mindes some for feare of ciuill punishment or of publike shame others for vaine glories sake as did the pharisies Againe this decrease is more generall in some who abstaine from many kindes of vices then it is in others who are faulty in many respectes And Lastly this decrease is more firme and permanent in some continuing the wholle time of their life but in others it hath place in their young yeares by force of good education but is afterwardes altogether forgotten and reiected In the heathen it is more in regarde of the duties of the second table the which are more easelie knowen then are the dueties belonging to the worship of God But in hypocriticall Christians the outwarde decrease of sinfulnesse is greater in the dueties of the first table For they will be verie deuout and diligent in the outwarde seruice of God and yet liue verie wickedly in regard of their brethren These and many other degrees and differences of this naturall decrease may easely be obserued in many both within and without the Church and also in all histories whether diuine or humaine but are too many to be handled in this short treatise CHAP. IIII. Of the supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse AS the increase of light doth make a decrease of darkenes it being impossible that two thinges of contrarie natures sholude be together in one subiect the one not expelling the other either wholly or in part so the spirituall graces of God which are the matter of mans holinesse bestowed on vnregenerate men doe worke in them a decrease of sinfulnesse makeing them lesse sinfull then otherwise they woulde be and then vsually vnregenerate men are This decrease we call supernaturall because it cannot be attained vnto by those naturall meanes of diminishing sinne mentioned in the former chapter and therefore it is not to be found in the most innocent and vertuous pagan that euer liued but is to be accounted a worke of Gods spirite brought to passe by the ministrie of his worde sounding in the eares of those who are members of the visible church without the which this decrease of sinne is not ordinarily to be founde Nor yet in all the members of the church of whom many doe exceede the heathen in sinne but onely in those who doe yeelde obedience to the gospell although not in such manner as the faithfull doe yet in so greate measure that this decrease of sinne may very fitly be called a shadowe of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblaunce may not be found in this sort of men For not onely their life is agreeable to the worde of God but also they are inwardly enlightned to see the trueth and are well affected towardes it and endued with a kinde of faith hope loue patience and all other graces and that not in hypocrisie though many doe make an outwarde shew and profession of those graces whereof there is not any shadowe in their heartes but in trueth As we read Heb. 6. 4. 5. It is impossible that they who were once enlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift of the good worde of God of the ioyes of the worlde to come and in generall were made partakers of the holy Ghost if they fall away c. If it be asked why God doth bestow these excellent graces on the reprobate as it were throwing pearles among swine we answere that he doth it especially for these three causes first for the setting forth of his owne glory For by this worke his loue mercy goodnesse wisedome and trueth appeareth euen to the reprobate on whom as he letteth the raine to fal and his sun to shine as wel as on the faithfull so he powreth foorth his graces as well on the one as on the other although not after the same manner for although the eternall loue of God which bringeth with it eternall saluation doth belong to the elect onely yet there is a generall and as we may terme it a temporary loue which God beareth to all his creatures and in them towardes all men both elect and reprobate Secondly this is done in regard of the elect for whose sake God blesseth the reprobate with whome they liue both in temporal and spirituall things and whose saluation is furthered and some time wrought by the giftes and ministery of these men Lastly God doth by this meanes make them who are indued with these graces the more inexcusable in that they contemne and treade vnder foote so great mercy Nowe we are to declare the difference which is betwixt true regeneration and this supernaturall decrease of sinne which is a shadowe of it First therefore true regeneration is generall stretching it selfe ouer all the faculties and partes of the soule and body and working an vniuersall holines as the leauen which being put into a greate lumpe of dow neuer ceaseth spreading it selfe abroad till the whole lumpe be seasoned Luke 13. 21. But the shadowe faileth for the most part in one point of holinesse or other yea often many partes of sanctification are wanting as the minde is often enlightned with the knowledge of the truth whenas the obedience of life and outward actions is wanting 1. Cor. 8. 1. We haue all knowledge knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth Againe there may be seene in them good affections without knowledge Rom. 6. I beare witnesse saith the Apostle that the Iewes haue the zeale of GOD yet not according to knowledge Yea often the minde is enlightned in part and in part remaineth in ignorance as in those who professing and holding in iudgement the trueth of the gospell to witte of the fund amental and chiefe doctrines of it doe together maintaine many errours and heresies We doe not deny but thaâ— one truely regenerate may be in some errors for we all knowe but in parte 1. Cor. 13. yet this is the force and propertie of a regenerate minde to be able to discerne the trueth from errour when as both are laide before it howsoeuer it did not see it before And therefore when as we see a man although endued with many giftes yet to be of a corrupt minde and vnsound iudgement enclining alwaies to the wrong part in matters of religion his regeneration may in that respect be
A TREATISE of the threefolde state of man wherein is handled 1 His Created holinesse in his innocencie 2 His Sinfulnesse since the fall of Adam 3 His Renewed holinesse in his regeneration Ephes. 4. 22. 23. 24. 2 You haue beene taught in Christ to put off the Olde man corrupt according to the lusts of error 3 To be renewed in the spirit of your mindes and to put on the New man 1 Which was Created according to God in righteousnesse and the Holinesse of trueth Printed at London for Robert Dexter and Raph Iackeson 1596. To the godly wise and vertuous ladie the Ladie Elizabeth Cary wife to the right worshipfull Sir Robert Cary Knight temporall and eternall happinesse in the Lord Iesus AS the writing and publishing of bookes for the good of the whole Church so the intituling or dedicating of them Right worshipfull Lady to some notable personage in particular is grounded vpon many iust causes and great commodities which it bringeth commended vnto vs by the continual practise of the Church from time to time and warranted by pregnant examples in the word of God For by this meanes it commeth to passe that both the fauour of men whereby the building of Gods Church is greatly furthered is procured for the maintenance of the trueth and the proffessours of it and also their graces vertues and Christian liues not onely crowned with due and deserued praise a thing righteous and acceptable in the sight of God yea a notable encouragement and spurre to good workes and therefore carefully perfourmed by the Apostle Paul Rom. 16. and in many other places but also propounded for imitation to the whole Church as cities set on the tops of hils and as a candle not couered with a bushell but set in a candlesticke in the light wherof men may see enter and follow on the way leading to eternall life Thus the Euangelist Luke writeth the story of the life death of Christ to one Theophilus and Iohn that diuine Apostle inscribeth one of his Epistles to a certaine faithfull and elect Lady and thus as infinite others haue written publike argumentes to priuate men so we doe now presume to prefixe your Ladiships name to this simple treatise written of a matter worthy to be handled after a better manner to wit of the spirituall