The holy pilgrime, leading the way to heaven. Or, a diuine direction in the way of life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in diuinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian pilgrimage In two books. The first declaring what man is in the mistery of himselfe. The second, what man is in the happines of Christ. Written by C.L. — Holy pilgrime, leading the way to new Jerusalem

The holy pilgrime, leading the way to heaven. Or, a diuine direction in the way of life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in diuinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian pilgrimage In two books. The first declaring what man is in the mistery of himselfe. The second, what man is in the happines of Christ. Written by C.L. — Holy pilgrime, leading the way to new Jerusalem

Table of contents

Title page

TO THE WORSHIPFVLL, MASTER NEWTON, TVTOR to the Prince, and Deane of Durham▪ Master Murrey, Tutor to the Duke of York, & Master of Sherborne house, and to the Reuerend Society of Prebends of the Church of Durham.

The Preface to the Reader.

The Contents of the Chapters contained in this Booke.

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Of GOD. Chap. 1.

The Vse.

Speciall Application.

¶Of the Creation of the World. Chap. 2.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

¶Of the Angels, their Nature, their fall. Chap. 3.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

¶Of Man his first beginning, and the state of his Innocency. Chap 4

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

Of the State of mans Innocence before his fall. Chap. 5.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

Of Originall sinne, the fall and apostacy of Man. Chap 6.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

Of the Morall Law of God, the ten Commandements. Chap. 7.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

Of the acousation of Conscience. Chap 8.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

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Title page

Of the Gospell, the new Couenant, or the Couenant of Grace. Chap. 1.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

Of Christ Iesus, the summe of the Gospell. Chap. 2.

The generall Vse.

Speciall application.

Of Repentance, the sorrow of the Soule for sinne. Chap. 3.

The generall vse.

Speciall application.

Of Mortification. Chap. 4.

The generall vse.

Speciall application.

Of Regeneration, or new Birth. Chap. 5.

The generall vse.

Speciall application.

Of •ustification. Chap. 6.

The generall vse.

Speciall application.

Of the temporary death, and of the seuerall Estates of saluation, and damnation. Chap. 7.

The generall vse.

Speciall Application.

Of Gods glory. Chap. 8.

The generall vse.

Speciall application.

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THE HOLY PILGRIME, Leading the way to HEAVEN. OR A Diuine Direction in the way of Life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in Diuinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian Pilgrimage. In two Bookes. The first declaring what man is in the misery of himselfe. The second, what man is in the happines of Christ.

Written by C. L. Nostrum in coelo negotium.

LONDON, Imprinted by Bar: Alsop for William Barringer, and are to be sold at his shop at the great North dore of S. Paules Church. 1618.

TO THE WORSHIPFVLL, MASTER NEWTON, TVTOR to the Prince, and Deane of Durham▪ Master Murrey, Tutor to the Duke of York, & Master of Sherborne house, and to the Reuerend Society of Prebends of the Church of Durham.

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MAy it please you, Charity is the great office of Christianity and humanity: for the lawes of God and nature inioyne all men the workes of common profite. Therefore [Page] is action better then contemplation, because this doth respect our priuate onely, but that doth giue it selfe into the common Treasure of mens prosperities.

This cause hath made mee vndertake these paines. For though I am yet vnprofest in any particular place of charge, eyther in the Church or state, whereby I might imploy (my little) to more aduantage, yet my very being a Christian doth challenge from me the best performance I can, for the commō good.

The reasons of my dedication are these. First, there is non of you to whom I owe not some respect of duty, but to you two Principals, principall respects; the whole Kingdome being in debt to your labours, which God make prosperous to his glory; and for the honour of (this our little world) great Brittaine. Againe, I did purpose you a booke, which might haue done some seruice to your princely charge, and in whose argument I did professe to bee much more able then in this. That beeing [Page] (for a time) stayed from printing, by their authority in the State, that may commaund mee, I haue presumed with this (such as it is) intreating you to giue it your allowance of fauour, because I freely cast it into the common Treasure.

God make all your labours respect the glory of his name, that you may liue in the honour of his seruice, and obtaine the reward of faithfulnesse.

Your worships in the double bonds of duty and loue, CHRISTOPHER LEVER.

The Preface to the Reader.

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CHristian Reader, the visible Church is compared to a Vineyard, God is the master of it, his Ministers are his Labourers, his people his vines. Our great Maister God, giueth his entertainement to none but labourers: yet in this Vineyard are both loyterers and lookers on. The true Labourers are they who in that sacred profession faithfully endeuour their best diligence. And these blessed ones shall receyue from God, this happy sentence: It is well done, good & faithfull seruants,Mat. 25. 21, 23. yee haue been faithfull in little, I will make you rulers ouer much: enter yee into your Maisters ioy.

The loyterers are halfe labourers. These are like the Scribes and Pharisees, that sitte in Moses seate, but walke not in his stepps. [Page] And their voice is Iacobs,Gen. 27. 22 but their hāds are Esaues: their words are holy, but their workes are prophane, they can deliuer the doctrines of the Gospell, but not liue in the duties of the law. And to these will God be terrible in the day of tryall, & tell them that though they haue cast out Diuels, and done wonders in his name; yet he wil deny them for his,Mat. 7. 22. 23. & bid them depart (because) they are workers of iniquity.

The lookers on are of two sorts, they are either nolentes, or non valentes. The first sort are such as can, but will not labor in their spirituall office; these are they that loue [...]ase, and fat themselues with prosperity, and then (like Acsops hen) they are so fat they cannot lay, and like that rich foole in the Gospel, that said vnto his soule, Soule, Luk. 12. 19. thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeers, liue at ease, eate, drink, and take thy pastime. But God will deride such folly, and tell them that their life is but a dayes length. For at night their soules shal be taken from them, Verse 20. & then whose shall all those thinges bee that they haue prouided?

The last and least worthy in Gods vineyard, [Page] are such as neyther will nor can discharge the dutyes of their place. These idle Priestes, are like Idoll Gods t [...]at represent those things which (indeed) they are not. And to these will Christ say, as in the Parable of the marriage:Mat. 12. 12 Friends how came yee in hither, which haue no wedding garment? And doubtlesse it cannot but bee a very desperate presumption to vndertake this charge without some conuenient proportion of sufficiency. Now if any man aske mee how came these thinges thus to passe? I will answere with the Gospell. The enuious man hath done this. Mat. 13. 28. The Diuel that wretch enuying the prosperity of the Gospell,Verse 30. hath sowne his tares among Gods wheate, which must grow vp together, vntill the day of the generall haruest.

By this little of muc [...], mayest thou vnderstand (Christian Reader) in what fashion the world is now suted: the greater number of men, turning their eyes of care from God and Religion, to looke to things of this world, with affectation. But bee thou perswaded, that whatsoeuer he bee, of what estate, degree, or condition soeuer, that doth not respect God, and the common cause of [Page] religion, more then his owne priuate, hee may happly haue the name of a Christian, but doubtlesse, he hath the mark of a reprobate, and God will both despise and iudge him in the generall day. For in this case are men disposed as Iobs cattell were: His Oxen were plowing, Iob. 1. 14 and his Asses feeding. So the better sort of men do euer trauell the common cause, but the worse their owne particular onely, and therefore worthy a worse comparison then Iobs asses. This knowledge haue I thought fitte to giue thee by way of admonition, that thou mayest pitty the common cause, and bee zealously affected in thy self with a desire of thy own reformation. God succeede thee in all thy works of holines, and may it be his pleasure that these poore labours of mine may bee some cause of thy reducing.

Amen.

The Contents of the Chapters contained in this Booke.

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The first Booke.

OF God. Chap. 1

Of the creation of the World, Chap. 2

Of the Angels, their nature, theyr fall. Chap. 3.

Of man his first beginning, & the state of his innocence. Chap. 4

Of the state of mans innocence before his fall. Chap. 5.

Of originall sinne, the fall and apostacy of man. Chap. 6.

Of the morall law of God, the ten commandements. Chap. 7

Of the accusation of conscience. Chap. 8

The second Booke.

[Page]OF the Gospell, the new couenant, or the couenant of grace. Chap. 1▪

Of Christ Iesus, the summe of the Gospell. Chap. 2

Of repentance, the sorrow of the soule for sinne. Chap. 3

Of Mortification. Chap. 4

Of Regeneration or now Birth. Chap. 5.

Of Iustification. Chap. 6.

Of the temporary death, and of the seuerall estates of saluation and damnation. Chap. 7

Of Gods glory. Chap. 8.

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O happy life when vaine affections die,

And when our hearts can holy works desire:

And when our soules with meditation flie

To God, who did them in our flesh inspire,

How base is earth to heauen that is aboue?

How vilde we value all, when God wee loue?

Potest miser dici, qui non potest esse. Seneca.

THE FIRST PART OF DIVINE DIrection, declaring the variable state of man, from the time of his Creation, to the time of his Regeneration.

THE FIRST PART OF DIVINE DIrection, declaring the variable state of man, from the time of his Creation, to the time of his Regeneration.

[Page] [Page]THE FIRST PART OF DIVINE DIrection, declaring the variable state of man, from the time of his Creation, to the time of his Regeneration.

Of GOD. Chap. 1.

WHen I first beganne to vnderstand of GOD, I had this imagination: that God was a general power,The generall knowledge of GOD. with-in whose Circle all things are, without whom nothing; by whome all things were made, and to whome all men owe theyr seruice.

This learning was taught mee by the wisedome of my Naturall soule, and by the common example of Christians: for all men acknowledge a God, [Page] and all Christians this dutie. This is the common knowledge, but not the profitable; more commendable in Philosophers then Christians: being without vse,How to know God, with vse. without application. I haue therefore better endeuored my selfe, and studied to know God my God: to knowe him in his Diuine nature, in the Trinitie of persons, and in their offices; for thus to knowe,To know Gods nature. and then to apprehend and applie, is saluation. To know GOD in his nature,His attributes. wee must know his attributes; all which may bee reduced to these two generals, Iustice and Mercie: in all which we must consider him to be infinite; infinite in wisedome, infinite in fauour,The Trinitie. infinite in power, infinite in time. The Trinitie is the distinction of persons without diuiding the substance or nature of God: the Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, though they bee three distinct in Name, they are one in power, without diuision, without inequalitie. The Sonne begotten as ancient as the Father; the holie Ghost proceeding from both, equall with both; no prioritie in their omnitencie; [Page] but all of them being alike able in all things, alwayes conspiring one end without discord.The foundation of Religion. This diuine mystery is the foundation of Christian religion, without which there is no faith, no saluation.

It is further necessary to know the Trinitie in their seuerall offices; for though the Godhead be so vndeuided,The seueral offices in the Trinitie. as that no one person in the Trinitie doth work without cooperation, the Father, Sonne, and holy-Ghost conspyring in euery acte of euery seuerall person; yet in the wisedome of their owne Decree, they haue determined to the seuerall persons of the Trinitie,The Trinitie conspire in euerie worke. seuerall executions of Offices: wherein though the whole TRINITIE cōspire, yet some one Person in the Trinitie hath the name of Principall:The Creator. therefore we say, GOD the Father made the World, the Sonne redeeemed it,The Creation ascribed to God the Father, the Sonne, and holy Ghost, cooperating. the Holie Ghost doth gouerne it. The Creation of the world is ascribed to God the Father, yet hee made the world, and the workes therein by his Word. This Word was God, the second person in the Trinitie, [Page] who did cooperate & worke with God in the Creation. The holie Ghost also moued vpon the Waters, to diuide the Seas and distinguish light: all of them ioyntly and seuerally executing the Decrees of their owne diuine councell.Redemption ascribed to God the Sonne.

The worke of Redemption is properlie ascribed to Christ, the second Person, who descended his Maiestie, and in his owne person came to make a conquest, of Sinne,The Father and the holie Ghost cooperating The holie Ghost doth gouerne the Word. Hell, and Death: Yet in this most gracious work, the Father and the holie Ghost were not absent, but gaue diuine assistance to our Blessed Sauiour IESVS. Christ when hee ascended, left the holie Ghost to be a patrone to the Catholique Church, the which in all occasions doth support euery member of the same; yet the Father and the Sonne haue their hands of prouidēce,The Father and the Sonne assisting. at all times working with the holy Ghost, in this diuine gouernement. Therefore howsoeuer they haue seuerall assignements, by themselues appoynted,One labour, one honour in the Trinitie. yet they all conspire in euery worke of holinesse, all of them participating one labour, one honour.

[Page]Thus to know God is needfull for euery soule that desireth happinesse, or that coueteth to haue part in the righteousnes of IESVS CHRIST, without whom there is no Saluation.

The Vse.

GOD beeing then of a Nature infinitely good,The vse▪ infinite great, it ought to moue in euery soule a double affection, loue, and feare: to feare him because he can destroy: to loue him, because hee will not. It ought also to prouoke all men to an imitation of GOD: that such to whome God hath giuen greatnesse,Men must liue in Gods imitation. they vse it with the moderation of mercie, which only is able to make the great good, and the honourable in place, honest of condition. For as GOD is, so good men, their soules are his Images, and their actions, his imitations.

Againe,Vse 2. GOD is a power, distinguished in three persons; the power is not deuided; euery Person in the Trinitie, hauing the Deitie equally, and in iust comparison; all of them but one God▪ [Page] and euery person GOD, all of them conspiring the same ends from Eternitie to Eternitie. This ought, but is not the condition of men. Princes and the great on Earth, are called Gods; these ought (like God) to combine themselues in holy action,Psal, 82. 6. and to bend their power against the enemies of God and man, sinne and the sinnefull; and not with implacable displeasure to destroy themselues,Such as are meerely politicke, and respect greatnesse without goodnes. their estates with ciuill disagreements. For though God say, they are Gods, hee saith, they shall dye like men: and if euill men, they are then no Gods, but diuels, enemyes to God, enemies to the good. And as in the nature of God, mercy doth triumph and hath preheminence: so in all the godlie, there is a gratious pittie, with which they are most affected,Mercie the best proofe of goodnes. and God himselfe best pleased.

Speciall Application.

When I had thus considered the nature of God,Speciall application. his omnipotencie, his mercie, [Page] and other attributes,This care is euery mans dutie. it caused me to question my owne life, and search the records of my owne actions; whereby I vnderstood the truth of my miserie; that I was guiltie,Mans deserrs. and deserued death and torment, and that the Iustice of God would giue sentence against mee. Then was the knowledge of Gods Maiestie a terror to me,The effects of a guiltie conscience. I conceiued in my feare the very formes of his indignation, and I beganne to feele in my soule the very torment of condemnation; as if God had giuen sentence, and my soule in the sense of execution. In this astonishment I remembred mercie,Mercie giues hope in greatest extremities. and that God was so delighted in the vse thereof, as that hee carefully watcheth cause and opportunity to giue it. I did therefore acknowledge and submit my selfe to fauour: God did descend his greatnesse,Acknowledgementmost necessarie. accepted my acknowledgement, and gaue me the allowance of his mercie; then I reduced to memorie what my Sauiour had done for the redemption of mankinde, what hee had promised the Faithfull, what the penitent. I belieued, receyued strength, [Page] and had my Hope established:The promises that belong to the faithful, and penitent onely. and growing bolde with these encouragements, I desired & obtained the Sonne of God, to restore mee the Spirite of God, to continue mee restored, reformed. Then could my soule receiue content in Diuine meditations; then I could despise the earthly profites, and the vaine pleasures of men:How to vnderstād the world. call them, and esteeme them as dongue, filthy, and that maketh filthie. Then I could iustly value the honours off this life, weigh them with Vanitie, and esteeme them lighter. Then I could discerne Vertue in Pouertie,How to iudge of good and euill. and Holinesse in a contemptible degree of Fortune. I could see the Patient beare theyr loade with alacritie, and secretly scorne at the base estimation of Earth.The benefite of patience.

Thus a reformed iudgement can teach to knowe and loue, know and hate: let me loue,To loue & hate. and be beloued of GOD: let me hate, and be hated of the world.

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¶Of the Creation of the World. Chap. 2.

THe creationThe Creation. of the world hath bene the admiration of all men that knew not GOD, The reason why the Creation is not beleeued of the-infidels. neyther beleeued Scripture: the reason was, because theyr vnderstandings (wanting Diuine light,) were not able to comprehend the knowledge of so high a secret. Therefore the Philosophers haue vainely and diuersly disagreed in their seuerall constructions of the beginning of the World:The vaine opinions of Philosophers. Some denying that the World euer had beginning, but that it was deriued (by the power of Nature) from all Eternitie,Their fond arguments. Epicures. and had eternall perpetuitie. To maintaine which absurditie, they would demaund how GOD made the World; what instruments hee vsed in the building of so wonderfull a frame,The answer. &c. Wherein may appeare theyr grosse misvnderstanding of God his Nature, that hee (like man) could not worke without the helpe of [Page] meanes and instruments: others more learned, more trew, concluded that of necessitie the world must haue beginning, and that there was a power Eternall, which made, moued, and gouerned all things, and that the world was not eternall: they had this sufficient argument, that the World did suffer detriment, and decay in it selfe: the Elements had lost the puritie of their Nature which they had in the beginning: the mouings of the Spheares and Celestiall bodyes, (which of all worldly things are most constant) had endured some alteration;All worldly things subiect to alteration. so that nothing in the world but did suffer and change, which could not bee if it were eternall. This grounded reason did cōuince the common opinion of the Worlds eternitie: and did preuaile with them that could not be perswaded but by the power of Reason. This I write, not to perswade Christians, but Insidels and Epicures: that they, who denye the iudgement of Diuinitie, may bee iudged by Reason, and the wisedome of Nature;The iudgement of Reason. which alone is able to Conuince all opposition. [Page] But to Christians I will onely write what GOD saith:How to satisfie & perswade Christians. for that may serue to informe and satisfie euery one that is Faithfull. Moses the seruant, the witnesse of Almighty God, being inspired by the Holie-Ghost, hath left recorded to all posteritie, the manner of the Creation of the World:The Scripture able, and onely able to satisfie to which authoritie, (not onely my selfe) but euery Faithfull Christian doth confidentlie adhere,Gen. 1. disclayming all contradiction, all diuersitie.

In the story of the Creation, is principally considered the Creator, GOD; and the Creatures, the worke of Gods creation. In the Creator is considered his power,A compendious vnderstanding of the creation. his purpose; his power in being able by his Word to finish a worke of such admiration. His purpose (not that hee needed any thing that hee had made, to supplie any defect in his Diuinitie) but for the vse of a creature which afterwards hee was to make, euen man: to whome hee gaue the Heauens,The World was made for man, & man for GOD. the Earth, and all the hoast of them for seruants, reseruing man for the seruice of himselfe only. In the Creatures is considered [Page] their original or matter of their Creation: and the order wherein they were created.The matter of the creation, nothing. This Originall was nothing: for God created all things by the power of his Word, without matter, there beeing nothing, whereof to make anything.The order God obserued. The order obserued in the Creation was, that God determining the World and the workes therein for the seruice of man, would (before he made man) store the world (mās house) with euery needefull prouidence,The World mans house. that man (at the very instant of his being) might knowe himselfe to bee in the fulnesse of Gods fauour: nothing wanting which might eyther administer to his pleasure or necessitie.The seuerall dayes work. Againe, in the Creatures themselues,1. Light: God obserued a speciall order. First, hee created Light, without which the workes of his greatnesse had not beene visible. Secondly, he created Heauen,2. Heauen. giuing that prioritie for the excellence and dignitie of the place.3 The separation of waters. Next, he made a separation of the Earth and Waters, and gaue the Earth a generation of all Plants, and Trees bearing seede. Then hee [Page] placed in the Firmament, the Planets, and Fixed Starres,4. Hee sto. reth the Firmament the which serue not [...] for Light, and to distinguish seasons, but also (by their influence) for the generation and gouernement of liuing creatures. Then God furnished the two Elements of Water and Aire,5. Fish and Birds. with creatures of that kinde. Last of all, hee stored the Earth with the Creatures which liue on that Element;6 Creatures liuing vpon the Ea [...]th. and when hee had finished the Creation of all things, hee then made Man after his owne similitude, and gaue him the possession of the World,When and how man was made. and the creatures hee had made: giuing him interest in all, and power ouer all,The power God gaue him. without exception. This knowledge of the Creation, is necessarie in the vnderstanding of euery Christian of carefull conscience; with which knowledge, the lesse Learned may satisfie themselues:The euill of curiositie. auoyding the curious search of such nice questions, as may distract the simple, and auaile not to saluation.

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The generall Vse.

The Knowledge of the power of God, in Creating the World doth admonish and remember all men:The Vse. that seeing GOD created all things, by the power of his Word, therfore the maine interest, and principall claime to all things created, remaineth to God onely; hee being the absolute owner without competitor;The maine interest of all things is in God. and that man hath only the vse and communication of Gods creatures, and that only with condition and limitation of time. Secondly, it doth perswade a reuerence to the Maiestie of God, and a feare of his displeasure: for that GOD, who is able by his Word to create of nothing any thing, is able also by his Word to destroy any thing, and make it nothing, or worse then nothing.

The purpose of the Creation of the world by God,The purpose of Gods creating the World. beeing for the vse & seruice of man, doeth remember all men, that the measure of the loue of God to mankinde, is infinite, who of his owne [Page] election, did please to make a Creature of such noblenes,The infinit measure of Gods loue. as to be called his Resemblance and Image; giuing him a soule of such Diuine nature, as nothing but God can be more: for whose sake God made the world, & stored it with the plentie of all things which might be fit eyther for vse or Ornament: all which God hath giuen man,Euery thing Created, is eyther for vse or ornament. onely requiring acknowledgement and thankful seruice; which condition if a man performe, God will then a thousand folde double his fauours. And whereas these are but transitory & passable pleasures, God will make them eternall and vnexpressable, both in number and worth: For hee that proueth a faithfull seruant, God will make him a Sonne, & crowne him with the glory of his Saints,God, will make his seruants his Sonnes. in the Kingdome of glorie, where there is a perpetuitie of all happines.

Secondly,Secondly. the purpose of Gods creating the World, for the vse of man, doth admonish all men to vse the Creatures of GOD with moderation and Christian iudgement;How to vse Gods creatures. not to despise them because they are Gods creatures, not to adore [Page] them, because they are but Creatures: but so to vse them, as they may supplye that purpose for which GOD created them.

Thirdly,Thirdly. seeing GOD created the world for mankinde, it doth remember vs not to appropriate the Creatures of God to our owne priuate endes, but to communicate their vse with all such as shall need them:All men haue propriety in all Gods creatures. for God gaue not the world to Adam onely, but to his posteritie also: therefore euery man is lawfully interested in the enioying of Gods creatures, if by lawfull and allowable meanes hee can attaine them. Againe, if a Christian mans necessitie require releefe, and fauourable supportation,Note. he hath a righteous claime to some part of the superfluous possessions of others: and he that shutteth vp his compassion against such necessitie, is guiltie of iniustice, and must answer the faulte at the barre of Death. For God he maketh his Sunne to shine vpon all indifferently,God gaue the world to mankind and not to any particular. and hee hath giuen the World and the Creatures therein to mankinde generally, and not to one man, one Family [Page] or one kingdome. This may reach and iudge the mercilesse, who can see and not relieue the extremities of men, of Christian men.

Speciall application.

The meditation of this power, of this loue of God, in crauing a World of creatures for the seruice of man,Speciall application. and seeing it hath pleased him to make mee a reasonable soule, and a sharer of these infinite blessings: I haue aduised with my soule to declare my selfe in all dutifull demonstrations to my God: and to vse the creatures hee hath giuen mee, with that moderation hee hath commanded: I haue made a Couenant with my soule,We ought not to appropriate that which God hath made common. that I will not appropriate that to my priuate, which God nath made common. If God giue me aboundance, I will open my liberality, I wil giue as God doth, to all, but carefully to the wants of faithfull men. I will remember that what I haue, I must vse, what I vse not I must bestow, least [Page] Gods talents bee without imployments, and so God discharge mee of trust. If God giue me wisedome and knowledge more then others, I will not bee silenced,How to imploy Gods talents. I will not obscure the grace and gift of God, I will not denie God, I will not deny the world my seruice, but in whatsoeuer God shall inable me, in that I will be industrious. If I can do nothing of desert, or common profire, yet I will waste my howres in holy meditation.A holy life is a continuall trauell. I haue vowed I will still trauell in holy exercise. When I cannot profite generally, I will pray generally. We are all the creatures of one God, the word of God gaue forme to euery creature: therefore euery thing that presents my eye, shall moue my holy meditations.How to occasion an holy meditation. When I behold the wonderfull frame of heauen, I shall reuise on the creation, and admire God his mercy, his maiesty. I shall remember the happinesse of heauen, and refresh my aduersity with hopefull confidence. When I consider the earth,Where to repose our hope. I shall remember the basenesse of my beginning, what I was in sin, what I am [Page] in grace. This shall teach mee to deny my selfe,To deny our selues is to gaine our selues. and wholly to depend on the fauour of God. When I see vnreasonable, noysome, or euill creatures, I shall haue cause of acknowledgement: for God might haue made me so, or worse. Lastly, when I shall see wicked men proude themselues in their vanities, I shall both pitty and glory:Pitty can respect our enemies. pitty the misery of their soules, & glory the Fortune of my owne. And thus with these and such meditations my soule shall breath content.

¶Of the Angels, their Nature, their fall. Chap. 3.

THat the angels were created is most certaine:The creation of Angels is supposed to be the first day of the Creation. the time of their creation is not certain, but doubtful & diuersly beleeued: many men spend their iudgements in coniectures: all such are more curious then Wife, [Page] because the truth thereof cannot certainely bee determined: neyther if it could, were the knowledge thereof necessary, or materiall to saluation: for whatsoeuer knowledge is necessary for the happinesse of our soules,Note. is by God himselfe taught in the testimony of holy Scriptures. This knowledge of the time of the creation of Angels, being not taught by God, doth make the search thereof vnprofitable,Ignorance is better then vnprofitable knowledge. Gods denying is a forbidding. vnlawfull: for God doth nothing at peraduenture, but all thinges in iudgement, and with the aduise of his diuine wisedome. God then hauing denyed this knowledge, doth forbid the search of this vnknowne, vnprofitable knowledge. That which I desire to know, which I desire to teach, is contained in the testimony of holy Scripture; the which denying me this knowledge of the creation of Angels, I forbeare to search the knowledge of Gods secrets;All necessary knowledge to salvation is contained in the scripture. and bee content rather to bee thought ignorant, then audaciously bolde with forbidden knowledge.

That which is needfull to be known [Page] of Angels,The nature, the office of Angels. The nature of their substance, Their quality. Power. Their office. is their nature, their office. In their nature must be cōsidered what they are in substance, what in quality. Their substance is of the nature of our soules; pure and spirituall, eternall (in respect of ending) and without corruption. In their quality is considered their power; being at all times, and vpon all occasions able for the execution of Gods seruice. Their office is, that they are Gods messengers; their imployment is eyther in iudgements or mercies. This compendium is the knowledge of them all in general before the fall and apostacy of Angels; all of them,The good and euill Angels were all created in one nature. the Angels and those that now are Diuels, being at their first creation, of one quality, one power, and one excellence of nature. After the fall of Angels, who for their vnsupportable pride, were cast from the presence of God into enternall darknesse & damnation, the Angels deuided themselues. The better part keeping their first estate,How the Angels were divided from the Divels. kept their entertainement with God, and continued his fauour and seruice. The worse deuiding themselues, [Page] left the seruice of God, [...]at the Diuels la [...]our. and the fellowship of good Angels, bend their whole endeuour against God, against his blessed [...] Angells, and against the Saints that loue and serue him. This apostacie and diuision of Angels, hath diuided thē in their natures, & in their offices:The care of [...]ood angels the good angels euer labouring the good of men: the euill angels to hinder and preuent the goodnesse of God, and good angels; labouring by all meanes to bring mankinde to their owne condemnation. In theyr offices likewise they disagrce;The full oposition of he good & [...]ill angels. for God dooth commonly imploy his good Angels in his workes of mercy, and fauourable protection. The Diuels he employeth in his iudgements and corrections, not that hee needeth their seruice, but that hee forceth them against their wils to his obediēce: these seuerall imployments of the good and euill angels, are not alwayes of necessitie though very common: for God doth often make his good angels destroy and inflict vengeance: and the Diuels he can vse in his workes of greatest [Page] mercy. And this the Diuels do not with content,God can apply the Diuels in the worke of his owne glory. but are eyther forced by the vnresistable power of God, or else they deceiue themselues in the end of their owne workings, God making that which they intend for euill, to reach an end farre beyond,In his works of mercy. and contrary to their expectation and purpose.

There is this difference also in the executions of their seuerall offices;The difference in the. liberty of good and euill angels the good Angels haue both liberty and pleasure in the seruice of almightie God; and they labour with content & alacrity. The diuels haue neither liberty nor pleasure, but being fettered with limitations, cannot doe what they would,And as good and euill angels, so good and euill men. but what they are onely licenced. The angels are Gods seruants, the diuels are his slaues: both labour in his worke, but with great inequalitie. Now to proue the substāce of this doctrine by the testimonie of Scripture, I might enlarge my selfe with the number of authorities; the which because they are frequent, I will produce only somefew, such as may satifie doubt. In the 104. Psalme, the Prophet admiring [Page] and praising God for his wonderfull creating and gouerning the Word, in the fourth vers.Psal. 104. 4. he saith: God made the spirits, (that is, the Angels) Messengers, and a flaming fire his Ministers. This verse is againe alledged by the author to the Hebrewes: who to proue the preheminence of the Sonne of God,Hebr. 1. 6. saith: that all the Angels worship him, and proueth by the testimonie of the Prophet Dauid, Hebr. 1. 7. that Angels are but Messengers, or Ministers: & that they are of a substance like fire or pure aire. By which testimonie is proued both the nature and the office of Angels: their nature, that they are spirits like fire; their office, that they are Ministers of Messengers. Their office is againe repeated in the 14. verse: Are they not all Ministring Spirites, Verse. 14. sent forth to minister for their sakes, which shall be heires of saluation; by which is declared the purpose of their ministration & seruice: that is, for the benefite of Gods Elect, both to preuent the enemie, and to further them in their holie exercise. To prooue the power of Angells, wee may remember what God by an Angell [Page] did for the Israelites in Egipt; Exod. 14. what he did when he brought them out by an Angell.2. King. 12. 35. God destroyed of Saneheribs Hoast in one Night 185000.Dan. 6. 16. An Angell preserued Daniell from the Lyons:Act. 12. 7. deliuered the Apostles out of Prison:Dan. 3. 23. the three Children from the Fornace: the Scripture is full of the demonstrations of theyr powerfull acts, God working his admirable effects by the seruice of his Angells. Againe, if wee reduce to memorie, the most memorable of all Gods mercies, we shall finde that in the execution, his Angels are eyther Ministers, or Messengers, and often both.

