their holinesse is imperfect 1. Cor. 13. 14. While I am a child that is while the faithfull liue in this worlde I vnderstand like a childe I thinke and speake as a childe nowe I knowe in part but then I shall knowe euen as I am knowen CHAP. III Sect. 1. Of the conscience of man in his pure estate BEside the generall knowledge whereof we haue spoken in the former chapter there is in the mind of man a particular knowledge the which for the great vse which it hath in the spirituall state of man hath a proper name giuen vnto it being called Conscience as if it were a distinct facultie of the soule whereas if we speake properlie it is nothing els but an action of the minde and the knowledge of one partilar thing to witte of mans estate before God whether he be righteous or sinfull and so consequently whether he be in the state of life or of death as the worde doth plainly signifie For conscience is sui scientia or scientia cum vel coram deo that is conscience is a mans knowledge of himselfe or a knowledg with God before God or in the presence of God And therefore we may define it thus Conscience is the opinion or perswasion of a mans minde concerning his estate before God Or thus It is the testimony or iudgmēt that the mind giueth of innocency or guiltines of righteousnes or sinfulnes of life or death So it is de fined Rom. 2. 15. To be the accusing or excusing of a mans thoughts or of his minde So that we may call the conscience the witnesse which before the tribunall seate of God being in the iudgment hall of a mans minde doth either excuse and iustifie his seuerall actions and whole life and person and so pronounce the sentence of life vnto him or else doth accuse condemne him in regard of sin committed and so adiudge him to eternall death Thus much of conscience ingenerall now as touching the conscience of man in his pure estate we cannot doubt but that it did wholly iustifie him being as then without any spot of sinne from this true excusing conscience commeth confidence whereby man is imboldened to conuerse in the presence of God to heare him speake to see his glory and so to haue a kinde of familiaritie with him as man had in his innocencie where as an accusing conscience breedeth feare shame as we see plainlie in Adam who so soone as he had sinned was compelled by this accusing witnesse for there was no other to accuse him to runne into a hole and hide himselfe among the trees when he perceaued God to be present but hereof more in the next section Lastly if it be asked how conscience can be made a part of mans conformitie to God seing as it may seeme there is no such thing in God we anwere that conscience to wit this clearing conscience hath place in God who in him selfe and before himselfe doth see and knowe himselfe to be puritie and holinesse it selfe and so free from all shadow of sinne Sect. 2. Of a corrupt conscience AS touching mans conscience in his corrupt estate this must of necessitie be granted that where the whole is corrupted there euerie seuerall part is corrupted and therfore seing the whole knowledge of mans minde is darkned with blindnesse this particular knowledge must needs be in the same case so that nowe the conscience is a false witnes and doth iudge of right and wrong of life and death so as a blind man iudgeth colours saying that blacke is white and white is blacke that euill is good and good euill and yet as the minde is not so wholly blinded but that there remaine in it some reliques of knowledge trueth and light So the conscience hath his part as well of this light as of the aforesaide darknesse and by vertue thereof doth sometimes speake the trueth euen as the greatest liers vse to doe First of the false witnesse of the conscience because this is more common then of the true testimony of it The false testimonie of the minde or conscience is of two kindes the first and most vsual kinde is when as it doth falsly excuse the second is when it doth falsly accuse The first hath place in all those who thinke that to be no sinne which is a sinne in the sight of God And it is of two kindes for either it doth not accuse a man where it shoulde accuse him or else it doth iustifie and absolute him for that for the which it shoulde condemne him The first may be seene in all those in whose opinon and iudgment that is no sinne which is accounted sinne in the sight of God as namely in them who being therefore called libertines but as it is saide of them are too shamefully licentious thinke that there is no sinne and that they may doe what they list And so are not checked by their consciences no not when they commit most hainous sinnes This kinde of a false excusing conscience is in those also who thinke originall sinne to be no sinne or not to deserue eternal death or who doe any way extenuate the hainousnesse of sinne thinking some sins to be veniall in their owne nature And also in them who thinke wicked thoughtes or vaine wordes to be no sinnes Lastly this conscience is in a manner in all vnregenerate men especially in those who liuing a ciuill and honest life free from grosse sinnes as adulterie murther theft periurie and such other thinke themselues iust before the iudgment seate of god This presumptuous opinion was in the pharisies who had a great conceite and made no smal bragges of their owne righteousnesse as we may see Luc. 18. 20. And also Mar. 10. 20. in one of their schollers who was not ashamed to affirme and that before the face and visible presence of God that he had kept all the commaundements of the morall lawe and that not onely in some part of his life but continually euen from his youth vp Yea this is the fond opinion of most men who thinke themselues to be no sinners because they are not notorious malefactors to fulfill the law of God because they doe keepe the lawes of men to be innocent and iust before God because they liue irreproouably as very fewe doe in the eyes of men But this is a very fearefull and dangerous estate and that which is the cause of most mens destruction for they neuer seeke to know the gospel and to haue remission of their sinnes in Christ because this their flattering and lying conscience doth beare them in hande that they are righteous enough of themselues and therefore neede not to be clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ as we read Reuel 3. 17. They say with themselues euery one in his owne minde I am rich want nothing where as indeed they are wretched poore blind naked altogether sinfull and in the state of eternall