state of man or of the holinesse and sinfulnesse the puritie and corruption of the soule It is not needfull vnlesse perhaps in regard of them who are vnacquainted with the state of that country to rehearse the reasons mouing me so to doe To let passe the earnest desire of them who might commaund me in any lawful matter but especially in this it is well knowen that in the towne country where you dwell as in worldly dignity God hath giuen vnto you an high place and calling so you haue returned thankefulnesse to him and beene in the profession of the Gospell of Christ not the last or lowest but forward and zealous and that not onely in seruing God your selfe but also in procuring the saluation of others by setting vp and maintaining the ministery of the word and fauouring the sincere preachers and professors of it As I my selfe who being in some sort astraunger in those partes know not much of the affaires of them know in diuerse of my friendes for whose good I haue good cause to reioyce and to giue your Ladiship hearty thankes for great fauour shewed vnto them Yea I am perswaded that many in that country the good whereof especially we intend in this action will to let other reasons passe euen for that loue which they beare vnto you more hartely fauour and more willingly take the paines to peruse this treatise Neither doe I doubt but that God will accomplish that notable worke which he hath begunne in you and by your meanes so inlarge that fountaine of spiritual grace which he hath put into your heart that the streames thereof shall ouerflow that dry and barren contry and water that tender plante of the true knowledge of Christ so lately set and so seldome to be seene in it yea refresh the bowels and reioyce the hearts of all that feare God Considering that for the effecting hereof God hath giuen vnto you manie singular meanes which he hath denied vnto others of his seruants as namelie worldly honour and power the which meeting with the vnfained loue of God and of his glory doth as a mightie gale of winde set forward the gospell of Christ in a speedie and happie course purchasing vnto it friendlie entertainemet and fauour at the handes of many who otherwise would perhaps not greatly regard it For then the state of the Church is most flourishing when as Kinges and Queenes Lordes and Ladies and all degrees of honourable men women are nourse-fathers and nourse-mothers vnto her But then especially this commeth to passe whenas wisedome sitteth at the helme guiding worldly power spirituall zeale in the right course As touching the which vertue if I should heere mention that which is constantly reported of you I should seem to many euen to all that know you not to doe that which I would be loath to do euen to flatter that not onely your selfe but also your sexe the which if that be true which is generally thoght and spoken may by your example wipe away that blot of sillie simplicity and want of deepe reach in matters of importance wherewith it is vsually stained and debased But I must be sparing in this behalf least that I seeme to mind and admire your wisedome so much that in the meane time I forget and offend your modesty the most proper and pretious iewell of your sexe Onely I desire God to encrease this and all other his good graces in you and so to guide you by them in the whole course of your life that they who haue occasion to trie may haue good cause to say as the prophet Dauid doth of and to Abigal 1. Sam. 26. 33. Blessed be thy wisedome you know the storie Thus being loth to be tedious and troublesome vnto you I commend this sillie present to your gentle acceptation your Ladiship to the gracious protection of God Written in Cambridge this xxx of March in the yeare of grace reuealed 1596. Your Ladiships to be commaunded in all duetifulnesse Thomas Morton To the reader encrease of all spirituall vnderstanding and euerlasting peace WE doe here offer to thy christian consideration and courteous entertainment gentle reader a rude description of the spirituall state of man The which if perhaps thou desire to haue for shortnesse plainnesse memory and fashions sake comprised in some one memorable worde may not vnfitly be tearmed Adam in whome onely all these three estates did concurre and may be seene or an anatomie of the soule A matter of all other most needefull to be knowen and learned yea most worthy to be handled explaned dilated and illustrated with all care and diligence it being that
wherein the happinesse of man doth wholly consist For this is eternall saluation to knowe God to wit the father creating vs according to his owne image in perfect puritie the sonne redeeming vs by his pretious bloud from sinne and miserie the holy spirite sanctifying and renewing vs by his grace to eternall glory In the which respect we haue thought that our time and laboure the which it hath pleased God in mercy to ty to the study of his holy word coulde not be better bestowed then in commending this sauing knowledge vnto others and that by this meanes which nowe we vse being thereunto moued by some vrgent reasons wherewith it is not needefull that either we shoulde trouble you or you your selfe Our purpose or rather our desire and endeauour is to make an anatomie of the soule of man to lay open before thy eyes the seuerall partes and faculties of it together with the naturall and supernaturall holinesse and sinfulnesse of them Wherein we haue endeuored to vse as great breuitie and plainnesse as we coulde and as the greate varietie and difficultie of the matter which often is verie intricate woulde permit auoyding both loathsome tediousnesse and vnprofitable obscuritie as thinkeing it much better not to speake then not to be vnderstoode and to lay open darke matter in rude and homelie tearmes then with enigmaticall parables to amaze and mocke the reader We haue rather applied our stile to the capacitie of the simple and the good of all by insisting most in those thinges whereby we may be edified in the knowledge and obedience of Christ then affected the curious scanning of subtile questions seruing rather for the whetting of the witt then the sauing of the soule And yet as they haue their vse which is not to be neglected so we do breifely touch them as occasion is offered Desiring the readers especially those who doe not professe learning to picke out of this treatise some matter of edification rather then of contention and with me to leaue needlesse controuersies to scholasticall exercises and men of nimble wites But what needeth all this will some man say this laboure might verie well haue bene spared and much better bestowed considering the abundance of knowledge the daily and continual preaching the superfluitie of bookes written of all argumentes both diuine and prophane in such swarmes and huge multitudes that men haue no leasure to looke on the faire inscriptions much lesse to peruse the tedious and irkesome bodyes of them Yea men are so cloyed and deceaued with vaine repetition of olde matter glosed ouer with new wordes and so amazed with straunge doctrines lately deuised that they haue in a manner giuen ouer the buying and reading of bookes esteeming it a fruitelesse and foolishe mispending of mony and time both which ought to be reserued for necessary vses and a needlesse disquieting of their mindes being already sufficiently grounded and settled in the trueth Howe iust and true this complainte is in some respect we are not nowe to discusse but for this matter whereof we speake it were to be wished if so it pleased God that it were true indeede and that we had as great plenty of the true knowledge of God and of sounde teachers of the trueth as of the stones in the streetes and in one worde that all the people of God did prophecy But is it so indeed doth knowledge religion godlinesse and all the meanes thereof or not rather palpable ignoraunce atheisme and superstition abounde in most places Yea surely the complainte of the Prophet Hos. 4. 