To omit all other particulars, that most worthie, most meritorious and happie: the Redemption of mankinde, by the birth, and by the death of Iesus Christ; were not the Angells continuall workers in that ministration? God sent his Angell Gabriell to bring the first newes thereof,Luk. 1. 26. &c. to the most blessed Virgin Marie. Luk. 29. Secondly,Luk. 2. 13. as soone as Christ was borne of the Virgin, the holie Angell did publish and preach it to the Shepheards; multitudes of Heauenly Soldiers [Page] praysing and magnifying God for so great a benefite. How often did the Angels visit and comfort our Sauiour? The Diuell could acknowledge that God had giuen his Angels charge to prouide,Luk. 4. 10. 11. that his Son should not hurt his foot (that is) should not perish in the least particular. Christ being in his agony vpon the mount, there appeared an Angell to him, comforting him. At his resurrection the Angels attend, and are the first publishers of that blessed newes.Luk. 22. 43. 44. Lastly,Luk. 24. 4. at his ascension the holy Angelles attend to bring him to the bosome of his Father,Act. 1. 10. 11. comforting the Apostles with the promise of his returne. Thus wee see by testimony of Scripture, what the Angels are, what their office is,The gracious disposition of good Angels. and how they are affected; of so gracious a disposition, & so inclinable to the good of men, that they haue ioy and consolation in Heauen among themselues at the Conuersion of a sinner. Luk. 15. 7. 10. Therefore in all respects of noblenesse and excellency, they are the most Soueraigne of all creatures, whom God hath ordained [Page] to be continual wayters in his holy presence.

It is by many doubted,A question. by some demaunded, whether men may not lawfully implore the fauor and assistance of angels: for in their reasons it dooth seeme equall, that seeing God hath giuen his Angels the charge of his elect, & hath made them ministring Spirites, Heb. 1. 14. The angels haue a charge of holy men. for their sakes which shall bee heyres of saluation, that therefore they implore their gracious protection, giue some acknowledgement of thanks to the holy Angels, by whom they haue helpe & supportation, in the passage of their Christian pilgrimage.The answer. First. To answer this, there is a double doubt to be resolued. First, I doubt whether euery faithfull christian man & woman, haue one particular Angell assigned them, and whether that Angel he at all times continually present. Secondly,Secondly, These doubts cannot be satisfied. whether the Angels of God not present, can heare the prayers of men directed to them. The first, that euery man hath his Angell assigned him, was neuer yet substantially proued: and that angels absent [Page] should be able to heare our praiers present, is dangerous to acknowledge; lest therby we take diuinity from God,We must not take from God to giue his Angels. and giue it to his Angels. And whereas they reinforce this argument with some examples in the Scripture, as in the 48. of Genesis, the 16. verse, Gen. 48. 16. where Iacob blessing the sonnes of Ioseph, sayth: The Angell which hath deliuered me from all euill, An answere to an obiection. blesse the children, &c. It is answered, that by Angell, Iacob here vnderstandeth God. Againe, if the words will not beare that construction, but that it must bee graunted to bee an Angel, the messenger or Minister of almighty God;God giues his speciall favour to speciall and choyse particulars. it is not therefore granted, that euery Christian hath the like degree of fauour as Iacob had; he being a speciall select, by whom God would declare himselfe to be wonderfull, giuing him extraordinary degrees of fauour, and extraordinary protection. Therefore the Angell of God did oftentimes assist him,Quaere. both in his griefe, and hopes; the Angell presenting himselfe to Iacob in a visible form; and Iacob wrastling with the Angel, the [Page] which familiarity hath not been granted but to some choyse particulars only. And Iacob doth not direct his praier to the Angell,We may pray to God, for the protection of angels, but not to the angels for Gods protection. but to God, that the Angel might protect his grandchildrē; and in praying for this extraordinary blessing for his children, he doth not conclude that therefore euery Christian man hath the like extraordinary fauour. They are therefore dangerously deceyued, who for giuing the holy Angels their demonstrations of thankes, giue them adoration and diuine worship; & so coueting to please, displease the holy Angels that attend them.

This is one extremity; there is another,Another extremity. and that is a remisnesse: when men acknowledge no reuerence, no respect to the dignity of holy angels. The holy men of all ages at the sight of an Angel would vse extraordinary respect of humility & reuerence.A reverence due to holy angels. Abrahā he bowed himself in reuerence to the ground and called the Angell Lord:Gen. 18. 2. 3. so likewise in the example of all the godly.Obiection. And though men obiect that in these times the angels do not present themselues, [Page] (as in the old world) in visible formes; and therefore they neede no reuerence,Answer. there being no knowledge of their presence. I answer, that though they appeare not in formes,The angels often present with vs in their spirituall nature. yet they are notwithstanding, often present in their spirituall natures: which though our corporall eyes cannot discerne, yet a spirituall iudgement and holy meditation will remember vs. And this is answerable to the iudgement of Saint Paul, who would haue men and women vse decency and respect, euen because of the angels.1 Cor. 11. 10. Therefore (saith he) ought a woman to haue power on her head (that is to bee couered) because of the Angels: for if there be a duety of reuerence to men, with whom wee conuerse, there is doubtlesse a reuerence also due to the holy angels that conuerse with vs.

The generall Vse.

This doctrine of the Creation, the nature, the power, and the office of angels, doth admonish and remember al [Page] men to make these and such like profitable vses.

First,Vse. 1. The angels are witnesses of Gods power. it doth remember vs the mighty power of God, and that in a double respect. First, in being able by the power of his word, to create a Creature of that excellence and power of nature: in nature excellent, in number infinite. Secondly▪ God attended by angels. in being serued and attended by this infinite number of powerfull creatures, one whereof is able (if God please to commaund) to destroy the world and all the generations on earth. God then being of such infinite power in himselfe, in his seruants the Angels: it ought iustly to moue al men to a reuerence of so great a Maiestie: and to a feare to prouoke a power so able and infinite.The second vse. Againe, the apostacy of those angells that fell from theyr obedience, and first state of happines, doth admonish all men, that seing the Angels, of such power, of such excellence, and so neare God in his fauour,The fall of angels doth disswade security and presumption. in his presence, were tempted to fall from so great happinesse, that no man therefore bee secure or presume in the [Page] confidence of his owne trust; but dayly to begge, and wholly to rely vpon the mercy and providence of GOD, without whom there is no safety, no security. The greatest power in the world being but weaknesse without the strength of his supportation. Secondly, as Saint Peter sayth:) If God spared not the Angels that had sinned, 2. Pet, 2. 4. 6 but cast them downe into hell, and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse, to bee kept vnto damnation: Their damnation doth conclude the damnation of euill men. neyther will hee spare the transgressions of men, that of knowledge and purpose offend him, For the angels are greater then men,Vers. 11. both in power and might: if God then spare not the better, hee will not spare the worse, but cast them likewise into chaines of darkenesse, to bee kept vnto damnation.The third vse. Againe, though the angelles were of this excellency and dignity of nature, and although many of them did fal from their state of innocence,Christ did restore the falling man, not the falling Angels. as Adam afterwards did: yet the Redeemer of the world Christ Iesus, did not vouchsafe to take their nature and redeeme them, but left them in the [Page] iudgement of condemnation, vndertaking and finishing the worke of Redemption for men and not for Angels.Heb. 2. 16. 17. 18. And this ought to prouoke all men to a zealous affection of loue towards God, who gaue his onely begotten, his onely beloued Sonne for the redemption of men, preferring them in his loue before the Angels that had offended. Lastly,The fourth vse. in that the Angels of God are commonly present with christian men in their spirituall natures,Heb. 1. 14. being sēt of God to minister for their sakes that shall bee heyres of saluation: It doth remember vs first, the wonderfull loue of God to mankind, in being content that his choyse seruants the Angells, that wayte in his presence, neare the person of his Maiestie, should be imployed about men, in the seruice of their saluation. Secondly,Secondly▪ it ought to moue men to a precise reuerence,A respect due to the reuerence of Holy Angels. in the common behauiour of their liues: that they forbeare not onely the committing of grosse and capitall sinnes: but all vnseemelinesse both of words & actions, (as Saint Paul sayth) for the [Page] reuerence of Angels.1. Cor. 11, 10. For as Diuels are banished frō the possessed by prayer, and holy exercise: so the good Angells then leaue our company,Note. when we delight in wicked or vnseemely behauiour.

Speciall application.

This knowledge of the mercy,Speciall application. of the power of God in creating the Angels, and appointing them to minister to all the children of grace, shall bind me in the most assured bonds of duety and thankefull acknowledgement to my God.To repose in God is assurance of safety. I will also confidently repose in the trust of Gods prouidence, being assured that himselfe, that his holy Spirit, that his Angels are my supporters. I will neuer despayringly feare the euill of men, of Diuels, or what euill power soeuer; because I know whose I am, and in whose company. I will reforme the errours of my life, and watch my behauiour, I will endeauour to auoyde both sinne and vnseemelinesse in all [Page] my actions; that thy holy Angels may loue and not loath my fellow shippe: I will so endeauour that my conscience may assure me I am thine, appointed to saluation;Heb. 1. 14. and therefore in the protection of Angels I shall also receiue content and a pleasure vnexpressable; that thy holy Angels haue ioy in Heauen at the newes of my saluation.Luk. 15. 7. Holy and blessed spirites, they are so delighted with the vse of mercy, as that they reioyce and congratulate the prosperity of men. O my God, I will acknowledge thy greatnesse, and thy goodnes in the creation of Angels: I will damne their infidelity that beleeue it not: thou hast sayde it, who dare question it? I will therefore beleeue it, acknowledge thy power, prayse thy mercy,The Saduces deny that there are Angells and (with reuerence) remember the office and ministration of thy holy Angels.

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¶Of Man his first beginning, and the state of his Innocency. Chap 4

WHen God had created the world, & had giuen being and proportion to al creatures saue mā; that he mightconclude his labor with a work of extraordinary admiration,Man the most excellēt of Gods worke. he then made man, giuing him the possession of the world hee had created: In this worke of God there are these considerations. First,First. the aduise & deliberation of the Trinity, in determining this work:Gen. 1. 26. God said, Let vs make man, &c. Secondly,Second. God made man of a preexistent matter, not creating him of nothing as hee did the other Creatures: The Lord also made Man of the dust of the ground, Gen. 2. 7. &c. Thirdly,Thirdly. man [Page] was made in the image of God, and according to his likenesse. Gen. 1. 26. Let vs make man in our image, and according to our likenesse. Fourthly,Fourthly. the rule and gouernment God gaue man ouer all creatures; giuing him liberty ouer all, to vse them in their kinde with moderation: And let them rule ouer the fish of the sea, Gen. 1. 26. & ouer the sowle of the heauen, & ouer the beasts, and ouer al the earth, and ouer euery thing that creepeth and moueth on the earth, vers. 26 Fiftly,Fiftly. is to be cō sidered the end of mans Creation which is for the glory and honour of God that made him.Isay. 43. 7. Euery one shall be called by my name, for I created him for my glory, formed him & made him. These particulars are most materiall, and of nearest consideration in the creation of man, and because of their importance, I will somewhat dilate vpon euery particular. First of the aduise and deliberation God vsed when hee formed man: God sayd, Let vs make man. Gen. 1. 26. When he created the World, and the Workes therein, he sayde, Let there be, and there were; but when hee commeth to make [Page] man, he sayth, Let vs make by whom he putteth a difference betwixt man and euery other creatur,The difference God made between man and his other c [...] tures. that as man should excell all other in the excellency of his nature, and in the purpose of his end; so God would honour him aboue all in the manner of his Creation. Let vs, that is, the three persons in the Trinity, the Father, Son, and holy Ghost; the which at the making of man, are personally vnderstood: at the creating of the world, they are not personally, but generally vnderstood, in the vnity of their Godhead,Note. For so I vnderstand the words of Gods creating, Let there bee, to be meant by the Godhead indiuisible; the words, Let vs make, to bee meant by the persons distinguished. And though no man can bee able to giue a reason of the secret will of God: yet this may bee imagined,A supposed reason of Gods secret will. that seeing the world and all the creatures therein (saue man) haue only a generall respect to the honour of God, & therfore were they by the generall power of Gods diuinity created: but man (being determined in the counsell of God) that [Page] hee should bee an occasion that the whole Trinity should haue diuine exercise in the gouernement of his life;The Trinity haue divine exercise in the governement of man. and euerie one in their seuerall assignements, as should please themselues to appoint: therefore God (in the Trinity of persons) made man, because afterwardes in the Trinity of persons hee was to gouerne him. God he gaue man a law,God the Father gaue man a law. which he being not able to keepe, did condemne him. Christ the second person, moderateth the law, & giueth the Gospell,Christ moderateth the law, and giveth the Gospell. The holy Ghost moueth grace. promising saluation to all that will beleeue. The holy Ghost he moueth in the harts of Gods elect, and giueth grace to apprehend by faith, the meanes of saluation. Thus are they personally busied in the gouernement and preseruation of man; thus were they personally at his Creation.The matter of mans creation. The difference God made in the creation between man and all other creatures.

The second consideration, is the matter of mans creation. And this in a double respect is considerable, in the person of God; first, God when he formed other creatures, hee required no matter, but gaue them beeing by his [Page] word. But when hee formed man, hee first prepared his matter, then gaue the forme, and created man. Wherin God doth vse a double care, a double diligence; not that hee could not create man of nothing as he had the rest of his creatures, but he did it in the wisedome of his diuinity,The reason why God made man of a preexistent matter. for respect and causefull consideration. First, to expresse his double, or rather his manifold affection to that creature. Secondly,Secondly. to preuent the proude imagination, man might haue of the noblenesse of his nature,The naturall pride of flesh. it being yet in the pride of our flesh; to boast our descent, and to deriue our families from antiquity and greatnesse.

The third consideration is the distinguishing forme of man,The forme of man his soule. his reasonable soule, whereby God doth distinguish him from all the Creatures of earth, giuing him reason and discourse to in able him for the gouernement of the world. This is considerable in these respects. First, the order God obserued in the creation: God first made the world, afterwards hee made man, [Page] and gaue him the possession.The order God vsed at the making of man. So when hee made man, he first framed the body, then formed the soule, Hee made not the body and soule at one instant, but in their times, and in order: for when hee had made the house, he then put in the tenant, & not before. Secondly, is considered the excellency of the nature of our soules.The nature of our soules. Gen. 2. 7. For God neyther made nor created our soule, but inspired it by the vertue of his diuinity. Gen. 2. 7. The Lord God also made man of the dust of the ground, there is the matter of his body. And breathed in his face the breath of life: there was the nature and excellence of his soule; being the breath of almighty God, diuine, spirituall & eternall. And the man was (then) a liuing soule: The soule is the distinguishing forme of man. for before God inspired the soule, was man onely framed and not formed, his reasonable soule being that which doth distinguish him from all other creatures, being (in respect of his soule) the nearest resemblance to Gods diuinity.Gen. 1. 26 Man is Gods image in respect of his reasonable soule. For so God determining his creation, sayth: Let vs make man in our own image, according to our likenes. Mans [Page] soule, being (in respect of reason & eternity, a resemblance of Gods diuinity.

The fourth consideration,Fourthly. is the rule and gouernment God gaue man ouer all creatures. Gen, 1. 26.Gen. 1. 26. And let them rule ouer the fish of the seas &c. First, it is considered, that God by giuing man this authority,With what cautions God gaue man government. doth not disinable himself of the gouernment of his owne creatures, but doth reserue to himselfe the Soueraigne regality; giuing man a stewardship, and superintendance onely.Psal. 24. 1 The earth (sayth holy Dauid) is the Lords, and all that is therin, the round world, and they that dwell therein. Secondly,Secondly in that it is sayd, God gaue them rule, &c. there is a double consideration. First, that God communicateth his power to mankind in generall, not to this or that particular.The generall descent of power deriued vpō all. For God speaketh in the plurall number, Hee gaue them, and not him power, &c. So that the power is deriued vpon all, and not vpon one, or any number of certaine particulars. Againe, these words, hee gaue them, haue relation to the words, he created them. Gen. 1. 27.Gen. 1. 27. God created the man in [Page]his image, in the image of God created hee him, he created them male and female. So when he gaue man the gouernment of the world, hee sayth, He gaue them that is,The man and woman had a like authority in Gods creatures. the man and the woman: for as God did not deuide them in their Natures, so hee would not diuide them in the vse and gouernment of his creatures, but whatsoeuer is lawfull to the one, is lawfull to the other; both of them hauing equall and indifferent power in the vse of Gods creatures.

Lastly,Fiftly. is considered the end of mans creation,The end of mans creation. which is, that God may bee glorified in the seruice of so noble a creature. I say, 43. 7.Isay. 43. 7. I created him for my glory, formed him and made him. God is glorified or honoured in a double respect.Note. First, in acknowledgement. Secondly, in personall seruice. In acknowledgements, when men haue a thankefull remembrance of Gods mercy in the creation, and in the Redemption of mankind. This acknowledgement is declared in the meditations, prayers,How we should declare our thanks to God. thankesgiuings, and reuerence of holy men, to the Name, the Memory, [Page] and the maiesty of God. In the 15. of Exodus, the second verse, Moses acknowledging Gods mercy in theyr deliuerance sayth:Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is my strēgth and prayse, and hee is become my saluation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a tabernacle: hee is my Fathers God, and I will exalt (or honor) him. And the Prophet Dauid hath it common in his holy meditations, that he will honour God in his acknowledgements; and condemneth the hypocrisie of euill men, that honour God with their lips, and haue their hearts farre from him. And Saint Paul in the heate of his zealous affection, calleth this glory his reioycing, and disclameth euery other obiect of glory,Gal. 6. 14. but Iesus Christ, and him crucified. Secondly,Secondly. God is honoured in the personall seruices of men, and that is when they carefully trauell in the exercise of such Christian duties, as he hath commanded.How wee should glorifie God in personall seruice. This hath relation to that conditionall proposition of our Sauiour Christ: If you loue mee keepe my commandements. For if we neyther keep nor endeuour to keepe his commandements, [Page] we loue not; and whom we loue not, we cannot honour. And as Christ sayth of himselfe. The works which I doe, be are witnesse of mee, &c. So the endeuours of our liues,Ouractions witnesse our affections. witnesse what we are, and whether wee honour God, and loue him or not. These fiue particulars, are the maine considerations to be regarded in the creating of man. In the creator is remembred his deliberation, Let vs: in the Creation, the matter and the forme; the matter earth, A compendium of the chapter. the forme Gods breath. In the creature, his rule, his end: his rule, he was Steward, and superintendent Lord ouer all: his end, the glory and seruice of his creator God.

The generall Vse.

The generall vse of this doctrine,The Vse is a general acknowledgement of duty that all men owe to God their creator,Man made noble out of basenesse. who (of his owne accord) hath beene pleased to make man so noble a creature, of so base a matter; to endow him with a [Page] soule so neare the nature of his diuinity, to giue him such rule, to ordayne him such an end, equall to the honour of Angels,Note. equall to their happinesse This may remember all men what God had done for them, what God doth expect from them. It may remember all, what they were, what they are, what they shall be, what they should be. This knowledge may both remember and admonish; it will also preuaile in all their hearts that haue the least mouings of Gods holie Spirite in them. For he that knoweth this, considereth it,The reprobate onely are carelesse in the state of their saluation. and is not mooued, doth declare against himselfe, and doth iudge himselfe to bee reprobate, who fayling in the purpose of a Christian life, doth not only disinherit himselfe of Gods gift, which is earth, but of Heauen, which hee would giue; and doth by that act of disobedience, both depriue himselfe of Gods fauor (which is happinesse) and purchase to himselfe a state of damnation,What hee gaineth that leeseth Gods fauor. infinite in time, infinite in torment. Secondly, seeing man was made ofso base a matter, of [Page] the dust of the ground,The disgrace of ambitious and aspiring spirits. the basest part of the basest element, it doth disgrace the pride and ambitious spirits of men, who vaunt themselues in the noblenesse of their descent, or in the prosperity of their fortunes. For God hath giuen one and the same beginning to all men; the honourable and the base, the rich and the poore, beeing all deriued from one first matter, a matter so base, as nothing could be more, being the refuse & of-scourings of the earth, which all of vs were in our first matter,Gen. 3. 19. before our creation; which all of vs shall be in our graues, where we shal al be reduced and brought backe to our first matter. This being considered, how vaine a folly is it for men to proud themselues in their prosperities,Pride the vainest folly in mans nature. and disgracefully to repute men for their difference of fortune? for the best man is but base earth, and the basest man is created in Gods image; all of one nature, and in one office, and all to one end ordayned. Therefore in a Christian indgement, there is no difference of men, but the difference of good & bad. And [Page] this inequality is not in their nature,What the true difference of men is. but in the corruption and defect of nature. And the fasest way to esteeme men, is to compare them in their gifts of grace, and not of fortune. For (with God) the least spirit of grace,The difference of grace and fortune. though in the lowest degree of fortune, doth out-value, and is able to disgrace the greatest state in the world (if not gracious.)

Speciall application.

This knowledge of my creation,Application. shall resolue me in my dutifull obedience to God; that seeing his hands haue fashioned me,1. Cor. 3. 17 A reformed resolution. and that his mercy hath made my body a Temple or a Sanctuary for his holy Spirit to dwell in, therefore I will carefully keepe this body. this temple from the filth of sinne, and indeuour my selfe in such holy exercise, that my soule may haue the perpetuall fellowshippe of the Holy Ghost, without which, there is no happines, no saluation: I will refrayne to company with the leprosie of sinne, lest I [Page] runne into their danger, and defile my body, this temple with diseased company. I will hate the imitation of mens vices, I will not bee tempted with their Fellowship; because I know that when I prophane my body, the temple of the holy Ghost,Holy bodies Gods temple. I shal banish that sweet society, frustrate my hope, and wound the quiet of my conscience. (O my God) of base earth thou madest me a noble Creature; I had no life, no soule before thou inspired it, thou gauest me reason and vnderstanding to inable mee fo [...] thy diuine seruice; thou hast ordayned mee thy seruant;God that gaue grace, can onely continue it. thou hast giuen mee entertainement: continue mee (I besee [...]h thee) in this seruice; let my soule, let my body, let euery power, let euery part thereof, haue theyr imployments: I desire no change, I was thine from the beginning, continue me for euer. Thy selfe (O my God) inspired my Soule,What our soule is. it is thy breath, and therefore precious, it was thine before I had it, helpe mee to keepe it in the time, and in the danger of my pilgrimage, and when thou [Page] shall call it home, I will gladly breath it backe, for with thee there is onelie safety, with thee there is happinesse without time,How and where to repose our confidence. without measure. In the meane time keepe me from the danger of leesing: let mee walke in the directions of thy holy Spirite. I am not able to moue my selfe in an holy course, if thy hand lead not, I shall eyther faint or wander: O keepe mee from both;A needfull care. that I may trauell the passage of my life with alacrity and spirituall profite, that this earth, this body of earth may passe to his graue in hope, and that this breath, this soule may returne from whence it came with confidence. This is the happinesse for which I wil only endeuour, for which I will alway pray (O my God) thou hast made me resolute.

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Of the State of mans Innocence before his fall. Chap. 5.

THat man was created good,Man created innocent. holy, & innocent is euident by the testimony of Scripture, neyther is it doubted of the christian world to whom I write. Therfore I shall lesse need to trauell in the search of authorities, neyther spend time & words to proue a general grant. For when God had ended the worke of his creation, the holy Ghost saith, that [...]ee viewed all that hee had made, Gen. 1. 31. and loe [...] was very good. For God being the fa [...]her and fountain of goodnesse,Nothing but good can be deriued from God. it was [...]ot possible that any thing that was e [...]ill should bee deriued from him▪ but [...]ike himselfe, so his worke was perfect [...]y good; no blemish, no defect. It is [...]herfore generally to be beleeued, that [Page] Adam at his first creation was holy and innocent, no defect of nature, no corruption of sinne: and that God gaue him the liberty of free will, and power (if so he would) to continue his estate of happinesse.Ecclus. 15. 14. 15. From this doctrine of the free-will of man before his fall,Free-will. hath risen much controuersie, and strife of words, the knowledge whereof is more dangerous thē profitable in the vnderstandings of the simple and vnlearned:The euill [...]. of men. all men being naturally desirous to know or seeme to know those intricate and nice questions, and few that haue sufficient wisedome ey [...]her to deliuer or iudge them. I will therefore sparingly deliuer my iudgement.

Adam in the state of his innocence,ADAMS condition in the state of his innocence. had this condition of happinesse: First, he was in the ful fauor of God, a ioy vnexpressable. Secondly he had the world & the creatures therein for his vse and pleasure, all which were then perfectlie good. Th [...]rdly, hee had power giuen him of God to continue this happines to himselfe and his posterity for euer. The first, [...]hat he enioyed the full fauor [Page] of God is proued in the proofe of the [...]econd and third;ADAM rich in spirituall and temporall blessings. for the giftes both [...]emporall and spirituall which GOD gaue him, doe well declare the infinit measure of Gods loue to him: God giuing him all that was created, and [...]ore then was created: a diuine soule, [...]nd with that such induments of grace, [...]s made him a creature most excellent [...]nd happy:Secondly For the second, that God gaue him. the possession of the world, [...]oth for his vse and pleasure, is already proued. Yet more, God for an extraordinary demonstration of his fauour, planted a Garden in Eden, Gen. 2. 8. v. of admirable variety,Ver. 9. both for vse and ornament: For out of the ground made the Lord God [...]o grow euery tree pleasant to the sight (that [...]as for ornament,ADAM had all things needfull both for vse and ornament.) and good for meate (that was for vse) the tree of life also in the [...]iddest of the garden, & the tree of know [...]edge of good and euill.

These were there both for the beau [...]y of the place, and for the tryall of [...]ans obedience. And God gaue Adā [...]berty to eate thereof (freely) of eue [...]e tree in the Garden,ADAMS liberty and restraint. onely prohibiting [Page] him to taste of the tree of knowledge. These benefites, this bountie was large; yet doth God still inlarge himselfe in his fauour to Adam, and deuiseth to make him an helpe fitt for him;Gen. 2. 18 for he sayd, It is not good for man to bee alone: As if God did labour his inuention to deuise for the good, and for the helpe of man.Ver. 20. Therefore hee caused all the creatures to come before Adam, but among them all hee found not an help meet for him. Vers. 22. Then God made woman, and gaue her for the consolation of man. Thus did God deriue his blessings by degrees vpon man,The degrees of Gods fauor to ADAM. still inlarging the measur of his bounty and goodnes towards him. So as there wanted nothing, which in the Wisedome of God was thought fit for mans prosperity. Lastly, to all these fauours,Free-will in ADAM before his fall. GOD yet giueth one, more then all; and that was a free will and power in himselfe to deriue these infinite blessings vpon himselfe and his posterity for euer; no mixture of griefe to distaste them, no death to depriue them; but themselues and these pleasures to bee infinite and vnspeakeable. [Page] And yet more, that all these and theyr continuance,The easie condition betweene God and ADAM. was giuen vpon such easie condition, as (in our imaginations) could hardly tempt a reasonable man to a small forfeit: An apple, perhaps no better, or not so good in taste, as many other in the garden, whereof Adam might haue freely eaten, without feare, without forfeit.Witnesses of Gods loue. All this doth but witnesse the infinite loue of God to his creature man, who gaue him so greate a power, and had proposed so inestimable a reward for so small a seruice. Here I might inlarge my selfe with the contētious opinions of men in this argument,Much needlesse controuersie in this argument. all which of purpose I auoyd, because I had rather speak to mens vnderstandings with profite, then be vainly curious

The generall Vse.

This (as doth the former) doth remember all men,The Vse how surpassing the loue of God was to mankinde, who (notwithstanding man was made of a [Page] matter so base and vnworthy, as nothing like him: yet doth GOD descend his Maiesty to dignifie his basenesse; and did heape such honour, such sauour vppon man, as made him the most excellent, and the most happy of all the creatures of God; giuing him felicity and power to continue it; which of all the blessings and gifts of GOD was the greatest. For that is thought to bee the greatest misery to haue been happy,To haue been happy is a misery. and to be altered: and the greatest happinesse is to bee able to continue happy. Which power God gaue to the liberty of man, to be, or not to bee happy for euer. This extraordinary degree of fauour to our first Father Adam, doth deserue thankefull acknowledgement from all men, because the fauour did reach to all the generations of Adam euen to vs, and to them that shall succeede vs for euer. All men being then in Adam, and Adam then a compendium of all men: the honour and the grace being conferd to euery man in generall without exception of any.

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Speciall application.

Seeing God hath thus honored my father Adam, Speciall application. inlarging his beneuolence to him aboue the rest of his creatures: and seeing this was not giuen to Adam onely,Whatsoeuer was giuen to ADAM, was giuen to euery particular. but to his posterity for euer, euen to my selfe being a sonne of Adam, and deriued from his beginning: I do therefore acknowledge my selfe in as great a debt of beholding to my God, as Adam my Father, to whom God gaue these blessings by name, and in speciall manner, my selfe being interested in the benefite, as well as Adam: nor Adam being able to out-trude mee from this fauour, and continue himselfe: but as his sinne made himselfe & me both alike miserable, so a constant continuing in his innocency hath made vs both eternally happy, without feare, without hazzard, no interruption. I will therefore aduise with my selfe,A Resolution. what honour, what thankes, what seruice is due from Adam vnto God: I [Page] will compare the infinite greatnesse of God to Adams nothing;Note. I will measure them in the infinite distance of their worths;God was only moued to fauour by himselfe. I shall study to know what desert, what moouing cause could prouoke God to those degrees of fauour. I will search this desert in the excellence of mans nature. I shall doubtlesse fayle, though I search there with diligence. I will then resort to the mercy of God, and there inquire; there I shall rightly vnderstand this knowledge. For thy selfe (O God) did moue thy selfe to these effects. Thy mercy did moue thy maiesty,Mercy doth moue maieiesty. thy fauour thy power. Thy goodnesse did perswade thy greatnesse, thy greatnesse did effect what thy goodnesse caused. Thus was God tempted by himselfe, to dignifie my Father Adam. Adam could bee no cause of his owne honour,ADAM no cause of his owne good. because it was in Gods decree before Adam had being. Therefore had Adam the greater cause of thankefulnes; that God did please (without cause) thus to aduance him. Adams honour was mine, Adams duty is mine. I am as strictly bound in [Page] my obligation to God, as Adam my father was.Resolution. I will therefore (with my best diligence) endeuour to bee constant in that duty wherein hee fayled, And though Adam hath disinherited both mee and all his posterity, of that power which he had to performe this diuine acknowledgements: yet will I striue with my nature, to reforme my errour, and to come as neare as I can in the imitation of Adams innocence.We must contend against our own nature. Thus let mee euer be resolued to contend against the corruption of my nature, and (with an holy ambition) to couet to equall, or exceed the honour and happy state of my Father Adam in his innocence. Againe, seeing God did make mee so wonderfull in my frame, so excellent in my Nature, I will therefore (with modesty and reuerence to God) esteeme my selfe.How and for what wee ought to esteeme our selues. I will vnderstand, and remember that God hath made me a creature of note, ordayned for holy endes, and made the mayster of infinite other creatures. I will remember that my soule is the diuine breath of God, my body [Page] a Temple for his holy Spirite. I will therefore bend my endeuour to fashion the gouernement of my life (in some proportion) to this excellence of nature. I will hate the company and imitation of euill, because God hath created me good: I will value the prosperity of my soule, before the possession of the whole world: I will bee iealous of my selfe, and will carefully feare to giue entertainement to any euill cause,How Christians should bee affected. that may depriue or corrupt me: I will loue my owne saluation before all but God; because God did honour me aboue all but himselfe, in my creation. Thus may I lawfully (with religious modesty) esteeme my selfe. God did grace me in my creation, God will double that grace in my saluation. For this I earnestly expect, I pray.