did Sathan know verie well that man was like to God in nothing so much as in his vnderstanding therefore he perswaded Eua to eate of the forbidden fruite by promising that by that meanes shee should attaine to a greater measure of knowledge and so consequentlie greater likenesse to God then she had For so he saith Gen. 3. 5. God knoweth that when ye shall eate of this fruite your eyes shalbe opened and ye shalbe as gods knowing good and euil But to leaue the dignitie of the minde to them who take in hand the naturall description of man we are here to consider the spirituall state of it in respect of God to wit the holinesse of it That the minde was created holy no man can denie but he who sticketh not to reproch his maker as hauing erred in the most excellent part of his worke and therefore it is more needfull that we declare the particulars of this holinesse First what it is or wherein it consisteth secondly the seuerall partes of it for the first The holinesse of the minde consisteth in the perfect knowledge of God and so it may be briefely defined Where we saye perfect we meane that perfection measure of knowledge whereof the nature of man is capable for there is a more perfect and excellent knowledge in the Angels then can be in any man Againe there is more perfect knowledge of God in God then in any Angell For God is knowen perfectly and essentially to himselfe only These transcendent kindes of knowledge which are without the compasse of humaine nature are not required at the handes of man and therefore he wanteth them without sinne Againe we doe not meane by perfection the highest degree or the greatest measure of knowledge which may be attained vnto by man for in this innocent estate one man may want that great measure of knowledge which an other man hath and yet want no part or iot of the holinesse of his minde onely by perfection we meane that knowledge wherein there is no parte wanting which is any way needfull for the holy and happie estate of man that is whenas a man knoweth all those duties which he oweth to God and whatsoeuer thing belongeth necessarilie to his owne good estate The second worde of the definition is knowledge whereby we meane both actuall and potentiall knowledge Actuall knowledge is that which is already really in the minde Potentiall knowledge is that vertue or facultie which conceaueth thinges offered to the minde by any meanes The first is to haue knowledge or the habite of knowledge the second is to be able to gette that knowledge which as yet is wanting of these two heereafter in particular Lastly by the knowledge of God we meane all manner of knowledge whereof although there be diuerse kindes as there are many thinges in the worlde besides God to be knowen yet the holines of the minde consisteth in this that it knoweth all thinges in God and nothing any otherwise then as it commeth from God and hath relation to him For God is all things in all and all thinges do exist in God and therefore euerie thing may be knowen in God and God knowen yea seene and felte in euerie thing euen in the least and basest creature The wicked Angels are in this their corrupt estate endued with a great measure of knowledge but this their knowledge is voide of all holynesse because it hath no relation to God and his glory for this onely is to be accounted the holinesse of the minde not barely to knowe the natures properties and differences of thinges but to see and acknowledge the wisdome power goodnesse and glorie of God in them For holinesse hath relation to God onely it seeth God through the meanest thinges and doth not rest in any thing till it come to God Yet we are not to thinke that the minde of man is in this his innocencie a confused chaos or heape of knowledge for God the maker of man is not the author of confusion And therefore we are to distinguish this knowledge into the seuerall kindes and partes of it whereof the first and cheife is the knowledge of God that is of the proper nature attributes and actions of God the second is the knowledge of the creatures The first kind may be called diuine be cause it tendeth directly and immediatelie to God himselfe Where we doe not meane that man could possiblie comprehend within the narrow compasse of his shallow braine the infinite and vnsearchable essence of God the which thing the Angels cannot doe Yet we are not to doubt but that he did thinke aright without any errour of the nature of God And no maruaill seing he did see God face to face as the scripture speaketh that is was daily conuersant in the presence and company of God as the Angels in heauen are although not in the same measure from this knowledge as from a fountaine springeth the knowledge of the creatures commonlie called humaine knowledge because all the creatures belonging to man and seruing for his vse are knowen for his good onely For as a man may easely see all thinges being there where the sunne shineth clearely so man liuing in Gods presence coulde not haue the nature of any creature hid from his sight From both these kindes of knowledge came the knowledge of euill for Rectum est index sui et obliqui a streight rule or line sheweth the crokednesse of any thing and so all trueth good and right shining in God and in his creatures did shewe to man what was false wrong hurtfull vnlawfull or any way euill for although Sathan did promise to man a greater measure of the knowledge of good and euill then he had Gen. 3. 