can swallowe the ground for their fiercenesse and rage and beleeue not that it is the noyse of any trumpet that cals to iudgement therefore their sound is ha ha they smell the battel a farre off and they neuer regard the noyse of the Captaines of the Lord and the shouting of the mighty angels with their approach attending vpon God neither shall they stagger at the thunders and the appearance of flaming fire when the Lord shall come to render vengeance on euery one that knowes him not or hath not obeyed his holy Gospel These are like the giants of Gath they haue fingers and thumbes enough they wil not loose it for the catch but alas poore creatures I feare these Gyants of Gath will prooue poore Adonizabesech that wants both fingers and thumbes to feed withall and therefore shall they perish as he did for want of apprehending the foode of their soules Christ Iesus therefore let all our propositions be out of Gods word nothing from our selues Vse 3. for consolation First for wel-doing when our hearts will tell vs we haue bin affected as well with mercie as iudgement to serue the Lord and that all our care was the keeping of a good conscience Secondly in regard of trouble whether it come for weldoing as a triall or for euill as a correction and that is to drawe good out of all cleane contrarie to the wicked which conclude all in verie ill forme and contrarie to the mind of God for thereby shall wee come to that blessed comfort which is laid downe Rom. 8.28 all things worke together for the best of them that loue God which wee may prooue best by our conclusions Obser 2. Wicked men do more then they directly thinke and yet in truth they think as much as they doe It is the nature of a wicked man to make vnknown conclusions for surely a wicked hypocrit wil denie this conclusion Did I euer make God like my selfe I knowe his ordinances and am well seen in his statutes therefore such matters are farre remooued from my thoughts But the conclusion is made and pronounced by the spirit of truth and therefore is no lie they haue made it but the Lord must inferre it their liues and practise haue set to their seales it is as good in lawe before God as if they had thought it for the Lord knowes they were not asleepe when they hated to be reformed and cast his lawes behind their backes they did this willingly and yet as willingly would they seeme to haue on their backes Gods apparell they would cloth themselues with an outward profession they would haue his law at their fingers ends declare his ordinances and take his couenant into their mouthes The deuill will speake as well as they Acts 16.17 These are the seruants of the most high God which shewe vnto vs the way of saluation neither was this constrained for shee did it many dayes surely for this ende that Paul might take notice that by her confession she was as good a professor as the best that followed Paul yet his spirit was able to see the imposture and deceit of Sathan and therefore grieued for her hee turnes about and bids the vncleane spirit be gone So these persons they crie the temple of the Lord they haue a faire crie but alas it is that they might liue in the church as the deuill liued in the woman yet assure themselues that as the deuill by this confession made a conclusion directly against himselfe so these men by these faire words make an vnknown conclusion and for the same shall be cast out of Gods Church and packt to hell with all those vncleane spirits which for their aduantage can open their mouthes and speake like the blessed angels The Indians would none of the Popes Catechisme because they saw the Priests liues demonstrate nothing but cruelty The Indians could iudge the Spanyards and priests in their army by their liues when they were readie to hang them and put them to death then must the priest stand out to catechize them and shew them the way to heauen but these poore Indians were able to ioyne a better conclusion to all their premisses then going to heauen for hauing asked what master they themselues serued and whither they meant to go answer beeing made they meant all of them to go to heauen and there should be their resting place after this life presently they bid the priest spend no more words in vaine for such seruants could haue no good masters and if they meant to go to heauen then they would go to hell good iudgement from the practise of these Priests and Spanyards all their faire shew of godlines made conclusions against themselues to wit that it was impossible that a good God would euer acknowledge them or that any place of blisse should be their resting place and therefore best for them to goe the cleane contrarie way euen to hell it selfe then haue such companions to be with them in heauen Reas 1. Blindnes of minde Ignorance which sees no further then the present propositions Euery man will say that a drunkard whoremaster vncleane person shall neuer inherit the kingdome of heauen the word of God is plaine for it and they yeild to the truth Againe come to the assumption and tell them You are of the number of these persons you know it your selfe and all your neighbours can testifie with you this present truth he will yeild vp that too but the conclusion that followes most necessarily he will not see but defie all them that shall bring it and say he shall be damned Great blindnesse that will not graunt a consequent as necessarie as burning to the fire would not the world count him a very ignorant person that should say here is fire but I make question whether it can burne Well foole the best argument for thee is put thy singer into the fire and see if thou can feele it So these men will yeild vp all but that which is as necessarie as the rest shall not onely be called into question but denied with an execration of all that bring it Therefore no resolution vntill God come and say In to hell fire and then shall they feele the conclusion of their waies Reas 2. is the diuersitie of lusts that leads them about Multitudes of lusts which make distraction of the mind and alwaies vnto it selfe nothing must conclude that pleaseth not his lusts 2. Thess 3.7 Which women are euer learning and are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth the reason is in the verse before because they are simple women laden with sinnes and lead with diuers lusts Reas 3. is want of all good method in their liuing Disorder of life for he that keepes no order in his actions can neuer be able to bring any thing to good passe and it makes such a confusion in his head that he cannot tell what will be the issue of
Controversie concerning Gods decreeing of sinne 1. Obiections from the Text. 47. answered ibid. from attributes 48. answered ibid. from subiect 49. answered ibid. 2. Arguments proouing from the end 50. from method 52. from God first and last 54 3. Of sinnes entrance his causes principall instrumentall and accidentall 55. how God purposed this entrance 56. how the lawe workes sinne 58. positions of the manner 59 4. Of sinnes progresse and consequents 63. what is Gods work therein 64 5. Obiectiions that God is the author of sinne from Scripture 66 answered ibid. from Bellarmine 68. Caluins iudgement ibid. from reason 73. answered 74. from orthodoxe writers concerning Gods will decree mans will and his reprobation 78 6. Answered 88. how God wills sinne to be 89. Arminius sophystrie 91. determination no cause of necessitie 96. when a thing is how necessarie 97. of Gods concourse 98. of Gods irresistable will 106. the nature of Gods decree 107. freedome of mans will 121. reprobation no punishment 123 7. Collation of M. Perkins and Arminius 127. in 10. principles to 139. for the definition of predestination 139. how counsell 139. of the subiect and his degrees 140. to 152. lastly of the end and subordination of meanes 152. to 160. PSALM 50.21 These things hast thou done and I held my tongue therefore thou thoughtest that I was altogether like thee but I will reprooue thee and set them in order before thee CHAP. I. Of the generall Analysis IN the world we haue three sorts of people All men in thâ—â— world are either Atheists Hypocrites or Saintâ— First Atheists that care for no religion secondly Hypocrites that care for formall religion thirdly Saints that care for true religion Atheists discouer themselues and therfore the word of God is not large in ripping vp their sinnes Hypocrits make a faire shewe and therefore the word of God is verie copious in reuealing their sinne and threatning iudgement against them it tels them plainely they are all for the ceremonie nothing for the truth they lay hold on the shadowe but loose the substance these mens sacrifices are no better then abhomination vnto the Lord he hath no eare to heare them withall he hath no eyes to looke vpon their sacrifices no smell to sauour a sweet sauour of rest in them but his soule is displeased with them and his heart doth rise against them that hee must needs spewe them out of his mouth hee hath no tast to say that the sacrifices they haue prepared are any sauoury meat vnto his palate and yet the Lord is no daintie taster for hee would say it were well if there were but a willing mind Iacob and Esan a true type of Gods militant Church which is cumâ—â—aniâ— Indeede Izaac the father of Iacob and Esau might be deceiued in his sonnes and in their venison but surely hee was not deceiued in their garments for when he had kissed Iacob hee smelled the fauour of his garments and blessed him and said most truely behold the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field God is not dim-sighted to iudge betwixt the taâ—es wheate which the Lord hath blessed but the Lord is not as man that he should any way be deceiued Iacob should neuer haue gotten the blessing from Esau by hauing his brothers hands in shewe except the Lord had brought that to passe which long before he had decreed Iacob haue I loued Esau haue I hated So stands the case betwixt all hypocrites and true professors they may haue the hands of 〈◊〉 but their voice will bee the voice of Iacob or morally their hands may be the hands of Iacob but their voice will be the voice of Esau the world might be deceiued by the workes of their hands but if they listen to their words they shall find them rellish of Esaus heart but the Lord knowes their workes that they are not onely couered with goates skins but that they themselues are goates indeede and so shall one day appeare when the Lord shall goe through the flocks and separate from all the sheepe the little spotted the great spotted and the blacke spotted not to be the wages of Iacob but the inheritance of the denil and therefore blessed are all they that shal be found in the garments of Christ Iesus that so not Izaac but the God of Abraham Izaac and Iacob may blesse them with the dew of heauen the fatnesse of the earth plenty of wheat and wine that all the world may be their seruants and all their mothers children honour them and therfore cursed be he that curseth them â—â—pocrites fiâ—al be rewarded and blessed be he that blesseth them let the hypocrites complaine we haue done thus and thus and yet thou regardest not we haue bin thy eldest sonnes in casting out deuills working miracles preaching fasting sacrificing giuing of almes and what haue we left vndone for thy names sake hast thou not therefore one blessing in store ò father to blesse