1. is more true There is no knowledge or feare of God in the land But what of this is this to be attributed to the want of bookes and other meanes of knowledge Surely there is no cause why either some places shoulde complaine of want or any loath their plenty in this behalfe We haue moe bookes learnedly and godlely written then we doe vse well and yet we might vse moe well then we haue There is and will be as long as the church remaineth here on earth a needfull vse of newe tracttates comments sermons catechismes and determinations as newe reasons illustrations and methodes are inuented as newe doubtes controuersies errours and hereses doe arise as this or that vice doth raigne and as men giue themselues diuersly to the studying of particular heades of doctrine and partes of the worde of God All is not to be expected at any one hand where one sleepeth another waketh one is concise and darke another large and plaine one drie and barren an other full and pithy Yea in diuers writers thou shalt see the admirable variety of spirituall giftes and so be stirred vp to praise the greate bounty of God towardes his church The doctrine accordinge to godlinesse as th' apostle defineth diuinitie is a large feilde wherein ten thousand may laboure continually and all haue elbow roome yea each one differ from the rest not onely in manner but also in matter and argument howsoeuer all doe handle the same doctrine in generall As for diuersitie of opinions in some cases it ought not any way to trouble or offend any man seing that it is the will of God that while we remaine here on earth we shoulde both knowe and prophecie whether by speaking or by writing not perfectly but onely in part A fewe contradictions doe not as it may seeme either impaire the credit of the teachers or shake the faith of the hearers of Gods worde but rather strengthen and vpholde both For hereby it appeareth that men doe not as the prophete compalineth Iere. 23. 30. steale the worde of God one from an other deliuering for sounde doctrine whatsoeuer the most doe holde and teach rather then what they themselues doe thinke and so conspiring together in a compact forme of doctrine are not many but onely one witnesse but are in their consciences before God perswaded of the trueth of the gospell of Christ which they professe and teach It is but folly to looke for in mortall and earthly men a heauenly and angelicall harmonie void of all iarring It is rather our partes to labour in repressing that pride and selfel-oue of our corrupt natures whereby men carnally minded and affected are made to swell in anger and hatred against those who doe not in euerie respect daunce after their pipe being more alienated from their brethren for some fewe contradictions then ioyned together in Christian loue by their consente in all the points of religion beside Milde and modest dissenting worketh out the trueth as the striking of flintes together doth sparkes of fier and that often commeth to passe errando via reperta Try all and keepe the best But we trust that no man will make these obiections which we imagine or thinke much lesse speake euil of that which is intended for his good That which one misliketh another perhaps will approue and if studentes waste their inke and we are their pens and printers venture their paines and
paper they for their owne exercise or in any other good intente these in hope of some honest aduantage and both of them in a Christian desire of profiting others let not that trouble thee The losse is their owne and it is lawfull for them to doe with their owne what they list we speake of priuat censures not of publick restraint vse mennes writings and giftes if thou thinke them for thy purpose otherwise take their good meaning and ours among the rest not the worst of all others in good part and so leaue them to their likers or to their losse Lastly we desire the friendly reader to put to his helping hand to this worke which we haue taken in hande to amend what soeuer is any way amisse to adde to this imperfect and light delineation of mans soule not onely the essentiall partes which are wanting but also the sinnewes of strong proofes and argumentes yea the cleare colours of examples and other illustrations and Lastly to further our endeauours if he think them any way profitable for the Church of Christ by harty good will and earnest prayer BVt especially I do intend and commend this treatise vnto you my beloued countrimen and kinsfolke the inhabitauntes of the towne of Barwicke euen to all that in the saide towne doe call on the name of the Lorde Iesus being there vnto moued by nature it selfe which would wringe euen out of a flinty hearte speciall affection and harty loue to the natiue soyle Yea what is more meete or more needfull in all reason and equity then that we shoulde retourne the first fruites of our laboure thither from whence we came and where we had our first being and beginning Accept I pray you at my handes this poore mite in steade of some riche pledge of vnfained loue Who knoweth but that by the blessinge of God this small graine of mustardseed the simplest of a thousand bookes euery where extant being carefully receaued by you into your mindes and heartes as into good ground may sende foorth plentifull fruite of spirituall knowledge and vnfained obedience vnto eternall life and may growe to that bignesse that the birdes of the ayer may builde their nestes in the braunches of it for so I hope that you acknowledging this simple and vnlearned peece of worke to be the fruite of your owne feilde will euen in that respect the more willingly eate of it and perhaps the more happily digest it to the encrease of that stature and strength whereunto you haue already attained in Christ. In whome I doe earnestly desire that you may growe from grace to grace labouring to glorifie him by a holy and vnblameable life as he hath shewed himselfe most mercifull and bountifull vnto you He hath powred foorth his blessings both temporall and spirituall vpon you with a full hand he hath giuen vnto you greater plentie of thinges needfull for the preseruation of the body then to any other place in the land beside he hath freed you from the dregges and reliques of poperie wherewith the whole country farre and neare euen a hundred miles from you is infected as with a common plague you haue godly learned preachers of the worde of God although not many yet moe then some scores of miles in the countrey will afforde and lastly you haue leasure and opportunitie of seruing God and vsing all the meanes of your saluation greater then any other hath as all men knowe What wanteth then but onely this that you be not wanting to your selues but carefull in vsing these singular blessings to your owne edification and eternall saluation That so your Church may be renowmed in all places as florishing in the multitude not of verball professours mocking God and deceauing themselues with an outwarde shew of religion but of sincere and sounde Christians seruing God in spirite and trueth and labouring to kepe a good conscience in the wholl course of their liues both towardes God and towardes their brethren Thus crauing pardon of you for my boldnesse in this behalfe I commend you to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to builde you further and to giue you an inheritaunce among those that are sanctified The lorde be with you all now and euermore Amen Written this first of Aprill 1596 your harty well-willer and countriman T. M. The argument of the treatise following THE last and chiefe end why God in the beginning made the world with all thinges therein contained was the setting foorth of his glory the which before the creation did shine in and to himselfe onely whereas now all the creatures doe praise his holie name For the effecting whereof it was needfull that the creature should be endued with a kinde of excellencie so great as that it might manifest the glory of the power wisedome and goodnesse of God and yet so meane that it should not in any respect be comparable to the excellency of the creator Hence it is that the state of all thinges in the worlde euen of the most excellent creatures is kept downe and debased from the state of God as in many other respectes so especially in this that the one is momentanie variable and diuerse the other being eternall constant and the same for euer So we read Exod. 3. 