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Of Originall sinne, the fall and apostacy of Man. Chap 6.

WHen man was in the height of his prosperity, hauing all things requisite to make him both happy and great, and wanting nothing that might administer the fulnes of cō tent to his desire: he is then suddenly (by himselfe) cast from these pleasures into a state most miserable,Man did degrade himselfe. depriuing himselfe and posterity, not onely of the pleasures, but of the vse-full necessaries of this life, and that which is infinitely more worth then the rest, the fauour & presence of God, which of it self (without addition) is able to make the enioier most absolute in his felicity.Gods fauor the highest benefite. Thus in a trice, was Man (the glory of Gods workmanship) by sinfull disobedience [Page] spoyled of his innocence; which when he wanted, his very nature then endured alteration;A strange alterarion. and hee that but latelie was made Lord of all the World, is now made subiect to all extremities. This one touch of sinne, being of that infectious nature, that (like a leprosie) it spreades ouer his whole nature; his body,A generall decay. his soule, his workes, nay his very affections are infected with this venome, his holinesse, innocence, and all his diuine graces abandon his nature, not daigning to comfort in the fellowship of sinne. God (also) who had made him so wonderfull, and had so wonderfully enricht him with benefites,What bitter effectes sinne causeth. takes off the maiesty & ornanaments he had giuen him, inuesting him with pouerty, and extremities of fortune. And whereas before hee had made him immortall, hee now makes him subiect to the stroke of death, and in this array, thus altered, hee excludes him his sacred presence:ADAM being a compendium of all, brought destruction on all when hee sinned. this sinne, branding not onely Adam with this disgrace, & these deformities, but himselfe and his posterity for euer, being all disgraced [Page] from their innocence, and degraded from their excellence of Nature. Now would I chalenge the best inuention in the World, to describe Adam in the griefe of this alteration. It is not in the power of any mans inuention to doe it,An vnutterable measure of griefe. there are not words, nay imagination hath not thoughts to conceiue it. For to fayle in the search of prosperity, i [...] [...]n admirable degree of griefe; but to be depriued is a torment, and doth require extraordinary patience. Thus much in generall.

In the fall and Apostacy of man,Considerations in this argument. is principally considered these particulars. First, from whence hee fell. Secondly, to what hee fell: the infinite variety of questions depending necessarily vpon these two particulars; the which (of purpose) I contract, for order, and for the easie vnderstanding of the simple.First from what ADAM fell. First, is to bee considered, from what hee fell; and that was from the fauour of God, considered in the excellence and innocence of mans nature: in his large induments of grace, in his power, and in his possession of [Page] pleasure:ADAM had an absolute measure of pleasure. in all which respects, Adam (the first man) was so aboundantly fauoured, as that his soule could desire no inlargement: God hauing giuen him so manie and so great demonstrations of his loue, as made him distinguished from all other creatures. This doctrine is aboundantly proued in the Chapters before of the Creation of man,Gen. 2. and of his innocence: I will therefore forbeare to multiply arguments in so plaine a proofe,Secondly. To what ADAM fel. For the second, to what esta [...]e hee fell, this is familiarlie knowne in the experience of euerie mans life; the most fortunate of euery mans life, beeing full of the markes of this misery For to vnderstand our selues, is rightly to vnderstand what Adam was in his sinnes;The miseries of this life. and the miserable change he endured by the alteration of his Fortunes, doth giue vs particular knowledge in the misery of our owne condition. Adam our Father by generation, was the Father also of our corruptions;ADAM, the parent of our corruption. and wee his generation, deriuing our Substance and Natures from him, haue with them deriued [Page] his sinne, and the punishment thereof;How wee are guilty by ADAM. the which as they were inseparable in the nature of Adam, at, and after his fall: so are they necessarily descended downe vpon vs his posterity: [...]he trespasse being in him from whom wee are all deriued, makes that wee are all guilty of the sinne of Adam, and all deseruers of the like punishments. This is Saint Paul his iudgement.Rom. 5. 12 Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne, and so death went ouer all men: for as much as all men haue sinned. As Adam was, so are wee: such a father, such children. To know him, wee must view our selues, and to know our selues we must view him. The [...]est way to vnderstand our nature, is [...]o consider it in Adam; but to vnderstand his fall and the miserie thereof,ADAMS misery is palpable in our calamity. it [...]s palpably euident in the knowledge of our owne particulars, the torments of our transitorie life are sufficient arguments to perswade and resolue vs. Here I might spend much time in the [...]epetition of much misery, and rip vp [...]he wounds and sorrowes of our mortall [Page] life:The variable turnings of fortune. the knowledge is necessary, but not in this place, beeing commonlie taught in the common experience of our liues, where the extremities of fortune, and her variable turnings, remember all men the miserable condition of sinfull man; there being no man but doth sometime taste the bitternesse of mortall life: all men being at all times subiect to all extremities. In the booke of Ecclesiastic. 40. there is a catologue of the miseries of mans life,Ecclus. 40 from the 1. verse to the twelfth. all which happen to vs for the sin of Adam, because we are his sonnes, and were with him at the committing of his sinne. And this to Adam might iustly bee one torment in his misery, that by his sinne, hee did not onely depriue himselfe of the inestimable worth of Gods fauour:ADAMS torment. but also brought the like condemnation vpon his seede, and theyr seed for ouer, by his one sinne ouerthrowing the blessed estates of many millions of people, as if at one blow he would haue cut off the heades of a world of people. And doubtlesse but the sorrow for leesing the fauour of God, Adam could not [Page] haue a greater then this,Note. because there is nothing doth more moue griefe and pitty in gentle minds, then a compassion of generall calamities,The nature or compassion. especially then when they are caused by their misfortune, that haue the grace to pitty them.

If I should vndertake to ranke the calamities of our sinnefull life, and report them in order as they are inflicted on man for the sinne of Adam, I should both ouercharge my selfe with much businesse, and but write that which is nayly taught in the fortunes of euery mans life. I will therefore omitte the great number, and insist somewhat vppon that which is the greatest in the number: and that is the displeasure of God,Gods displeasure the greatest calamity. which is damnation, a misery infinite in time, infinite in torment; a iudgement denounced against all men for the sinne of one man, because at the committing of sinne, all men were then personally present in Adam, and with him did both combine [...]nd conspire in the trespasse.1 Cor. 2. 15. 22. By sinne men did Adam bring a generall destruction [Page] on his nature, and made himselfe and all men not onely subiect to death, but to an euerlasting death, causing an euerlasting damnatiō to inflict eternall and vnexpressable torments on the bodies; on the soules of men. It is not in my power to describe the torments of damnation; for as they are infinite in time, they are infinite also in their number & greatnes,No man can describe at full the torment of the damned there is misery without hope torments without number, without measure, without end: they are aboue our strength, aboue our patience to beare them: they are not vtterable for number, not sufferable for torment: the very soule though eternall,How the soule is said to die. is continually wasted with that afflictiō, neither could it last in such extremities, but that God hath made it eternall. Againe, it is not onely infinit & eternally great in personall sufferings; but also in griefe & spiritual discontents & vexations,Discontent the sicknes of the soule. the soule that is damned grieuously afflicting it self with rage & intestine displeasure, when it considereth from what dignity it is fallen, and the honor and felicity it might haue had, if it [Page] had continued in the fauour and presence of Almighty GOD:The nature of our enuie. it will also (enuiously) remember the prosperity of others, what glory, what happinesse they enioy for theyr constancy and holy trauell: and that it selfe, and the damned shoulde haue had the same degrees of happinesse, if (like them) they had been constant and faithfull in theyr duety and seruice to GOD.Note. And this is a greater torment to the damned then that which they shall endure in their personall afflictions; the remembrance whereof dooth so distract the very powers of their soules,The damned soules inflict vpon themselues. as that (desperately) they inflict their owne vengeance, and execute vpon themselues the punishmentes of their condemnation.Note. For (in our natures) we haue lesse patience, and more affliction, when by our owne default wee leese prosperity, then when for our desert, wee endure any personall punishment.The reward of disobedience. This is the reward of Adams disobedience, that himselfe and his posterity did by sinne, disinherite [Page] himselfe and his of the infinite treasure of Gods fauour, and did thereby purchase a life, whose dayes are consumed in vexations and miserable change, and whose end doth not end his misery,Death is the life of torment to the damned but renew and inlarge it with addition and perpetuity of torment.

This is the plaine and necessary knowledge of the fall of man from the state of innocence, in which argument the ouer-curious wittes of men haue trauelled in the search of many intricate questions;Vnnecessary knowledge is vnlawfull in diuine directions. the which because they are not necessary in the knowledge of the vnlearned Reader, I thought them necessary to be auoided: for it is often seene that in discussing such secrets in Diuinity, as are not apparently proued by direct testimony of Scripture, but by a consequence of reason,Note. and obscure argument, that al such trauell, doth rather occasion strise and doubt,A dangerous inconuenience. then giue satisfaction to the modest and indifferent Reader. It is dangerous (also) in them of weake and slender iudgements to enter the search of such thinges as are not necessary to [Page] theyr saluation, because it is easie to deceiue their iudgement: for they groslie apprehend what is proposed them, and often mistake themselues in their opinion of reason, and then (like him that looketh against the Sunne) blind themselues with theyr presumption. I will therefore forbeare to report the number of mens opinions, onely this may seeme of necessary importance, that whereas God did create man so excellent, and gaue him vprightnesse and innocence, a free will and power also to continue his innocence and happines, it is doubted whether Predestination and the decree of God,Predestination. did (necessarily) lead men to this apostacie,Obiect. because all things that are and shall bee, are in Gods decree, neyther can any man do any thing contrary to the pleasure of Almighty GOD.Answer. To this I answere, it is true that nothing is done against the will of God, he being able to commaund all occasions. The will of God (therefore) must bee thus vnderstood;Gods will how it is to be vnderstood. his will is eyther secret or reuealed: his reuealed Will is the Scripture, his [Page] secret will is his decree or secrete councell, and in this will, are all thinges that euer were: are or shall bee. This will is againe distinguished: for in Gods secret will, there is Gods act,Gods act. there is also his consent: God doth personally in his owne Nature decree all goodnesse,Gods consent. as his owne act. God dooth also consent, and suffer that euill bee done: but hee himselfe is not the doer: yet can hee glorifie himselfe in the sufferance of euill,God can receiue honour from mens euill action. and make it worke the purpose of his holy will. To apply this Doctrine to our purpose, before GOD created man, he had decreede euery circumstance, both in his Nature and Life: hee also did foresee the fal of man, and was content (for the secret worke of his glory) it should bee so. So that whatsoeuer was good in man, was in Gods decree as his act: whatsoeuer was not good,How to vnderstand Gods decree. was in Gods decree, as his permission. If it bee demaunded, why God foreseeing the fall of man, would not preuent it, and giue Adam diuine grace to support him: to such a question I would [Page] answere with Saint Paul. Rom. 9. 20. 21. Who art thou that pleadest against God? shall the thing formed, say to him that formed it: Why hast thou made me thus? verse 21. Hath not the Potter power of the clay? &c. and shall not God bee as powerfull as the Potter?Ier. 18. 6. If he make vs for honor, we can not boast it, if for dishonour wee can not iudge him. This is the answere that the Scripture giueth such questions. If God doe any thing, it should silence all question, and satisfie all doubt. Therfore, whosoeuer shall heare the iustice of God called in question,Gen. 18. 25. let him confidently answer with holy Abraham: Shall not the Iudge of all the World doe right?

The generall Vse.

This Doctrine of the fall of Man, from his first state of innocence,The vse. doth remember all men, what the mise [...]able condition of our nature is, what glory we haue left, & into what degree of aduersity wee are fallen: wee that were [Page] the most excellent of Gods creatures, are now the most miserable; prouoking (not onely) God to bee our enemy, but the creatures of God also, to hate and dread vs,By sin, not onely God, but his creatures are made enemies. because (for our disobedience) God did curse them: and that for our annoyance, God did suffer the goodnesse of their nature to bee altered, insomuch as they that before sin entred our nature, were our seruants, are now becom our enemies, & we that then were their Lords, and had power to commaund them, are now in the bondage of feare,A miserable alteration. and dread theyr power. For that supremacy and power & gouernement, which Adam had ouer all the world, was conferred to vs that are of his posterity. He had it and lost it by sinnes, we should haue had it, but are preuented by sinne: sinne beeing the cause both in him and vs, why we are degraded from our dignity, and cast into this contempt and disgrace of fortune. Whensoeuer therefore God shall please to punish any mans prospetity, and to tempt his patience with the burthen of aduersity, his care must be [Page] to search the cause of his affliction,Sublata causa, tollitur effectus. and when he hath found the cause, to labor by all means to remoue it: for diseases are not cured before their cause bee both knowne and remoued; and as the diseases of the body are not ingendered without their corrupt cause, no more our spirituall afflictions are not inflicted without their euill cause, which is sinne, the originall and continuall cause of all our euill.Sinne the cause of euill. Thus ought Christians to iudge themselues, and to vnderstand the miseries of their life, to enquire at their owne hearts, and to search their owne actions, and theyr owne transgressions: for there (and but there) they shall finde the true cause of all misery. And not as doe the wicked and foolish, who when as they haue extraordinary discontents,A false and foolish order. or misfortunes, blame their Natiuities, and search the motion and coniunction of the starres and celestiall bodies, as if by their influence and constellation, their grieuous alterations were occasioned. Such fondnesse is ridiculous, and to little purpose, & they are much deceiued, [Page] who seeke for that farre off, which is to bee found (only) at home, euen in their hearts; in their sinfull natures, and in their sinfull actions. Againe, the fall of Adam from his innocence, because of sinne, doth instruct euery man in the knowledge of GODS diuine nature;The nature of holinesse. for GOD is so respectiuely holy, that hee will not entertaine familiarity and nearenesse with any Creature that hath the least touch or spotte of sinne Therefore did he banish the Angels out of his presēce,The Angels damned for sinning but in thought. though they offended (as some think) but in thought.ADAMS tempters. Adam also though it was his first sinne, and not of his owne election, but doubly tempted by his wife and the Diuell; yet could not the holy presence of God endure him, but cast him out of paradise into misery and tribulation. Therefore ought all men to make conscience of all sin; and to feare the committing of the least; because there is no sinne, (bee it neuer so little) that GOD will dispence withall:All sinne is in Gods hatred. but as himselfe, so is his affection, hee is holy without staine, without imputation, [Page] and his fauour towards them only, that with al their power endeuor themselus in all the workes of his commaundements.

Lastly,Lastly. seeing the sinne of Adam did so deface the excellence and innocence of our Nature, as that the corruption thereof did descend from him to all posterity, this ought to abate the pride of all men, that no man dignifie or exalt himselfe in the pride of his nature: for all men are of one and the same nature;A generall condemnation. and all men in one, and the same condemnation: there beeing no power in any mans Nature to rayse himselfe to the dignity of Gods fauour;God onely powerfull in mans restoring. that beeing onely in the power of him that first created vs holy and innocent, who (againe) will restore vs, when wee faithfully spend our indeuours in holy action. Againe, it ought to moue all men to beare indifferent fauour to all the Children of God,How to value men. and not to despise any, eyther for the defect of nature or fortune, but to pitty and commiserate common calamities; because there is no iudgement [Page] or punishment inflicted on any man,How to iudge calamities. but it is generally caused by all men, all men hauing offended God with Adam, and all men (for that sinne of Adam) being subiect to all misery. For those calamities (and greater) are due to vs,Gods fauour is giuen, and not deserued by any mā saue Christ Iesus onely. though other men endure them; and those benefites which wee enioy, and others want, we haue them not of desert, but of beneuolence from the fauour of God, who giueth them according to the pleasure of his will, without respect of person.

Speciall application.

Seeing that Adam, who had such extraordinary induments of grace, and whose nature God had so adorned with excellence, as that hee delighted his company, and seeing that hee was innocent, & his nature vnstained with corruption or infirmity; did notwithstanding runne in contempt of Gods commandement, and thereby did purchase Gods indignation: I will therefore [Page] be extraordinary carefull to withstand all prouocations that may tempt me to any sin. For my nature is much more easie to be tempted then his, his being in innocency holy, mi [...]e in corruption stayned:We more easie to be tempted then ADAM hee hauing power in himselfe to withstand his tempter; I hauing no power in my nature to resist, but rather an appetite and affectation to euill, (naturally) neglecting that grace which should make mee able to resist temptation. And because my nature is thus depraued,The deprauednesse of nature. and that my owne blind directions would but lead me to condemnation; I will therefore (with humble confidence) implore the fauour of God,How to preuent the power of temptations that his Spirite may giue me directions; and that his hands may support mee against the power of all temptations. For I know that my strength is but weakenesse; and if God take his hand of fauour from me, I shall fayle in the conquest of my tempters,We must first deny our selues, before wee can affy in God. and remayne their spoyle: for (if Adam in his innocence) was vanquished, I (in my sinne) cannot bee able to preuayle. I will therefore deny my selfe; and repose [Page] my confidence in the strength of thy arme, for it is thou (O God) that sauest vs from our enemies, and puttest them to confusion that ha [...]e vs. Thus I shall practise against my spiritual tempters, thus I shall preuayle.

Againe, seeing God hath not spared Adam nor the Angels that sinned,2. Pet. 2. 4. who (in their natures) were much more excellent then my self, but (for their sin) gaue them ouer to condemnation: how much lesse will hee spare mee, if I continue in the committing of sinne, and endeauour not my selfe with all diligēce in godly exercise? This (assuredly) shall make me fearefull to commit any sinne with consent or knowledge, but I will flie sinne, as I would death: because the seruice of sinne is certainly rewarded with death: sinne and death being inseparably vnited in fellowship:The wages of sinne is Death. for the soule that sinneth must dye the death; and no soule dyeth but the sinnefull. Therefore (O my God) I will resort in my prayers to thy holy presence,Resolution. I will earnestly intreate that thy prouidēce may direct me in a holy [Page] course to an holy end; I will auoyde al acquaintance with sinne, I will hate it in my selfe,Charity wil pitty misery wheresoeuer it be. I will hate it in others, pitty their misery, & pray for their conuersion: I will professe my selfe a vowed enemy, and practise in that profession: thus I perswade, thus I am resolued. Lastly, seeing Adam and his posteritie were not cast into condemnation without hope,Man was not cōdemned as the Angells without hope. without mercy, as the Angels that sinned were;An admirable witnesse of Gods loue. but had a hope giuen him to be again restored to the fauour and blessed presence of God, by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, the Sonne of God: this admirable degree of the loue of God to mankinde, shall keepe all my actions in awe, and make mee carefully feare to offend my God, who hath so farre exceeded to mee in the fauours of his Loue. I will now (not onely) feare him because hee hath power to destroy mee:A filiall. feare. but I will feare him for the reuerence of his loue; and preferre his loue (euen) beefore my soule, My meditations cannot present to my soule, a greater heauen of ioy, then to vnderstand my selfe to [Page] be beloued of God,To meditate God and his fauours. neyther can I haue more delightfull action, then to meditate his loue, and to loue him againe. For to loue him for the safety of our owne soules, is necessary: but to loue him for his loue (onely) is more commendable, and declareth a notable degree of Christian zeale. Thus did Moses loue the Israelites; Exod. 32. 32. thus Saint Paul the Iewes: and thus will I my God, by whom I was created, by whom I am restored.

Of the Morall Law of God, the ten Commandements. Chap. 7.

THe law of God,The morall law of God and the law of nature is all one. though it was not giuen to man with solemne promulgation, before the time of Moses, yet was there a [Page] generall sense thereof giuen to Adam in his creation. For when God gaue him his nature, & endued him with the vse of reason & discourse, hee gaue him capacity to vnderstād his duty, the which duty is nothing else but the obseruatiō of the law of God. And therefore when Adam had transgressed the commandement of God, and eaten the forbidden fruite;Conscience can preach the law to them that know it not. the reason of his naturall soule could tell him his offence; and then his conscience iudging him, he was afraid, and hid himselfe from Gods presence. If we compare his sinne with the commandements of the Law, wee shall find it to be a direct breach of som, & a consequent breach of all. Gods first commandement saith:Exod. 20. [...] Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mee: Adams sinne doth contradict Gods commandement, and sayth: nay, but my wife and I will both be Gods for with this perswasion the Diuell tempted them,Gen. 3. 1. and they did eate. Againe, Cain the second man, he committed murther,Gen. 4. 13. and thereby directly broke the sixt commandement: which when God and his conscience [Page] made him to vnderstand, hee made a desperate acknowledgement of his sin. So that the law being nothing but a reasonable duetie, which the Creature oweth to his Creator: there was therfore a generall knowledge of this law in the reasonable nature of man at his creation, and so in the succession of them of the old world, vnto the time that the Law was giuen to Moses by the ordinance of angels. The old world (thē) from Adam to Moses, Gal. 3. 19. were not lawlesse & free from the seruice of law; but had the law of nature for their direction,The law of nature, the same with the law of the x. commandemēts. which being grounded vpon reason. was euen the very same with the law of the x. cōmandements. The law then of the x. commādements before it was giuē to Moses, was in the ages before going commonly transgressed, and that law did both iudge & condemne them: the which law God gaue man when he gaue him his nature, euery man hauing the knowledge of this law in the naturall vse of his reason. This was the state of the old world before Moses, The state of the olde world. all sinned, and all were iudged by the law of [Page] nature, the morall law, euen before the promulgation thereof in mount Sina, condemning the transgressions of men that were directly against the seuerall commandements.

Now when iniquity beganne to be strong in the hearts of men,The promulgation of the law. and that their consciences became senselesse of sin, neyther would admonish, & iudge their transgressions,Reasons why. then God thought conueniēt to publish to al mankind this law, binding the consciences of men to a dutifull obseruation of euery particular statute in that law,Deut. 23, 10. denouncing the iudgment of condemnation to al them that transgresse against the least branchBaruch. 4. 1. or particle of those commandements.2. Reasons.

A second reason why God ordayned the law, was that men might rightly vnderstand themselues, & therby know in what degree of holines they were, because that men are often partial in their own iudgment, & willingly blind them selus in the view of their own calamity. Wherfore then serueth the law? Gal. 3. 19. it was added because of the trāsgressiōs, that by the law men may know wherein they haue transgressed.

[Page]A third reason of the ordination of the law,3. Reason. is to prouoke men to indeuor themselues with all diligence to trauell in godly exercise, & to auoid both euil action and idlenes; the lawes giuing euery man sufficient matter of imployment, wherin he is boūd to suspend his houres, his dayes, nay his life in carefull sernice,2. Esd 9. 31. 2. Esd. 9, 31. For behold I sow my law in you, that it may bring forth fruit in you, & that ye may be honored by it for euer

A fourth reason of the Law, is, that by the seuerity thereof, wee might bee disciplined, and made fitte for the mercy of the Gospell;The vse of the law. for the iudgement of the law will humble vs, make vs vnderstand our misery, and prouoke vs to implore mercy. Therefore is the Law sayd to be a Schoolemaster, by whose directions wee are led to our saluation Iesus Christ. Gal. 3. 24.Gal. 3. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring vs to Christ that we might be made righteous by faith.

Lastly,4. Reason. the law was giuen for the glory and maiesty of God, that all the world might bee iudge of his infinite mercy to mankind: In this respect, [Page] that notwithstanding, all men are iudged, and condemned by the law of nature, and by the law of his commandements: yet in the greatnesse of his loue,Gods admirable mercy. he is content to forgiue the trespas, and the iudgements; and finally to entertaine these transgressors his enemies, into the bosome of his mercy; giuing them mercy for iustice, and life when they deserued death with extremity. Rom. 5. 20.Rom. 5. 20. Moreouer the Law entered thereupen that the offence should abound, neuerthelesse where sinne abounded, there grace abounded much more, Verse the 21. That as sinne had raigned vnto death, so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life, through Iesus Christ our Lord. And this is an admirable degree of loue in the person of God,Vers. 21. that hee will descend his Maiesty to miserable, wretched, nay, sinfull creatures, and exercise his mercy, in restoring and aduancing vs,Note. that haue abounded in transgressions. For these causes was the Law deliuered, God commaunding euery mans absolute obedience vpon the forfeyture of his [Page] soule to the paines of euerlasting condemnation.Deut. 27. 26

In the law of the ten commaundements, is to be considered the substance which is the matter of the law; and the circumstance, which is the manner of deliuering it. The matter is contained in ten commandements, the first foure directly instruct vs in our duty to God;The matter of the commandemēts. the sixe latter our duties to men. This learning of the commandements, how to vnderstand, and how to diuide them. is in the knowledge of euery Childe of carefull education, it being commonly taught at the catechizing of Christian children. I shall therefore spare the large trauel this Argument requireth, and refer the desirous Reader to the learned expositions of other men. In the manner of giuing the Law, we may principally consider these circumstances. 1 First, the principall giuer of the 2 law, God. Secondly, the seruants attending this office, the Angels. Thirdly 3 to whom it was giuen, Moses. Fourthly, 4 for whom, for the children of Israel, then the people of God; and by consequence [Page] to euery people that professe themselues his seruants. These are the maine particulars in the circumstance of giuing the law. First, God hee was the principall author of this worke,1 God the giuer of the Law. to giue it countenance and authority: for who dare quarrell his Worke, and the operation of his hands? Therefore did God himselfe speake all the wordes of the commandements; hee also spoke in a terrible and fearefull manner,Exod. 20. 1. to gaine the businesse reuerence,Exod. 19. 19 and a fearefull estimation he spoke in the hearing of the people, that they might know it vvas Gods owne act:Exod. 19. 9. and to preuent the distrust they might haue of his seruant Moses. Secondly, The angels attend at the giuing of the law. Secondly, the Angells they attend this holy seruice, to declare the most excellent Maiesty of God, who in all his occasions is serued and attended by an infinite number of that excellent Nature. Againe, the Angells were there, because they are most desirous of the good of mankinde:Heb. 1. 14. and doe willingly attend the seruice of our saluation: Hauing ioy amongst themselues in heauen, Luk. 15. 7. 10. [Page] at the conuersion of a sinner. They were there also to bee witnesses betweene God & his people, that the couenants might remayne established for euer. And therefore sayeth Saint Paul, Gal. 3. 19. The law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator: not that the Angells did principally giue the Law, and appoint the couenant, but that the seruice was onely attended by their holy Ministration. Thirdly,Thirdly, The law was giuen by MOSES. the Law was giuen by Moses; that is, God gaue it Moses to giue the Israelites, because the spirite of God had so sanctified Moses, that hee was able to stand in the presēce of God: the which the host of the Israelits could not do, but became astonished, and exceedingly afraid at the voyce of Gods thunders. And therefore they desired Moses that hee would negotiate for them,Exod. 20. 19 betwixt God and them, they being not able to endure the presence of his Maiesty. Againe, it was giuen by Moses, because God would honor him aboue the rest of his brethren:Note. he hauing been most industrious & constant in the seruice of God. And therefore as [Page] God had giuen them deliuerance out of Aegypt, by the hand of Moses, so would hee giue them by the hand of Moses the couenants of his euerlasting loue,The promises of the law are now gained by the Gospell. and deliuerance from the bondage of sinne: all which grace was promised vnto them that would liue within the compasse of these lawes, and is now giuen to them that faithfully endeuour, though they fayle in the maine performance: For the Law was giuen by Moses, Ioh. 1. 17. but grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. Iohn. 1. 7. Lastly,Fourthly, The Law was giuen Israel. the Law was giuen (by name to the Israelites; but in the purpose of God to all men, all men beeing vnder the bondage of the Morall law of God, and the Law being able to iudge and condemne all men. It was (by name) giuen to the Israelites, because then they were the choyce and select people of God; for whome hee had done his wonders, and to whome hee had promised a faire inheritance. It is also deriued downe vpon vs,The Law was deriued downe on vs, & not to the Iewes onely. and vpon all posterity, all men hauing entred couenant with God, to endeuour themselues, in the faithfull keeping of the [Page] commandements of the law. All these circumstances, are necessarily considered in the manner of Gods deliuering the law. From this may bee generally obserued,Obseruations in the Law. that God in all his actions hath principall respect to holinesse, and that no prophane circumstances assist him in his actions, but as himselfe is most holy, so his delight is in holy actions, and hateth al prophanation both of matter and circumstance. In the law may be generally obserued,1 An impossibility in the strict performāce. first an impossibility in the precise performance thereof, no man beeing able (without fauour) to make an euen reckoning with the Law: the Law being able to conclude vs all vnder sinne. It is an Argument of Saint Peter, Acts. 15. 10.Act. 15. 10. Now therefore why tempt yee God, to lay a yoke (that is the performance of the law) on the Disciples necks, which neither our father nor wee are able to beare? Saint Paul also to the Galath. Gal. 2. 16. concludeth an impossibility to be iustified by the law: By the workes of the Law (saith he) no flesh shall be iustified. So that no man ought to repose his iustification in the law, yet [Page] euery man ought to endeauour his vtmost performance. Secondly,Secondly. Men are iudged by the law to bee guilty, Gal. 3. 22 and deseruers of eternall damnation. This generall iudgement of the Law against all flesh,All men are iudged by the Law. dooth conclude all men in the state of damnation, no man being able to deliuer himselfe from this iudgment, before the Law be fully satisfied: which could not bee done by other meanes,Gal. 4. 5. then by the righteousnesse and death of Iesus Christ the sonne of God, and the redeemet of the world.

The generall Vse.