5. as if his knowledge had bene imperfect in that behalfe yet he knewe what was euill better before his fall then afterwarde although by his fall he gottâ— the sense and experience of euill which he wanted before Thus much in general of mans knowledge the which is nowe to be considered more particularlie in the two kindes of it Potentiall and Actuall Potentiall knowledge is the aptnesse and abilitie of the minde to conceaue and comprehende whatsoeuer it shoulde please God to reueale Here iâ— may be asked by what meanes man in his innocent estate did attaine to knowledge We answere that Adam the first man was created in perfection as of body and soule so also of actuall knowledge not gotten by sense experience obseruation and by his owne industrie and yet it was afterwarde to be encreased by these meanes but engrauen in his minde by the finger of God and inspired by God together with his mind But his children were not to come so lightly to knowledge to whom he could not propagate his actuall knowledge but onely his potentiall for they were to be borne as in weakenesse of bodie so with mindes voide of all actuall knowledge not hauing the formes similitudes and vniuersall notions of thinges called
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
notwithstanding the opinion of men it is a great miracle yea in truth greater then is the raising of the deade to life for God hath often giuen to mortall sinfull men the glorie of restoring the dead to life but he neuer gaue to any of his prophets or Apostles the power of regenerating men So that to conclude this first point as the first so the second creation of mans holinesse ought to be acknowledged the proper worke and action of God as the scripture doth plainely teach vs in many places Gal. 2. 8. Nowe we are to consider other pointes in this wonderfull worke of God as namely these First the meanes which God vseth Secondly the manner of working Thirdly the time Fourthly the differences of regeneration Lastly the signes of it The meanes is eyther ordinary or extraordinary the ordinary meanes is as hath beene touched the ministery of the word of God appointed by God for this end and purpose the which he doth accompany with the secrete operation of his spirite in the hearts of all those whome he hath ordained to saluation And therefore whosoeuer desireth to be made partaker of this regeneration he must with all care and diligence giue himselfe to the continuall hearing of the worde of God preached in the assemblie of the Church and withall he is to vse all priuate meanes whereby hee may bee prepared for the publicke ministerie so as it may be profitable vnto him as namely the continuall companie and conference of those who haue alreadie attained to that which he desireth and who hauing trauailed in the waye of Godlinesse may the more easely direct him in the same Secondlie hee muste giue himselfe to the reading studying and meditating of the worde of GOD and to the carefull vse of all those meanes whereby hee may be made to vnderstand know and remember it But especially he is to desire this by earnest prayer at the handes of God who onely is able to graunt his desire and without whose working the most painefull vse of all meanes is altogether in vaine but hee that carefully vseth these aforesaid meanes yet not trusting in them but relying himselfe on the mercifull promise of God who hath promised to be readie at hande to all those that seeke him shall finde by experience that no man doth in vain seeke for help at the handes of God As touching the manner how regeneration is wrought Christ teacheth vs Iohn 3. 8 That no man knoweth it for euen as saith he thou hearest the noise of the wind when it bloweth but yet thou canst not see it or discerne whence it commeth or whither it goeth so although we heare the word of God sounding in our eares and knowe that God doth by that sound beget men yet no man knoweth how this is that is regeneration is not anoutward visible and sensible but an inward and secret worke For euen as a man being suddenly taken with the plague or anie infectious sicknesse saieth he knoweth not how it happened onely he seeth the effectes of it euen so the action of regeneration in it selfe is secret and vnknowen but manifest in the effectes which followe of it We may not vnfitly compare it to that suddaine and straunge change which befell Saul whereof we read 1. Sam. 10. 9. For when as God was about to aduance Saule from his priuate and base estate to the kingdome of Israell he sawe that it was needefull to make him a newe man endued with a newe minde will and affections to take from him his rude and base conditions and to endue him with an heroicall spirite of wisedome courage and of all giftes needfull for so high a calling And therefore euen as he turned his backe to goe awaie from Samuell God chaunged him and gaue him an other hearte and made him another man Euen so doth God by changing the mindes and willes of his elect so secretlie as that they themselues knowe not which way it is done make them newe men and prepare them for his euerlasting kingdome The time of regeneration are the yeares of descretion for this worke hath no place in infantes beeing not as yet endued with the actuall faculties of a reasonable minde and will The which must first existe before they can be chaunged and be actually defiled with sinne before they can be clensed Secondly in the yeares of discretion there is no set and appointed