14. whenas God would euen paint out the excellency of his owne nature and distinguish himselfe from all other thinges whatsoeuer doe any way exist he saith that his name is I will be who I wil be or who I am that is I am not a changable creature but the Almighty Iehoua in whome there is no shadowe of chaunge But it is farre otherwise with the creature wherein there is no permanent state to be found And to let passe the baser sort of them which are made for corruption and to be consumed in the vse let vs consider the state of the most excellent creatures euen those which being endued with reason were made according to the image of God to wit Angels and men of whose estate the scripture witnesseth that it is not onely chaungeable but also straungely chaunged For it being in the first creation most happie glorious and holy became afterward most impure wretched and vile Neither doth it stay here but by the mercy of God man is restored to his first excellency So we read Iob. 4. 18. 19. behold in his seruantes he will not trust no not in his Angels wil he put any confidence how much lesse in men dwelling in howses of clay whose foundation is in the dust c Neither can it be otherwise for God hath his being from himselfe but the creature dependeth on God by whome it was made and therefore can neither exist nor continue in any estate longer then the good pleasure of God doth permit This mutability of the creature appeareth chiefly in man whose diuerse states being three in number we doe indeuour to lay open in this treatise The first is the state of the first creation of
fearefull panges of desperation such extreame sorrowe feare and humiliation that he may truely be saide to passe to heauen through the middest of hell Againe some of these new men are borne in so greate strength and perfection as if they were not babes but growen men in Christe As was the Apostle Paule who came into this spirituall world not onely a perfect man but also a mighty giant euen an notable apostle whereas others in the beginning of their regeneration are so weake in the performance of the actions of spirituall life that it may be greatly doubted whether they haue any life or no. Lastly the signes of regeneration are as many as are the seuerall partes and heads of sanctification and therefore whosoeuer desireth to knowe whether that this new man be begotten in himselfe or no let him consider diligently that which followeth in all the third sections of this treatise applying it to himselfe see whether that he finde this straunge change in his own soul or no whether that he be fully perswaded of the trueth of Gods worde which saieth that the dead shall one day be raised vp to life and that all those who did beleeue in Christ shall enioy eternall happinesse in heauen or doe secretly in his mind doubt of the trueth of these thinges whether that for his good estate in this world he depend on GOD or vpon his owne wisdome strength riches and friends whether that he feare God or man more whether that his chiefe delight be in seruing God in praising God in hearing reading meditating on the worde of God or in worldly pleasures in eating drinking sleeping in pastime in the pompe and outwarde shewe of the worlde whether that he haue the grace to pray dayly to God for all spirituall graces distinctly and seuerally one by one or that he prayeth seldome lightly and but for fashions sake whether that he loue those who feare God as he doth his owne brethren or children or else is effected to them no otherwise then to other men by these signes and many other which are hereafter to be declared at large this regeneration may easely and certainly be knowen And therefore it standeth euery man in hand who desireth to escape the second death to examine himselfe whether that he haue anie parte in this first resurrection as the Apostle doth exhort 2. Cor. 13. 5. saying Trie your selues whether ye be in the faith or no knowe ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobats Lastly as the happinesse so also the holynesse of this third estate excelleth the first holynesse of man in that it is perpetuall and cannot by any meanes be lost for whereas this seed of regeneration is once sowen by the hand of God there it remaineth for euer and bringeth foorth fruite to life euerlasting 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Euery one that is borne of God doth not sinne neither can sinne because the seed of God is in him Where by sin he meaneth a totall apostasie from God not a particular sinne the which the faithfull do often commit without indaungering their saluation Which doth not depend on their owne righteousnesse as Adams did but vpon the righteousnesse of Christ. This certainty of perseuerance in the faith cōmeth not of any strength of man but of the goodnesse of God who confirmeth vnto the end all those whom he doth once effectually call Chapter 4. Sect. 1. Of faith in generall and of legall faith THe first kind of subiection which man oweth to God is that which the subiect or tennant oweth to his king or liegelord of whom he holdeth his houses lands possessions by whose fauour procured by dutifull obedience he liueth in a good and happy state whose anger would be to him extreame miserie and euen death it selfe and may be called affiance or dependaunce Thus was man in his first creation affected to God on whom onely he did depende and relie himselfe for a happie estate This subiection is in holy scripture called faith because the obiect of it is the faithfulnesse of God and the trueth of his worde and promises For as in the latin phrase habere fidem is to giue credence to another so in diuinitie to haue faith is to attribute faithfulnesse to God or to acknowledge him to be faithfull in all his promises both by beleeuing them as also by depending on them Thus Sara is saide Hebr. 11. 11 To haue had faith in that she iudged God to be faithfull in his promises This faith is of two kindes the faith wherewith Adam was endued in his first creation and the faith which God giueth in regeneration the first is called vsually legall the other Euangelicall The which two kindes although they doe differ the one from the other yet they agree in substance being of the same nature in generall and therefore we wil first declare the generall doctrine which is common to both the kindes of faith and then see what is proper to each kind and wherein the one differeth from the other Fayth in generall is thus defined Affiance in Gods promises propounding eternall happinesse to the perfect holinesse of the reasonable creature or to man being perfectly holy Or thus Faith is the trust and confidence of a mans heart relying himselfe wholly on God for eternall happinesse to be had by perfect holynesse Or thus Faith is the affiance of the hearte arising of an effectuall perswasion of the trueth of Gods worde which promiseth happinesse to man being perfectly holy and threatneth eternall misery to him being polluted with sinne Iames. 1. 19. The diuels beleeue and tremble These definitions being in substance all one offer diuerse poyntes to be considered and first what part or facultie of mans soule is the Subiect and Seate of faith whether the minde the will or the affections whether one some or all of them For answere hereof in that we say that faith is affiance trust or confidence we doe plainly put it among the affections For so it seemeth to be of the same kinde with hope loue feare and the rest of the spirituall graces al which and especiallie faith although they spring from a former knowledge and are alwaies ioyned with it yet they are in nature to be distinguished from it As in this instance faith hath the originall and beginning in the minde for a man can neuer relie himselfe wholly on God for happinesse vnlesse he be perswaded that God both can and will make him happie Yet not the bare contemplation and perswasion of the mind but the affiance and affection of the heart is faith and yet for somuch as it is impossible that a man shoulde be fullie perswaded in his minde of the trueth of Gods promises and not together set his whole affiaunce and fayth on him or that he shoulde be by faith rightly affected towarde GOD vnlesse first he haue the knowledge of GOD and of his promises hence it is that fayth is often placed
