¶ A NEW Anatomy of whole man, aswell of his body, as of his Soul: Declaring the condition and constitution of the same, in his first creation, corruption, regeneration, and glorification. (▿) Made by JOHN WOOLTON Minister of the Gospel. Imprinted at London by Thomas Purfoote, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the Lucrece. Anno Dom. 1576. To the right worshipful William Moune Esquire, john Woolton wisheth prosperous success in all worldly affairs, and in the life to come, joys, and Immortal felicity. THOSE THAT HAVE employed their studies and labours, in the diligent inquisition and description of Anatomy, how the parts of man's body are coupled & knit together, what properties and powers they have, what things are healthful, or hurtful unto the same: have always purchased great praise & commendation amongst all honest & virtuous men. And although it be accounted of some, an irksome and cruel thing, to cut and mangle man's limbs and members: yet The knowledge of Anatomy profitable for man's life. the end and use of the same is both necessary and profitable, in all the course and trade of man's life. The cause why those things are so studiously sought after, is, that salves and medicines may be more commodiously and skilfully applied and ministered unto living bodies. For how, or to what end can they use applications to any part, if they know not the position, constitution, property, and nature thereof? Besides this commodity, the inspection of The knowledge of anatomy do induce us to think that there is a God. Galen usu part. & alijs locis. job. 10. 37 38. 39 Psa. 19 33 133. Wysd. 7. Anatomy (as Galene divinely writeth) deduceth the creature, to some knowledge of his Creator. And even so job, David, Solomon, & many other in the holy Scripture, after they have moved us to behold the glory of God, by his handy works: when they come to the view and consideration of man's body, they so speak thereof in way of admiration and wondering, that we may well gather the strange and almost divine composition of the same, very much to excel all other earthly creatures. Now if men for the declaration of these corporal things, have been always heretofore so well loved & liked: Then those can not be misliked, The consideration of the spiritual anatomy and the fruit thereof. that in a general Anatomy of whole man, aswell of his soul, as of his body, do endeavour to describe man's excellency before his fall, and his miserable ruin, together with the causes and consequences thereof. And then descend in order to Regeneration and restitution of God's Image in man, whereby the Christian liveth, eu● by death: his body shall rise again, and be coupled with the soul, and so at the last be glorified eternally in the heavenly kingdom. But we can have no help in the doctrine of these high mysteries, neither of Hypocrates, The knowledge of the senior things cometh out of god's word. Galene, nor any other bodily Physician: for they contain themselves within the limits of their profession. Those Scriptures then, which be called (and are in deed) Holy, do plainly reveal this doctrine unto us: fir those that have excelled in wit, learning, and judgement among the Heathen, viewing the conposition of man, were even amazed, in considering principally two things. First, that amongst all corporal Man partly the fairest, partly the foulest of visible creatures. and visible creatures in this world, there was none so fair and beautiful in wit, actions, and stature of body. Secondly, that amongst all the said creatures, there was none found subject to so many miseries and calamities. For this noble and excellent nature of man decayeth much more horribly, than an Ox, or an ass: and nature abhorreth man's carcase more than any other living creatures: and if it be not interred and buried, there will Serpents, and Toads, quickly spring out of the same, as experience hath often times declared. But from whence man hath contracted such excellency on th'one side, and such deformity & destruction on tother side: these wise worldlings The Ethniks know the disease of our nature, but they know not the cause. were not able, with any wisdom to inquire and found out. For as S. Aug. well saith, They felt the disease of our nature: But the cause they known not. God therefore of his infinite and great mercy, hath comprehended in the holy scripture, the history and doctrine of these great matters, out of whom I have drawn this brief abstract of Anatomy. And albeit I acknowledge willingly my own Aug. contra julia. lib. 4. ca 14. imbecility, and do confess that many are fit for this matter then myself: yet because it is the duty of a minster of God's word, to point (as it were) with the finger, out of that rich store and treasure of the holy scripture, what men aught to think and hold of such necessary matters: I shall be accounted (I trust) neither arrogant, nor presumptuous, in handling those things which are within the precinct of my office and calling. And for that by experience I right well know (if any other) how busy disdayners will be with my phrase, style and method, yet because many of them have been long hatching their adled eggs, & have yet brought forth nothing: Let them now finish their labours in▪ karping other men's good endeavours: surely they shall sooner pine away with their malice and envy, then fear me from honest labours, to do good to my country. Let them not spare their Crystal eyes on God's name to reprehend my words and matter, my invention, definitions, and divisions: yea if they will they may note the escapes in the impression. etc. It shall be sufficient unto me, if the Christian reader, will construe well my good intent: Being also of opinion for my own part, that none can excuse his idleness, that may be profitable any ways to others. Now for that this weak and silly Anatomy was loath to go abroad without some especial protection: I have selected your worship to be a Patron for the same: Moved thereunto with that great courtesy and goodwill, which from your first acquaintance with me, you have showed toward me. Moreover your ardent zeal and love of the gospel somewhat emboldened me in this enterprise, which amongst many other your commendations chiefly commends you. It is a great matter to come of a great parentage, to have large hereditaments and possessions, wherein none at all in Cornwayll do pass you, and very few are comparable with you: But with those things, to be the servant of Christ, a lover of his gospel, and a foster, & nurse to his church, (as you and that virtuous gentlewoman your Wife, are well known to be in your country) is, Hom. in aliqu. scrip tos locos. as Basilius Magnus saith, most laudable. In the which, and all other virtues, I beseech God to continued you to your latter end: and to increase you also in all worldly worship & dignity. From Exeter the twelve of March. Your worships humbly john Woolton. The first part of the Anatomy, declaring the state of man before his fall. IT IS BOTH Truly Cicero his sentence of man's soul. De finibu● liber. 1. & Tus. quest. li. 1. &. 3. &. 5. and excellently written by Cicero, not only the best Orator, but the best Philosopher amongst the Latin writers: If we were born & brought forth into this world such people that we could view Nature, we should need neither learning nor instructions, because nature herself should abundantly suffice us. But now there are left unto us certain sedes or sparks of virtue, which we over hastily quench with corrupt conditions, and perverse opinions, that the light of Nature can not any where Nature yell death to corrupt affections. show itself: For verity giveth place to vanity, and nature eftsoons yieldeth to corrupt and prejudicate opinions. In the which words the Divine writer (taught by experience, reason, and learning) signifieth that nature hath yet left in mankind some small power and operation, which he nameth sparks or seeds of virtue, meaning no doubt, the sincerity of the heart and conscience, and the light of the will & understanding, which by corruption of nature are so blotted and shadowed in us, that we can not behold our Creator, neither yet sufficiently see what is convenient and honest in a moral life, which the second Table proposeth unto us. Before the fall of our Parents, when Man's nature before his fall. nature was innocent & uncorrupted, this light of wisdom, and intelligence of things divine and humane, did shine brightly in man: neither had he then only sparks & sedes, but a plentiful storehouse & flowing fountain of all virtue: which the same author seemeth to have seen in a glimmes, while that he speaketh after this manner: Man's mind being derived Cic. tus. 1. &. 4. from the Divine mind, may not be compared with any other thing (if I may presume to say so) but with God himself. Which Mind if it be so instructed, and as it were cured, that it be not seduced with error, then is it a perfect mind, that is to say, absolute reason, which is all one with virtue. Cicero seemeth to have received this Cicero his speech consonant to the scripture. opinion from the ancient writers: For in that he saith our minds are taken out of the heavenly Mind, it is that which the scripture uttereth: And God inspired into man a living Soul. And whereas he sayeth, that it may in some sort be compared unto God himself, he means that which the Scripture saith: And God created man after his own similitude. And whereas he sayeth, that if it were instructed and cured in such sort, that it might not be blinded with the darkness of Errors: he means, if man had not so filthely fallen, it should have been a perfect mind, and an absolute reason, that is, a sincere and uncorrupt nature. But the same Writer speaketh more plainly hereof in another place, after this manner: What is there (I will not say in Man, Cicero lib. de legibus. but throughout Heaven and Earth) more Divine than Reason? Which when it cometh to perfection, it is very aptly named Wisdom. seeing then that Reason rests both in God, and Man, and that there is nothing more divine than the same: it followeth that through reason only there is a communion or partaking between God & m●n: and amongst whom reason is common, right reason is also common. Whereof it followeth that those only do know God, who understand and consider their origine and of spring. By these and such other like sentences we may see how the Philosophers entreating of the excellency of man's nature, did guess, (and as it were dream) of the divine qualities and operations of Man's soul in the state of innocency: Which they named a good captain & Man's soul in the state of innocency a good captain or guide to live well. guide to live well and blessedly, admonishing us that we should not extinguish and obscure the same with corrupt opinions, and perverse manners: but rather stir up and perfectly confirm the same with laudable exercises, and wholesome instructions and documents. But jest any man should say that I discourse such great & weighty matters, proper unto the divines, with the authorities of Ethnics and heathen Philosophers: let him also consider that S. Paul, that elect vessel of salvation, to have expressed the excellency of man's first estate notably, yea and almost sensibly, after this manner: For when the Gentiles which Rom. 2. have not the law, do of nature the things contained in the law, than they having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the deeds of the law written in their hearts: whiles their conscience beareth witness unto them, and also their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing them. In the which words Man in the state of innocency a sufficientscholemaster to himself. the Apostle plainly declareth, how that God in the creation of man planted, and as it were engraffed a kind of divine nature, and perfect power: whereby without further help of external doctors or doctrine, he was both able to fulfil gods commandments, and also to be a sufficient law and schoolmaster to himself, while that his own thoughts and proper conscience giveth true verdites, and pronounceth just judgement unto him in all his actions and cogitations. This excellent estate and perfect virtue inspired into man by God in creation, which now (more is the pity) is lost and extinguished, may the better be known by the nature & disposition of brute beasts, unto whom with indignation the holy scripture oftentimes remitteth us. For that wise and omnipotent Creator hath expressed his heavenly wisdom A plain explication of the premises, by a compa●●son of the nature of brute ●eastes. in all his works, as Cicero right well saith, and hath given to all living creatures both ability and instruments to execute their operations and functions. And although the power of brute beasts together with the nature and efficacy of all natural things, by means of man's rebellion against his God, are wonderfully impaired, yet we may see also by comparison from them, the steps and print of divine qualities in man's nature: whereof Tully according to his Cic. tus. 5. manner speaketh as followeth: From whence may we more aptly take our beginning then from nature herself the common Parent of us all? Who not only in all living Nature the common parent of all thing. creatures, but also in Trees, plants, and Herbs, hath in every of their kinds wrought perfection. And therefore aswell Trees and Vines, as also those things which are more base and lower; have their conveniency, for some are always fresh and green, and some being bore in the winter, in the spring time being comforted, and as it were revived with the heat of the sun, do shoot forth their blossoms again. Neither is there any thing so mute and closely created, but that sometime it giveth forth a show of his nature, and beareth either flowers, or fruit, or berries, or showeth some one thing or other, whereby his property and quality may be known. But if we proceed further, to behold the nature of beasts, albeit bruit and unreasonable, yet because they have sense in them, their powers and operations may be more easily considered. For Nature Nature hath given to divers beasts divers inclinations. hath appointed some beasts to live in the water, some to fly at pleasure in the wide air, some to creep upon the ground, some to walk, some to wander by themselves, some wild, some tame: and finally other some to lie hid covered in the earth. Now every one of these, for that they can not usurp the trade and condition of other kinds, do contain themselves within the enclosures of their own Natures. And as every beast hath his several and proper, either inclination or condition, and retaineth the same: so hath man his nature much more divine and excellent, if we may call those things excellent that are so by comparison. We see then by the view and contemplation of brute beasts, that they had in the beginning, and yet retain that inclination which is apt and convenient to their natures, in procreating, in cherishing, and in defending themselves and A special disposition of some particular living creatures. their young one's. The ox, the sheep, the hen, with many other beasts and birds, do know their peculiar foster and friend: they make nests and dens for themselves and their issue. And if we behold the nature, or rather the common wealth of Emmets and Bees, we shall without any great difficulty perceive that god hath inspired into them a