plentifully supplied by the others abundance Concerning therefore the timely entercourse of trafficke with strangers though I hold the same simply lawfull nor flatly to be forbidden by any if especially a prouident care and a due regard be first had of the traueller his age and yeares as also of the religious and honest estate of those countries themselues whereunto the trauellers bend their purposed designements for such traffice intended Although yet notwithstanding I know not well how this I am certainely sure of that whilest such an inconsiderate recourse to and fro from sundrie nations and kingdomes farre remote lyeth carelesly open for whosoeuer will first giue the onset vpon it wee leaue our ancient simplicitie eftsoones in a forreine ayre and in stead thereof do too greedily sucke vp from forreiners not their vertues but vices and monstrous corruptions as well in religion and manners as also in framing the whole course of our life both for apparell diet and all other things euery way correspondent and currant to such a contagious and most pernitious president Capni By your leaue Sir a little before you procéed in your spéech Hydr. With all my heart propound what you please Capn. This then is the summe of my purpose Séeing the holy Scriptures do teach vs directly that it is the law in our members which leadeth vs captiues to sinne and that euery man is inticed and drawne vnto euill by his owne concupiscence how dare you ascribe the corruptions either of our mindes or bodies concerning religion and manners vnto any our entercourse of traffike with forreine nations Hydr. Very true as thou sayest It is the law of our members which leadeth vs captiues to sinne and that euery man is inticed and drawne vnto euil by his proper concupiscence But yet marke thus much withall that the Scripture doth not there make the mindes of men meere agents but patients rather in the perpetrating of any vngodly actions because those their minds are said to be enticed and led which necessarily importeth thus much at the least Namely sith those their minds are said to be inticed and led necessarily there must in euery such sinfull action be some other primarie agent besides their said mindes themselues which so inticeth and leadeth men captiues as also a conuenient meanes with some proportionall obiect whereby they may so be inticed and led vnto euil Now then to speake properly and pertinently the diuell himselfe is that primarie agent who by sundrie externall occurrents as it were by most apt and conuenient meanes thereunto doth accidentally intangle mens minds that so their said minds being formerly captiuated by their proper concupiscence he might the more easily intice and leade them captiues to all manner of euill For so Iames speaks plainly in the forenamed Scripture thus Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God tempteth no man but euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his proper concupiscence Where y e Apostle yousee speaketh purposely of three concurring together in euery temptation Namely the primary tempter I meane y e diuel the party tempted that is mans mind the outward obiect as â— conuenient meanes whereby the temptation it selfe is throughly effected namely y t in-bred concupiscence which couertly lurketh in euery mans nature as it were a quicke sparke vnder ashes Which said coÌ„cupiscence hauing apt matter outwardly offered vnto it will quickly be kindled especially if y e diuel with his bellowes but blow vp the same A most liuely representation presentation here of we may haue in the first fall of mankindâ— wherein the diuell himselfe was the primarie tempter our Grandmother Eue she was the partie tempted and her inherent concupiscence the very meanes whereby the temptation it selfe was effected Which her concupiscence howsoeuer the same was absolutely vpright and sound before yet then hauing a proportionall obiect outwardly and conueniently applied vnto it the apple I meane which was good for meate and pleasant in sight her said concupiscence being eftsoones blowne vp by the bewitching bellowes of Satans inticing blast was quickly inflamed and kindled in euill And therefore the premisses rightly respected I both dare and may as boldly asscribe the pollutions of our minds and bodies concerning religion and manners to such carelesse entercourse of trafficking with the corruptions and customes of forreine countries as I formerly auouched the immoderate swilling in of hote wines with other strong drinks to be the very procuring cause of many pernicious diseases in the bodies of men Capn. Which waies Sir I beséech you Hydr. Dost thou aske me which waies or by what means such carelesse entercourse of trafficke with forreine nations might be any occasion of polluting both bodie and minde If I should likewise demand of thee now which way or by what meanes the wise King Salomon became such a wicked idolater wouldest thou not tell me straight way that it vndoubtedly came so to passe by his conuersing and wedding with wicked idolatrous nations Capn. That would I presently do