and legall holinesse although not perfect in this life by his spirit Yet because the morall law was giuen for this end to shew man his vnrighteousnesse by commaunding inherent righteousnesse hence it is that by legall righteousnesse is vsually meant proper or inherent righteousnesse and so by legall faith is meant that faith which looketh for hapinesse by inherent righteousnesse the which may more fitlie be called naturall faith because it was ingrauen in the nature of man as the other kinde is supernaturall yet we call it legall faith because perfect inherent righteousnesse is nothing but the perfect keeping of the lawes and commaundementes of God as sinne is defined 1. Ioh. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne is the breaking of the law whether it be the morall lawe written Exod. 20. the which was ingrauen in the heart of Adam in his first creation or any other law yea euen of things in nature indifferent inioyned to man by God the transgression wherof is a transgression of the morall lawe for the creature sinneth whensoeuer he disobeyeth the voyce word lawe and commaundement of God whether in a thing in nature indiffereÌ„t or simply vnlawful Thus did Adam sinne and fall away from God by eating the fruite of a certaine tree which he was forbidden to touch So that by this legall faith none can trust in God for eternall happines but onely he who in his owne person fulfilleth the whole law of God and that in deed in word in thought in will and in affection yea in the vniuersall puritie of this nature being free from all curruption of sin The which thing forsomuch as it cannot possibly be performed by any of the sons of Adam all being stained with that originall impurity which cannot by any meanes in the world be shaken off Hence it followeth that this naturall faith cannot haue place in any of them onely the holy Angels which continue in their naturall purity holinesse are endued with it for they trust for happinesse by the meanes of their owne perfect righteousnesse Yet this their happinesse is not so to be attributed to their proper obedience as that it be wholly denied to the grace of God for where the Apostle saith Rom. 4. 4 If saluation bee by works it is not of grace he meaneth the meere fauour of God remitting sinne the which hath place iâ— the other kind of faith yet euen the holy Angels although they be saued by works that is by their owne perfect holines yet their holines coÌ„meth from the grace of God without the which supporting them in all temptations suggested by their own free minds and wils or by the reprobate Angels they coulde not stand Sect. 2. Of infidelitie THus much of faith Nowe we come to the first kinde of rebellion wherby man falleth away from God called infidelitie for that it is both in name and nature cleane contrarie to faith For by it man ceaseth to trust and depend vppon GOD renouncing his patronage and protection as being altogether vnable to bestow any good thing much lesse perfect happinesse vpon his clients and therefore he seeketh for another Lorde and king in whom to trust So that as faith is affiance on Gods promises so this kinde of rebellion may not vnfitlie be called defined defiance or distrust in Gods promises propounding happinesse to the holinesse of the creature and eternall miserie to his disobedience The first example of infidelitie is the diuell with his wicked Angels who not acknowledging God to be the giuer of happinesse did beginne to seeke for it else where in the which consultation he saw that as there was no creature more excellent then himselfe so there was no meanes of attaining happinesse so like as for to relie himselfe vpon himselfe vpon his owne strength power wit policies and inuentions by the which he did perswade himselfe that he should become far more happy then he could be by continuing in that obedience and alleagance which he did owe to God The second example of infidelitie was Adam who was by the deceit and perswasion of Sathan drawen away from trusting in God and on his worde to trust in the â—euill and in that meanes of attaining happinesse which he did shew vnto him In Adam all mankind fell from faith to infidelitie wherein it remaineth all men being bred â—orne brought vp without any affiance in God relying themselues for their happinesse onely on themselues their owne wit learâ—ing beauty strength friendes riches nobilâ—tie yea on sinne Sathan and this present world and no more depending vpon God tâ—en if there were no God For victorie they trust in chariots and horsemen for health in the phisition for life in meate and drinke for riches in their owne industrie or in their parents for glory honor in vvorldly preferments and dignities not once vpon any occasion acknovvledging God or looking vp to heauen This infidelitie or defiance of God commeth of vnbeliefe which is the blindnesse of the minde or the ignorance of man not seeing the euident trueth of Gods promises but beeing perswaded that his worde is altogether voyde of trueth and that his promises are nothing but faire pretences his feareful threatnings nothing but vaine skar-crowes terrifying and fraying none but religious fooles and that the whole course of the worlde is not ordered by his decrees will and prouidence but by nature chaunce fortune and the counsell oâ— man So we reade Ephe. 4. 18. The Gentiles haue their vnderstanding darkned and so are alienated or estraunged from God bâ— the ignoraunce which is in their mindes and 2. Tim. 3. 8. Men of corrupt mindes anâ— reprobate as touching faith Lastly this blindnesse of minde the companion and cause of infidelitie commeth by our naturall corruption from the fall of Adam for wheras once the light of his minde was darkned by the delusion of the Diuell insomuch that he thought euill to be good and the way leading to extreame misery to be the onely meanes of the greatest happinesse it could not be but that his will affections actions and all the faculties both of bodie and soule shoulde be corrupted for that one of them doth followe the disposition of an other so that a corrupt mind bringeth a peruerse will and a sinfull will and inordinate affections doe darken the minde as hath bene alreadie shewed Hereof it followeth that infidelitie doth both separate a man form God and also depriue him of all the partes of holynesse yea insteed thereof filleth all the parts and faculties of a mans soule and body with the corruption of sinne For man renouncing God is wholly separated frome him neither can any longer receiue any blessing from him for euen as a subiect or tennant discliaming his king and Lorde and relying himselfe vpon a newe master euen one who is a deadlie and professed enimy to his first maister doth incontinently depriue himselfe of all those farmes landes houses prefermentes and commodities whatsoeuer the
goodnesse of God decreeing mans saluation by this meanes this naturall propertie or qualitie to appropriate to a man Christ with his righteousnesse Lastly the first kind is easie to be had and attained vnto by supposition of perfect inherent holynesse it being agreeable to naturall reason yea there being some reliques of it in the gentils themselues who know good euil and also that the punishmeÌ„t of death is due to the one the reâ—ward of happines appointed for the other Bâ— Euangelicall fayth is supernaturall yea it contrarie to our naturall disposition and câ—â— not be attained vnto without the mighty â—â—peration of the spirite of God whereof herâ—â—after This wholle doctrine may be gathered into one summe or definition in this manner Euangelicall fayth is affiaunce in Gods promises propounding eternall saluation to all those who rely themselues wholly on the mercy of God in Christ. Or more briefly thus It is affiaunce in Christ for happines Or thus It is trust or confidence in Christ whereby his death and the righteousnesse arising thereof are appropriated to the beleeuer Nowe we are out of the seuerall parts of these definitions to search out more particularly the true nature of faith to what kynd or head it is to be referred whether it be a part of regeneration and sanctification or something diuerse from both these Secondlie what is the place and subiect of it whether the minde the wil or the affections Thirdly by what meanes it may be wrought and attained Fourthly by what signes and markes it may be knowen Fiftly whether it may be lost or no. Lastly