far more Man instructed by a consideration of the nature of brute beasts. Jere. 1. excellent nature. All which things the Scripture oftentimes incultateth to our confusion & shame, sending us to them, that we may the rather know our corruption and rebellion. The Ox (saith the Prophet) knoweth his owner, and the Ass his master's crib, but my people hath not known me. And again: The Stork and the Swallow have known their time, and go thou sluggard unto the Emmet. By the comparison then of very brute beasts, unto whom God hath given in each of their kinds an apt conveniency to execute those qualities miraculously infused unto them by God: we may in some part perceive the heavenly and divine nature of Man, to be much more noble and excellent, The excellency of man's nature. unto whom the mighty God gave power and dominion over all earthly creatures, and made him lord and ruler over the works of his hands, breathing into him a reasonable soul, and fashioning him after his own similitude and likeness. These blessings so plentifully powered upon man by almighty god, hath caused men weary of this world, and greedy gaping after heavenly things, to break out into these words: Examine (I heartily Melan. de anima & in locis come. pray you) what is that image of God in Man It is Gods good pleasure that man's mind should be as it were a glass wherein we may behold him. His will is that man should be like books, wherein he would write his wisdom with his own fingers. These wonderful things we learn and consider in the consideration of man's mind. Neither is there any eloquence, either of men or of Angels, that is able condingly to express that great honour and dignity, wherewith God hath adorned & beautified us, in imparting to us his own similitude and likeness. Whereby he had power Man's power before his fall. to think and will of all things, especially of his creator, which gods pleasure was to have him will & think, having as Tertullian writeth, the same senses & Tert. contra Marcionem. motions which god himself had: which things were so natural in our first parents, as man's eye doth see & behold objects. In the which words albeit few & Luthe. in Genesim. short, we have an evident and plain description of perfect nature, whereof the philosophers did rather divine and dream, then know any thing effectually, to wit, that it was the sincere eye of the soul, always fixed upon, never dazzled or dimmed with errors, but pointing unto man always, as it were with a finger, both the majesty of god, and persuading him to follow his precepts and commandments. The necessity of this doctrine. The doctrine therefore of the image of god in man is very needful in the church of god: both because it proposeth unto us evident testimonies of gods favour & love toward mankind, and declareth the excellent estate of man before his fall, in the which god did as it were stamp & imprint the radiant beams of his wisdom, rectitude and liberty of will, that man might be his mansion place and temple: Unto whom as he purposed to communicate blessedness and felicity, so he required at his hands again to be reverenced and worshipped. Moreover it doth not only describe the estate & condition Col. 1. 2. Co. 4. Heb. 1 of the first man, but it doth also express the abominableness of sin, how the image of god was corrupt in man's nature, & therewithal showeth wholesome remedies by the son of god, who is the very perfect & substantial image of god the father, restoring to those that be regenerate through the holy ghost, the created Image of god blemished in them. Of the which image of god created, I mean to writ some thing at this present, if not so much as the matter requireth, yet so far forth as in this imbecility of our nature, we may by the help of god's spirit select out of the holy scriptures. And for that through ignorance of words, as Aristotle says, men often times err in the truth of matters, I will first examine the property of the word, that my Treatise may be less intricate for my Reader to conceive, and more facile for myself to prosecute. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Imago, in English an Image, signifieth Of the word Image or similitude. generally a representation or portraiture of any thing which is made either by creation or cogitation, or generation, or propagation, either in painting or graving, or by any other means expressed after the example of an other Gene. 1. matter. Moses saith that man was made after the image and similitude of God. Almighty God then is the lively example after whom man was created, that he might in certain properties of his whole substance express him. The son of God was not made after the image of his father, as the ancient Fathers have right well observed, but he was begotten of God the father, and is the coessential & the eternal Image of the everlasting father. The Hebrews use the word Zelem for an Image, and Demuth for a similitude, the which the Grecians express in eikona kai omoiosin. But the learned Divines do use these words indifferently. For in the same text where this work Calu. Inst. lib. 1. Gene. 1. of God is repeated, Moses speaketh after this manner: And God created man after. etc. And again he useth only one of the words, God created man after his Gene. 5. own similitude. By this repetition of one and the self same thing, which is expressed only in one word: one and the self same thing is described. Notwithstanding I will not hide from A difference between image & similitude. my loving Reader the difference which certain notable and famous expositors of the holy Scriptures have put between the words Image, and similitude. Saint Augustine saith: The Soul is like unto God, Ex Augu. de quantit●te anim● for it is made immortal and indissoluble. The word Image therefore appertaineth unto the form, and similitude unto nature. And an excellent man of our time: An Image is Pet. Mar. in cap. 1. Gene. an outworde bodily form or fashion, expressing or representing any man: but a similitude is a quality of the mind which we imitate and follow. And that famous clerk Luther writeth thus: Albeit almost all the learned Luth. super. 5. Goe do take the words Image & similitude for one thing, yet in reading of things I have noted some difference between those words. For Zelim signifieth properly an image or figure: As when the scripture saith, destroy the altars of your images. In that place the word signifieth nothing else then pictures and images, which were set up. But Demuth which is a similitude, is the perfection of the image: as for example. When we speak of a dead image stamped in coin or money, we say this is the image of the king or queen: But that image hath not the similitude, neither doth it show the lineaments and proportions. In that Moses saith therefore, that man was made after God's similitude, he showeth, that man doth not only represent god, in that he hath reason and understanding, but also that he hath such intelligence and will, whereby he both perfectly knew god, and also had a will to execute gods commandment. Other some there be that say, that gods image rests in man's substance, and the similitude in the accidents. Let every man enjoy his own cogitations, I am of this opinion, that because Moses describing this notable work of god sometime used one word sometime another, that both these words are used for better declaration, plainly to express one thing. Two significations of the image of God. This one thing I think more convenient to be considered in the entry of this matter, that the image of god in the holy scripture is attributed both to the only begotten son of god, jesus Christ, and to godly men, his sons by adoption: But in diverse considerations. It is written of the only begotten son Colo. 1. of god: Who is the image of the invisible god, the first begotten before all creatures. And in 2. Co. 4. another place, Christ is the image of God. In these places Christ is called the image of God, in respect of his heavenly father. joh. 14. And therefore he saith: Philip, he that hath seen me, hath seen the father, showing that his father is known, in and only Now christ is the image of God, & how ●● is the image of God. through him. Our saviour jesus Christ then is the total, and coessential image of God his father, of like majesty and glory: For so he pronounceth of himself, saying, I and the father am one: & the Apostle: who is the brightness of his glory, and the image of his substance, bearing all things with the word of his power. But when man is named the Image of God, it is not meant that he is all one with the Gene. 1. Colos. 3. 1. Cor. 11. son of God, but that he is his Image created, gratuit by grace or adoption, much inferior to the natural image jesus Christ. And yet it is not to be accounted any small prerogative that man and Angels severally, above all other creatures, have this title and dignity given unto them, that they have and bear the similitude and image of the living God, of the which second Image, I will only writ at this present. What this Image of God is in man, there are divers opinions amongst the ancient writers. Theodoretus citeth Theodret. quest. 20. in Gene. what this Image of God in man is sundry of them in his questions upon Genesis. First, some said that the Image of God is that which is invisible in the soul. Secondly, some said that man's body is that Image: which opinion he ascribeth to one Milito. Thirdly, some said that whole man was the Image of God, because he is placed as it were in the middle between all creatures compact of body and soul. Fourthly, some affirmed the image of God in man, to be nothing else but that power & authority which he hath over all worldly creatures. And finally he concludeth, that this image of god is in the reasonable soul, Aug. li. 14 detrinitate ca 8. Pet. Mar. in. 1. cap. gen. et. in locis come. lo. xii. fol. 101. Cal. lib. 1. inst. Luth. in. gen. ca 1. vanderstanding, judging, and executing things justly. Saint Augustine sometime taketh this Image of God to be the very substance of the soul, mind, and will, sometime the qualities of the same. Caluine acknowledgeth the image of God most clearly to shine in man's soul, and yet to show itself in the whole body, and in all powers of the same. Luther that excellent writer, defineth, or rather describeth this image after this manner: The image of god, after the which Adam was created, was a matter most noble & excellent: For as yet no leprosy of sin had infected either whether man is the image of God in respect of his soul or body, or of both. the mind or will. But all the interior and exterior senses were pure and clean. For the understanding was most pure, memory prompt and ready, the will sincere, resting in a divine security, without pensive thought or dreadful fear of death. Hereunto was annexed a notable beauty and comeliness of all the external members of the body, wherein man passed and surmounted all other inferior Creatures. And albeit he writeth that the Arabian heresy. Image of God is in the whole man, both in body and soul: yet he was far, aswell from the Arabian heresy, which was Anno Dom. 230. as from the Anthropomorphites, and other Monks Anthropomorphites. of Egypt, who affirmed this image to be only in the body, because the scripture oftentimes maketh mention of the face, eyes, ears, nose, hands, and feet of God. Which phrases the Scripture undoubtedly useth only for our capacity, and better understanding: for touching God's substance, our Saviour christ plainly affirmeth him to be a spirit: And I know that some very joh. 4. learned Writers have acquitted the Anthropomorphites from such gross opinions, and that they had a far other sense in those phrases. The reason that maketh many men abhor, Doubts answered & resolved touching this matter. yea & detest this position of Luther's, that the image of God in man consists both in the body & soul, is this: God is not any corporal substance: therefore no part of his image can be in any corporal substance. But we must consider that whole man consisting of body & soul, was fashioned after the Image & likeness of God. Moreover the perfection of man's corporal substance, & the proportion or apt conveniency thereof with the soul, which was appointed to express his powers to the organical or external instruments of the body: and Immortality which was also given to this corporal matter, did clearly express & represent some portion of god's image. Albeit therefore it can not be denied, but that the chief & principal degrees of this divine Image is in man's soul, as in the most noble and excellent part: yet the body so divinely united unto the soul, and endued with such notable ornaments, is not to be defrauded of that which of right aught to be yielded unto it. So that as those do offend in excess, that ascribe this image of God to man's body only: so do they also err in defect, that place it only in the mind. For that the holy scripture eftsoons repeateth, that God made not only man's Soul, but whole man after his own similitude and likeness. It was the will and pleasure of almighty The duty of man in the consideration of these things. God, that through this his Image tranfused into man, he might both represent and express his maker, and be obedient unto him: appointing man (as I said before) to be as a glass, wherein he would shine and be seen, and as a book wherein with his own finger he would write his wisdom. Teaching us in this image what God is, to wit, an eternal and everlasting mind: and what manner of God he is, namely, wise and true, loving chastistie and justice, of a free power, embracing men with a fatherly affection, he being the creator, and they his creatures: requiring of us that our mind and will should accord with his will and commandment. And this is that wonderful wisdom, justice, goodness, and power of his: which his pleasure was to be read and known in the consideration and contemplation of man, whom he made of such excellency that he was capable of his Image, that in his soul and body, and in all his interior and exterior powers and actions he might show forth some likeness of God, but finite, and such as was convenient for a creature. This Image of God in man gratuit or created, had before his fall many excellent qualities. First, in respect of the Mind, Will, and Harte, wherein was a marvelous divine Harmony and consent. Saint Augustine went about Augu. lib. 14. de Tr. cap. 8. too show the difference of the three people in Trinity, by the consideration of this Image of god in man: In man (saith he) there be three principal The excellent qualities of man before his fall. things, The Mind begetting or breeding the Cogitation. And the cogitation, which is the Image of the thing cogitated: And the Will, wherein there is both joy and love. These three things he applieth after this manner: The eternal Father signifieth the Mind begetting in Cogitation the eternal word, the second person in Trinity. The Image form in cogitation, signifieth the son of God: And the Will shadoweth the holy Ghost. This collation must needs be pleasant to humble Minds: For therein we see that man is appointed to be a testimony of God, namely, that he is an Essence intelligible and moving himself. And although saint Augustine do understand the image of God in man, of the substance of the Soul, Mind, and Will: yet all the learned men almost do comprehend the gifts