This doctrine of the seuerity of the law of God,The vse. hath this double generall vse. First, in the person of God, it declareth what wonderfull desire hee hath for the good of his people, in that hee daigneth in the power of his Maiesty to present himselfe with man, whome before hee had (for his sinne) cast out of Paradice, and from [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] the fauour of his presence, and to constitute such ordinances, and such lawes as might direct them that were desirous to please God, the way and meanes of his fauour. For howsoeuer no man can so obserue the ordinance of the Law as thereby to be righteous,Gen. 3. 11. and to deserue the promise; yet did God accept the faithfull endeuours of men, and supply their defects by the grace and operation of his holy Spirite. And therefore at the deliuering of the Law, when the Israelites promised Moses, that they would doe whatsoeuer GOD should command them:Deut. 5. 2. God seemeth to expresse a passion of his loue, & to require lesse then the law; for the law commanded a precise performance vpon paine of damnation, but God promiseth the blessing of his fauour to all them that zealously endeuour to keepe the Law: Therefore sayth God to Moses, Deut. 5. 29, O that there were such an heart in them. to feare mee, and to keepe all my commandements, that it might goe well with them and with their childrē for euer. And this doth preuent and obiection, which all men [Page] might make that are dis-obedient against God and his law: for else they might thus obiect;Obiection. that seeing the law of God doth require a greater dutie then is in any mans performance, and that seeing the law doth condemne all them that faile in the least particular duty of the law:God is mecifull, in his seuerest iustice. therefore God might seem to be mercilesse in the seuerity of his Iustice; and their labour fruitlesse to attempt that which was vnpossible. Both which are wickedly false 3 for though the law condemne euery man,Answere. God is aboue the law, because he made it. yet God that made the law is aboue the law, and doth often graunt his dispensation, and pardon them whom his law condemneth. Secondly, though no man can performe the law, yet all men may endeuour it, the which endeuour (beeing faithfull and industrious) is accepted of God, as if it were performance. And this doth take from all men, all matter of argument, whereby they would excuse their disobedience,He that endeuoureth the law, hath the promise. and neglect: for (as I haue said) though no man be able to doe the law, yet all men are able to endeuour it. [Page] And this doth necessarily admonish the christian people of these times,Men may not presume on the liberty of faith. who presume ouer-boldly on the liberty of faith, that because Christ Iesus the Sauiour of the world, hath satisfied the Law, and wrought righteousnesse to all them that shall faithfully beleeue, and apprehend his merites, therefore they despise the workes of the Law, (holy and charitable exercise) & repose them selues on the bare confidence of faith onely.A fruitlesse faith profiteth nothing. The which being altogether fruitlesse in the workes of the law, is but presumption and a vain confidence, & will (dangerously) deceyue all them that affy therein. For though Christ Iesus hath abolished the ceremoniall Law, & satisfied the iustice of the morall Law (the which is auaileable to all them that shall bee heyres of saluation) yet his righteousnesse in obseruing the Law, doth not destroy the substance of the law,Christ hath not destroied the lawe, but qualified. and make it vse-lesse; but doth rather command our imitation; that as he hath performed the law in all righteousnesse and sincerity, so wee should endeuour a strict imitation of his vertuous [Page] doing:Works the testimony of faith. for such faith onely hath the benefite of the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, as is approued by the testimony of holy life, and hath the witnes of vertuous liuing. Therefore it doth needfully behoue all men carefully to endeuour in the exercise of the law of God: for though no man can be iustified by the workes of the Lawe:Note. so no man can declare and approue himselfe to be iustified, but by the workes of the law. Againe, the knowledge of the law of God, may giue euery man a true vnderstanding in the state of his life,By the sentence of the law we may iudge our selues. whereby to know in what condition hee standeth, whether in the fauour or displeasure of almighty God: for the law is Gods reuealed will, to which al men owe conformity vpō grieuous forfeit. And therfore whosoeuer shall examine the behauior of his life, and compare his seueral committings and omittings with the duties of the Law, (for so ought all do) shall be well able to vnderstand, and iudge himselfe: for the law is the patterne of our liues, to which we ought to square our actions: [Page] so that when wee finde a dissimilitude betwixt the Law and our liues,The Law a patterne of a Christian life. we can not but iudge our selues disobedient, and rebellious to God and his law, and (consequently) to forfeite our soules to the state of condemnation. This iudgement ought to cause a humiliation; and so it will in them whom God shal make gracious. Who when they know their soules to be in the disease of sinne, and that the Law doth wound them with guiltinesse,How the Law doth humble vs. and that themselues haue a naturall pronenesse, rather to cause then to cure theyr infirmities: this maketh them to deny themselues, and theyr owne power, which is but weakenesse; and with humblenesse to resort to the mercy and merits of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God,Christ, the Physition of soules. and the Physition of our soules, who onely hath been able to satisfie the iustice of the Law, and who onely hath been able to worke the redemption of Mankinde: and to repossesse them of Gods fauor, who had lost it by theyr transgressions. And this our Redeemer hath done by assuming our nature, bearing our sins, [Page] satisfying our contempts,Christ hath fulfilled the law for vs. and finishing our neglects: who (in our nature) hath fulfilled the law for vs, that could not: who hath victored sinne, and made a conquest of hell, and by his death hath slaine death, which (but for him) had seized our soules into euerlasting condemnation. Thus will the knowledge of the Law admonish, thus remember vs.

Speciall application.

This knowledge presents my soule with matter of serious Meditation:Speciall application. wherein I may haue a full view of the miserable condition of my life: what strength is in my nature, what indeuour in my actions: for when I finde an impossibility of my dutifull & strict obedience to the law, I shall thē acknowledge my defects, & the corruption of my nature: when I examine the particulars of my life, and compare them with my duty, I shall acknowledge the neglects of my indeuours: and that I [Page] haue fayled, not onely in the mayne performance of the law of God; which my nature could not, but in my desires and carefull endeuours to doe well, which my nature might.The effects issuing from the meditation of the law. In the reprobate. And from this meditation doth (necessarily) follow, one of these two effects. In the reprobate and gracelesse, it causeth desperation and a hopeles distrust of their saluation: for when the diuell and their Consciences expose before them the Iustice of GOD, the seueritie of his Law, and the infinite measure of their offence, the extreme terrour and sence of their wickednesse, dooth so confound their vnderstandings, that often they execute vpon themselues torment & death, despising & despayring of Iesus Christ; in whom if they had reposed trust, and had beleeued and apprehended his righteousnesse, their sin had not beene imputed, neyther had their soules perished.In the regenerate. But in the children of grace, this meditation dooth produce a contrary effect: for when they (by the law) vnderstand the misery whereinto their sinnes haue brought them, it [Page] causeth a wonderfull degree of feare, but not desperate. For though the diuell present their sinnes in most vglie formes, and vrge them to a desperate apprehension:God supporteth his elect against temptations yet the Spirite of God (in them) doth withstand this temptation, and giueth them holy motions to deuise the meanes of their saluation; presenting them (in their spirituall sorrowe) with Iesus Christ as he was crucified; then giuing them grace to vnderstand the mystery of his death, and the promise of the imputation of his righteousnes: which whē the grieued sinner vnderstandeth, he allayeth his sorrow, & affyeth in the merits & mediation of Iesus Christ his Redeemer.The di [...]or effects of the Law. Thus the law produceth a contrary effect in contrary spirites it damneth the reprobate without hope; the elect it condemneth, but instructeth also and giueth hope: them it iudgeth without mercy, these it admonisheth, and is theyr Schoole-maister, to bring them vnto CHRIST. Therfore, though the law condemne mee, it shall not condemne my hope▪ Resolution. for though I cannot my selfe [Page] performe the righteousnesse of the law; yet there is one hath done it for mee, my Lord and my sauior Iesus, in whom I repose hope,The worke of faith. and respire new life, because I know that his righteousnesse is mine by imputation: and that my sinne was nayled to his Crosse, and suffered death (with him) when hee wrought my redemption. I will therefore enlarge my loue (without limites) to this my Sauiour, who for my saluation hath beene pleased to vndergo so great a trauell. I will admire the admirable degree of his loue, that for my sake did descend his Maiesty to take (and dignifie the basenesse of my nature. I will with vnspeakeable ioy meditate his most holy sufferings,Christ hath freed vs frō the iudgement of the law. whereby I am released from the condemnation of the Law. I will despise my selfe and my own vnrighteousnes, & apprehend him the staffe of my confidence.To whome repentant sinners should resort. I wil neuer despayre hope, because I know that my saluation liueth; but in all the extremities of my life, and in all the sorrows of my conscience, I will resort to Iesus the Physition of my soule, I will enquire [Page] for him at the mercy of his Father,Where to find Christ. I will enquire at his owne righteousnesse, I will seeke him in his holy sufferings, I will seeke him on the crosse of his death;How to implore his fauours. and when I haue there found him, I wil expose my griefe and implore his fauour, I wil shew him what the law hath done vnto me, what wounds, (and how dangerous) it hath giuen my soule; I will confesse my sinne, and professe my faith. I will promise also to correct the errours of my life, I will carefully endeuour euery circumstance hee hath commaunded: and beeing thus rectified in my resolution,How to apprehend him. I shall reach my hands of faith to my saluation, apprehend him, and apply him to my wounded soule, and by this blessed meanes satisfie the law, and restore my Soule.

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Of the acousation of Conscience. Chap 8.

EVery man that would preuent the dreadfull danger of Gods generall iudgement, must in this life while hee hath time, arrest his own soule, examine his particular actions;Conscience and by the euidence of his conscience, iudge himselfe and his transgressions against the law of God: for as Gods iudgement doth begin at his house, 1. Pet. 4, 17. because his principall care is for his owne;Prou. 11. 3. so should men iudge themselues, and haue principall care to examine their own particulars. And as S. Paul sayth,1 Cor. 11. 32. 1. Cor. 11. 32. When we are iudged we are chastned of the Lord, because we should not bee condemned with the world: so likewise wee must iudge our selues, lest we be condemned with the vvorld [Page] For as the Israelites,Iudg. 27. 8. because they wanted Iudges, became Idolaters: so our liues when they are not examined and iudged by our consciences, we become remisse, disobedient, and Idolatrous, and desperately run on with lawlesse appetite, in the common and curious committing of sinne.

And this necessary iudging of our selues, is well knowne to our reasonable soules; vvho, vvhen vvee haue committed sinne) prouoke our consciences to accuse and iudge vs,By iudging our selues, we preuent Gods heauy iudgement. as if without this iudging of our selues, we could not preuent the iudgement of God: which would proue much more terrible. The manner of this iudgement is thus:The manner of iudging our selues. whē the spirit of God shal moue in any mans heart, a desire to vnderstand themselues, the soule assembles the powers of his vnderstanding, and exerciseth the seuerall faculties in seuerall assignements, and vvithin himselfe (by meditation) can frame the order of a Court. The man, bodie and soule, hee is the Prisoner at the Barre: hee is also the witn [...]sse [Page] and the iudge,Conscience our accuser. the matter of his inditement is sinne: his conscience is his accuser, his memory doth produce the witnesse, his iudgment doth denounce the sentence, and the Diuell attendes the execution. Thus are the faculties of the soule disposed in iudging of it selfe: the soule against the soule producing the Law, prouing the forfeit, and vrging the penalty.

Now that which hath most busie care in this spiritual & most serious examination and iudgment of our selus, is the conscience, by which the soule hath true vnderstanding in what condition it is; and by whose authority the iudgement of that spirituall Court is swayed: the conscience giuing testimony of all our actions, good and euill, whereby our iudging part is directed (without error) to make a iust proceeding without all partiality. And therefore saith the Wise-man. Blessed is he that is not condēned in his own cōscience: E [...]clus. 14. 2. for if there be any iust matter of condemnation against vs, there is no fauour can bribe our conscience, but that will to our [Page] selues accuse our selues of euery sinne, and reduce to memorie, many of our finfull actions, which but for our conscience we could not remember. And therefore the Scribes & Pharisees that brought the woman taken in adultery,Iohn. 8. 9. to Christ, and demaunded what iudgement shee deserued, were remembred and accused by their consciences of their incontinence (whereof they seemed to be innocent or ignorant) when as Christ sayde: Let [...]im that is without sinne, Ver. 7. cast the first stone at her. So that they that were so busie in the condemnation of another, were condemned themselues by the testimonie of their owne consciences: their consciences making them apply their accusations to themselues, which but then they had vrged against another.The spirituall power of the conscience. And doubtlesse it is a wonderfull degree of power the conscience hath in the spirituall tryall of our soules, in these two respects. First it knoweth all our sinnes, no man being able to hide from the knowledge of his conscience, any sinne, no not his most secret sinnes. Secondly,Secondly. it [Page] spareth no man, neyther any sinne, but without respect of any it vrgeth all sin, against all men, our very thoughts hauing no priuiledge, but euen their sinnes are both in the knowledge and in the hatred of conscience. Therfore, sayth Saint Paul: Rom. 2. 15. Their conscience bearing witnesse, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing, Rom. 2. 15. And Almighty God when hee shall gather together all flesh to iudgement, and expose before the Angels and Saints the seuerall actions of euery mans life, whereby they may bee iudged (accordingly) eyther to mercy or iustice, he hath deuised (in his wisedome,) that euery one shall haue a witnesse in himselfe,Our consciences shal reproue vs in the day of iudgement. (which is his conscience,) the which in our life time doth register both our good and euill actions, and at our iudgement doth witnesse & declare them. And therefore the Holy Ghost calleth the conscience a Booke, euery man and woman hauing one, wherin is writ a true story of euery circumstance, of euery particular action, of euery mans life. And these bookes, [Page] these consciences are they that giue euidēce for, and against our soules at the barre of Gods generall iudgement, Reuel. 20. 12. And I saw the dead both great Reu. 20. 12. and small stand before God, and the bookes were opened, that is, all mens consciences, wherein was writ the report of al their actions. Thus wee see what the office of our conscience is, both in respect of our owne spirituall iudginges, which is our reformation; and in respect of the generall iudgement of GOD, which must be to euery one, eyther eternall saluation or damnation.The maner of the accusation of conscience. Now the maner that conscience vseth in this ministration is worthy of our consideratiō; and to vnderstand this, we must remember first this generall doctrine; that all men generally haue a conscience, the which GOD hath vnited inseparably to our reasonable Natures. And therfore not only they that are of christian beleefe,All men endure or shall endure the griefe of conscience. and haue the rules of religion to teach them; but men meerely naturall, and ignorant of diuine Worship, suffer the affliction of their offended conscience, which though it be in [Page] a farre inferiour degree to that of vnderstanding Christians; yet doth it (in some proportion) exercise a iudgment on the soule, and doth both remember and terrifie them that grosly offend against the law of nature; which to them is the law of reason and religion. This is proued by that place of Scripture I before alledged:Reu. 20. 12. That the Bookes of all the dead were opened; the word (all) excluding none from the accusation of conscience, All then are afflicted by conscience, but not all alike, nor all alike effectually. The Infidels that know not God, but onely as they are taught by the wisedome of nature,The difference in the conscience of Christians and Infidels. haue a conscience; but it remembers the offender his great sinnes onely, and that sparingly and with fauour. A christian conscience is more seuere, for it remembers all men, all sinne, without fauour, without exception. There is this difference also; that of Infidels and wicked men doth often remember the offendor his sinne; but afflicts him not, neyther prouokes him to repentance: but the conscience of Christians [Page] doth fearfully remember sinne,A Christian conscience euer hath griefe. and doth wound the soule of the offender, with sorrow and spirituall griefe; making him pursue the meanes of his owne reformation, and hate the cause for which his conscience doth so afflict him. And this is the differenee betweene the conscience of a Christian and an Infidell.The differēce of conscience among Christians. Among Christians also, there is great difference of Conscience: For as in the common number that professe the Christian religion, the greater part is (by much) the worse; the true worshippers of God beeing onely a few choyce particulars,Gods number the lesse. drawne out from an infinite number of people: so also, though all that haue Christian name, professe to haue a Christian conscience, yet their conscience is no better then their Christianitie: onely a bare name,The conscience of a reprobate. whereof they haue no spirituall comfort nor vse. Conscience in the Reprobate is eyther silent or outragious: the silent conscience of the Reprobate is, when custome and long continuance of sinning, doth dull the sence of conscience; and this is when [Page] men giue ouer themselues to commit sinne with affectation and appetite, and oppresse their consciences with the multitude of their committings, so that such conscience doth not remember vs our sinne; but when it is assisted by externall demonstrations. Such a conscience had Saul the reprobat king, who prosecuted his sinfull intentes against holy Dauid with all his endeuour: yet when Dauid gaue him that notable demonstration of loyalty, shewing him by direct euidence,1. Sam. 24, 12. that God had shut him vp in his power; and notwithstanding hee had saued the life of his enemy, that sought his destruction, This notable testimony of Dauids good conscience,Verse 18. did stirre vp the dead spirits of Saules euill conscience to acknowledge his sinne,The outragious conscience of the reprobat and (for a time) to forbeare and repent his vninst vexations: The outragious conscience in the reprobate is when the conscience hath (for a time) been silenced, and hath giuen the sinner an vnchast liberty in his vngodlines; yet so, as that once apprehending the knowledge of his sin, and knowing [Page] the state of condemnation wherein it is, it breaketh out into a violence which wanting moderation,Desperation caused by a violent conscience. vrgeth the sinner to execute vppon himselfe some desperate vengeance. Such was the conscience of Iudas the traytor,Iudas. which slept all the time he was plotting and practising his treason: but when his sin was brought into act, then his conscience (though euill) did vpbraide his sinne with such violence, as made the griefe vnsupportable: and the Traytor (not able to endure the torment of his conscience) thought (as Cain)Caine. that his sinne was greater then the mercy of God, and so despayring mercy,Mat. 27. 3. 4. 5. he desperately hanged himselfe. Such are the consciences of the reprobate: their conscience is sleepie, and doth reproue but seldome: yet when it dooth reproue, it is then most terrible, and without all comfort. And though in this life they neuer afflict for sinne, but seeme senselesse and dead in theyr appointed offices: yet at the day of iudgement,Reu. 20. 12. when the booke of euerie mans conscience shall bee opened, then wil [Page] their consciences that in this life haue beene most silent, bee most lowd and terrible in their accusations, denouncing iudgement, and inflicting a greater torment on the soule, then the damned can haue patience to beare: This is the office and end of an euill conscience. Wisd. 17 10.

Now the conscience of the childe of grace is in full opposition to the conscience of a reprobate:A good conscience. For when God shall please to call his seruants to a knowledge of himselfe, and to a detestation of sinne; the grace of his holy Spirit moueth in the heart of such a one, and first awaketh the conscience, and giueth it sence to vnderstand the calamity of the Soule; and Spirit, to reproue and admonish it in needfull directions. And this grace of God,How God moueth the conscience. giuing the conscience sence to vnderstand sin, and Spirit to reproue it; is the first degree of our reformation, and the preparation to our spirituall conuersion: GOD himselfe beeing the prime and principall Author thereof. This beginning of the grace of God spreads it self [Page] into very large proceedings;When God doth stirre our conscience, it continueth that holy motion to our reformation. for when our conscience is once touched with this godly desire to examine the errours of our life, God doth not there leaue vs, but giueth vs a continuall assistance, to finish that needefull care, without despayre; without fainting. The manner may bee thus considered. The conscience (beeing instructed by grace) vnderstandeth that the soule is in danger of Gods iudgement: this knowledge causeth a desire in the soule to examine the particulars of our life:The manner how a good conscience worketh. then doth it compare our seuerall actions, with the seuerall duties of the law, and thereby is made euident the many and great defects of our life, and that therfore our soules and bodies are guilty, and stand in the danger of condemnation. From this knowledge dooth arise the griefe of a wounded conscience:The cause of the griefe of conscience. for the Statute lawes of God condemning vs for the trespasse of our liues; the conscience then (whose office is to accuse, or excuse) vpbraideth our sinne, and denounceth the iudgement of the law against vs, which [Page] is eternall damnation. And in this case wee may compare our soules to fellons at the Barre, who hauing pleaded guilty, and receyued the sentence of the Lawe,Note. abandon all hope, and onely prepare themselues for the stroke of execution: yet the soueraigne Iudge, being pleased to descend mercy to these poore condemned Prisoners, offers them the benefite of their Clergie, promising mercy to all them that shall bee able to reade the lines proposed them. So our soules beeing arrested for sinne, and standing at the barre of our owne iudgement,The guilty soule like a condemned fellon. beeing accused by conscience, and hauing the Law against vs, to condemne vs; wee are then in a much more grieuous condemnation then fellons, because they feare but a temporall death, but we eternall. Neither can wee (more then they) free our soules from these extremities, vntill GOD (who is the Iudge of all the world) shall please to offer mercy, and the benefite of his Clergie; which is nothing else but the storie [Page] of the meritorious sufferings of IESVS the Lambe of GOD, Christ the booke of life. which storie is written in spirituall Characters, vppon the Crosse of his death. And this booke (the spirituall crosse) beeing writte with the bloud of the most righteous,How to quiet the trouble of a grieued conscience. God presents to all the world, all the world (in respect of themselues) beeing guiltie, and condemned: promising Remission of sinnes, (a generall Pardon,) to all them that with theyr eyes of Faith, shall reade this booke of life, and apprehend and apply (IESVS) the contents therof to their saluation.

Thus (and but thus) is it possible to quiet the trouble of a grieued conscience, the conscience being neuer satisfied for sinne, before the Iustice of God be satisfied, by the apprehensiue righteousnesse of Iesus Christ.

And therefore saith Saint Paul; Rom. 5. 1. (Beeing then iustified by Faith,) wee haue peace towards GOD, through our Lord IESVS CHRIST. Rom. 5. 1.The conclusion of this first part. And thus farre I haue proceeded in the first part of this Tract, viz. the death of man: [Page] for the whole passage of the old Testament, from the Creation of man, to the incarnation of the Sonne of God, doth onely humble vs with the knowledge of our own vnworthines, & therby make vs fit to apprehend and apply the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ: for before wee can liue to God, wee must dye to our selues: neyther is there a spirituall regeneration, where there is not first a spirituall mortification, And where grace would enter, sinne must voide, for he thar would follow Christ, must deny himselfe. And therefore let no man presume to apprehend the mystery of the righeousnesse of the Crosse of Christ, before hee hath reformed his actions,No man can bee able to apprehend Christ before his conscience hath thus prepared him. quieted the clamor of his conscience, and vtterly denyed the strength of his owne nature. For how shall hee beare the Crosse of Christ, that is laden with his owne infirmities? or how shall hee be benefited by the promises of the Gospell, that doth not first iudge himselfe by the comma [...]ndements of the law? For hee that knoweth not his disease, seeketh [Page] no physicke; and Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The generall Vse.

This doth admonish al men carefully to watch the behauiour of their liues;The vse. for if the conscience of euerie man beReu. 20. 1. 2 a booke, wherein is writ the recordes of all his actions, good and bad; and that seeing this booke must bee read at the day of iudgement in the audience of all the world, before God, and before his holy Angels and Saints, what maner of men ought all to bee in godly conuersation? This ought to moue in euery one a double care. First,First. that they auoid (carefully) all vngodlinesse, both in thought and action; whereby they may suffer disgrace before GOD and all his Creatures, at the generall iudgement, when the booke of theyrSecondly▪ conscience shall bee opened to euerie ones eye. Secondly, it doth perswade a a diligence in all godly exercise; and [Page] that all men contend (with an holy emulation) to exceede in godly action▪ whereby they may receiue applause, and generall reputation in the general assembly of God and all Creatures. For as in the affayres of earth, men couet most desirously to gaine reputation & generall name, because it argueth an extraordinary degree of desert in him that hath it: so in contending for this spirituall Garland (Heauen,) it cannot but be an extraordinary degree of content,There is no ambition lawfull, but the couetous desire of heauen. and spirituall pleasure, to bee named in the ranke of best deseruers. And as malefactors that suffer publike punishment for their offence, esteeme the shame more then the paine of theyr corrections: so ought all men to feare the shame they must endure, if theyr conscience disgrace them before so great a presence, as will be at the generall iudgement. For let al men bee perswaded,The booke of co [...]cience cannot be defaced but onely by the precious bloud of Christ. that all their faultes are so writte in the booke of theyr consciscience, that there is no meanes to obscure their knowledge, & to raze them out; neither wil the conscience (though [Page] it be our owne) bee corrupted, to conniue and dissemble with God, but (euen to our owne faces) it will produce all our sins, whose memory is not blotted by the righteous bloud of the Son of God. Againe, seeing the witnesse of our conscience is that euidence, wherby we are all iudged eyther to life, or death,Not to offend our conscience. wee all ought most carefully auoyde the doing of ought that may offend our conscience: but rather to liue in feare and awe of conscience, because our eternall state dependeth vpon the report of our owne conscience. This ought to preuent all vnconscionable actions, & to haue a detestation of euery sin; because when wee haue committed sins, wee haue hired against our owne soules, so many witnesses to vrge our eternal condemnatiō. Lastly,The silent [...]onscienre will be most lowd at the day of iudgement. seeing that that cōscience which in this life is most silent, will notwithstanding at the day of iudgemēt be most terrible & clamorous; it admonisheth all men not to rebel against their cōscience, & to run on without checke in the committing of sinne; but rather to yeelde themselues [Page] to the correction of their consciences, lest by their customary sinning, they dull the sence of conscience,Customary sinning dulleth conscience. and so runne on in the race of all vnlawfulnesse: for though the reproofe of conscience bee very terrible to him that rightly vnderstands it, yet ought it to bee carefully apprehended, and respected as a mouing cause to repentance, and reformation. And let no man encourage himselfe with common example,Evill examples ought not to moue vs from the duty of conscience that because the common sway of mens actions respect greatnesse more then goodnesse; and craft more then conscience, that this can warrant any ones imitation; but rather wheresoeuer we see vnconscionable dealing, if in our friends, we our selues ought to be their conscience and admonish them; if in our enemies, wee must hate the sinne, but pitty the sinner, and labour (not his imitation,) but if it be possible, his conuersion. And this direction is both Wisedome and Charity:The office of charity. for hee that is wise, will bee armed, and not harmed by ill example: and hee that is charitable, will doe the good he can, [Page] and wish the good he cannot doe.

Speciall application.

I will therefore constantly endeuour to reduce to memory the seuerall actions of my life past:Speciall application. I will then compare them with the duty of my conscience, and therby vnderstand in what degree of sinne I am, what my conscience shall appro [...]e, I will continue; what it condemneth I will hate:Good conscience is in hatred with all sinne. bee it my pleasure, bee it my profite, be it my nearest or my dearest sinne, if my conscience call it sinne, I will despise it. There is nothing shal make me alter or suspend this resolution, I am constant in the loue of conscience; what I haue done I will reforme by conscience: what I haue to do, my conscience shall iudge it lawfull before I do it. If my occasions present me profite, I will despise it if it be not honest, if pleasure, & not lawfull, I will loath it. I will vndertake no action,To consult with conscience. entertaine no [...]auour, but I will consult with conscience in [Page] euery iudgement, and in all actions, I will be led by the voyce of conscience, If the world commend a sinne, and my conscience condemne it, I will condemne the world, and commend my conscience: I will credite my conscience more then common example, because my conscience must iudge me, and not example. If my conscience secretly accuse me of sinne. I shall certainely know there is cause; I will therefore then examine, and as my conscience shall direct, I will rectifie. I will not silence my conscience from all reproofes. I will onely auoyde the cause of reproofe (sinne) and that carefully; when my conscience shall vrge me the law, my sinnes, and the condemnation I haue deserued. I will not therefore despise my conscience, nor despayre mercy; but direct my eyes of faith to Iesus the strength of my saluation: by whose fauour I shall satisfie both the law and my conscience. The hope and comfort I haue in his righteousnesse, will quiet the trouble of my conscience and hee that hath reconciled God andRom. 5. 1. [Page] mee will also reconcile me to my conscience,Conscience that did accuse will comfort. and make it that was my accuser, my Comforter This direction I propose my selfe, and perswade all men as I propose and purpose, that in all our actions and consultations, we iudge nothing conuenient that is not lawfull, and that nothing may bee thought lawfull, but that which hath the warrant of good conscience.

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THE SECOND PART OF THE HOly Pilgrime, leading the way to new Ierusalem. OR A Diuine direction in the Way of life, declaring the order and causes of mans happinesse, attained by the imputation of the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ.

LONDON, Imprinted by B. A. for William Barrenger. 1617.

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Of the Gospell, the new Couenant, or the Couenant of Grace. Chap. 1.

THE story of the Bible, from the first beginning to the birth of our Sauiour Iesus,The Gospell. doth for the most part declare the miserable condition of mankind, how he hath faln from the innocency of his nature, which God gaue him in his first creation; and how he hath continued in sinne, and in the curse of God for sin: hauing no power in himselfe to satisfie the iustice of GOD, or to reconcile him selfe to his fauour. Therefore did God giue the law of the ten commandements (the particulars of his reuealed [Page] will.How to vse and apply the Scriptures.) both to prouoke men to endeuour in the exercise of all godlinesse, and also that by the knowledge of the Law, men might know theyr owne defectes, and by their humiliation to bee prepared, and made fitt for the mercy of the Gospell. For though Iesus Christ the substance of the Gospell, was (in the counsell of GOD from all beginnings) determined to be the Redeemer of mankinde, being also promised to our first Parents, and by whome all the faithfull before his incarnation,The faithfull, before the incarnation of Christ, were saued by Christ. The difference betweene the Law and Gospell. had the pardon of theyr sinnes, apprehending (by faith) the promise of his righteousnesse: yet was not this grace declared them in such plaine and direct euidence, as now it is in the preaching of the Gospell: it being then deliuered onely in shadowes, Ceremonies, prophecies, and in the mysticall sense of Allegories, so that few had capacity and grace (rightly) to vnderstand them. All which difficulties are now vanished in the preaching of the Gospell, the Gospell presenting [Page] vs (in most familiar and easie demonstrations) the substance without the shadow, and the truth without the figure, withall giuing directions and infallible rules, not onely to know the means of our saluation; but how to make it ours, to apprehend and apply it to our owne particular comfort. And this grace doth the Gospell giue with such fauour, as that the necessary doctrines exceed not the vnderstandings of men of meanest capacities; but that all that will (without respect or exception) may reach their hands of faith,The great fauour and liberty of the Gospell. to the Crosse of Christ, and freelie apprehend the meanes of their saluation, which is the Lord Iesus, triumphing at the Conquest of his death, ouer sinne, hell, and damnation.

This is a blessed alteration in the state of the world:A happy alteration. for in the time of the law, when the grace of the Gospell was hid in the clouds of the ceremonies, the obseruers of the ceremoniall law, did seldome vnderstand the mysticall sense of the ceremony, which did allude to som [Page] particular grace in the Gospell.)The ceremonies of the law did allude to the graces of the Gospell. And therefore though God was pleased to accept their carefull endeuour in their religious obseruing the ceremonie, which was but a figure of the truth included in the ceremony; yet they wanted a great part of that spirituall comfort,Tit. 2. 11. which wee haue in obseruing the couenant of grace (the Gospell) the grace of God appearing to them as God himselfe did to the Israelites their Fathers at the deliuering of the law in cloudes,Exod. 19. 16. in fire, in smoake and thunders: but to vs hee dooth appeare more familiarly, Iesus Christ his Sonne, and the most liuely representment of himselfe, assuming our nature, and conuersing with vs, did wound our sinne, and heale the woundes sinne had made in our soules; in whom God was (personally) present, whose wordes taught saluation, and whose actions wrought it. This is the difference betwixt the law & the Gospell. The Law commandeth vs to doe and liue,What the law commandeth. What the Gospel. if not, to dye; the Gospell (all mercy) requireth to beleeue onely, and line: and [Page] this is a wonderfull degree of Gods fauour, that because wee are not able to keepe the couenants of his law, is therefore pleased to yeeld to our infirmities, to alter our obligation, and to enter new couenants with vs:The couenant of Grace. the couenant of Grace, whereby God doth indent with man, and bindes the iustice of his law in the bonds of his mercy, promising saluation to all them that faithfully beleeue in the merites and mediation of his Sonne Christ. Thus doth God allure vs by easie meane, & fayre promises to inherite euerlasting life, which the law denyeth to all men: no man being able to satisfie the iustice of the law. If it be obiected then,Obiection. that the grace of the Gospell doth destroy the workes of the law, because that mercy is giuen of grace, and not of deserts, I answere,Answere. that the Gospel doth not destroy the substance of the Law, but doth onely abate and mitigate the rigor thereof: as God when he preserued Daniel in the Lyons denne,Dan. 6. 16. did not destroy the Lyons, but onely shut their mouthes, and bound theyr power, that [Page] they might not hurt Daniel: So hee hath not destroyed the law, but dooth onely restraine the violence thereof from hurting his Daniels, that is, the faithfull.

