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
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
did Sathan know verie well that man was like to God in nothing so much as in his vnderstanding therefore he perswaded Eua to eate of the forbidden fruite by promising that by that meanes shee should attaine to a greater measure of knowledge and so consequentlie greater likenesse to God then she had For so he saith Gen. 3. 5. God knoweth that when ye shall eate of this fruite your eyes shalbe opened and ye shalbe as gods knowing good and euil But to leaue the dignitie of the minde to them who take in hand the naturall description of man we are here to consider the spirituall state of it in respect of God to wit the holinesse of it That the minde was created holy no man can denie but he who sticketh not to reproch his maker as hauing erred in the most excellent part of his worke and therefore it is more needfull that we declare the particulars of this holinesse First what it is or wherein it consisteth secondly the seuerall partes of it for the first The holinesse of the minde consisteth in the perfect knowledge of God and so it may be briefely defined Where we saye perfect we meane that perfection measure of knowledge whereof the nature of man is capable for there is a more perfect and excellent knowledge in the Angels then can be in any man Againe there is more perfect knowledge of God in God then in any Angell For God is knowen perfectly and essentially to himselfe only These transcendent kindes of knowledge which are without the compasse of humaine nature are not required at the handes of man and therefore he wanteth them without sinne Againe we doe not meane by perfection the highest degree or the greatest measure of knowledge which may be attained vnto by man for in this innocent estate one man may want that great measure of knowledge which an other man hath and yet want no part or iot of the holinesse of his minde onely by perfection we meane that knowledge wherein there is no parte wanting which is any way needfull for the holy and happie estate of man that is whenas a man knoweth all those duties which he oweth to God and whatsoeuer thing belongeth necessarilie to his owne good estate The second worde of the definition is knowledge whereby we meane both actuall and potentiall knowledge Actuall knowledge is that which is already really in the minde Potentiall knowledge is that vertue or facultie which conceaueth thinges offered to the minde by any meanes The first is to haue knowledge or the habite of knowledge the second is to be able to gette that knowledge which as yet is wanting of these two heereafter in particular Lastly by the knowledge of God we meane all manner of knowledge whereof although there be diuerse kindes as there are many thinges in the worlde besides God to be knowen yet the holines of the minde consisteth in this that it knoweth all thinges in God and nothing any otherwise then as it commeth from God and hath relation to him For God is all things in all and all thinges do exist in God and therefore euerie thing may be knowen in God and God knowen yea seene and felte in euerie thing euen in the least and basest creature The wicked Angels are in this their corrupt estate endued with a great measure of knowledge but this their knowledge is voide of all holynesse because it hath no relation to God and his glory for this onely is to be accounted the holinesse of the minde not barely to knowe the natures properties and differences of thinges but to see and acknowledge the wisdome power goodnesse and glorie of God in them For holinesse hath relation to God onely it seeth God through the meanest thinges and doth not rest in any thing till it come to God Yet we are not to thinke that the minde of man is in this his innocencie a confused chaos or heape of knowledge for God the maker of man is not the author of confusion And therefore we are to distinguish this knowledge into the seuerall kindes and partes of it whereof the first and cheife is the knowledge of God that is of the proper nature attributes and actions of God the second is the knowledge of the creatures The first kind may be called diuine be cause it tendeth directly and immediatelie to God himselfe Where we doe not meane that man could possiblie comprehend within the narrow compasse of his shallow braine the infinite and vnsearchable essence of God the which thing the Angels cannot doe Yet we are not to doubt but that he did thinke aright without any errour of the nature of God And no maruaill seing he did see God face to face as the scripture speaketh that is was daily conuersant in the presence and company of God as the Angels in heauen are although not in the same measure from this knowledge as from a fountaine springeth the knowledge of the creatures commonlie called humaine knowledge because all the creatures belonging to man and seruing for his vse are knowen for his good onely For as a man may easely see all thinges being there where the sunne shineth clearely so man liuing in Gods presence coulde not haue the nature of any creature hid from his sight From both these kindes of knowledge came the knowledge of euill for Rectum est index sui et obliqui a streight rule or line sheweth the crokednesse of any thing and so all trueth good and right shining in God and in his creatures did shewe to man what was false wrong hurtfull vnlawfull or any way euill for although Sathan did promise to man a greater measure of the knowledge of good and euill then he had Gen. 3. 5. as if his knowledge had bene imperfect in that behalfe yet he knewe what was euill better before his fall then afterwarde although by his fall he gottâ— the sense and experience of euill which he wanted before Thus much in general of mans knowledge the which is nowe to be considered more particularlie in the two kindes of it Potentiall and Actuall Potentiall knowledge is the aptnesse and abilitie of the minde to conceaue and comprehende whatsoeuer it shoulde please God to reueale Here iâ— may be asked by what meanes man in his innocent estate did attaine to knowledge We answere that Adam the first man was created in perfection as of body and soule so also of actuall knowledge not gotten by sense experience obseruation and by his owne industrie and yet it was afterwarde to be encreased by these meanes but engrauen in his minde by the finger of God and inspired by God together with his mind But his children were not to come so lightly to knowledge to whom he could not propagate his actuall knowledge but onely his potentiall for they were to be borne as in weakenesse of bodie so with mindes voide of all actuall knowledge not hauing the formes similitudes and vniuersall notions of thinges called