time of regeneration for as we are taught Math. 20. in the parable of the worke men some are called at the first houre of the day some in the middest of it some in the laste houre Some in their younge yeares some in their middle age and some in olde age Yet no man ought in this respect to deferre the seeking after regeneration for so he will be more and more vnfitte and vnwilling to take anie paines in this behalfe and be at length so hardned and benummed with a longe custome of sinne and of deepe hypocrisie that there wilbe farre lesse hope of winning him to the true obedience of Christe then there was before Thirdly regeneration although it doe continually encrease as long as a man liueth yet it is wrought and begun in one houre in one moment of time euen as there is but one houre of birth although there be many of life If it bee asked whether that euery regenerate manne doth knowe the speciall howre of his calling wee answere that regeneration beeing an vniuersall chaunge of all the faculties of a mans soule and so consequentlie of all the actions of his life may easely be felt and perceiued especially â—y him in whome it is wroughte and further this time of a mans conuersion ought moste carefullie to be marked and registred that so it may with continuall and vnspeakable ioy and thankesgiuing euermore be remembred For if as it is vsually thought the day of a mans naturall byrth which in it selfe is the beginning although of temporall life yet of eternall death and miserie be worthie to bee not onely diligently noted and kept in minde but also solemnly celebrated with greate ioy howe much more is it meete that men shoulde marke the day of their spirituall birth it being the most happy daye which can be seene and in deede the beginning of eternall happinesse And yet oftentimes this particular time is neyther marked when it is present nor remembred when it is past namely by them whose conuersion is not so straunge and violent but light and easie the which difference wee are nowe in the fourth place to propounde The diuersitie of regeneration is verie great for that we may vse our accustomed similitude as man in his naturall birth is brought into the worlde sometimes with greate facilitie and safetie at other times in so greate paine anguish and daunger that he may seeme to enter into life through death euen so this newe man is sometimes borne without any trouble sorrowe or delay but often with such horrour of conscience such
day and stood before the Lord and thus Adam is called Luke 3. 38 The sonne of Seth the sonne of Adam the sonne of GOD. This fatherhoode is the cheife and as we may say the father of all other kinds of fatherhoode Hence it is that Christ forbiddeth vs Math. 23. 9 To call any our father here on earth because we haue one father in heauen whome we must all acknowledge to be our first cheifest highest and best father And therefore looke what dueties anie sonne oweth to any terrestriall father the same ought man to performe much more to God his heauenly father as namely First that he reuerence him secondly that he imitate him and thirdly that he seeke vnto him for those thinges whereof he standeth in neede For the first to reuerence is In an ingenuous kynde of awe to giue honour as to one who is euerie way our better and superiour as the father doth excell the son in wisdome strength of bodie in age authoritie and in all other respectes This dutie God requireth Mal. 1. 6. saying by the prophet The sonne doth vse to honour his father and therefore if I be a father where is my honour Yea in truth we may well thinke that this affection of reuerence is too meane to be giuen to God whose authoritie ouer man is so greate that it requireth rather a iust feare then this modest awe as his incomparable excellencie doth deserue rather glorie then honour The second duty due to God in regarde of this fatherhoode is Imitation the which fathers doe and that iustly require of their children whome they doe not suffer to vse the fashions and behauiour of straungers but rather do conforme them to their owne conditions manners and gestures Yea children for the most part doe performe this duty of their owne accord for they being of the same constitution of bodie and disposition of minde whereof their fathers are and hauing beene continually brought vp in beholding their manner of life cannot so degenerate but that they will more or lesse tread in the steppes of their fathers Ioh. 8. 39. If ye were Abrahams children ye would doe the workes of Abraham In like manner man in this his first state did wholly fix his eyes on God as on the only perfect patterne of holynesse making his actions presidents and examples for imitation so farre forth as they might be followed by him the which caution is necessariy to be added for it were not holinesse but presumption greate impiety either for man or Angell to take vpon him to imitate God in the actions of omnipotencie and in such other respectes which are not agreeable to the condition of any creature otherwise man may ought to imitate God as Christ teacheth vs Math. 5. 45. saying Do good to them who do euill to you that so you may be or may appeare to be the sonnes of your father in heauen who suffereth the sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust be ye therefore perfect as your heauenly father is perfect The third and last dutie belonging to this heade is supplication for thinges needfull for as children in all their wantes and necessities haue straightway recourse to their parents in assured confidence of hauing their wants supplied by meanes of that tender affection which parents beare to their children so ought man vpon euerie occasion to seeke by humble praier for helpe at the handes of his heauenly father whose loue farre exceedeth the affection of any earthly father or mother to their children This Christ himselfe who in all his doctrines which he deliuereth hath recourse to the first creation of man teacheth vs Math. 7. 