And as when Darius tooke Daniell from the denne,Dan. 6. 24 and cast in his accusers, the Lyons then had the maistry, and deuoured them; so the reprobate shall not auoyde the condemation of the Law, notwithstanding the promise of the Gospell, and the new couenants of grace; because no man hath the benefite of mercy, but hee that (first) is the childe of faith.The difference of respect GOD hath to his seruants, and to his slaues. And therefore the great King of all the World shall take his faithfull Daniels from the power of the Lyons (the law,) but leaue the reprobate in the state of theyr destruction. Thus much in generall of the Gospell, and of the generall difference betweene that and the law, and betweene them that liued vnder the bondage of the law, and vs that liue now in the Liberty of the Gospell.

The purpose of the Gospell is the [Page] saluation of men. And therefore the Angel that was the first preacher of the Gospell, tolde the Sheepheards that hee brought them tidings of great ioy: Luk. 2. 10. (indeed) a greater could not bee then to bring them the newes of their saluation. The matter of the Gospell is the life,1. Cor. 15. 1. 2. 3. the death, & the doctrines of Iesus Christ; for they are the only meanes by which wee attaine to the fauour of saluation: his doctrines were directions, his life examples, and his death was, & is life to all that apprehend him, In the circumstance of the Gospell is principally considered; First God, who of himselfe & of his owne election,The circumstance of the Gospell. without cause in man, did enter this couenant of grace, being moued only by the pleasure of his owne will, and by his own gracious loue to his creatures. For so saith the holy Ghost:Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten son, that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish, The loue of God, the mouing cause of the couenant of grace. but haue euerlasting life. Whereby it is euident that the loue of God was the onely cause that moued him to this effect: for God cā glorifie himself aswel [Page] in the damnation, as in the saluation of men: for hee needeth no addition of honour, that is infinite both in greatnesse and goodnesse; but as his mercy is most eminent ouer all his attributes, so in this new Couenant of the Gospell hee doth giue vs the greatest demonstration of his mercy that can be, in giuing his onely begotten Son to dye on the crosse for the redemption of mankind: in euery word whereof there is an emphasis or a passion of loue (infinitely) beyond al comparison:Secondly. where it seemeth that God doth (as it were,) put off his Maiesty, and descend himselfe in his care to pitty, and redresse the ruined state of sinfull man his enemy. Secondly, in the person of Christ (who is the cause both mouing & finishing the couenant of the Gospell) there is matter of most worthy and admirable consideration. For Christ is not onely to bee vnderstood,How to vnderstand Christ in the Gospell. as the instrumentall cause, whereby this couenant of grace betweene God and man was effected, but also as the first mouing cause and deuiser of it, it being impossible to assigne [Page] him offices without his owne appointment, he being equall to God the Father, and the holy Ghost: and they all hauing but one diuinity vndiuided. This the vnbeleeuing Iewes could not comprehend, and therefore they derided Christ when he said:Ioh. 8. 5. 8. Before Abrabam was, I am, not knowing that he was God equall and coeternall with his Father, and was begotten before all beginnings.

It is therefore most wonderfull in the person of Christ, that hee being God, and the Lord of all the World: that he would leaue the bosome of his Father,Strong witnesses of the loue of Christ. and (for a time) to put off the presence of his diuine Maiesty, and to take our nature vpon him in humilitie, and in a base estate, and to vndertake (not onely) to satisfie the law, & make good our defects, but also to beare the displeasure of his father, and to suffer the malice of wicked men to preuayle, euen to his death, and that he hath endured all this for the good of man, a creature that by sin had brought himselfe in disgrace with God. And which [Page] is most of all; that hee hath done al this by his owne appointment,Christ suffered of his owne will, and not by constraint. without eyther commaund or direction, there being no power aboue him, by whom he could be commanded. This incomparable loue is able to astonish a Christian meditation, and to make it admire & say with holy Dauid: Lord what is mā that thou hast such respect vnto him, or the sonne of man; that thou so regardest him? Psal. 144. v. 3. Thirdly, is considerable the officers in the holy ministration of the Gospell,Psal. 144. 3. Thirdly. The ministers in the office of the Gospell. by whose endeuour and vigilancy, the spirituall graces of the Gospell are distributed to the children of faith, for whose sakes the couenāt of grace is given. The first officers (in this kind) were the twelue Apostles, of purpose chosen by the Lord Iesus himselfe,Apostles. that they might be the faithfull witnesses of the whole passage of his life, and that (after his ascension) they might plant in mans hearts a knowledge of this Gospell; and by theyr praiers, preachings, and godly exhortations, to dispose the holy seed of grace in their harts, whom God should [Page] make capable to entertaine it with profite.The profite of their labours. These holy labourers being assisted by the holy Ghost, trauelled in Gods husbandry, with such profite, as that the Gospell (in their times) spreade it selfe into very large limits. And building vpon the foundation of the rocke Christ, they haue erected such a frame as shall remayne to all posteritie. These holy Ministers were the conducts, whereby God did conferre his spirituall waters of life into all the parts of the world, who spreading themselus (in their painefull trauell) ouer all the knowne world, spread the Gospell as they went; & left in euery place where they came, a memory of their Lord and maister Christ Iesus. After thē succeeded others in their example, who both taught the gospell,The state of the primitiue Church & confirmed it with the testimony of their death. These are the holy officers in the ministration of the gospell, & all that liue in the church of God in their office, & in their example, shal with them receiue the wages of faithfulnes,A question in much controuersy Here is offered a large occasion to dispute a questiō in cōtrouersie, [Page] who are they that are the true Ministers of the Gospell.The Papist. The Church of Rome challenge to be onely able to deriue a true ministery, because (say they) they haue continued one and the same succession from the Apostles downewardes.The Protestants opinion. The Protestants misproue their Ministery, and plead intrusion of ceremonie, and corruption of errour, and professe to haue reduced a Ministery in most neare proportion to that of the Primitiue Church. The Brownist is peremptory against them both, and fondly pleads against the names and titles of the ministery.The Puritane and Brownist. And therefore as these quarrels are vnplacable and out of hope to be reconciled, I wil leaue thē in their strife, with this admonition to my reader: That we despise not Christ, because vpon his Crosse hee did hang with theeues; neyther that wee honour theeus, because they hang with Christ: for that which is but neare truth,Truth between two extremities of errour. Fourthly. is no truth, and the best vertue is placed betweene two extremities.

Lastly, is to be considered, to whom the benefites of the Gospel appertaine; [Page] and that is to the elect, namely such as are most industrious in the faithfull execution of the law; for as I haue sayd God hath not giuen the Gospell to destroy the Law, but to preserue and reuiue it, that men may be allured by the sweet promises of the Gospell to endeuour with alacritie and hope in the exercise of the law. And therefore Christ himselfe sayth: If yee loue mee, keepe my commandements: that is, endeuour to keepe them with all diligence: for he that is carelesse in the seruice of God, is not to hope that God will bee carefull of his saluation. This is also approued in the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard.Mat. 21. 1. &c. The Mayster of the Vineyard is God, the Vineyard is the world, the Labourers are the faithfull and painefull Christians, their wages is the benefite of the Gospell. So that not the lookers on, but the Labourers in Gods Vineyard shall receyue the wages of euerlasting saluation.

These considerations are most weighty in the generall vnderstanding of the Gospell, to which I will adde this admonition: [Page] That all men esteeme worthilie and reuerently of the Gospell of Iesus Christ,2. Th [...]s. 2. 10. 11. 12. because God doth iudge the contemners thereof to be guilty of deserued damnation. And that if God present them the meanes to communicate with the benefites of the Gospell, that they neglect (rather) all the profites in the world, then the treasure of the Gospell. For that is that one thing which is only necessary, and that pearle of price, for which wee are aduised to sell all that we haue, Mat. 13. 45. 46. that we may purchase it. For he that hath that iewel, hath sufficient wealth; & he that hath al thinges but that, he hath nothing, if he hath not that. For what will it aduantage vs to win the whole world, if wee leese our soules? and what inlargement can hee desire, that hath the treasure of the gospell in his heart, whereby he hath continuall comfort; and is led in the path of his saluation.

The generall Vse.

First, this doth generally remember [Page] all men the admirable degree of Gods fauour to mankind; that notwithstanding our apostacy from the seruice of God, & our continual trade of sinning which might incēce the iustice of God to destroy vs at once, and for euer; yet doth he continue himselfe in his owne kind, a God & a father most compassionat;Pitty in God is most naturall. who inclineth rather to pitty then to punish our infirmities. And therefore did almighty God take from man the burthensome condition of the law, and promise him euerlasting life, vpon much more easie Couenante: the which grace doth challenge from all men a dutifull thankes to GOD,The duty of thanks due to God. who hath taken from theyr necks the vnsupportable burthen of the Law, giuing a greater liberty and ease in the worke of their saluation. Secondly,Secondly. it doth admonish all men carefully to apprehend the grace of the Gospell, and not to neglect the present and the precious opportunity that GOD hath giuen them;The danger of forfeyting the covenant of grace. because hee that shal breake this couenant of grace, shall doubtlesse forfeyte the estate of his [Page] body and soule vnto eternall damnation. For this new couenant of the gospell, as it is the greatest of all the fauours of God, so it is the last; and tha [...] being neglected, there is not another to hope for.

Thirdly, seeing the Gospell doth not destroy the substance of the Law,The gospell doth not destroy the law. but onely mitigate, and sweeten the seuerity thereof, by a gracious dispensation from the extremity of iustice; it behoueth all men bee (equally) as carefull in the performance of the duties of the law, as if there were no other couenant but the law to iudge vs. For there is no man fit for the grace of the Gospell,The law doth fit vs for the Gospell. Gal. 3. 24. but hee that is first schooled in the law of Gods commādements. And therefore is the Law sayd to be a Schoolmaster to bring vs vnto Christ, because it doth humble vs in the knowledge of our own infirmities.

Fourthly,Fourthly. seeing the purpose of the Gospell is the saluation of men, it behoueth all men to respect the Gospell as they would their saluation; and to labour by all meanes (not onely to aduance [Page] the prosperity thereof,Our duty of respect to the Gospell. but also to auoyde euery cause that may occasion the slāder or disgrace to that sacred profession,

Fiftly,Fiftly, A reuerence to the story of the Gospell. seeing the matter of the Gospell, is the story of the words & workes of Iesus Christ our Sauiour, while hee was vpon earth, it doth binde euerie mans conscience to haue a reuerend and a confident opinion of the truth thereof; and that all men labour by all conuenient meanes to maintaine the memory and reputation of those sacred writings, the which are onely able to guide vs without errour in the way of our saluation.

Sixtly,Sixtly. seeing that God of his owne fauour did without desert, nay without hate, enter this couenant of grace, binding himselfe in the suerty of his Word to giue saluation vpon the easie condition of the Gospell: and that seeing that Christ Iesus the Son of God, did please to appoint himselfe, and to descend his maiesty in great humility, to establish our saluation in the merites of his holy workes: what manner of men [Page] ought all of vs to be in thanks and godly conuersation?

Seuenthly,Seventhly seeing the officers appointed and chosen by Christ, for the ministration of the Gospell, were the holy Apostles, and after them the reuerend Martyrs in the primitiue Church, by whose diligence the Gospell spread it selfe ouer all the knowne World;A remembrance to the Ministers of these times. this doth admonish all them that eyther are Ministers of the Gospell, or that haue power to make them, what choyse there is to be made of their vprightnesse and godly conuersation, and what diligence is required in their spirituall trauels; all which ought to fashion themselues as neare as they can to the example of the holy Apostles.Eightly. The promises of the Gospell belong to the faithfull onely. Lastly, seeing the promises of the Gospell belong to the faithfull onely, that are industrious in the seruice of the law; this ought to prouoke all men to contend in godly exercise to exceede one another, and to stir vp theyr dead desires with the hope and promise of the Gospell, and that they thinke not the law burthensome, being now made [Page] easie by the grace of the Gospell, and therefore to trauell in the duties of the law with alacrity and spiritual comfort, hauing their confidence & eyes of faith vpon the promise of the Gospell.The difference betweene Sinai▪ and mount Sion. Thus if men dispose themselues and theyr affections, they shall finde the happie difference betwixt mount Sinai, and mount Sion, the law and the Gospell; in both which the gracious may find comfort, but with great inequality.

Speciall application.

Therefore the Gospell beeing a couenant betweene God and my soule,Speciall application. my first care shall bee rightly to vnderstand this couenant, left by misunderstanding & false construction, I breake the couenant of grace, and so runne my saluation into a dangerous hazard.The most needfull search of Scripture. I will therefore search the sence of the mysteries of the holy Gospell; if they exceede my vnderstanding, I will compare them with the holy writinges of the Prophets and Apostles: if these [Page] exceed my capacity, I will consult with the learned expositions of reuerend fathers of the Church. If all these satisfie not, I will then resort to the dayly seruants of this ministration,How to labour to vnderstand them. and by diligent obseruing their Sermons, expositions, and spirituall exhortations, I shall both learne what is the Couenant I haue entred with God, and the means I must vse to keepe couenant; when I haue attayned this forwardnesse, and hope of better knowledge, I will (carefully) anoyde the daungerous inchantments of Heretiques,What we must avoid. Schismatiques, and all false Teachers. I will not taste theyr poyson, though they present it in cuppes of gold, their baite shal make mee suspect their hooke, and their faire and holy pretence, theyr fowle and wicked purpose: for hauing found Truth, (the Lord Christ) who is the s [...]ale of Gods couenant with me,Christ the seale of th [...] couenant of Grace. I will preserue that truth from all defacing, and laying that for my foundation, I will build thereon the whole frame of my life, and fashion all my actions as the rules of the Gospell, and as the example [Page] of my Christ shall commaund me, that so I may keepe couenant with my God, and obtaine the promise of the Gospell (which is the saluation of my soule.)Gen. 45. 28 And then (with holy Iacob) I will boast my fortune, and say vnto my soule: I haue enough, and desire no inlargement.

Againe, when I meditate the matter of the Gospell, that is, the wordes and workes of our Sauiour,The delight we ought to haue in reading the story of the Gospell. then it shal moue me to a very reuerend esteeming of the story of the holy Gospell, and make mee delight to exercise my time in the often reading and conferring thereof: for if they that haue estates in temporall possessio [...]s, bee most carefull to preserue such euidence and writings, as is deliuered them for their security,The worldly care. and oftentimes spend a greate part of their wealth and labour to confirme and continue such estates, and such euidence: shall not I then (much more) spend my best diligence and meanes to vnderstand (rightly) the writings of the holy Gospell, which are the deedes and euidence betweene [Page] God and me, touching the euerlasting state of my soule, and carefully to keepe such Couenantes as giue mee claime and interest in the possession of a Kingdome?All wealth is beggerly, in respect of Gods favor. Shall men giue their substance to lawyers to maintaine their beggerly possessions, in respect of heauen but beggerly, though it were the possession of the whole earth,) and shall I neglect the couenants of euerlasting life, and may haue law without fee? I will neuer doe it, I will neuer giue such testimony of madnesse: but I will seeme to doe good by their euill example; let them labour theyr earthly possessions, I will labour the possession of heauen: let them waste theyr substance on Lawyers, I can haue law and lawyers much more reasonable:Who are a Christian mans lawyers. the Prophets & Apostles are (and shall bee) my Councellors, their hands are not corrupted, their iudgementes cannot erre: I will therefore affi [...] in their confidence, & endeauour as they direct me.

Lastly,Lastly. when I meditate the particulars of the story of the Gospel, I despise [Page] all other histories,The difference betweene the writings of God and men. in comparison of this and the olde Testament. For the writings of men doe commonly labour vile and vnworthy arguments: and those of them that trauell a good cause, yet are they defectiue eyther in matter or forme; but the Gospell and other holy Scriptures being writte by the direction of Gods sacred spirite, they are (not onely) holy in their matter, but excellent in their forme, able to giue the desirous reader infinite variety of content. Therefore, when I desire to reade of maiesty,The variety of delight in the story of the Scripture. and greate action, of Empire, Warre, Conquest, gouernement, policy, & infinite of this kinde that depend on greatnesse; I can find both stories and examples in the Scripture, many and vnmatchable. If I desire the stories of mercy, loue, peace, humanity, ciuill action, and the rest that depend on goodnesse; euery page in the holy Gospell, can furnish me, eyther with some story, or some example of that kinde: if I desire wonders & miracles of most admirable credence, they are in the scripture most [Page] frequent, yet most true; in other writings not common, yet commonly false. Therefore the holy Scripture, and especially the holy gospell, which is the couenant of my saluation,A Christian resolution. shall bee my continuall exercise, I will exercise my pleasure in reading the meditating the excellent variety of matter, and maiesty of the phrase, (being the thethorique and eloquence of the holy Ghost:)The best eloquence. I will also exercise my profite in studying (rightly) to vnderstand the couenant of my saluation, to keepe which couenant, I shall be often admonished, by promises, threates, and by example. In all which, the knowledge and meditation of the holy Gospell will instruct me. For these respects I will enter couenant with my soule, to be most carefull in keeping my couenant with GOD.

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Of Christ Iesus, the summe of the Gospell. Chap. 2.

IEsus Christ is the sum or compendiū of the gospell,Christ the summe of the Gospel. in whose actions & holy sufferings the main execution of the gospell, was (only &) wholly finished: for hee being the seale of the couenant of grace; the couenant was onely promised, not performed, vntill Christ himselfe came in our nature,Christ hath payed our debts for vs. Why the Gospell is called the new Testament. who did first discharge the former debts we ought the iustice of God; before he did seale and ratifie the new couenant of the gospell. Therefore is the holy gospell called the new Testament of our Sauiour Iesus, because the interest and title of saluation, could not be deriued of the children of God, but by Christ the testator his sufferings, & death in his humane nature. It is also [Page] called the last will of Iesus Christ,Why the last Will. because God hath fully determined that this Testament, this couenant shall remayne (vnalterable) to all posterity; there being no purpose in God, no power in mā to alter or repeale, or change the forme of this Couenant: but being determined by the whole Trinity,The Gospel the last refuge for mē. from before all beginning, to be the last refuge for sinfull men: and the onely and most safe meanes of their spiritual deliuerances: it was also in the fulnesse of time, perfectly finished by Christ, as was before determined in the coūsell of the trinity. And from this doctrine doth issue this foundation of Christian religion, that the Couenant of grace was purchased onely by the righteousnes of Iesus Christ,A foundation of Christian religiō. who in our nature satisfying our cōtempts, & in our nature working righteousnes, did in our nature, & in our behalfe indēt with God & enter these couenants; & lastly, to ratifie al, he did die in our nature; & with the bloud of his sacred hand subscribe & seale his Testament our couenant, whereby it is made vnquestionable true, and vnalterable [Page] to all times. It is euident then that the matter of the Gospell is wholy contained in the only work of Iesus Christ,The works of Christ. The matter of the Gospell. and that Christ is a contract compendium of all such particulars as are contained in the couenant of mans saluation. And that therefore the Canons and decrees of Councels, and ecclesiasticall states, nay, the very writings of the Prophets and Apostles,How to vnderstand holy writings that interpret Scripturs. adde not any matter to the substance of the couenant of grace: but are rather to bee vnderstood as interpretations and plain expositions of such secrets, as the wisedome of Christ Iesus thought good to folde in allegories and dark vnderstanding. For Christ left not his worke defectiue and imperfect, wherby it might require correction, but in a most exact performance.1. Cor. 3. 11. 12. Therfore saith Saint Paul, Other foundation cā no man lay, then that which is laid, which is Iesus Christ: Vers. 12. 14. 14. and he assureth a reward to thē that build vpō this foundation, & not to thē that lay a new foundatiō, or alter this that is layd. Christ then,The words. The workes of Christ. the foundation of christian religion, & the substance of the Gospell [Page] did execute his diuine office with a double diligence, his word, his worke: by his word I vnderstand such spirituall doctrine, as hee dayly deliuered to his hearers, whether it were direction, admonition, reformation or interpretation; in all which our Sauiour hath so aboundantly trauelled, as that not onely particular men,The wordes of Christ giue all mē sufficient divine direction. but the Catholique Church also may receyue ample & sufficiēt directiō, both for diuine doctrine and spirituall discipline. By his works I vnderstand euery act, & al the passage of his temporall life, from his incarnation to his death on the crosse, in all which time hee was continually working somwhat that was auaileable & necessary for the redemption of mankind.A generall vnderstanding of Christ. Thus is Christ generally to bee vnderstood, as hee was the principall matter of the Gospell, and the onely working meanes of our saluation. To make this doctrine familiar and profitable to Christian men of easie vnderstanding I will subdiuide this double care of Christ into particulars. The wordes of Christ, the time of his Incarnation [Page] did instruct vs the duties of our soule, and the duties of society; the duties of the soule,The duties of the soule are all those thinges that are needfully required in the state of Christianity, whether we respect the necessary faith of the Church, the necessary orders in the Church; or the necessary obedience to the Church. The duetie of society is ciuill action,The duty of society. and humanity; that is▪ a louing, charitable and orderly conuersing of Christian men. And this Christ Iesus hath called the great commandement; great indeede, and of great consequence, because without this duty of humanity, wee can not performe our duty of diuinity: for hee that first loueth not his neighbour whom he hath seene, cannot loue God whom hee hath not seene. And these duties of the soule, and society, comprehend generally the substance of such doctrines as Christ Iesus himselfe hath deliuered. The workes of Christ are also of the matter of the Gospell, and comprehend such thinges as were necessary to be done by Christ, and necessary to be knowne and beleeued of [Page] vs being the price of our redemption,Necessary in respect of his own decree. without which it was impossible wee should be reconciled to Gods fauours, and by which the couenant of the gospell is both obtained, and confirmed vnto vs. All which workes of Christ I reduce to these three principals; to his birth,

1. The birth.

2. The life.

3. The death of Christ.

to his life, and to his death: what he did by assuming our nature, what he did & suffered by liuing in our nature, and what he did by suffering, when hee dyed in our nature.What hee did in being borne. And this (I take) to bee the most orderly vnderstanding of the Workes of our Sauiour Christ. When Christ did assume our nature, & was borne of the blessed Virgine, he did an act of great loue, and of great humility: of great humility, in that hee daigned to descend his Maiesty, and to take our nature vnto his Diuinity, whereby hee became subiect to a temporall death,Heb. 2. 9. and in (that respect) A little inferiour to the Angels, his owne creatures.

Secondly, it was an act of wonderfull goodnesse, because the end thereof had not respect to any meanes that [Page] might enlarge the honour and felicitie of Christ himselfe, in whome there is (naturally) an infinite measure of all happinesse,The respect but had respect onely to poore and sinnefull man, that by this meanes hee might repossesse the fauor of God, from which hee had cast himselfe by his owne disobedience.Obiection. Now it may be demanded, that seeing the nature of man is so poysoned with hereditary sin, as that all the descents of mankind haue a naturall corruption deriued on them, the which like a generall leprosie deformes the ancient beauty of our nature, & presents vs in vgly formes before the maiesty of God: how thē could Christ take such a nature, so deformed, without imputation of sin, and without fowling the exact holines and sincerity of his diuine nature.Answere. Christ took our nature but not the corruption of nature. I answere that Christ tooke our nature, nay all our nature; yet not those staines, nor that corruption wherwith sin had deformed our nature. For though sin bee deriued naturally, yet is it not of the essence of our nature, but a defect or an accidental deformity which happened to our nature [Page] not when God first gaue our nature, but after it was giuen. And all those staines and deformities which naturally are bred in vs in the wombe, and at our conception, were all voyded and absent at the Incarnation of our blessed Sauiour: the holy Ghost sanctifiing and preparing the sacred Virgin, ordayned for that holy office, whereby shee was onely made able to deriue her nature with her issue, immaculate, without sinne, without corruption (but not without infirmity.) And this sacred deriuing of a sanctified nature from the blessed Virgine,The blessed virgin. is not to bee considered, as the act or power of the holy Virgin, but of the holy Ghost; who being God, coequal with the Father & the son, was able to separate our nature from corruption, & so to sanctifie the sacred virgin, that her nature might be deriued as innocent and spotlesse, as God had created it.The holy Ghost the principall mo [...]er in sanctifying the blessed virgin. In which businesse the holy virgine was meerely passiue, and the holy Ghost the principall worker, It is necessarily true then, that Christ tooke not a part or a peece of [Page] our nature, but our whole nature, euen our infirmities, and auoyded onely the sinne which accidentally did happen our natures;Sinne not of our nature, but in our nature. the which being not of our nature, but in our nature it was not necessary that Christ should take▪ sinne when hee tooke our nature. And therefore sayth the holie Scripture that Christ Iesus was like to vs in all things, onely sinne excepted.

Secondly,Secondly. What Christ did & suffered for vs. is to bee considered what Christ did and suffered while hee liued in our nature: that is, the time of his personall and visible conuersing with men here on earth: what he did, is comprehended in this, that he liued (righteously in the duties of the Law, and in exact obedience to Gods commandements. And this was necessary in the office of Redemption, which Christ Iesus had vndertaken; for it was not possible to make good the Couenant of grace,How Christ did satisfie our cōtempt before the contempts of the Law were satisfied, which Christ di [...] by his actiue and by his passiue Righteousnes, By his actiue righteousnesse, when he liued in a precise conformity to the Law [Page] of God: by his passiue righteousnesse: when hee suffered punishment for the sins that men had committed, whereby both the law and the iustice of God had satisfaction for all former contempts.The Gospell the only true history of the life of Christ. I shall not need to report the particulars, what our Sauiour Christ did, and what he suffered, the time of his personall conuersing with men, the holy story of the Gospell is best able to giue satisfaction, wherein is registred not all his life, but so much as the wisdome of God hath thought conuenient for a Christian knowledge, where it is euident that Christ had a double continuall exercise. First, the exercise of his power. Secondly, the exercise of his patience.The power and the patience of Christ. His power was exercised in doing good, his patience in suffering euill: what he did, it was for man, what hee suffered it was from man: Christ both did and suffered, that men might not suffer: men did all they might, that Christ might suffer.

Thirdly, is to bee considered what Christ did by suffering, when he dyed in our nature. Christ when he dyed in [Page] our nature, did by death, ouerthrowe death,What Christ did by suffering. and by suffring did an act of admirable power and infinite glory: his power and glory were declared in the conquest hee made of sinne, hell, and death, enemies that had wasted the sons of Adam, now themselues wasted and (for euer) vanquished by one Son of Adam Death and hell are the seruants of sinne, sinne their originall or first cause,The servants of sinne. whom sinne marketh, death destroyeth his body, hell tormenteth his soule; yet is death, hell, and sinne, swallowed vp in victory by one Christ,The victory Christ had of sinne and hell. who in the forme of man, offering vp himselfe a sacrifice to God his Father, hath reconciled God and man, by the righteousnes of himselfe, God & man: leading into perpetual captiuity the ancient enemies of our nature, sinne, hell, and death, sealing the new couenant of grace, with the Crosse of his death, whereby hée hath opened the gates of heauen, and remoued all difficulties, that might let vs in the passage to euerlasting happinesse.

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The generall Vse.

The doctrine,The Vse whereby to know the two natures of the Sonne of God, his diuinity and his humanity vnited in one Christ, is most necessary in the knowledge of euery Christian, it being in the main foundation of christian Religion,The necessity of knowing Christ▪ whereupon all piety, and all faith is grounded. For he that knoweth not Christ in his natures, and in his offices, cannot apprehend and apply him for his saluation, because his assuming our nature, and the execution of his offices, are the only means of mans saluation; without which God would not be pleased, neyther could the Law bee satisfied. And therefore this generall knowledge doth geuerally belong to all men, and that vpon necessity.

Secondly,Secondly. seeing the Sonne of God was content for (our sakes) to vndergo so great a trauell, and for our sakes, to vnite our farre vnequall and most vnworthy [Page] nature to his diuinity, wee ought for his sake, to refuse no trauell that may aduance his honour, or expresse our thankes; but rather to despise all things in comparison of so gracious a Sauiour, by whose onely meanes our soules haue deliuerance from eternall captiuity.

Thirdly,Thirdly. seeing Christ Iesus is the matter of the couenant of grace between God and man, it doth also most nearely concerne all men,A most needful care to indeauor all possible meanes (by their eyes of faith) to apprehend Christ, who is to be apprehended by faith onely,) and so to to receyue the forme and impression of his sacred image, whereby they shall be truly interested in the possession of heauen: when those that want this shall bee reiected of God, with this answere, Away from mee, for I know ye not: because yee haue not the marke and Image of my Sonne.

Fourthly,Fourthly. seeing the whole matter of the couenant of Grace, is fully contained in the wordes and workes of Iesus Christ, and that all things necessary [Page] both to a ciuill and a Christian life, are contained in the story of the holy gospel, it behoueth all men to giue that sacred word preheminence:All directions must be conformed to scripture. and that no man, neither any state or fellowship of of men whatsoeuer, presume to decree, or ordain canons, or statutes Eclesiasticall or ciuill, which may any way preiudice the directions of Iesus Christ, deliuered in the gospell; but that as Christ, our Priest, our Prince, and our Prophet, hath giuen vs (either by doctrine or example) such needful directions, as are of necessary and lawfull vse, eyther in a christian church or state: so no christian Church or State should dare to innouate or alter those directions which Christ our high Priest and great prince hath left established; but in all directions both of church & state, there must be heedfull care, that euery particular haue relation to the truth of holy scripture,How to iudge the lawfulnesse of euery statute ecclesiastical or ciuill. or be conforme to the example of Christ: for whatsoeuer direction, whether it concerne the soule or society, if it be not necessarily grounded, & haue dependency from the word of God, is [Page] altogether vnlawfull in a Christian church and state, neither can dispensation make it lawfull or tollerable. Therfore by the square of the Scriptures all men ought to measure the lawfulnes of euery action,How to square euery particular action. and of euery direction: & that whatsoeuer shall disagree from God and the Scripture, may be iudged error & intrusion of disorder: and therefore of necessity to bee spewed out of the Church & states of Christian men.

Speciall application.