howe it hath this force that it is of it selfe able to iustifie and to saue a man For the first Regeneration and sanctification or the newe creature or recreated holynesse or thus The newe man and holynesse signifie all one thing to wit regenerate sanctitie or in plaine English renewed holynesse so that faith if it be a part of the newe man it is a part of regeneration and of holynesse and contrariwise if it be a part of mans holinesse it is a part of regeneration of the newe man and of the newe creature That it is a part of mans holynesse we cannot doubt seeing it is a holy affection euen the affiaunce and confidence of the heart relying it selfe on God the which affection was also in Adam and therefore it is a part of regeneration and of the newe man For although there be great difference betwixt legal and euangelical faith as touching the meanes of saluation the which is in the one the iustice of God in the other his mercy yet both of them are to be referred to the same heade of mans holynesse Legall faith being a part of the created holynesse of man as Euangelicall faith is a part of his regenerated or recreated holynesse The truth hereof may easely be gathered out of the section written of faith in generall for Legall and Euangelicall faith agree in a common definition and in all those points which are there mentioned The which doth also shew vs what to thinke of the subiect of faith to wit that it is in the will of man being nothing but a holy affection of confidence trust or affiaunce If it be obiected that faith is vsually in the scripture called beleefe as infidelity is vnbeleife the which is an action not of the will but of the minde giuing assent or dissent to the worde of God we answere that beleife is put for faith or affiaunce because it doth alwayes not onely accompany it but also after a sorte beget it and is the cause of it For when as a man doth without doubting beleeue Gods promises being fully perswaded of the trueth of them he cannot choose but rely himselfe vpon them so that beleife although it cannot be separated from faith yet it may and ought to be distinguished from it If it be obiected that Euangelicall fayth cannot be made a parte of mans holynesse seeing it is not commaunded in the morall law we answere that it is commaunded in the morall law as the other kind is in that it is all one in substance with naturall faith both kindes being affiaunce in God for happinesse to be attained by the meanes of perfect holynesse and therefore both kindes are commanded in the first coÌ„maundement Iehoua shall be thy God the which law doth enioyne that all the affections of man to wit his loue feare hope reuerence and with the rest his whole affiaunce or confidence be set whollie oâ— God as well after his fall to be saued by the mercy of God in Christ as in the state of innocencie to be saued by his owne righteousnesse Yea this first precept commaundeth al men to beleeue God in his word as wel in his Gospell as in his lawe and therefore whosoeuer doth not knowe beleeue and imbrace the Gospell he doth transgresse this first commandement In the third place we are to coÌ„sider that the meanes of attaining faith is to get the knowledge of the worde of God first of the lawe which shewing sinne death and damnation doth bruse and wound the harte and secondly of the gospell which teaching faith righteousnesse saluation healeth the aforesaide woundes and comforteth the sinner with pardon of his sinne and hope of eternall life This knowledge must of necessitie goe before faith for the minde of a man must be inlightned to see the trueth before the hart and affections can loue and embrace it The meanes which God doth ordinarilie vse in bringing men to knowe his wil is the publick ministery of the word performed by men indued with spirituall gifts fit for this purpose yet as hath bene said of regeneration so we are to thinke of faith all other spirituall graces that they come not by vertue of the meanes but by the power and worke of Gods spirit without the which it is impossible that any man shoulde vnderstand beleeue and imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell But howe commeth it to passe that man being a reasonable creature indued with an vnderstanding soule whereby he is able not onely to conceiue any thing that is taught but also him selfe to inuent new things not heard of before shoulde be so brutishe and blockish in learning the worde of God We answere that this commeth of the nature of the doctrine of the gospell the which being contrary to mans reason cannot be conceaued by it Yea as soone as it is hard it is straight way reiected as absurde ridiculous and foolishe so we reade 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of GOD for they seeme foolishnesse vnto him neither can he perceiue them because they are spiritually discerned Thus to make instance in one point of this doctrine to wit in the resurrection from death we see Act. 17. 32. that when the wise philosophers and men of Athens harde Paul mention it they mocked him And so we are to thinke of the cheife pointes of 〈◊〉 religion For
hearing And therefore men muste be taught religion as children are taught to reade learning one letter to daie and another to morrowe one poynte nowe and the rest hereafter as the prophet complaineth of the dulnesse of the Iewes Esay 28. 13. But it may be heere obiected that if naturall men be so dull and vnable to vnderstande Gods worde they are not to be blamed for not learning and for not doing that which they cannot doe Whereunto we answere that this dulnes of men commeth through their owne defaulte in that they cannot by any meanes be brought to bestowe their naturall giftes their time and labour in learning The which thing if they would once carefully and heartely doe and so continue without being wearie in seeking to knowe GOD and in vsing the meanes of their saluation ioyning with their endeuours heartie prayer to God for his blessing they woulde soone see that it is an easie matter to learne these thinges the which are of that nature that one poynt of them being well learned all the reste will followe of their owne accorde so that all the hardnesse is in beginning to learne Yea GOD is harde at hande and easie to be founde of all that seeke him howsoeuer it be impossible for man by his owne wit or industry without the grace of God to attaine the true and sauing knowledge of God Sect. 3. Of the renewed subiection of man to God his teacher In the third place we are to consider the contrary disposition of those who being renewed by the spirit of God giue thēselues vnto his discipline to be instructed by him in all things For although they attaine to their knowledge by the means and ministerie of man whereby it hath pleased God rather then by his owne voice or by immediate reuelation that the saluation of his elect should be wrought yet not man but God himselfe is the author and worker of this knowledge who as he did in the state of mans innocencie so doth he in his regeneration reueale himselfe and his will vnto them by his holy spirit Iob. 32. 8. There is indeede a spirit iu man but it is the spiration of the almightie that giueth vnderstanding Math. 13. 8. 10. Callnot any man Rabbi maister or doctor For you haue one doctor euen Christ and all ye are brethren That is you are not to thinke that because you heare men preach vnto you that therefore your mindes are enlightned by them for they are your brethren that is men like to your selues who cannot without the speciall worke of my spirit learne any thing themselues much lesse teach others so that Christ is the heade maister in the schoole of his Church who although he be absent from it according to his humaine nature yet he is present in it by his spirit by the which he teacheth the faithfull all things needefull and that without any errour or shaddow of any For as hath bene declared it is impossible that God should deceiue or be deceiued and therefore the holy ghost is called The spirit of truth Ioh. 14. 16. and 15. 26. Christ promiseth that When he commeth he shall leade them into all truth Ioh. 17. 13. And as God is the teacher so the faithfull are his scholers as all those who did beleeue the gospell are vsually in the booke of the actes called Disciples 1 Thess. 