9. What man is there among you which if his sonne aske him bread will giue him a stone If ye then which are euill can giue to your children good giftes how much more shall your heauenly father giue good things to them that aske To this agreeth the practise of Christ who in that forme of prayer which he propounded to his disciples taught them to pray to GOD not as to their master Lord or King but as to a louing father Math. 6. 9. Praie after this manner Our father which art in heauen Lastly if it be here obiected that there could not be any vse of this duety in the state of perfect happinesse wherein nothing was wanting and therefore nothing could be asked we answere that mans happinesse although it were perfect Yet it might haue bene greater that he had not so many blessings but that he might by praier haue obtained moe at the hands of God Sect. 2. Of the want of filiall subiection It hath bene declared that of all earthly creatures man onely was created the sonne of God because he onely was endued with the image and likenesse of God the heauenly father in perfect holinesse and happinesse the which whenas he did loose by his disobedience he did together loose the name title and prerogatiue of being the sonne of God Yea withall he lost all abilitie of performing any dutie to God which the sonne oweth to his father being nowe affected to God not as a dutifull sonne but as an vngratious stubborne and lewd runnagate who hath openly forsaken and disclaimed his father For that we may insist in those duties which are named in the former section he is so far from yeelding due honour and reuerence to him that he doth euery way dishonor him he standeth in no awe neither maketh he any reuerent account of the presence of God yea farre lesse then of the presence of any sinfull man like to himselfe in whose sight he woulde be ashamed to commit any hainous sinne or to speake any filthie worde without vsing some preface of reuerence vnto him whereas the consideration of Gods presence and of the reuerence due therevnto cannot either restraine him from sinne or anie thing abash him in committing it Further whereas the sonne shoulde honour his father by yeelding humble attention and carefull obedience to his sayings and commaundements man doth in this respect so notoriously dishonor God that it is a shame to speake howe base and vile account he maketh of Gods word how he doth continually without any remorse of conscience or shame of face breake euerie one of his commaundementes But we will not stand in amplifying the irreuerent behauiour of man towards God As touching the second duty which is imitation of God we knowe that the heauens are not so farre distant from the earth or the east from the west as the waies of man are from the waies of God Yea as Christ telleth the Iewes plainely Ioh. 8. 41. man hath chaunged his father and therefore he doth the workes of his newe father the deuill his lustes raigne in man he is a liar and the father of liars He fell away from God and this his damnable rebellion man did imitate and so continueth following his example motions and
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
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.
great a chaunge in him as if the obiect did lay violent handes vpon his minde in the which respect they are called passions of the mind and therefore were disclamed by those philosophers which professed constancie and exact vertue yet they containe in them a part of mans holinesse and of the image of God who cannot suffer and in whom there is no shadow of chaunge But thus it hath pleased him to shadowe out his owne incomprehensible nature by the likenesse of our nature resembling it as to the other faculties of the soule of man so also to these affections yea so that a greate parte of his glorie reuealed to his church consisteth in them For although he hath manifested himselfe to the heathen in his wisdome and power shining in the creatures yet in his church he is most glorious and renowned in respect of his mercy compassion and loue in Christ. The which affections as also anger hatred and all the rest are euery where in the scripture attributed to God In man they are then holy whenas they are agreeable to the nature of the obiect as when a man loueth that onely which ought to be loued and hateth that which by the will and word of God ought to be hated and that with due measure and moderation Thus they being ordered by reason and the word of God are not contrary to holinesse but a part of it Yea they are as bellowes blowing vp and encreasing spirituall graces and doe cary man forward to a high degree of holinesse Nowe we are to declare these affections in particular but because the former part of this treatise wherin those affections which imply subiection as faith hope feare and reuerence are already handled is growen in length farre aboue our purpose as also that there may be some place left for the third part of this treatise which in no case may wholly be omitted we will omit the seuerall explication and onely choose out some fewe of them which are the chiefe and of most notable vse In the which ranke the first place is to be giuen to loue being taken not generally for that pleasure which is taken in the fruition of some good thing in the which sense a man is said to loue this or that thing this or that kinde of meate as it is said of Isaac Gen. 27. 