together with the substance, or as they usually speak, the virtues of perfect Nature in each part of the Soul, agreeing with the divine Mind. For so saint Paul in the word Image understood not only man's substance, but the gifts or powers wherein such virtues do shine as are consonant with the mind divine: which gifts were distinct and separable from the substance itself, as it is manifest by man's fall, wherein these excellent proprieties were lost, the substance of the Mind, Will, and Harte, unto this day abiding and remaining. But to return to these excellent properties The excellency of man's mind of the soul before man's fall: There shined a clear light in man's Mind, to wit, a perfect knowledge of God, and a communication of his divine wisdom, whereby he knew both God's substance and will: And also that man was to this end created, that not only this knowledge might shine in him: but also that he should with a grateful willing mind show obedience to his creator. Besides this knowledge of all divine things which were needful to man in the service of God, and toward the attainment of eternal life: the Lord endued him with a right excellent knowledge of matters Moral and Natural, that he was able to conceive the qualities and inclinations of all living things. So that as soon as he saw Eva, he said by and by, This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh: and she shall be called Virago, because she was taken of the Man He was profoundly seen in Philosophy, as it appeareth by the History of Creation: wherein we read how he gave names to every living creature according to their natures and qualities. In man's will there was a conversion to Man's wil god, that is to say, an universal obedience to his law, having an ardent love of God, and all virtues: flagrant, bent, and direct to that end, that the first example might be known and honoured: & therewith was annexed a liberty in all actions, that he might both show unto god willing obedience, and also avoid all things with judgement that were displeasant to his Creator. In the heart all affections and appetitions 〈◊〉 heart and affections, did obey his mind & will, neither was there dissétion in any thing. So that there was a Divine harmony of the mind, will, and heart. For as the mind did rightly know god and his will: so the heart & the will did think one thing, he loved god earnestly, neither was there any thing in man's nature which was not pure, holy, & sincere. And every orgaine part and instrument of man's substance had faculty and readiness infused into them by god, that they were both willing and able to do the things required by god at their hands, which god according to the law of obedience had imprinted, and as it were stamped in Reasonable natures. There was also in this image of god in Man had a lordship over all willing creatures. man, a pre-eminency & superiority above all other inferior creatures, whom he excelled many ways, both in reason and quickness of senses, aswell in form and stature of body upright & looking toward heaven, as also in agility and mobility of actions, and especially in that sovereign power and dominion which he had over all inferior creatures, as it were an Emperor over his subjects. For as God is the universal Lord, king, and governor overall creatures: even so it pleased him to collate unto man a certain dominion particular & limited, unto whom they would have yielded obedience gladly, & have reputed him for gods Lieutenant, if he had retained the image of god in him sincere and uncorrupted: which dominion albeit by our ruin it be exceedingly impaired in mankind, yet it is somewhat restored by faith. Thou shalt tread upon the Adder and Cockatrice. Psal. 91. Great beasts ruled by little children. Daniel was cast to the Lions: The Lord prayeth with the wild beasts in the wilderness: Paul was not hurt of the Viper: Sanson & David overcame lions: and we may daily see little children with a stick to rule huge & mighty bodied beasts, through the majesty of god's image, which yet after a sort shines in man, and is very fearful and terrible unto them. Hereunto we may add man's authority Man's beginning & end. & pre-eminence in consideration of his beginning, coveniencie, and end: For as god is the beginning of all things in creation, so is Adam the beginning of all men by generation: And as god hath a conveniency with all things, and all things aught to look upon God: So is man microcosmos, that is to say, a little world, and a lord in respect of inferior creatures, that they all should reverence and honour him. And as God is the end of all things: So is man the end of all inferior creatures, they being made for man's sake, that he might be a ruler over Sap. 2. them. And according to the wise man's saying, moderate & govern the round world in equity & justice. Finally this image had an assured hope Man's immortality. of immortality, that his life should be blessed & eternal, not subject to death. For the divinity itself is immortal, after Gen. 3. 5. the which as the scripture says, man was created. If therefore man had not fallen into sin, this nature & blessed estate in creation had endured for ever, it should never have been we●ke or old, it should not have been consumed with heaviness or diseases: But yet living in Paradise, should have been thence translated into the celestial & spiritual life. And unto this image God added over & beside the blessings afore mentioned, a certain & especial kind of If m●● had not sinned he should have b●ne translated ●ute et Paradise into heaven. worshipping of god, exacting an obedience unto the same, in proposing unto him that law of the tree of knowledge of good & evil: In the which he gave unto man, form after his image, as it were a remembrance that he should be both obedient & thankful unto him for his blessings: and that he would afterward translate him unto the place of endless joy & felicity, where he might continually behold the very essential image of God most brightly shining in his son our saviour jesus Christ. So that immortality being annexed in the tree of life, did both Immortality annexed to the outward Sacrament. admonish man inhabiting this elimentall region: and being endued with profound knowledge of things divine & humane that he should use that tree as a remedy against sickness, diseases, & mortality itself: and therewithal that he should have a manifest assurance of a better life: Into the which godly men should be removed, out of and above all elimentall regions, wherein he might behold god face to face, enjoying infinite blessedness, where God's majesty shallbe all in all, to his glory and our endless comfort. And these be the proprieties of the image of God, imprinted and engraffed in man's substance, at such time as he breathed into him the beams of his light: Whereof it is requisite that our minds should be well informed and instructed, when we ponder and examine with ourselves, what manner of image that was which Adam had, how it was spoiled & defaced in man's fall, after what manner it is repaired in us by the holy ghost, and of the glorious perfection thereof in the world to come. ¶ The second part of the Anatomy, showing the ruin and de struction of God's image in Man secondarily LET How man lost God's Image. us consider how this image of God was destroyed in man's fall: In so much that there scarce remain any remnants of that notable monunent and building of man's best estate: For when man, who was left in the hands of his own counsel, & in the liberty of his will, did eat of the fruit which was forbidden him, and shaking off all fear of God (unto whom all creatures own obedience) did transgress his just and good law: And being seduced with the Dragon's voice, turned himself from God, casting away all piety, reverence and fear, which was due to the eternal majesty: He than lost the The deadly wounds which man received by transgression. image of god, and death seized upon man, according to the commination of god before uttered, & become the image of the devil: and so losing the holy ghost, he fallen into the horrible wrath of god, and even then tasted certain beginnings of the same: he saw the miseries of mind, will, and heart, and death everlasting, threatened in the la: For being infected with the poison of sin, he could not retain any longer the image of justice, wisdom and life, which was stamped in him: But whole man was miserably deformed, corrupted, and lost all his ornaments and qualities, in so much that he who was before in his whole substance, qualities & powers, a bright glass of justice and holiness: become the mask and dunghill of the filthy dragon of hell, and the child of wrath and everlasting death. And to deal somewhat in particularities, the good things and ornaments Bonaventura. which our first parents, and all their progeny lost in this heavy fall and lamentable shipwreck, were partly natural, partly gratuit (and as Bonaventure says) Man was utterly spoiled of his gratuity gifts, and wounded in th●naturals: For in his mind he lost the perfect knowledge of his God: So that always after it was full of darkness, ignorance, foolishness, and rebellion against God: And in external and corporal things also, that light is exceeding shadowed and obscured. For who is now able to discern wounds in man's mind. and view the nature of living creatures but half so well, as was out father Adam before his fall. The will of man also quite turned away wounds in man's will. from God, lost all good inclination & ability to obey him, so that we feel ourselves a very conspiracy & open rebellion against his majesty: as S. Paul dolefully deploreth, saying: I feel in my members another law, fight against the law of God: O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from the death of this body. etc. In man's heart the love of god is utterly extinct, and flames of raging affections do burn, whereof almighty god complaineth in this wise: The lump or mass of Gen. 6. man's heart is evil from his mother's womb. This destruction of God's image in wounds in his whole nature. man's nature, and the putting on of the filthy form of Satan, is plainly set forth in the actions of Adam, straight after his fall, as well in himself, as in all his posterity: When as he being pricked with the sting of a guilty conscience, did both run away from God, and saw his miserable nakedness, whereof he was ashamed. For the very nakedness, which man did see in himself most evidently: doth not only signify the outward, but also the inward deformity both of body and soul. By means therefore of Adam's fall the image of God was destroyed in man's nature, all his powers and faculties were either depraved or utterly lost. He was spoiled of all his gifts, in mind, will, & heart: And the whole mass or lump of man, was with god's wrath, with the tyranny of the devil, with all sickness & sorrows of body & mind corrupt: where by we to our great grief feel the burden of sin, the biting and gnawing of a wounded conscience, pitiful passions of the soul, and finally in this world, the destruction and dissolution of our bodies into dust of the earth. These evils and grievous wounds Adam Adam felt the grievous sores and smarts of these wounds. saw and felt after he had entered into league and society with the devil: And therewithal tasted of gods horrible wrath, the pavors and torments of eternal death, and the strength of the law, whereof the Apostle speaketh: By the law cometh knowledge of sin, and the law worketh wrath: Through the bitterness and weight of these great dolours and torments, he must needs have presently perished, and incurred eternal damnation, if the merciful Lord had not taken pity on the misery of man, by the supplication of his son Christ, in How Adam in these miseries was comforted. respect of whom he uttered the promise of the gospel, made joyful mention of the blessed seed of the woman: and turning away his angry countenance, looked upon man with the eyes of his mercy. Besides all these things, Adam saw the Adan saw some effects of his sin in his children. Cain. fruit of his fall, and the detestablenes of his offence, not without great sorrow and heaviness of heart. For his first begotten son Cain that Parriside, bathing his hands in his brother's blood, did abundantly declare the calamity of nature corrupted, the cruelty of sin, blindness bred naturally in his breast, the pravity of his will, and wickedness of his heart. Almighty god himself lamenteth this God himself lamenteth man's fall. soul fall of man in Paradise, & appointeth condign punishments for the same: and therewithal protesteth that himself was not the author of this corruption of creatures, which was created by him, in his son, in justice & holiness of truth: wherein he taught mankind that sin and all the effects thereof had his origin of the devil, and of man: as it is written, Gene. ●. It irketh me that ever I made man. Again, He that committeth sin, is of the Devil. For the devil sinned from the beginning. And also, By one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death. Now albeit man received so grievous a wound in his body and mind, wherewith not only the image of god in him was defiled and destroyed, but also his powers and ornaments every way were marvelously decayed: besides the removing of immortality, whereof by word & sacrament god assured him before his transgression: and in place thereof a subjection to sicknesses & death itself. Yet the second death did not out of hand The second death came not by and by after man's fall. seize upon Adam, but God left him like a Pylgreme or banished man out of Paradise many years, in this animal or corporal life, after the act and decree was published, that god of his immense and infinite mercy would repair his Image blotted & defaced: and his good pleasure was, that man passing his time, Man left as a pilgrim or exiled man upon the earth. & running his race prefixed here in this world, should in his body (which was made so subject and servile unto sin) be resolved into dust and earth: but in soul he appointed him to be immortal, because the same was breathed into him by god: which he also ordained to be a daily testimony & remembrance unto man aswell of his estate before his fall, as of his glorification after the day of judgement. Which bodily death all the children of All the children of Adam subject to death. Adam are subject unto, by means of sin abounding, yea and reigning in them, being nothing but dust poisoned, which must return into dust: after which the second death, to wit, eternal condemnation both of body and soul, followeth, and is assuredly to be looked for of all those that do contemn the son of God, man's mediator and advocate: and do not seek to be delivered from God's wrath and indignation by the effusion of his most precious blood, which only is able to purify and wash men clean from all their sins. And to th'end that this great ruin A doleful & lamentable 〈◊〉 of man's 〈◊〉 by certain ancient fathers. and decay of man after his fall may be more evidently perceived, I will put down the lamentable complaints of divers Writers concerning this matter, whereby at the first view the matter will most plainly appear and show itself. And first, that is a notable & memorable Aug. contra julianum. li. 4. cap. 14. repetit ex lib. 3. Cic. de repub. saying of Cicero, repeated by S. Augu. touching