vs withall Well it may be they will imitate Esau in his passion lift vp their voices and weepe and surely God will say of them as he did of Ahab Seest thou not how Ahab playes the hypocrite yet because he humbles himselfe in shewe I will bestow a blessing in shew vpon him I will spare him for a time so because yee haue wept with Esau for a blessing behold the fatnesse of the earth shall be your dwelling place by your swords and crueltie to my Saints shall you liue Cruelty of hypocrites I haue made you your brethrens seruants but it shall come to passe when you shall get the masterie that you shall breake their yokes from your neckes and assoone as the daies of your mourning are come and gone you will slay your brethren for that hath beene the thought of your mind God will surely blesse thâ—â—g â—ly and curse the wicked yet let me tell you my mind them haue I blessed and they shall be blessed but for you hypocrites which would seem to haue the little spots among my sheepe I tell you Ciuil hypocrits Grosse hypocrites Meere Atheiâ—â— Little spoâ— great spots blacke upon that I haue separated you for the day of slaughter and againe you hypocrites which are not of the number of these ciuill professors but grosse hypocrites with great spots in my congregation and yet defie my seruants which tell you of your damnation I tell you that you are in the selfe same predicament of my decree of reprobation And lastly all you Atheists which haue the blacke spots vpon you which will acknowledge no more then bruit beasts I tell you that you and all the rest are the goates that I must set on my left hand and pronounce this sentence against you Goe you cursed into hel fire prepared for the deuill and his angels there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for euer This Psalme is as I may tearme it an Assize or session holden of the Lord vnto
strengthen all our actions The first is when wee goe about any good dutie to deale thus with our soules surely by the grace of God I purpose to set my selfe about this action 2. That my purposes be not vaine I enter couenant with the Lord and promise that that which I haue purposed I will performe vnto him 3. That I may be no couenant-breaker I vow vnto the Lord my obedience 4. That I may not be rash in my vowes I proceed further and say with Dauid I haue sworne that I will keepe thy righteous statutes Now when the Deuill my corrupt flesh the world or any worker of iniquitie shall set vpon mee thus will I answer Why would you haue me breake my purposes and be inconstant in my resolutions seeing the world despiseth all inconstancie againe though I might change my purpose yet my promise I will not alter for infidelitie is hated of all but if you will say you may put off the performance of your promise because you beare men in hand with dispensations of future obedience yet I haue a third thing that binds mee more straightly and that is a holy vow vnto the Lord which being lawfully made I must not breake for a world of wealth yet if you will be instant vpon mee and say I was too rash in my hasty vowing then I pray you consider that I haue sworn vnto the Lord and therefore to haue God to count mee for a periured person would sting mee at the heart and suffer my conscience neuer to be at peace with mee therefore putting all these together purpose promise vow and oath how should I doe this great thing you require and sinne against my God these things beeing practised I dare boldly say euery Christian shall find daily increase of grace and more readinesse to serue God V. 15 The second part required is prayer v. 15. which is discouered vnto vs First by his work to call shewing great necessitie and therefore the neglect of it must needs bring extraordinarie losse vnto the soule 2. By the proper obiect vpon mee the Lord the best succour in the time of need 3. By the adiunct of time in the day of trouble and therefore great occasion is giuen to euery Christian soule to call vpon his God 4. The promise is annexed as an excellent motiue to so excellent a dutie so will I deliuer thee and therefore happie is euery Christian that hee may know assuredly in euery day of trouble hee hath hope of the day of deliuerance And these are the parts of the true worship of God praise in prosperity prayer in aduersitie the end of both followes in the same ver And thou shalt glorifie mee therefore not vnto vs O Lord but vnto thy name for all thy mercies be ascribed all honour and glorie V. 16 The second part of Gods proceeding is with the profane hypocrites from the sixteenth verse to the ende the parts wherof are three conviction to the 21. v. sentence of iudgement in the 21. v. and application in the 22.23 v. The conuiction is of two sorts of crimes first against God the breach of the first table the second against his neighbour the breach of the second table the first which is against God is in the sixteenth and seuenteenth v. and that is a forme of Religion in the sixteenth v. but a deniall of the power in the 17. v. The shew of religion is set forth by his effects declaring and speaking 2. By the obiect ordinances and couenants 3. From the iniurie they offer vnto God what hast thou to doe 4. From a testimonie of God himselfe witnessing against him but vnto the wicked said God Therefore the religion of all hypocrites is formall in the fruit and in the obiect to the iniurie of God himselfe and the prouoking of a sharpe witnes against themselues V. 17 The power of Religion is wholly denied v. 17. First in affection they hate reformation 2. Of instruction in actions they will endure no reformation 3. By obstinacie in casting Gods words behind them They direct degrees of sinne first to enter the affections by batred of good and loue of euill 2. To proceed to action without all reformation 3. To continue in practise by obstinate rebellion and casting off Gods yoke V. 18 The second order of crimes is the breach of charitie vnto his neighbour 18 19 20. v. which are of two sorts of actions and speaches of Actions v. 18. First laid foorth in their kinds theeuerie and adulterie 2. By their formes running with theeues partaking with adulterers where the consent vnto these sinnes is taxed with the practise 3. From the motiue cause in these words when thou seest shewing how the desire of wicked men is inflamed with the beholding of the sinnes of others to make them runne with them in inward consent and be partakers in the verie heart V. 19 The second kind of crimes are of speaches first of things secondly of persons of things v. 19. wherein wee haue first the kinds euill and deceit euill in the forme deceit in the end 2. From the instruments the mouth and the tongue abused of wicked men to the hurt of others and the destruction of themselues 3. From their willing practise in these words thou giuest thy mouth as though they would sell themselues to commit iniquitie thou forgedst as though they were alwaies in the fire of mischiefe V. 20 Of persons first the preparing of themselues in that word thou sittest 2. The manifestation of their malice thou speakest and slaunderest 3. The aggrauation of their sinne in regard of a double obiect thy brother more generally thy mothers sonne more specially shewing how vnnaturall they are euen to their owne flesh and the very bowells of their mother V. 21 And thus much of the conviction the sentence of Iudgement followeth in the 21. vers Wherein wee haue the two parts of all Gods sentences truth and holinesse for it is requisite that euery sentence of God be true and holy the truth in these words these things hast thou done the holinesse in the rest The truth is most exact consisting of all requisits Truth first knowledge without all errour 2. integritie without all partialitie 3. equitie without all contradiction The first is cleare in that the Lord enters vpon the very particular sinnes of an hypocrite these things and therefore can no way be deceiued for hee that sees things in generall and these things in speciall leaues nothing vntouched The second is also most euident for the Lord respects neither the person nor the sinne of the person but saies plainely thou and these things And the third is apparant to euery eye for the Lord handles no matters either vpon suspicion or malice for he is most certain of the fact neither doth hee complaine of any thing but the fault hast thou done and therefore what shall an hypocrite plead for himselfe when hee shall see his doings plainely detected The holinesse of
shew what we are to thinke of him He may make all the world to admire at him in this place for strange impudencie and horrible blasphemie against God for in these two words like thee is a gradation of three steppes euery one rising a steppe aboue an other First to compare God with him in any similitude of qualitie is sinnefull In qualitie because he hath no qualitie that answereth any thing in God but it were well if he would haue rested in the qualitie for things like are also dislike In essence but the originall in this place telleth vs plainly that he passeth all the bounds of logicall comparison and extends it to the very beeing of God for so the words are to be expounded out of the Originall In beeing to be like that is according to our English phrase altogether like thee strange impudencie and voide of very reason it selfe to make things compared as like any further to argue then their qualities but wickednes in the bosome of fooles is restles for he riseth one degree higher In immortality of beeing and brings in an eternitie of beeing altogether like God for the verbe is in the future tense and signifieth thus much not onely in beeing to be but also in beeing shall be therefore wicked men promise vnto themselues an eternall fellowship with God Let vs therefore consider what things are here compared Wicked mens innention is 〈◊〉 of comparisons and that with the best 2. in what qualitie they are compared 3. what truths or falshoods they make 4. what be the discourses of wicked mens hearts for all these are contained in this thought of a wicked man For the first the things compared Tearmes sinne silence God man are God and his silence a wicked man and his thoughts the proportion stands thus as wicked mens thoughts are so shall Gods silence be and consequently as wicked men are Qualitie from condition to substance and so to eternitie so shall God himselfe be The qualitie wherein they are compared is threefold 1. of condition God must be like minded vnto them 2. of substance and beeing for they frame Gods Image according to their owne image 3. for the qualitie of time God must be an euerlasting Patron and fauourer of all their causes For the third what truths shall we expect out of this strange inuention of wicked men surely none that will agree with the nature of Truth for they haue abused the truth and God himselfe who is the author of truth therefore three horrible falshoods are contained in these words First The falshoods of wicked men Gods thoughts as mans that Gods thoughts are as mans thoughts and Gods waies as mans waies directly against the truth of God Isa 55.8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies saith the Lord for as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my waies higher then your waies and my thoughts aboue your thoughts The second falshood that God is as man 2. He makes God no better the