The meditation of this doctrine and those duties,Speciall application. shal make me serious in my Christian care: I will [...] not now content my selfe to haue (only) a generall knowledge of Christ Iesus my Redeemer: but I will labour to vnderstand him in his double nature. For if I consider him in his diuinity, as he is God onely, it is a teror to my remembrance, when I consider him in his double nature, it giues me hope and alacrity;To consider God in his Maiesty onely is terrible. for the maiesty of God is terrible to sinfull man; but his mercy is cōfortable, and suporteth the falling spirits of our soules, which wold [Page] faint and dye in despayre, if the grace of God did not supply to such extremities Therefore as God doth most delight himselfe in the vse of his mercy: so will I delight my soule most in the contemplation of his mercy.Christ the character of Gods mercy. And as Christ Iesus is most liuely Character of his mercy; so in the meditation of Christ shall my cares be most busie. He is the booke of Gods mercies: I haue eyes of faith can both see and reade the Stories of mercy: therefore I will direct my labour, and endeuour my studies in the most happy knowledge of my Sauiour Iesus. In him I shall find infinite matter infinite variety (all good:) in him I shall search the cause of my redemption,Where to finde the cause of mans redemption▪ I shall finde it in his will, I shall find it in his workings; he did cause my good, he did effect it also; in his wil was the cause in his worke was the effect. This meditation may kindle a dead zeale, & prouoke holines where it is not; a God omniscious, omnipotent, infinite in greatnesse, in goodnesse infinite, to compel himselfe to such a wonderful difference of fortune. He that had happines in the [Page] highest degree, br [...]athing inutterable pleasure in the bosome of his Father; he that made the heauons and the earth, should descend from heauen to earth;Note. & there assume the forme of wretched man, and in that form worke such righteounes as might satisfie God, satisfie the law for the sinne of man; and in that forme to be borne in pouerty, to liue in contempt, and to dye in disgrace; and all this to be done by the only begotten Sonne of God, for the good of man, a creature that was become an apostate, a traytor to God, a rebell to his lawes, and the very actor of his disgrace, death & tragedy! O that I had wordes to expresse the imaginations of my soule, what formes of mercy I can see in my Sauiour Iesus, what scantnes (nay what fowlenes) of desert I finde in my selfe; his good and my euill are both infinite. Therefore I will do as I aduise, what I cannot expresse in wordes or workes,Wee must meditate what wee cannot expresse. I will deuise it in my thought: I will know and beleeue my Sauiour to be infinit good, though I cānot expresse his infinite goodnes: what I can do to his [Page] glory, I will endeauour what I cannot do my selfe, I will perswade others: I will doe any thing that may adde any thing to the honour of my Sauiour: for by gaining his fauour, I haue al fauour, and in leesing him, I haue nought but tribulation and misery. Hee is the seale of the Couenant betweene God and mee; if I want my seale, I shall want my assurance, and so forfeyte my estate in Gods fauour and heauen: I will therefore sell all that I haue, to buy my sauiour,A dange [...]ous forfeit. I will leese all to gaine him. If he subscribe not to my pardon, I am but dead; the law hath cast mee, and without him there is no grace, no hope of fauour; I will therefore direct my eye of faith to him,Resolution. and when I haue found him whom my soule loueth. I will resort to him in dayly prayer, winne his fauour by indeauour & carefull obseruing him, and so make him my saluation that hath wrought salutation. Thus I purpose in my owne particulars: thus I wish to all in generall.

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Of Repentance, the sorrow of the Soule for sinne. Chap. 3.

WHen Christian men haue vnderstanding by the Law of God, of their miserable estate (in respect of sinne) what they were in innocency, what they are in sin, & what they shall be in iudgement, it bringeth a general sadnesse on the soules of men,Repentance and dulleth the spirite and delight they haue had in their prosperous fortunes:God giueth the first grace to repentance. For when God giueth grace to any one to examine his life, and to view his own deformities, the first knowledge & apprehensiō of his misery is most terrible, because his conscience dooth forcibly check the former proceedings of his life and violently hale him against the currēt of his own affection: for as riuers are not forced against their ordinary streme [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] but by the tide which is more forcible then the streame; so our sinfull action, (being in all men,The difficulty of repentance. a naturall and common motion) is not reformed in vs, but by the Spirite of God, a power aboue our nature. Yet is it done, with such contention in our flesh, and in our nature, (as for the time) doth wonderfully distract the soule of the party repenting.The reason. And needs it must: for he that hath wasted his time in the delicacy of fortune, glutting himselfe with variety of pleasures, and in the height of this vaine prosperity is admonished that hee hath fedde on poyson, and thereby runne his life into a desperate hazard,The sorrow of a repentant soule. will (doubtles) endure the extremity of griefe that sudden feare and amazednesse can lay vpon him For so are sinnefull [...] men, who not regarding the danger of their soules before God and their conscience admonish them,A sudden griefe is violent. are taken vnprouided with a sudden griefe, which doth alway inflict an vnexpressable measure of sorrowe, and sometimes death and desperation. Now as the Law teacheth vs to know [Page] our sinne,What must cure diseased soules. our miserable condition, and the disease of our soules: so the Gospell teacheth vs the cure, both what and how to administer phisicke to our diseased soules: for else were the knowledge of our sinnes an extreme misery without profite, if wee shoulde not also know the meanes of our recouery, and know also how to administer and apply them. For vertue hath no vertue but in vse,The vse of vertue. and that physicke which the sicke patient receyueth not, cannot profite him, bee it neuer so excellent, or standeth neuer so neare him. But as in corporall, so in spirituall sicknesses,The order in curing. the disease must first bee knowne, the phisicke then administred; for hee that administreth before hee knoweth the cause, or knoweth only the cause, and administreth not, can neuer recouer his patient, be hee neuer so industrious. In repentance therefore and sorrow for sinne,) which is a sickenesse of the soule) must be (necessarily) considered these two particulars: The cause,The cause of repentance. the cure. The cause is eyther the materiall cause, or the mouing cause, [Page] the materiall cause is sin; that being the matter of our offence; for which wee so sorrow and grieue all the time of our repentance. This is proued in the examples of all men that haue had the grace of true and vnfaigened repentance; euery penitent Child of grace hauing sorrow and affliction in his soule, because by his sinne he hath prouoked his God, and his creator against him. Thus did Iob and Dauid repent them;Iob. 42. 6. 2. Sam. 12. 13. and so doe and will doe all that would profite by theyr Repentance. And here is necessarily to be obserued that though our repentance haue respect to the benefite of our owne estates, as being a most necessary seruice in our saluation:Note. yet the maine respect is had to God, whose glory wee must preferre,God must be respected before our soules. euen before the saluation of our soules, making him the principall and our selues but secondary respectes of our repentance. And herein appeareth the difference betweene true and false repentance. The false or godlesse repentance sorroweth for sinne, but for this cause only, that for their sinne God [Page] doth punish and afflict them.The difference betweene true and false repentance. Exod. 9. 27 1. Sam. 15 24 25. 1. King. 21. 27. Therfore their sorrow is chiefly for the punishment, & but respectiuly for the sin. Thus did Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, & Iudas repent them, and so do all false and fained repenters, that respect God for themselues, and not themselues for God. A true and godly repentance sorroweth for sin,Mat. 27. 3. 4 For what cause a godly repentant sorroweth. because it is sin, and not because it deserueth punishment: and heere the main respect is had to God, and to our selues onely for Gods sake. For though the dread and feare of punishment, be sufficient to mooue any mans repentance, yet we must not make that the cause of our spirtiual sorrow: but much rather because we haue offended so gracious a God, who hath declared himselfe to vs in so many, & so great demō strations of loue, this ought to be more sensible to our wounded soules thē the horror we haue of our condemnation. Thus are holy men moued in the griefe & passion of their repentāce. The main difference then betweene true and false repentance is this: True repentance is caused by a reuerence wee haue to [Page] the loue of God, false Repentance by the feare wee haue of Gods iustice: the one is the office of a slaue, the other the office of a sonne: both of them repenting one matter,God is the moving cause in every office of grace. but for diuers respects. Sin then is the materiall cause of Repentance. The mouing cause is God who mouing his holy Spirite in the hearts of his Elect, presents them the vgly formes of their sins, awakes their conscience, and stirs them to a serious cogitation of their wretchednesse; giuing them still such proportion of grace, as the degrees of theyr Repentance and spiritual sorrow shal require. And that God is the first mouing cause of godly repentance, is euident by many places of Scripture; by these namely, 2. Tim. 2. 25. where S. Paul aduising Timothie to instruct them that are contrary minded, hee giueth this reason:2. Tim. 2. 25 Because he shall thereby proue if God at any time will giue them repentance, that they may know the truth: Here repentance is called the gift of God, which doth vtterly barre man from all cause of boasting his ability in this necessatie dutie. [Page] Also in the 5. of the Act. 31. the Apostles (prouing Iesus to be Christ & God coequall to his Father) vseth this argument before the councell of the Iewes: That God had made him a Prince & a Sautour, Act. 5. 31. to giue repentance to Israel, and forgiuenesse of sin, where the power of giuing repentance, is made a proofe of his diuinity, and interposed betweene his office of Sauiour, and his power of forgiuing sins. These places (out of many) sufficiently proue, that God is the first & principall mouing cause of fruitfull repentance.Obiect. Now it may bee demaunded, whether God moue repentance in all them that repent for sin, or in them onely that truly repent, and are his chosē elect. I answer,Answer. that God moueth this grace in his elect only because they only make profitable vse of repentance, & that such as Soul and Ahab that repented for priuate respects,Saul and Ahab. were not moued by the spirite of grace, but by their politique & priuate regards only. For wheresoeuer the holy Ghost shall please to moue grace, it is not possible that labour should be fruitlesse: neyther [Page] doth God euer misse in the purpose of his ends.Note. And therfore that repentance which his holy Spirit causeth, he continueth to maturitie & ripenesse of perfection, neuer fayling, neuer fainting in his vndertakings. Thus much of the cause of our spirituall sorrow (repentāce.) Now of the cure or means of deliuerance from spirituall griefe.The cure. In the cure is considered, first the preparing & dressing of the wounded soule, wherby it is made fit for curing. Secondly, the matter to be applied to the soule. Thirdly, the maner of applyment. In the preparing of the wounded soule, there are those 4. things necessary. First, a spirituall sorrow for sin, that is, a sence of sorrow in the soule, caused by a cogitation of sin & guiltinesse. And this is a necessary preparatiue in a repētāt soule: for that soule cānot desire a spiritual refreshing, that hath not first a sense of sorrow, & a feeling of present calamity. This first preparatiue to repentance, was in the Iewes, that were hearers of holy Peter, when hee declared to them their sin in crucifying the Lord Iesus. [Page] For the Text sayth:Act. 2. 37 When they heard it, they were pricked in their hearts, and sayd: What shall wee doe? As if the presēt sorrow did so astonish them, as they knew not what to do, nor what to aduise themselues. The next preparatiue is humble acknowledgement, that is, an acknowledgment of the soule of the misery it is in,Humble acknowledgement. and an exposing of such particular griefes as wee finde in the register of our conscience. This also is very necessary in the preparing of our soules: for though God (the Physition of our soul [...]s) vnderstand our sins better then our selues, and can remember them better then conscience; yet is it but reason, that hee that desireth the physicke of his soule, declare so much of his griefe as hee can remember: not to instruct or helpe the knowledge of God, but to acknowledge our selues and our dut [...]full desires. This acknowledgement of sin, was comon in the custome of holy Dauid, how often doth hee confesse his sinne, and expose his griefe before God?The example of holy Dauid. Psal. 32. 5. for God is so desirous of our good, as that [Page] hee then readily helpeth vs, when wee doe but (carefully) desire it. Therefore sayth the Prophet Dauid: I sayd I would confesse my sinne, and thou forgauest, &c. Dauid did but say he would confesse, God taketh his word, and forgaue him his sinne. And certainely, humble and vnfained acknowledgement in our repentance, is an vndoubted testimony that God doth giue vs grace, & that hee will giue vs fauour. Here is offered occasion to dispute a large controuersie touching auricular confessiō, the which being conten [...]iously disputed,Auricular confession. hath kindled fire in the faith of manie, many making that of absolute necessity in all, which is onely conuenient in some.Auricular con [...]ession rather policy then piety. For auricular confession (as now it is vsed) is rather a state policy thē religious piety, and therefore I dare not command it, neyther will commend it. The third preparatiue consisteth in holy action,The third preparatiue. that is, when wee indeauour a reformation of our selues, and declare our Repentance in a conscionable discharge. For though no man can [...] satisfie the iustice of God for sinne; that being [Page] possible for the Sonne of God onely:No man can satisfie God. yet ought all men to endeauour so much as they haue power giuen them to satisfie men. As for example; hee that stealeth or defraudeth, bee it by force or by fraud,How farre euery man must satisfie. is of necessity bound to make restitution (if he bee able) and this the reformed Publican Zacheus wel vnderstood, who pro [...]essing before Christ his reformation & repentance, to witnesse it to bee true and vnfained, hee gaue this infallible token: Beholde Lord (sayth he) the half of my goods I giue to the poore, and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation, Luk. 19. 8. I restore him foure folde. And the Text sayth in the next verse, that then saluation was come into his house. And so Zacheus by indeauouring that hee could not, did at one time entertaine both his Sauiour and his saluation. Therefore though no man can satisfie, yet euery man must endeauour, otherwise his repentance is idle and but vaine, neyther can he haue part in the righteousnesse and redemption of Iesus Christ.

The last preparatiue is praier, that is [Page] a lifting vp of the heart to God, with faith and hopeful confidence.Prayer. In the exercise of praier there is a double office.Psal. 25. 1. First, wee must expose our griefe. Secondly, we must implore fauour: for as in the ordinary cures of Surgery, the patient must first suffer his woundes to bee ript,Note. launst and searcht before the playster can bee applyed to the sore: so must we rip, and search the wounds of our soule, empty the infectious matter; and when we haue it out, wee must vse it as Hezechiah did the blasphemous letter of Rabshaketh, 2. Kin. 19. 14. 15. spreads all before the Lord; and then with earnest humblenesse, implore his fauour, point out our sinnes vnto him, and confesse that these are they that haue wounded our soules, troubled our conscience, for which we grieue, for which we pray. When the soule is thus prepared, there is ioy in our repentant teares, pleasure in our griefe, and hope in our spirituall sorrow: and then, (and not before) are wee made fitte to apprehend and apply the saluation of our soules, Christ Iesus. The second [Page] thing in the care of our soules,The matter of the cure of our souls. is the soueraigne matter by which the soule is cured. That is the most soueraigne Balsame, the sacred bloud of the Lambe of GOD, of the Sonne of God, shed for the Redemption of mankinde:1. Pet. 2. 2. for so sayth his holy Apostle Saint Peter, 1. Pet. 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, that [...]ee being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse, by whose stripes we were healed. Our sinnes are taken from vs, by his bearing them: our woundes are cured by his wo [...]ndes: our eternall death preuented by his temporall death: for but the Sonne of GOD (Christ Iesus,) there is no Empiricke,No physick but the bloud of Christ can cure a wounded soule. no quintessence, no Physicke, can cure a wounded soule: so venemous is sinne, and so incurable are the wounds of sinne: only the bloud of the holy Lambe is able to deliuer and heale; and that is both so certaine, and present in vertuous operation, as that one droppe (rightly applyed) is sufficient to cure the wounds of a world of soules. The last thing is the cure of [Page] our soules, is the manner of applying this most Soueraigne medicine Christ Iesus,The maner of applying Christ. and that is by a true and a liuelie faith,Heb. 11. 6. for without faith it is impossible to please God: and without faith it is impossible to apprehend the Sonne of God. Neyther neede this seeme strange to a Christian iudgement, that wee should bee able by faith to apprehend Christ, and apply him to our repentant soules: for hee himselfe hath taught vs, that whatsoeuer wee shall aske in prayer (if we belieue) wee shall haue it.Mat. 21. 22. Where hee maketh faith to bee the couenant and condition of prayer, and promiseth that such prayer shal onely and alwayes preuaile, that is directed by a liuing faith, against which there is no resistance.No resistāce against a true faith. Therefore to apprehend Christ Iesus, and to apply him to our wounded soules, we must reach our handes of faith to the bosome of his Father, and by faith take him from the altar of his Crosse, and by faith apply his bloud, (nay, his bloudy body) to our wounded soules. For hee that doth it faithfully, doth it effectuly, [Page] and shal doubtlesse find assurance in himselfe, that the woundes of his soule are cured; and that sinne is for euer disinabled from doing his soule hurt, that hath Iesus Christ his Redeemer faithfully applyed vnto it. For where hee is in his mercy, there is assurance, and the [...]afety of diuine protection, And this is the order I aduise all christians in their repentance and spirituall sorrow.Note. First, that they prepare their soules, and that then they apply Iesus Christ their saluation, In whom there is safety, without whome, none. I might heere bee large in declaring the manner and the causes of Godlesse sorrow, and false repentance. Iauoide them for their number and variety: let the true iudge the false; and let this true forme of Repentance I haue prescribed, teach the Christian Reader to auoide all dissimulation,Hipocritical sorrow in Gods hatred. and hypocriticall sorrow for sinne: the which hee may iudge by comparing with this Doctrine I haue deliuered. And let him remember that Godlie sorrow causeth repentance, not to bee [Page] repented of; but worldly sorrow causeth death. 2. Corinth. 7. 10. 11.

2. Cor. 7. 10▪ 11

The generall vse.

This doctrine of Repentance,The Vse. and spirituall sorrow doth remember all men many very needfull admonishments. First,First. seeing that sinne is the cause for which wee repent vs, and by whose poysonsome meanes our soules are so grieuously wounded, and so fowly deformed; it ought to moue al men to a loathing and detestation of sinne, by which we are both grieued in our selues, & brought in the hatred and displeasure of almighty God.Note. For if we carefully auoyd all such annoyances as bring any little taste of griefe to our bodies, or to our temporall life, wee ought much more carefully to auoyde sinne, which causeth such extremity of griefe in our soules, and doth both depriue vs of Gods fauour, & bring an euerlasting destruction vpon vs. Secondly,Secondly. seeing there is no repentance profitable to saluation, [Page] but that which is caused in vs, by the mouing of Gods holy Spirit, it behoueth all men to bee serious in their repentance, and not to content themselues with a slender examination of their sinnes, and then againe to return to their former disobedience, and remissnesse; but to be carefull to repent al sinne, and to be constant in that care, no alteration, no interruption, and that our repentance respect rather a shame and griefe to haue offended a gracious God, then any feare of temporall or eternall punishment: lest by such repentance they gaine no more then Saul & Ahab; Saules and Ahabs repentance. the one nothing,1. King. 21 27. the other nothing but a short temporall blessing: both of thē leesing their soules by their false and fained repentance. Thirdly, seing the soule cannot be cured by repentance, neither can apply or apprehend Christ Iesus, vnlesse it bee first prepared & made fit by the exercise of these duties, it therefore behoueth all men to be carefully precise in the office of these duties, & not to satisfie themselues with the exercise of one or two of them, [Page] but to indeauour them all, because they are al necessary in our true repentance for as in the commaundements of the law, he that fayleth in one, breaketh al: so in these duties of repentanc, he that neglecteth one, profiteth by none, but annihilateth the purpose of his spirituall sorrow. Let no man therfore flatter himselfe with this presumption,The danger of presumption. that if hee haue beene an extortioner, a thiefe, or a godlesse person, that his repentance will suffice him, if he be sorry for his sinnes, and acknowledge them to God, for those though they bee necessary duties, they are not all the duties of our soules in our preparation to repentance. Therefore if he haue extorted, or (as Zacheus did, taken by forged cauillation,L [...]k. 19. 8. (that is by any indirect or dishonest meanes) hee must repent as Zacheus did, and make restitution (if he can) and as farre as he can: otherwise saluation can neuer come to his house. Therefore as they are all necessary, so they are ioyntly necessary, euery man being bound to all these duties, as God and grace shall inable him.

[Page]Fourthly, seeing Christ Iesus is that Empericke, and that onely salue which is able to cure a wounded sinfull soule, and that without him there is no working, no cause, no meanes of spirituall deliuerance from sinne, and from a wounded Conscience: therefore it most nearely concerneth all men to indeauour all meanes,We must purchase Christ, though we sell al thing [...] to purchase this Christ their saluation, to sell all they haue, that they may buy the treasure of his bloud, & of his righteousnesse, nay, and to despise all thinges in respect of him their Sauiour, and the onelie Soveraigne salue for their wounded soules.

And that seeing wee haue Iesus Christ the Sonne of God proposed vs to be our saluation, who is alwaies ready, and alwayes willing to bee apprehended,The willingnesse of Christ to be apprehended. and to bee applyed to our soules: by whom onely wee enioy the peace of conscience, and the hope of heauen; therefore no man ought to haue confidence and affy in pardons, dispensations, and such trash, wherewith the besotted people of this world [Page] wonderfully delighted, for such pedling stuffe must not be thought to haue equall vertue with the bloud of Christ, or that they haue any power in the cure of wounded soules,Note. but on the contrary they surfette the conscience, and poyson the soule,Vile Physicke. enlarging the woundes both in number and griefe, and making the soule vncapable of cure, and most vnfitte to haue the precious bloud of Christ applyed vnto it.

Lastly,Fiftly. seeing there is no meanes to apprehend and apply this Christ, the physition, and physick of our soules, but onely by a true, liuely and a iustifying faith, therefore it most necessarily concerneth all men,Christ can not be apprehended but by a true faith onely. to haue this means of apprehending Christ; because (as I haue sayd) the salue though most soueraign) cannot profite the sore, vnlesse it be applyed, that being the very maine act of our spirituall health, alll other duties and offices beeing but circumstances, to assist and forward this act. Moreourr the faith by which wee apprehend Christ, must be more then a common [Page] or a generall faith. For it profiteth not to our health and saluation, to knowe onelie that Iesus Christ is the present cure of our soules, vnlesse wee also by a confident and liuely faith, apprehende and apply him to the sore of our soules. Againe, seeing Christ is our onely saluation, & seeing faith is the only means of apprehending it, we ought not to appoint other matter of saluation, neither any other maner of applying it. And therfore no man ought to ascribe righteousnesse to himself, to his own works,Note. or the supererogatiue workes of his friendes, but onely to Iesus Christ, and that this Christ is onely apprehended by a sauing faith.

Speciall application.

I will often meditate this Doctrine of true Repentance,Speciall application. what feare, what care, what affliction is in the soule at such occasion. I will practise it in my selfe, I will pitty it in others: I will condemne sin to be the great cause of such [Page] misery, I will condemne my selfe to be the onely cause of that sinne. When I exercise this spirituall office of repentance, I will bee carefully busie in all the duties thereof:A necessary resolution. I vvill search the woundes of my soule, empty the rottennesse & putrifaction thereof, search and dresse my wounds;How to dresse the woundes of a soule. search them by a serious examination of my sinnes, and dresse them by humble and hearty acknowledgement, I will examine the actions & the particulars of my life, I will compare them with my duties, and those that proportion not, I will call them my errors, my sinnes, and the wounds of my soule. I wil by the means of prayer and faith, referre my defects to bee supplyed by the most absolute satisfactory righteousnesse of my Sauiour.The righteousnesse of Christ must supply all our defects. What I find sinne, I wil call sinne: I will not flatter my errours, nor smooth my deformities, I will not pretend health when I am sicke, nor safety when I am mortally wounded, I will not fauour any sinne, whether it bee a sinne of profite, or a sinne of pleasure.No sin must be fauoured. In this case I will despise [Page] both pleasure and profite: I will therefore be sorry for all, acknowledge all, pray for the remission of all. If I haue gayned possessions and wealthes by theft, extortion, forged cauillation, or any other indirect meanes, I will restore as my present estate shall enable me. I will be ashamed that Zacheus the Publican, shall restore his extortions foure-fold, and I a Christian, not to restore the princiall. I will shunne all such sinne, as a plague or leprosie, because I know that saluation will not come to him that hath such defection.All sinne of necessity must bee cured. But as (of necessitie) all sinne must bee cured, otherwise there is no cure: so in my repentance I will hate all sinne without dispensation of any; otherwise I repent not, but flatter my selfe in presumption, and vaine confidence. And because nothing can apprehend and apply saluation to my Soule,Works must try our faith. but the handes of a sauing faith onely, I will therefore bee sure that my faith bee such an one, I will trye it by the euidence of my Workes: they wil testifie [Page] what it is, and of what Nature. For as my faith in Christ doth iustifie mee in the sight of God, so the workes of my faith iustifieth my faith in the sight of men, and my selfe. If the fruites of my faith (then) bee good, my faith it selfe then must needes bee good, and auaileable to apprehend and apply Iesus Christ my saluation.Plentifull in good works and why. I will therefore bee plentifull in the exercise of all good Actions, that my conscience may testifie my faith: and that my faith may bee able to execute the holy Office assigned it.

When I haue the assurance of this faith, I will then with confidence looke vp to Heauen. I will seeke him whome my Soule loueth, and when I haue found him, I will expose before him the calamity of my soule, and my present condition. I will open my woundes, discouer my sinnes, declare my endeauour, and report my faith. When I haue thus done, I knowe what my Sauiour will doe: he will reioyce at my recouery, and be glad of [Page] my returne: hee will shew mee his righteousnesse, shew me his woundes, and shew me his death vpon the crosse: hee will also willingly yeeld himselfe vnto my faith,Apprehension of Chrst. and giue mee free liberty in the vse of his righteousnesse. Then will I busily apply my cares, I will stretch my handes of faith to the altar of his Crosse, I will (with reuerend boldnesse) touch his wounds, and take his sacred bloud; and with a wonderfull degree of comfort, I will apply it when I haue it: I wil open my wounds wide, and will infuse his most precious bloud, and with that bloud shall enter the Spirite of health and euerlasting safety.

Thus in an instant shall I finde the happy alteration of my soule:The happy alteration of a soule and I that (but then) was in spirituall griefe, tribulation, and anguish, shall now finde ioye and strength in my Soule: and my soule that was wounded, deformed, and full of the markes of sin, shall now haue the marke of the righteousnes of Iesus Christ, wherby I shal be distinguished from vnrepentant sinners, [Page] and haue the seales & assurances of my saluation. Amen.

Of Mortification. Chap. 4.

HE that is resolued to indeuour his godly repē tance,Mortification. and laboreth the reformation of his sinfull life, must labour two thinges principally, and of necessity; the first is Mortification, the next regeneration. He must first destroy his sinnefull estate, before he can obtaine the state of grace. For God and the gifts of God,Note. are so absolute holy, as that they cannot admit any mixture or cooperation with sinne and wicked action. For as in the curing of bodies infected with poysonnous diseases, the Physition by seuerity and strict dyet, bringeth downe the body of his patient to extreme pouerty, [Page] and leannes, and then in that extremity, helpeth the weakenesse of Nature; and by restoratiues, and requisite dyet, bringeth a new flesh wholesome and without disease, the former diseased flesh being first wasted, and vtterly consumed with the extremity of physick. So he that is resolued in his repentance, and hath a loathing and detestation of his sins, and a desire to free his soule from the contagion of sinne, must resolue also to endure such bitter Physicke and strict dyet,How to mortifie our diseased actions. as the iudgement of spiritual phisick doth prescribe him; whereby all the euill, depraued and corrupt affections of his soule, may bee vtterly wasted, and thereby his soule may haue new and fresh indument of grace, without taint, without disease, without griefe. This was figured in the manner of Gods calling Moses to his princely and Propheticall office. For when Moses made offer to come neare the presence of God in the bush,Ex. 3. 5. God forbad him: Come not hither (saith God,) put off thy shoes of thy feet. That is before thou presume to approch my presence, thou [Page] must first put off thy shooes, that is, thy sinnefull and corrupt affections for hee that hath base and vile affections is not worthy, is not fitte for the presence of GOD. It was also in the order of the Ceremoniall Law, that they who were polluted (were it but with the touch of any vncleane thing) were for a time Prohibited the Sanctuary, and the presence of God: Leuit. 15. 2. &c. and had a time limited to cleanse them, before they were admitted and allowed for cleane persons. All which Ceremonies doe but note vnto vs the Nature of holinesse, how vnpossible it is to bee reconciled with sinne, that as the two contrary Elements, Fire and Water, cannot possibly bee in any one Subiect without intestine strife: so God and Beliall, grace and sinne, can neuer conspire in any one particular: but where grace is,No peace betweene God and Belial. sinne cannot be, and where sinne is, grace will not bee: there being in them a full opposition of Nature, not to be reconciled. Therefore it is necessary, that before wee entertaine the graces of Gods Holy [Page] Spirite, wee first discharge our sinnes, which haue had entertainement in vs, and before wee can bee regenerate, and made the sonnes of GOD, wee must mortifie our affections, whereby we were made the seruants of Sinne.

Saint Paul admonishing the Colossians to an imitation of Christ,S. Paules direction. and his holinesse, aduiseth first to Mortification, as if without that meanes, the other were impossible.Colos. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore (sayth hee) your Members which are on the earth, For nication, vncleannesse, &c. And hee giueth a reason of this direction, in the Epistle to the Romanes,Rom. 8. 13. 8. 13. For if yee liue after the flesh, yee shall die: but if yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit, yee shall liue. By which place wee are taught, what mortification is, and of what necessity it is.

Mortification is a decay or perishing the deedes of our flesh,What Mortification is. by the grace and operation of Gods Spirite. By the deeds of our flesh, is meant not onely our euill actions, but our [Page] desires and carnall affections also; the which Saint Paul doth particularize in the Verse before alleadged: where he calleth their generall name members on the earth. Mortifie therefore your members which are on the earth, Colos. 3. 5 fornicatiō, vncleannesse, the inordinate affection, euill concupiscence, and couetousnesse, which is idolatry. In which hee comprehendeth (not onely) our actions, but affections; nay, the very naturall concupiscence, and deprauednesse of our Nature. Not that any man is able to performe these dueties exactly; but exactly to endeuour them, and that our defectes may bee in our power,To endevour exactly is exactly to performe. and not in our purpose and endeauour. And this is the meaning of that Apostle, in naming (for the matter of mortification) sinnes of action, sinnes of affection, and sinnes of naturall descent.

Secondly,Secondly. mortification is an office of the spirit,Question. & here importeth a question, whether the word spirite in this place is to be meant of the Spirite of God, the Holy Ghost, or of the Spirite of [Page] man our naturall soule. I answere,Answer. that the Spirit executing this office of mortification, is principally meant of the holy Ghost, who giueth the first motion of desire in euery Godlie Act. It is respectiuely also meant of the care and trauell of our owne spirites or soules, not that our own spirits can cause our owne mortification, but being first caused by Gods Spirite, it is entertained and continued by the exercise of our owne Spirites, our Spirites hauing no such strength in theyr owne Nature,Note. but as they are prepared by the Grace of the Holy Ghost. For, as in the casting of a stone or running of a Bowle, though the strength of the arme giue the first motion to the bowle or stone; yet afterwards is the motion continued a competent time, as wel because of the powerfull mouing of the arme, as also because of the naturall fitnesse of the thing moued. So in the office of mortification, and in all other diuine offices of the Soule,No soule can moue it selfe to diuine action▪ though the Soule moue not it selfe to these holy actions; [Page] yet by reason of the spirituall nature of our soules, when it is once moued by the Holy Ghost, it then continueth such motion, euen to perfection; so that the prime houre of the holy exercise of Mortification (and so of all other spirituall offices) is wholy to to bee ascribed to the power of Gods holy Spirit, which moueth in our harts enery act, and euery purpose of well doing.