the corruption of man's nature: Man is brought forth, and as it were expelled into this world by nature, being rather his stepdame then a loving mother. In body naked, frail, and infirm: and in mind, careful in sorrows, abashed in fear, weak in labours, prove to pleasure, having in him notwithstanding certain sparks and seeds of a divine nature. Wherein as saint Augustine saith, he rightly deplored and bewailed our miserable and pitiful case, and saw the horrible event: Yet was he ignorant of the cause, neither did he perceive that a heavy yoke was laid upon all the children of Adam, from the time of their birth until their death, by means of original sin, wherewith they are infected and corrupted. Saint Augustine himself writeth De Civita. ●● dei. lib▪ 22. ca 22 after this manner: I do omit how God created Man right: But touching our discente from our first Parents, that we are thereby a generation forlorn, and cast away, this very life of ours (if it be to be called a life which is so full of deadly miseries) doth most plainly declare. For what other thing can we gather of that horrible and deep ignorance (whereof all Error proceedeth) which possesseth and deteyneth the children of Adam in profound darkness so violently, that a man can not rid himself thereof without great labar, sorrow, and fear? What other thing doth that love of vain and deceitful things import, and therewithal such consuming cares, perturbations, sorrows, fears, deceitful joys, discords, adulteries, fornications, incests, rapes, and unclean commixtions against nature, which may not be well named: and therewithal heresies, blasphemies, perjuries, oppressions of Innocentes, slanders, false witnesses, unjust judgements, and other such like mischiefs, which we see incident to man's nature? And to conclude, as Vives writing in the same place saith: There would Ludovicus Vives in 22 August▪ de Civi. ca 22 be found no beast more savage and unbridled then man, if he were not chastised and amended with discipline and good education: for if he might run his own race, he would convert all his force and power to satisfy his filthy lusts and appetites: neither were it possible to find any brute beasts more fierce and wild than man. And saint barnard writeth very pleasantly Barnar. in sermon 1. paruorum sermonum. of this matter in this sort: That blessed and eternal Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, one God of chief power, wisdom, and goodness, did created another trinity after his image and similitude, which had certain resemblances of that eternal Trinity: I mean the reasonable Soul which consists of Reason, memory, & will. And he created the same in such sort, that by participation of him he might be blesssed: and being averted from him, should be most miserable. And this created Trinity did rather bend itself to follow the motion of his own will, then to stand in that liberty which was given unto it. And therefore it cell through suggestion, delectation, and consent from that fair & beautiful trinity, that is to say▪ from power, wisdom, & purity, into a contrary and filthy trinity: verily into infirmity, bundnesse, and uncleanness. For Memory is become impotent and infirm, Reason improvident and dark, and the will impure. Moreover Memory falling as it were upon hard Rocks, was broken and rend into three parts, namely into affectionate, heavy, and idle cogitations. I call those affections, wherewithal man is encumbered about cares of things necessary, as in eating, drinking, and such like. And those are to be accounted heavy, which we spend about the exercise of external and hard business. And those are vain and feeble wherewith man's mind is neither affected nor greatly molested, and yet notwithstanding is drawn from the contemplation of heavenly things: as to spend his time in beholding how birds do fly, or dogs do run. The light of Reason also hath three manner of ways fallen into ruin. For whereas it was his property to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood, profit & disprofit: It is now covered with such darkness, that it is carried most commonly into a perverse judgement, receiving evil for good, falsehood for truth, incommodity for commodity. Wherein it could never have erred so miserably, if it had not been deprived of that light which it had in the first creation. Whereby it is now comen to pass, that man hath left that usual and necessary instrument to understand wisdom, that is to say, Ethicke, Logic, &, Physic: which we may otherwise call the science Moral, Contemplative, and Natural. For by Ethicke good things are elected, and evil things refused: by Logic we discern truth from untruth: by Physic we distinguish between things profitable and unprofitable. After this followeth man's will, which hath had a triple ruin. For whereas it was the property of will to cleave fast to virtue and innocency, and entirely to love the supreme majesty: through self-will and pride it is fallen from heaven to earth, and through concupiscence of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life, doth now love and embrace worldly things. Now what can be more unhappy than this fall and ruin of man's estate, whereby his memory▪ reason, and will, are so pitifully impaired, and whole man so miserably corrupted? (▿) ¶ The third part of the Anatomy, showing the remnants of God's Image in man after his fall. BECAUSE THE CONsideration what is retained in man's nature of god's image of contraries do most plainly explicate all things, therefore I will as briefly as I can show by collation of Antitheses, what is retained in man's nature of the image of God: For that we have sustained a great loss, and an horrible shipwreck of heavenly induments & qualities, it hath been plainly and evidently declared. As for the The Gentiles & Ethnics are ignorant of the fall of man. Ethnics and Gentiles, they are altogether ignorant of Adam's transgression, and do suppose that through malicious nature, mankind hath been subject to thraldom and miseries, even from the beginning. Man hath lost that excellent wisdom and knowledge which he had in divine and spiritual matters: Especially what know ledge remains in man touching the first table. touching the essence and worshipping of God, properly appertaining to the first table. And hath left in him only certain sparks and seeds of the same ●● his heart, to wit, That there is a God, & that he is to be worshipped: that he is a sincere and just power, rewarding virtue, & punishing vice. Which knowledge although it be obscure: yet is it a prick or sting in the conscience, vexing the heart in heinous offences, and breeding terrible terrors of God's wrath & indignation: Hereof arise those notable sentences of the conscience in the writings of the Heathen. This small knowledge is marvelous obscure in man forlorn, & is oftentimes even buried, and utterly blotted out by man's wilful obstinacy: whereof the Phalmist speaketh, The foolish body hath said in his heart, there is no God. And again: All his cogitations are that there is no God, God doth not see it. Much like to the Cyclops, whereof the Poet maketh mention: I force not for the threats of the Gods. Man hath also almost lost perfect what knowledge he hath left unto him in the second table. wisdom in the second table, that is to say, of mundane & worldly things: But he hath left unto him a certain wisdom in external actions and virtues appertaining to the second table, that is to say, a power to discern between things honest and unhonest, and to understand the grounds of liberal arts, of good laws, & of honest actions. This knowledge of reason, as the Philosophers call it, was not altother extinct in man's ruin. For it was Gods good pleasure, that there should yet be some difference between reasonable man and brute beasts. And surely they differ in nothing so much as by reason, ● difference between man & brute beasts. that light which yet in some sort thineth in man's heart, containing a certain rule or pattern of all arts and actions. And although the Psalmist seemeth to▪ take away this difference, Man being in Psal. 49. honour, endured not, but become like the beasts of the field: yet we must call to mind that similitudes do hold but in some respect. For in this place man is compared to bruit Beasts, because he is no less subject to death than they be: Even as Saint Augustine do the August. de peccat. ori. contr● Pelagia●●●. well expound it, saying, he is compared in corruption, and not in whole nature unto brute beasts. This remnant of wisdom & knowledge, albeit unperfect, is called the law of nature, or natural law: and is set out by saint Paul, with excellent Rom. 1. 2. terms and speeches, as that it is the doctrine of God, & the work of the law written in man's heart. Hereof cometh the knowledge of manuary and liberal sciences, so needful for man's life: hence all civil laws have their origen, together with discipline & society between man and man, the desire of praise, the avoiding of dispraise, the honour of virtue, and the punishment of vices. That knowledge which was so notable Man's knowledge in the properties of things altogether lost. in our first parents, touching the property of things, is altogether lost, and what so ever we have, we have it by observation and experience. For our eyes do behold the course of the planets: and reason deviseth instruments to take the altitude, longitude, and latitude of them. Again with our eyes we look upon herbs: but reason searcheth out the strength, use, & application: And so with our senses we comprehend living creatures: But man's industry by use and experience, understandeth their properties Adam before his fall an excellent Philosopher. and natures. But Adam before his fall, was an excellent Divine, an excellent Lawyer, and an excellent Philosopher. Man hath lost all holiness of body & soul. Man hath also utterly lost all sanctity, justice, and purity, both of body and of soul, by means of that filthy plague or leprosy, which hath invaded and infected all our substance: so that job cried out not without cause, Who can make him clean, that is born of unclean. And saint job. 14. Reg. 3. Paul, All men have sinned: And there remains but now in him a certain carnal appetition of justice, coming from the law of nature and precepts of manners. This is only an external discipline or honesty of life, which is very weak and faint, as we all by experience are forced to confess: For now the malice of What justice the Ethnics have. our nature doth wonderfully prevail, and hindereth good devices and endeavours: Wherefore in all places of scripture where we find justice attributed unto the Gentiles: We must understand thereby external justice, or the justice of the flesh. Man hath lost that free faculty Man's power and faculty in spiritual things lost. 1. Cor. ●. and power of his strength & members in these things, which are spiritual and appertain to the true worshipping of God. And besides that, his powers or faculty either to desire, or to detest things carnal and earthly, is wonderfully impaired, vexed, and troubled, yea and oftentimes perverse. As Medea rightly said, Video meliora, proboque, deteriora sequor. Medea. He hath yet left unto him some understanding Man hath yet left some understanding in worldly things. in worldly things subject to reason. For if man were without this also, he should then differ nothing at all from brute beasts: and without this no discipline, no judgement, nor no punishment could be exercised amongst the Infidels. And hereof cometh that distinction between things that work woluntarily & naturally: and in like manner between things wrought reasonably and brutishly. In that therefore man sometime consulteth All man's understanding in worldly things is a portion of god's image yet remayving. and determineth happily in civil & external things, it is a portion of the image of God: although most commonly cernal affections, & lewd perturbations of the mind, do carry reason & will, quite out of the right way. But yet those powers of man, how feeble or faint soever they be, whether they be of the mind, of the will, of the heart, or of any other member of man, if they be good affections, they are certain remnants of God's image. Man hath also almost lost that notable Man's power & dominia oncr living creatures much impaired. wisdom, and absolute authority of rule and dominion over living creatures: For albeit there remaineth in him unto this day some power over them, yet the same is joined with great peril and grief, not wanting tyranny and cruelty. For the horse will not obey man without bit and bridle: neither will the Ox draw the Plough without he be yoked. The sheep will not yield wool and milk, unless she be bound: Birds are taken with policy and cunning: And fish with the hook, net, & other instruments. As for Tigers, Lions, Bears, wolves, Panthers, and such like, they are not only not obedient, but extreme adversaries to mankind. Now if any man ask why God made wild beasts so disobedient and hurtful to man? It is to be answered, that this is comen to pass, That disobedient children might be corrected. For man well deserved such a scourge after his transgression: And therefore by means of sin, our servants are armed against us, & wild beasts suffered to torment & afflict us: for so the scripture says: I will send amongst Eze. 5. you famine and wild beasts: When man was in the state of innocency, they were all tame and obedient unto him: A double commodity. And now though they rebel, yet by God's mercy, few do perish by them: And if any miscarry, there ariseth thereof a double commodity: First an example of god's severity, as in the Samaritans, who were killed of Lions. In the 2. Reg. 17. 1. Reg. 13. 