separation hath tow parts Rebellion Deformity in the which tow thinges the whole sinfulnesse of man consisteth being nothing else but a defection from all subiection due to God and from that image of God wherein he was created Sect. 3. Of the renewed holinesse of man AS God hath in great mercy decreed that man should not vtterly perish by Adams fall but rather by his mercy recouer that happinesse which he both had and lost so he hath in wisdome and iustice appointed the same meanes of attaining it to wit the perfect holinesse of man without the which it is impossible that any creature shoulde see God And therefore as god did in the beginning create in man perfect holynesse as the meanes of attaining happinesse so he doth for the same end recreate holynesse in him This action of God is called in the Scripture regeneration and the holynesse it selfe the new man or the newe creature because the former holynesse is so cleane decayed and abolished no one parte of it remaining that the restoring of it againe doth make man to be a newe yea almost another creature working in him a totall chaunge of his nature and giuing him a newe minde a newe will new affections and a newe course of life not that this change is in the substance of the soule or bodie of the minde or will of a man for that is the same both in a carnall and in a regenerate man but onely in quality and cōdition and yet it is truely called a second creation because there is no roote left in man from the which holynesse might be produced no in clination to good whereby it might be furthered no facultie remaining in him whereby it might be effected For howsoeuer some do erroneously thinke and teach that some part of regeneration is to be ascribed to the naturall faculties of mans soule as if men did of themselues see choose embrace loue the truth yet the scripture teacheth vs to thinke farre otherwise to wit that man hath no hand in this worke but onely the spirite of God For euen as in the naturall generation of any liuing creature there must two thinges concurre first the agent or worker the which the philosophers call principium actiuum and it may be resembled to the workman in artificiall thinges the which giueth the forme and being to the creature secondly the matter whereof the thing is made and framed called principium passiuum the which cannot be saide to worke but onely to suffer the operation of the other so it is in regeneration First the spirite of God is the workman in it he is the begetter of this new-man the fashioner of this newe creature Secondly the minde and will of man are the matter whereof this newe creature is made not working together with the spirite of God but onely suffering the working of it For regeneration is nothing but a sanctified or renewed minde and will The begetter of this new man is God himselfe euen the holy spirite of God changing our minds and heartts and framing in them all holinesse Ioh. 3. 6. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirite And that although by the ministerie of man and the preaching of the worde of God as it is 1. Pet. 1. 23. Being borne againe not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible euen of the worde of God which abideth for euer yet by a straunge and supernaturall worke which no witte eloquence deuise strength or power of man or Angell but onely the finger of GOD himselfe is able to bringe to passe Math. 19. 26. With man it is impossible but not with God it being not in the power of anie creature to chaunge in one moment the minde will affections and the whole nature of a man espceially to that state which is repugnant and cleane contrary to his naturall disposion as regeneration is to the nature of a carnall man for it is not so in this spirituall work as it is in the carnal generation wherein one thing begetteth another like to it selfe by a naturall vertue and power which God hath put into each liuing creature without any extraordinary worke or blessing from God And therefore it is able being in the naturall disposition whensoeuer it listeth to bring forth the effect without failing But no minister of the word although endewed with most excellent giftes can beget this new man by the sole vertue of his mimisterie for then regeneration woulde be a common and an ordinarie thing as is the preaching of the worde But we knowe it to be farre otherwise and that vsually of a hundred hearers there is scarce one truely conuerted So that in the begetting of this new man the ministery of the word is but the instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh without the which it is no more able to forme this newe creature then the tooles belonging to any worke are able to bring the same to passe without the hand of the artificer And therefore as the first creation so also the regeneration of mans holinesse ought to be acknowledged to be the hand and worke of God yea in trueth an immediate supernaturall and miraculous worke we say immeditate not that he vseth