a himselfe against that place God is not as man that he should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should be deceiued therefore may he well expostulate the matter with these hypocrites worse then idolaters for they make themselues the Idol therefore deny all gods as he doth with his people Isa 40.18 To whome will ye liken me or what similitude will ye set vp vnto me or rather set vp your selues cheeke by joule with me know ye nothing haue ye not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning haue ye not vnderstood it by the foundation of the earth how that I the Lord sit vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants are as grassehoppers how I stretch out the heauens as a curtaine and spread them as a tent to dwell in O hypocrites are you better then Princes and Iudges of the world see I pray you how I bring Princes to nothing and make the Iudges of the earth as vanitie as though they were not planted as though they were not sowne as though their stocke tooke no roote in the earth for I did but blow vpon them and they withered and the whirlewind hath taken them away as stubble therefore I counsell you lift vp your eyes on high and behold who hath created all things and bringeth out their armies by number and calleth them all by their names by the greatnes of my power and mightie strength nothing faileth Why saiest thou then O wicked man and speakest O hypocrite the Lord is as man and the mightie God of heauen as the silly worme that crawleth vpon the earth Thirdly 3. God shall dwell with him for euer that their estate shall be as vnchangeable as God himselfe for they say God shall be with them for euer wherfore let them heare the word of the Lord that say thus in their hearts Wee haue made a Couenant with death and with hell are we at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe thorough it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidde therefore thus saith the Lord Iudgment will I lay to the rule and righteousnesse to the ballance and the haile shall sweep away thy vaine confidence and the waters shall ouerflow thy secret place and your couenant with death shal be disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when a scourge shall runne ouer and passe through then shal ye be trode downe by it thus will I make your bed straight that it cannot suffice for your rest in my wrath and your couerings so narrowe that you cannot wrap your selues from my rods Go too then O hypocrite thou saidest I shall be a Lady for euer like the Lord of heauen whose dayes haue no ende I am Re◠18.7 and none else I shall not sit as a widow neither shall knowe the losse of children therefore heare thou that art giuen to pleasures dwellest carelesse that doest not set thy mind to righteousnes neither doest remember the latter end of thy sinne how that these two things shal come to the suddenly the losse of children and widowhood they shall come vpon thee in their perfection for thou hast trusted in wickednesse and hast said none seeth me◠thy wisedome and thy knowledge haue caused thee to rebell therefore shall euill come vpon thee and thou shalt not knowe the morning thereof destruction shall fall vpon thee which thou shalt not be able to put away And this shall bee the ende of all them that falsifie the truth of God The fourth thing is the discourse of wicked men Wicken mens discourses that riseth out of these apparant truths First I sinne and God is silent therefore he either seeth not or if he see yet hee regards not my sinne or if he regard my sinne yet his silence makes mee trust that he consents with me or if he doe
not consent Quitacet consentire videtur yet he will spare mee for a time or howsoeuer I will hold mine own conclusions whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe vnto me IIII. Part. Of Gods reproofe and order in sinne Reprooue This word signifieth foure things First to argue or reason vpon any matter secondly by reasoning to prooue or disprooue any cause thirdly by proouing or disproouing to absolue or condemne any person fourthly after condemnation to punish or execute This fourth signification is specially meant in this place for he had his conuiction before therefore to reprooue in this place is as much as to plague for the reason following makes it plaine Oh consider this least I teare you in peeces shewing plainly what his reproofe was nothing but vengeance Set This word presupposeth things out of place secondly the placing of them againe in their rankes and orders shewing vs the nature of sinne First that sinne is gotten out of his own place for neuer a creature of God by his creatioÌ„ did acknowledge him and God himselfe did alwaies abhorre him therefore before the fal of men and angels Gods erâ—ation a deadly â—uemie to sinne sinne was like vnto that which we call in nature vacuum which is so abhorred of nature that the verie fire will descend and the verie water ascend before they wil yeeld him the least corner in the world so sinne by Gods creation was wholly excluded and God giueth his testimonie that euery thing that hee made was good and very good therefore that sinne should obtaine that in nature as to get him a place in the best of Gods creatures was neuer the placing of the Lord therefore the Lord cannot bee said to set sinne in this manner The way of Gods placing Cane The second setting is here vnderstood to wit bringing that into his proper place which hitherto hath beene out of his place and is done two manner of wayes First by bringing it vnto himselfe and the rule of his wisedome and so sin is set in the decree of God and ordered by his wisdome for that of the Philosopher is true Veritas iudex sui obliqui but what need we the testimonie of the Philosopher seeing that we haue the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.7 I knewe not sinne but by the lawe and without the law sinne is dead now the rule is alwaies before the breach of the rule therfore must needs determine of euerie fault Secondly sinne is set in order when it is brought vnto man by making him feele what his sinne was by the punishment of it Order Includeth three things Confusion diâ—ontion iâ—â—â—uâ—ination first confusion secondly comely disposition thirdly plaine reuelation as in the creation of the world Gods order is set forth vnto vs in the confusion of the first matter wherein all things were buried as in a dark dungeon Secondly how the Lord proceeded to bring out of this the heauens in their ranke with all the host thereof the firmament in his place the water and all therein in his place the earth and all thereupon in their place and thus was the worke of the Lord comely and full of beautie Thirdly the Lord brought foorth a light to separate from the darkenes and so was there a plaine reuelation of his workes so in this place here is sinne a greater confusion in mâ—n then euer was in that first chaos Secondly as the Lord brought all things out of that into their place so will he bring all the sins of man vnto a comely order so that plainly in the third place euery man shall see what he hath done to the dishonour of his creator This order is threefold according to a threefold booke the first is the booke of decrees 3. Bookes Gods decâ—es Law Consâ—ence the second is the book of Gods law the third the books of conscience and these three bookes doe most plainely order sinne The first booke being secret ordereth sinne secretly yet most iustly because most wisely for if the wisedome of God should not be seene in sin then should not God haue his glorie out of sinne therfore to answer all obiections that may arise out of this ordring of sin the prouing of the truth of this point I will in a few words take in hand the clearing of these two things first the remoouall of that which may obscure the truth secondly I will bring reasons for the confirming of this difficultie Answer The first obiection may be out of the words of the Psalme I will set them in order before thee therefore the order that is taken for sinne is after that sinne is committed For first God saith These things hast thou done 2. these things will I order 3. before thee all which plainely prooue that this order followeth sinne Answer To which I answer that in this place we are to vnderstand that the third booke which is the booke of the conscience is here to be vnderstood not excluding the former as though they were not but onely shewing that the bookes of conscience for the condemnation of a wicked man are sufficient and the onely cause of the execution of Gods plagues vpon him as appeareth plainly Reuel 20.12 And the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works Here is mention of two bookes the booke of Gods decree and the booke of the Conscience Why the Lord tearmes the booke of conscience bookes called bookes because of the manifold bills and inditments that are written in the leanes of the conscience which are sufficient for the iudgement of the wicked therefore as often as we heare of Gods executions in punishing we heare nothing of the booke of his decree because to what purpose should God bring in his decree to conuince a wicked man when his conscience giueth in euidence sufficient against him it might rather cause cauill then true conuiction But in the execution of his mercie we heare of the booke of life because therein lieth a principall cause of our saluation Therefore I take it in this place Death only froÌ„ finne and therfore hath no â—â—gher cause further then the cause no inquiâ—â—e that the Lord speaking of bookes and of a booke would haue vs take notice that for iudgement we neede to looke no further then the bookes of conscience therefore I take it that the Scripture neuer speaketh of a booke of death Againe when we looke vpon our saluation we must eye the booke of life that so we may ascribe all the praise of our saluation vnto the Lord. So in this place the Lord is about his execution vpon the wicked God in himself workes out of all time in the are â—ure in due time therefore he pulls not out the booke of his decree but appeales vnto their owne consciences so that order which was before the Lord from all