2. Reg. 2. children that for scorning at Elizeus, were destroyed of Bears, and in the disobedient prophet, who perished with the Lyon. Secondly gods majesty herein, showeth itself mightily, in that he is able to 'cause the wild and cruel beasts to revenge his cause against disobedient people. And finally herein we may also consider gods great goodness toward us, in secluding & shutting them up out of men's society, into deserts & wildernesses, appointing them the night to walk in, and to seek their prey, while morning when man goeth about his business, they all avoid his sight & presence, and lie hide in their dens with trembling and fear. Man hath also lost eternal felicity and Man hath lost eternal felicity▪ and blessedness. blessedness, and hath only left unto him in steed thereof, this worldly and earthly life: which is short, miserable, & painful, and is subject to dangerous death every moment. For cruel death Death the possessor of all men, and the cause thereof. seasoneth upon all men that are born of corrupt parents, assoon as they are fashioned in their mother's womb, because they are infected with sin: And therefore all the days of their life, death is (as it were) man's hangman and tormentor. First the imbecility of man's substance The sting● of death. and strength, is the bit of Satan: Then the shortness of man's life, the perils & dangers in the same, the cruel diseases, the untimely, sudden, & unnatural deaths, & the resolution of our bodies into dust & ashes, do evidently express his force and malice against mankind. Which things I willingly note, to admonish men deeply to consider their miserable and wretched estate. For man is not only a bubble of water, during but a short time, & suddenly vanishing away: but he is a thing much more miserable, whereby it is most apparent, that man is not now any longer the excellent image of God, but the bondslave of the devil: then the which there can be nothing more lamentable or miserable. But the use of that which we have uttered The use of this doctrine. already touching the remnantes of God's image in man, is to put us in remembrance of those great things which we have lost by sin, and those remnants are much like the double of a fair and beautiful city destroyed, And such as they be they aught not to be contemned: being as it were notes & remembrances that god will in eternal life renew & restore his image to man, according to his holy word. Provided always that by means of this doctrine no power at all be ascribed to man in spiritual matters before regeneration, and not over much neither in carnal and earthly things. For both these excesses are culpable. Let us therefore bewail this great loss of ours; and again let us not forget to give thanks, that it hath pleased him to leave in us some print of his image: and chiefly let us rejoice that by Christ we are regenerate and reconciled to God in this life, and that his Image shall be perfectly restored unto us in the life to come. And before I conclude this part, Errors cotrary to this doctrine. I think it not amiss to admonish my Reader of certain detestable and gross Errors, quite contrary to this doctrine. First certain Athistes and Epicures hold, that there is nothing corrupt in man, after his first creation and condition: which opinion the Manichees do also maintain. And this Error seemeth too springe of mere Ignorance of man's creation and fall. The Pelagians and certain Schoolmen dreamt man's nature to be sincere and uncorrupt after his Nativity, even as Adam was before his fall. But that furor is directly against the word of God: Behold I am conceived Psal. 51. in iniquity. And again, The Rom. 8. sense of the flesh is Enmity against the spirit. And some also now a days write that there is some power in man Synergistae before regeneration, even in spiritual things: and that man is a cooperator or worker with God, and that it is in man's power to take, to follow, to assent (albeit faintly) with God in spiritual things: which is mere contrary to the holy scripture: for the Apostle says: The natural 1. Cor. 2. man perceiveth not things which be of God's spirit, for they are foolishness unto him, speaking of man not regenerate. Finally this extremity is to be reprehended, that there is no portion at all of god's image left in man. And that there is left unto man no knowledge of God at all, & that he hath no principles of arts or actions: but that he is much like a clean sheet of paper ot table, into the which with education and study, he may writ things. But saint Paul says: That the work of the law is written in Rom. 2. the Gentiles hearts. And even by the law of nature those that be not yet regenerate, have some knowledge, albeit obscure, that there is a God, and that he is a just God. Albeit they understand nothing of his essence, and of his perfect will, contained in the law and gospel. The fourth part of the Anatomy of the renovation, or regeneration of the old Man OUT OF WHAT EXCELlent dignity and honour, man was deposed and cast, by means of his transgression, and utterly drowned in a deep sea of all evil, it hath been already briefly and plainly declared: It now remaineth that we have some due consideration of God's great mercy, power, God's mighty mercy. and goodness in the renovation, and regeneration of the old man. For after the fall of Adam, God could not do any thing either more mightily or mercifully, then to send his only begotten son to take our nature upon him, to wash us from our sins with his precious blood, and to redeem and deliver us from Satan. For this inestimable benefit, let us continually upon our knees give most hearty and earnest thanks unto our God ever and ever. And although this great work of Ethnics 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of regeneration. God, with many other things spiritual, seem ridiculous to the carnal man, and humane sense: and profane Nations account it but a devise of fanatical people, yet all those that are under the ensign of Christ, aught thankfully to acknowledge, & highly to esteem this wholesome work & benefit of God: This doctrine issueth out of the places of Repentance, of justification, and of Baptism. For Regeneration conjoineth and linketh all these things together. Regeneration signifieth not in this place The signification of the word regeneration. to return corporally into our mothenrs womb, & to be born again, as Nicodemus supposed, but a spiritual renewing: and the similitude is taken from the corporal nativity. For as man is conceived & born of his natural mother in sin: even so in this spiritual nativity, by the efficacy of god's word and sacraments, external instruments, he is regenerate and spiritually made clean from sin, that is to say, he receiveth remission of sins, he is made the son of God, the temple of the holy ghost, and an heir of eternal life, albeit the spots of Original joh. 1. &. 3 Tit. 3. 1. Pet. 1. 2. sin do yet remain in this body of his. And under this general word Regeneration, man's conversion unto God, his justification, and the effects thereof, are comprehended and contained. Regeneration of Christians in Gods The definition of regeneration. invisible action, plainly expressed by his holy word and sacraments annexed unto the same: whereby our merciful God doth spiritually form and fashion of a carnal man, a new, just, and holy man, engraffing him into his kingdom, removing from him his sins committed, his wrath & indignation, and imparteth unto him his justice & grace: delivereth him also from the power and kingdom of the Devil, and giveth him the holy ghost, the earnest pledge of eternal life: and finally kindleth in him new strength to begin newness of life, acceptable and pleasant unto God in this world. The grounds this definition are the words of the holy scripture: Go teach all nations, baptizing them Math. 28. ●ar. 16. john. 3. Tit. 3. in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost: and he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved. This Renovation, as I said before, is a matter of the greatest moment, and an especial sign of God's love and mercy toward man. For when godless man put upon him the image of the devil, and was thereby more then oppressed with many miseries, and had cast away all hope of relief: the loving Lord used a wonderful temperature of justice and mercy, and ministered medicines to man, his son even then being a Solicitor and intercessor for us. This son of the eternal father our The work of regeneration appointed from the beginning. Lord jesus Christ, was from the beginning appointed to descend & take man's nature upon him, and was subject to all humane infirmities, sin excepted. He appeared to destroy the works of the devil, to seek the lost groat, wherein God's image was stamped, to bring home the lost sheep to the fold of eternal life, to th'end that he might flourish for ever there with all heavenly companies, being here regenerated, and there according to God's image perfectly renewed. For when man kind had received most grievous wounds, and was bound in strong chains, not able to be broken by man's strength: this bruser of the Serpent's head, came & professed himself (when the fullness of time should come) to be our tender and faithful Physician, to give his flesh for the life of the world; and that he would suffer such punishments, that by his stripes and wounds we should be healed: and that through death he should be destroyed that had power of death, to wit, the devil, that crafty serpent & cruel dragen, the enemy of man from the beginning. This regeneration of mankind was ●eparation of man by jesus Christ. then done by none other but by jesus Christ, our Priest, and everlasting king: who collecteth & preserveth his church by the sound of his Gospel, wherein is written the decree of our reconciliation: Which Gospel (he being the eternal word of the eternal father) revealeth unto us: Showing the cheerful countenance of his father, and pouring the holy ghost into our hearts, that with perfect love and heavenly joy, we might in obedience be united to our God. Which property of his office, & special privileges, he hath made most manifest by his resurrection, & by the sending down of the holy ghost upon the Apostles, that thereby we might the better consider the inestimable price of that benefit. The son of God, together with the Exhortations to repentance. Prophets & Apostles, do exhort us to repentance, that we might be renewed and clothed with that new image, and regenerate to a celestial wisdom & justice. And to th'end that we might know the deformity of the old Adam: and be excited to seek gods image in Christ, who is the new and heavenly Adam, we must use both the law and the Gospel. The Law (I say) that we strike with fear and dread in respect of our sins, might be enforced to seek after the true and perfect Physician, who is Christ, whom the Gospel affirmeth to be made unto us, wisdom, redemption, justice, and sanctification. But we must also understand, that what kind of justice ●s restored in regeneration. not only that justice which was got by Christ's blood, is transferred unto us through gods wonderful grace & mercy: but in this regeneration there is a redelivery or restitution of certain powers or strengths in man, out of the which certain actions issue & flow. And yet this restitution is not so perfect, as that we are able either to fulfil the Law, or to be accounted just before God: but it is the fruit of justice Imputative (as they call it) albeit in some places & other respect it have the name of justice: as, That I Phil. 2. may be found in him not having mine own justice, which is of the law, but that which is of faith in Christ. I will therefore writ somewhat particularly of the powers restored to the godly in regeneration, and afterward I will speak of their actions and works. And first of all man's mind hath certain Of the mind renewed. powers or abilities restored by the holy ghost, and a kind of light kindled in things spiritual and divine. Be ye renewed Ephe. 4. (saith the Apostle) in the spirit of your minds. And, Renew the new man in Colos. 3. the knowledge of God. And again: We all 2. Cor. 3. with face revealed, beholding the glory of the Lodre, are transformed into the same image, from brightness to brightness, as it were by the spirit of the Lord. There is then restored some power & ability unto man's mind, somewhat to understand the divine and heavenly mysteries: and a certain light to discern the doctrine of God, according to the rule of his word, from false doctrine and heresy. For it hath usually come to pass in all ages, that Errors springing up, have been painted with goodly colours, whereby many have been sedused and deceived. But ignorance and blindness bread in Much ignorance and blindness yet remaining in man's mind. man naturally, is not altogether removed out of his mind: The reason thereof is, because in this life man's restitution is not perfected, but attempted only: and the disease of original sin remaineth after this spiritual Regeneration. The old nature, or old man remaineth, albeit some mortification be begun. For so the Apostle saith: We know in part, we 1. Cor. 13. prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, that which is unperfect shall be done away. And hereof it cometh to pass, that ignorances of God and spiritual things (not known unto us by nature) do oftentimes exceedingly encumber and unquiet even the man regenerate: So that light and darkness in man's mind, do contend and strive one with another, as the Apostle most gravely teacheth in these words: The Gal. 5. flesh coveteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: these are contrary one to another. And now and then the ignorance & darkness of the mind doth extinguish the small light kindled, either with gross security, or curious philosophy, or carnal reason, as we know it came to pass in Aaron, Solomon, and Hieroboam, who wilfully shook of this divine light: and gave themselves to the worshipping of Idols. Let us not marvel therefore, that there is yet remaining such great imbecility in those that be regenerate: neither yet because some excellent men, accounted why excellent lights of Christ's Church ●o e●●●●●all. lights of the Church, do often times err & fall very grossly, seeing the cause thereof is so apparent: to wit, first the sickness of original sin remaining yet in the posterity of Adam: and secondly, the craft, furor, and power of the devil, who without gods especial & wonderful grace is able to do much against silly and weak man. As the mind hath received certain Of the will renewed after regeneration. seeds or nourishments of regeneration in this life by god's grace: even so will is partaker of some power and ability to apprehend divine and spiritual things, to covet after them, & assent unto them: which promptness & faculty it had not before regeneration, as the Apostle most excellently writeth after this manner: It Phil. 2. is God that worketh in us the will and the deed, according to his good will. And elsewhere he freely confesseth that he hath Rom. 7. will in divine things, and as a spiritual man to be delighted with god's law. But yet the will is not perfectly restored in this life. For the filth & dregs of original sin (albeit they are forgiven by Christ) are yet abiding in us, and can not wholly be rooted out of this our Nature: First therefore let us consider the weakness of Will, even in those that be regenerate, without God's special and peculiar assistance, as we see daily in the confessions, afflictions, and deaths The weakness of the godly in the hour of death, and the cause thereof. of the godly. Secondly, our will is by our own malice, and the subtlety of Satan, both letted, deformed, and overcomen. Which imbecility and weakness, so deeply and dangerously fastened unto us, the godly do both taste and feel, and also bewail and lament: praying still with earnest groaning, that they may be rid out of this thraldom, into bliss and peace everlasting. The voice of the Apostle is worthy to be heard, which saith: Will is ready unto me, but I am not able Rom. 7. to do it. For I do not that good thing which I would do, but that evil which I would not, that I do. If I do that which I would not, it is not now I, but sin dwelling in me. And a little after: I see another Law in my members, resisting the law of my Mind, and leading me captive under the law of sin, which is in my members. O unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I give God thanks through jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore in my mind I serve the law of God, but in my flesh the law of sin. In the which words the Apostle affirmeth, that he had a good will stirred up by the holy ghost: But he addeth that the old Adam sticking in him, did always pluck him away to sin and wickedness. He further showeth the author of regeneration in this life, and the perfecter thereof in the life to come: even jesus Christ our saviour & redeemer. And yet God hath with his spirit of strength and fortitude assisted