no meanes in regenerating the faithfull but for that the force vertue and abilitie of working is not any iot in the meanes but wholly and onely in GOD. Againe it is a supernaturall worke for euen as sinne yea the retayning exercising and increasing of it is naturall to man so the resisting renouncing and forsaking of it and especially the seeking attaining keeping exercising and encreasing of the contrarie holinesse is no lesse contrarie to the nature of man then it is for him to flie vp to heauen Hence it followeth that this regeneration is a miraculous worke for whatsoeuer is so contrary to the naturall disposition and ordinarie course of thinges as that the reason of man can not finde out and comprehende the cause of it that driueth men to admiration and astonishment and so becommeth a miracle vnto them If it be heere obiected that regeneration is an ordinarie matter which commeth to passe daily and vsually in the Church and hath done in all ages and therefore is no miracle we answere confessing that it is not so much wondred at as it ought to bee For carnall men doe not beleeue that there is any such matter as we may see in the example of Nicodemus Iohn 3. 4. Howe can a man be borne which is old can he enter into his mothers wombe againe and be borne And therefore doe not wonder but rather laugh at it and they who by experience know it are not for the most part so affected with the serious cogitation of it as they should be Yet this doth not chaunge the nature of it for if God should often raise vppe men from the dead men would at length cease from wondering at it But
subiect to them if violence had bene offred yet there could none happen in this pure state For then there were no wilde beasts to deuoure teare in peeces no euill constitutiō of the aier to distemper or infect no inordinate affections in a mans minde whereby he himselfe might be the cause of sickenes hurt or death to himselfe but all the creatures were so disposed as that they should euery way further and by no meanes impaire the good estate of man Lastly if it be granted that Adams body had no such strange temperature which coulde continue for euer no one qualitie getting the vpper hand ouer-any other neither any such immunity against violent deaths but that he might by ouersight forgetfulnesse or some humane infirmitie be ouertaken with hurt sicknesse age and death the which opinion is rather to be receaued yet he had this supernaturall priuiledge of immortalitie granted vnto him by the worde of God and confirmed by the tree of life the fruite whereof being taken and eaten had this vertue in it not by nature but by the miraculous and extraordinary worke of God to make man liue for euer by freeing him from all daungers hurts woundes sicknesse and age Likewise this happines was in regard of the soule of Adam exceeding greate he hauing not onely a mind illuminated with the true knowledge of God of all other thinges which did any way belong vnto him but also his wil affections free from al immoderate desires or greiuous passiōs which might any way molest or trouble him The which state of the soule as it is a part of mans holines in that it is agreeable to the will worde and image of God so in regarde of the incomparable pleasure and ioy arising of the true contemplation of God of a quiet conscience and orderly affections it containeth in it a great parte of mans felicity Likewise the whole person of man was adorned with this crowne of glory that he was a monarch here on earth hauing the Lordshippe and dominion of these inferior creaturs giuen vnto him So that to conclude this point the happinesse of man was very wonderfull in that he enioyed all good things whatsoeuer euen God himselfe with all the creatures This was the happinesse of mans first estate whereof this question may be asked whether it was appointed by God to continue for euer or else to be but an entrance to a greater happinesse in heauen whither some doe thinke that man should at length haue bene translated although without death yet not without some change of his earthly body But hereof we cannot say any thing haueing learned nothing in the worde of any other happinesse of this first estate then this which hath in some sort bene described and which although it may seeme to come much short of true happinesse and to be rather a terrestrial then a celestial yet in trueth it was perfect happines although not absolute because it was mutable for wheresoeuer God vouchsafeth to the creature the fruition of his presence there is full perfect happinesse whether it be in heauen or on the earth Sect. 2. Of the miserable state of man since the fall of Adam MAn by his sinne did separate himselfe from God lost the coniunction which he had with him both spiritual which is perfect holinesse and personall or local which is happinesse and was cast out of the presence of God and out of paradise in the which place being a terrestriall garden God did reueale himselfe and his glory to man