Thirdly, there is a necessary of mortification imposed vpon euery man,Thirdly. vpon the paine of condemnation. This is implyed in the words of S. Paul in the place before alledged, Rom. 8. 13. For if ye liue after the Flesh, ye shall die, but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit, Rom. 8. 13. ye shall liue. Where the Apostle proposeth life and death before the Romanes, admonishing that of a necessity they must chuse one,Life and death is proposed euery man. eyther to mortifie the flesh and liue, or else to pamper the flesh, and die; there being no meanes, no cause of auoidance of this necessity. And S. Paul hath admiration at their simplicity, that cannot apprehend this [Page] mystery, who in the Allegory of seede prouing the resurrection of our bodies, proueth also the necessary mortifying of our flesh:1. Cor. 15. 36. O foole (saith he) that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die: For as the blade of seede corne cannot appeare before the graine bee first rotten in the Earth: and as there cannot bee a Resurrection to Life, before there bee first a separation and rottennesse by Death: So there cannot bee a Regeneration by Grace, beefore there bee a Mortification to sinne.No regeneratiō before mortification. For new-Birth is gotten by the death of Sinne, and Mortification is the Predecessor, and nexte Parent to Regeneration, they being necessary Relatiues: for where one is, both are; and where both are not, neithe is.

These thinges are most materiall in the doctrine of Mortification.

First, it is generally necessary, al men beeing bound to that duty vpon necessity.

Secondly,All men, all sinne. it is necessarily generall, all men being bound to mortifie [Page] all sinne, without fauour or dispensation of any. Lastly, it is moued in vs by the spirite of God, but is exercised by our owne reformed Spirits, God kindling the fire of zeale in our heartes, which when it is once kindled, burneth of it selfe, but not without diuine assistance.

The generall vse.

The necessity of Mortification,The vse. doth require in euery one an exact diligence in that Christian office: for seing the hazard of eternall life dependeth vpon the death, or not dying of sinne, and that necessarily, there is no man of that simple vnderstanding, but will thinke it expedient, nay, necessary wisedome,Eyther men or their sins must die. rather to destroy his sinne, then himselfe, for one of the two must of necessity be mortified, suffer death, and die. And if any man thinke to be able to deuise a means to saue both himselfe and his sinne, and in the reformation of himselfe to ouerleape the duetie [Page] of mortification, as a duty too precise and of grieuous performance; and shal thinke that mortification is not of necessary substance, but rather a seuere circumstance, which may bee safelie auoided; to him I will say with indignation, as S. Paul sayth to the Corinthians with admiration:1. Cor. 15. 36. O foule, that which thou sowest is not quickned, except it die. And let him bee sure, that if he fayle, or faint in his indeuour, there is no indeuour can purchase him the fauour of God,How to esteem God the soule, and sin. and the saluation of his soule. Therefore it most neerely respecteth al men, not to esteeme their sinne, which is their enemy, & would destroy them, more then God that is their friend, and would saue them; nay, more then theyr soules, and their owne saluation; but to despise their sinnes,Man must warre vpon himselfe. nay themselues in respect of God, and saluation. And therefore let euery man make war vpon his owne flesh, and let him be valiant to conquer himselfe; & to triumph in the spoyle and death of his sinfull actions and affections. For there is no Warr can gaine our Names a greater [Page] glory, then to victor our selues, and he is most redoubted and most valiant, that can conquer his owne affections: the which all men must doe, before they can haue the garland of holy victory from the handes of God. Againe, seing that in our mortificatton there is no respect of fauour had to any sinne, but that all sinne must dye, the sins that haue gayned vs eyther our profite,All sin must die. or pleasure: for all sinne beeing in hatred with God, all sinne is therefore commaunded to die, without dispensation, prouiso, or exception. It therefore behoueth all to hate as God hateth, euen all sinne,Men must hate as God hateth. because all sin is in Gods hatred; least they prouoke GOD as Saule did, and with Saule declare themselues reprobates; God commanded Saule to destroy the Amalekites, 1. Sam. 15. 1. a sinnefull and Godlesse people, Saule performed his commaundement but in part: For though hee destroyed many, he spared some, for the which GOD cast him from his fauour, and rent his Kingdome from him. Our sinnes are those Amalekites, God hath commanded vs [Page] to destroy them vtterly: if therefore any man presume against Gods commandement to spare any, God will certainly cast him with Saul, from the hope of saluation.Admonition. This dooth admonish all to auoyde the common custome, that men commonly hate the sinnes and infirmities of others, but flatter and feed their owne with saturity; The vsurer he condemnes the prodigall, the prodigall him: the drunkard condemneth gluttony, the glutton drunkennes. Age and youth haue particular sinnes, yet they despise one another, and so euerie particular, so that many can abhorre those sinnes to which they are not naturally addicted: but fewe doe mortifie thē that are nearest & dearest vnto them.Hypocrites. These our Sauiour Christ calleth hypocrites, that point at little sins in others, but flatter mayn ones in themselues. This euill custome is farre short of the duty of mortificatiō, which requireth a detestation (nay a death) not of some sinnes, and other mens, but of our owne sinnes, and of all our own without exception of any.

[Page]Lastly, seeing the holy Ghost doth moue this grace in our hearts and doth giue vs spirituall power in the office of mortification, it behooueth all men to addresse theyr prayers to GOD, that hee will giue them the direction of his grace, in so needfull a performance, and that when they finde in themselues a desire to mortifie their sinnes, and sinnefull affections, that they yeeld their endeauour with all diligence to doe as the holy Ghost doth direct them,The holy Ghost the best directer lest by neglecting the admonishments of Gods Spirite, they bring vppon themselues a greater condemnation.

Speciall application.

Mortification beeing of such necessitySpeciall application. in the ordinary meanes of my saluation, as that not my selfe, or any can be regenerate, before wee carefully discharge this office of mortification; I will therefore endeauour this dutie with all diligence: I will denounce a [Page] bloudy and a generall warre against all my sins, I will entertaine fauour and correspondency with none; but euen those sinnes that haue been my delight shall bee my hatred:Delights of sinnes must be in hatred I will not loue them for theyr profite, because transitory: I will not fauour them for their pleasure, because in their pleasure there is poyson. I wil not feare them for their number,Reasons why wee should fauor no sinne. though infinite many, nor for their valour, though they haue conquered my selfe, and a world of people: because I know whose I am, and who is on my side. When I was victored by them, I was their seruant, their slaue: now I haue victored them, I will make them perpetuall slaues: I will binde them in chaines, cast them in prison, and for euer destroy their euill power, I will haue no pitty, no fauour, no compassion on sinne, because (when I was victored) sinne was mercilesse against me. I will not (as did Saul) spare any for their dignity or worth,Sin is most mercilesse. but with Dauid, I will mortifie and destroy all; in my youth I will hate the sinnes of youth, and in my age, I will bee [Page] also impartiall, prosperity shall not alter me, neyther shal pouerty tempt me: but hauing vndertaken to warre with sinne,Warre is not ended but by victory. I will bee full in my opposition. I will not end my warre without victory, I will not interrupt it by truce, but I will be resolute in my purpose, and constant in my resolution. At all occasions, and in euery distresse I will resort to the Spirit of God: hee is my Commander, and the Generall in this spirituall warre. I will consult with that Oracle, and receyue direction: I will fight with that arme, and obtaine the garland. For hauing God on my parte,Gods policy cannot bee preuented. whom then shall I feare? His policies cannot bee preuented; nor his power (with victory) opposed. What I want of spirituall power in my selfe, I shall bee aboundantly supplyed by the infinite power of the holy Ghost: For by him, Psalm. 18, I shall bee able to ouerthrow an host of sinne; and by the strength of my God, I shall auoide all extremities. Hee is the maine battell of my power, I am but the reare. He is my General, I am his Souldier, his holy Crosse my [Page] colours, his holy Word my weapons. And being thus appointed, I dare confront all the enemies of my soule, all my sinnes: and the Diuell to helpe them.A christian boldnesse. I dare vndertake their conquest, spoyle theyr power, discipline their errours; and by the perpetuall death of my sinne, obtaine a perpetuall quiet of my conscience, and a perpetuall peace in my soule. Amen.

Of Regeneration, or new Birth. Chap. 5.

WHen all thinges were first created,Gen. 1. 31. euery thing was perfectly good; no defect, no blemish, no need of correction. The first defection was sin: [Page] the first sin was the sinne of Angels, the next the sin of man. God punished the sinne of Angels in their owne particulars onely,The reason why God did punish the angels in their owne particulars only, but man, in him selfe and posterity. because they were not to deriue their natures to posteritie by generation and natural descent; and because they were ordained for the seruice of God in certain peculiar offices in the gouernement of his Creatures: the Creatures not being ordained for their seruice. But man for whome all thinges, (euen the Angells themselues) were created, & from whom was to be deriued a world of people, when hee sinned, God punished man himselfe, his posterity and the creatures hee had made and giuen him, For as the sinne of man had infected the whole house of man (the whole World beeing then his house) so the curse of God,Gen. 3. 17. and the marke of his displeasure was seated on that house (the world) all thinges being subiect to alteration, & euil change. Frō this cause is the necessity of regeneration, al things being now (in their owne nature) in the state of corruption, and death. And therfore saith S. Peter, when [Page] shall come to iudgment,2 Pet. 3. 10. the heauens shal passe away with noyse, & the elements shal melt with heat, & the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp: and that there shal be a new heauen, and a new earth according to Gods promise, Vers. 13. wherin dwels righteousnesse. So that nothing shall bee able to abide the glory of Gods presence, but that which is reformed, and regenerate, not the elements, not heauen it selfe,Sin deformed all, Grace reformeth all. but as all haue endured (for sinne) the bad alteration, so they must also endeuour (by grace) the good alteration: all were transformed by sinne, all must be reformed againe by grace, or else remaine in their deformity. And Saint Paul is peremptory in this opinion,Gal. 6. 1 [...]. For in Christ Iesus (saith he) neyther circumcision auayleth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but a new creature: that is, a regeneration by an effectual faith, is only necessary: all ceremony being insufficient and not effectuall. And our Sauiour Christ to Nicodemus preached the necessity of regeneration, and affirmeth his doctrine with a double asseueration. Verily, verily I say vnto thee, except a [Page]man be born again, hee cannot see the kingdome of God. If not see the kingdom of God, then not inheri [...]e it, And this may suffice to perswade the necessary knowledge,No regeneration, no saluation. and the necessary care of regeneration, being that without which it is impossible to be saued. Now it importeth to know what regeneration is.

Regeneration is an act of the holy Ghost in Gods elect,What regeneration is. whereby they are admitted or entred into a constant and faithfull exercise of a godly life. First, it is an act of the holy Ghost: for, as I haue before sayde, all grace is the gift of God, and euery motion to goodnes is caused by the spirite of God onely;Iam. 1. 17 our selues being meerly passiue in all diuine exercise, God himselfe being the actor, and principall mouer. For as hee that learneth to write,The Holy Ghost, our spirituall teacher. hath his hand first led by the direction of his teacher, before he can merit any little commendation: so the holy Ghost (by whose directions wee learne the vse of all spirituall exercise) doth moue both our capacity and power, to vnderstand the knowledge & vse of necessary Christian [Page] an performance, without which Master, we should neuer bee able to comprehend the rudimentes and first elements of diuine learning. Regeneration then being a Christian office of most necessary performance, it must needes bee caused in vs by the holy Ghost; who is the first mouer of euer grace. This doctrine Saint Peter concludeth1. Pet. 1. 3. in expresse words: Blessed (sayth he) be God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which according to his aboundant mercy hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead: So that we are regenerate or new begottē by God in Iesus Christ at the motion & instance of his aboundant mercy.

Secondly, this act of Regeneration by the holy Ghost,Secondly. is caused in the heartes of GODS elect onely. This Doctrine is grounded vpon this Conclusion: That GODS labour is neuer fruitlesse;Iam. 1. 17. but what hee attempteth is finished, there beeing no resistance to his power, nor any greater to countermand him. As holy Dauid saith: [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] The Lord hath done whatsoeuer pleased him. And therefore this grace is moued in the Elect onely, because the elect onely haue the benefite of all grace. And S. Paul chargeth all men that challenge any part in Christ, that they become new and regenerate. Therefore (sayth hee,)2 Cor. 5. 17 If any man bee in Christ, let him bee a new creature, 2. Cor. 5. 17. As if to be in Christ, and to bee a new creature, were reciprocall, all that were in Christ to bee regenerate, and all that were regenerate, to be in Christ: the elect beeing onely in Christ, and regenerate onely.

Thirdly,Thirdly. by this act of grace they are admitted and entred into the exercise of godlinesse. For howsoeuer before we are regenerate, & come to be made (as it were) the very actuall sonnes of God,Regeneration maketh vs the sons of God. by spirituall regeneration, wee passe many dueties of holinesse which may promise vs an extraordinary degree of hope that we are in Gods fauor; yet haue wee then our best assurance, when wee are adopted his children by regeneration: for then wee bring our [Page] holy purpose of reformation into act, and faithfully endeauour those dueties which (before) we had only determined And (therefore) S. Iames speaking of this spirituall generation, saith: Of his owne will begat he vs with the worde of Iam. 1. 18. truth, that we should bee as the first fruites of his creatures, Iam. 1. 18. That is, when we are regenerate, and made the sons of God, we are then fruitfull, & not before; we are Gods first fruites, because we are then first fruitfull.

Fourthly,Fourthly. the exercise of good works in the regenerate, must haue two special properties: first it must be faithfull, then constāt. It must be faithful because of this ground:Rom. 14. 23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin. Rom: 14. It must be constant because of this: That not those that saint in the race of godlines, but those that run on with hope & alacrity shall obtaine the garland: for so sayth the holy Ghost by S. Iohn: Reu. 1. 26. He that ouer commeth & keepeth my works vnto the end, to him will I giue power ouer natiōs. Not he that endeuoreth the beginning, the middle, or a part of his life, but he that endureth to [Page] the end, hee shall bee saued. And the Authour to the Hebrewes, admoninisheth all men, that they run with patience the race that is set before them, looking vnto Iesus the Author and finisher of their faith &c. Heb. 12. 1. 2 forsaluation by Iesus Christ, is that crowne of glory for which all runne, which none can gaine but hee that runneth the race of his life faithfully and constantly.1. Cor. 9. 24 Therefore saith S. Paul: So run that yee moy obtaine. That is endeuour your strength with your time to the vttermost, for though yee begin well, it is nothing vnlesse yee also end well.Qualis vita finis. [...]. For as the tree falleth so it lyeth, and as men dye, so they shal rise to iudgement, for the graue can giue no holinesse, no perfection; but doth onely continue vs in the state it found vs. Now if any man obiect,Iohn. 3. 4. 6. as Nicodemus did to Christ, How can these thinges be? Can a man bee borne which is olde? Can he enter into his mothers wombe again, and bee borne? The answer that Christ made to Nicodemus, may auswere such questions. First. he sayth, that except a man be borne of water & the Spiri, he cannot enter[Page]into the Kingdome of God. Verse 5. That answeres the necessity. Secondly, to teach him the manner of regeneration, how the children of God be borne a new, how it is caused by the secret working of Gods Spirite in the Children of grace, he maketh a familiar comparison or giueth instance by the mouing of the ayre. That as when wee heare the whistling of the winde, wee know it bloweth, yet cannot wee know from whence: so in the act of regeneration, when we feele in our hearts the motion of Gods holy Spirite, breathing saluation into our soules. And when our workes, and consciences giue vs vndoubted testimony,No man ought to search the secret workings of Gods Spirite. that wee are regenerate and borne of God, it is then as vaine a care to search the secret workings of Gods Spirit, and by what actions and circumstance God hath begotten vs by the Spirite, as to enquirc of the wind, whence it came, or whither it would; this thing being not necessary though regeneration it selfe bee most necessary, & not to be neglected without condemnation.

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The generall vse.

Regeneration being of such absolute necessity to saluation,The vse. as that beeing not regenerate, Ioh. 3. 34. and borne a new of water, and the Spirit, we cannot be the sonnes, nay the seruants of almighty God, though wee neuer-so much endeauour in the seruice of other Christian duties, this doth admonish all men to haue principall care,Admonitiō to labour all meanes possible to haue faithfull & sufficient witnesse from their conscience, that they are the adopted children of God, established in the assurance of their saluation, being known and sealed of GOD with the marke of spirituall regeneration. For it must needs bee sufficient to resolue a conscience of Gods fauour, when wee know that wee are his children, he our father, when wee know that our Father must iudge vs, and such a Father as loueth mercy aboue all thinges.God loueth mercy aboue all thinges. It is a grounded cause to make vs hopefull, nay, confident in the trust of Gods mercy: [Page] and safely without presumption to conclude our owne ioy: that if we be truely regenerate, we shall certainly be saued; it being as impossible to seuer saluation from regeneration, as God from his Sonne. And therefore the holy Scripture concludeth the necessitie of their saluation that are regenerate and borne of God: Whosoeuer (sayth S. Iohn) is borne of God sinneth not, for his seede remayneth in him, neyther can he sin because he is borne of God. 1. Iohn. 3▪ 9.1. Ioh. 3. 9. Saint Iohn sayth hee cannot sinne, that is, not commit sinne of purpose, but of infirmity: and such sinnes God will not impute to his adopted & regenerate children. And of this kinde are those sinnes Saint Iohn meaneth,1. Ioh. 5. 17. when he sayth: Al vnrighteousnesse is sin, but there is a sinne not vnto death: and that is the sinne of them that are regenerate, who though they sinne, yet they sinne not vnto death, theyr sinne being onely a sinne in nature, and not a sinne to condemne them.

This may prouoke all men to haue a zealous care to bee regenerate: for by [Page] being regenerate,The regenerate cannot sinne to death. he shall haue honour with securitie; honour in being the adopted sonne of God, securitie in that hee cannot sinne to death, or fall from the fauour of God: in which respect he shall exceede both the honour and the happinesse of Adam (and the Angels) in his innocency; for Adam was but Gods seruant, he shall be Gods sonne. Adam had power to fall, & did fal from grace; he neyther will nor can fall from grace, the Spirit of God supporting him in a sufficient strength of holinesse.

Secondly,Secondly. seeing regeneration is an act of the Holy Ghost, euery man ought so to rectifie and reform the errours of his life, as that the Spirite of God may not take loathing to enter our soules; but rather that by mortification and holy exercise, we may bee prepared to entertain that sacred guest into our heartes; least when hee commeth, he find vs as God will find the reprobate in the day of iudgement, vnprouided, carelesse, and secure: and so not seale vs for the sonnes of God, but mark vs the children of death, and the [Page] friends of Antichrist. Thirdly,Thirdly. seeing the Elect only are regenerate, & made the children of God, it ought therefore to be the principal care of euery man to be regenerate; because regeneration is the vndoubted witnes of Election; and S. Peter biddeth vs giue diligence to make our Calling and Election sure, 1. Pet. 1. 10. which can no way be better assured vs, then by assuring our Regeneration, which is the certificate & testimony of our election. Fourthly,Fourthly. seeing regeneration is an entrance into holy action, it remembreth all men, that before they be regenerate, all their actions, and all their endeuors are but sinne: & that those works which in a regenerate man are ornaments and graces,The best actions of the vnregerate are sin. are in them blemishes and sin; because before wee be Regenerate and reconciled to God, God hath all our actions in detestation. For so did God in the time of the ceremoniall law, and in the first Age: for though Caine and Habel both offer vnto God,Hahel and Caine. yet God accepteth Habel, and reiecteth Cain: because Habel was in Gods Election, and Caine was not: and so in regeneration, [Page] when wee haue God our friend, our father, then all our actions, though in their nature sinnefull are accepted for righteous. When God is not our friend and father, then all our actions,Note. (euen them wee account as righteousnesse) are but sin, and so reputed, & accepted of God. Therfore ought al men to be most carefull to be regenerate, because before that time they cannot please God, neyther do well. They must also endeuour in all godly action, otherwise they can neuer be regenerate.

Lastly,Fiftly. seeing the workes of regeneration must be both constant and faithfull; (by constancy I meane perseuerance; by faithfulnesse a choyse of lawfull particulars) therefore euery man must bee sure to exercise his deuotion & zeale in lawful argument; and that he runne in the spirituall race which God hath proposed, & not in the by-waies of errour,Constancy in holinesse commanded and false or selfe opinion; and that in this course he faint not his spirituall courage, but that he holde out the race of his life, with a hopefull confidence to win the garland of saluation, [Page] which all shall both win and weare that constantly and faithfully endeuour themselues in godly action.

Speciall application.

Regeneration then being of excellent worth and of absolute necessitie,Speciall application. I will take of my cares & endeuors from all worldly occasions, and apply them to this holy purpose onely: for by being regenerate, I shall both auoide the danger of sin, & liue in the fauour of God, and be graced with the honorable title of his sonne, I will remember them that proudly vaunt their pedegree, and their descent from honourable parents, I will pitty theyr error, and despise their vain glory.No comparison betweene the dignity of the sonnes of God, and the sonnes of Nobles I will compare such honor with the honour of Gods regenerate children, I shall finde an infinite distance in their worth, that to be transitory passable, of short continuance, vaine and full of bitter mixture: this to be eternall and infinite, of infinite worth, & infinite in time, nothing to preuent it, [Page] nothing to alter it, I will therefore (to gaine this) despise that: I will desire no other honourable title,To gaine heaven, wee must despise earth. then to bee called the child of God, that will giue me sufficient reputation. For that (in the least degree) will out-glory all earthlie honour in the highest degree. I wil not care how base the world repute it, nay, I will not faint,Disgrace & persecution. though the world persecute it. I know that my Sauiours kingdome is not of this world, neyther is my glory of this world; but hee that hath regenerate and new begotten me by the grace of his Spirite, hee is my glory, and by him I am made honourable.The truly honourable. This is that honor for which I despise the world, and with which I can disgrace all worldly honour. And for this honour I will spende my houres, spend my actions, my endeuours; nay, I will spende all to make this purchase. I will runne my spirituall course with alacrity, seeing this honour is proposed mee. And when I haue it, I will esteeme it precious: I will much rather leese my life then my honour. For this honor being once [Page] lost, is not recouerable: it was giuen by grace,Grace cannot be redeemed by nature. it cannot be redeemed by nature. I will therefore esteeme it as it is: and hauing once got the honour to be the child of God, I will carry that honour to my graue, and with that honor, I wil present my self in the day of iudgment, before God my honourable Father, and before the honorable company of his Angels & Saints,The highest honour. and then wil appear by direct euidence, & before all the world, whether my honor (in being regenerate and made the sonne of God) which the world despised, or their transitorie honour and prosperity of fortune, wherin they gloried & proudly exalted themselus, be of better proof, when God shall call me his sonne, and bidde mee enter the kingdome of my ioy: and call them slaues, and bidde them enter their bondes, prison, and paine perpetuall.The priuiledge of the sonne of God. This will bee the blessed priuiledge my honour will then giue mee. And therefore to be regenerate, and thereby to make God my father and my friend, I will not care what neglect, what scorne, & what [Page] disgraces the world cast vpon vs, for as those will vanish with time,The honor of Gods sons eternal so my honour will be (as God my father is) infinite, and I will infinitely esteeme it. Amen.

Of [...]ustification. Chap. 6.

IVstification is a gracious forgiuing of sins,What Iustification is. by imputation of the righteousnes of Iesus Christ. S. Paul expostulateth this doctrine with the Galatiās, whom he calleth foolish for doubting it:Gal. 3. 2. This onely (sayth he) would I learne of you, receyued ye the spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith preached? And in the next verse. Are ye so foolish, that after ye haue begun in the Spirit, Ver. 3. ye would now be made perfect by the flesh? Where he admireth their simplicity that seek righteousnes in the flesh, [Page] or in the law,Iustificatiō is of the spirite, not of flesh. but rather and onely by the meanes of faith; because our iustification is spirituall, & not of the flesh. And this doctrine hee concludeth by an inuincible argument in the 26. vers. That seeing we are regenerate, & made the sonnes of God by faith in Christ, we are therfore also iustified and made the seruants of God by faith.Gal. 3. 26, For (saith he) wee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus. And if faith be able to make vs sonnes, it must also bee able to make vs seruants; for that which is able in the greater performance,The nearenes of iustification and regeneration. is able in the lesse. Besides regeneration & iustification haue such relation and nearenesse to one another, as that they seeme to be (almost) but one act, caused and effected at one instant of time. For when wee are regenerate, wee are then iustified, and when wee are iustified, we are then regenerate, and not before; these two offices in our saluation being distinguished rather by their names, then by any speciall marke of difference in their seuerall executions. Again, the same Apostle in his Sermon at Antioch, [Page] concludeth both the negatiue and affirmatiue part of this question:Act. 13. 38. Bee it knowne (sayth he) vnto you men and brethren, that through this man (that is Christ) is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes, Verse. 39.Verse 39. And from all thinges, from which yee could not be iustified by the law of Moses, by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified. So that he absolutely denyeth the power of iustification to the Workes of the Law, and doth absolutely ascribe it to the power of faith.Gal. 2. 21: And he giueth a reason of this Doctrine, in the 2. 21. to the Galatians: For if righteousnesse bee by the Law, then Christ dyed without a cause: So that the very cause why CHRIST dyed, was, that righteousnesse might bee imputed and apprehended by Faith; seeing by workes it was impossible.Psal: 32, 1, 2 And therefore sayth the Prophet Dauid: Blessed is hee whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen, and whose sinne is couered. And blessed is the Man, to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne. So that hee thinketh them most righteous, that haue theyr vnrighteousnesse [Page] forgiuing them; and them most holy that haue their sinnes not imputed.

The fourth to the Romanes, the whole Chapter,Rom. 4, is an earnest proofe of this Doctrine, where the Apostle laboureth by direct euidence to satisfie all doubte: as if hee had foreknowne the stiffe and vnreconcileable Oppositions of these times against his doctrine of Iustification.The controversie of iustification

In which Chapter he maketh Abraham his instance; in whome there was as much righteousnesse, and as much cause of boasting it, as in any other particular (saue Christ Iesus onely,) yet hee there prooueth,The example of holy Abraham▪ that this Abraham, (vpon whome GOD had founded his peculiar people) was not iustified by the righteousnesse of his Workes: but that his Faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse: And alleadgeth Scripture for this proofe:Gen. 15. 6. And Abraham beleeued the Lord, and hee counted that to him for righteousnesse: The word That, hauing a direct relation to the Word [...] [Page] beleeued. And this righteousnes by faith, hee ascribeth not onely to Abrahams particular: But to vs also, to whome it shall be imputed for righteousnes, which belieue in him, Rom. 4. 24 25. that raysed vp Iesus our Lord from the dead. Verse 25. Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes, and is risen againe for our iustification. So that the matter of our iustification is the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ onelie: and the meanes of apprehending it, is faith onely.

This doctrine, howsoeuer it is made strong and vnresistable by many testimonies of holy Scripture,The religions of these times. and though it bee zealously maintained by men of learned and religious iudgement, yet hath it endured violence, and suffered disgrace, both by ignorance and enuy: this age maintaining such oppositions of errour, as the ignorance of former times first occasioned. Therefore is it that the mayne controuersie of the world is at this day in this Argument of iustification: the one maintaining iustification by faith: the other by workes; that defending trueth, this [Page] opposing it. And though I am most willing to quarrell in defence of faith:Eph. 6. 16. faith being my shield of defence against sinne and the Diuell, yet know I not how to giue addition of strength to them that farre exceede mee, and whose faithfull paines haue maintayned this quarrell with valour and victory against all opposition. Neither is it in the purpose of this businesse to dispute questions of truth,The purpose of this labour. but to deliuer truth as it is, by admonitions and plaine teachings, to men of simple & easie vnderstandings: for whose christian good, these pains are principally vndertaken; and whose simplicities might most easily bee confounded in the intritate search of cunning Argumentes, For these respectes, and because all contention and strife of wordes, is in the hatred of my Nature, I will sparingly deliuer my selfe in a large Argument, and strike onely one blowe at the enemie of Faith, that I may be knowne to bee an enemy of that enemy: and that by a familiar proofe I may instruct the knowledge of him [Page] that is lesse learned. They that denie iustification by faith, and approue it by workes, would frame this argument from the testimony of Saint Iames, Iam. 2. who speaking of a generall faith doth vtterly disinable it from the office of iustification.Vers. 17. And therfore he saith that faith, if it haue no workes, is dead in it selfe, and in the 26. verse:Verse 26. For as the body without the Spirit is dead, euen so faith without workes is dead. Therefore (say they) that Apostle concludeth in the 24 verse,Verse. 24. That of works a man is iustifyed, & not of faith onely. To this I answere, It is most true that a fruitlesse faith is dead, neyther can iustifie, and that works are the spirit and soule of a liuing faith, that as the body without the soule is not a liuing man, but a dead carcasse, so faith without workes is not liuing, is not sauing,Faith without workes is no faith, but a bare name onely. nay is not faith, but onely a general name, and with Saint Iames I dare conclude against all such faith. But if there be a faith that hath depending of a necessity of good workes, as necessary as the soule to the body, and the fruit to the tree, and that this Faith declare it [Page] selfe to bee plentifull in godly action. the fruites of a liuing faith, I may then with Saint Iames conclude against them; for hee doth not (as they doe) disinable all faith in the worke of iustification;Ver. 26. but that faith onely which is deade, and without workes, So that both opinions implore a necessity of workes, the one as the cause of Iustification, the other as an effect in them iustified. It were easie to bee large in numbring authorities, and in reporting such distinctions and shifts, as the deceyued vse in supporting their opinions: they are but inuentions, and therefore without respect, I passe them ouer:No vertue, no truth in extremity. but aduise my Christian Reader to beware of both extremities, and modestly and moderately to vnderstand the meanes of his Iustification, that his zeale carry him to no extremity, but to the vertuous meane onely; not to ascribe all to faith and nought to Workes, but to giue them both theyr necessary respects. For as wee are not iustified but by Faith, so our Faith is [Page] not iustified but by workes.We are iustified by faith, our faith by workes. For if our workes bee not faithfull, and our faith working, we are not iustified, neyther can bee saued. And thus may the seeming difference betweene S. Paul, & S. Iames be reconciled;S. Paul, S. Iames. faith doth iustifie vs before God, but such a faith as Saint Iames meaneth: and works doe iustifie vs before men: but such works as Saint Paul meaneth, workes deriued from a true faith. For as wisedome is iustified of her children, and as by our words we shall bee iustified, 1. Mar. 1. 19. and by our words we shall bee condemned: Mat. 12. 37 So by our workes wee shall bee iustified, that is, they shall be our witnesses, what we are in heart, and what in faith. But by faith onelie wee are iustified, and made righteous in the sight of God. Rom. 4. 24.