many thousands of his martyrs, in giving testimony The principal cause of the patience and strength of martyrs ●n their passion's. to the truth with wonderful patience and boldness: which is the proper and peculiar work of the holy ghost, who is thereof called a Comforter. And that voice of the Apostle is most sweet and delectable: God is faithful, who 1. Cor. 10. will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear: but in the middle of your temptation he will provide that you shallbe able to bear it. God is always present with his servants in their agonies, and doth most graciously and plentifully give them courage & strength in cruel torments, that they become victors and conquerors. In things external conjoined with The power of will regenerate in temporal things. virtue and honesty, man's will after regeneration is without all doubt more pliable than it was before. For the man regenerate hath the light of God's word shining in his mind, whereby he perceiveth and embraceth more readily both things divine and humane. It is a great virtue in Scipio, that he containeth himself from Endibilis: But it was without What men not regenerate chiefly respect in their actions. the light of the living god, his will was therefore untoward in spiritual things, he was an idolater, and in his actions only respected external honesty, that he might not do any thing against comeliness. But in joseph refusing unlawful company with his masters joseph his actions and the ground thereof. wife, there shines a more excellent and divine virtue. For he had the knowledge of the living god, and a will regenerate, whereby he did more commodiously A great● diversity of man's will both in those that be regenerate and not regenerate. practise things external, he had the holy ghost his guide and leader, he feared God, and was loath to deface his honour & glory, he assuredly believed that God would be with him and comfort him in perils and dangers. There is also a great difference between those that be not regenerate in things external, for one excels another in virtue, in discipline, & in exercises. Moreover there is often times seen great imbecility in the godly, who do horribly deform themselves in external vices: the cause is the sin yet remaining in their nature, which is no small or light evil: Whereunto the devil addeth his poison and malice, especially against the godly. Whereby it cometh to pass that no man (Christ excepted) be he never so learned or godly, is pure The spots in the godly and clean from foul spots and offences. And hereof come so many offences and faults of the best & most excellent men in the church of God in their external actions, as Loath, who defiled Loth. David. Hely. himself with drunkenness and incest: David with adultery and murder. Hely with negligence in the education of his children, etc. So that many are choked, & The thorns of this world. oppressed with the thorns of this world, and very few rid themselves out of the same. All godly men aught to acknowledge this their great infirmity, and to pray continually, that God of his mercy would vouchsafe to govern our paths and steps in this slippery way of the world, that either we may not fall at all into foul offences, or at the lest that we may not be drowned, & utterly perish in the same. The newness of man's heart regenerate, is all Of the heart of man regenerate. so such, that some divine motions are lightened (and as it were) kindled: So there beginneth both a certain harmony of affections in the heart, and also a certain consent of the mind, will, and heart. And so it conceiveth by the aid of the holy ghost (and not of itself), some sparks and seeds of a reverend and childish fear of god, a love of God and godly things, a wonderful tollerancy and patience in afflictions, and a loathsome detestation of sin and wickedness. It beginneth to restrain & bridle raging affections, and embraceth his ●auen Christian with love and charity. Albeit not so perfectly as the law requireth. Perfect nature only perfectly fulfilleth the law. Thou shalt love the Lord thy god withal thy heart, & thy neighbour as thyself. For the perfect & exact fulfilling of the law, belongeth to perfect & incorrupt nature. There remaineth therefore in the hearts of men regenerate, not only a great infirmity, Great infirmities remain in man's heart after regeneration. coldness, & dullness to all good motions: but the same motions are confounded & tumbled together as it were with a certain whyrlewind. And most commonly corrupt affections bear rule, and burst out with great shame and infamy, as flames of lust, desire of revengement, malice & hatred, either too much or preposterous fear, or love of external and temporal things: And many in these storms and tempests, are utterly The effects of raging affections. cast out of Christ's ship: and other some with much ado arrive in the haven in a boat all to rend and torn, as experience in all ages maketh manifest. The heart therefore is much like a roaring sea of furious affections, subject to The heart is much like a troubled sea of raging affections. diverse storms and tempests, which if it be not made calm and quiet with the holy ghost: it will make greater shipwreck in sin, than sailors do in Scylla and Charybdis. The fountain & origine of these storms & tempests is original sin (as I have often already repeated) so deeply rooted in our nature: Which the foul fiend with his craft, furor, and power over miserable men, marvelously augmenteth and increaseth. And therefore David being regenerate prayeth after this manner: Created in me, O God, a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. He felt, no doubt, in himself these raging floods of the heart, wherewithal he was tossed and almost oppressed diversly, and with great danger, neither was he able to resist the same without the aid and assistance of the holy ghost. The man regenerate then by God's Of the good actions & work of men regenerate. grace, beginneth new obedience, internal and external, which is acceptable to god through jesus Christ, who sayeth unto us: I am the vine, & you are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, that man bringeth forth much fruit, for without me you are able to do nothing. When we are therefore engraffed in Christ by regeneration, and made good, we may do good works, as the Apostle evidently declareth: We are his workmanship, created by Christ jesus in good works, which God The good works of man regenerate, are unperfect in this life. hath prepared that we should walk in. But we must always remember that the good works of men regenerate are not perfect in this life, according to the declaration of the law, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, & with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself. And therefore man regenerate hath not remission of sins, and inheritance of eternal life, by means of his own justice, which is unperfect, but only by The comfort of men regenerate. justice imputative, which is derived unto him by the justice of Christ: yet the man regenerate hath this solace and comfort, that his new obedience is acceptable and pleasant unto God: Because he is reconciled to God by faith in Christ, and all his works, actions, and obedience, springeth of faith. And moreover almighty God of his great and abundant mercy, doth recompense and crown this new obedience, both in this life and in the life to come. This punishment continueth all Of the dominion of man regenerate over other living creatures. the days of man's life in this world, that the great dignity, authority, and rule, which our parents had before the fall over other living creatures, is not restored unto him again. The pleasure of God is that some signs of our corruption and transgression should always be object unto our eyes: That we might the rather thereby fear and obey his majesty. And yet we may also see God's blessing, in making many beasts not only tame, but also as it were familiar and domestical servants unto us: and that more willingly and prosperously they serve us, than they serve the wicked and ungodly. And in like manner the fertility of the earth, is not Of the fruit fullness of the earth. perfectly restored in this life to man regenerate: and yet by the blessing of god all living creatures are fed, & as the Psalmist says, There is no scarcity to those that Psal. 3. 4. fear him. There yet remains also in the marriage The marriage of men regenerate. of man regenerate, certain signs and admonitions of his transgression, as in that children are born with pain & peril of their parent, & are all by nature the sons of wrath. And yet notwithstanding God is present with his servants in their Ephe. 2. marriages, and mitigateth the karkes & cares thereof, but also conserveth & provideth peace, & sendeth some Halcyon's days: And often times for one good man's sake, he blesseth whole regions and countries: as the examples of joseph, Danyell, and many others, do sufficiently declare. The godly also have this prerogative, joseph. Da●ell. that because they be true and lively members of Christ's church: they only may assure themselves, that they bring forth seeds and plants of the heavenly jerusalem, and are as it were Nurseries bringing forth (as Plato called Plato. them) worshippers of the divine power and majesty The tyranny and furor of the devil Of the tyranny of the Devil. against men Regenerate, ceaseth not in this life, because sin remaineth yet in our nature. And Gods will also is that the enemy of mankind should be perfectly known, that both the great benefits of Christ, might more clearly shine, and show themselves, and also that the exercise of faith and confession, might be more frequent and common amongst his faithful servants, and loving children. For albeit the prince of this world be judged already, and his power and weapons made dull and broken: yet he is not altogether removed out of this world, & separated from the Saints: for that shall not be absolved and finished before the last day. And because mention hath oftentimes been made of men regenerate, and not regenerate, to ●●ende their differences may be more manifest, I will put down certain Autithises, whereby the diversity Autitheses or certain differences between man regenerate and not regenerate between Alexander and David, Plato and Paul, and other such excellent wights, will more manifestly appear. The Ethnics have only a carnal nativity: The Regenerate are born of God spiritually. The Ethnics want the true knowledge of God, they doubt of his essence and will: although they otherwise excel in wisdom, virtue, and good demerits: The Regenerate have a sure, certain, and evident knowledge of God. The Ethnics want all justice imputative: The Regenerate are beautified with Christ's justice, which he hath purchased with his blood. The Ethnics have only the external discipline of the second Table: The Regenerate have not only the works of external discipline, but the internal works of the first Table. The Ethnics doing good works without Christ, are not able too persuade themselves that their service pleaseth God: seeing that saint Paul sayeth, What soever is not of faith, is sin, and the works of the Ethnics proceedeth not of faith: The Regenerate ground their good works upon faith in Christ, and d●● certainly know, that albeit the same be unperfect in this life, yet that through Christ they are acceptable and pleasant to God. The Ethnics do only follow the direction of their carnal Reason, and have some little portion of the law of Nature: but they are altogether ignorant of those things that be of God: The Regenerate have Gods infallible word revealed by his son Christ. The Ethnics can not call upon God, nor offer acceptable patience in their miseries and calamities: The Regenerate are able to call upon the living God, for they know that there is a God, what he is, and that he is merciful unto them, through Christ, and that he will give unto them blessings spiritual and temporal. In their afflictions they know the fountain of grace, they know the perfect remedy against sin, they know Gods promises, they refer the event of things unto God, and submit themselves wholly to his good will and pleasure. The Ethnics can not have firm and stable peace in their consciences, when they are in agonies and griefs, because they are ignorant of God, of the Mediator, and of the word of promise: and therefore they are carried into most abominable and stinking sands of despair: The Regenerate, being vexed with calamities, with the law, and stynges of the Devil in their consciences: by means of Christ, who is their mediator and saviour: they have sure & certain peace, they have the word of God, and the seals of the same, they have the holy ghost, as an earnest penny or pledge of their salvation. The Ethnics after the Resurrection, because they believed not in Christ, shall be in hell with the rich glutton: For Christ saith, They that beleene not shall not have eternal life, but God's wrath remaineth upon them: The Regenerate persevering in the true faith of Christ, shall be with God in joy and dignity, having the fruition of God's face and countenance, and the sweet society of all the blessed company in heaven, as the word of God promises. The Ethnics therefore being most renowned in worldly things, are much inferior to the meanest man that is Regenerate. But some man will happily say, if Why the virtues & noble acts of the Gentiles are esteemed. their virtues & noble acts, their inventions and explications of arts, their fluent and sweet eloquence, be of no more value: why do men esteem them so much? I answer, that they do it but in degrees and respects. And for that these works are so excellent as man's Reason can attain unto: they are so far forth to be allowed, as they agreed with the law of nature, or true principles of things engraffed in man naturally. Wherein we aught to have also in remembrance, that the Ethnics have received many things of the Fathers of God's Church, which they have through their carnal wisdom marvelously corrupted. Moreover, because Arts, eloquence, and other such things are needful only to this carnal life, we use them only for the same. And as concerning Divinity, that is to say, the knowledge of divine and heavenly things, together with a true and perfect explication of good works, and examples of virtues, which were never to be found in the Gentiles: we derive (I say) and draw all these things out of the holy scripture. And th'end why these The commodity of this doctrine. diversities between Ethnics & Christians are here recited by me, and worthy to be noted of others, are first, that we do not ascribe over much to the Ethnics, for their external acts and deeds. Secondarily, that the excellency and dignity of man regenerate may be known. Thirdly, that we might be moved to give god thanks for the same, & to pray unto him, that as he hath begun a good work in us, so he would continued and perfit the same, unto the day of jesus Christ. I might seem to have spoken sufficiently Errors contrary to this true doctrine. of man regenerate: and so have I in deed, but that certain old and new Errors in this matter are worthy the animadversion, to th'end that the godly and zealous Reader being admonished, might the better beware and avoid the same. The Papists error is contrary The Papists. to the promise, which teacheth us