after a speciall manner and so he loosing the fountaine of happinesse he did withall loose all the streames which flowed from thence belonging either to his body or soule his body which was before beautifull and maiesticall became deformed and contemptible being as the experience of all ages doth teach vs often many waies crooked ridiculous foul yea somtimes horribly monstrous and vgly For continuall health he hath infinite diseases infirmities sickenesses sores For his former felicitie he is subiect to as many daungers as there are thinges in the worlde there being almost nothing which may not become mortall vnto him by some meanes or other his immortalitie he hath chaunged with death often dying before he be borne to liue sometimes in the flower of his age if he liue many years yet al his life is nothing but misery yea euen death it selfe it being the beginning of eternall death Likewise in regard of his soule he is most miserable his vnderstanding which before was as cleare as is the sun at noone day is now ouershadowed and filled with palpable darkenesse grosse errours blockishe ignoraunce and an accusing conscience His will is become peruerse abhorring whatsoeuer is good cleauing to that which is euill His affections are raging in ordinate lusts and in briefe there is nothing in the whole nature of man but horrible confusion For the outward dignity of his person he is now cast out from the company of God of his holy angels who before were his familiar friends but nowe are armed with a sword against him Again he is not now Lord of the creatures for they do oftener tyrannise ouer him deuouring him tearing him in peeces thē perform any seruice vnto him vnlesse they be constrained Yea he is that by his own iudgment more base thē the earth therefore is often sold to perpetual slauery for a little gold siluer brasse or any baser mettall yea he setteth his whole mind bestoweth al his labour vpon them he prostrateth himselfe before the wedge of gold as before his God he loueth it as his life accounteth al his happines to consist in it Besides many miseries do happen in this life which might becounted a kind of happines if that they might haue an end with death but how can we look that that should be the end of it which is but the beginning of that vnspeakable misery which hath no end but shal cōtinue for euer For al the miseries of this life whatsoeuer death it selfe are but an entrāce to that eternal misery which is prepared for sinners The greatnes wherof cōsisteth in ◠things first in that intolerable griefe which is cōceiued by the lack of the cōtrary happines prepared for the faithfull in which respect it is called vtter darknes the lowest pit Secondly in the sustaining of those paines where with the wicked shal be tormēted in body soule the which are vsually compared to a burning fier or Furnace because there is no thing so fearefull to man as is fire which consumeth all thinges where of it can gette holde but in trueth there is no fire yea although it be augmented by infinite riuers of brimstone that burneth so hote is so vnquenchable as is the anger of God which in the day of wrath shall be powred foorth vpon the wicked Sect. 3. Of the renewed happinesse of man THe renewed happines of man is partly in
but especially it appeareth in those who in old times professed themselues to be philosophers that is seekers and practisers of wisedome and vertue as namely Socrates Plato with many others as Aristides Cato Seneca whose vertues we can not thinke to haue bene mere hypocrisie it being well knowen that they were so affected inwardly in their mindes as they professed outwardly in their liues Yet we confesse that this decrease of sinfulnesse is not a like in all for in some it is inwarde and true as hath bene saide but in others yea most commonly it is onely in outward life For many doe leade an honest and irreproueable life being vitiously disposed in their mindes some for feare of ciuill punishment or of publike shame others for vaine glories sake as did the pharisies Againe this decrease is more generall in some who abstaine from many kindes of vices then it is in others who are faulty in many respectes And Lastly this decrease is more firme and permanent in some continuing the wholle time of their life but in others it hath place in their young yeares by force of good education but is afterwardes altogether forgotten and reiected In the heathen it is more in regarde of the duties of the second table the which are more easelie knowen then are the dueties belonging to the worship of God But in hypocriticall Christians the outwarde decrease of sinfulnesse is greater in the dueties of the first table For they will be verie deuout and diligent in the outwarde seruice of God and yet liue verie wickedly in regard of their brethren These and many other degrees and differences of this naturall decrease may easely be obserued in many both within and without the Church and also in all histories whether diuine