9. But as the obiect of it is some reasonable thing to wit God Angels or man in the which sense it is vsually called charity and may be described A hearty and vehement desire of the good of an other arising of an inward pleasure taken in some good which we see in him This affection is first and chiefly to be set on God who onely is good in the fruition of whome there are infinite pleasures And therefore man ought to desire his good in the aduancement of his glory aboue all the thinges in the world For he that loueth father or mother sonne or brother or any creature whatsoeuer more then God is not worthy to enioy those fountaines of pleasures which the fruition of God doth yeelde to the hearty and vehement louer Math. 10. 7. From this loue of God proceedeth the loue of the reasonable creatures which being endued with the image of God are for his sake to be loued Euen as we knowe that he that beareth hearty and vehement loue to his friend cannot but loue his friends sonne being a resemblance of his father Hence it followeth that all the reasonable creatures are not to be loued alike but more or lesse as they are more or lesse endued with the image of God And therefore greater loue was due to Angels then to men and among men to those who did excell others in measure of holinesse and of spirituall graces This is the first streame of loue flowing from the loue of God as from a fountaine beside the which there is an other fountaine of loue namely the naturall affection which euery liuing thing in the world beareth to it selfe whereby it taketh more pleasure in it selfe and doth more desire the good estate of it selfe then of any other thing This naturall loue hath place in man who euen in this his innocent estate doth beare a greater measure of loue to himselfe then to any other creature The which selfeloue is not to be reprehended it being not onely in all liuing creatures but also in God himselfe who as good reason is doth delight more in himselfe then in any other thing and doth more desire his owne glory then the good of any creature From this fountaine of selfeloue flow many streames of speciall loue whereby a man is more affected to those who doe anie waie come nearer vnto himselfe then to the common sort of men In this respect he beareth a greater and as it were a partiall loue to his naturall parentes children and kinsfolkes being of the same substance flesh bloud and bone with himself to his wife who by the institution of God is vnited into one person with him Gen. 2. 24 to his speciall friend who is ioyned with him in a perpetuall couenant of loue Iohn 20. â— The disciple whome Christ loued and is to him as his owne soule Deut. 11. 6. To his acquaintance alliance companions neighbours to all those to whome he is bound by any speciall meanes this loue is to be exercised and declared in the performance of all Christian dueties to our brethren in communicating vnto them al those blessings both temporal and spirituall which we haue receaued from God so farre foorth as their necessity shall any way require If these duties be wanting our loue is eyther verie weake or rather hypocriticall and pretended Thus the Apostle saith that he exhorting the Corinthians to contribute to the Church of Ierusalem did thereby trie the naturalnesse and syncerity of their loue 2. Cor. 8. 8. likewise 1. Iohn 3. 17. 18. He that hath thinges pertaining to the maintenance of this naturall life and seeth his brother want how is the loue of God in him therefore let vs not loue in word and tongue but indeede and trueth Thus much of loue whereunto hatred is contrary the which also hath place and some vse in this state of innocency although not so great as loue hath because there were more good obiectes then euill This affection being contrary to loue is in generall an abhorring from any euill but as it is referred to those thinges which are endued with reason it is a desire of euill to happen to that person which is hated arising of some inward griefe conceiued by meanes of him But what vse could there be of this affection in the state of innocency or who was the obiect of it not God for he is pleasure and good it selfe and therefore doth neither deserue to be abhorred being in no respect euill nor yet giueth any occasion of hatred to man by grieuing him not the Angels nor man himselfe who also are
who is notoriously vnnaturall vnthankfull and vnholy For if a man loue the houses and places wherein he hath beene and liued sometime shall he not much more loue his parentes from whose bodies he came Secondly the loue of children with the loue of whom he that is not touched and enflamed may be accounted lesse affectionated then God himselfe and more senslesse then are the brute beastes An example of this fatherly affection we haue in Iacob of whom it is saide that he did loue his son Beniamin so dearly that his soule was so tied to the soule of Beniamin that he could not liue but would incoÌ„tinently dy for sorrow if so be he were taken from him Ge. 44. 36. This fatherly affection is so strong by nature that if it be not wel looked vnto it wil as a great riuer or streame rise aboue the bankes and due limites of it and cary a godly man beyond all due regard eyther of reason or of religion as appeareth plainely in that notable man of God king Dauid of whom it is said 1. King 1. 6. That he did cockour his sonne Adonia and could not finde in his heart to grieue him no not with a sharpe word And we know how he loued his vngratious sonne Absalon being more sorrowfull for his death who for his monstrous vnnaturalnes was not worthy to liue on the earth then he was glad for the victory which he himselfe had gotten and for his owne safety And therefore he did so bitterly lament his death saying O Absalon Absalon O my son Absalon would to God I had died for the. Thirdly from this fountaine commeth the speciall loue of those who are tied with the faithfull man in any outward bonde as in mariage or speciall friendship for the first â—o the mutuall loue which ought to be beâ—wixt the husband and the wife the scripture doth often exhort by arguments drawen from the institution of God who hath made them one person and one flesh Thus Ephe. 5. 