to doubt whether we be in the faith, or not: which is a doctrine leading men into desperation. The Saducees hold, that there is no Saducees. Regeneration, nor life after this. The Libertines also serve from this Libertines doctrine, holding that Regeneration is nothing but a liberty to follow sensual lusts and desires. Contrary unto that weighty sentence of Saint Paul: Brethrens, you are called into liberty, Gala. 5. only let not your liberty be an occasion to the flesh. The Gnostickes, Catharickes, and some Gnostics, Anabap. etc. Anabaptistes, are to be noted also, who dream, that men Regenerate, are perfectly just in their newness of life in this world. Which position is directly against the Scripture, and daily experience. For Christ doth teach us to pray: forgive us our trespasses. Regeneration doth not altogether take away the disease of sin, but the imputation, that it be not laid to our charge. The fifth part of the Anatomy, touching the estate of Man in his glorification. IF the faith and hope of men Regenerate, did extend no further than this present life, they were of all other creatures most miserable. Their only and chief comfort therefore is the certain and assured expectation of consummate glory in the world to come. And although silence might seem more convenient, than a few bore words in so weighty a matter: yet to th'end that our hope may be the better comforted and strengthened, and the heavenly joys being apparently set before our eyes, might be the more coveted and desired on our parts, I will also say somewhat of this matter. For th'end of all things is at hand. the time is even at hand, when as all these worldly things, of what moment soever they seem to be, shall have their end: and the Regenerate persevering in a constant faith, shall possess joy and endless bliss. On tother side, the wicked and ungodly people, shall be cast down into everlasting pains and torments. And this doctrine is settled upon these grounds or places of scripture: Of the Gospel, of justification, of the rewards of new obedience, of the resurrection, and of eternal life. The glorification of man in the life eternal, is God's action & work, wherein he restoreth unto all believers after their resurrection his image perfectly, that is to say, he will purify and cleanse whole man, as well in body as in soul, from sin: And beautifying him with all integrity, wisdom, & justice, will translate him into his kingdom, to be a fellow and companion of the angels and blessed spirits throughout all eternity. For we learn by God's word, that when the godly are removed hence by corporal death, they lay aside all their weights and burdens of sin (which now so grievously preasseth them in this world, to the end that man should not be molested therewith after his resurrection. For there is not only a dissolution of the body and soul but the dregs & remnants of sin, are also swallowed up out of our nature: In so much that this temporal death is an effectual remedy against that puissant and mighty enemy, which so daily and violently assaulteth us in this corruption & mortality. When our bodies therefore are laid in the grave they rest in sure and certain hope of the glorious resurrection, neither are they retained there to ignomy and shame, but Of the qualities & properties or glorified bodies. Ex Pet. Mart. in 2. Re. 4. that they may rise and spring up again with excellent properties and qualities: Whereof P. Martyr that excellent light of our time hath written largely and learnedly, out of whom I will borrow so much as seemeth convenient for this discourse. The school men (says he) do call those properties, conditions, or indumentes, neither can I mislike those which they number, because I see that they draw them out of the holy scripture. Albeit I think they have not collected all, neither can any man do that, because we cannot see or perceive exactly in this life the heavenly glory of the celestial company. But the first quality or indument The first condition of glorified bodies is unmortality. accounted of them, is immortality. And in deed wheresoever any mention is made in the scripture of the life to come, the same is said to be eternal and everlasting. The Apostle saith: This mortal 1. Cor. 15. must put on immortality, and this corruptible must put on incorruption. And for that both rewards and punishments which shall be given, according to the proportion of works, are eternal, the subject or nature which shall sustain the same, must needs be also eternal. Moreover seeing Christ hath overcome sin and death, it must of necessity follow, that the life of holy men shall be immortal. The Apostle also speaketh after this manner: Christ rising from the dead, dieth not Rom. 6. any more, neither hath death power over him any more: And again, Flesh and blood shall 1. Cor. 15. not possess the kingdom of God: Which words are not to be misconstrued of the very nature and substance of flesh and blood: For those that shall rise to glory, shall be clothed with them. But the Apostle means of corruption, whereunto flesh and blood are subject in this life. And therefore it followeth there: And this corruption shall put on incorruption. etc. Of this quality ariseth another, Glorified bodies need no sustentation of corporal food. which is that the glorified men shall not need meat, drink, or any other corporal sustentation in the life to come. Christ himself hath taught us, that they shallbe like angels. For whereas mention is often times made in the scripture of eating and drinking in heaven, as: I will Luk. 22. prepare for you, as my father hath prepared for me, a kingdom, that ye may eat and drink upon my table in my kingdom: This, and such like speeches are nothing else but metaphors or translations, whereby the holy ghost admonisheth rude and simple men of the joys and pleasures of another life. In the life immortal then, there shallbe no need, neither of food, nor of procreation of children: Which things serve only the use of this mortal life. The reason of this is, because bodily substances are not then worn or consumed, there shall be no need of reparation by meat and drink. And because there shallbe no mortality, marriage shall not be then needful by new procreation, to preserve and continued natures and substances. Shining brightness is also ascribed by Glorified bodies endued with shining brightness. Phi. 3. the school men to glorified bodies: whereof the Apostle speaketh thus: Christ shall change our vile bodies, and make them like to his glorious body. etc. Some sign & token hereof was given by Christ in his transfiguration, when his face did shine like the sun: & the Evangelist says: The Dan. 12. wise. 3. 4. 5. just shall shine as the sun in the sight of God. Whereof the prophet Daniel also maketh mention. They ascribe also to glorified bodies nimbleness and agility: For Glorified bodies endued with agility. the body and all the members shall be subject to the soul. And hereof it is written in the book of wisdom, of the saints: That they shall be like sparks, wised. 4. running amongst the stubble: And the Apostle, We that shall be found alive, and the dead who shall be raised, shallbe rapt to meet Christ in the air. The body of Christ walking upon the watér was endued with this agility, which he lent also for a time to Peter to do the same. The force or efficacy of this agility (as I said before) is, that the soul shall have absolute dominion over the body: in so much that the weight and burden of the flesh shall not in any wise hinder or let the operation thereof. And also for that this quality appertaineth to local motion, it maketh Vbiquistae. many men to marvel, why the Vbiquaries are content to guise this property in bodies glorified, and yet will not grant any place at all unto them, as though there could be a motion from place to place, without any place at all. The glorified bodies also are impassable, Glorified bodies impassable. that is to say, they shall not be corrupt or diminished with any passions, dolours, or diseases: according as the Apostle writeth, It is sown in corruption, it 1. Cor 15. Passions of two sor●●s. rises again in incorruption. And for that I have said, that the glorified bodies shall not be molested with passions, we must consider that passions are of two sorts. For some are noisome and hurtful to nature, afflicting and consuming the body: as hunger, thirst, sickness, pain, and such like. From these kinds of passions, the saints shall be delivered. Again, there are some other passions, What kind of passions the glorified bodies shall have. which rather help and perfect nature, then hurt the same: Such are the notices of the senses. The eye is not hurt with beholding of fair colours, nor the ear with sweet harmony and music: Nor yet is smelling hurt with good odours. These and such like good passions shall not be wanting to our bodies glorified, when we shall rest in our desired country. Glorified bodies thin and subtle. They add also subtlety to glorified bodies, which is not so to be taken as though these bodies should be turned into spirits & become airy, much like the wind piercing all things: But this subtlety is rather to be referred to the exquisite and perfect power of the senses. Whereunto may also be added affections, which shall not be gross and earthly, molesting the mind. In this sense spoke the Apostle: It is sown a natural body, but it rises again a spiritual body. A natural body, and a spiritual body. 1. Cor. 15. In the which words he meant not that our bodies should be changed into spirits: But that they should come as near the property of spirits as possibly they might (in respect of their Notices, and affections) retaining still their corporal nature and substance. These notable properties are collected by the school men out of God's word: many Esa. 6. 4. 1. Cor. ●. others there be omitted, for it is truly said, The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not hard, those things which God hath prepared for those that love him. It is not unmeet to be observed in this place, that neither the holy scriptures, Against ubiquity. nor ancient Fathers, nor Scholastical writers, have in any place ascribed either to the bodies of Saints glorified, or to Christ's body ubiquity, to be in no place, or in every place. It is, & that not without cause wondered at, that some writers of our time do so obstinately maintain that opinion without any good ground at all. And it is to be noted▪ that many of the Schoolmen: and amongst others Thomas Aquinas, in consideration that the bodies of blessed men shall come most near unto celestial qualities: He infereth upon the same, that their habitation shall be above all elements in the supreme and high heaven. They dispute also of the age of men in Of what age bo●ies shall be in the resurrection. their resurrection, and their opinion is, that the same shall be fresh, strong, and lusty: enforcing that of the Apostle to the proving thereof: until we grow in the unity of faith, into the knowledge of the son Ephe. 4. of God, into a perfect man, into the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ. But by their patience the words of the Apostle tend to no such end: For he speaketh not there of the reformation of bodies, but of the renovatio of minds, as the words going before, do most evidently declare. And yet I agreed with them in the perfection of glorified bodies: but in some other sort. For when god first created man, he made him no infant, no decrepit, defamed or unperfit person. And seeing the resurrection is a certain new kind of reformation, it must needs be like and correspondent unto the first: As therefore all was very good, that is to say, perfect in their kinds, which god created: so shall men's bodies in the resurrection in their kinds be absolute and perfect. And these are the properties which the school men attribute to the bodies of saints in the resurrection: Now if any man will be inquisitive of the qualities & conditions in the bodies of wicked men, when they shall arise to condemnation: Let him understand that they also shall have immortality. But as for those other The qualities of wicked men's bodies in the resurrection. ornaments of glorified bodies, they shall have none at all: but rather shallbe disfigured with the contrary deformities. For they shall have no brightness nor light, but as Christ hath taught, shallbe cast into utter darkness. Neither shall they be impassable, for they shall be afflicted with dolour & pain without any intermission. There shall be weeping and gnashing of t●●th. Their worm shall not dye, & their fire shall not go out. They shall have no nimbleness nor agility, for being bond hand & foot, they shall be cast into hellfire. They shall want such subtlety & pureness in affections, as I spoke of before, because they shall weep & wail, & be vexed with gross affections, & vehement desires: as we may see by the evangelical narration of Lazarus and the rich man. But in all these things that have been spoken heretofore in this matter, this is always to be had in memory, that notwithstanding these varieties of qualities, yet the self-same substance of our bodies shall not be altered. For the self-same flesh and body that we bear and carry about with us now, shall be raised up again at the last day. Hitherto Peter Martyr. The glorification of blessed men (over & beside those things which I have spoken of the body) consists in these things following. First in justice imputative in justice imputative. christ: whereby those shall please god everlastingly, that are justified by faith, and translated into the heavenly jerusalem. So the prophet Daniel calleth that justice which is got by the death of Christ, sempiternal. For this justice which is so dearly bought by the son of God, is not only a merit for the which eternal life is given unto men: but it is also their everlasting possession, and the very wedding Math. 22. garment, wherewith men being clothed, may boldly sit down at the banquet of their Lord. It consists also in notable & excellent wisdom, far passing that which ever any mundaine creature was endued withal. It hath also annexed unto it, sanctity, purity, & a restitution of all powers, aswell of the body, as of the soul. These glorified natures shall have a notable pre-eminence over all mundaine creatures, which shall be in the new world, as some suppose, according to the good will and pleasure of almighty God. For the Apostle Saint Peter saith: We 2. Pet. ●. isaiah. 65. look for a new heaven and a new earth, according too his promise, wherein justice dwelleth. But touching the manner or order of these things, we ●ught to refer them to Gods will and pleasure. He himself knoweth best how he will do them: and we of the sequels & consequences, shall know the works of god, which I the rather add because some may happily wonder at this doctrine. This immutation or restitution of man being thus complete & finished, & the image of god being perfectly restored unto man, Translation into the kingdom of heaven. he shall at the last be translated into real possession of the heavenvly kingdom, which he had by faith & hope only in this life, as Christ hath promised, that himself will give sentence in this form: Come you blessed children of my father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Mortal men therefore shallbe removed, not into any earthly, but into an heavenly jerusalem, according to the words of christ spoken to the thief: This day thou shalt be Luke. 23. with me in paradise. Now in the possession of this kingdom the godly shall have endless joy, wherewithal they shallbe crowned in steed of misery, affliction, & persecution which they suffered for Christ's sake in this mortal life: which do so far excel Rom. 8. those miseries, that there can be no just comparison between them: which the same 2. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 1. and▪ 5. Apostle calleth the crown of justice: and S. Peter a crown of glory which never fadeth away. For first the Saints shall see god, & shall come to perfection in knowledge: We see now in a glass, & in a dark speech, 1. Cor. 13. but then we shall see face to face. And what thing can there be more pleasant or acceptable, than to common personally with our Redeemer, & to hear him discoursing heavenly things: where is in deed the best schoolhouse, & notablest University of all sapience & wisdom. We shall have society & familiarity with the Angels, Archangels, & all other heavenly powers: than with the patriarchs, Prophets & Apostles: and with all those that from the beginning of the world, have been soldiers under the banner of jesus Christ. For as all damned people shallbe tormented with the devil & his angels, in that lake that burneth with fire & brimstone: So shall the godly enjoy endless felicity in that most flourishing kingdom, with the good & just angels eternally: whereunto Perfect obedience in men glorified. shall be adjoined a willing obedience & service of god, with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our wills, and with all our strength. Then the which obedience toward god our creator, redeemer & saviour, there cannot be any thing more pleasant & delectable. There shall be no delight in carnal pleasure, in propagation of children, in marriages▪ in worldly regiments. All which things shall cease: but we shall be busied about things far more excellent, which we see in a glymmis & a far of in this life, but shall know them perfectly in the life to come. And after all these things shall follow a blessed life, and that without ending, wherein shall be no dolour, sickness, or misery: nor yet shall death have any power there, according to the promise of our saviour Christ, He that believeth in John. 3. me shall have eternal life. This their glorification will be more apparent The torments of hell. unto us now and, then also, if we on th●ther side consider the woe & misery which damned people shall abide eternally: for unto the great joys of the godly, there are correspondent so many torments of the ungodly. And first, those miserable men shall want the sight or vision of God: the want of which is called of late Divines, P●na damni, pain The pain of loss. of loss: Which is so grievous a thing by the opinion of Chrysostom, and S. Augustine, that it were better to be in hell enjoying that vision, then to be in any place without it. Unto the which pain of loss, there is added intolerable torments of fire & brimstone: and many other infinite agonies & vexations, which the Divines call Penam sensus, the pain of pain of sense. sense, or feeling. The which two pains are never without desperate howling, weeping, & gnashing of teeth. What should I here speak of the sun dry and divers kinds of torments, wherewithal damned people vex one another in hell: which are so ugly & horrible that we tremble and quake, when we do but once think upon them: and are so much more grievous, because all relief and end thereof, are utterly despaired and disinherited. And the same are not a little augmented, when damned men shall cast up their eyes into heaven, and behold those Sap●. ●. 4, whom they had in this world in derision: now on the contrary part to rest in peace, and to reign in all glory, honour, and blessedness. There are two questions usually demanded ●f the equality or inequality of ●oyes in eternal life. touching the state of glorification: first, whether the glory of the Elect be common to all, without any difference of men's actions or vocations in this present life: or whether there be any diversity at all. Secondly, whether in the state of glorification, men shall know such as were their acquaintance & friends in this life. Of the which two questions, albeit not impartinent to this discourse, I will writ nothing at this time: both because the discussing of these questions (in my judgement) breed rather pleasure then profit: & also because the same are handled Rog. Allaeus ex Pe. Mart. in 1. Cor. 14. The sick-man's salve learnedly in our English tongue, by two of our country men, M. Ally, and M. Beacon, (albeit one of them borrowed his tractation of this matter almost verbatim out of P. Martyr) unto them therefore I remit the Reader desirous to know further of this matter. I think it rather Drigans & the Chiliasts' error touching the salvation of all men. expedient to admonish my reader in this part, of the heresy of the chiliasts, who supposed, that both all men & devils should be saved at the last day. Of the which opinion was Origen: who also held that the benefit of Christ should extend itself as largely as the offence of Adam. But there is plain & evident mention made in the holy scripture of the pains of damned men. Their worm shall never dye. Neither is it expressed in the scripture that Christ's binefite should be extended as ample as the fall of Adam. And albeit some maintaining that proposition to help themselves, do affirm that Christ's benefit extendeth itself to so many in number, in respect that by his means all men are partakers of the resurrection: unto this it may be inferred, that as the resurrection is a benefit to the godly, so is it a punishment to the ungodly. For the resurrection of the wicked is unto them partly an execution of god's severity and wrath. And if the lord pronounced of judas, that it had been better for him never to have been born: why may not It were better for the wicked never to rise a gain. the same be spoken of the wicked, It were better for them not to rise again. Moreover albeit they seem to have found some refuge in respect of the resurrection, because Christ's benefit is spread to as many in number as Adam's transgression, what would they answer, if they should be urged with an argument of Adam's offence, & Christ's justice: Will they say that all have been so justified in Christ, as they have sinned in Adam? Surely to this they can not ananswere. For not so many by much shall be justified by Christ, as shall be damned in Adam. And this is the mind of P. Martyr Pe. Mar. in. 1. Cor. 15. in this matter: and the Apostle himself seemeth to restrain Christ's benefits, to those that have received the abundance of grace, & gift of righteousness. For if by the Rom. 5. sin of one, death reigned by the means of one: much more they which receive abundance of grace, & the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life, by the means of one, ●esus Christ. And albeit I yield willingly to the former The state of man glorified, excels the first state of man after his creation. opinion touching the extending of Christ's benefits to the fewer number: yet it is to be added, that the effects of the benefits & gifts of christ are more ample & notable to that number, which are partakers of the same in the state of glorification. The dignity of the image of god after his creation, was no doubt notable & excellent, & did brightly show forth the love of the creator toward the creature: but that image of god which shallbe restored after the resurrection, to all those that believe in Christ, shall be much more excellent. For we shall be coloured and cleansed with the precious blood of Christ. And this restitution shall be perpetual & unchangeable, whereas in the first state of man it was changeable, & endured for a short time. And as the heavenly life with Christ doth far excel the earthly life with Adam before his fall: even so no doubt the image of god perfectly restored by Christ in glorification, shall much excel the first donation: but because the curious sifting of these matters pass the compass of man's capacity, and small is the smack that we have of these things, whiles our fowls are clogged with earthly vessels: let us beseech Christ to hasten his coming, that we may take possession of that heavenly heritage, where we shall behold all those things, even with these eyes of ours, and enjoy the same in our bodies and souls. This excellent restitution of the faithful, Glorification is properly the work and gift of Christ. may not be ascribed to their own works (albeit god in his mercy promises to reward & crown the same) but only to the mercy of God in his son Christ. For as the resurrection from the dead, is neither the work of man, nor of angels, but of god alone: even so all those things which appertain to man's eternal glorification, proceed only of the power & goodness of god, in exhibiting his son to finish this work. As the Apostle saith, We are reconciled Rom. 5. to god by the death of his son. Again, receiving abundance of grace and justice: they shall reign in life by one man, jesus Christ. And also, He rose again for our justification. And Rom. 4. hereof it cometh to pass that our saviour Christ is often times in the scripture called our life; I am the way, the truth, and the life. Joh. 14. 10 ●heworke of redemption is only Christ's. And, I came that they might have life. Even so is the donation of eternal life ascribed unto him: And the reason is, because he is our Mediator & Redeemer. For albeit the Joh. 14. father and the son are one, yet will the father be known in his son only: and it is the son only that demeriteth & sendeth the holy ghost into the hearts of believers. Jo. 16. 7●. The words of Athanasius are worthy the observation in this matter: It Athanasius. was requisite that the son should assume man's nature, that by means of the essential Image of god, man being the created image, might be restored. Whereof Origen also writeth excellently: Origines. Man brought the malign image through sin, therefore Christ came in the likeness of man, to reform us according to his image. Now that we all may be partakers of this glorification, it behoveth us to begin new obedience in this life, which is acceptable to god, through Christ: and as the Apostle doth exhort us: Let us put on the Ephe. 4. new man, which after God is form in righteousness and holiness of truth. Let us always have in remembrance, that this life of ours is nothing else but a pilgrimage, through the which we must travel into eternal life. Let us forget those things that are behind our backs, and desire those things that are before our faces: Let us aim to the mark, even to the garland of eternal life, through jesus Christ: Let us be certainly persuaded (as the truth is in deed) that there can be no greater plague, then to be separate from God by sin: & in place of eternal joy, to abide eternal misery, & for sweet life, to receive bitter death. Let the consideration of God's image imparted unto mankind, move us to have always in remembrance gods great love toward us, & our duty to him again: Whereof S. August. libe. de s●lut. doc. cap. 3. Augustine writeth excellently after this manner: Understand (O man) by thy honour in thy first estate, how much thou are bond to thy creator: which dignity he ad●aunced thee unto, that thou should so much the more love him as he The effect and fruit which should spring by the consideration of these thinger. hath preferred thee in honour before all mundaine creatures. For by the counsel of the holy trinity, thou wast not only excellently created: but created after the similitude & image of the creator, which was not collated to any other creature but to man only. By this and such like considerations, it shall come to pass, by the aid of God's grace, that we shall defy & tread down earthly things, & covet celestial & heavenly things: We shall say with the Apostle, I desire to be loosed, & to be with Christ: Phi. 1. So shall we die blessedly, and rest from all labours: R●u. 14. Phi. 3. so shall we arise again to immortality, and our bodies shall be conformed unto the body of christ. And so we shall have perfect felicity, being joined to god the perfect goodness, in perfect love: and the image of God, after the which we be first created, shallbe more perfectly absolved in us. In the which Image there shall shine perfect justice, perfect holiness, perfect liberty, perfect wisdom, perfect clearness & glory, whereof the Prophet speaketh, saying: I shall be satisfied, when I shall awake according to thy similitude. Whereunto Solomon also alludeth, saying, The eye is not satisfied with seeing, neither is the Ecclsi. 1. ear filled with hearing. In which sentence Godly men are satisfied only in the fruition of heavenly things. the Wiseman signifieth, that nothing can suffice man, before he come to god, & rest in him. For there is in man such a desire of divine things, that nothing can sufficiently content him, but that which is the chiefest: which when he obtaineth, than he rests in the same as in the chief felicity. And therefore his perfect estate must needs be in eternal blessedness which we begin here in this life, & absolve perfectly in the life to come: whereof Prospero speaketh: The life to come, is believed to be blessed sempiternally, & sempiternally blessed where there is perfect love, & no fear. The state of this blessedness was offered to S. john in a vision: He saw the Reu. 21. holy city jerusalem prepared like a spouse for her husband Christ: in the which there was neither mourning, neither clamour, nor death: but joy, peace, quietness, & everlasting life. Whose walls A certain description of the joys of heaven out of the holy scripture were of precious stone, And the city was pure gold like unto clear glass: and the foundations of the brickwall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, every gate was of one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were shining glass. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord god almighty, & the Lamb, are the temple of it. And the City had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to lighten it, for the glory of God, & the lamb is the light of it. And the nations of them which are saved, shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the gentiles unto it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any unclean thing, neither what soever worketh abomination, or maketh lies: but they only which are written in the lambs book of life. The image of true felicity which we covet & desire, is after a sort represented unto us in this description: which albeit it doth not, nor can not lively & perfectly express the same: yet it is proposed both to stir us up to an earnest desire thereof, and to kindle in us an ardent love of piety and all other heavenly virtues: until we have run out our race in this life, & do come unto the goal or garland of promised felicity, which is so incomprehensible to all humane speech, pen, and cogitation, that the Apostle in the declaration thereof, finds in himself some defect and want: and therefore repeateth out of the Prophet, The eye hath not seen, the ear Esa. 64. 1. Cor. 2. hath not herded, neither hath the heart of man conceived those joys, which God hath prepared for those that love him. FINIS.