and you may not denie it your selfe because the word of our God auoucheth so much Hydr. And doth not the same word of God tell thee in like sort that all such as handle pitch shall be defiled with pitch And therefore the good people of God are precisely charged to go out forthwith from Babylons beastly societie for feare of partaking with Babylons beastly sinnes If good mens timely departure from Babylons beastly societie be deemed a very good meanes to deliuer their bodies and soules from Babylons beastly sinnes who seeth not then but that their vntimely and carelesse conuersing with Babylons societie must needs be some vrgent occasion of a contagious communicating with Babylons beastly corâ—uptions Yea and this so much the rather by how much the feeble nature of sinfull man is more wilfully prone to perpetrate whatsoeuer noysome pollutions then warily prest to participate with holy and wholsome preseruations Capn. Illustrate this one point I beséech you with some apparent and plaine demonstrations of truth Hydr. With all my heart But first let me here aske thee whether thou thy selfe dost not very plainly perceiue in thy proper experience too too many of our English mens minds most fearefully estranged from the Apostolike primitiue sinceritie and their bodies withall very monstrously transformed from their former ancient simplicity Capn. Yes vndoubtedly I haue eftsoones experimented the truth hereof in a daily and due obseruation of their present estates and withall I haue wondred greatly thereat considering the sincere and plentifull preaching of the gracious Gospell among vs. Hydr. No maruell hereof at all For howsoeuer the sacred word of our God hath a glorious passage among vs that it might be A sauour of life vnto life in such as beleeue or a sauour of death vnto death in so many as perish and is also in either of both a sweete sauour
scornfully set her corrections at nought Lo then here is the onely cause of their foolishnesse Capn. And why should not all these be as capable of heauenly wisedome as those other we spake of a little afore Hydr. Because they will not obey nor incline their eare vnto wisdome but run headlong after the counsels and stubburnnesse of their owne wicked hearts walking moreouer according to the course of this sinfull world and after the Prince that ruleth in the aire that wicked spirit I meane which euen now worketh effectually in all those children of disobedience who hauing their owne cogitations euen vtterly darkened and being meere strangers from the gracious life of God by reason of that in-bred ignorance which is naturally ingraffed in euery of them and being become without feeling haue given themselues ouer to worke all manner of vncleannesse euen with an insatiable kind of greedinesse And therefore as they haue no regard at all to know God so surely the Lord iniustice deliuers them vp vnto reprobate minds to do such things as are not conuenient sending them withall very strong delusions to make them beleeue all manner of lies because they received not the truth that thereupon they all might iustly be damned which beleeue not the truth but take an exceeding great pleasure in those their vnrighteous courses Which their iust recompence also euen then shall iustly fall vpon euery of them when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring due vengeance to so many of them as know not God and which obey not the Gospell who shall be then punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his maiesticall power When notwithstanding he shall be eternally glorified in all his Saints and be made maruellous in euery of them that beleeue because our testimonie towards them was so soundly beleeued in the day of their hoped saluation Capn. Well Sir whatsoeuer be the successe I will earnestly endeauour to speake plainly unto euery of them and it may be that many of them will willingly heare me Hydr. It may be they will not and more likey it is so by a thousand fold Capn. Oh I beséech you Sir neuer say so but hope the best for charitie you know must not be suspitious Hydr. I know it very well Capnistus and this I dare tell thee withall that charitie in like manner it must not be foolish in grounding so firme a perswasion of hope vpon so hopelesse a ground as standeth onely on may bees Hydr. Why Sir the word was purposely giuen you know for the hoped and happie conuersion of sinfull soules Hydr. Very true as thou sayest although yet for the onely conuersion of those poore sinfull soules whose effectuall calling to grace was purposely and eternally decreed of God by the ordinarie meanes of that selfe same word For they being before all beginnings the elected of God in Iesus Christ were sure in their appointed time to haue their effectuall calling to the true knowledge of God by the powerfull n preaching of his holy Gospell And therefore euen as all they which are eternally elected are sure in time to be effectually called so surely all such as haue finally no calling at all or but onely a temporarie calling to grace they cannot certainly conclude to themselues