4. 9. Men taught by God Ineede not saith the Apostle to write to you of brotherly loue for you are taught of God to loue one another That is the spirit of God hath alreadie engrauen the doctrine of loue in your mindes and heartes and ther fore ye haue not so greate neede and vse of my ministery in this behalfe as they whome God hath not taught after this manner Thus the prophet Dauid often praieth to God that it would please him to instruct him in his commaundements as we may reade often Psal. 119. Lastly they performe to God the second dutie of this subiection which is to beleeue his word in all things reiecting whatsoeuer is contrarie thereunto Yea tho an Angel did preach it frō heauen all antiquitie Churches councels all the wise and learned men in the world do maintaine affirme it yea tho their owne wittes and senses do witnesse the truth of it so that the faithfull may in this respect be cōpared to the scholers of a certaine philosopher named Pythagoras who if they once hearde any thing vttered by their maister they held that as a most certain truth without inquiring any further into it And so among the true disciples of Christ his holy word is of so absolute authoritie as that no doubt is made of anie thing therein contained CHAP. X. Sect. 1. Of mans subiection to his creator THe last and greatest kind of mans subiection is that which he oweth to God as to the creator of all things whereof there is no question to be made and therefore we neede not stand to proue it The duties of this subiection are three The first is to glorifie God the second to be wholly moued in him or by him the third to rest contented in his will For the first as the chiefe and last ende of the creation of the world and of al things therein contained is the glorie of God so it is meete and needefull that all creatures iointly seuerally do performe this dutie of glorifying him Yea there is no creature either so base or so excellent that it should be exempted from this dutie The greatest and mightiest creature must stoupe to the performance of it as the weakest and seelyest thing in the world is able to set forth the glorie of God Psal. 145. 9. 10. The Lord is good to all and his mercie is ouer all his workes All thy workes O Lord shall praise thee They shall shew the glorie and beautie of thy kingdome Thus we see that it belongeth to all creatures to praise GOD as they are exhorted particularlie Psalme 148. and as we reade Reuel 5. 13. And all the creatures which are in heauen on the earth vnder the earth and in the sea all thinges that are in them I hard saying praise honour glory and power be vnto him that sitteth on the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore Yet they do not all performe this duety after the same manner for those creatures which are void of reason do it onely by giuing to men and Angels matter of the actuall setting foorth of Gods glory For the reasonable creatures are as it were the trumpeters of Gods glory which they do enlarge and publishe as by all other their actions so cheifly by those which tende directly to God himselfe are vsually called the worship of God For although al the actions of man in his pure estate euen the common actions of life as eating and drinking did make for the glory of God yet these do not make the worship of God because
often to passe that the infirmities and sinnes appeareing in the life of a faithfull man make the sinceritie of his religion doubtfull to others yet he himselfe feeling the inwarde worke and motions of Gods spirite is vndoubtedly perswaded that he is the childe of God We confesse that a man truly regenerate may haue his faith sore shaken and the holinesse of his life greatly blemished by the force of temptation and so may for a time want in part or wholly this assurance of saluation Yet this doth not hinder him from hauing it at an other time yea all the daies of his life as may be seene in most of the faithfull Lastly we are not to thinke that this assurance of saluation is or can be to a faithfull man a motiue to sinne and dissolutenesse of life with the which it cannot stand For as it is gotten by holynesse whereby a man seeth that he is endued with the spirite of God and effectuallie called to beleeue the Gospell so it is lost by a sinfull and wicked life the which sheweth plainlie that a man is destitute of true faith and of Gods spirite for by the fruite the tree is knowen nay there is nothing of greater froce in restraining the faithfull from sinne then this that they knowe that the committing of any one wilfull sinne doth wound their owne consciences and diminish this notable treasure of assurance of saluation For as he that taketh one or a fewestones out of a wall although he doe not ouerthrow the building yet he maketh it the weaker so a fewe sinfull actions in the life of a faithfull man although they can not depriue him of this assuraunce it hauing bene gathered and as it were builded vp with the holinesse of many yeares yet they doe diminishe it and can not but trouble his conscience CHAP. IIII. Sect. 1. Of the created holinesse of mans memorie IT had bene little auailable for the holy and happie estate of man that he was endued with those notable faculties of conceauing vnderstanding and knowing Gods will and word when God did reueale himselfe vnto him if he had not bene made able to retaine the saide knowledge for the time following For otherwise God shoulde haue powred his graces into a bottomlesse or broken vessell which coulde not keepe or containe any thing and man shoulde haue reaped little profit by that which woulde be as soone lost as gotten For this cause God in great wisdome did endue the soule of man with a speciall facultie vsually called memory by vertue whereof man in this state of innocencie doth safelie keepe whatsoeuer the minde doth truely conceaue and so when occasion serueth doth giue the saide knowledge backe againe to the minde to be thought vpon meditated vttered in worde and followed in peed so that the memory is the storehouse of the soule wherin thinges both newe and old are carefully laide vp and faithfullie preserued and as it were the register of the minde taking a note of euery thing which commeth into it This facultie as all the other of mans soule was in the state of innocencie so perfect and of such strength as that by it man might at any time call to minde not euerie trifling thing which he had heard and seene a thousand yeares past for so his memorie shoulde haue bene confounded and in a manner infinite but whatsoeuer thing had at any time bene reuealed vnto him by God or was conceaued by his naturall faculties if so be it were a matter of any importance the knowing and remembring whereof might serue to some notable vse and profite vnto him As for other common matters of life which it was more gaine to loose then to keepe in these humaine infirmitie preuailed to forgetfulnesse For we are not to thinke that man was in this respect or any other as God is whose nature being euerie way infinite doth in one moment and with one motion of mind remember or rather knowe all particulars that haue bene done at any time For God doth thinke of all thinges together without confusion but the minde of man being not onely finite but also hauing in it a kinde of weaknesse if we compare him with the Angels can not thinke of many much lesse of infinite thinges at once but of one thing after an other and so doth the memorie remember those particulars which were committed to the custody of it letting goe matters of no vse that there may be place for thinges of importance as are the actions comaundementes apparitions reuelations and worde of God In the knoweing and remembring whereof the happinesse and holinesse of man did consist and therefore it stood him in hande to commit these thinges to sure custodie the which we are not to doubt but that he did so as that after many thousand yeares he was able to remember that which might any way serue for his good Neyther â—â—ede we maruaile thereat considering the frailtie of our owne memories which are neuer good when they are at the best and are soone cleane lost by sicknesse age or any such meanes For as is the strength of the bodie whereby as by an instrument the soule