29. No man euer hated his owne flesh but doth nourish and cherish it And therefore a man ought to loue his wife euen as his owne bodie and as Christ hath loued his Church Yea there is great reason and necessity of a great measure of mutuall loue betwixt man and wife For seeing they doe forsake their fathers mothers and kindred not dwelling any longer with them but betaking themselues to their owne house and to each other as to a perpetuall companion and partner in good and euill in ioy and misery how should not their loue be exceeding great The seconde outward bond of loue is friendship whereby we doe not meane any common good will and acquaintance but a speciall contract of perpetuall loueâ— such an one as was betwixt Ionathan anâ— Dauid whereof it is saide 1. Sam. 18. 1â— That the soule of Ionathan was tied to thâ— soule of Dauid And Dauid himselfe whâ—â— had best experience of it witnesseth thâ—â— greatnesse of Ionathaens loue 2. Sam. 1â— 26. Saying how am I grieued for thee 〈◊〉 brother Ionathan thou was sweete pleasaâ— vnto me thy loue was wonderfull to me passing the loue of women Lastly from this fountain of selfeloue commeth the loue of kinsfolks alliance acquaintance companions neighbours and of all whome God hath ioyned more nearely to vs then he hath done others CHAP. VII Sect. 1. Of ioy sorrow and pittie in the state of innocency BEside the foresaid affections of loue and hatred there were many other created in man as namely to let the rest passe ioy and sorrow which is contrary to it The first is a delight or pleasure conceiued by the present enioiing of some good thing whereby a man is mooued to seeke and embrace the said good as sorrow is the abhorring of some present euill as being bitter and vnpleasant Both these affections had place and vse in this first estate yet not equally for a great part of happinesse consisteth in ioy yea happinesse may be said to be nothing else but the ioyfull fruition of good and pleasant thinges whereas sorrowe is contrary to happinesse howe great cause and continuall vse of ioy man had in his innocency we may easely gather by those infinite blessings wherewith he was euen compassed about liuing not onely free from all troubles crosses afflictions daungers wants incumbrances and whatsoeuer thing might any way grieue or hurt him but also in abundance and superfluity of al pleasures belonging both to his body and soule in perfect strength and health in wealth peace and liberty in honour and glory and which is all in all and in trueth the fountaine of all true ioy in the fauour and loue of God The holinesse of this affection consisteth in this that it be correspondent and proportionable to the goodnesse and excellency of the obiect and that the ioy which man conceiueth by the fruition of any thing be greater or lesse as the thing it selfe is more or lesse excellent a greater or a lesse good and therefore man was chiefly to delight himselfe and to reioyce in God who is the chiefe and first yea the onely infinite goodâ— in the fruition of the presence and fauour of God in seruing praising God in meditating on the creatures workes wisedom power mercy and goodnesse of God Secondly as God hath put into euery one of his creatures a finite and proper goodnes so it was lawfull for man to be affected accordingly with the pleasure flowing from the said thing For example God created for the vse of man great variety of trees bearing sweete and pleasant fruite all which man might lawfully vse with ioy and pleasure Yea this ioyfull vse of the creatures was not onely permitted to man but also comaunded by God for so we read Deut. 26. 11. Thou shalt bowe thy selfe before the Lord thy God and thou shalt reioyce before him in all the good thinges which he hath giuen vnto thee thou and thy whole family For why he that reioiceth aright in the fruition of the creatures reioyceth in God the maker and giuer of them and by them is stirred vp to greater alacrity in seruing and praising God Now as touching sorrow it had also place in the pure nature of man which was subiect to this passion howsoeuer he being in perfect felicitie had not any great vse of it yet we may suppose some causes of sorrow euen in this happie estate both in man himselfe who might be moderately grieued for the want of some particular good and in some other respects as also in other creatures for the miserable estate of the wicked Angels hauing beene so glorious and happie especially the dishonour which they did many waies procure to the name of God could not but worke sorrow in the heart of man So that the sorrow of man in this first state being rather in regarde of others then of himselfe ought to be called pitty rather then sorrow The holinesse of this
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 outwardly and ciuilly honest may be reckoned yet there is no age country or story which doth not aford many examples of men who haue exceeded in impietie against God and in iniustice towarde men and in all manner of wicked behauiour the ordinarie and common sorte of sinfull men by manie degrees The cause of this encrease of sinne is the crooked and corrupt diposition of mans wil which is wholly bent and set vpon sinne and doth so greedely and insatiably pursue after it as that vnlesse it be restrained by some meanes it can not rest till it come to the highest degree of wickednes For the which purpose it imployeth all the partes and faculties of the body and soule yea all inwarde and outwarde blessings what soeuer it maketh the minde deuise newe wayes of commiting sinne newe excuses pretenses coulours and defences for it being commited so that the greater gifts of the minde and of body that a man hath ceaued the fitter instrumentes hath his will and his corrupt desires to encrease sinne Here of it commeth that not idiots simple and vnlearned men not the weakest in body or the basest in condition not the poorest nor the youngest but the most witty learned strong noble rich aged are these notorious wicked ones The most horrible monsters in all outrage of sinne which any story doth mention were greate Emperours and mighty men as Nero Caligula and such other and who are so wretched couetous worldly so peruerse and obstinate in ignoraunce superstition infidelitie yea in hatred of all goodnesse as are they who by yeares haue gotten wisedome experience riches and honour so that we may easely acknowledge the trueth of that the Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 1. 