any one certaine or grounded hope of their eternall election in Christ. Seeing therefore the true sauing faith is primarily begot in the hearts of the heaters by the word of God preached and must secondarily grow vp and increase by that selfe same meanes it was first begottē how is it possible thinkest thou that those men should euer be effectually called by the ordinarie preaching of Gods holy word who cannot possibly be brought to the ordinary hearing therof sith men must necessarily giue their willing consent to y e word before they can be drawne to the obediēce therof Or when at any time for fashions sake they come to the ordinarie preaching of that selfe same word if they then heare it onely as a minstrels song with their mouthes make mockes at those preachers which bring it their prophane hearts still pursuing their former inordinate affections what other thing else will befall them thinkest thou but that which the Prophet proclaimeth saying Behold you despisers and wonder vanish away for I worke a worke in your daies a worke which you will not beleeue though a man should declare it vnto you Capn. Whether they heare or not heare fleare and floute jeare or jibe make moes with their mouthes or not if God giue me power I will neuer forbeare them Hydr. Oh say not so Capnistus for Christ telleth thee it is not alwaies good to tumble the childrens bread vnto whelpes forbidding thee moreouer to cast those thy precious pearles before beastly swine and to hurle thy holy things vnto filthie dogs because the swine they will treade those pearles in the mire and the dogs they will turne againe and teare thee in peeces And howsoeuer those scorners may shew themselues holy a time yet be thou assured of this that the dogs first or last will returne to their vomire afresh and the swine which seemed before to be washed cleane to their wallowing againe in the mire And therefore if at any time they shew themselues such or if they will needs become filthie let them be filthie still assuring themselues that all the while they be such they shall neuer haue entrance through the gates into the celestiall Citie but be shut out among dogs enchanters whoremongers murderers idolaters and such as take a delight in their lying Although yet I doubt not at all but that the ordinarie preaching of the glorious Gospell shall accomplish that thing whereunto it was purposely sent of God namely it shall either be a blessing or a burden a word of conuersion or a word of confusion a sauour of life vnto life or a sauour of death vnto death yea and in either of both the same shall be a sweete sauour to God Capn. Why then God willing I will not ceasse crying vnto them that whether they heare or not they may yet know there hath bene a Prophet among them Hydr. Surely Capnistus as thy resolution herein in exceeding honest thy purpose godly and thy intended course correspondent to both so I doubt not at all but that if thy practicall proceeding be sutable in euery respect exceeding much good may be wrought by the same More especially if thou for thine owne part doest Christianly consider that such as are but lately wained from the milke and newly drawne from the brest must haue precept vpon precept precept vpon precept line vnto line line vnto line there a little and there a little yea and must also be spoken vnto with a
also he vseth the word gnasa put downe in this portion of Scripture as also in sundry other places where occasion requireth The which word in like manner is diuersly obserued in the sacred Scriptures according to the diuerse and sundry occasions offered For sometimes it signifieth the timely producing and the orderly bringing forth of the fruites of the earth according to Natures primary appointment sometimes it signifieth the procuring the getting and the gathering together of things as men vsually do when they gather vp goods and treasures sometimes it signifieth to prouide to prepare or to make readie a thing as men commonly do when they prepare and make readie their meate for the hungrie trauelling persons sometimes it signifieth to do to make to fashion to forme or to finish a thing as the Lord did his workes in the first creation sometimes it signifieth to present with sacrifice or to offer vp sacrifice as men vsually do in the seruice of God yea sometimes againe it signifieth to aduance to extoll to grace or to magnifie as men commonly do vnto some such speciall persons as they aduance vnto dignitie and euen so is the word gnasa vsed in this our present text Capn. I perceiue the variety of significations concerning those the forenamed thrée words but what do you obserue from the same Hydr. Surely euen that which sufficiently tendeth to the true opening of this portion of Scripture according to that onely sence which I set downe before For seeing the holy Ghost hath not here put downe the word bara which properly betokeneth the creating of something from out of nothing preexisting in nature neither yet hath vsed the word tsarath which properly signifieth to forme or fashion a thing as it were by melting the same in