his efficiencie The nature of Gods decree and omnipotency and is generally nothing else but sententia definita in consilio suo ab aeterno de rebus faciendis that is Gods definitiue sentence in his eternall counsell concerning the making of all things And that it riseth from omnipotencie and efficiencie it is plaine for in that he did it we say he could doe it and so decreed it and the sentence must bee of such things as are within his power so that election is nothing but the choise of a thing and decretum the decree nothing but the setting of it done definitiuely the word is of decerno to see a sunder and verie fitly signifieth this determination of God sententia sentence though the Lord doth all things simul and semel at once and together in respect of himselfe yet to vs he shewes it as if he did it peditentim step by steppe and that with great and long determination therefore a sentence where his will and power giue in their verdict and say sic sentio so I iudge The third word definita or definitiua definite or definitiue is the determination or defining of a thing inter cancellos within his bounds in consilio con salio where many things leape together or concurre to make vp one sentence so that a man is as it were distracted about the composing of them the Lord did it without all distractioÌ„ yet were there many things that the Lord brought together Eterno eternall because it was long before any thing was existent de rebus faciendis it is of matters to bee done and not of things alreadie done Properties in Gods deciee for that is more properly ordination the ordering and ranking of euerie worke brought forth according to his eternall decree Out of this breakes forth his constancie in performing euerie thing by deede that hee hath decreed not that God is tied thereunto but rather the thing to bee done is tied vnto him and his good pleasure so that stoicall destinie is not thereby brought in but true constancy 2. Veritie in performing it according to his word for so is verum quod pronuntiat vti res est that saies as the thing is yet here we are to inuert quando res est vti pronuntiat that the thing is because he pronounceth it Constanti test qua constanter decretum essicit veritas est qua dicretum essi it sâ—cun lum vorâ—â— side est qua siat dictum for Gods pronunciare to pronounce is before the thing and God pronounced what should become of euerie thing long before they existed The third is sides fidelitie which is in performing the thing according to his promise A constant decree as he effects it most true as be effects it according to his word and most faithfull as he keepes his promise constancie truth and faithfulnesse bee three effects of Gods decree If from the effects we inquire of the manner of the cause we must needs confesse it was neither by nature nor necessitie or any chance and fortune but by counsell and therefore counsell beeing the manner of Gods working could not be considered as the genus of Gods decree but as it belongs ad causam illius essicientem to the efficient Eph. 1. God works all things secundum consilium voluntatis suae according to the counsell of his will And therefore Gods counsell is his deliberation of bringing euery thing to passe after the best manner So then by his decree appeares his counsel and his counsell makes his decree to bee wrought most willingly and most wittingly therefore his decree of sinne must be most willingly and wittingly performed otherwise it should be no decree therefore fecit Order of consequence in 〈◊〉 dâ—cree qua potuit qua potuit decreuit qua decreuit consuliò fecit qua consulto fecit gloriam spectauit qua gloriam spectauit sapientiae visum est qua sapientiae visum est bonum fuit qua bonum fuit absolute voluit God did the thing as hee might do it as hee might doe it so he decreed it as he deereed it so he did it by the best counsell as by the best counsell it respected his glorie as that it seemed to accord with his wisedome as that it was good and as good he absolutely willed it Surely with men in giuing counsell plus vident oculi quam oculus the more counsell they giue and the better but it is not so with God for he sees all things simul semel together and at once now when we speake of deliberation we must vnderstand it more humano according to our capacity that the Lord takes the best way to effect any thing Obserue further that the Lord when he is said to be causa consilio a cause by counsell must needes haue his ende and scope set before him and this must be of all things and what is that but his glorie Counsell therfore intends the glorie of God Glorie the fruit of vertue for as God is the beginning of all things so he is the ende of all things Now glorie is called the ende of God by a metanimie of the adj for subj because it is properly the fruit that follows vpon vertue intellectuall or morall in a word all his goodnesse Exod. 33. Moses cries to God that he would shew him his glorie God makes answer What Gods glory vertaâ—â— or goodnesse are that the glorie which Moses can see is the going of his goodnes before him whose backe parts he might see but for the face of it he could not see and liue this goodnesse breakes forth in the proclamation Exod. 34. And that goodnes is nothing but the appearance of his most absolute vertues especially iustice and mercie the reason is because these shine in the creatures and secondly because the ende thereof is to set forth his glorie As his counsell had a scope so it had some forme of working which we call the Idaea of all things A builder of an house first conceiues in himselfe the worke he intends to produce then secondly he lookes againe vpon his worke wrought and sees how it answers his first intended forme the painter eyes the naturall face and from that stamps by drawing limming and colouring the expresse image thereof and then he lookes vpon his worke to see how it answers the patterne The first knowledge we call direct the second indirect or reflexed so in God there is first of all the Idaea and plat-forme of all things and this is in God most direct who seeing in himselfe all things knows how to make all things out of himselfe How God in knowing differs from man and these may well be called Gods plots which he hath formed and fashioned in himselfe Now this wisdome of God differs from mans because his idaea or plot is first in the thing because he doth nothing primarily but by imitation and obseruation of that wisdome which he hath seene God lay open
him how much more horrible is it to curse the King of kings the God of Gods therefore euerie one must labour to know see and discerne this wretched thought in his heart which wee may doe by Gods grace not onely the damnable actions of our times but the inward thoughts of the spirit within vs. A second thought touching God is that the word of God is foolishnesse this must especially be vnderstood of the Gospel 1. Cor. 1.21 Paul calls it foolishnesse according to the opinion of the world not because it is so in it selfe but in the iudgment and imagination of the Grecian and 2.14 that a man should be saued iustified and sanctified by Christ is foolishnes to the naturall man this also in part is to be vnderstood of the lawe Deut. 29.19 Moses bids the people take heed least when they heare the curses c. where hee intimateth that this euill thought is in mens minds to thinke that the lawe is foolishnesse and therefore not to hearken vnto the curses thereof Now this is a dangerous thought as appeares by the fruit 1. Hence riseth that deuillish opinion that religion is but a policie to keepe men in awe from treasons and rebellions Secondly hence springeth all apostasie and all departing from the faith Gal. 1. the Galatians were a worthy Church of God planted by Paul yet there he saith that some of them were departed from the truth the reason is because they thought the word of God to be foolishnes Many in the East countries and in Asia where the Gospel was planted by the Apostles by this damnable thought fell first into the herefie of Arrius and many 600. yeares after Arrius departed to the religion of Mahomet In the West church in Europe and Italio the Gospel was planted by the Apostles yet afterward fell to Papistry and about 600. yeares after Arrius death Papisme ouerspread all Europe except in some little parts of Greece and so hath raigned till this day the reason is plaine in euery mans heart lieth this corruption to thinke the word of God foolishnesse and hereupon men by nature can embrace any religion but the truth And so in England let a man broach an herefie it shall not onely at the first but afterward haue strong and stout patrones When the family tooke shipping and came out of Germany into England though it were but a very brutish herefie yet it was much broached and had beene more had it not beene repressed by the preaching of the word and good order of godly Magistrates The cause why men are so readie to entertaine a schisme or heresie is because mans heart by nature is full of blindnes and error and thinkes the Gospel foolishnesse and madnes Examination of our hearts touching this thought beeing seriously performed we shall find it to raigne in high degree for we are all content to come to the assemblies where Gods name is worshipped and submit bur selues to be taught we are content to heare the preaching of the word and herein our personall sinnes displayed the terrible curses of the lawe denounced against them viz. iudgements in this life in death and at the day of iudgement and yet we tremble not at all this our hearts are not amased and affrighted at these thunderbolts of Gods curses due to our sinnes If a man in the streets crie fire our hearts will be astonished but when the fire of heauen kindled by the breath of the liuing God is cried against our sinnes we are not mooued and why surely our hearts are forestalled with a false imagination that the word of God is foolishnes therefore that his plagues and threatnings and curses are nothing Againe when we heare in the Gospel of the pardon of our sinnes by Christ and life euerlasting repentance the kingdome of God few learne this doctrine repent and enter into it because their mind is forestalled and wholly possessed with this false imagination Psa 126. the Israelites deliuerance was a dreame much more then is our spirituall deliuerance from Sathan and no maruell for the Gospel is as farre contrarie to mans reason as light to darknes for that Christ by bearing death and the curse of God for sin should thereby free men from death and the curse is quite contrarie to naturall reason Vse 2. If this be so that all men naturally imagine the word to be foolishnesse then must we followe Pauls rule 1. Cor. 3.18 If any man will be wise let him become a foole first we must renounce our owne naturall reason denie our selues our own iudgement put out the eies of our naturall vnderstanding and suffer our selues wholly to bee guided by the doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Secondly we must all pray with Dauid that God would open our eyes that we may see his wil and vnderstand the words of his law because our reason and imagination is flat contrarie to the Gospel From this second thought ariseth an other viz. that if the word be foolishnes then I will performe no obedience to the word of God That this is mans thought naturally I prooue it thus Iob 21.14 he brings in the sinner saying depart c. there is none so wicked to say so in word but it is their hearts imagination and affection and he that purposeth to walke after his owne wayes he it is that saith who is the Lord that wee should worship him It is a disgrace for me to bee the seruant of God I will not doe it therefore depart from me O God Ier. 6.16 they say so in the purpose of their hearts Luk. 19.14 which place as it is meant of the Iewes so of all other men in the world by nature that are impenitent sinners for so long as a man goes on without repentance hee carries a purpose in heart to liue in his sinnes and so saith in heart I will not beare the yoake of Christ I will be none of his subiects he shall not raigne ouer me Come to an adultreer drunkard c. tell him of his sinne he will straight swell like a toade and shewe the malice of his heart to him that reprooues him reason because he meaneth to liue in his sinnes c. Examination of our hearts touching this thought Most will say they defie and abhorre all such wicked thoughts of not seruing God but after examination had it will be found that it raignes in our hearts We can bee content to heare the word receiue the Sacraments which are the pledges of Gods sauour and mercie in Christ and wee are content to looke for saluation in Christ but what is the cause why after all this there is so little obedience so litle knowledge and conscience so little mercy and compassion so little iustice and loue in our callings surely this because our hearts are wicked deceitful full of guile and what is this guile I will not obey the waies of God Vse If this be the well wished thought of mens hearts then we