or humaine but are too many to be handled in this short treatise CHAP. IIII. Of the supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse AS the increase of light doth make a decrease of darkenes it being impossible that two thinges of contrarie natures sholude be together in one subiect the one not expelling the other either wholly or in part so the spirituall graces of God which are the matter of mans holinesse bestowed on vnregenerate men doe worke in them a decrease of sinfulnesse makeing them lesse sinfull then otherwise they woulde be and then vsually vnregenerate men are This decrease we call supernaturall because it cannot be attained vnto by those naturall meanes of diminishing sinne mentioned in the former chapter and therefore it is not to be found in the most innocent and vertuous pagan that euer liued but is to be accounted a worke of Gods spirite brought to passe by the ministrie of his worde sounding in the eares of those who are members of the visible church without the which this decrease of sinne is not ordinarily to be founde Nor yet in all the members of the church of whom many doe exceede the heathen in sinne but onely in those who doe yeelde obedience to the gospell although not in such manner as the faithfull doe yet in so greate measure that this decrease of sinne may very fitly be called a shadowe of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblaunce may not be found in this sort of men For not onely their life is agreeable to the worde of God but also they are inwardly enlightned to see the trueth and are well affected towardes it and endued with a kinde of faith hope loue patience and all other graces and that not in hypocrisie though many doe make an outwarde shew and profession of those graces whereof there is not any shadowe in their heartes but in trueth As we read Heb. 6. 4. 5. It is impossible that they who were once enlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift of the good worde of God of the ioyes of the worlde to come and in generall were made partakers of the holy Ghost if they fall away c. If it be asked why God doth bestow these excellent graces on the reprobate as it were throwing pearles among swine we answere that he doth it especially for these three causes first for the setting forth of his owne glory For by this worke his loue mercy goodnesse wisedome and trueth appeareth euen to the reprobate on whom as he letteth the raine to fal and his sun to shine as wel as on the faithfull so he powreth foorth his graces as well on the one as on the other although not after the same manner for although the eternall loue of God which bringeth with it eternall saluation doth belong to the elect onely yet there is a generall and as we may terme it a temporary loue which God beareth to all his creatures and in them towardes all men both elect and reprobate Secondly this is done in regard of the elect for whose sake God blesseth the reprobate with whome they liue both in temporal and spirituall things and whose saluation is furthered and some time wrought by the giftes and ministery of these men Lastly God doth by this meanes make them who are indued with these graces the more inexcusable in that they contemne and treade vnder foote so great mercy Nowe we are to declare the difference which is betwixt true regeneration and this supernaturall decrease of sinne which is a shadowe of it First therefore true regeneration is generall stretching it selfe ouer all the faculties and partes of the soule and body and working an vniuersall holines as the leauen which being put into a greate lumpe of dow neuer ceaseth spreading it selfe abroad till the whole lumpe be seasoned Luke 13. 21. But the shadowe faileth for the most part in one point of holinesse or other yea often many partes of sanctification are wanting as the minde is often enlightned with the knowledge of the truth whenas the obedience of life and outward actions is wanting 1. Cor. 8. 1. We haue all knowledge knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth Againe there may be seene in them good affections without knowledge Rom. 6. I beare witnesse saith the Apostle that the Iewes haue the zeale of GOD yet not according to knowledge Yea often the minde is enlightned in part and in part remaineth in ignorance as in those who professing and holding in iudgement the trueth of the gospell to witte of the fund amental and chiefe doctrines of it doe together maintaine many errours and heresies We doe not deny but thaâ— one truely regenerate may be in some errors for we all knowe but in parte 1. Cor. 13. yet this is the force and propertie of a regenerate minde to be able to discerne the trueth from errour when as both are laide before it howsoeuer it did not see it before And therefore when as we see a man although endued with many giftes yet to be of a corrupt minde and vnsound iudgement enclining alwaies to the wrong part in matters of religion his regeneration may in that respect be