a mould therefore this portion of Scripture being not purposely declared by any of those two words it cannot properly be vnderstood of that primarie image of God which more particularly respecteth the first creation of man and so consequently the speciall reason comprehended therein it can haue no such peculiar reference to that murdered man in whom the created image of God is so defaced Moreouer sith the holy Ghost doth precizely put downe in this portion of Scripture neither bara nor tsarath but the onely word gnasa which properly betokeneth to aduance to extoll or to magnifie with honor as I told thee before therefore the text cannot significantly be resolued thus For in the primarie image of God hath the Lord created or formed that murdered man but rather more proportionably thus For in the secondary image of God hath the Lord aduanced and magnified that his subordinate reuenger of innocent bloud And so the maine reason rendred there in that text it hath thou maist see a much more peculiar reference to such a reuenger of innocent bloud as is peculiarly authorised thereunto according to that diuine image of soueraignetie wherein such a reuenger by a peculiar dispensation from God is authentically aduanced extolled and most honorably magnified Now then the Almightie Iehouah protesting to Noah and the rest that the outragious spiller of any mans bloud should by man haue his owne bloud spilt againe in a iust reuenge doth presenly put downe the maine reason why such a subordinate reuenger of bloud may boldly and vnblameably accomplish that businesse namely because such a man such a ministeriall reuenger of bloud I meane is authentically formed or made in the image of God or to speake more significantly and properly according to the originall text because such a subordinate reuenger is authentically aduanced dignified extolled or magnified with the authenticall image or liuely resemblance of that the Almightie his maiesticall soueraignetie wherewith he may boldly and vnblameably execute vengeance vpon all such malefactors as are formerly condemned to death for any their enormious or capitall crimes Lo Capnistus this I assure thee is the very true sence and meaning of that portion of Scripture Capn. Surely Sir this sence which you giue in my proper conceipt it is without all contradiction More especially if those the former thrée words be not méere Synonima words I meane of one and the selfesame signification but are vsed rather as you say for such different termes as are purposely put downe by the spirit of truth to distinguish those the forenamed thrée actions of God according to their different and diuerse conditions Hydr. There is I assure thee no question thereof Yea and therefore the onely wise God to take quite away all colourable shewes of any such idle conceipt hath of very purpose compacted and coupled euen those the former three words I meane bara tsarath and gnasa all ioyntly together in one and the selfe same verse yea and which more is by much for those the three former different respects which we precizely spake of before saying thus Euery one shall be called by my name for berathiu ietsarethiu aph-gnasithiu that is I haue created him I haue formed him yea I haue exalted him We may not therefore too too grosly imagine that these three seuerall words were here put downe by the Prophet onely for bate Synonima as words I meane of one and the same signification for so should he haue made but an idle tautologie that is but a superfluous and a needlesse repetition of one and the selfe same matter propounded thus I haue created him I haue created him I haue created him But those three seuerall words they are vsed there rather as different termes or as an elegant gradation to set forth more succinctly the excellent and most admirable order of the Lord his exceeding great kindnesse towards the elect For first of all the Prophet he telleth the people that from the very first houre of their creation the Lord hath ordained them to his owne euerlasting glorie according to the eternall purpose of his owne will Then next that he formeth or fashioneth them afresh being fearefully fallen from their former integritie that is he calleth iustifieth and preserueth them to himselfe by this holy Spirit of regeneration And lastly that he aduanceth extolleth or magnifieth them with a soueraigne dominion dignitie and honour both in this and the life to come Capn. The matter as you make it both seeme verie probable But yet do tell me I pray you wherefore you your selfe haue purposely translated the word gnasa put downe in that place aduanced or magnified rather then made or formed that man in the image of God as it is vsually turned in many of our Latine and English Bibles Hydr. I haue purposely translated the word gnasa so for three principall reasons First because among the manifold significations of that word set downe before it is no improper but a most proper signification of the word it selfe Secondly for that the very coherence and purpose of that present text doth euen proportionably require that selfe