our eyes into our owne bosomes Ier. 8.6 4. Is want of thinking of this duty toward God Ierem. 5.24 so the foolish virgins contented themselues with their lampes vnprepared neuer thinking of the oyle till the time of grace was past thus hardnesse of heart and securitie bring forth these wicked thoughts Hence obserue the strange opinion of the world men haue good hearts meanings intents and purposes howsoeuer the actions of their liues be faultie Hence learne that the Scriptures are no policies of men for nothing could reueale these wicked thoughts but the diuine truth Angels and men know not the thoughts Secondly learne that thoughts are not free though they neuer come into consent or action therefore repentance of thoughts is necessarie Ioel 2.12 Act. 8.22 1. Thess 5. Paul requires that they be sanctified in bodie soule and spirit Reas 1. Because a man is cursed for his thought Pro. 5.26 2. Because actuall sinnes proceed of euill thoughts 1. the thought thinketh it 2. after thought comes delight 3. after delight consent of will 4. after consent an execution or practise of the sinne 5. after practise comes custome in practise 6. after custome and practise death and damnation for thoughts the old world was destroyed Gen. 7.21 For repentance of euill thoughts Remedies of euill thoughts vse 1. examination 2. praier 3. reformation In examination first we must remember that all thoughts are in euery mans minde by nature therefore the least occasion turnes the mind to think them secondly we must heare the word of God attentiuely we must lay open all our senses to the hearing thereof and let it goe thorough them all 1. Cor. 4.25 2. Point Prayer A man must pray for the pardon of his thoughts Act. 8.22 3. Point Reformation of the minde for wicked thoughts Ephe. 4. be renewed in the spirit of your minds wherein thoughts and imaginations are conceiued and framed Rule 1. All thoughts must be in obedience toward God Prou. 20.18 15.22 he must not conceiue a thought in his mind before he haue consulted with the word 1. Cor. 10.4 5. Phil. 4.8 2. Rule Prou. 4.24 to keepe and counter-guard our hearts aboue all watch ward men dovsually guard their cities houses and their treasures now Salomon teacheth that the heart must be guarded more then any citie house or treasures because from it proceed the actions of life 1. Therefore make a couenant with thy senses that they be no occasion or prouocation to any manner of sinne this did Iob cap. 31. and Dauid Psal 119. Turne mine eies from beholding couetousnesse the senses are the windowes of the soule and if God enter not sathan will creepe in at them into our hearts 2. At the beginning checke an euill thought for the thought beeing checked the affections will be quiet 3. Labour with all care to cherish euery good motion of Gods spirit 1. all good cogitations by the ministerie of the word or good counsell hence quench not the spirit 3. Rule We must often vse eleuation of the heart and mind vnto heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father Psal 25.1 Paul bids the Philippians haue their conuersation in heauen Iam. 4. drawe neere to God Hence the Lords Supper is a principall meanes of the eleuation of the heart and mind vnto God this eleuation must be continually practised such as are appointed to keepe clockes doe often euery day pull vp the waights because they are alwaies going downeward Pray continually 1. Thess 5. There be three speciall times the beginning of the day the first good thought affection euerie day must be the Lords The 2. time the end of the day commend our soules vnto God The 3. time receiuing of blessings or feeling the want of them to praise God for the one and call vpon him for the supply of the other 4. Rule The meditation of some speciall matters whereby saluation may be furthered which is either concerning God or our selues concerning God his presence this made Dauid to drawe neere vnto God Psal 139. Psal 19. his heart is purified by seeing God in his lawe Psal 23. in the shadow of death he wil not feare 2. Consideration of Gods iudgments not old but late and particular vpon persons cities townes we should lay these to the heart Ier. 12.11 Here we must practise three things 1. wee must obserue and carefully marke and remember Gods iudgements 2. wee must apply them to our owne persons in particular that they may make vs afraid Thus Habacuk when he heard of Gods iudgement his knees beate one against another Hab. 3. If in a familie one child be beaten others will take heed 3. We must make vse of them Luk. 13.3 Third consideration is of Gods word Psal 1. It is the propertie of the righteous man to meditate in Gods lawe day and night Luk. 2. Marie hid all those things in her heart 1. we must consider the sence of the Scriptures 2. what experience we haue had of the truth of the word of God in our own liues and consciences 3. how farre forth we haue swarued in the practise of the word or how farre forth we haue practised it Fourth consideration is of Gods works in vs and vpon vs this will make vs consider the workes of creation preseruation prouidence Isa 5.12 he pronounceth a woe to them that forget this 1. Consider the work of creation God hath made vs men when we might haue beene beasts that of nothing he made vs to be something 2. for preseruation and prouidence we must consider how he hath preserued vs from time to time from all dangers and hath giuen vs all things necessarie for this life and the life to come 3. for his patience that he hath not cast vs into hell but hath giuen vs a long and large time of repentance 4. that wee are not borne among the heathen but in the bosome of the church where hee hath giuen vs his word reformed our iudgments mollified our hearts and prouoked vs to euerie good worke Eccles 7.13 Psal 77.12.13 Second consideration of our selues 1. of our owne particular sinnes whether they be corruptions of the heart or sinnes of our liues Psal 119.59 Lam. 3. Come let vs search and try our wayes 1. In what manner we haue sinned against God whether of ignorance or knowledge of presumption or weaknes of constraint or wilfulnesse 2. The greatnesse of euerie sinne yea of the least sinne how the infinite maiestie of God is offended and his iustice violated 3. The number of them and here we shall find them with Dauid more then the haires of our head or the sands of the sea Must a man consider them whē he is sure they are pardoned yes so did Dauid Psal 25. Hee praied for the pardon of the sinnes of his youth That this may take the deeper impression let vs consider of the degrees of our misery 1. A separation from all fellowship with God Isa 59.2 2. a
the people raised a figure on hie that all men might obserue it and on the top painted a Serpent in a circle to shewe that in the world there is no greater arte then man to know himselfe in euerie part Let vs then a little enter this consideration and see what grounds hee laies of these his conceits First he considers his perfections as the perfections of nature a nimble wit good memorie full of ciuilitie and faire conuersation Secondly beeing within the bounds of Gods church he may obtaine certaine graces of Gods spirit as first from the word in generall vnderstanding consent to the truth submission affection delight in the messengers and to be a companion with the Saints and all frequenters of Gods church For the law he may see his sinnes the wrath of God due for them horror of conscience reluctation against sinne sorrow and a certaine change Mat. 12.43 2. Pet. 2.20 Mar. 6.20 For the Gospel knowledge of the couenant that God is faithfull that Christs merits are of infinite value and teares may flow from his eyes either in hearing or reading the passion of our Sauiour Christ Degrees of his perfections Heb. 6. 1 illumination 2. participation of the heauenly gift holy Ghost Gods word and of the powers to come these are his perfections Now let vs see what reasons may perswade him to this conceit First when he lookes vpon himselfe hee sees his heart to bee quiet within him and not boyle with the fowle and vglie sinnes of the world Secondly he sees his estate to be verie good in the world and full of prosperitie Thirdly he thinkes his profession is with the best he is as good a churchman as any other Againe he lookes vp vnto God and is verie lauish of Gods mercie he cares not to set it vpon the tenters and makes it rise as high as the mountaines but for his iustice he scants that and makes it like a mole-hill When he thinks of the deuill he finds himselfe nothing at all to bee troubled with him with a voide Sathan he can scare him from him at any time when he sets himselfe vpon the stage with other men he sees how the wicked cannot come neere him and yet they haue often a faire life an easie death and therefore shal it be farre better with him And for precise persons he cannot tell what to say of them sometime they are too proud for his companie another time they are too ful of hypocrisie he dares not trust them sometimes they are a companie of fooles and therefore he will not runne gadding about with fooles sometime men full of melancholy and sadnes fit for no societie or els singular fellowes that thinke none so good as themselues or els will haue a life by themselues and therefore they will not liue in societie with them but alas they are the men of pride that thinke that God dwells with them alone Bucephalus was then in cheifest pride when rich armor was set vpon his backe and none might ride him but Alexander so these hypocrites beeing in honour in the world will suffer none to accompanie with them but God himselfe for in comparison he excludes all And furely question with him of his estate and for the most you shall finde them verie resolute like vnto the Gyant of Gath they haue fingers and thumbes enough to apprehend mercie Aske them meane you to be saued they answer resolutly God forbid they should euer think otherwise when alas poore Christians lie wrastling with many a temptation Aske them againe doe you beleeue beleeue he that would not beleeue God were a wretch indeede Aske him in the third place haue you any doubtings with your faith doubtings why should I doubt the Lord is most certen in his promises when in both these the child of God is much perplexed Aske him in the last place when did you beleeue surely euer since I was borne yet alas many a good seruant of God will say once I was as blacke as a coale in sinne but it hath pleased God to put on me a whiter garment I know the verie day when hell did gape vpon me and at such a sermon it pleased God to strike me to the ground and raise me vp againe in his mercie or at least they that haue beene sanctified from their mothers wombe will crie and say Oh wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this bodie of death This fight of the members and of the spirit is an excellent perswasion of true grace