Secondly,Secondly. Iustification is proper vnto Gods elect onely, so that all prophane and godlesse people are out of possibility to be iustified & made righteous in Gods sight. This is proued by the witnesse of Saint Paul, Rom. 8. 30.Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated, them also he called and whom hee called, them also he iustified.

[Page]Thirdly,Thirdly. Iustification is a righteousnesse in the sight of God, that is, such as haue a true, a liuing, and a sauing faith, and by that faith doe apprehend the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, God is content to accept such in the righteousnesse of his sonne, to obscure theyr sinne, and to make them appeare and stand before him, as actually iust, by this imputatiue righteousnes,Imputatiue righteousnes. as if they had wrought it personally, and in the practise of their owne liues. If any man demaund, how can these things bee? I answere,Rom. 8. 33. 34, It is God that iustifieth, who shal condemne? Rom. 8.

The generall vse.

Seeing that none can bee saued, but they that are first iustified; and seeing none can be iustified,The vse. but they that haue a true, liuing, and a working faith, it behoueth all men to haue principall care to haue the assurance of this faith that so they may be sure to be iustified,The necessity of faith. and may be sure that they shal be saued, [Page] and because that all men are naturally prone to deceiue themselues,The nature of men. with flattery and fauourable opinion of thē selues, and their owne actions, because Saint Iames (and so the scripture in many places) hath vtterly disinabled an idle,The Scriptures disable an idle and dead faith. dead, and a fruitles faith from the office of iustification; it therefore nearly concerneth all men, seriously and without priuate respect to examine their faith, to compare theyr faith and workes together, their workes being good, those workes may iustifie theyr faith to bee a liuing and a sauing faith. And that they content not themselues with a commo [...] historicall faith, the which the Diuell and damned soules may haue,The diuels faith. but that theyr fayth may be approued good, by a sufficient testimony of good workes, without which it cannot bee good. For as the Tree is knowne by his fruit,Workes the fruit of faith. & as it is impossible to gather grapes of thornes; or figs of thistles: so is our faith iudged by our workes, & so it is impossible that good workes should proceede from an euill faith, or that a good faith should not [Page] produce good works, good workes being a most necessary dependance vpon good faith. This ought to prouoke all men to an emulation of godly exercise, and to contend to exceede in holy actions,A prouocation to godly action. to square and fashion all their workes by their faith, and to make euery act of theirs a testimony that they are truely faithfull. For hee that is not with vs, is against vs; and those workes of ours; that witnesse not for vs, will bee witnesses against vs, and will condemne vs in the sight of all men, that our faith is eyther not good, or not at all: and that therefore wee are not iustified,Note. neyther can bee saued. And this may iudge all those actions of men, that disproportion a good Faith, and a good Conscience. For though men flatter themselues, and promise peace to their soules, and thinke to bee iustified and saued by a bare acknowledgement of God, and theyr common historicall faith; yet (in a time they thinke not on) theyr vngodly workes will make warre vpon theyr soules, and bring vpon them a sure and [Page] a sudden destruction.

Secondly,Secondly, seeing such choyce particulars onely are iustified, as were before in Gods election preordained to saluation: this ought to moue all men to a thankefull acknowledgement of Gods infinite loue,A duty of thanks to God, and why, who onely is the principall and first mouing cause in euery circumstance of our saluation, and that wee acknowledge our selues in great humility to be altogether defectiue and vnable in the worke of our owne saluation,All men are vnable in their owne saluation. that euery grace in vs, is both caused and continued in vs by the power of God: our selues beeing meerely passiue, and moued to diuine exercise, by the direction of the Holy Ghost onely. And that therefore wee ascribe the honour of euery good action to God,God must haue the honour of all our actions. by whom it is caused; and disgrace our selues in our owne estimation, because Gods first decree doth leade euery man to euery particular action of goodnesse.

Thirdly,Thirdly. seeing by faith in Christ, God doth both cancell our sinnes, and repute vs righteous in his presence, it [Page] doth remember all men the admirable degree of Gods fauour,Gods favor. and the powerfull operation of faith. First Gods fauour, hee being pleased to forgiue the deserts of condemnation; and to giue and impute the most absolute rghteousnesse of his Sonne Christ Iesus to all men, vpon this easie condition of faith, that such, who haue a true faith to apprehend him, shall be accepted in his fauour as sonnes; & shall appeare in Gods presence equally as righteous, as if themselues had actually performed righteousnesse in their owne particular persons.

Secondly, we are taught the powerfull operation of true faith,The power of faith. that it is able to enter heauen, and to apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnesse to reconcile the fauour of God; and to satisfie his displeasure, to wash off the spots and leprosie of sinne, and to put on the garment of righteousnesse, euen Iesus Christ the Son of God, by whom wee are iustified in the sight of GOD, and by whom (also) wee shall be saued, Amen.

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Speciall application.

I will therefore carefully endeuour my selfe in a constant exercise of all godly action;Speciall application. not that I repose my iustification in the vertue of my owne workes, but that by the Testimony of good works I may approue my selfe to be faithfull, and that my faith is more then a general or a common faith; euen a liuing and a sauing faith, which is (& must be) the onely means of my apprehending Christ,Faith the only means of apprending Ch [...]ist who is the sufficient & onely matter of my iustification. And this shall be the glory and onely pride I will haue of well doing; that this witnesse of Workes shall gaine me the reputation of Gods seruant, and that Gods faithfull children here on earth shall repute mee one of their fellow-brethren, then which I shall neuer desire a greater cause of boasting.A true canse of boasting. And this iudgement of good men. must [Page] needes rise from the testimony of good workes, because there is an ineuitable necessity of consequence, and necessary dependance betweene Faith and Workes, they being as inseparable as heate from fire, and as necessarily depending as the body & the soule. And this shall prouoke me to a zealous forwardnesse in all godly action, because thereby I shall conclude the assurance of my iustifying Faith,How to assure our iustification. and thereby satisfie the desire of my owne Soule, and that doubt which otherwise might iustly bee had of mee in the common opinion. For from this argument must needes follow this conclusion: That seeing I haue the fruites of Faith (good Workes,) therefore I haue also the cause of Workes, true Faith: And that therefore this Faith thus working,A tree of Gods owne planting. is a tree of Gods owne planting which aduersitie may well shake, but neuer perish.

This is that vse, that comfort, and consolation, which I will vnderstand in the nature of my best deseruing works. Thus I will esteeme them,How to esteeme our works modestly. [Page] and but this. I will therefore auoid that daungerous opinion of meriting▪ by workes: because it is better to want honour then to force it from God by violence,It is better to want honor then to steale it frō God. nay I will rather disgrace my selfe then disinable my Sauiour Iesus. For if righteousnesse be from our selues, it is nor from him onely, and then would follow that absurde and blasphemous conclusion,A blasphemous conclusion. that hee is not the onelie Sauiour, neyther hath perfected the worke of mans saluation, I will therfore doe all the good I can, but I will repute my deed (though good) to be the effect and not the cause of goodnesse in me: I will also confidently holde, that nothing is able to merite saluation,Nothing but Christ can merit saluation. but the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ onely. I will therfore disclaime my selfe, and my owne power, which is nothing but weakenesse) and ascribe all power, all vertue to my Sauiour. For it is safer to giue him honour, then to take it from him; and it will better become my Christian modesty to acknowledge my infirmities, then proudly to aduaunce my selfe aboue my deserts. If God therfore [Page] (by the mouing of his holy Spirit) mee faith,All must be acknowledged as Gods gifts: he will also giue me a desire▪ and a power in godly exercise: (which) when it maketh mee growe plentifull in the demonstrations of holinesse, I will ascribe the glory to God, to whome it is onely due, and acknowledge my selfe to bee that instrument onely, whereby his holy hand of grace is pleased to worke. Amen.

Of the temporary death, and of the seuerall Estates of saluation, and damnation. Chap. 7.

DEath is a separation, or absence of the Soule from the Body,What death is. whereby the body is reduced to his first matter Earth, and the soule [Page] brought to a sence eyther of iustice or mercy. To vnderstand this better, wee must consider death in these respectes.3. Respects, First, his original or first being. Secondly, his powerful & general continuance. Thirdly, his end, or the death of Death. The originall cause that gaue Death life, was sinne:1 Sinne the cause of death. and therefore when as Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit, & thereby committed sin, then had death his first beginning. For though Adam did not at the instant of the act dye, yet at the very instant of the sinne, was hee made mortall & subiect to the power of death:When Adam was made mortal Gen. 1. 16. 17. for so God foretold him, that whensoeuer hee did eate, he should dye; and from this badde beginning was Death first deriued.1 King: 17. 18: So the womā of Sarephath could acknowledge that her sin was the cause of her childes death: & so haue all the Children of GOD vnderstood of death, and of the cause thereof. And S. Paul calleth Death the wages of sinne: Rom. 6. 16. as if it were a necessary care in the iustice of God, that al that haue committed sin should haue the recompence & wages thereof, Death.

[Page]Now the cause of this cause of death,The cause of sinne. was the Diuell, who enuying the prosperity of our nature, suggested his tēptations to our first parents, by whose disobedience wee are all made mortal. So sayth Salomon: Wisd. 2. 24. Through enuy of the Diuell came de [...]th into the world, and they that hold of his side, proue it.

And from these two Parentes,The two parents of death. the Diuell and sinne, was death deriued, from whom hee had his being and beginning.

Secondly,Secondly: wee must consider death in the passage of his life. or in his powerfull continuance: That is euident in this respect, that Death hath a generall power ouer all flesh, the which he doth execute vpon all, without respect had either to the greatnesse or goodnesse of any, And therfore is Death called the way of all the Worlde, and the way to our Fathers, Gen: 15. 15 because as our Fathers are gone the way of death,Ioshua, 23▪ 14. so must wee after them; and our posterity after vs, for euer. For though death bee but one, and his office the cutting off the liues of all the World; [Page] yet it is but an easie performance, hauing the diseases of our flesh,The power of death, and infinite other occasions to attend him in his deadly office. His power then is generall ouer all, being limited by GOD and time onely; who though hee bring all flesh to corruption, yet no flesh can corrupt him, or procure fauour in the strict execution of his office.

The ende,Thirdly, or the death of Death, is the liuing righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, which hee wrought by his owne death, in his owne person. And therfore saith the Prophet Hosea, Hos. 13. 14. Death is swallowed vp in victory. 1. Cor, 15. 25. And S. Paul sayth: that Christ Iesus must raigne till hee hath put all his enemies vnder his feet, and that the last enemy that shall bee destroyed is death. Ver. 26. Therefore that Apostle insulteth ouer death: O death (sayth he) where is thy sting? O graue, where is thy victory? Vers. 55.Verse 55, The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. Vers. 56.Verse 56. But thankes bee vnto God who hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Verse 57. Wherefore it is euident that God by [Page] his Sonne Christ, hath giuen man victory ouer sinne and death.By whome wee haue victory ouer death. And whereas before wee were all the seruants of sinne, and the slaues of death, wee are now made conquerours, that were slaues; and despise them that did commaund vs. This happy alteration dooth reach benefite to all the faithfull, but not to all men: therfore is it limited and doth reach to such particulars onely, as are in Gods election.The difference God vseth in the giuing of his giftes For though God cast the beams of his Sunne vpon euery mans face alike, and distributes▪ his temporall blessings (scatteringly as it were) without any heedfull respect, where they fall; yet those fauours that are eternall, and import a perpetuity of happinesse, hee giueth them to his beloued elect onely, barring all the reprobate from spirituall and eternall grace.In what respect death is not destroyed, hut made immortall And, therefore though the death of Christ hath disarmed death & blunted his weapons that haue wounded holy men: yet are those weapons still sharpe, and that Death still liuing, and made immortall against them [Page] that haue not receyued the image of the Lambe of God. For though al men enter their graues alike, yet with different condition,Mat. 9. 25. holy and good men enter their graues, as their houses of rest, wherin they quietly sleepe, and for a time repose in rest and safety;In what case the wicked die. but the wicked enter their graues as felons doe their prisons, to be reserued to a day of much more terrible iudgement. Therefore sayth the wise man:Eccle. 41. 1. 2. The remembrāce of death is very bitter to some, and acceptable to other. For so the godly make it their day of hope, but the wicked their day of feare.Death is the day of hope and of feare. Death then in these diuers respects of good and badde men, hath a sting, and wants it; is deade, yet liuing and by opening the gate of temporary death,Death openeth the gate of life. doth admit the entrance eyther of eternall life, or eternall death: the one, the happy condition of Gods chosen, the other the most miserable state of the reprobate & damned. And as this life we breath is but a sacrament or little resemblance of that which is to follow:This life a resemblāce of life eternall. so the terrour of a temporary death, hath no proportion with the [Page] torments of euerlasting death,Death a resemblance of life. wherein both body and soule shall suffer such ffliction, as is beyond the power of imagination, infinite in measure,No man can report those ioyes, those torments. infinite in manner. To vndertake to report heauen and hell, saluation and damnation, is not in my purpose, or in the power of any man, This I know, that both are infinite, heauen is infinite in time and happinesse, hell is infinite in time and torment.Heauen & hell are both infinite in time, infinite in measure. The one (as Gods resemblance) is infinite good, the other (as the diuels) is infinite euill: the one is hoped, the other feared; to which two all mankind must take their last resorte, and by the gate of death passe theyr temporall life to one of those two eternities.

The generall vse.

First, seeing death was begotten by our sinnes,The vse. and from our selues had his first originall, it ought to humble vs in our owne estimation, and to acknowledge [Page] the great corruption of our nature, which maketh vs powerful onely in doing vs euill,Our naturall defect. and in producing such effects, as cause our owne destruction, And this may correct their proud opinion, that vainely arrogate such power as to bee their own meanes in the cause of their saluation, fondly, & falsely thinking, that their eyes of Nature are not blinde in spirituall iudgement,The eyes of nature are blinde in spirituall iudgement. but imagine to haue that vertue and power, which they onely haue in imagination. For if Adam by his sinne, did produce and giue life to such a monster birth as death is, what expectation then can be had of our ability, who are in all respects (but sin) Adams farre inferiour, and (by much) lesse able in the performance of any spirituall duty?

Secondly,Secondly. seeing death hath vniuersall power ouer all flesh, and seeing there is no partiality in his executions, no dispensing of fauour, no lengthning of time, but commeth most certainely, & not certainely when this may aduise all men to godly action,Deaths general power. and to a constancy of such action: lest otherwise [Page] death come vnexpected, & so preuent their good determinations,Deathes vncertainty which beeing determined onely, and not done, auaile vs no other end but griefe and vnprofitable repentance.

Againe, seeing all must die, and bee reduced to earth,Thirdly, it doth controule the proud ambitious natures of men, who in this life insult ouer men of inferiour state, and dignifie their owne estimation,Death admonisheth the insolent. as if God had not made them of earth, or that the graue could not make them earth againe. These men that value themselues rich, by hauing the beggerly gifts of fortune,The gifts of grace and fortune, and despise the most rich treasure of grace: where it liueth in the banishment of poore fortune: these that despise Death most when they liue, and feare him most when they die, are here admonished to reforme this insolent behauiour,The condition of wicked men. and to remember that themselues, howe proud soeuer, must be humbled in the graue,The graue will humble all. and that the wormes and corruption will destroy theyr pride, and in despite of greatnesse make them inferiour to the meanest begger on earth. [Page] And yet can death heape a greater calamity, open them the passage to euerlasting death, and afflict them with the damned, in perpetuall and infinite torment,

Thirdly,Thirdly. seeing Christ hath by death slaine death, and hath taken his sting and dart from him, whereby he might be hurtfull to Gods elect;Christ by death hath slain death. it doth admonish a zealous duty of thanks to the merite of the Lord Iesus our Sauiour, by whose meanes Death is no Death, but rather life and aduantage,Death is advantage to Gods elect. by whom we haue the dore opened to euerlasting saluation. For so ought wee to vnderstand of death, as of the common Iailor of all flesh.Death the common Iaylor. The world is our prison, wherein wee are all shut. Death when he openeth the dore, & deliuereth from prison, leadeth the parties deliuered, eyther to liberty or iudgement: For so are all that dye, transported from earth eyther to heauen which is their liberty, or to hell the place of execution.The twofold state of all that die. Death is that one key that openeth the double passage, the one to heauen, the other to hell: this leadeth to damnation, [Page] that other to saluation.

Lastly, seeing death is a repose, and rest from earthly labours,Death a rest from labours. it ought to sweeten the sorrowes of this life, with hopefull confidence, & with alacrity & spiritual comfort, that notwithstanding men repute the professors of holinesse but base and abiect people, and deride their simplicity in wicked worldly policies, making holinesse a note of folly, and their owne audacious impudence the onely marke of wisdome and deepe discretion,The insol [...] ̄ [...] behauiour of wicked men. yet should not this discountenance a good cause, but rather confirme a Christian resolution, and giue boldnesse and Christian courage, to bear off with patience these contempts of euill men, & secretly scorne at theyr estimation,The godly repose hope in death. hauing their eyes still fixed on the end of all thinges, with a setled confidence, that death wil not only giue them a rest from all aduersity, but admit thē also into the blessed fellowship of God, the holy Angels and Saintes, where themselues shall see their proud enemies cast into disgrace & obloquie, and with miserable desperation, acknowledge [Page] theyr neglects in Christian duties. Thus the meditation of death,The vse of this meditation. may giue disgraced and afflicted Christians a life of hope, in the height of their extremities.

Speciall Application.

Therefore I will not (as the wicked do) feare to die; but hope to die,Speciall application. intending the spirituall passage of my life so, as that my end may giue mee comfort without terror. I will reduce to memory what the holy Prophets, Apostles & Martyrs haue done in this case. How carefull they haue bin to preserue their liues in the memory of honest and holy reputation, how careles also they haue esteemed their liues for the reputation of the Gospel, being content, nay carefull,The care of holy men. not only to giue vp their liues, but to giue them vp with torment, for the testimony of Iesus my Sauiour.

To these men I will frame my imitation, I will care for my life as they cared,A Christian resolution. I will also care to dye as they cared. In euery worke of my life, I will [Page] remember my end, and at my ende I wil remember my hope, & in my hope, my God. While I liue I shall remember that I am a prisoner, and in the bondage of my flesh:All that liue are prisoners. when I die, I knowe I shall haue my freedome. Death that is cruell to others, will be fauourable to mee; death that will kindle the fire of their affliction, will extinguish mine; I shall (doubtlesse) finde death much more fauourable then men:Death mo [...] fauourable then men. for by men I was iniuried, had my Christian profession disgraced, my opinions doubted & opposed, my actions scanned, my endeuours misinterpreted; and my name in odious reputation. Death takes me from all these iniuries, layes mee in a peacefull graue,The mercy of death. makes mee sleepe in that bedde of rest, protects my bodie, silences my name, and carries my spirite to his place appointed. I will not therefore be moued by any example to feare death;The godly feare not death. I will haue a Christian resolution to abide it with courage, nay with hope. When I see the sonnes of fortune feare euery little sicknesse (the serieants of death) I shall see the sonnes [Page] of grace deride such folly, for they neuer see death,The wicked see death in his vgly formes. but in his vgly forme: but to these hee appeareth most beautifull and of delightfull conversation.Death (in diuers respects) is both a Lyon and a Lambe. Death is their Lyon, but my Lambe: and his action (in their Sceane) is tragicall, but in mine Comicall, and ful of heauenly recreations. Whence this? It is my Sauiour Iesus that hath thus caused it, it is his hand hath done it: hee hath tamed death, and taken his hurtful sting from him;What Christ hath done for his servants. hee hath shut vp hell, that hath gaped against vs, and hath reconciled vs with our graues, wherein wee may safely repose;Death doth secure vs till the day of iudgement. hee hath commanded death that would perish vs, to secure vs, and to present our ful proportion before his iudgement seate.

This hath he done, that is able to do all thinges, he hath done it also for me, my faith so perswades mee; I will therefore acknowledge my selfe in dutifull thankes to my God my Sauiour, and in euery time of distresse, I will looke at Death,Hope in the mediration of death. and (with that meditation) receyue a full portion of comfort. Amen.

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Of Gods glory. Chap. 8.

GOd created all things, by his power,Gods glory the purpose of Gods worke. but to his glory: for that was the holy end forwhich he created all thinges. For as waters that are deriued from the sea, are againe directed to the sea. So all things that are, being deriued from the mighty power of God, returne their duty, seruice & the honour of all their actions to God, discharging euery seruice in the main Ocean of Gods glory. [...]he which though it receyue not augmentation of honor, (being infinite) by the supply of any creature, yet all creatures being his own it doth please him to force euery creature to giue some proofe and testimony of Gods iustice or mercy, whereby God may receiue glory in their acknowledgements.God is glorified in a double maner. God then is glorified in all his workes, but in a double maner, [Page] he is principally glorified in the works of mercy,God is glorified in a double manner. he is glorified also in his iudgments. For the first, that he is principally glorified in mercy, is testified by S. Paul, where he sayth, that God, that hee might declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy, which hee hath prepared vnto glory. Rom, 9. 23. By which place apeareth that the riches of Gods glory cōsisteth principally in the vessels of mercy,God is principally glorified in the worke of mercy. and that God doth so loue his Saints, that he esteemeth their glory, his glory, and doth dignify himselfe in their aduancementes. And therefore did not God chuse the Israelites, and made them his peculier people,Why God did chuse the Israelites. that by Gods most powerfull deliuering them, and by their demonstrations of duty and thankefull seruice, God might be honored (in the memory of his greatnesse) ouer all the world,Dut. 26. 18. 19. and receiue glory in the report of his admirable protection.God is glorified in his iudgementes. God is also glorified in his iudgments. And therfore the reprobate and damned, though in their liues they rather care to dishonor God their creator,God wil be glorified by the damned. yet wil God be honored in the punishment of their liues, & force them to giue demonstrations [Page] of his iustice & holines: or God cā turn their purposes to his own end, and make that set forth his glory which was intended against him. So saith holy Dauid; Psal. 66. 10. 11. 12. that the consultatiōs & determinatiōs of the wicked turn to Gods glory. For God wil be glorified in all, and those that wil not giue him glory for mercie, hee will cōpel them to giue him glory for iudgement:Note. & thogh God esteem it the greater honour to be glorisied in the witnesses of his mercie, (because in Gods nature mercie is preheminent, and doth triumph:) yet is it much to the glorie of God, that the witnesses of his iudgemēt, shall be prompted by their lamentable experience to acknowledge that God is infinite,How the damned set forth Gods glory. both in power and iustice. All men then are the Trumpets of Gods glorie, all giue him glorie though not all alike: the glorie of God beeing the ende for which all things were created. Therefore when the holy Angels (Gods Messengers,) brought the blessed tydings of Saluation,Luke. 2. 14. and a Sauiour, the court of heauenly Assistāts praised God with this acclamation: Glory be to God, in the high Heauens, and peace in Earth, [Page]and towards mē good wil. Glory proper to God, In which place the heauenly Souldiers commended to men good will, to the world peace; but glory to God, as a seruice proper & peculiar to God onely. And S. Paul admonisheth that euery circumstance of our life be directed to Gods glorie:1. Cor. 10. 33. Whether yee eate or drinke (saith he) or whatsoeuer yee do, do all to the glory of God. 1. Cor. 10. 31. And God by the Prophet Ieremie forbiddeth al men to glory in anything saue God; as if God were the only obiect of al glory:Ier 9. 23. 24 Let not (saith he) the wise man glory in his wisedome, nor the strong man glory in his strength, nor the rich mā glory in his ricbes; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he vnderstādeth & knoweth me, &c. Thus ought we both to glorifie God, and to glory in God: for if we glory in any thing but God, we are condemned, & if wee glorifie any but God,To glory in glorifying God. we are likewise condemned. He is our strength, and the light of our countenance, he hath ordayned vs for his glory; and if wee glorifie him here on earth with vs, he will glorifie vs with himselfe inheauen; but if wee neglect to glorifie [Page] him that is our glory, hee will glorifie himselfe in our destruction, and make vs (in the feeling tormentes of our condemnation)Those that glorifie God shall be graced by him. glorifie him with this acknowledgment that he is a God of most soueraigne maiesty, and that he is most gracious in his mercy,God is honoured in the acknowledgement of Diuels & wicked men. but most terrible in his iudgmēt. And with this acknowledgement will God bee honoured of the Diuels, and the damned whose vnsufferable torments in their condemnation shall bee arguments of proofe to conclude Gods glory.

The generall vse.

The generall vse is this,The Vse. that seeing God hath created all things for his own glory, & seeing that he will be glorified in the seuerall executions of his iustice & mercy, in the saluation or damnation of his creature: that therefore all men must earnestly endeuour in this most needfull performance,A most needful performance. & that in all the actions of their life, they endeauour to fashiō euery circumstance by lawfulnes & holy rule,The rule of lawfulnesse. that God may receyue the glory of their actions, as S. Paul doth [Page] aduise the Philippians: Phil. 1. 11. That we may (as he saith) be filled with the fruits of righteousnes, which are by Iesus Christ, vnto the glorie & praise of God. For in all insensible things there is a special nature, to which they are obedient,Insensible things. obedient to nature. wherby they glorifie God in finishing the end of their creation. God hath cōmanded the motion of the heauēs, the influēce of the starres the natures of the elements, & the seuerall natures of euery seuerall thing. All these continuing their course & nature, giue moste notable demonstrations of Gods glorie, by whom they were created, & thus disposed in nature. If these things which are subiect to time, and must perish, doe notwithstanding discharge the duties of their nature, and so by consequence approue themselues to be instruments of Gods glory: shal men whō God hath created for the like ende of his glorie, & to whom he hath giuen a soule of excellēt vnderstanding, & for whom he hath created the World, the most admirable worke of his own hāds, shall these bee carelesse in this high dutie? and shall the Elements & vnreasonable [Page] creatures be carefull? Shall mē be exceeded by beasts, in the execution of their most reasonable seruice? God hath not threatned theyr neglect with Hell, nor promised to reward their diligence with Heauen.Men lesse carefull then beasts God doth both promise & threaten men, yet are men lesse carefull then Beasts. This may worthilie remember those men, (or rather those beasts) who make a God of themselues, or of their vnlawfull pleasures: & then dedicate themselues, their labours,To what end men▪ cōmonly dedicate their trauell. and the glorie of all their actions, to a prophane and licencious trade of life.

These that will not doe it of choyce, must doe it by force: For the time will come when God will whip these slaues with the rods of his iudgemēts, & make them (in despite of their vngodlines) to glorifie God,The woūds of hell and conscience. in suffering the torments of hell and their conscience: and (without profit) to acknowledge God, & the terrible iustice of so great a Maiestie.

This may also remēber the children of God,Secondly. that in all the cares of their Christiā life,Gods glorie the maine of all our cares they haue their main respect to Gods glory, & that God may haue place in theyr heartes, euen before the desire [Page] of their own saluation: & that their saluation be desired, rather that God may be glorified, then to desire to glorifie God for their owne saluation:We must prefer it be fore our owne saluation. that so God may bee the first in all our cares, that we loue him, more then our owne soules, and prefer his honor, before our own saluation. For he that will not despise himself (in respect of Gods honor) doth but dissēble his loue, neither doth willingly glorifie God; for thogh God bee in his eyes, hee hath himselfe in his heart,We must despise our owne selues for the loue of God. and though hee pretend to loue God, it is for his owne priuate end, not that God may be glorified. And thus to glorifie God is to dishonor him, and so to prouoke his indignation against vs.

Therfore let all men loue God for his owne sake; loue him for his truth, loue him for his mercie, loue him for his ius [...]ce;We must loue God for his own sake. & let this loue be so respectles of all by considerations, as that neyther heauen, hel, nor our soules, perswade vs so much as the reuerence & zealous affection we haue to the loue of God;To loue God, is to glorify him. for he that thus loueth God, doth glorifie him, and shall be glorified by him.

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Speciall application.

I will therfore discharge the shame of all my actions,Speciall application. into this ocean of Gods glory. I will propose, & persue that end onely, I will not respect the vain purposes of men:The vaine purposes of men. I wil remember that they are transitory, & will leaue me, flatterers & will deceyue me. I wil reduce to memory the mighty monarks of the world the most admirable induments, the most fortunate in earthly prosperities, when I examine their worth,The transitory estate of worldly states. I shall finde nothing but names, & those neglected by the power of time, themselues, and their regards are vanished, all those thinges perish, & are disgraced with the vse of time; because their actions ran not this holy race of Gods glory, but had diuers & disagreeing ends.The power of death ouer the world. Death hath depriued their soules, the graue their bodies, the world their estates, and time theyr names; & such destroying ends doe necessarily follow such affectiōs.Note. For whē Gods glory is not the absolute proposed end of a mans life, there is nothing can happen to such life but extreame [Page] miserie; euen the bountie of Nature, and the treasure of Fortune, are miserable tormentors, that present themselues with friendly faces,Resolution. but bring in their hands dangerous and fearfull destructions. Therefore in euery worke I vndertake, I will first propose my lawfull ende Gods glorie. And if the worke I propose be fitting that holy businesse, I will then with all possible endeuour, continue my paines and purpose: if not, I will countermand that determination, and despise that practise, how profitable so euer.No respect of worldly profites. For this I knowe assuredly, that among all the seuerall actions of my life, whatsoeuer doth not directly intend Gods glorie, doth then most directly intend my owne damnation: and that euery particular of my life, shall be a witnesse, eyther for mee, or against me.

And therefore I will despise and pittie their damnable mis-conceiuing,Our actions witnesses. that thinke to runne one course two wayes; to serue GOD and Beliall; that direct theyr liues partly to God, partly to the world: but rather I will runne on the [Page] race of my Pilgrimage, Resolution. with Hope and Constancie, neuer retiring, neuer staying, till with victorie I reach the staffe of Gods glorie; To which happy ende I will direct my spirituall course with a constant and faithfull Resolution. Amen. Amen.

FINIS.

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Information about this book

Title statement

The holy pilgrime, leading the way to heaven. Or, a diuine direction in the way of life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in diuinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian pilgrimage In two books. The first declaring what man is in the mistery of himselfe. The second, what man is in the happines of Christ. Written by C.L.Holy pilgrime, leading the way to new Jerusalem

Lever, Christopher, fl. 1627.

Edition statement

1618

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A05383

ID [STC]

STC 15538

ID [STC]

ESTC S102377

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99838162

ID [PROQUEST]

99838162

ID [VID]

2525

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A05383)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 2525)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 806:05)

Source

— The holy pilgrime, leading the way to heaven. Or, a diuine direction in the way of life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in diuinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian pilgrimage In two books. The first declaring what man is in the mistery of himselfe. The second, what man is in the happines of Christ. Written by C.L., Holy pilgrime, leading the way to new Jerusalem, Lever, Christopher, fl. 1627..

Extent

[14], 271, [1] p.

Imprinted for Bar: Alsop for William Barringer, and are to be sold at his shop at the great north dore of S. Paules Church,. London :: 1618.. (An edition of: Lever, Christopher. The holy pilgrim, leading the way to new Jerusalem.) (Part 2, "The second part of the holy pilgrime, leading the way to new Jerusalem", 1617, has its own separately dated title page (London, 1617); pagination and register are continuous.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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