26 Not many noble wise riche or great men are called to the sincere obedience of the gospell Hence it is that sinne doth more abound in this last age of the worlde then it did in old times wherein men were more rude simple and ignoraunt then children are in these daies who are so soone ripe and expert in all wickednesse as if they had bene borne perfect men not weake infauntes and no maruaile seeing that this last age is as it were a common sinke wherein all the sinnes errours heresies superstitions all the shifts craft deceipte yea all the wicked inuentions and practises of all ages are gathered together And therefore it bringeth foorth so great multitudes of expert practitioners in sinne who besides that which their owne inuention doth afford are furnished with the examples tryed experiments of all ages This the spirit of God hath foretold in the scripture as we see it is come to passe Math. 24. 12. Because iniquity shall abound in the latter times the loue of many shall waxe colde 2. Tim. 3. 1. This knowe that in the last daies shall come perilous times for men shalbe louers of their owne selues coueteous proude cursed speakers disobedient to parentes vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce hauing no loue to those who are good traitours headie high minded louers of pleasures more then of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof And againe 2. Pet. 3. 3. This first vnderstand that in the latter daies shall come mockers walking after their owne lustes saying where is the promise of his comming In these and other places of scripture the spirite of God hath foretolde and euen painted out the great corruption and sinfulnesse of these daies that we might beware least that we be drawen away by the infidelity and other hainous sinnes which raigne euerywhere so saue our selues as out of the fyer from this froward godlesse generation wherein we liue Lastly as the excellencie of naturall giftes and outward blessings being abused is the meanes of the excessiuenesse of sinne not of it selfe but by the corrupt disposition of our nature so the spirituall graces of God bestowed vpon men liuing in the Church doe often by the iust iudgement of God worke the same effect and that in far greater measure For as it is impossible that among heathen men they who are of smal wit capacity knowledge strength and riches should be wicked in so high a degree as they who excell in the foresaid respectes so it is not possible that any who hath not receiued some of the spirituall graces of God shoulde come to so high a degree of sinne as they in whome it hath pleased God to worke that shadowe of regeneration which hath beene declared in the former chapter Hence it is that none can fall into that extreame impiety which is the highest degree of sinne euen the sinne of the deuill and his Angels called in scripture the sinne against the holy Ghost which can neuer be forgiuen but they who did sometime before receiue grace from God to see loue and obey the trueth Heb. 6. 5. It is impossible that they who were once made partakers of the holy Ghost if they fall namely into this sinne which is an open wilfull and desperate hatred of God of his glory of his religion of his feruants and of all good thinges as many of the hebrewes did to whome this was written should be renewed by repentance This excellency of spirituall graces abused was the meanes whereby the wicked Angels fell into that extreamitie of sinne wherein they are and so it commeth to passe in men in whom this sinne by reason of the monstrous hugenesse of it is rare and happeneth not but in those who for their cruell spitefull desperate and malitious hatred to God and to the godly are rather to be counted diuels incarnate then reasonable men For it is harde for a Christian who hath once knowen God to cast away all feare of God and shame of men and for to burst forth into such outrage Yet as the scripture hath not for nought taught vs it so it commeth to passe although seldom yet oftner then it is well marked This encrease of sinne called supernaturall because it cannot happen but in a man after a sorte regenerate is taught by christ in the parable of the euil spirite which retourning to the place out of the which he was cast goeth not alone but taketh with him seuen other wicked spirites euerie one worse then himselfe and so the ende of that man is worse that is farre more sinfull then the beginning Euen as we see it commeth to passe in naturall thinges as namely in water which after it hath bene a little warmed becommeth more colde then if it had neuer had any heate in it And so men who haue had some heate of religion kindled in their heartes by the spirite of God if they contemne and abuse the saide graces become more wicked and irreligious then they who neuer knewe what religion ment CHAPTER VII Of the decrease of renewed holinesse ALthough the faithfull man being nowe truely regenerate by the spirit of God may boldely boast and