but alas these wretches when in the time of necessitie they come to make vse of their faith what doe they I pray you truly they are become like Adonibezek they haue lost all their fingers and must famish for want of laying hold of their meate so that all their beautie perisheth For beloued as greene fruits and flowers doe ripen by the sunne whose rayes bring forth their budds and their smells so by the sonne of righteousnes alone must all the flowers of Gods garden mend their smells and sauours And therefore let vs proceede to see what they are not for want of this sunne and that consists in the second part of the verse yet they are not washed from their filthinesse A Labyrinth is framed with such art that the entrance is both plaine and wide but beeing entred you shall finde such turnings that you can not come out againe without your guide so this conceit of puritie hath made such a large entrance into the hearts of hypocrites that they can not be brought out of their turnings without the guide of Gods spirit Therefore let vs view these two threeds that are here laid downe to helpe vs. First they are not washed secondly they are in their filthines Ianus had two faces and in the one hand he had a key in the other the sunne from Ianus comes Ianuarie that lookes at both parts of the yeare his two faces makes him looke forward and backward by his key he is able to open the day and shut in the night by the sunne in the hand he is able to discouer all things Formalitie in religion may be expressed in Ianus vntill we come to the key and the sunne the hypocrites can looke at both parts of the yeare winter and sommer but they will haue their backe vpon winter and their face vpon sommer for when winter comes againe and lookes them in the face they hide their heads and will not be seene like vnto snailes that are abroad while the dew is vpon the earth but creepe into their houses when they finde the dew to be dried vp by the sunne Againe they haue two faces they can looke backward and forward serue all times please all persons and keepe themselues out of daunger but when we come vnto the key whereby heauen is opened and shut in they haue none at all they lost their key of righteousnes in Adam and as yet they haue it not restored in Christ who alone
his sleepe forsakes him when he speakes he is little bettes when he keeps silence he boyles in disquietnes the light doth not comfort him and the darknes doth terrifie him All other afflictions are tolerable because temporall and pursue but to death yet this beeing not â—uâ—ed endeth not in death Mens lawes transgressed may be helped by bribing of the magistrate or if the offence be capitall that there can be no pleading for him yet he may flie his country and so escape but God will not be bribed neither is there any flying from his presence Psal 139. nay alas we shall neede no seeking out we shal neede no apparitor to summon vs no baylâ—ffe to fetch vs no accuser to giue in euidence against vs sinne it selfe will arrest vs for he lieth at the doore our conscience will impanell a quest against vs our hearts will giue in sufficient euidence to conuict vs and our owne iniquities will plead guiltie to our faces This made the heathen to kill themselues thinking death to be an end of all miserie and thus like fond fishes they leape out of the pan into the fire out of the hell of their consciences into hell it selfe Let them doe the best they can get them to merrie companie laugh their sinnes out of countenance yet let them know that with Nero they may change their chamber but their chamber-fellow shall neuer leaue them They may sacrifice vnto the Lord humble themselues weepe with Esau confesse with Iudas lay hold on the hornes of the altar to mitigate their paine but onely the expiatorie sacrifice of the immaculate lamb is able to giue them rest and quietnes of soule Indeede this distresse of conscience soone becommeth melancholike vile and base turneth reason into foolishnes and disgraceth the beautie of the countenance How conscience may disiguâ—e the body and transformeth the stoutest Nebuchadnezzer becomes a beast so easily is the bodie subiect to alteration of minde and soone looseth with anguish and distraction thereof all the support of his excellencie In melancholie the heart is troubled with vaine seares vpon euery small obiect the very eye by a false apparition may strike him the eares with the imagination of euery voice sounding may dolefully appale him a very touch may make him startle and many such like troubles which are whelps of that melancholie litter bred of that corrupted state of bodie altered in spirit in blood in substance and complexion This may increase the terrour of the afflicted minde double the feare and discouragement How distemper of body may increase this wound and hinder all cure by counsell and aduise and shut vp all meanes of consolation for it must enter by the senses to the minde Now the instruments of sense beeing altered by the humour and their sinceritie stained with the obscure and darke spots of melancholie receiue not indifferently the medicine of consolation As the braine the original and fountaine of all sense and motion is thus euilly disposed so the heart the cherisher and refresher of our nature beeing in no better case and acquainted with terror and ouerthrowne with that searefull passion imptisoneth the spirits contracts it selfe and hardly yeilds to perswasion of comfort whatsoeuer it bringeth of assurance For though the griefe strike down at the first respecting no time place person condition or opportunitie of working but breaketh through all such considerations and beareth downe all resistance yet the comfort requireth them all and the missing of one makes the affliction to be long and hard in the cure The Comforters person his manner of handling the patient the time and place of performance with the braine and heart which are as the gates and entrance vnto the soule may hinder or aide the consolation No distemper can hinder the inward comfort of Gods grace But all this is to be vnderstood of outward meanes for the inward meanes to wit the grace of God and his mercie his comfortable spirit and gratious fauour in like swiftnes without meanes may restore the minde thus distressed which lieth open equally to the kind of cure euen as it lay to the wound Therfore seeing the body workes nothing vpon the mind altogether impatible of euery beeing sauing of God alone and secondly that the efficient can do it without helpe of the bodie and thirdly that the comfort is not procured by any corporall instrument nor the discomfort directly procured by the same lastly because all is done by causes in subiects nothing corporall and producing effects of an other nature then corporall it must needes bee concluded that there is great difference betwixt these two troubles The punishment of bodily racking is not the passion of the heart but a cause of it so that racking of the soule by sinne is not a melancholie passion but yet may it cause it and therefore makes the distinction not so cleare for oftentimes the symptome of a disease is taken for the disease it selfe The affliction of mind The persons which are hable to this sorrow to what persons it falleth and by what meanes is thus to bee resolued All men are subiect to this by reason of our fall the breach of Gods lawe and the wrath of God that followeth thereupon yet of all sorts of men melancholie persons are most subiect vnto it not from the humour but because he is most doubtfull and iealous of his estate for life temporall and life spirituall For temporall physitians and apothecaries shops will beare sufficient witnes for if they be able to walk we find them for the most part in these places And I would to God they were as readie for their spirituall life to bee with Gods spirituall physitians and in the shops of the true balme of Gilead By experience we find that when they beginne to examine how their actions answer the naturall and written line of righteousnesse and wanting the arch-pillar of faith and assurance in Christ Iesus our hope presently feele the very anguish due vnto sinners and in that most miserable condition fall into flat despaire The manner how this is done is when the curious melancholie person carrieth his mind into the senses of such mysteries How it befalls them as exceed humane capacitie and is desirous to knowe more then is reuealed in the word of truth and yet being ignorant of that which is reuealed he suddenly falls into the gulfe of Gods secret counsells which swalloweth vp all conceit of man or angel and measuring the truth of such depths by the shallow modell of his own wit is caught and deuoured of that which his presumptuous curiositie mooued him to attempt to apprehend Of this we haue a memorable example of a vertuous gentlewoman in this land who was carried along in this course doubting verie often of her saluation and making her case known vnto a worthy minister of God he often couÌ„felled her to take heede of inquiries further then Gods word and trust assuredly that shee might
children are in sorrow but when they consider how of his owne will he hath begotten them with the word of truth that they should be as the first fruits of his creatures then their hearts doe reioyce and their ioy no man shall take from them Now that compleat ioy may be drawne out of all these arguments it is necessary that the word of God be specially looked vnto for in afflictions it onely giueth vs the liuely sight of our sinne manifests the riches of the mercies of God in Christ Iesus to deliuer vs from sinne and therefore Dauid saies often but for thy lawe I had perished in mine afflictions therfore for further comfort he shewes what is required to make vs profit in Gods word first qualification secondly practise the first the soule the second the life of the soule the qualification v. 19. the reason of it v. 20. and the conclusion out of both ver 21. Wherefore laying apart all silthinesse and superfluity of malitiousnesse receiue with meekenes the word that is grafted into you which is able to saue your soules After this qualification followes the practise that the mercies of God might not be in vaine which he hath bestowed vpon them therefore v. 22. be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues now because this cousening of our selues in hearing of Gods word is a disease incident to the most hee playes the good Physitian first discouering the disease by a familiar similitude laying together these fowre tearms spots and a glasse sins and the law as spots may be seene in a glasse so sinnes may be seene in the law secondly in their qualitie wherein they are laid together and that is beholding considering and immediately forgetting as a man beholding falls to consider something amisse in himselfe yet going his way and other matters possessing his head immediately forgetteth what manner of face-he had So they come to the Church looke into Gods word consider that all is not well yet going their way home againe to their olde courses and now all is spoiled and they are neuer better Secondly hauing discouered the disease by the most familiar fymptomes applyes the remedie and tells them what must be their receit ver 15. the perfect law of libertie must be carefully looked into Thirdly he giues them the manner how it must