worketh so are the faculties of the minde and therefore as the body of man did continue in perfect vigour for many thousand yeares yea for euer so did his minde or memorie retaine the first vigour without being diminished Whereby we see that man in this facultie of memorie whereby his knowledge was made eternall did notablie resemble God whose nature is eternall Sect. 2. Of the sinfulnesse of mans memory AS in all other respectes so also in regard of this faculty man since the fall is so changed from his first estate that he scarse seemeth to be the same creature that he was hauing as wholly lost this faculty of a reasonable soule as if he had neuer beene endued with it For howsoeuer in regard of earthly worldlie and sensible things this faculty is after a sort remaining in man yet it hath no manner of force or power to retaine heauenlie and spirituall matters and the true knowledge of God and no maruaile for how shal the memory keepe when as the mind cannot conceiue it But mans corruption cannot so be cloaked in this behalf as if it it were wholly in the minde and not in this and other faculties For although the fountaine of it be in the minde which is the moouer and gouernour of the other faculties yet each faculty hath his peculiar fault the which may plainely be seene in the memory For suppose that which doth daily come to passe that a carnall man doth not onely heare the word of God for fashions sake but also marke and in some measure vnderstand it a man would thinke that all were safe and brought to a good passe the minde hath done his duety in conceiuing the trueth of the word as the body hath done in hearing so that now the word of God is come to the memory and
although he haue not as yet any supernaturall grace bestowed on him To this we answere confessing that the true illumination of the minde can not be seuered from freedome of will but yet that neither the one nor the other can be attained vnto by the naturall inclination of the will who although he may by naturall meanes get a superficiall and as it is vsually called an historicall knowledge of all the pointes of religion yet is it impossible for him to gette any such true knowledge as will be effectuall to moue his will in the choyse of good For howsoeuer many carnall men seeme to haue a great measure of diuine knowledge yet they are farre from being firmly grounded in the trueth but doe make a faire shew of religion faith and holinesse whenas their heartes are full of Atheisme vnbeleife and all sinfulnesse in the which for the most part they are more wilfull stubborne and desperate then they who are altogether voide of knowledge Neither indeede is it any maruaile that a naturall man should be vnable to resist and offer violence to his nature to denie himselfe and all worldly pleasures to forsake his sinnes which are more pleasant to him then life it selfe and all for hope of eternall saluation whereof he neither seeth any probability for the time present nor can haue any certainty and assuraunce for the time to come If it be here asked what shoulde be the hinderaunce why man being now sinfull cannot as well enclinâ— himselfe to good as he being innocent did choose euill and so returne to his first state by the same way whereby he fell from it We answere that as a man hauing his sight and life hath in his owne power either to keepe them or to spoile himselfe of them by putting out his eyes and by killing himselfe yet after that he is blinde and deade he is not able to take againe vnto himselfe his sight and life so man being in his innocency endued with spirituall life and a ready inclination to all good had power to continue in that estate if he had so thought good but after that he had once by freedome of will lost the goodnesse of his will and wholly depriued himselfe of the spirituall life of holinesse he coulde not being nowe deade in sinne restore himselfe to the state of life And therefore he hath no more power of choosing good then a dead man wanting the fountaine of motion is able to mooue himselfe about any businesse If it be further asked why the word of God biddeth men beleeue forsake their sinnes turne themselues to God repent be holy refuse euill and choose the good if so be they are by nature altogether vnable to do any of these things or how that men can be iustly blamed or condemned for not doing that which is not incident into their nature neither possible to be performed by any naturall man and lastly why men shoulde trouble themselues in vsing the meanes of attaining to regeneration saluation seeing that all their labour is in vaine without the supernaturall worke of God and not rather sit still and expect the time wherein the Lord wil change their natures make them capable of holinesse We answere in one word to all these doubtes that the scripture bidding men to choose good and become holy doth commaund nothing but that which is in their power to do and therefore doth not meane that men should goe about to change their owne corrupt natures and indue themselues with spirituall graces but onely that they should be carefull in vsing the meanes of holinesse as namely the abstaining from those sinnes whereunto they are giuen the auoyding of the occasions of them the hearing of the word of God the doing of whatsoeuer is effectuall for this purpose and may be done by an vnregenerate man but whenas men are altogether carelesse of their owne saluation contemning the word of God and all other meanes of it yea adding one measure of sinfulnesse to an other who can deny but that they make themselues subiect to the iust sentence of eternall damnation And therefore this naturall impotency of will which is in man ought not to make any man cease from vsing the meanes of saluation for howsoeuer it be impossible for him or any other creature to change his owne heart and nature yet he shall finde God to be ready and neare at hand to all those that call vpon him and neuer to be wanting for his part It remaineth that we doe briefly shewe what liberty and ability of will is remaining in man in this corrupt state wherein if he haue no will he hath not in him the whole fountaine of life motion and so he is no man yea in truth worse then any brute beast if he haue a will it is eyther a free will or else no will yet this freedome of will is not indefinite neyther doth it make him omnipotent therefore we are to see how farre it reacheth For the knowledge whereof we are to distinguish betwixt the natures of thinges indifferent and of those which are simplie good or euill In the first kinde we are to recken all common actions as to eat to drinke to mary to sleepe to build to plough to learne to teach to study to speake to thinke and all other thinges of the same kind which are neither commanded nor forbidden in the word of God In all these man hath freewill being able of himselfe to incline himselfe to the doing or not doing of any of them as daily experience doth plainely prooue But it is not so with him in the other kinde of thinges eyther in choosing good or in reiecting euill yet he hath some freedome in these thinges also first of good then of euill In the good thinges we are to consider the outward action and the inward grace in the outward action a carnall man hath free-will being able to encline himselfe to the doing or not doing of it For example a carnall man may heare the word of God or not heare worship God or not worshippe him relieue the necessities of the Church or not doe it suffer martyrdome for the profession of the gospell or performe the outward action of any christian duety but as touching the inward grace it is not in his power to get it but only to leaue it As he cannot indue his owne mind with the true knowledge of God with the feare of God with the loue of the godly and therefore his outward action is but a painted sheath or sepulcher not effectuall to his owne saluation yea in trueth not to be esteemed good Againe an vnregenerate man may of himselfe seeke and get inward graces as some knowledge of God iustice temperance chastity patience and such other Yet this doth not make him to haue freewil to good for first in the question of freewill this word Good signifieth not any one or a fewe particular graces or actions but a generall holinesse