be receiued first what must be abstained from as deadly poison to the nature of a Christian and secondly the onely hinderer of the worke of all good physicke First therefore v. 26. If any man seeme religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is in vaine Secondly thus must it bee taken according to pure religion and vndefiled before God in visiting the fatherles and widdowes in their necessity and to keep himselfe vnspotted of the world Seeing then that God hath so many comforts patience to possesse the soule when it is at a loffe wisedome to make i◠finde it selfe in the greatest night of trouble contentation to quiet it as well in aduersitie as prosperitie a crowne of glory to recompence it after all combats and such a word as may be a light to direct a sword to defend and teach the true watch word of a Christian when he is readie to be swallowed vp of his enemies it cannot bee but that we should alwaies rest in the hauen of happinesse A recaptulation of all the former heads in a briefe and perspicuous table for the further impression of Christian comfort in the memories of the faithfull Comfort in affliction donation of grace informing the action present patience working v. 4. perfecting v. 4. wifedom giuen freely and liberally receiued by praier faith future true contentation in all things v. 9 the ende of the action blessednes in the crowne of life v. 12. sanctifying causes principall the will of God v. 18. instrumentall the word of truth v. 18. effect first fruits a holy kind of offering taken out of the residue of men v. 18. true application in the qualification manifested v. 19. prooued in clearing the point v. 20. in concluding v. 21. in the practise honest and good hearing and doing v. 22. dishonest and vnprofitable illustrated 23. 24. by tearms spots a glasse sin and the law qualitie beholding forgetting applyed first in the prescript v. 25. in the vse vnlawfull v. 26. lawfull v. 27. Seeing then that this is the course that the Lord will take let no man think to be Diues all his life time in this world and Lazarus after death If God promise riches the way thereunto is pouertie before loue correction before exaltation deiection whom he saueth first he damneth he bringeth not to heauen but by hell if he promise life hee slaieth first Ioseph sawe the sunne moone and starres worshipping him neuertheles yet that could come to passe God laid him where he could see neither sunne nor moone nor any starre of the skie and all that many yeares and also vndeserued yet all this while to nurture him vp against the time of honour God promised Israel a land of milke and honie yet for the space of forty yeeres they went through a land not only where there were no riuers of milke and honey but not so much as a droppe of water to refresh them withall yet all this was done of God to doe them good at the latter end God promised Dauid a kingdom yet immediatly he stirred vp Saul against him to hunt him and ferret him out of euery hole and that many years Thus he that will weare the crowne of glory must weare the crowne of thornes he that will haue all teares wiped from his eyes must first shed them Reu. 15.3 the children of God before they can sing the song of Moses the seruant of God and the song of the lambe Christ Iesus must first swim through the glassie sea mingled with fire and brimstone It is not the way to heauen to liue in this world in perpetual ease rest quietnes in body soule goods and good name therefore as the end of all afflictions is full of ioy and comfort so is the way seeing it is appointed of the Lord most comfortable because euery steppe brings vs towards Gods kingdome and I may tearme afflictions markes in the way to tell vs we are to keepe on that way they lead vs. A man inquiring his way and is told he hath no plaine way but by desolate woods hills and mountaines very stony and troublsome to passe by when the trauailer seeeth these marks he saies vndoubtedly I am right but if he find all to be plaine presently stands still lookes about and saies I see neuer a one of my directiōs therfore I am assuredly wrong this way will neuer bring me to the end of my iourney So the Lord hath told vs that this is the way to heauen to passe by many crosses we run a long and find no such matter well may we suspect that we are out
of the way and then assuredly that our pleasant way did not affoard vs so much comfort but the want of the signes will as much discomfort vs and therefore affliction may more comfort vs then all worldly pleasure because the Lord hath made the one a signe we are going toward heauen Heb. 12.6 but the other none at all saue onely of our iourneying toward hell But you may obiect that euerie crosse is not a marke for first the sinne against the holy Ghost is a mark of reprobation secondly impenitencie and therfore when he hath these sinnes in the eies of his conscience how shall he be perswaded that he can euer be brought into the way to heauen For the answer of this point let vs consider a threefold fountaine of this perswasion First for that open and wilfull apostasie from God is a voluntary willingnes malitious hatred against the profession of a knowne truth now the fruits will iudge the cause Is there in you the renouncing of Gods truth which before you haue professed heartily embraced perceiue you this malice prosecuting this mischiefe what persecution doe you remember in word or deede you euer raised against the truth what sword haue you euer drawn against it or what volumes haue you either written or approued against found doctrine with purposed opposition against your owne conscience neither that of frailty but of meere will and obstinacie of this examples are rare as Iulianus the Emperour called Apostata Of the second impenitencie there is the same fountaine but not in the same degree and that is extremitie of hardnesse of heart of which kind was Cain Esau Saul Iudas many of the prophane people of the world that know not Christ and such as knowe him onely in vaine profession outwardly and so continue are partners of the sinne and shal be examples of Gods vengeance This fountaine cannot be in them that sinne onely against their conscience for then should euerie man be guiltie of it when the sinne was committed we may remember that the illumination of our vnderstanding the regeneration of our wills did oppose it but both beeing weake and imperfect we were drawn vnto the euill And here before I come to the second fountaine I propound a briefe distinction of temptations some touch our faith whether we beleeue or not othersome the fruits of faith either of profession of the truth or els of obedience sutable and kindly to our profession the former is tryed by persecutions feare fauour c. the second concerning persons possessions and good name is knowne by charitie in keeping of the second table Now these are not the things that exclude Christs propitiatorie sacrifice except incredulitie bringing forth impenitencie and vtter renunciation of the faith be ioyned with them But here we often heare the cries of Gods children alas I beleeue not therfore draw vpon me the paine due to the vnfaithfull Here I would intreat euery one to waigh with circumspection and due consideration his owne estate in so waightie a point as this And therefore let him be aduised that there be other two fountaines that may scare our soules with these feares The first is corporall infirmitie deluding the heart and braine whereby strange imaginations are wrought in our heads and dolefull passions in our hearts these things alwaies vrge terror and distrust and deludeth vs with opinion of want of that whereof we haue no lacke as others often are caried with opinion and confidence of those things whereof they haue no part Aetius reporteth that Phylotimus was faine to put a cap of lead vpon a Melancholickes head that could not be perswaded he had any head at all vntill at the length feeling the waight to oppresse him cryed out my head akes why thē saies his freinds you haue a head Artemidorus the Grammarian did imagine that he wanted both an hand and a legge when euery man els could iudge it was but a fancie from which he could not be recalled to his dying day So often deales the deuill with vs by deluding of our phancies that we want both head and heart to God-ward and that we haue disposed both to him-ward But many a bleeding soule may go further what tell you me of melancholie it is a disease that I am free from well let that be granted yet rare it is to finde persons without it that are touched with this kinde of griefe yet we finde a third fountaine that may without all delusion streame this water of bitternes as the sense of our sinnes may pricke vs especially such as most hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and are poore in spirit and broken in heart yet this is an infallible token of grace that they long after the liuing God and their soules pant for him Oh when shall I enter into his presence Oh men of God what shall I doe to be faued The rest of the world except some vengeance of God lay hold vpon them or some horrible fact gnaw their wounded consciences passe their time in blind securitie carelesse of God and empty of all sense hope of a better life these passe their daies and finish their courses as the calfe passeth to the shambles not kowing his ende to be slaughter by the butchers knife You therfore that truly grone vnder the burden of your sinne consider the groūd of your error you iudge your faith by inward feeling and your actions proceeding therefrom by your thirst of righteousnesse and presence of your wants Here you iudge by the quantitie of faith and not by his vertue when a very graine of mustard seed a little smoking flax or a broken reed may suffice with God to bring forth a tree a burning fire and a stable plant of righteousnesse for both the sense of faith the sincerity of the fruits and increase of the measure are all the gifts and graces of God dispensed vnto vs according to his owne wisedome making most for his glory and our good If we consider but the extemity of our misery the lest sparke of faith may giue vs a world of comfort and the smallest worke of obedience performed in sincerity though not in perfection may perswade vs of the same loue of God as though we were as strong as our father Abraham or any resolue martyr that hath sealed his religion with his blood But the Christian saies I haue no feeling of Gods grace and therefore no faith I answer true faith may bee without feeling and therefore it is dangerous to iudge the want of faith Faith without feeling by the want of feeling That this is the truth let these be the grounds of it First a man may rest vpon God and yet want the feeling of the loue of God as Iob. Dauid the woman of Canaan c. Iob 13.15 God is mine enemie the arrowes of the Almightie drinke vp my blood he makes me as a butte to shoote at here Iob hath none of the feeling of Gods loue
persons the deuill and the world would not so hate them and except they were extreamely wise they should neuer be counted for such madmen 2. Cor. 5.13 Festus makes a mad obiection as though much learning should make a man loose his wit but Paul makes a sober answer Oh noble Festus I speake the words of truth and sobernes Truely a Christian can neuer be in his right wits till he seeme to the world to be beside himselfe But you will say it were well if you could keepe a meane for that is the golden rule wherein vertue consists but I answer you it is a meane betwixt two kinds but not degrees for vertue is an extreame to vice and he that cannot be as hote for vertue as men are for their vices is not worthy of her Take heede I beseech you of this philosophie for Aristotle neuer knew any so meane vertue as most professors count it now a dayes But you will say againe some discretion would do well I answer such discretion as the world likes of I am sure will eate vp all zeale of the two extreames we should most feare luke-warmenesse and as one hath said wittily rather let your milke boyle ouer then bee rawe But alas now the world hath left off reasoning with Gods people and are directly fallen to scoffing young Saints will prooue but old deuills these hot-spurres will soone runne themselues out of breath these singular followes are so odde and puritane-like that they are fit to liue in no societie yet for all this may a good Christian say with that which most call puritanisme I desire to worship God for what is the fault in these men is it because they haue a delight to heare Gods word vse prayer conference and other good meanes of their saluation no all these they confesse are good but because they are hypocrites alas God knowes the heart and therefore go on for if your hearts be good euen these scoffers will they nill they speake well of you I am sure Christ calls for singularitie and presseth and vrgeth it what singular thing doe yee or what odde thing doe yee shall Gods peculiar people doe nothing peculiar I beleeue none shall euer please Christ till they appeare at oddes with the world strange and precise and yet for all this need not be ouer iust God hath bidden vs dispose our wayes aright and the Lord graunt wee may doe it and then wee shall not neede to doubt but the Lord in his good time will shewe vnto vs the perfection of our saluation Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Newes to the world of Gods arraignement-day And yet no man what haue I done will say The euidence is cleare Gods patience past Expect no lesse then iudgement at the last Worlds pompe soone past that pastime turnes to paine And paine past-time makes sorrowes to remaine That rod is good in Gods appointed time Which to our good his praise conuerts each crime Learne by the rod in heart to kisse the hand This makes a fathers loue fast euer stand A Table of the generall contents handled in this Booke Chap. I. 1. Religion 1 2 3. 2. Coherence from the 6. to 17. 3. Meanes of practise 12 13. Chap. II. 1. Tryall of hypocrites 18. to 27. 2. Gods wisedome how learned 27 3. Explication of the words 29 4. Actions no subiect of sinne 30 5. Of Gods decree of sinne 47. to 160 6. Sinnes order in Gods lawe 160 to 168. 7. Sinnes order in the conscience 168. Chap. III. 1. God iust and mercifull 173 2. Against passiue obedience 175 3. Reproofe necessarie 179 4. Gods visitation 181 5. Order 138 6. Wicked mens conclusions 184 to 217 7. Against blessing-witches 192 8. Of sinne and silence 217 Chap. IIII. 1. Of Gods knowledge 220 2. Of Gods integritie 227 3. Of Gods equitie 231 Chap. V. 1. Of Gods silence 233 2. Miserie the obiect 243 3. Of wicked thoughts 247 4. The conceit of hypocrites 282 Chap. VI. 1. Of reproouing sinne 286 2. Of the ordering of it 316 Chap. VII 1. Of the nature of conscience 346 2. Of the kinds 347 3. Of the miserie 347 4. How in a Christian 347 5. The fountaine 348 6. How in melancholie 349 7. Whether that be of conscience 349 8. Differences 349 9. Swaggerers perswasions or Physitians to distressed consciences 351 10. When no fancy 352 11. A wound vnmatchable 352 to 354 12. Distemper cannot hinder inward comfort 355 13. Whom they befall 356 14. Meanes to produce them 356 15. Whether a Christian may truely despaire 360 16. Graunds of comfort 361 17. Faith may be without feeling 372 18. Grounds of temptation 379 19. How the deuill tempts 380 20. Of his will wit and power 387 21. Of greater wil wit power 393 22. The speciall comforts 395 23. The greatest torment of the wicked 405 24. The generall vse 408 Faults escaped Read pag. 8. line 10. adulterers p. 23. l. 22. peirce p. 24. l. 21. for no husbandman a husbandman p. 26. l. 3. foot p. 35. l. 36. heare p. 51. l. 18. out p. 61. l. 23. determines p. 72. l. 35. God p. 83. l. 31. leaue out this is contingent p. 107. l. 13. downe p. 112. l. 34. act p. 131. l. 35. produced p. 151. l. 20. vertues p. 162. l. 15. put off p. 163. l. 9. booke p. 186. l. 33. to what p. 188. l. 19. yet let them p. 204. l. 9. world p. 223. l. 29. direction p. 228. l. 16. morning p. 256. l. 6. declare p. 157. l. 25. hell p. 280. l. 22. and though as meeke as lambes p. 325. l. 32. serue the Lord. pag. 372. l. 29. resolute p. 373. l. 3. faith FINIS
and body together euen almost disioyned for lacke of spirit and courage and so to animate body and soule that euen Christians shall say I neuer found body and soule in better temper then now Many Martyrs which haue beene troubled with the swelling of the spleene which all the time of their libertie was a kinde of hell vnto them haue admired that beside the exraordinarie consolations of the soule they haue felt those paines ceased that did disquiet them on the day time following of their ordinary vocations and in the night with breaking off their sleepe when now they finde that all the day they could toyle in writing and praying singing and comforting their poore brethren and when night comes sleepe soundly without either bed or couering when before though vpon a bed of Ivorie and wrapped in silke they could take no rest this is Gods blessing filling the heart with the grace of patience which makes vs perfect intire and lacking nothing therefore where patience is what discomfort can trouble vs This is the first argument marke the method to the second It might well be obiected I could be patient but I want wisdome to carrie mine affliction and make the right vse of it To this he answers and his answer doth not onely take away the obiection but giue a second confirmation of his exhortation v. 5. If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske it of God and ye shall be assured that the Lord will answer you for he giueth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man therefore you his children shall be sure to speede Yet would I preuent all rashnes for if it may be had for asking then all men shall haue it for who is he but he praies the Lords praier Creed ten Commandements true it is he saies praiers but I giue the requisite let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth incurreth first the shame of inconstancie becomming like the sea tossed of euery winde and neuer resting Secondly they loose all expectation euer to receiue any thing of the Lord nay let him not so much as thinke of it or presume that the Lord will answer his praiers Thirdly the detection of an hypocrite that he is a double minded man and therefore vnstable in all his waies not able to lie at the anker of any of Gods promises Now then both arguments beeing rightly vnderstood and applied vnto the soule see how forcibly they will be able to inferre the conclusion He that hath such a patience that is perfect in it selfe and is able to worke perfection in others and that in such sort that they shall be made perfect entire lacking nothing and secondly for direction shall haue the blessed grace of spirituall wisdome may be mooued to count it exceeding ioy when he falls into diuers tentations but euery faithfull soule shall haue both these graces therefore must he needs intertaine my louing exhortation Patience and wisdome going hand in hand will carrie affliction without trouble for suppose that two persons were to carrie a long staffe through a strait passage the one wants patience and therefore he makes hast now for want of wisdome his staffe falls a crosse he is still discontented labours to breake through by violence but the staffe beeing too strong for him and the passage too narrow to let him goe on except he take his staffe with him is set at a stay to adde crosse vnto crosse vntill he perish in his follie now a man of patience when he is to come that way is content by patience to goe softly at his leisure and by his wisdome espies where he may haue a thrust backe except he order his staffe by letting one end go before the other and thus by patience and wisdome goes further in the straits of this world toward the kingdome of heauen in one houre then fooles wise in their owne conceit goe all the time of their life But let me lead you on in the Apostles sweete consolation and bring you to the third ground and that is true contentation in all estates v. 9 10 11. explained by an example in aduersitie and another in prosperitie proouing that neither prosperitie can further the ioyes of Christians nor aduersirie hinder it and therefore whether prosperitie or aduersitie befall them their estate is all one with God For aduersitie he brings for instance an example drawne from pouertie ver 9. Let the brother of low degree reioyce in that he is exalted his lowe degree is no hinderer of his exaltation in Christ and therefore can it not take away his reioycing for what cares a man for the losse of a pennie that is so rich that he knowes no ende of his wealth for better is it to bee made rich by the creator of the world then to haue the creature without the creator For prosperitie he exemplifies in riches v. 10. It is good for him that is rich to see that he bee made lowe else shall he with his riches become as the flower of the grasse which by the sunne withering the grasse makes his flower fall away and then the goodly shape of it perisheth euen so shall the rich man wither away in all his waies And therefore seeing the best in prosperitie is to bee made low and the worst is to be made rich without humiliation and on the contrarie the worst in aduersitie makes vs the best in Christ who can denie but that our ioy may exceed in afflictions The fourth argument beside his strength and power is very alluring for Psal 4. who will shewe vs any good well if in this case any beleeuing Iew shall make the question in this anguish of his soule and say who will shew vs any good he shall not onely haue the Apostle with Dauid to shew them that God will lift vpon them the light of his countenance but euen the blessed ende of all their tryalls v. 12. Blessed is the man that indureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crown of life c. But if there be such strong arguments for tentations then surely God is the cause of them No beloued I would not haue you say God tempts any man v. 15. but the true cause is his owne heart v. 14.15 therefore erre not my deare brethren v. 16. but take notice of euerie good gift and say that is the Lords worke v. 17. therefore this good that comes out of euil is the worke of the Lord for afflictions in their owne nature are euill and it is my power to make them good vnto my children yet not to make them in my children Therefore hauing giuen warning take the fift argument of consolation and comfort and that is from the newe birth v. 18. A woman indeede when she trauaileth hath sorrâ—we because her howre is come but as soone as she is delinerad of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world Ioh. 16.21 so Gods